A massive cultural phenomenon, made even bigger by the hit anime based on it. To this day, "Ashita no Joe" remains one of the most important manga of all time, and now it will finally see the light of day in English for the first time!

WE ALL NEED SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR

A young street-fighting drifter named Joe Yabuki wanders aimlessly through the slums of Tokyo, but a chance encounter with a failed boxer who sees something special in the boy sparks a partnership that might just take Joe all the way to the top...

This universally acclaimed classic is much more than a sports manga: it is a cultural touchstone and a realist masterpiece, perhaps the most prominent series ever to eschew any hint of the superhuman or supernatural, yielding a keenly observed human drama that captured the hearts of an entire generation on its way to becoming a runaway bestseller.  Serialized from 1968-1973, Ashita no Joe made a particular impact on college students and the working class, who saw their own experience reflected in Joe's struggle. To this day, it remains one of the most important manga ever published, and this landmark omnibus edition marks its first appearance in English translation.

Hitmaker Asao Takamori was arguably the biggest manga author of his day, while Tetsuya Chiba, winner of innumerable awards, remains one of the most influential manga artists of all time.

Series Overview: A story of a young drifter moving through the system and discovering his destiny in the boxing ring is so much more than a sports manga. "Joe" was particularly influential with college students and the working class during it's run (1968-1973), who saw their own experiences reflected in Joe's struggle against authority. The manga was a massive cultural phenomenon, made even bigger by the hit anime based on it. To this day, "Ashita no Joe" remains one of the most important manga of all time.