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Manga Summaries

Volume 4

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Chapters Originally Published in:
Young Sunday 1998 Vol 51 - 52
Young Sunday 2001 Vol 25 - 26
Young Sunday 2006 Vol 52 - 2007 3-4

The One-Pound Gospel Vol 4

Chapter 29: Kohitsuji no resutoran (Part 1)
(The Lamb's Restaurant, Part One)
Angela is in street clothes, getting ready to leave the convent and visit her father who is ill. Kosaku happens to be jogging past with Mukoda, training for his next match. The coach doesn't recognize Angela out of her habit, but Kosaku runs up and tells her how cute she looks. She explains that she is going home to visit her sick father just as a brand new Mercedes pulls up. A well dressed young woman gets out and greets Angela as "Marie." The woman is Angela's young aunt, and she teases Angela for the boring outfit she's wearing. Later that night, Mukoda discusses Angela's rich aunt with the other boxers, who comment that they knew Angela was out of Kosaku's league before, but now that they know her family is rich he has even less of a chance. Meanwhile, Kosaku dreamily punches away, dreaming of Angela and her real name. That night, Angela meets with her parents at an upscale Italian restaurant and learns that her aunt was lying, her father is in perfect health. Angela's aunt tells her about the young chef, Wakaoji, who runs the place. He soon comes out to greet them and is instantly smitten with Angela. Wakaoji returns to the kitchen where his much older assistant Morishita greets him and asks about the ladies who are dining that night. Wakaoji tells him that he feels reinvigorated and prepares a special dish for the family. Unfortunately the disk tasted terrible. Wakaoji asks Angela if she'll be able to come to the restaurant again soon, but she says that would likely be impossible because of her role as a nun. Wakaoji cheerfully says that they'll work something out and returns to the kitchen, confused about why his dish was so ill-received by the family. Morishita points out that he used his green protein drink as a sauce for the lamb dish. As they head home Angela's aunt reveals the real reason she took her out to the restaurant, she wants Angela to marry Wakaoji. Angela quickly returns to the convent and prays for forgiveness. She knows that if Mother Abbess learns that she was lured to a marriage meeting she could be in real trouble and decides to keep it a secret. The next day, Kosaku attends mass and gives Angela a ticket to his next match. He asks her to watch over him, and refers to her as Marie, Angela frowns and corrects him just as her aunt arrives with Wakaoji. Wakaoji gives her a basket of food just as Mother Abbess walks in. Angela yanks her aunt aside and tells her that she has absolutely rejected the arranged marriage. Kosaku overhears this and loudly begins asking questions. Wakaoji interrupts to apologize for the way his food tasted the previous night. As Angela talks to the chef, Kosaku quizzes her aunt about the marriage meeting. Her aunt tells him that as long as Angela gets married before she takes her final vows to become a full-fleged nun, there won't be a problem. Kosaku announces his intentions to pursue Angela even more fervently, but her aunt tells him that he has no chance of making her happy. Instead she's going to do whatever she has to to see that Angela marries Wakaoji. As the nuns sample Wakaoji's food they all find it disgusting. Later at the restaurant, Morishita asks what happened to his sweet red bean soup. Wakaoji says that he used it as sauce on his lamb dish for the nuns, and realizes that he is continually hurting his chances with Angela by giving her his terrible tasting food. Wakaoji admits that he's never met anyone as beautiful as Angela and must have her as his wife. Back at the gym Kosaku is furious that Angela has a new suitor.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 1998 Vol. 51
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 1
Publication Date: November 26, 1998
Pages: 4 (full color) 20 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: What kind of year was 1998?
    • A: Nomura Hanshin.

Chapter 30: Kohitsuji no resutoran (Part 2)
(The Lamb's Restaurant, Part Two)
As he does his roadwork, Kosaku curses Wakaoji and swears that he'll be the one to win Angela's heart. Just as he is about to give in to temptation and eat some sweet potatos Angela stops him. The pair discuss her marriage, and Angela asks if that is what has been bothering him lately. He tells her that he couldn't bear it if she was taken away from him. She promises him that she has no intention of marrying anyone, but that she will be at his next match cheering him on. When she returns to the convent, she finds her aunt talking to Mother Abbess. Apparently her father has been hospitalized. Angela quickly packs up and leaves to go see him but ends up at Wakaoji's restaurant. The whole thing was another ploy to get her to spend time with the handsome young chef. Angela turns around to leave but her aunt threatens to reveal the marriage meeting that she had the other night and blackmails her into staying. Her aunt explains that to Wakaoji that while Angela is a devoted Christian, she's recently had doubts about staying in the church, and that she simply wants to let her niece learn about how regular people live in the outside world...and that once she accepts Wakaoji that she'd like to borrow some money from him. Angela sees what the whole thing is about, but accepts rather than get into trouble at the convent. Angela dresses as a waitress and agrees to help out around the restaurant. Wakaoji is excited to show her his workspace and takes her to the kitchen where Morishita is hard at work. She is surprised to see that while Morishita works tirelessly Wakaoji stands in a daze. Morishita reminds Wakaoji to go out and greet the customers, and as he does, Angela learns that Morishita is the one who does all the actual cooking. When they went to Italy Wakaoji was so busy sightseeing that Morishita went to cooking class instead and learned everything in his place. Kosaku visits the nusery looking for Angela and learns that she went back to her parents house with her aunt. Back at the gym Kosaku overhears Shunpei say that he has a reservation at Chef Wakaoji's restaurant. Kosaku forces him to take him so that he can spy on Angela and see whats going on with Wakaoji. Angela and Kosaku run into each other and she tells him that she's helping out at the restaurant but that he needs to keep it a secret. Kosaku runs out of the place, telling Angela that he hopes she'll be happy. Angela decides she'll return to the convent the next day when suddenly Morishita collapses. Angela goes to the hospital with Wakaoji and learns that the next week is the restaurant's first anniversary and they are having a big party to celebrate. She agrees to stay on until then to help Wakaoji learn the ropes of cooking before the party. Wakaoji thanks her adnd admits that Morishita is really the talented one. Days later, Angela visits the hospital to update Morshita on Wakaoji's progress. She says that he is learning fast and Morishita tells her that it is because she is watching out for him and asks her to please stay by his side. Angela tells him that she must return to the convent soon and remembers that the anniversary party is on the same night as Kosaku's match. Angela feels conflicted, she doesn't want to miss Kosaku's match but she can't abandon Wakaoji either. At the gym, Kosaku has become so depressed that he's stopped eating. Weight loss is no problem for once, but he's in such a funk that no one wants to be around him. The day of the restaurant's anniversary Angela's aunt arrives for the party she finds Angela and Wakaoji hard at work. Wakaoji dreamily thanks her for standing beside him all week and announces that he's decided to return to Italy to learn how to cook for real this time. He turns to ask Angela to go with him, but she has already gone. She leaves the restaurant and heads to the convention hall where Kosaku is fighting. She makes it too late however and finds Kosaku slumped over in a deep depression. Mukoda tells Angela that he actually won the match but was upset because he didn't think she was there to see him. She walks over to see Kosaku and he is surprised to see her. She tells him she wouldn't have missed his fight after he invited her. The next day Angela visits with her aunt and learns that Wakaoji's party went well and that he's already left for Italy and that all his dishes tasted great except for the lamb.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 1998 Vol. 52
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 2
Publication Date: December 3, 1998
Pages: 26 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: In 1998 what happened in the manga world that made an impression on you?
    • A: Junji Ito's new Spirits serialization.
    • Webmasters' Note: This would be Uzumaki.

Chapter 31: Kohitsuji no mirai zu (Part 1)
(The Lamb's Future Path, Part One)
Kosaku hasn't been seen at Mukoda's Gym for the past two weeks. When he finally arrives, Coach curses him for missing out on so much training. When he asks for an excuse, Kosaku says that he's been undergoing special training. Later that day, Kosaku and Mukoda run into Angela on the street, Kosaku tells her that he's not worried about his next bout, but later that night instead of training for the match, he runs off to his new part-time job. As it turns out, Kosaku's special training is not for boxing, but studying to become a chef. Unfortunately, Kosaku's lack of education has gotten the best of him and he's taken to asking a local elementary school teacher, Manabu Sakura, for help with some of the kanji in his study guide. Little does Kosaku or Manabu know, but they are fated to meet in their next boxing match. Manabu is a clutch fighter who has a good record, but is unable to knock anyone out. He depends on holding his opponent throughout the match to earn points from the judges. Even though his coach and trainer have encouraged him to retire unless he starts getting some knock-outs, Manabu is certain that he wants to continue to box. He respects Kosaku for his desire to study to become a chef despite the fact that he has many obstacles to overcome. During training, Mukoda learns of Kosaku's new job and his desire to become a chef. At first he is only worried that Kosaku is losing focus on his training, but when he visits Kosaku's boss to demand he stop giving him bento boxes, he learns that the chef wants Kosaku to take over his restaurant, the Calorie Cottage, and has been encouraging him to quit boxing. Mukoda throws a fit and tries to get his hands on Kosaku's boss, but later begins to admire Kosaku for his ability to continue his training while he studies for his chef's exam. Unfortunately, Kosaku's boss passes out at work and Kosaku is forced to take extra shifts. When Mukoda demands that Kosaku cut back on his work schedule to focus on losing weight he forces Kosaku to either choose life as a boxer or take over at the restaurant. Mukoda tells him that if he chooses the restaurant, Kosaku's fight against Manabu will be his retirement match. When Kosaku has to actually think it over, Mukoda becomes outraged. After taking his licensing exam, Kosaku makes a decision, he's going to quit boxing and become a chef, and he wants Angela to come to work with him at the Calorie Cottage. Mukoda hears this and runs away in tears, when Kosaku finally catches him, he asks if it's true that he has to retire after this next match. Mukoda tells him him it is, and that they're going to go out on a high note and defeat Manabu Sakura.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2001 Vol. 25
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 3
Publication Date: June 7, 2001
Pages: 4 (full color) 20 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: If your work were to be adapted into a live-action film, who would play the main character?
    • A: Shinjo of the Mets.
    • Webmasters' Note: This is baseball player Tsuyoshi "BIGBOSS" Shinjo.

Chapter 32: Kohitsuji no mirai zu (Part 2)
(The Lamb's Future Path, Part Two)
Mother Abbess and Angela discuss Kosaku's upcoming retirement match. Mother Abbess tells Angela that she is pleased that Kosaku will no longer be able to use his boxing troubles as a reason to come see Angela, and that he will no longer be bothering her at the church. Angela thinks this is probably a bit too optimistic. On the day of the weigh in, Kosaku barely makes weight, and the rumors of his retirement are flying across the arena. Before they leave Kosaku runs into Manabu Sakura, his opponent, and realizes that he is the teacher that had helped him study for his chef's exam. Kosaku learns about Manabu's inability to throw knock-out punches, and Manabu learns that this is Kosaku's last bout. Manabu's own coach has encouraged his fighter to retire because of his lack of skills in the ring, but being a boxer is Manabu's dream and up to this point he has refused. The next day Kosaku sees Angela and the other nuns arrive at the arena just in time for his match. As the bell rings Kosaku is still conflicted over his retirement. Manabu realizes that in order to continue his boxing career he has to win the match with a knock out, and decides to go all out. Kosaku scores a quick knock down but Manabu gets right back up just as his students arrive to see the fight. As the fight goes on Kosaku becomes more and more intense, which puzzles Mukoda. When the next round begins Manabu reverts to his usual clinching tactics to start earning points with the judges and manages to get a few hits in while he's at it. As the audience gets bored with Manabu's tactics, Kosaku begins to get sloppy and tired. As the next round begins, Manabu lands a strong right punch and sends Kosaku to the mat. Mukoda begins to shout at Kosaku, demanding that he get up. He tells Kosaku that if he loses he'll make him quit, which Kosaku takes to mean that if he wins, Mukoda will make him stay. As he gets up, Kosaku intentionally drops his guard and takes more punishment from Manabu. The punches make him realize how much he loves boxing, and with that both he and Manabu throw cross-counter-punches but only Manabu goes down. Kosaku wins the match with a knockout. After the match Mother Abbess is angered to hear that Kosaku is not going to quit boxing after all. Manabu approaches Kosaku and tells him that he won't be quitting either. Angela is the last to congratulate Kosaku, and as he looks into her eyes, he hopes that she'll agree to work with him at the bento store one day. A few weeks later, Kosaku visits Manabu at his school to tell him that he failed his chef's exam.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2001 Vol. 26
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 4
Publication Date: June 14, 2001
Pages: 26 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:
  • Young Sunday 2000 No. 25 was the 1000th volume and Takahashi did a newly drawn pin-up of Kosaku for the issue. There is also a QUO card giveaway of the same pinup.
  • Rumiko Takahashi shared a special message for the 1000th issue. "Congratulations on the 1000th issue of this volume. One-Pound Gospel is an epic (laugh) irregular series that has been running for more than 15 years. I'm still going to keep drawing it, so please do me a favor the next time it appears. Please give me a break with the pin-up this time."

  • Table of Contents
    • Q: There's one year until the World Cup. Please give a message to Japan's World Cup team.
    • A: One win at a time.

Chapter 33: Kohitsuji no yakusoku (Part 1)
(The Lamb's Promise, Part One)
Kosaku is eating in the gym, asking Shunpei if he's seen Mukoda lately when the Coach suddenly appears and whacks Kosaku over the head. Mukoda tells Kosaku that he's finally gotten a shot at the Orient Pacific boxing title. Kosaku is shocked and rushes to see Sister Angela and share the news with her. He promises to do his best because he knows that God is watching him. He grabs Angela's hands for support when Mukoda rides up on his bicycle and slaps him on the back, revealing that Kosaku's sweatshirt was stuffed full of Taiyaki. Mukoda tells Kosaku that this fight is different and that he cannot act the same way he has in the past, telling him that he'll have to lose weight. As Mukoda drags Kosaku away, Angela stares at him happily, excited that he's finally reaching his goal. Back at the gym the other boxers are curious as to why Kosaku was chosen for a title match. As they review his record, Kosaku is confident that he will become champion and then take Angela as his wife. As he daydreams, Ishida shares a bit of information on the current champion, Ryusei Kurenai, with Mukoda. In addition to being a champion boxer Kurenai has another job. Meanwhile at the church Mother Abbess tells Angela that her mother is sick and she needs to go visit her immediately. At the hospital she finds her mother in bed, mumbling about "the devil's party." Angela's father tells her that he's called her Aunt to come in and help. As her aunt Mizue arrives, Angela's mother begs her daughter to save her sister from a man who has bewitched her. Angela is confused about what her mother is talking about, and Mizue offers to show her by taking her to Club Ring where her handsome beau works as a host. It just so happens that Mizue is infatuated with Ryusei Kurenai, Kosaku's next opponent. Ryusei takes an instant liking to Angela and her nun "costume." Angela is ready to leave as the hosts begin drinking expensive champagne, but Mizue calls Mother Abbess and tells her that Angela's mother is taking a turn for the worse. As she goes to the bathroom, she tells Ryusei to sit with Angela. As he sits with Angela be begins to tell her his life story. Ryusei was sold to the host club in order to pay of a debt that his parents had incurred. He tricks Angela into ordering some of the expensive champagne to help pay off the 300 million yen debt that he owes. Angela naively agrees only to learn that Ryusei was lying about his past and that she's been tricked into buying a 400,000 yen bottle of champagne. The next day Angela returns to the church ashamed that she was manipulated by Ryusei. Time passes and Kosaku has been training hard and making excellent progress. He stops by the church to see Angela and ask her to marry him. Just as he is about to propose he is interrupted by a car's horn. Ryusei enters the church and calls Angela by her given name. Kosaku is curious as to how the man knows her and Angela is shocked at his sudden appearance. Ryusei tells her that he's come to collect the money that Angela owes. Kosaku is shocked that Angela went to a Host Club. Ryusei overhears Angela call Kosaku by his name, and introduces himself by trying to punch Kosaku in the face. Ryusei tells Kosaku that he'll see him for their match, but drives away without collecting his money from Angela.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2006 Vol. 52
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 5
Publication Date: November 26, 2006
Pages: 4 (full color) 24 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: What kind of qualification or license would you like to obtain one day?
    • A: A librarian. I still regret failing to get that qualification in college.

Chapter 34: Kohitsuji no yakusoku (Part 2)
(The Lamb's Promise, Part Two)
Kosaku watches footage of Kurenai's past fights and realizes just how dangerous his opponent is and that he is indeed the same man who came to collect money from Angela the previous day. Meanwhile Angela is getting grilled by Mother Abbess who is asking about the flashy young man Angela was speaking to was. Angela is nervous that the Mother Abbess will learn she visited a Host Club and kick her out of the convent. Just then Kosaku arrives and tells Mother Abbess that the man Angela was talking to is his next opponent. Later Angela thanks Kosaku for covering for her. He asks her if she is attracted to Kurenai, and about the 400,000 yen she owes him and if there is anything he can do to help her. She refuses to let him worry about her problems with his championship match coming up and tells him that she will be alright. Kosaku continues to press her about the money and what she will do if Mother Abbess learns about it, when he suddenly realizes that it would benefit him for Mother Abbess to find out, because then Angela would have to leave the church and could marry him. Suddenly Angela yells at him and tells him to mind his own business and worry about the fight. Angela goes into the chruch to pray when she gets a phone call from Kurenai. She tells him that she could get in trouble if he calls her at the church and asks for more time to get his money. Meanwhile at Mukoda's gym, Coach is putting Kosaku through his paces but Kosaku is too distracted thinking about Angela to focus on his footwork. Days later Angela is still in a crisis about the money, her aunt is still in Italy and she has no choice to to try and pay the bill. She decides to call her parents to ask for their help but they are not home. Just then a letter arrives from her parents who have decided to travel to Italy to visit Mizue. When Kosaku arrives he learns that Angela is ill and has gone to her room and that he is not allowed to see her. Mother Abbess asks Kosaku if he has been calling Angela lately, as she has been getting numerous phone calls from a young man. The stress of worry about Angela has begun to affect Kosaku's eating, as he is no longer losing weight. Mukoda decides that he'll have to move into the gym until the fight, but when he goes to tell Kosaku he realizes he's run off. Kosaku goes to Club Ring to pay Kurenai a visit and tells him that he will take over Sister Angela's 400,000 yen debt. Kurenai tells him to pay up, but Kosaku confesses that he does not have the money right now. Instead Kosaku promises to give up the entire purse from his title match, 200,000 yen. Kurenai tells Kosaku about why he became a host and uses the same phony story that he told Angela. Kosaku feels terrible for him, but Ryusei quickly admits that he's lying and that if Kosaku can defeat him in the ring he will cancel Angela's debt to him. However if Kosaku loses, then the debt will double to 800,000 yen. Strangely Kosaku is cheered up by this and promises that he will win. Kurenai begins to get irritated at how lightly Kosaku seems to be taking the match as he watches the cheerful Kosaku order some fried chicken before leaving the host club.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2006 Vol. 53
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 6
Publication Date: December 3, 2006
Pages: 22 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: What was the most painful thing (both physically and mentally) that you experienced recently?
    • A: Hanshin, I was disappointed they weren't able to win at the Nagoya Dome.

Chapter 35: Kohitsuji no yakusoku (Part 3)
(The Lamb's Promise, Part Three)
Mukoda finds Kosaku at the convent telling Angela that he's taken care of her debt to Kurenai. Kosaku cheerfully goes back to training at the gym, ready to defeat Kurenai to save Angela. As they watch Kosaku train the other boxers discuss an ad for the championship match that is supposed to be on television that night. Everyone watches Kurenai's interview on TV that night, while the other boxers are sickened by his ladykiller wiles, Angela watches and feels disappointment that she was taken in by his story of being sold off by his parents. Time passes quickly, Angela runs into Kosaku while he's training, but otherwise they spend little time together. Eventually Mizue returns from Italy and apologizes to Angela for leaving her in such a dire situation. Angela asks Mizue for the money for the bill, but her aunt tells her that she heard Kosaku had taken over the debt for her. Angela learns the specifics of Kosaku's deal with Kurenai and is shocked that he would do that for her. She rushes to see Kosaku and begs him to cancel his deal with Kurenai. Kosaku tells her that he's doing it to make her happy and he isn't interested in the money. Angela reiterates that she is devoted to God, and that he should not do this to try to win her affection but Kosaku dismisses that idea. She tries to reason with him but Kosaku's mind is made up. She continues to ask him what he will do if he loses until Kosaku finally snaps and tells her to shut up. Everyone is shocked, including Kosaku. Kosaku apologizes, but Angela quickly leaves.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2007 Vol. 1
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 7
Publication Date: December 10, 2006
Pages: 18 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: Who would you like to give some promotion to?
    • A: Taiki Nakabayashi who plays Godai in the Maison Ikkoku drama... PR for the aforementioned.

Chapter 36: Kohitsuji no yakusoku (Part 4)
(The Lamb's Promise, Part Four)
Angela walks down the street, remembering how angry Kosaku got when she questioned him and wonders if he hates her now. She happens to see his fellow boxers running through the city looking for Kosaku at all the local restaurants with no luck. It just so happens that she finds him at a nearby playground. Kosaku is lost in thought, worried that Angela hates him now for the way he spoke to her. Before she can come up to talk to him, Mukoda runs up and bashes him over the head with his bicycle. Angela comes out from behind the bushes and tells Mukoda that Kosaku didn't break his diet. That night she thinks about how Kosaku is doing all of this to take care of her. Angela feels helpless to help him and decides to go to the next sermon and properly apologize for what she has done. When she arrives she finds Kosaku standing at the altar. He turns around and tells her that he's been thinking about what he's fighting for, and its for both himself and Angela. He gives her a ticket to the match and leaves. As she goes back to the convent, a nun tells Angela that her aunt is waiting on her. When Angela goes to find her, she sees Mizue talking to Mother Abbess. Mizue has told her everything, about Angela's visit to the host club and the debt she incurred. Rather than dismissing her from the church outright, Mother Abbess tells Angela that she will be confined to the church grounds for a week. This means that Angela will not be allowed to go to Kosaku's title fight. The following Saturday night, the match is about to begin as the fighters are introduced. The crowd is filled with Kurenai's supporters, while Kosaku looks out hoping for a glimpse of Angela, he realizes she has not yet arrived. Mukoda pulls Kosaku to his corner and tells him that this is the end of their journey, no matter what, he's got to pull out everything he's got and win. The bell rings, and Angela is kneeling at her bed praying.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2007 Vol. 2
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 8
Publication Date: December 17, 2006
Pages: 18 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:


  • Table of Contents
    • Q: What is your most highly recommended work of 2006?
    • A: Memories of Matsuko (嫌われ松子の一生, Kiraware Matsuko no Isshō) and Rikidozan: A Hero Extraordinary on DVD.
    • Webmasters' Note: The Rikidozan film was originally released in South Korea in 2004, but in Japan in 2006.

Chapter 37: Kohitsuji no yakusoku (Part 5)
(The Lamb's Promise, Part Five)
Praying at her bedside, Angela remembers Mother Abbess' words; if she leaves the convent to go to the fight she will no longer be able to be a nun. As the fight begins Kurenai asks Kosaku if he remembers their bet and then smashes him in the face. The other boxers are frustrated that Kosaku is talking about the money rather than on defending himself in the ring, while all of Kurenai's supporters are worried that his pretty face may get injured during the match. Round one ends and Kosaku scans the crowd but sees no trace of Angela. In Kurenai's corner his coach tells him that once he defends his title he will be able to go on for a shot at the World Title and make enough money to pay off his parent's debt. It turns out that the story Kurenai told Angela was true. He chastizes his coach for saying that and corrects him, saying that he does not fight for the money. As the second round begins Mukoda tells Kosaku to go for Kurenai's face, his weak spot. Kosaku does as he's told but his punch is blocked. Kurenai warns Kosaku not to go after his face and unleashes a volley of punches. Kosaku manages to come back with a shot to Kurenai's body just as the second round ends. As Mukoda tries to advise Kosaku he continually looks into the crowd for Sister Angela. Mukoda gives him a firm slap and tells him to focus. The third round begins and Kurenai is determined to stop fooling around and knock Kosaku out. As they begin to spar, Kosaku throws a punch at Kurenai's body, but its a faint to get Kurenai to open up his defenses. Kosaku manages to land a punch to Ryusei's face and stuns the champion fighter. Mukoda yells out for him to keep going. Kurenai is enraged and rushes back to give Kosaku a hard uppercut which knocks out his mouthpiece. Kosaku goes down, and as the refree counts, Kurenai returns to his corner, worried that he may be unable to work the next day because of the punch to his face. As the referee counts to six, Kosaku jumps up and the third round ends. Mukoda tells Kosaku that he had him worried, but Kosaku reassures him that he's ready to win this fight for Angela...and Mukoda too. Back at the convent the other nuns rush to tell Mother Abbess that Angela has gone. Mother Abbess wonders about Angela's decision. As she runs to the train station Angela realizes that while she's prayed all week the only person she has been able to think about was Kosaku. In the sixth round, Kosaku and Kurenai are still going at it. Kosaku is working harder than ever, and most of Kurenai's punches are missing. The other boxers wonder aloud where Kosaku is getting his strenght from since Sister Angela is nowhere to be found. By the eleventh round Kosaku is beginning to feel the effects of the match, but Kurenai looks as calm as ever, but inside he's enraged that he's been unable to knock Kosaku out. This last round is all that stands between Kosaku and his destiny. As the bell rings, Kurenai's coach tells him to remember his parent's debt. Ryusei laughs and tells him the three-hundred million yen was made up, and as he confronts Kosaku in the center of the ring, he tells him that his parent's debt was actually seven-hundred-million yen as he delivers a solid punch to Kosaku's face. Kosaku gets knocked down once again, and as the referee counts, Ryusei thinks about how he's managed to pay off most of his parents' debt through his hard work in the club and in the ring. He could not quit boxing because he needed the money. But in the end he thinks Kosaku did not have enough spirit to defeat him. Suddenly Kosaku is back on his feet, and tells him that he will not lose. Kosaku dodges Ryusei's punch and lands one of his own just as Angela arrives. Both boxers' corners are screaming at their respective fighters to knock the other out and Kurenai begins shouting at Kosaku. He accuses Kosaku of doing all this for money, but Kosaku swings back and hits Ryusei in the face as he declares that he did it for love. Angela watches, stunned. As the refree counts Ryusei out, the defeated boxer wonders what love is. As Kosaku climbs out of the ring wearing his championship belt over his shoulder he finds Angela. He's happy that the sister made it to see him win, but Angela tells him she's is no longer a nun, and she came because she wanted to see him. Kosaku calls her by her real name and the two embrace as everyone looks on. Later, Mizue visits Ryusei at the club as she owes him money again. Marie returns to the convent to apologize to Mother Abbess. Mother Abbess tells her that she hopes she will follow her new path as strongly as she followed her previous path, and that God will always be on her side. Mukoda rides past them shouting for Kosaku, and Marie agrees to help him look for him. As Mother Abbess watches her leave she wonders to herself if she has chosen a difficult path. Marie finds Kosaku with a bag of dumplings but he confesses that he has not eaten any of them yet. Marie tells him they should go back to see Mukoda, and the two run down the street arm in arm as the snow falls around them.

Published In:
  • Young Sunday 2007 Vol. 3-4
  • One-Pound Gospel Tankobon 4 ch. 9
Publication Date: December 24, 2006
Pages: 4 (full color) 30 (black and white)
Anime Adaptation: None
Notes:
  • Takahashi's sixth editor on One Pound Gospel, Kazuto Yoshida, listed this chapter as his favorite chapter.

  • Table of Contents
    • Q: Let's make the cold winter hot! What spicy food do you recommend?
    • A: Thank you for reading. Have a Happy New Year next year!!


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