Joe Yabuki

Joe Yabuki is the main protagonist from the Ashita no Joe anime and manga.

Joe was a boxer, he is an OPBF Champion and 4th in the World Ranking.

Appearance
Joe has a black hair with long bangs and has black eyes. He wears a worn-out beige coat and a red flat cap.

Personality
Joe is rude and quick to fight, but he can also be very frivolous at times. Because of his rough upbringing he is a delinquent who likes his solitude, but he later grows to appreciate his new friends and rivals. He is not very good at understanding women, and essentially only treats them nice out of giri. As a result of Rikiishi's death, he temporarily suffers from yips and cannot hit people in the temple, but he later overcomes this. This allows him to move past the loss of Rikiishi.

On several occasions it is hinted that he is aiming for the world championship not for his own sake, but for Rikiishi's, since he died fighting Joe and was considered a future world contender.

Abilities
He is a bantamweight and his specialties include the cross counter and the No Guard stance. He has extraordinary punching strength, fortitude, and fighting spirit, often standing up after taking killer blows and has been known to counter cross-counters (a double-cross), possessing a raw, natural talent for the sport. He has even countered double crosses with a triple-cross, implying he has high-level technical abilities. Following his fight with Rikiishi, he begins to better develop his guarding. During his fight with José, he even unconsciously uses José's own corkscrew punch against him. Near the end of the manga, more and more hints build up implying that he is becoming punch-drunk, a condition that is confirmed right before his fight with José.

Trivia

 * Joe like waffles.
 * Joe is compared with bulls during his first fight with Rikiishi. It fits him like a glove.
 * Despite his nickname, Joe had only won against one person that he was said to have "killed". Although Rikiishi dies, he had beaten Joe in the match via KO. While Carlos receives brain damage from Joe's fight the match was officially called a draw, and devastating part was inflicted by Mendoza, not Joe.