One-Pound Gospel

One-Pound Gospel
1ポンドの福音 (Ichi-Pondo no Fukuin)
Genre	Sports, Romantic comedy
Manga
Written by	Rumiko Takahashi
Published by	Shogakukan
English publisher	Viz Media
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Weekly Young Sunday
Original run	1987 (issue 9) – 2007 (issue 3/4)
Volumes	4
Original video animation
Directed by	Makura Saki
Studio	Studio Gallop
Released	December 2, 1988
Runtime	55 minutes
Anime and Manga Portal

One-Pound Gospel (1ポンドの福音, Ichi-Pondo no Fukuin^?) is a manga series created by Rumiko Takahashi, author of Maison Ikkoku, Ranma ½, and InuYasha. The series was serialized periodically in Weekly Young Sunday from issue 9 in 1987 to issue 3/4 in 2007. Released in North America by Viz Media, it is a fusion of the sports (specifically, boxing) and romantic comedy genres. The pop music group KAT-TUN's Kazuya Kamenashi starred in a live-action television drama series adaptation, and Meisa Kuroki co-starred. Takahashi finished the manga after twenty years and four volumes in March 2007. Viz published the manga in English, an anime OVA in 1988. Nippon Television ran the drama for one quarter of a year, and it aired on Saturdays at 9:00 PM. [1][2]

Brief Overview

The protagonist of the series is Kōsaku Hatanaka (畑中　耕作, Hatanaka Kōsaku^?), the pride of Mukōda Gym (向田ジム, Mukōda Jimu^?) for the most part. He went pro in only two bouts after leaving high school, and his strong punches are universally recognized by his opponents. While he is a natural at boxing, he can't control his voracious appetite. Not surprisingly, Kōsaku eats anything and everything. As a result, he has been forced to change his weight class since high school. Going from flyweight, all the way up to feather weight, something his trainer tells him he doesn't have the frame for. On top of this he accepts challenges from higher weight classes, giving his coach (and himself) constant trouble.

Into this picture steps Sister Angela (シスターアンジェラ, Shisutā Anjera^?), a novice nun who takes Kōsaku on as a personal project, determined to set him on the right path and break his habit of gluttony. She constantly encourages him, making sure that he stays in shape while staying away from food. Unfortunately, closeness can sometimes breed feelings of affection, which Kōsaku begins to develop. Even worse, Sister Angela realizes she's beginning to have the same problems as well.

Notes

• In the 2008, a live action adaption of the manga came out starring KAT-TUN's Kamenashi Kazuya as Hatanaka Kosaku and Kuroki Meisa as Sister Angela.

External links

• One-Pound Gospel (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• One-Pound Gospel (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• One-Pound Gospel page at Furinkan.com