Rikiishi Toru was the first man whom Joe couldn’t defeat. He made Joe a boxer, a heartbroken wanderer, and the Oriental-pacific champion.   Rikiishi fascinated not only Joe but also many readers. At the time of serialization, comics weren’t thought of as being for adults. So, ‘Ashita no Joe’ was called “the comic read by college students.” People say “Half of it was due to Rikiishi.”   How was Rikiishi created, and why did he have to die regardless of having such popularity. There were secret stories.   Contents1 Author didn’t plan the legendary weight loss2 Death of much-loved character Rikiishi2.1 Shadow of death2.2 Turning point between a masterpiece and … Continue reading 2 inside stories about Rikiishi’s weight loss and death