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off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

Oof I don't have a lot of nice things to say about Harry so this is gonna be tough. Generally speaking, I see Harry as someone who is very "my way or the highway" when it comes to almost any decision. We didn't get to know much about him, other than the fact that he has a similar background to Carlos. Perhaps he had no sense of control early in life, which is why he's so hellbent on insisting he knows what's best for others. He seems well-meaning, but is otherwise impervious to outside influence. He's very morally gray in that sense. He prioritizes what will bring in the most profit for him and Carlos, even if it means ignoring how the people involved actually feel. But he's not, like, a terrible person...? I always find it interesting seeing how Americans are portrayed in Japanese media lmao.

adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

I guess so? Like I said, not a lot of discussion around him.

throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

I wish he could have interacted with Rikiishi so Rikiishi could tell him he doesn't know squat about how boxers really feel...

"Take it from me. I bet my life on Joe. He's no laughing matter, and if Carlos feels anything like I did, you ought to back off and let him do as he wants."

"Yeah but what about our dream?!?! Carlos could be world champ!!! We'd be rich and famous!"

"Yeah ok, lol." (ok he wouldn't say lol but you know what I mean dihdhdakj)

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

I'm gonna be totally honest, I would not go out of my way to interact with him. Like, if he initiated, I'd engage in friendly small talk out of politeness, but beyond that... No.

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

I think a healthy dose of angst and emotional turmoil would do him some good. Character development. Go through something so I can like you more. For instance, I want to know, in more elaborate detail, his reaction to Carlos becoming completely punch-drunk/physically and mentally disabled. He'd probably go through multiple stages of grief, and ultimately, regret for not treating Carlos with more respect. After all, the two of them were joint at the hip.

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

Well, Carlos, of course. They have the most history. It's clear Harry loves Carlos and wants to help him succeed in any way possible, but his own ambitions get in the way. I sometimes wonder if Harry was ever jealous of Carlos. I got the feeling he wanted to live vicariously through him in the ring. He didn't give that impression much throughout the series, but his actions had me asking myself questions. He may have also felt a little bit threatened by Yoko, who stepped up to the plate and became another authority figure to Carlos. He was no longer pulling all of the strings, in terms of Carlos' career.

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

Off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

While Joe's main motivator throughout his life has been survival, he still craves some semblance of external validation. He's still a young man, after all. He takes pride in his strength and adaptability, and is willing to take any opportunity to show it off. He starts out as an extremely self-serving, lowkey evil kid, but grows an appreciation for others as he becomes accustomed to a life that isn't so solitary.

He's simultaneously selfish and deeply caring. One of the most prominent ways he develops is in his capacity for empathy and appreciation for others. This is a sign of emotional growth, but proves to be an obstacle in his boxing career. In this way, his former callousness made it easier for him in the ring. Rikiishi's death is what triggers this change, and you can see him start to appreciate his found family much more as time goes by. Not only this, but it gives Joe a newfound respect for his opponents. Still, he's certainly not above trash-talking given the circumstances.

I often think about the history surrounding Joe's character. How he was a symbol of hope for the working class in post-war Japan. This context impacts how I personally characterize him. I see him as a huge advocate for the proletariat, as well as someone who will quickly call out ignorance. He was a celebrated hero in the Tokyo slums, and he threw that love and support right back at them.

adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

Yes and no. Like @happyocelot was saying, a lot of fans characterize Joe as more selfish and unfeeling than he actually is. But I've also seen very accurate and thoughtful portrayals of Joe, whether it's in fanfiction, articles, or video essays. I'm so curious to get Japanese perspectives on the cultural significance of Ashita no Joe and Joe himself. I'm learning Japanese, but I have a LONG way to go before I have any nuanced conversations, lol.

throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

I'm gonna throw him at Suga. YES I know he's an anime-only character, but I enjoy him, lol.

Without any prior context, Joe would be thrown off by how much Suga looks like Rikiishi. However, this doesn't send him into a spiral because their vibes are completely different. While Rikiishi is honest and straightforward, Joe can instantly tell Suga is a bit of a snake. He resents how Suga sees him as a cash-grab.

While he's mostly right about Suga, Suga does have some earnest characteristics. He has a genuine interest in Joe's career and wants to see him do well. Both he and Suga share the fact that they have both done underhanded things for their own benefit, so Joe can only judge him but so much.

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

I think I would find adult Joe attractive, but I'd be thrown off by his rudeness, LMAO. He's definitely more socially acclimated than his kid self, but not quite where I need him to be. Besides, I doubt I'm masc enough for him.

I think we could at least be friends. I know we'd laugh about a lot of the same things and exchange memes/music recommendations (granted he lived in the present day). He'd probably hurt my feelings every now and then by being a bit too blunt, but you know what? Sometimes I need that.

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

I'm gonna be so for real. I love the concept of Joe pining and being down stupendously bad for someone. This is seen (in subtext) with his fixations on Rikiishi and Carlos... Sure they're his opponents/rivals/idols but... I dunno. It's all a bit fruity to me. A lone wolf with a general disdain for people falling madly in love is so delicious every time. Joe has such a big heart and so much capacity for love, if you get past the bullshit front he puts up 😭🩷 Which makes his heartbreak and grief even more gut wrenching to witness.

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

Aside from his dynamic with Rikiishi (for reasons I've stated many times at this point, I can reiterate but I don't want to be too annoying about it), I really appreciate his dynamic with Danpei and Nishi. For Danpei, their relationship definitely gets off to a rocky start, but Danpei is the closest thing to a father Joe has had. Danpei is relatable in that he was forced to give up his passion, but it's not working out well for him. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol, but when Joe comes around, he feels a renewed sense of hope. You definitely get the sense that Danpei is trying to use Joe as a means to carry the torch for him, but as the story moves forward, that turns into genuine care for Joe as a person.

Nishi has the shared experience of being in juvie with Joe. Joe values him a lot as a companion, and having the ability to train alongside someone is a good motivator for him. It becomes clear Nishi kind of plays second fiddle to Joe, as Joe is Danpei's main "project". Nishi doesn't seem to resent Joe for it, which speaks volumes on his character. When Nishi has to give up boxing, Joe is totally gutted. Even if Danpei wasn't that invested, Joe was invested in Nishi's career. Joe never let Nishi believe that he was inferior to him in any way. Their friendship is so supportive and powerful, UGH I just love good platonic dynamics like this. Male friendship is so beautiful. One thing I'll say about Nishi is that Noriko ought to like him more, he's a great dude.

And of course there's the kids. Joe becomes the big brother of the group, and the kids adore him. He loves them very much, and even during hard times, he shows up for them. And in return, he can count on them to cheer him up. I remember scenes where he would play with them when he was at his lowest. If anything, what made me the most sad about ANJ's ending was how the kids must have felt. I'm a childless adult and am not great with kids (not out of malice, I genuinely just don't know what to do with them) but those kids... Man. They tugged at my heart strings.

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

off the top of your head: notes for characterization? what are the most essential traits of this character to you (personality traits, important connections/dynamics, voice)?

His composure is a big one. He has a presence and level of maturity far beyond his years, perhaps due to lived experience. He's calm, calculated and confident. Seeing as he may have had a past similar to Joe, he likely had to grow up quickly. Despite this, he does have a noticeably playful side and doesn't take everything super seriously. Take his dynamic with Joe, for instance. Even though their rivalry can be characterized as intense, it's clear Rikiishi finds Joe entertaining. While he outwardly condemns Joe's bad behavior, you can tell by his expression he's trying not to laugh. Joe brings out a side of Rikiishi he's had to repress out of necessity. Rikiishi had to make a full 180 after his stint in juvie, if he wanted his boxing career to last. He couldn't afford to be like Joe, a wild animal who picked fights with anyone. Before doing his time, Rikiishi was more hotheaded and brash than you'd expect. Deep down, Rikiishi is a lot like Joe, but he had to tame it. He's equal parts hot and cool, which is, in my opinion, what gives him main character aura without actually being the main character.

2. adjacently—do you think fandom does the above traits justice? why or why not?

For the most part, yeah! I'm not really on TikTok/social media that much so I don't know for sure. I kinda wish people wrote more about Rikiishi as a living character instead of beating me over the head with the fact that he died. Like, yes, tragedy is beautiful. His death offered major development for characters like Joe and Yoko. But I like him alive and healthy thank you

3. throw this character at any other character of your choice to bounce off each other as outsider pov to each other— regardless of timeline or logistics (crossovers allowed if you're interesting about it). why this combination? what insights would they have on each other?

FOR FUN I'm gonna go with Sachi. Sachi would find him a bit scary at first. She'd overcompensate by throwing insults at him, which makes him laugh. He'd crouch to get on eye-level with her, and asks about what she likes to watch on Saturday morning. She doesn't want to talk to him, seeing as he's doing a great job of stealing Joe's attention from her, but reluctantly answers his questions. To her surprise, Rikiishi responds with "That's a good one. Have you seen the episode with(...)?"

They end up getting along a lot better than she thought they would. Rikiishi acknowledges how important she is to Joe, and wants to have a positive relationship with her. Luckily, she's pretty receptive to that.

how do you think you would react to this character in real life and vice versa? would you prefer be a million miles out of range, be amicable classmates, or fall desperately in love? (bonus: arrange a hypothetical date between yourself and this character. getting silly with it is encouraged (fakedate them! escape a dinner date through a bathroom window!))

OH GOD ummm...... if Rikiishi lived to be my age, oof um... holy moly... I'm just gonna say I'd want to go out with him, but he'd probably find me extremely fucking weird. I don't know how to approach people, and when I get comfortable, I can say things most people find out-of-pocket or inappropriate. I'd like to think he'd find my antics entertaining, like he does with Joe.. maybe. I'd try to hide behind him at social events since he's basically a tree.

ideal flavor of rotating for this character? crack them open and dissect them— do you want them tormented, pining, or being loved + comforted? do you have any specific scenarios you like to think about?

I strongly feel as though he's been tormented enough in his short lifetime, but it always makes a delicious plot line.

I enjoy exploring his softer side. I like to write/imagine scenarios of him being treated like the royalty he is. He's always going out of his way for other people, so it's the least he deserves. I see him as someone who enjoys the finer things. Please for the love of god let that poor baby eat something expensive on someone else's tab

weave a web of dynamics through the cast for this character: which dynamics are you most interested in? both canonically and through extrapolation/speculation— which dynamics are the richest to you, and why?

For obvious reasons, his dynamic with Joe. I could harp on all the points I made in a previous answer, but they bring out the best in each other in every way.

Not many other relationships are explored, except his relationship with Yoko.

There's a bit of a power imbalance between him and Yoko that always rubbed me the wrong way. Sure, he feels indebted to her, and is right to treat her with reverence and respect, but they don't have many conversations as equals. I think I would have a better idea of where they stood with each other if they spoke on a level playing field. Clearly, Yoko has deep respect for him, despite her position of power. She mourned him in a way that made me believe she saw him as something other than an adoptive brother of sorts. Their relationship has layers to it I've always been curious about. There's unspoken feelings there. I don't exactly ship them, but I still want to know what happened, lol.

do you have particular niche takes on this character? defend those takes. (openly controversial takes are permitted, but also: hyper-specific headcanons which you believe in and no one else has considered enough to disagree with yet. pick a hill to die on.)

summer rikijoe and some sketches chilling in my drafts... happy pride month to everyone! specifically to my fellow queer fujoshis and fudanshis and to anyone who loves doomed yaoi/yuri