Discotek Media may have released the (now out of print) anime films, but for the first time in the U.S. the Ashita no Joe TV anime will be available to stream legally. Kodansha USA Publishing announced that TMS Entertainment plans to stream the adaptation of Ikki Kajiwara and Testuya Chiba’s manga—known in English as Tomorrow’s Joe—with the first three episodes to be available for a limited time via YouTube this Friday.
You’ll be able to catch the first episode right here:
Ashita no Joe Episode 1
Osamu Dezaki directed the classic anime, the first season of which ran for 79 episodes starting in 1970, with sequel series Ashita no Joe 2 following with another 49 episodes in 1980. It also inspired the MEGALOBOX anime, which aired in spring 2018 and received a sequel of its own.
Here’s the official description:
Tetsuya Chiba’s legendary manga depicting the life of future boxing champion Joe Yabuki, Ashita no Joe was adapted into an anime and was broadcast on April 1970 in Japan. The epic’s iteration spanned 79 episodes, with 49 subsequent episodes added in Ashita no Joe 2 (Tomorrow’s Joe 2) ten years later in 1980 and marking its place as a standard for all sports anime to follow. The TV series was reworked into two feature-length animated movies, and have since inspired countless anime and sports fans for generations to come. Ashita no Joe 2 (Tomorrow’s Joe 2) is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Kodansha