Ashita no Joe (Japanese: あしたのジョー, "Tomorrow's Joe") is a seminal Japanese boxing manga series written by Asao Takamori (a pseudonym for Ikki Kajiwara) and illustrated by Tetsujiro Chiba. Serialized from 1968 to 1973, it is widely regarded as one of the most influential works in manga history, transcending the sports genre to become a cultural phenomenon and a symbol of the Japanese working-class struggle during the post-war era.

The story follows Joe Yabuki, a troubled, cynical, and fiercely independent runaway who wanders into the Tokyo slums. His raw, untamed talent for fighting is noticed by Danpei Tange, a washed-up, alcoholic former boxing trainer. After a stint in a juvenile detention center—where he meets his life-long rival and "fated" opponent, the disciplined Toru Rikiishi—Joe begins a grueling journey through the world of professional boxing. Joe doesn't fight for money or fame; he fights to find a sense of "burning" purpose in a world that offers him nothing, eventually rising to challenge the world champion, Jose Mendoza, in a quest to burn his life out "into white ash."

Alternative Names by Language

あしたのジョー / Ashita no Joe / Tomorrow's Joe / Joe de demain / Rocky Joe / Ashita no Jo / Завтрашний Джо / جو البطل / โจ สิงห์สังเวียน / 明日之丈 / 내일의 죠