One Pound Gospel (1988): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1988, One Pound Gospel is an action, comedy, animation and romance film directed by Osamu Dezaki, running about 50 minutes. “A young idealistic nun helps a gluttonous young boxer gain the self control he needs to train to become a champion.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Hatanaka Kosaku is a young boxer who has a major flaw, he can't stop eating. That weakness puts him into into heavier weight classes that put him against stronger boxers and even worse, he's prone to throw up when he gets a body blow, which drives potential opponents away. His coach is at his wit's end as he struggles to get this idiot to show some discipline in his training. The matter is complicated when a young nun feeds the "starving" boy after she finds him fainted on the streets during his enforced fast. She learns of her mistake and she tries to help him get ready for a fight, but his weakness for food and the odd relationship they share don't makes things easy.

Who’s in it. One Pound Gospel stars Hiromi Tsuru as Angela, Toru Furuya as Kousaku Hatanaka, Kaneto Shiozawa as Jiro Amakusa and Kazumi Tanaka as Yamamoto, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, One Pound Gospel has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch One Pound Gospel page.

If you liked it. Fans of One Pound Gospel tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.