Joe Yabuki is an orphaned drifter who lands in a poor district of Tokyo, picks fights, and gets taken in hand by a broken old coach who sees a boxer in him. Ashita no Joe, written by Asao Takamori and drawn by Tetsuya Chiba from 1968 to 1973 across 20 volumes, is one of the most important manga ever made in Japan, where Joe became a symbol for a whole restless generation. The art is brisk, expressive ink with real impact in the ring and a strong feel for the poverty Joe comes from. It is a story about a young man with nothing who chooses to burn himself completely rather than live small.
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