One Pound Gospel

[kel aka gandy]

1 :: Story
2 :: Creator
3 :: First Edition Volumes
4 :: Second Edition Volumes

 

[kel aka gandy]

Story

A talented boxer whose hunger for victory is eclipsed only by his ravenous appetite for hearty meals, Kosaku Hatanaka might have what it takes to be a true contender. Too bad his gluttonous gorging never fails to dash his hard-pressed coach's dreams of managing a champion. Can the virtuous (and really cute) Sister Angela, a novice nun with a soft spot for hard-luck cases, help steer Kosaku down the path to righteousness--and victory in the ring?!  

[kel aka gandy]

Creator

Author and artist Rumiko Takahashi, the world's most popular and prolific female manga creator, has a large, devoted international fan base. Over 100 million copies of her work, such as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2 and Mermaid Saga--all available from VIZ Media--have been sold worldwide. Takahashi's works have been the basis for four long-running animated series and over eight animated movies.  

[kel aka gandy]

First Edition Volumes
Status in Japan :: complete at 4 volumes
Status in US :: 3/3 released
(see two posts down for explanation)

Volume 1
Kosaku Hatanaka is the first pro boxer ever produced by Mukaida's Gym. He's also the bane of his coach's existence. Although he's constantly waging war against his appetite, Kosaku never met a meal he didn't like! Naturally, this plays havoc with his weight class. Junior bantamweight, bantamweight, junior featherweight... evry time he moves up a class, his coach's hopes plummet. Isn't gluttony a sin? Sister Angela is a young novice nun who's dedicated, passionate, and convinced that we should give peace a chance. Although she refuses to acknowledge it, it's obvious that Kosaku comes to St. Mary's for more than confession! He comes to see the smile of the beautiful sister, of course! Can her faith redeem the gluttonous appetite of the tempted lamb astride the scale?


Volume 2
Kosaku faces two opponents with mismatched faces! First Kosaku is challenged by a boxer whose charming facade masks a deep grudge. Kosaku is desperate for a match, but to qualify he has to drop down to junior featherweight - several pounds below his usual weight class. And now it looks like he has to take on this formidable opponent alone, since Coach is fed up with Kosaku's "feeding up!" Then Kosaku must fight a boxer whose horrible visage conceals the trembling wimp within. And there's even more at stake than the outcome of the match, since Kosaku has extracted a promise (of sorts) from Sister Angela that she'll move in with him if he wins. Doesn't he realize the Church frowns on living in - well - sin!?


Volume 3
Sister Angela promises to spend Christmas with Kosaku if he defeats a devout Mexican boxer with an unusual tattoo on his stomach, but how can he possibly win when the Mother Abbess forbids him from punching his opponent in the midriff!? Then Kosaku finds a kindred spirit in the attractive form of the ex-girlfriend of his next opponent....and things really heat up when she moves in with him! Now, why is Sister Angela acting so strangely? Is it possible? Can it be? Is she actually...jealous!?  

[kel aka gandy]

Second Edition Volumes
Status in Japan :: complete at 4 volumes
Status in US :: 4/4 released

Volume 1
Times are tough at Mukaida's Gym. Though a promising novice with a surprise win in his debut bout, Kosaku has since adopted a steady regimen of extremely unhealthy eating habits -- enough to make his coach ready to permanently throw in the towel. Will Sister Angela's teachings help Kosaku realize that the road to victory is not paved with bowls of ramen? Or will Kosaku's burgeoning feelings for the young nun undermine his ability to concentrate on training, fighting and binge eating?


Volume 2
Four years ago, Kosaku pulled off an astounding upset in his pro test by KO'ing a big-time boxer. More than simply sending his opponent down for the count, Kosaku also managed to mangle this pretty-boy fighter's teeth in the process. Now this toothless tyrant is ready for a rematch, but can Kosaku drop down an entire weight class to qualify for the bout? It is said that the weight of a fighter's punch comes down to how hard he grips his fist, but will Kosaku ever get a grip on his pre-fight snacking?


Volume 3
There's a new face around Mukaida's gym--a wannabe teenage pugilist who'll do anything to prove he's got what it takes to be a fighter... So why is he always sucker punching coach Mukaida? Can Kosaku bounce back from a bout with food poisoning in time to correct this young tough's bad attitude? Later, Kosaku strikes a bargain with Sister Angela. If he wins his next big eight-round fight, she'll agree to spend Christmas with him. Sounds simple enough, so why is the Mother Abbess forbidding Kosaku from punching his opponent's midsection? Could it have something to do with the Mexican fighter's religious tattoo?


Volume 4
While Kosaku's eternal struggle with his weight wages on, a meddling aunt tricks Sister Angela into paying a visit to her family, but is this all just a ruse to set the lovely sister up with an eligible young chef? Later, Kosaku's dedication is put to the ultimate test when he's given the option of pursuing a career in the restaurant business and retiring from the world of pugilism for good. And finally, Sister Angela's aunt outdoes herself by racking up an exorbitant bill at a host club and leaving her niece holding the bag. Kosaku vows to defend Angela's honor by challenging the dashing host to a title match, but will Angela defy the Mother Abbess and break her curfew to be at Kosaku's side? It's time for the final round to begin!

 

[kel aka gandy]

So apparently Rumiko Takahashi just went back and finished this series, and that's why:
a) there's a second edition coming out, and
b) there was no first edition of volume 4.

 

[Ophelianime]

that's a good manga