Oda Yusuke | Hajime no ippo

Yusuke Oda is Ippo Makunouchi's first professional opponent. He appears at very specific moments throughout the story, mainly divided between the beginning of his boxing career and, much later, as a retired trainer who serves as comic relief.
The main scenarios and arcs in which Oda appears in Hajime no Ippo are:

1. Professional Debut Arc (Ippo's First Opponent)

• The Weigh-In: Oda meets Ippo for the first time backstage and at the official weigh-in. Initially arrogant, he underestimates Ippo for being a newcomer.
• Encounters at Riky's (Restaurant): Before the fight, Oda is seen neglecting training and going out with his girlfriend, Reiko Mikami (his coach's daughter). When Reiko threatens to break up with him if he loses, and upon hearing that Ippo was laughing at his lack of focus, Oda changes his attitude and starts training hard.
• The Debut Fight Ring: Oda's most memorable fight is the 4-round bout against Ippo. He dominates the beginning using his powerful right straight and even manages to open a cut on Ippo's eyebrow. However, after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) in the third round due to Ippo's relentless resistance, Oda decides to retire from boxing.

2. The Return as Coach (Advanced Manga)

Years after his retirement, Oda reappears in the manga in a completely different setting. He has gained a drastic amount of weight and taken on the role of boxing coach at his old gym.
• In the Stands / Boxing Events: Oda appears watching fights of up-and-coming boxers and serves as a comedic parallel to a "retired athlete who's let himself go".
• Observing Ippo's Students: In more recent chapters of the manga (during the phase in which Ippo acts as a coach), Oda appears alongside Kobachi (another former boxer) observing and commenting on the performance of Ippo's new pupils in competitions.

Yusuke Oda is Makunouchi Ippo's first opponent in the professional wrestling ring of Hajime no Ippo. He acts as a true game-changer, demonstrating the importance of dedication in the sport.
His appearance and personality undergo significant transformations throughout history:

Appearance

• Early in his career: Oda is introduced as a very attractive, tall, and good-looking 21-year-old with spiky black hair. He possesses the athletic and defined physique typical of a featherweight boxer.
• After retirement (Post-fight with Ippo): After hanging up his gloves, Oda becomes one of the biggest sources of comic relief in the series in terms of visuals. He completely abandons his exercise routine, gives in to food, and gains a lot of weight, becoming completely obese, unrecognizable, and with puffed-up cheeks (often visually compared to a squirrel).

Personality

• Arrogant and Lazy: Initially, Oda is an incredibly talented fighter, possessing a devastating right hook, but he hates training. He prefers to skip training to hang out with his girlfriend, Reiko (his coach's daughter), relying solely on his raw talent to win.
• Proud and Determined (Under Pressure): His mindset changes drastically before facing Ippo. Upon discovering that others mocked his lack of willpower and under the threat of Reiko ending their relationship if he lost, his pride is wounded. He adopts a completely focused stance, training to extreme exhaustion to prove his worth.
• Realistic and Humble: Despite losing to Ippo by technical knockout, the fight causes him to regain his self-respect and Reiko's love. Eventually, he accepts his limitations in a very human way, recognizing that he doesn't have the same obsession and resilience as monsters like Ippo, and decides to move on with life lightly, becoming a trainer at his old gym.

Key details about the character:

• Role in history: He is Ippo's opponent in his professional ring debut.
• Style and skills: He was a featherweight boxer with a record of 5 fights (3 wins by knockout and 2 losses). He possessed a strong right hook and was fast, but suffered from a lack of discipline, poor physical stamina, and excessive reliance on that single punch.
• Personal life: At the time of the fight, he was dating Reiko Mikami, who was the daughter of his own coach. To motivate him to train seriously, she threatened to leave him if he lost to the newcomer Ippo.
• The outcome of the fight: Despite having more experience than Ippo, Oda was outmatched by the protagonist's stamina, resilience, and jabs, losing by TKO (technical knockout) in the third round.
• Fate after the fight: The defeat made him realize the huge gap in skill level between himself and the new talents in boxing, which led him to retire from fighting. Years later, he returned to the sport working as a coach at the same gym (Nishikawa Boxing Gym).