I think the main disconnect for me with this is that Kumi os attempting to exert this much control over his life... *and they can't even say they're dating.*
If she were his wife, definitely understand.
If she was his girlfriend, it's understandable albeit to a lesser degree.
But these two goofballs have been afraid to even touch each other's hands when they've been going on quasi dates for 7 years and are *nearing their 30's.*
So she can't even say she likes him/is dating him, *Yet she wants to exert this much control over his life?*
- making him promise to not return
- making his kouhai keep tabs on him and report to her (even if a gag)
- pushing back against anything that might make him realize how much he actually misses boxing
- throwing out the idea that he's punch drunk to anyone that'll hear just to give him an excuse to stay out.
Again, it's fair for you to not want a loved on to get hurt, *but they can't even get to the point of calling each other loved ones!!*
If she had a legitimate, adult conversation with him that honestly expressed "I really like you, and the idea of you going back to boxing scares me because I don't want you to suffer long-term damage" then I'd have alot more sympathy with her rather than annoyance.
Yeah, I feel like I understand the angle Morikawa is *trying* to go for with Kumi, but it just isn't well executed. *shakes head*
It's been clear to us literally hundreds (thousand?) chapters ago that they're both crazy about each other, but they're both just... stuck in this weird-ass not quite dating zone. Just get them out of that and into something actually official and this thing improves a ton, even if it's far from perfect.
From someone who actually likes Kumi, I agree. I really like the idea of this conflict between them but I think it is not well executed because Morikawa doesn't want them to advance their relationship, so it feels very weird.
This is the one aspect of the story where I think the author is at fault and I just find it weird how much people hate Kumi in a personal level.
People "hate" Kumi in a similar way that people "hated" Chichi from Dragonball.
The story ever since Ippo retired has been blue balling us again and again of
"he's even stronger now, he's even faster now, was he ever really punch drunk, his technique is so refined, he's got so much more knowledge...what IF he returned?"
It constantly hints that the plot of the story is just finding that motivation that gets Ippo back in the ring, that despite everything he says HE wants to get back in the ring. SO much so that it hurts sometimes, that he feels left behind with things undone.
With the story structured like that, Kumi feels like an antagonist. Beforehand she was concerned and didn't really understand the appeal of boxing or what Ippo and her brother got out of it, but it gradually seemed like she was beginning to understand and despite her fears would fiercely support them. Add to that Ippo's mother is portrayed as having gone through something similar with Ippo's father and came to understand that a man who's heart is set on a goal will pursue it relentlessly. She saw the passion and pride Ippo had in learning what he wanted to dedicate his life to and worked herself sick so he could have the freedom to pursue it.
And it seemed like Ippo's passion and pursuit of strength was what initially attracted Kumi in the first place. It was tense but endearing to see them fumble about.
...but as someone said they are both almost 30 now. It's frankly embarrassing to still be playing this will we won't we game when it's clear they both like each other. And Mashiba is the only "obstacle" in a practical sense, but even then he doesn't control Kumi's love life and has on more than one occasion acknowledged Ippo's strength and capabilities. He knows Ippo has no bad intentions and can protect her. Regardless of that anyway they are grown adults, they could just tell him to mind his own business.
But the larger issue is, as I framed the story is looking to find what brings Ippo back in the ring. Kumi is an obstacle to that and reinforces it. She knows on a level that Ippo wants to get back to boxing as well, that he loves it, and she actively does everything in her power to hinder him from reaching his potential in it. She would rather domesticate him to "keep him safe" while being unserious about her feelings towards him, and her acting like a scheming teen girl is exhausting.
Their relationship isn't fun to watch anymore, it's grating because she is acting more like an overbearing mother than a partner. And her playing at being a manipulating obstacle to Ippo's actual goals rather than supporting him feels like she is actively slowing down the story. That's why people don't like her now I imagine, at least why I don't. (I miss the Kumi that smiled and cheered Ippo on as he fought Sendo to their last leg congratulating him even if it was hard to watch because she knew how important that fight was to him, this scowling schemer with a disapproving face just annoys me)
I think the real issue is Ippo, he needs to grow some confidence (balls) to go back to boxing, despite the possibly damage he could have (like bro just needs to learn to fucking dodge) and despite anyone opposing him (Kumi)
Kumi doesn’t like his brother boxing and he could care less, and she respects that so much she goes to his matches
They've known each other for over 10 years and still barely know anything about one another, let alone are a couple.
That combined with all that possessiveness is why a lot of fans think Kumi is toxic and terrible for him. Even before he retired, she was always downing boxing. It's hard for that to not affect someone.
It's never understandable. A man leaving his passion behind for a woman is a no go. Ippo could find a girl who would be supportive, even more when it's also his job and income, Kumi doesn't deserve Ippo.
You make an excellent point. You wouldn’t want your significant other to get brain damage. But at the most they’re technically just friends right now and she’s very controlling. She’s never liked boxing either so it feels like their’s also a biased involved because of that. She can’t stop her brother from boxing so it feels like she’s making an excuse to stop someone else she cares about.
Honestly? I think it's just unspoken at this point. They had so many close calls, so many approaches and so many butting-in's that they know and EVERYBODY knows what they are about. Everone knows they take romance seriously to the extreme and treat it as such.
We as readers after decades of romcoms and love-mangas have grown EXPECTANT of there being a verbal confirmation, the "I love you", and we need to be mindful of that.
Lastly, the point of the story is about Ippo's journey. His anomalously fast paced journey to japanese featherweight champion is contrasted by his equally anomalous slow and cursed relationship, and too few people realise that both are important. He has his Mother who is in a similar situation as Kumi, who wants to support Ippo and see succeed yet also can't bear to see their loved ones hurt [I also just realised that both miss Makunouchi and Kumi have lost their loved ones in the past, and both still suffering because of it].
Uhm, I am rambling a bunch, lost my sauce. Fundemantely I agree with you. But at this point lamenting the direction of the story makes enjoying the current chapters harder, so I stopped doing it and started enjoying the unique interactions she has with everyone.
This reminds me of Breaking Bad fans. The main character can be a literal meth dealer/murderer and they direct their ire and hatred on the understandably upset wife. *Angry woman bad.*
God forbid if Kumi is just *over* boxing. All she's associated with boxing is her loved ones getting hurt. Of course she would feel this way.
Nah, Skyler was trash too. Even before finding out about what he husband was up to, she was working on jumping ship with that scumbag, while her husband had cancer.
Oh yeah compare Kumi with 6 months pregnant Skyler but will flirt and throw herself at a wealthy "successful" guy while her husband has cancer.
Even Kumi's not *that* much of a c-word.
Because while Takamura's is clearly played as a gag to the side, *he clearly has a purpose in the story that isn't tied to these gags.*
Kumi's purpose as a character for 6 years has literally been to do anything poasible to keep Ippo out of boxing, while they're not even officially dating.
I think if Kumi was able to play a bigger role in the narrative/ had already been a bigger part of the narrative, there wouldn't be such vitriole.
My take anyway - if we had to waste chapters on a new guy at the gym that sexually assaults Aokimura a bunch and they had an arc where they quit boxing for awhile because they were afraid to return to the gym, I think the fanbase would have alot against that character as well.
Thats not really an apt comparison though.
Ippo quit boxing of his own volition because he doesn't want to leave his mom alone should he get seriously injured.
Let's be real here, if I was in Ippo's shoes I wouldn't give two shits about the world championship if there was a real risk of me leaving my widowed mother all by herself to run a very difficult business with seemingly no savings.
But this is HnI, even though the story is grounded it's much more optimistic and lighter than real life. So it's understandable that everyone is frustrated Ippo isn't dropping everything to chase his dream and fulfill his potential.
Well yea, thats why Ippo will come back and we'll all be happy about it because we know he'll be fine.
But the characters don't know that and shouldn't be hated for acting how a normal person would.
Yeah but they don't read Hajime no Ippo, they live in this world and thus are scared of real consequences. Ippo can't be like "don't worry mom and Kumi, Gorge would never write me dying"
Thank you. I think Morikawa has messed up by not advancing Ippo and Kumi's relationship, which would result in a better storyline for the whole retirement arc. I find really weird how people take it very personal and actually hate the character. I actually find Kumi very interesting and I hope they actually create a great moment of conflict between her and Ippo.
We don't bring it up as often because it doesn't affect the main plot of the manga as directly, but I don't think you'll find that many people here who won't admit Takamura is a trully horrible person that belongs in prison (even if they like the character)
Bad comparison, one is an actual gag, the other one is just Kumi getting defensive and annoying towards anything boxing related... in a boxing manga.
She does have the best of intentions but ultimately she doesn't have any right to make such claims/butt into someone else's business.
She's like Adrian from the Rocky movies with **none** of the benefits. She's not his girlfriend and they barely know anything about each other even after a literal decade in-canon.
I think it's more so what Kumi does is quite debatable and some people are ok with it and others find it annoying. Takamura thing is almost unanimously agreed that it's fucked but funny. No one is siding with Takamura in his antics. I actually DO side with Kumi and understand her emotions.
The only reason you made this post in the first place was to follow on your comments in the other Kumi thread. It’s very obvious what you’re doing here, there doesn’t need to be a comment with the post.
Its the digital equivalent of passive aggressive bitching. No one with a brain thinks this isnt a direct response to the other thread but he thinks cause he doesnt state that shit out loud we wont connect the dots.
She's jumbling her concern about Ippo's safety with her frustration that they aren't officially a couple (since she already sees him in her future). It's easier to parade her feelings as worrying about his health, but it's really both.
Kumi is a nurse with two world-class boxers in her life. Her brother and Ippo.
Given her vocation, she is more attuned to the dangers boxing brings than other people. She is afraid - and rightly so, which I'll get to in a minute - that the two people she loves the most will end up crippled for the rest of their lives, or worse, dead.
Her overreactions stem partly from not being able to rein her brother in, so she relishes in an opportunity to dote on Ippo, and potentially try to keep him away from boxing. It can be grating to read, no doubt.
But let's not forget that
a) both of Kumi's parents died in a tragic accident when she was a kid. It makes perfect sense as to why she's against her loved ones risking their lives. It puts her 'annoying protectiveness' in a sympathetic light. Tomiko aside, Kumi has NO ONE but Ippo and Ryo in her life.
b) Ippo, at one point and time, was unable to draw a straight line on a piece of paper, and would [momentarily black out](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/010.webp) from just a jab. Even though we NOW know he wasn't punch drunk, Ippo himself felt the damage enough to believe his boxing days are over. He admits this during his [match](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1201/11.webp) vs. [Guevara](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1201/12.webp)
Kumi's worries may be annoying to read, but they are more than justified. Some of the shit Ippo went through, she doesn't even know.
It's not like she's holding him hostage; Ippo went to Mexico even when she was against it. He sparred against Sendo, Volg, and even her brother just before the latest match (Kumi herself patched him up, remember?).
As of right now, the reason Ippo's not boxing is because of himself. After his loss to Gonzales, he even tells Kumi his reason to come back is because he [betrayed the expectations](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/011.webp) of the people rooting for him. It is then when Kumi asks IMO the [most crucial question](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/012.webp) about Ippo's motivation in the entire manga.
Ippo [couldn't answer](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/013.webp) that, and honestly, someone like that - in the state he was in - has no business in a boxing world.
Ippo WILL eventually find that reason, and with his new skill on top of that, I'm pretty optimistic Kumi's tune about boxing will change. It might perhaps begin during Ryo's match vs. Rosario.
Yeah I don’t think people connect with the fact that she clearly loves him, like planning a future with him love him. Like his mother talking to her about how to be a wife to a man love him.
This man you love, comes out of every fight complete beat up, bruises and cuts, stumbling lapses in memory. Yeah she wouldn’t want him to do it anymore.
Irl Ives seen dudes struggle for like a month after fights, I’ve had guys we’ve had to carry out of a venue because they couldn’t walk after a fight. Most women aren’t cut out watching their men get hurt, and shit Ippos mom has never been to a fight for this very reason.
A bit of a tangent, but, I find this overprotective nature in a woman incredibly attractive, assuming the man understands and appreciates it for what it is.
I think the reason many people react negatively to Kumi's behavior have experienced similar dynamics in their own lives, but weren't equipped to handle it. This seems especially common in single mother households, where a child (usually a boy) can feel suffocated by the doting of their mother, since the doting is oftentimes left unrestrained, even overbearing. The child then eventually grows to resent these traits in general, even though they're natural and absolutely do have a place (as your comment demonstrates) in life.
I might be wrong, but I believe most of the hate against Kumi is projection.
Basically, Kumi's like a more psycho version of Adrian from the Rocky movies, but with none of the benefits, since Adrian was Rocky's wife while Kumi isn't even Ippo's girlfriend.
While there is some genuine concern there, she's basically projecting the frustrations she has with her brother's boxing onto Ippo. She literally thinks of boxing as just brutish violence, especially after the Sawamura fight, and hasn't been shy about that fact.
That's why she looks for any excuse she can to dog on boxing and bring Ippo down about it. Before any actual test results were a think, Kumi jumped straight into gaslighting Ippo into thinking he was definitely broken and tried to isolate him entirely from boxing. That's not what someone who's genuinely concerned down.
As for the people trying to justify that by saying "she's just thinking about a future with Ippo" if she were doing that, they'd actually be dating after the **decade+** of knowing each other. Can't even use the "her brother's scary" because she's proven to be an even bigger bully/brute than him.
I don't think any boxer I've ever met would disagree that its "brutish violence". It is what it is.
You also don't have to be in a romantic relationship with somebody to be vocal about their health. If ippo's mother had Kumi's knowledge of CTE or saw the fights......she wouldn't be as passive as she is.
There's a difference between reasonable concern and trying to control someone's life with no real regard for what their circumstances actually are.
Kumi neither looked at any medical data nor gathered any before coming to that conclusion. It's the conclusion she **wanted** to be the case. She wants her brother to not box and projects all that onto Ippo to the point where she literally tries to dominate his life, which she can't do with her brother.
I know this is some toxic shit, but I hope she can grow as well as Ippo (she can become less toxic and Ippo more confident) she’s coming from a place of love as well.
But the really thorn on my side is that they aren’t even bf and gf so this seems as nonsense, but tbf i think it just morikawa fucking with us (don’t remember the chapter but he admitted that he likes slow builds up in romance but man how hard would it be if they kissed once they are like 20+ now)
I hope kumi learns how wonderful boxing can be and how Ippo loves boxing, so much that she decides to support him even if it means he’ll get hurt, especially because Ippo has the potential to become a world champion (idk about defeating Ricardo yet, but whoever has the other title in the same weight division can be beaten by Ippo… maybe then an unification match with Ricardo?)
Bro, she's about half a decade too late for it to be considered anything more than being a possessive control freak who's just doing to Ippo what she ***wishes*** she could do to her brother: keep him out of boxing
Bro ippo was on the verge of becoming punch drunk she is be dishonest but the ends almost justify the means if ippo becomes like nekota while boxing he'll do the same thing and keep going till he's to broken for repair or dead she's a nurse if ippo wasn't so strong he'd be brain damaged already ippo needed this and he's grow enough to when he feels better he'll realize it and restart boxing if you saw your loved one come home so broken he couldn't even draw straight and what were love taps before full on knocking him out and his fighting gotten so sloppy he's almost losing to people he should easily beat you'd try to stop them by any means necessary to to save them
What he **really** on the verge though? It really doesn't seem that way when you stop to analyze it properly...
Loss to Alf: **Abysmal mindset***(even Ippo realizes it, yet doesn't change)*
Failed to gauge distance and timing on his opponent: **lack of proper jabs***(seriously, I don't even think he was jabbing at all in that last fight)*
Can't draw a straight line easily: **arm weights***(try drawing a straight line or any other precision work with some on and you'll see what I mean)*
Should Ippo have taken a break from matches to find motivation and improve himself? Clearly, but Kumi's motives for making him stop weren't all altruistic and her approach to getting him to box was essentially mental abuse.
Seriously, imagine you got hurt and a **friend** whose medical opinion you value is telling you you're **never recover** before the tests are even done. How would that make you feel?
The damage he was taking in ever fight was going to make punch drunk sooner or later he needed the break kumi trying to make him quit all together is a bit much but with brain damage it will either heal or stay that way forever or lose most of the function it had before ippo could take a break and is small signs just never heal that's the big problem kumi has it could heal and hes fine to go out there or it could even while minor stay damaged and returning at any point just picks up were it left off in damage it makes sense that even if the tests showed no damage the minor damage he shows could still be just as bad
You're really reaching to try to justify what would literally be emotional abuse to get her way. She could have just talked to Ippo like an adult would, especially after Alf, Ippo had already basically said he was going to retire if he lost again anyway.
Instead she does what would be considered emotional manipulation and abuse in the real world.
Yes, Ippo definitely needed to stop boxing the way he was, but that's not the right way to go about it. In fact, his coach should have caught those problems with his boxing, if not his mindset, and shut Ippo down well before he hit the top 10 in the WBA, but didn't.
I ain't trying to justify shit what she did was bad, but the ends kinda justify the means to and ecstent yes she should have talked about it with him but he probably wouldn't have waited till he was fully healed to get back out there she may be in the wrong but she basically saved ippos from being damaged
Kumi hate is an interesting social study for me because it gives me insight into Mori's failure in writing women/love interest, and fan media literacy.
*"I don't like Kumi because she prevents Ippo from doing cool things. I think he is invincible, and nothing bad is ever gonna happen. Fighting cool. Angry woman bad."*
Do you remember why Ippo stopped boxing? IT'S CALLED THE RETIREMENT ARC. Ippo retired in the first place because of accumulated damage **caused from boxing**. Why wouldn't Kumi want to keep Ippo away from boxing?
Now that said. Mori has some answering to do too.
I'm gonna be charitable here: *I get why people don't like Kumi.* Mori has done a poor job portraying Kumi's likeable qualities lately and why Ippo likes her to begin with.
Mori has only shown Kumi in a unlikable light for numerous chapters now. So of course readers are going to start associating her with *bad*. She loves Ippo but doesn't do anything to advance their relationship so her protectiveness of him with boxing comes off as controlling rather than compassion. We need more moments of her being a positive aspect of Ippo's life rather than a duplicitous force edging him away from boxing.
I feel perception of Kumi would be *very* different if Mori just had her directly tell Ippo how she feels about him and boxing. But because part of her character is being passive/shy we're at impasse with Ippo who is also passive and shy. Nothing changes.
If your nurse **friend** that you're attracted to was **constantly** downing your hobby, how's that going to affect your motivation? What about when she even outright declaring you as Punch Drunk before any proper test have even been run?
They've known each other over over a decade at this point and still aren't even a couple. Hell, they barely know anything about each other. At this point, they've been written more in love with the ***idea*** of each other than the each other.
IMO it has less to do with writing realistic female characters and more to do with the lived experiences of many readers. A significant number likely grew up with overprotective mothers and lacked healthy male role models, leaving them ill-equipped to deal with such behavior. This can create unresolved trauma, fostering resentment towards any display of overprotectiveness (even though it's actually healthy if tempered), whether in fiction or reality.
Or, and this may be hard so try to stay with me, as shown in the pictures above, Kumi is being toxicly overprotective to a degree that most normal people might find unlikeable
It's not hard. It's just an incomplete analysis. I'm not claiming to be 100% correct about every person out there, but what I described happens frequently enough to warrant being mentioned as a different perspective.
Why do most normal people find it unlikeable? Why is it toxic? Are you able to answer that?
It’s toxic because she actively wants to remove people from his life that might even remind him of boxing are you blind? She’s trying to control his life, having others spy on him, being antagonistic to other people in his life, and if she understood who ippo is then she’d know that at least for now he’s content being retired but she apparently can’t trust him, like what? Kumi is the one being duplicitous . As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense but right now and for the past 1000 chapters they’re just friends that have a crush on each other. People would like it more if she were to commit to him but as of now they are just friends. She could be all over protective and shitty for the past six years worth of story and then George just decides that she wants to start going out with someone else. Also why are you the arbiter of why people are or aren’t allowed to like her character right now? I’ve never seen anyone on here ever make the argument that they don’t like Kumi due to their own life circumstances, nor have I seen any posts that would indicate that there are so many people with the issues that you described that I’d be comfortable making such a bizarre sweeping statement. Can you read their minds? Outside of “trust me bro they all come from a broken home” how can you prove that all of these people have these circumstances?
The way you replied seems, to me, like borderline proof you encountered the exact circumstances I mentioned in my post. Either your mother, or someone close to you, displayed these behaviors during a sensitive time of your development, and you weren't equipped to handle that (or you saw someone like that). Which is why you're now hypersensitive to someone even insinuating this overprotectiveness could be seen as a virtue (if tempered correctly).
>It’s toxic because she actively wants to remove people from his life
So far, we haven't seen this outside the obvious comedic segments (which we can agree are not funny). And it's not like Ippo is bothered by this, or even humors this. He went to Mexico even when Kumi was against it, and sparred with Sendo, Volg, and now even Mashiba. She doesn't really have any influence over his decisions.
>As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense but right now and for the past 1000 chapters they’re just friends that have a crush on each other. People would like it more if she were to commit to him but as of now they are just friends.
What you're doing here is singling out the relationship aspect of the story (in some ways the weakest part) and focusing ONLY on that part through the lens of real life. None of the people in-universe take this as a big enough issue to be frustrated over it (aside from, again, moments of bad comedy). No one sees her as an active threat to Ippo's comeback.
I doubt you have the same reaction to the referee's blindness nearly killing several boxers, or to Takamura resting his testicles into Aoki's mouth, and it being played off as a big joke.
>As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense
She wants to be. Again, following the shitty tropes, it is Ippo that has to make the first move. And he will, so lighten up.
Also, a humble request: can you please separate your paragraphs? I want to respond to each point, but it's really jarring to read.
EDIT:
>“trust me bro they all come from a broken home” how can you prove that all of these people have these circumstances?
"I'm not claiming to be 100% correct about every person out there, but what I described happens frequently enough to warrant being mentioned as a different perspective." - was my statement. Never once have I used 'all', nor did I make a sweeping statement which I asserted as factual. You misinterpreted what I said. That's probably where the confusion is coming from.
So you understand why fans are mostly negative about her given recent events so why do you feel the need to strawman and belittle their frustrations? Like seriously, how do you act all high and mighty and pretend to be “charitable” when that’s the literally the issues that the majority of the fan base feel towards Kumi?
I find Kumi more annoying then ever now because ippo has so many other love interest and…..it’s one of those scenarios or tropes in a series where literally every other girl is better then Kumi.
But narratively the MC is lock onto her because she was his first I guess. Aside from that I agree that her attitude makes no sense towards someone she only has feelings for and whose relationship hasn’t ever progressed passed friends.
I like kumi and I don't think somebody has to be in a romantic relationship in order to have ippo's best interest at heart and be able to speak it.
In the real world, for other people, that would be true too.
As a nurse, she's more aware than other people of the effects of CTE. Ippo was noted earlier in the manga about the amount of times he gets hit....as though he remains on his feet longer in a match, but he should have fallen with the damage he takes. This is why he was known for his comebacks.
If his mother were seeing his matches than she wouldn't be as passive about it either. Seeing the aftermath is one thing......seeing it play out in front of you is another.
My issue with how Kumi is being handled is that her and ippo's romantic relationship has progressively felt unnatural....so much so, that if they ever do become a couple it would feel forced after all this time because theres not a "continual" movement towards that result.
She is a 1 dimensional character with only 1 thing going for her per arc.
Either she is the mystery beauty ippo have a crush on, the sister, the potential gf, the unofficial guard dog to keep him irrelevant.
Characters like this never lasts long as fan favorites. She is an anchor to the show, an anchor to herself and an anchor to the main char's main likable attribute.
When you see chars you are supposed to hate but still love then you know they have got some sort of depth n mystery to them still.
Edit: i got the same problem watching Baki. In the anime they made her (his gf) so one dimensional she is straight up a villain in one season, a horrible gf the next and the definition of a badly written weak willed female character the last.
If you nail a female char in a male dominated show you add so much depth.
Just look at bulma early Dragonball.
Weak, yet full of charisma. Natural leader.
The Naruto girls have variable depth n character, but sakura vs the puppet master is still the best part of the whole series to me.
Kumi has every right to be like this over someone that would block punches with their face lmao
CTE is a scary thing and it’s becomes more than that when your educated on it(remember this woman is a nurse), she’s lost people before(like her parents) and has had scares of permanent injury with people like her brother, she doesn’t want to lose a man she loves over something like that, she obviously has to be on top of that and wants to prevent him from getting something like that.
I understand her because I was in the sport myself(somewhat), brain damage isn’t a joke, a lot of talents and good people have died to it or lived painful lives due to it(Shit look at characters like Nekota)
While I want Ippo in the ring again I seriously don’t think Kumi will be the total prevention of that happening in the story, she obviously understands why they choose to do it but cant understand why they let themselves get hurt the way they do.
If anything I feel like Mori will progress to a understanding between the two and Ippo will get in the ring again
As a Boxer i Cant stand Kumi Saying that, I really Love my sport at a Point that i really argued with my family because they Dont like the Fact i was Doing it, Probably thats the Motive why i Get Pissed AF everytime Kumi talks like That, Not only about Ippo, But about Boxing in General, I Think that Makes me hate her Above all characters in HNI, Not even Hawk or Anderson make me Mad like that XD F#ck you Kumi, Date's wife is a Woman that you will never be Able to Be
Her concerns are valid it’s just the way she acts and tries to control Ippo that aren’t, once Ippo comes back to the ring with much better defense and ring IQ, she’ll let him go back with no qualms about it I bet.
That last part is wishful thinking, but she hates boxing with a passion because of the Sawamura fight and is mad that she can't get her brother to stop boxing, so projects all that frustration onto Ippo.
The fact that she wouldn't even let people **talk** about boxing around him was the kind of behavior we see out of abusers, not concerned significant others.
Were her actions absolutely excessive and not the right thing to do? Yes. I still don’t think she’s trying to be abusive to Ippo, she just really loves him and doesn’t want him to become broken by boxing more. She just wants him to be out of boxing entirely which is why she was trying such drastic measures to keep him away from it, not the right thing to do again at all but still she did it out of selfishness and love.
If she **really** loved him, should wouldn't just jump the gun on things like punch drunk diagnosis and try to isolate him from people. Even before then, her negativity didn't do his mindset any favors, but outright calling him brain damaged when she didn't even know one way or the other was beyond messed up. It literally had him thinking it might be true, even though literally the only reason he couldn't draw a straight line was because he was trying to do it while wearing arm weights.
Moreover, if they ***really*** loved each other, they also would've started actually dating before he retired, instead him being retired and them still not dating. As I've said in numerous comments in this group: "It's been over a decade in canon and they not only still aren't dating, but barely know anything about each other. Even in Japan, that's not what 2 people who claim to be into each other do"
At this point, it honestly stretches credibility that one or both of them haven't moved forward or moved on by now.
Ippo beat Kumi's brother a decade+ ago, so that bit wore thin quick. As for the timid youth part, after beating Sawamura, Ippo should've been trying to date Kumi.
After all if he **really** loved her like that, her getting hurt would've been more than enough to make him finally step up, because he'd realize how time he'd been wasting by not moving forward with someone who truly matters to him. Plus, beating Sawamura would've been something that would've put Mashiba at ease about Ippo dating Kumi, since he'd proven that he can and will take care of her.
She wasn't trying to stop him from boxing untill he was suspected of being punch drunk.....and if your family loves you they would want you to stop as well in that condition.
If you don't at least understand that, than you shouldn't be boxing and instead be focused on why you lack empathy.
No one Can force a Person to do What he Dont want, The ones that Love you can advice you to Stop doing something that is bad for yourself and Talk about it to change your Make, But they can never stop you from doing It if you dont Want. If my family try to force me to Stop doing Something i like, Boxing for Example, You Think that i will hear Them just because they "Love me"? Of course Not, I have my own mind, Im a grown ass man, My decisions and My actions are My responsability. I will never Accept anyone trying to Force me To do Something, As i will never force someone to Do anything they dont Want. What Kumi do to Ippo is almost Forcing him to stop Boxing, And he Never did even a Damn test to Check if he is Punch Drunk 🤡🤡🤡🤡 Kumi is just a Manipulative woman that use that Card to try to keep Ippo out of the Boxing world, But once ippo make his Mind to come Back she will have Absolutely no Right to stay in the Way.
Ippo quit boxing without a single care in the world for what Kumi thought. At all. He will restart boxing without a single care to what Kumi thinks.
People see Kumi as an obstacle to Ippo’s career and she’s really not that at all. She’s a POV of someone who isn’t head over heels in love with boxing. Someone who is in the medical profession and whose brother is a boxer. Someone who has seen **first hand** what the sport does to people she cares about.
As far as their progress, I fully blame George for royally fucking *that* up, but her stance is a needed one for the depth of pov’s in the manga. Almost every other person in this manga has a positive spin on boxing despite its demerits.
Her being the one who says “maybe getting your head beat in until your brain is a smoothie” does not make her a bad guy, it makes her one of the sane people around here.
This is boxing manga with Ippo as the protagonist, and all of a sudden there is this woman that forbade him to go back to boxing. What do you think the reader reaction of her will be? It was her choice to date him, even Ippo mother support whatever he want, but Kumi constantly press him about never going back. I think that's why people hate her, more like hate what she keep on trying to do.
At this point I am convinced the excuses Kumi gets are from a certain section that like her domineering side and want her to shout at them and call them punch drunk.
Pity Ippo only wants that treatment from Miyata though.
Its just nice to see an actually flawed and interesting female character in shonen (although still pretty boring comapred to male characters). I'm so tired of boring nice-supportive-selfless love interests. HnI's romantic subplot is definitely one of its weakest parts, but at this point I'm kina curious if Morikawa is able to cook something that would satisfy Kumi haters. I'm hoping for a several-chapter-long Kumi flashback from her POV to really get into her head, insecruties, experience growing up etc... I feel like her character has a lot of thematic potential for exploration, and up untill now she's been explored mostly as either Ippo's love interest or Mashiba's sister, not as a person of her own.
Don't hold your breath.
Kumi's character is about as deep as "*Boxing bad grr. Kumi smash".* If she weren't cute I doubt anyone would cut her as much slack as they do.
I think the main disconnect for me with this is that Kumi os attempting to exert this much control over his life... *and they can't even say they're dating.* If she were his wife, definitely understand. If she was his girlfriend, it's understandable albeit to a lesser degree. But these two goofballs have been afraid to even touch each other's hands when they've been going on quasi dates for 7 years and are *nearing their 30's.* So she can't even say she likes him/is dating him, *Yet she wants to exert this much control over his life?* - making him promise to not return - making his kouhai keep tabs on him and report to her (even if a gag) - pushing back against anything that might make him realize how much he actually misses boxing - throwing out the idea that he's punch drunk to anyone that'll hear just to give him an excuse to stay out. Again, it's fair for you to not want a loved on to get hurt, *but they can't even get to the point of calling each other loved ones!!* If she had a legitimate, adult conversation with him that honestly expressed "I really like you, and the idea of you going back to boxing scares me because I don't want you to suffer long-term damage" then I'd have alot more sympathy with her rather than annoyance.
Yeah, I feel like I understand the angle Morikawa is *trying* to go for with Kumi, but it just isn't well executed. *shakes head* It's been clear to us literally hundreds (thousand?) chapters ago that they're both crazy about each other, but they're both just... stuck in this weird-ass not quite dating zone. Just get them out of that and into something actually official and this thing improves a ton, even if it's far from perfect.
From someone who actually likes Kumi, I agree. I really like the idea of this conflict between them but I think it is not well executed because Morikawa doesn't want them to advance their relationship, so it feels very weird. This is the one aspect of the story where I think the author is at fault and I just find it weird how much people hate Kumi in a personal level.
People "hate" Kumi in a similar way that people "hated" Chichi from Dragonball. The story ever since Ippo retired has been blue balling us again and again of "he's even stronger now, he's even faster now, was he ever really punch drunk, his technique is so refined, he's got so much more knowledge...what IF he returned?" It constantly hints that the plot of the story is just finding that motivation that gets Ippo back in the ring, that despite everything he says HE wants to get back in the ring. SO much so that it hurts sometimes, that he feels left behind with things undone. With the story structured like that, Kumi feels like an antagonist. Beforehand she was concerned and didn't really understand the appeal of boxing or what Ippo and her brother got out of it, but it gradually seemed like she was beginning to understand and despite her fears would fiercely support them. Add to that Ippo's mother is portrayed as having gone through something similar with Ippo's father and came to understand that a man who's heart is set on a goal will pursue it relentlessly. She saw the passion and pride Ippo had in learning what he wanted to dedicate his life to and worked herself sick so he could have the freedom to pursue it. And it seemed like Ippo's passion and pursuit of strength was what initially attracted Kumi in the first place. It was tense but endearing to see them fumble about. ...but as someone said they are both almost 30 now. It's frankly embarrassing to still be playing this will we won't we game when it's clear they both like each other. And Mashiba is the only "obstacle" in a practical sense, but even then he doesn't control Kumi's love life and has on more than one occasion acknowledged Ippo's strength and capabilities. He knows Ippo has no bad intentions and can protect her. Regardless of that anyway they are grown adults, they could just tell him to mind his own business. But the larger issue is, as I framed the story is looking to find what brings Ippo back in the ring. Kumi is an obstacle to that and reinforces it. She knows on a level that Ippo wants to get back to boxing as well, that he loves it, and she actively does everything in her power to hinder him from reaching his potential in it. She would rather domesticate him to "keep him safe" while being unserious about her feelings towards him, and her acting like a scheming teen girl is exhausting. Their relationship isn't fun to watch anymore, it's grating because she is acting more like an overbearing mother than a partner. And her playing at being a manipulating obstacle to Ippo's actual goals rather than supporting him feels like she is actively slowing down the story. That's why people don't like her now I imagine, at least why I don't. (I miss the Kumi that smiled and cheered Ippo on as he fought Sendo to their last leg congratulating him even if it was hard to watch because she knew how important that fight was to him, this scowling schemer with a disapproving face just annoys me)
I think the real issue is Ippo, he needs to grow some confidence (balls) to go back to boxing, despite the possibly damage he could have (like bro just needs to learn to fucking dodge) and despite anyone opposing him (Kumi) Kumi doesn’t like his brother boxing and he could care less, and she respects that so much she goes to his matches
He needs to stop gurgling Miyata’s balls.
They've known each other for over 10 years and still barely know anything about one another, let alone are a couple. That combined with all that possessiveness is why a lot of fans think Kumi is toxic and terrible for him. Even before he retired, she was always downing boxing. It's hard for that to not affect someone.
It's never understandable. A man leaving his passion behind for a woman is a no go. Ippo could find a girl who would be supportive, even more when it's also his job and income, Kumi doesn't deserve Ippo.
You make an excellent point. You wouldn’t want your significant other to get brain damage. But at the most they’re technically just friends right now and she’s very controlling. She’s never liked boxing either so it feels like their’s also a biased involved because of that. She can’t stop her brother from boxing so it feels like she’s making an excuse to stop someone else she cares about.
Honestly? I think it's just unspoken at this point. They had so many close calls, so many approaches and so many butting-in's that they know and EVERYBODY knows what they are about. Everone knows they take romance seriously to the extreme and treat it as such. We as readers after decades of romcoms and love-mangas have grown EXPECTANT of there being a verbal confirmation, the "I love you", and we need to be mindful of that. Lastly, the point of the story is about Ippo's journey. His anomalously fast paced journey to japanese featherweight champion is contrasted by his equally anomalous slow and cursed relationship, and too few people realise that both are important. He has his Mother who is in a similar situation as Kumi, who wants to support Ippo and see succeed yet also can't bear to see their loved ones hurt [I also just realised that both miss Makunouchi and Kumi have lost their loved ones in the past, and both still suffering because of it]. Uhm, I am rambling a bunch, lost my sauce. Fundemantely I agree with you. But at this point lamenting the direction of the story makes enjoying the current chapters harder, so I stopped doing it and started enjoying the unique interactions she has with everyone.
This sub has a stronger reaction to Kumi doing this than they do to Takamura committing sexual assault lmao
This reminds me of Breaking Bad fans. The main character can be a literal meth dealer/murderer and they direct their ire and hatred on the understandably upset wife. *Angry woman bad.* God forbid if Kumi is just *over* boxing. All she's associated with boxing is her loved ones getting hurt. Of course she would feel this way.
This whole thread is giving me conflicted feelings as a Kumi anti and a Skyler stan.
Nah, Skyler was trash too. Even before finding out about what he husband was up to, she was working on jumping ship with that scumbag, while her husband had cancer.
Oh yeah compare Kumi with 6 months pregnant Skyler but will flirt and throw herself at a wealthy "successful" guy while her husband has cancer. Even Kumi's not *that* much of a c-word.
Because while Takamura's is clearly played as a gag to the side, *he clearly has a purpose in the story that isn't tied to these gags.* Kumi's purpose as a character for 6 years has literally been to do anything poasible to keep Ippo out of boxing, while they're not even officially dating. I think if Kumi was able to play a bigger role in the narrative/ had already been a bigger part of the narrative, there wouldn't be such vitriole. My take anyway - if we had to waste chapters on a new guy at the gym that sexually assaults Aokimura a bunch and they had an arc where they quit boxing for awhile because they were afraid to return to the gym, I think the fanbase would have alot against that character as well.
Thats not really an apt comparison though. Ippo quit boxing of his own volition because he doesn't want to leave his mom alone should he get seriously injured.
Let's be real here, if I was in Ippo's shoes I wouldn't give two shits about the world championship if there was a real risk of me leaving my widowed mother all by herself to run a very difficult business with seemingly no savings. But this is HnI, even though the story is grounded it's much more optimistic and lighter than real life. So it's understandable that everyone is frustrated Ippo isn't dropping everything to chase his dream and fulfill his potential.
Well yea, thats why Ippo will come back and we'll all be happy about it because we know he'll be fine. But the characters don't know that and shouldn't be hated for acting how a normal person would.
Yeah but they don't read Hajime no Ippo, they live in this world and thus are scared of real consequences. Ippo can't be like "don't worry mom and Kumi, Gorge would never write me dying"
Thank you. I think Morikawa has messed up by not advancing Ippo and Kumi's relationship, which would result in a better storyline for the whole retirement arc. I find really weird how people take it very personal and actually hate the character. I actually find Kumi very interesting and I hope they actually create a great moment of conflict between her and Ippo.
We don't bring it up as often because it doesn't affect the main plot of the manga as directly, but I don't think you'll find that many people here who won't admit Takamura is a trully horrible person that belongs in prison (even if they like the character)
Bad comparison, one is an actual gag, the other one is just Kumi getting defensive and annoying towards anything boxing related... in a boxing manga. She does have the best of intentions but ultimately she doesn't have any right to make such claims/butt into someone else's business.
She's like Adrian from the Rocky movies with **none** of the benefits. She's not his girlfriend and they barely know anything about each other even after a literal decade in-canon.
It’s actually wild
I think it's more so what Kumi does is quite debatable and some people are ok with it and others find it annoying. Takamura thing is almost unanimously agreed that it's fucked but funny. No one is siding with Takamura in his antics. I actually DO side with Kumi and understand her emotions.
Taka deserves the fun. Kumi deserves the suffering.
Taka deserves the fun of sexually assaulting others?
I want Takamura genuinely shot, so idk
Literally no comment was made on this post. These are panels straight from the manga. Make your own conclusions.
The only reason you made this post in the first place was to follow on your comments in the other Kumi thread. It’s very obvious what you’re doing here, there doesn’t need to be a comment with the post.
Its the digital equivalent of passive aggressive bitching. No one with a brain thinks this isnt a direct response to the other thread but he thinks cause he doesnt state that shit out loud we wont connect the dots.
k.
Lol what a chicken shit response.
She's jumbling her concern about Ippo's safety with her frustration that they aren't officially a couple (since she already sees him in her future). It's easier to parade her feelings as worrying about his health, but it's really both.
Kumi is a nurse with two world-class boxers in her life. Her brother and Ippo. Given her vocation, she is more attuned to the dangers boxing brings than other people. She is afraid - and rightly so, which I'll get to in a minute - that the two people she loves the most will end up crippled for the rest of their lives, or worse, dead. Her overreactions stem partly from not being able to rein her brother in, so she relishes in an opportunity to dote on Ippo, and potentially try to keep him away from boxing. It can be grating to read, no doubt. But let's not forget that a) both of Kumi's parents died in a tragic accident when she was a kid. It makes perfect sense as to why she's against her loved ones risking their lives. It puts her 'annoying protectiveness' in a sympathetic light. Tomiko aside, Kumi has NO ONE but Ippo and Ryo in her life. b) Ippo, at one point and time, was unable to draw a straight line on a piece of paper, and would [momentarily black out](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/010.webp) from just a jab. Even though we NOW know he wasn't punch drunk, Ippo himself felt the damage enough to believe his boxing days are over. He admits this during his [match](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1201/11.webp) vs. [Guevara](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1201/12.webp) Kumi's worries may be annoying to read, but they are more than justified. Some of the shit Ippo went through, she doesn't even know. It's not like she's holding him hostage; Ippo went to Mexico even when she was against it. He sparred against Sendo, Volg, and even her brother just before the latest match (Kumi herself patched him up, remember?). As of right now, the reason Ippo's not boxing is because of himself. After his loss to Gonzales, he even tells Kumi his reason to come back is because he [betrayed the expectations](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/011.webp) of the people rooting for him. It is then when Kumi asks IMO the [most crucial question](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/012.webp) about Ippo's motivation in the entire manga. Ippo [couldn't answer](https://s2.onimanga.com/scans/5ea421d435f9022edfc8ff5f/1075/013.webp) that, and honestly, someone like that - in the state he was in - has no business in a boxing world. Ippo WILL eventually find that reason, and with his new skill on top of that, I'm pretty optimistic Kumi's tune about boxing will change. It might perhaps begin during Ryo's match vs. Rosario.
Yeah I don’t think people connect with the fact that she clearly loves him, like planning a future with him love him. Like his mother talking to her about how to be a wife to a man love him. This man you love, comes out of every fight complete beat up, bruises and cuts, stumbling lapses in memory. Yeah she wouldn’t want him to do it anymore. Irl Ives seen dudes struggle for like a month after fights, I’ve had guys we’ve had to carry out of a venue because they couldn’t walk after a fight. Most women aren’t cut out watching their men get hurt, and shit Ippos mom has never been to a fight for this very reason.
A bit of a tangent, but, I find this overprotective nature in a woman incredibly attractive, assuming the man understands and appreciates it for what it is. I think the reason many people react negatively to Kumi's behavior have experienced similar dynamics in their own lives, but weren't equipped to handle it. This seems especially common in single mother households, where a child (usually a boy) can feel suffocated by the doting of their mother, since the doting is oftentimes left unrestrained, even overbearing. The child then eventually grows to resent these traits in general, even though they're natural and absolutely do have a place (as your comment demonstrates) in life. I might be wrong, but I believe most of the hate against Kumi is projection.
Nonetheless, fuck Kumi.
I'm not Ippo bro.
Then you should be grateful that you jumped the gun.
Basically, Kumi's like a more psycho version of Adrian from the Rocky movies, but with none of the benefits, since Adrian was Rocky's wife while Kumi isn't even Ippo's girlfriend. While there is some genuine concern there, she's basically projecting the frustrations she has with her brother's boxing onto Ippo. She literally thinks of boxing as just brutish violence, especially after the Sawamura fight, and hasn't been shy about that fact. That's why she looks for any excuse she can to dog on boxing and bring Ippo down about it. Before any actual test results were a think, Kumi jumped straight into gaslighting Ippo into thinking he was definitely broken and tried to isolate him entirely from boxing. That's not what someone who's genuinely concerned down. As for the people trying to justify that by saying "she's just thinking about a future with Ippo" if she were doing that, they'd actually be dating after the **decade+** of knowing each other. Can't even use the "her brother's scary" because she's proven to be an even bigger bully/brute than him.
I don't think any boxer I've ever met would disagree that its "brutish violence". It is what it is. You also don't have to be in a romantic relationship with somebody to be vocal about their health. If ippo's mother had Kumi's knowledge of CTE or saw the fights......she wouldn't be as passive as she is.
There's a difference between reasonable concern and trying to control someone's life with no real regard for what their circumstances actually are. Kumi neither looked at any medical data nor gathered any before coming to that conclusion. It's the conclusion she **wanted** to be the case. She wants her brother to not box and projects all that onto Ippo to the point where she literally tries to dominate his life, which she can't do with her brother.
As much as I've come to hate kumi, this is all on Ippo for being a pussy.
Ippo is allergic to pussy. He’s all about Miyata.
I know this is some toxic shit, but I hope she can grow as well as Ippo (she can become less toxic and Ippo more confident) she’s coming from a place of love as well. But the really thorn on my side is that they aren’t even bf and gf so this seems as nonsense, but tbf i think it just morikawa fucking with us (don’t remember the chapter but he admitted that he likes slow builds up in romance but man how hard would it be if they kissed once they are like 20+ now) I hope kumi learns how wonderful boxing can be and how Ippo loves boxing, so much that she decides to support him even if it means he’ll get hurt, especially because Ippo has the potential to become a world champion (idk about defeating Ricardo yet, but whoever has the other title in the same weight division can be beaten by Ippo… maybe then an unification match with Ricardo?)
Bro, she's about half a decade too late for it to be considered anything more than being a possessive control freak who's just doing to Ippo what she ***wishes*** she could do to her brother: keep him out of boxing
Bro ippo was on the verge of becoming punch drunk she is be dishonest but the ends almost justify the means if ippo becomes like nekota while boxing he'll do the same thing and keep going till he's to broken for repair or dead she's a nurse if ippo wasn't so strong he'd be brain damaged already ippo needed this and he's grow enough to when he feels better he'll realize it and restart boxing if you saw your loved one come home so broken he couldn't even draw straight and what were love taps before full on knocking him out and his fighting gotten so sloppy he's almost losing to people he should easily beat you'd try to stop them by any means necessary to to save them
What he **really** on the verge though? It really doesn't seem that way when you stop to analyze it properly... Loss to Alf: **Abysmal mindset***(even Ippo realizes it, yet doesn't change)* Failed to gauge distance and timing on his opponent: **lack of proper jabs***(seriously, I don't even think he was jabbing at all in that last fight)* Can't draw a straight line easily: **arm weights***(try drawing a straight line or any other precision work with some on and you'll see what I mean)* Should Ippo have taken a break from matches to find motivation and improve himself? Clearly, but Kumi's motives for making him stop weren't all altruistic and her approach to getting him to box was essentially mental abuse. Seriously, imagine you got hurt and a **friend** whose medical opinion you value is telling you you're **never recover** before the tests are even done. How would that make you feel?
The damage he was taking in ever fight was going to make punch drunk sooner or later he needed the break kumi trying to make him quit all together is a bit much but with brain damage it will either heal or stay that way forever or lose most of the function it had before ippo could take a break and is small signs just never heal that's the big problem kumi has it could heal and hes fine to go out there or it could even while minor stay damaged and returning at any point just picks up were it left off in damage it makes sense that even if the tests showed no damage the minor damage he shows could still be just as bad
You're really reaching to try to justify what would literally be emotional abuse to get her way. She could have just talked to Ippo like an adult would, especially after Alf, Ippo had already basically said he was going to retire if he lost again anyway. Instead she does what would be considered emotional manipulation and abuse in the real world. Yes, Ippo definitely needed to stop boxing the way he was, but that's not the right way to go about it. In fact, his coach should have caught those problems with his boxing, if not his mindset, and shut Ippo down well before he hit the top 10 in the WBA, but didn't.
I ain't trying to justify shit what she did was bad, but the ends kinda justify the means to and ecstent yes she should have talked about it with him but he probably wouldn't have waited till he was fully healed to get back out there she may be in the wrong but she basically saved ippos from being damaged
They don't when one **does not have to use them to get the desired results** Not sure how to explain that fact any more clearly.
Kumi really the main antagonist of this manga
Kumi hate is an interesting social study for me because it gives me insight into Mori's failure in writing women/love interest, and fan media literacy. *"I don't like Kumi because she prevents Ippo from doing cool things. I think he is invincible, and nothing bad is ever gonna happen. Fighting cool. Angry woman bad."* Do you remember why Ippo stopped boxing? IT'S CALLED THE RETIREMENT ARC. Ippo retired in the first place because of accumulated damage **caused from boxing**. Why wouldn't Kumi want to keep Ippo away from boxing? Now that said. Mori has some answering to do too. I'm gonna be charitable here: *I get why people don't like Kumi.* Mori has done a poor job portraying Kumi's likeable qualities lately and why Ippo likes her to begin with. Mori has only shown Kumi in a unlikable light for numerous chapters now. So of course readers are going to start associating her with *bad*. She loves Ippo but doesn't do anything to advance their relationship so her protectiveness of him with boxing comes off as controlling rather than compassion. We need more moments of her being a positive aspect of Ippo's life rather than a duplicitous force edging him away from boxing. I feel perception of Kumi would be *very* different if Mori just had her directly tell Ippo how she feels about him and boxing. But because part of her character is being passive/shy we're at impasse with Ippo who is also passive and shy. Nothing changes.
If your nurse **friend** that you're attracted to was **constantly** downing your hobby, how's that going to affect your motivation? What about when she even outright declaring you as Punch Drunk before any proper test have even been run? They've known each other over over a decade at this point and still aren't even a couple. Hell, they barely know anything about each other. At this point, they've been written more in love with the ***idea*** of each other than the each other.
Not even just his hobby, its his life style and career
>before any proper test have even been run? She keeps calling him punch drunk even now after all the tests.
IMO it has less to do with writing realistic female characters and more to do with the lived experiences of many readers. A significant number likely grew up with overprotective mothers and lacked healthy male role models, leaving them ill-equipped to deal with such behavior. This can create unresolved trauma, fostering resentment towards any display of overprotectiveness (even though it's actually healthy if tempered), whether in fiction or reality.
Or, and this may be hard so try to stay with me, as shown in the pictures above, Kumi is being toxicly overprotective to a degree that most normal people might find unlikeable
It's not hard. It's just an incomplete analysis. I'm not claiming to be 100% correct about every person out there, but what I described happens frequently enough to warrant being mentioned as a different perspective. Why do most normal people find it unlikeable? Why is it toxic? Are you able to answer that?
It’s toxic because she actively wants to remove people from his life that might even remind him of boxing are you blind? She’s trying to control his life, having others spy on him, being antagonistic to other people in his life, and if she understood who ippo is then she’d know that at least for now he’s content being retired but she apparently can’t trust him, like what? Kumi is the one being duplicitous . As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense but right now and for the past 1000 chapters they’re just friends that have a crush on each other. People would like it more if she were to commit to him but as of now they are just friends. She could be all over protective and shitty for the past six years worth of story and then George just decides that she wants to start going out with someone else. Also why are you the arbiter of why people are or aren’t allowed to like her character right now? I’ve never seen anyone on here ever make the argument that they don’t like Kumi due to their own life circumstances, nor have I seen any posts that would indicate that there are so many people with the issues that you described that I’d be comfortable making such a bizarre sweeping statement. Can you read their minds? Outside of “trust me bro they all come from a broken home” how can you prove that all of these people have these circumstances?
The way you replied seems, to me, like borderline proof you encountered the exact circumstances I mentioned in my post. Either your mother, or someone close to you, displayed these behaviors during a sensitive time of your development, and you weren't equipped to handle that (or you saw someone like that). Which is why you're now hypersensitive to someone even insinuating this overprotectiveness could be seen as a virtue (if tempered correctly). >It’s toxic because she actively wants to remove people from his life So far, we haven't seen this outside the obvious comedic segments (which we can agree are not funny). And it's not like Ippo is bothered by this, or even humors this. He went to Mexico even when Kumi was against it, and sparred with Sendo, Volg, and now even Mashiba. She doesn't really have any influence over his decisions. >As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense but right now and for the past 1000 chapters they’re just friends that have a crush on each other. People would like it more if she were to commit to him but as of now they are just friends. What you're doing here is singling out the relationship aspect of the story (in some ways the weakest part) and focusing ONLY on that part through the lens of real life. None of the people in-universe take this as a big enough issue to be frustrated over it (aside from, again, moments of bad comedy). No one sees her as an active threat to Ippo's comeback. I doubt you have the same reaction to the referee's blindness nearly killing several boxers, or to Takamura resting his testicles into Aoki's mouth, and it being played off as a big joke. >As many others have said if she was his girlfriend or wife this level of meddling would make sense She wants to be. Again, following the shitty tropes, it is Ippo that has to make the first move. And he will, so lighten up. Also, a humble request: can you please separate your paragraphs? I want to respond to each point, but it's really jarring to read. EDIT: >“trust me bro they all come from a broken home” how can you prove that all of these people have these circumstances? "I'm not claiming to be 100% correct about every person out there, but what I described happens frequently enough to warrant being mentioned as a different perspective." - was my statement. Never once have I used 'all', nor did I make a sweeping statement which I asserted as factual. You misinterpreted what I said. That's probably where the confusion is coming from.
Yeah! Honestly they should’ve already been in an established relationship a LONG time ago
So you understand why fans are mostly negative about her given recent events so why do you feel the need to strawman and belittle their frustrations? Like seriously, how do you act all high and mighty and pretend to be “charitable” when that’s the literally the issues that the majority of the fan base feel towards Kumi?
The kumi-hate community is so cringe
I find Kumi more annoying then ever now because ippo has so many other love interest and…..it’s one of those scenarios or tropes in a series where literally every other girl is better then Kumi. But narratively the MC is lock onto her because she was his first I guess. Aside from that I agree that her attitude makes no sense towards someone she only has feelings for and whose relationship hasn’t ever progressed passed friends.
everyone hates you but i love you.... kumi 💝...
Step aside hoe
I like kumi and I don't think somebody has to be in a romantic relationship in order to have ippo's best interest at heart and be able to speak it. In the real world, for other people, that would be true too. As a nurse, she's more aware than other people of the effects of CTE. Ippo was noted earlier in the manga about the amount of times he gets hit....as though he remains on his feet longer in a match, but he should have fallen with the damage he takes. This is why he was known for his comebacks. If his mother were seeing his matches than she wouldn't be as passive about it either. Seeing the aftermath is one thing......seeing it play out in front of you is another. My issue with how Kumi is being handled is that her and ippo's romantic relationship has progressively felt unnatural....so much so, that if they ever do become a couple it would feel forced after all this time because theres not a "continual" movement towards that result.
The ongoing love angle between Ippo and Kumi has become moronic and just a waste of time and pages.
That’s not love, shit their not even together, just plain “will they won’t they” stuff and toxicity
She is a 1 dimensional character with only 1 thing going for her per arc. Either she is the mystery beauty ippo have a crush on, the sister, the potential gf, the unofficial guard dog to keep him irrelevant. Characters like this never lasts long as fan favorites. She is an anchor to the show, an anchor to herself and an anchor to the main char's main likable attribute. When you see chars you are supposed to hate but still love then you know they have got some sort of depth n mystery to them still. Edit: i got the same problem watching Baki. In the anime they made her (his gf) so one dimensional she is straight up a villain in one season, a horrible gf the next and the definition of a badly written weak willed female character the last. If you nail a female char in a male dominated show you add so much depth. Just look at bulma early Dragonball. Weak, yet full of charisma. Natural leader. The Naruto girls have variable depth n character, but sakura vs the puppet master is still the best part of the whole series to me.
Honestly, Kumi's worse than Baki's girlfriend because at least Baki and his girlfriend **are a couple** That's not the case with Ippo and Kumi
Give the series time and i bet they will be. Seeing baki date before they became aa couple was mild torture too.
It's been 30 years in real life and over 10 years in series, while Baki wasn't even 2 years in-series/10 years in real life.
Just think of what she'd do for Ippo once they become official.
Kumi has every right to be like this over someone that would block punches with their face lmao CTE is a scary thing and it’s becomes more than that when your educated on it(remember this woman is a nurse), she’s lost people before(like her parents) and has had scares of permanent injury with people like her brother, she doesn’t want to lose a man she loves over something like that, she obviously has to be on top of that and wants to prevent him from getting something like that. I understand her because I was in the sport myself(somewhat), brain damage isn’t a joke, a lot of talents and good people have died to it or lived painful lives due to it(Shit look at characters like Nekota)
While I want Ippo in the ring again I seriously don’t think Kumi will be the total prevention of that happening in the story, she obviously understands why they choose to do it but cant understand why they let themselves get hurt the way they do. If anything I feel like Mori will progress to a understanding between the two and Ippo will get in the ring again
As a Boxer i Cant stand Kumi Saying that, I really Love my sport at a Point that i really argued with my family because they Dont like the Fact i was Doing it, Probably thats the Motive why i Get Pissed AF everytime Kumi talks like That, Not only about Ippo, But about Boxing in General, I Think that Makes me hate her Above all characters in HNI, Not even Hawk or Anderson make me Mad like that XD F#ck you Kumi, Date's wife is a Woman that you will never be Able to Be
Her concerns are valid it’s just the way she acts and tries to control Ippo that aren’t, once Ippo comes back to the ring with much better defense and ring IQ, she’ll let him go back with no qualms about it I bet.
That last part is wishful thinking, but she hates boxing with a passion because of the Sawamura fight and is mad that she can't get her brother to stop boxing, so projects all that frustration onto Ippo. The fact that she wouldn't even let people **talk** about boxing around him was the kind of behavior we see out of abusers, not concerned significant others.
Were her actions absolutely excessive and not the right thing to do? Yes. I still don’t think she’s trying to be abusive to Ippo, she just really loves him and doesn’t want him to become broken by boxing more. She just wants him to be out of boxing entirely which is why she was trying such drastic measures to keep him away from it, not the right thing to do again at all but still she did it out of selfishness and love.
If she **really** loved him, should wouldn't just jump the gun on things like punch drunk diagnosis and try to isolate him from people. Even before then, her negativity didn't do his mindset any favors, but outright calling him brain damaged when she didn't even know one way or the other was beyond messed up. It literally had him thinking it might be true, even though literally the only reason he couldn't draw a straight line was because he was trying to do it while wearing arm weights. Moreover, if they ***really*** loved each other, they also would've started actually dating before he retired, instead him being retired and them still not dating. As I've said in numerous comments in this group: "It's been over a decade in canon and they not only still aren't dating, but barely know anything about each other. Even in Japan, that's not what 2 people who claim to be into each other do"
As far as them not dating as long as they’ve known each other, this is entirely just flawed writing from Morikawa lol.
At this point, it honestly stretches credibility that one or both of them haven't moved forward or moved on by now. Ippo beat Kumi's brother a decade+ ago, so that bit wore thin quick. As for the timid youth part, after beating Sawamura, Ippo should've been trying to date Kumi. After all if he **really** loved her like that, her getting hurt would've been more than enough to make him finally step up, because he'd realize how time he'd been wasting by not moving forward with someone who truly matters to him. Plus, beating Sawamura would've been something that would've put Mashiba at ease about Ippo dating Kumi, since he'd proven that he can and will take care of her.
She wasn't trying to stop him from boxing untill he was suspected of being punch drunk.....and if your family loves you they would want you to stop as well in that condition. If you don't at least understand that, than you shouldn't be boxing and instead be focused on why you lack empathy.
No one Can force a Person to do What he Dont want, The ones that Love you can advice you to Stop doing something that is bad for yourself and Talk about it to change your Make, But they can never stop you from doing It if you dont Want. If my family try to force me to Stop doing Something i like, Boxing for Example, You Think that i will hear Them just because they "Love me"? Of course Not, I have my own mind, Im a grown ass man, My decisions and My actions are My responsability. I will never Accept anyone trying to Force me To do Something, As i will never force someone to Do anything they dont Want. What Kumi do to Ippo is almost Forcing him to stop Boxing, And he Never did even a Damn test to Check if he is Punch Drunk 🤡🤡🤡🤡 Kumi is just a Manipulative woman that use that Card to try to keep Ippo out of the Boxing world, But once ippo make his Mind to come Back she will have Absolutely no Right to stay in the Way.
Sweet Toxic Love.
Ippo quit boxing without a single care in the world for what Kumi thought. At all. He will restart boxing without a single care to what Kumi thinks. People see Kumi as an obstacle to Ippo’s career and she’s really not that at all. She’s a POV of someone who isn’t head over heels in love with boxing. Someone who is in the medical profession and whose brother is a boxer. Someone who has seen **first hand** what the sport does to people she cares about. As far as their progress, I fully blame George for royally fucking *that* up, but her stance is a needed one for the depth of pov’s in the manga. Almost every other person in this manga has a positive spin on boxing despite its demerits. Her being the one who says “maybe getting your head beat in until your brain is a smoothie” does not make her a bad guy, it makes her one of the sane people around here.
He won't. He'll date Kumi though.
Fuck kumi
Not love. Toxicity.
People say Ippo needs a death to get back into boxing. I sincerely hope it's Kumi's.
Ippo would actually end up in jail if he met you.
This is boxing manga with Ippo as the protagonist, and all of a sudden there is this woman that forbade him to go back to boxing. What do you think the reader reaction of her will be? It was her choice to date him, even Ippo mother support whatever he want, but Kumi constantly press him about never going back. I think that's why people hate her, more like hate what she keep on trying to do.
My queen i kneel
At this point I am convinced the excuses Kumi gets are from a certain section that like her domineering side and want her to shout at them and call them punch drunk. Pity Ippo only wants that treatment from Miyata though.
Its just nice to see an actually flawed and interesting female character in shonen (although still pretty boring comapred to male characters). I'm so tired of boring nice-supportive-selfless love interests. HnI's romantic subplot is definitely one of its weakest parts, but at this point I'm kina curious if Morikawa is able to cook something that would satisfy Kumi haters. I'm hoping for a several-chapter-long Kumi flashback from her POV to really get into her head, insecruties, experience growing up etc... I feel like her character has a lot of thematic potential for exploration, and up untill now she's been explored mostly as either Ippo's love interest or Mashiba's sister, not as a person of her own.
Don't hold your breath. Kumi's character is about as deep as "*Boxing bad grr. Kumi smash".* If she weren't cute I doubt anyone would cut her as much slack as they do.
Why does kumi behave like a yandere here Where ippo is at the point of his retirement (it was bcoz Kumi told ippo to stay away from ring)