History YMMV / AshitaNoJoe

* If you don't know by now, [[spoiler: Rikiishi dies from injuries sustained from his match against Joe.]]
* Yoko and Joe [[spoiler: were in love with each other.]]

* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: The art of the ''Ashita no Joe'' manga has heavy use of {{Chiaroscuro}} lighting and features a lot of detail in scenery and characters, and boy, is [[https://en.toonsphere.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ashita_no_Joe.jpeg it]] [[https://m66qs02g8tfhc.3dzsqg1ydq73m.mangadex.network:44300/rWtt97p8BYNtkBn3CF7A6Zpl3WdQdDyEyXOEv_vAtey9jwKwXTMoIlKOtLVUCYZn8tyDZF76r-kAW3xXvvJvu3niZg4Ilnikj2JqROvzE0wH7nv5iZQWuiX5We3OmoNq-4CXcRaGcJZG22bbiFFIMRzYEvxJXq3YaLmdLD-15F-S88a6Af3QP01Ze84Qnk3nJfmANpcUPEaNiFcBWWpHkFDl/data/a5a0eb3b7511eb123e3a5e70f88872b3/x114.png amazing]].

* AcceptableEthnicTargets: The Koreans. Although the most of the Koreans are depicted in a neutral manner, two of the most prominent Koreans in ''Ashita no Joe'' (Kim Yongbi and his trainer, Hyun Jodal) are some of the biggest jerks in the work. It doesn't help that all of them are drawn with slanty eyes, let alone colored with a greenish skin color in the second anime[[note]]At the time of its publication (and indeed, even today), Koreans were not well-liked by the Japanese.[[/note]]. And naturally, Koreans were offended to the point Kim Yongbi's nationality was changed to Thai or Japanese in the Korean translation of the manga and several anime dubs.

* AwesomeArt: The art of the''Ashita no Joe'' manga has heavy use of {{Chiaroscuro}} lighting and features a lot of detail in scenery and characters, and boy, is [[https://en.toonsphere.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ashita_no_Joe.jpeg it]] [[https://m66qs02g8tfhc.3dzsqg1ydq73m.mangadex.network:44300/rWtt97p8BYNtkBn3CF7A6Zpl3WdQdDyEyXOEv_vAtey9jwKwXTMoIlKOtLVUCYZn8tyDZF76r-kAW3xXvvJvu3niZg4Ilnikj2JqROvzE0wH7nv5iZQWuiX5We3OmoNq-4CXcRaGcJZG22bbiFFIMRzYEvxJXq3YaLmdLD-15F-S88a6Af3QP01Ze84Qnk3nJfmANpcUPEaNiFcBWWpHkFDl/data/a5a0eb3b7511eb123e3a5e70f88872b3/x114.png amazing]].
* AwesomeMusic: Both the first and the second anime feature very catchy soundtracks.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: To a lot of people, it's only known as "that series with the boxer [[spoiler:who dies]]" because many anime and manga reference [[spoiler:the last scene.]] However, this is {{Subverted}} as Tetsuya Chiba said [[spoiler: the ending]] is meant to be ambiguous. So it's more as "that series with the boxer [[spoiler:who passes (either out or away)]]."

** I remember Joe. [[labelnote:Explanation]]It has become a thing for English-speaking fans to write lyrics of "Joe Forever" (the ending credits song of the movie version of ''Ashita no Joe 2'') in the comments of Ashita no Joe-related {{YouTube}} videos, to show that Joe Yabuki will remain in their hearts despite being implied to [[spoiler:have died at the end of the film.]][[/labelnote]]

** I remember Joe. [[labelnote:Explanation]]"I remember Joe" is one of the lyrics to "Joe Forever" the ending credits song of the movie version of ''Ashita no Joe 2''. It has become a thing for English-speaking fans to write "I remember Joe" in a Ashita no Joe-related YouTube videos, to show that Joe Yabuki will remain in their hearts despite being implied to [[spoiler:have died at the end of the film.]][[/labelnote]]

* MemeticMutation: If another series parodies Ashita no Joe, the part they will reference is most likely the CrossCounter move or [[spoiler:the final page]].

* FairForItsDay: As the manga came out in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, some of the foreign characters are based off stereotypes such as [[LatinLover Carlos]], [[UsefulNotes/NoKoreansInJapan Kim Yongbi]], and [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimau]], which the latter two can be described as racist. Carlos, however, is one of the most sympathically portrayed characters in the work.

* FairForItsDay: As the manga came out in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, some of the foreign characters are based off stereotypes such as [[LatinLover Carlos]], [[UsefulNotes/NoKoreansInJapan Kim Yongbi]], and [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimau]], which the latter two can be described as racist. Carlos, however, is one of the sympathically portrayed characters in the work.

* FairForItsDay: As the manga came out in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, some of the foreign characters are based off stereotypes such as [[LatinLover Carlos]], [[UsefulNotes/NoKoreansInJapan Kim Yongbi]], and [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimau]], which the latter two can be described as racist. Carlos however, is one of the sympathically portrayed characters in the work.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets: The Koreans. Although the most of the Koreans are depicted in a neutral manner, two of the most prominent Koreans in ''Ashita no Joe'' (Kim Yongbi and his trainer, Hyun Jodal) are some of the biggest jerks in the work. It doesn't help that all of them are drawn with slanty eyes, let alone colored with a greenish skin color in the second anime[[note]]At the time of its publication (and indeed, even today), Koreans were not well-liked by the Japanese.[[/note]]. And naturally, Koreans were offended to the point Kim Yongbi's nationality was changed in the Korean translation of the manga and several anime dubs to Thai or Japanese.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets: The Koreans. Although the most of the Koreans are depicted in a neutral manner, two of the most prominent Koreans in ''Ashita no Joe'' (Kim Yongbi and his trainer, Hyun Jodal) are some of the biggest jerks in the work. It doesn't help that all of them are drawn with slanty eyes, let alone colored with a greenish skin color in the second anime[note]At the time of its publication (and indeed, even today), Koreans were not well-liked by the Japanese.[/note]. And naturally, Koreans were offended to the point Kim Yongbi's nationality was changed in the Korean translation of the manga and several anime dubs to Thai or Japanese.

* FairForItsDay: As the manga came out in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, some of the foreign characters are based off stereotypes such as [[LatinLover Carlos]], [[UsefulNotes/NoKoreansInJapan Kim Yongbi]], and [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimau]], which the latter two can be described as racist. Carlos however, is one of the sympathically protrayed characters in the work.

* FairForItsDay: Despite... pretty much everything about [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimau]], it should be noted that that the manga portrays all of the other foreign boxers that Joe faces in a positive light. Carlos' style, antics and personality make him a fan favorite among the Japanese crowd, and despite some of his off-color comments to Joe, Mendoza never does so to any of the other Japanese characters and is shown to have a human side with his concerns of being around for his family. Even Yongbi has his admirers despite being a complete asshole, mostly due to his tragic backstory. Same goes for Jose, which fight in the anime got both the Mexican flag ''and'' the national anthem correctly, with the manga showcasing the type of dominance Mexican boxers had on the weightclass at the time.

* HoYay / FoeYay: Joe and Carlos. Joe at one point says that Carlos has "stolen his heart all over again".
* ItWasHisSled: If you don't know by now, [[spoiler: Rikiishi dies from injuries sustained from his match against Joe.]]

* MagnificentBastard: Carlos is established as such within his first appearance in the second series where he manages to subtly hit his opponent with his elbow after a punch. This goes unnoticed by the refs and, presumably, everyone in the audience except Joe, who from that point on sees him as his new WorthyOpponent.

* HesJustHiding: Believe it or not, but when the manga had been completed, [[spoiler:Joe's fate was actually hotly contested as the readers didn't know whether he was alive or if he had died. It even took Asao Takamori to confirm Joe's death at the end of the issue. Until Tetsuya Chiba debunked whatever Takamori said, saying that the ending was meant to be ambiguous.]]

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: To a lot of people, it's only known as "that series with the boxer [[spoiler:who dies]]" because many anime and manga reference [[spoiler:the last scene.]] However, this is {{Subverted}} as Tetsuya Chiba said [[spoiler: the ending]] is meant to be ambiguous.

* Narm: Many of the English speaking characters' voice actors have SoBadItsGood voices, like Yoshito Miyamura, who played Jose Mendoza in the second anime.

* FriendlyFandoms / FandomRivalry:
** Has a bit of both with ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'', both being boxing series. Still, the rivalry side is mostly civil, as most people enjoy both series for different reasons.
** There are many ''Film/Rocky'' fans in the ''Ashita no Joe'', probably because the similarities between the manga and movies.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: ''Legend of Success Joe''.

* {{Narm}}: A lot of the English speaking characters have very cheesy voices.

* ValuesDissonance: The first anime adaptation often had Noriko's parents bickering, which is fair. It gets worse when they get violent with each other at one point - and this is PlayedForLaughs.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The first anime adaptation had a Big Lipped Alligator Character created specifically for the anime (as in, he didn't appear in the manga): the eccentric old man who acted as the doctor of Tange Gym for a few episodes before the writers removed him from the plot entirely without any explanation of what happened to him. He is never mentioned again after that.
** The scene where Joe starts LaughingMad upon learning Danpei couldn't get a license from the JBC. In the anime, everything becomes discolored, while in the manga, everything just looks outright ''psychedelic''.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Sachi of the Doya Kids, to the point she's one of the most recognizable characters of ''Ashita no Joe''.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Sachi, to the point she's one of the most recognizable characters of ''Ashita no Joe''.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: To an infamous degree (at least for Western audiences), the ending of the series applies, [[spoiler: where Joe dies in his last match]]. This is due to other works almost always referencing/parodying the series by using this particular scene. To a lot of people, it's only known as "that series with the boxer [[spoiler:who dies]]".
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The first TV series had a Big Lipped Alligator Character created specifically for the anime (as in, he didn't appear in the manga): the eccentric old man who acted as the doctor of Tange Gym for a few episodes before the writers removed him from the plot entirely without any explanation of what happened to him. He is never mentioned again after that.
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** Rikiishi, big time. He's just that cool, and when he's introduced he is easier to sympathize with than Joe for most people. [[spoiler:There was also a real-life funeral for him following his death, where over 700 people wearing all black attended.]]
** Carlos for his flamboyant personality and awesome boxing skills that arguably surpass even those of Rikiishi, and for being a fun-loving NiceGuy outside the ring (at one point dressing up as Santa and handing out presents to kids).
* FairForItsDay: Despite... pretty much everything about [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Harimao]], it should be noted that that the manga portrays all of the other foreign boxers that Joe faces in a positive light. Carlos' style, antics and personality make him a fan favorite among the Japanese crowd, and despite some of his off-color comments to Joe, Mendoza never does so to any of the other Japanese characters and is shown to have a human side with his concerns of being around for his family. Even Yong-bi Kim has his admirers despite being a complete asshole, mostly due to his tragic backstory. Same goes for Jose, which fight in the anime got both the Mexican flag ''and'' the national anthem correctly, with the manga showcasing the type of dominance Mexican boxers had on the weightclass at the time.

* FriendlyFandoms / FandomRivalry: Has a bit of both with ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'', both being boxing series. Still, the rivalry side is mostly civil, as most people enjoy both series for different reasons.
* HesJustHiding: Believe it or not, but when the manga had been completed, [[spoiler:Joe's fate was actually hotly contested as the readers didn't know whether he was alive or if he had died. It even took WordOfGod to confirm Joe's death at the end of the volume.]]

* ItWasHisSled: If you don't know by now, [[spoiler: Rikiishi dies from injuries sustained from his match against Joe.]] Also, [[spoiler: Joe dies after his match against Jose Mendoza.]]
* JerkassWoobie: Yong-bi Kim. On one hand he was a survivor of the horrifying Korean War at quite the young age, [[spoiler: saw his mother die in front of his very eyes, and later killed his father due to a terrible mistake.]] But on the other hand, his sordid past clearly gives him a sense of entitlement; it makes him feel that he's better than anyone else in the sport, looks down on boxing as just a game that shouldn't be treated with any passion just because there are ''rules'' in the sport, and looks down on Joe especially for struggling with his weight, just because nobody else he knows had to go through what he did. Not a good way to win sympathy points.

* {{Narm}}:
** Yoko's hilarious looking reactions when shocked.
** The voices of the Mexican characters when they speak English.
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: ''Legend of Success Joe''.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/NorioWakamoto as Yong-bi Kim.
* TheScrappy:
** Harimao has been called a racist character and some feel that the stunts he pulls in the ring are outside the boundaries of the series' rules of realism (backflipping, walking on the ropes at the end of the ring, etc). It doesn't help that he communicates mostly with sounds.
* SignatureScene: [[spoiler: Rikiishi's and Joe's deaths.]]

* ValuesDissonance: The first TV anime often had Noriko's parents bickering, which is fair. It gets worse when they get violent with each other at one point - and this is PlayedForLaughs.
* WeirdAlEffect: Very few western anime fans have ever seen the original series. But the show has been parodied for so long, and by so many creators, if you've watched a lot of anime, you've seen Joe.

* EarWorm: The second anime's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCACB9FiTs4 opening]].

* TrueArtIsAngsty: Very much so after a certain point (namely [[spoiler:Rikiishi's death]]). However, TropesAreNotBad: most people agree that the series is an ''excellent'' drama.

** Yoko's hilarious looking reactions when shocked makes plenty of scenes less serious, such as [[spoiler: Rikiishi collapsing]].
** The voices of Mexican characters are not hard to laugh at.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: To an infamous degree (at least for Western audiences), the ending of the series applies, [[spoiler: where Joe dies in his last match]]. This is due to other works almost always referencing/parodying the series by using this particular scene.

** In the original, the gloves Mendoza had custom-ordered in Mexico specifically for the match were of the Winning brand, a Japanese brand with the reputation of making the best boxing gloves in the world. The Italian dub altered the visuals to make them made by Reyes, a Mexican brand that is also well known for making every single glove by hand-precisely the ones who a Mexican champion would custom order boxing gloves to.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: The Slum Town kids, due to taking up a lot of screen time in the first anime series for mere comic relief characters and for screaming a lot. Others like them however. [[DemotedToExtra The second anime don't show them that much, luckily.]]