The entire series has been leading up to this point, the final showdown between wolf Yuri and stray dog Joe. The blind scorpion watches from the sidelines with his palm against the mat, as the crowd goes wild at every slug. It was really the perfect ending for this sleeper hit of a show and I’m already bummed that it’s over.
The show wastes no time getting into the fight because it knows what we’re here to see, a slugfest between Joe and Yuri. Joe stands at his corner with his signature smug smile and radiates excitement, meanwhile everyone in the audience is baffled at Yuri’s lack of gear. It’s poetic and beautiful how Joe has come this far to experience ‘real’ Megalo Boxing from Yuri, yet now that we’re at the top, neither men even have gear. The fight has been boiled down to its very core, removing all irrelevant distractions, allowing Yuri and Joe to fight like real boxers.
The first three rounds are skipped immediately simply because of the level that Joe and Yuri are fighting on. Unlike Joe’s previous opponents who each had something to teach the amateur fighter, Yuri is facing Joe at his peak. Both fighters are at the highest level, and it’s unlikely either of them would be knocked out or heavily hurt in the first three rounds. Instead, we’re thrown into the fourth round and witness the beginning of Yuri’s dominance in the ring. The round itself doesn’t go too badly for Joe, but he’s already spitting blood. We learn that Yuri’s status as world champion is well earned, not only pushing Joe into a corner but switching styles on the fly. It’s only through Mikio’s thoughts that we learn of Yuri’s deteriorating condition as a result of the surgery, something Yuri is only fighting through sheer willpower and strength.
Around the ring are loads of familiar faces, from the friends of Sachio cheering from above to Aragaki and Mr. Miyagi watching intently from the seats. Even Fujimaki is watching from home, congratulating Nanbu for turning Joe into the real thing. At this point I realized just how amazing a journey it was to bring Joe to Megalonia. Over the past cour, Joe and Nanbu befriended Sachio, fought and befriended Aragaki, and even earned Fujimaki’s respect. This series has developed Yuri and Nanbu to such a point that all other characters pale in comparison. Genuine and enjoyable character development isn’t too easy to pull off over the course of only a single cour, but Megalo Box has succeeded in changing its characters from the tropes of drunk master and cold rival to something real.
The battle lasts for a spectacular thirteen rounds, with Yuri seemingly dominating Joe. However, Joe remembers that exhilarating feeling of rushing towards the cliff on his motorcycle, with the wind blowing through his afro. With that small power-up, Joe and Yuri commence their final exchange in a brilliant punch out. It’s resolved by mutual swings from both Joe and Yuri, and a freeze frame to keep us in suspense. The freeze was definitely an attempt to capitalize on the ending of the original Ashita no Joe, and play with the expectations of us viewers. It was well done and I was worried that Megalo Box would end on a depressing note.
The prologue shows Joe and Yuri are both well, although the latter seems to have lost the ability to walk. Joe on the other hand has seemingly given up his Megalo Box throne. Both men revolved around each other and now that they’ve had their grand match, neither care about the next Megalonia. It’s nice seeing an at peace Yuri watching the river while Nanbu yells at Sachio and his mischievous friends. Not only have they achieved what they set out to achieve, Nanbu has his own gym again! It’s a new beginning for everyone, and a very wholesome ending to the show. Perhaps the only cherry on top that was missing was Shirato’s reunion with Yuri, because her tears clearly reveal that she cares for him.
Overall, an amazing episode. A final fight that matched all expectations and utilized the show’s brilliant soundtrack. The punches hit hard and the showdown between dog and wolf did not disappoint.
Final Thoughts:
Megalo Box was not a show I thought I’d enjoy this much. Perhaps it was just the boy in me that was interested in dudes battling it out with robotic gear, but Megalo Box has proved that it’s so much more than that. We were gifted with more character development than most other anime, a lovable cast of characters, and a brilliant soundtrack. Its grainy aesthetic added to its appeal, and the occasional raps fit the show perfectly.
The only complaints I have about the show is the lack of strong fight choreography in most fights, save for Aragaki’s and maybe Yuri’s. Megalo chose to emphasize the inner struggles of Joe moreso than the boxing itself, and perhaps it was the right choice, or perhaps they could’ve done both? But that’s just nitpicking, so who cares.
Likely my anime of the season, and definitely the best anime that isn’t a sequel this season. Solid 8-9/10.
My god what an amazing finale for an amazing show. My heart was literally pumping fast during the fight, especially at the end thinking there was a death. But wow, I loved this show and I’m glad it got the attention of a lot of people. I pretty much agree that some of the faults of the show lies in some of the fights not being as exciting, or falling flat because of the way they were animated. But when they wanted the fights to look good, they looked great. I also would have wanted a little more on Joe, like what his background was that led him to do fraud matches.
I also wished Shirato and Yuri could have had a reunion or something, because between you and me I totally thought they were a thing. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Also, nothing has me more shook this season than Sachio’s rap!