Fist of the North Star
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara
that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump
from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon
edition by Shueisha
. Set in a post-apocalyptic world that has been destroyed by a nuclear war, the story centers around a warrior named Kenshiro
, the successor of a deadly martial art style known as Hokuto Shinken
, which gives him the ability to kill most adversaries from within through the use of the human body's secret vital points, often resulting in a ludicrously violent and gory death. Kenshiro dedicates his life to fighting against the various ravagers who threaten the lives of the weak and innocent, as well as rival martial artists, including his own "brothers" from the same clan.
The manga was adapted into two TV anime
series produced by Toei Animation
which aired on Fuji TV affiliates from 1984 through 1988, comprising a combined total of 152 episodes. Several films, OVA
s, and video games had been produced as well, including a series of spin-offs
centering around other characters from the original story.
The original manga was republished in English by Viz Communications
as a monthly comic book, and later by Gutsoon! Entertainment
as a series of colorized graphic novels, although neither translations were completed. English adaptations of other Fist of the North Star media have also been licensed to other companies, including the TV series and the original 1986 film.
Kenshiro, the rightful successor to the ancient assassination art
of Hokuto Shinken
, wanders into a village in search of water when he is caught in a trap and imprisoned by the local defense force. In prison, he befriends a young orphaned girl named Lin who nursed him back to health. When the village is attacked by a biker gang and Lin is taken hostage by their leader, Ken breaks free from his cell and rescues Lin by defeating the leader with his deadly martial art technique. Kenshiro leaves the village and continues his journey, now accompanied by a young thief named Bat. He becomes involved against the KING organization after witnessing the many atrocities they've committed. As he infiltrates the gang's stronghold in the city of Southern Cross, he finds out that the leader of KING is his old nemesis, the Nanto Seiken
master Shin, the man who engraved the seven scars on Kenshiro's chest and kidnapped his fiancee Yuria. Kenshiro emerges victorious in his rematch with Shin, only to find out that Yuria was no longer with Shin.
Kenshiro continues his journey and goes on to fight several other enemy organizations. After being reunited with Lin and meeting new allies such as the woman warrior Mamiya and the Nanto Suichōken
successor Rei, Kenshiro learns that his three former brothers-in-training in the ways of Hokuto Shinken are still alive. The third brother, Jagi, a violent thug who sought to torment Kenshiro after losing the Hokuto Shinken succession to him, is quickly eliminated. Kenshiro goes on to search for the second brother, a gentle healer named Toki, and learns that he is being kept prisoner in the dungeon city of Cassandra. After rescuing Toki, Kenshiro learns that Raoh
, the eldest of the four brothers, has become a ruthless warlord known as Ken-oh and was now seeking to conquer the postwar world. Kenshiro goes on to challenge Raoh, but the long grueling battle ends in a stalemate and the two warriors are forced to settle their differences another day. Rei is fatally wounded as a result of a previous battle with and he spends the last few days of his life tracking down his nemesis Juda, the successor of Nanto Kōkakuken and the man who once tormented Mamiya in the past. After defeating Juda, Rei goes on to die peacefully.
With Raoh still recovering from his wounds, another warlord, the Nanto Hōōken
successor Thouzer, proclaims himself as the Holy Emperor. Kenshiro joins a resistance movement led by an old benefactor, the Nanto Hakuroken
successor Shew. When Shew is captured and executed by Thouzer, Kenshiro confronts Thouzer and foils his ambitions. With Thouzer now gone, Raoh recovers from his wounds and goes on to resume his reign of conquest. Toki, who is on the verge of dying as a result of a terminal illness, challenges the newly-revived Raoh, but is ultimately no match for him. Toki eventually passes away from his disease, leaving Kenshiro as the only man capable of stopping Raoh.
The Last General of Nanto appears and decides to side with Kenshiro in order to defeat Raoh, sending out her five guardians, the Goshasei, after Raoh. Kenshiro and Raoh both learn that the General's true identity is Yuria, Kenshiro's missing fiancee. After a series of numerous events and battles, Kenshiro emerges victorious over Raoh and he is finally reunited with Yuria. However, the victory is bittersweet, as Yuria has be affected by a terminal illness and is left with only a few years to live. Kenshiro leaves his friends and spends the final few years of Yuria's life with her.
The peace that followed Raoh's downfall does not last long and the world returns to turmoil several years later. Kenshiro rejoins his former traveling companions, Bat and Lin, in their battle against an oppressive Empire, fighting under the banner of the Hokuto Army. The Hokuto Army rescues the rightful Empress Rui, who is also Rin's estranged twin sister, foiling the plot of the usurper Jakoh, who was blackmailing Rui's guardian, the Gento Kōken successor Falco, to do his evil bidding.
However, Lin is taken captive by the remnant of Jakoh's forces and is sent off to the mysterious Kingdom of Shura, a land of warriors ruled by three overlords who have all mastered the ways of Hokuto Ryūken, a martial art which branched off from the same clan alongside Hokuto Shinken. Kenshiro defeats Han, the third-ranking overlord, who reveals that the Kingdom of Shura was Kenshiro's birthplace. Moreover, Kenshiro also learns that Hyoh, the second overlord, is his biological older brother. After a grueling battle, Hyoh and Ken reconcile their differences and Kenshiro seeks out the highest-ranking and most powerful of the three overlords, Kaioh, who is Raoh's biological older brother. The final battle concludes with Kenshiro defeating Kaioh and Kaioh making his peace with Hyoh before both of them pass away.
Afterward, Kenshiro rescues Lin and leaves her under Bat's care as he goes on an adventure with Raoh's orphaned son Ryu. After his adventure with Ryu, Kenshiro is forced to help out Bat and Lin one last time when a villain from Kenshiro's past named Bolge threaten their happiness.
volume of Tetsu no Don Quixote.
The two one-shots were well-received in the reader's surveys of Fresh Jump and Tetsuo Hara was commissioned to turn Hokuto no Ken into a weekly series. Buronson was assigned to work with him as writer for the serialized version. The storyline was revamped, with the 1980s present-day setting in the original version replaced by a Mad Max
-inspired post apocalyptic future world, and the protagonist Kenshiro, originally a high school student in Hara's earlier story, became an older and more stoic hero inspired by Bruce Lee
. Originally, Tetsuo Hara and Buronson were contracted to do Fist of the North Star for a three-year run, but due to its popularity and the publisher's demand, it was extended to a five-year run.
of Hokuto no Ken were originally published under Shueisha
's Jump Comics imprint and spans 27 volumes. During the 1990s, Shueisha reprinted Hokuto no Ken in 15 hardcover aizōban editions, as well as 15 corresponding economy-sized bunko editions.
A 14-volume Kanzenban edition was published by Shogakukan
in 2006 under the Big Comics Selection imprint, featuring the original water-colored artwork from the Weekly Shōnen Jump serialization. It has also been released in 27 pay-to-download e-book
editions.
Viz Communications
published the first sixteen chapters of Fist of the North Star in English as an eight-issue monthly comic in 1989, which were later reprinted in a single graphic novel collection in 1995. During the same year, Viz resumed publication of the series as a monthly comic until 1997, lasting eighteen issues (adapting chapters 17-44), which were subsequently republished in three additional graphic novel volumes. A second English adaptation was published by Gutsoon! Entertainment
under the title of Fist of the North Star: Master Edition,which featured newly colorized artwork, but retained the original right-to-left orientation. Each volume from the fourth one and onward featured new cover illustrations by Tetsuo Hara that were made specifically for the Master Edition. The Master Edition was published from 2002 to 2003, lasting only nine volumes, due to Gutsoon!'s withdrawal from the North American market.
. Set during the Second Sino-Japanese War
in 1935, the story stars Hokuto Shinken
predecessor and Kenshiro's namesake, Kenshiro Kasumi. An English adaptation of Fist of the Blue Sky was published in North America by Gutsoon! Entertainment
in the now-defunct manga anthology Raijin Comics
. Four collected volumes were published before the company went out of business.
A series of Fist of the North Star spinoffs began to be published in the Weekly Comic Bunch and Big Comics Superior later. This lineup of titles has been dubbed the series, as each title focuses on a particular supporting character from the original manga. The following titles had been published so far:
by Youkow Osada. - A series that was serialized in Weekly Comics Bunch featuring Reina and Souga from The Legends of the True Savior movie series. All 42 chapters (as well as a two-part epilogue published sometime after the series' conclusion) were collected in five tankōbon volumes. It was adapted into a 13-episode anime series which aired on Tokyo MX in 2008. The anime adaptation was licensed to Sentai Filmworks and a subtitle-only DVD, dual language DVD and Blu-Ray set of the complete series are currently available for release.
by Ayumi Kasai. Serialized at Big Comics Superior in three parts that ran from March 10 to April 14, 2006 and six subsequent chapters from March 9 to June 8, 2007. A single tankōbon volume was released.
by Yasuyuki Nekoi - Rei Gaiden originally began as two separate one-shot stories that were published in the March 22 and December 8, 2006 issues of Weekly Comic Bunch. The one-shot version of the manga is subtitled . Rei Gaiden was picked up as an ongoing series, which began in the April 27, 2007 issue of Weekly Comic Bunch. The serial was originally subtitled , before receiving its current title.
, a series by Yuka Nagate that begun serialization in the August 24, 2007 issue of Weekly Comic Bunch.
by Shin-ichi Hiromoto, which began serialization in the December 26, 2008 issue of Comic Bunch.
by Kakurai Missile, which began serialization in the February 12, 2010 issue of Comic Bunch.
under the title . The series aired on Fuji Television
from October 4, 1984 to March 5, 1987, lasting 109 episodes. It was immediately followed by a sequel series, titled Hokuto no Ken 2, which aired from March 13, 1987 to February 18, 1988, lasting for 43 additional episodes (a combined total of 152 episodes between both series). Reruns are aired in Japan on the satellite television
network Animax
.
The first 36 episodes of the first series were translated and dubbed by Manga Entertainment
in 1999, although only the first 24 episodes were released on VHS
. All 36 episodes of the dub version were aired on Showtime Beyond in the United States
and on Sci-Fi Channel in the United Kingdom
, and were later released on individual DVD
volumes in 2003. In 2008, the US subsidiary of Toei Animation
produced official subtitled-only translations of all 152 episodes, which were released on various paid download and video streaming websites available only for North American customers. Discotek Media announced on October 2, 2009 that they have licensed the entire Fist of the North Star TV series. They will release all 152 episodes in a total of four boxsets sometime in 2010.
In 2009, William Winckler Productions produced six all new English dubbed movie versions edited from the original TV series. Producer William Winckler, known for Tekkaman the Space Knight, wrote, produced and directed the English films, which are seen on broadband in Japan. The Winckler dubbed films focus on story arcs of the main characters of Shin, Ray, Souther, Toki, Raul, and Kaioh.
based on the series, simply titled Fist of the North Star
, was produced by Toei Animation
, which premiered in Japan on March 8, 1986. Produced by the same staff and cast who worked on the TV series, the movie adapts the storyline of the manga from the beginning and up to Kenshiro's first fight with Raoh, taking several liberties with the order of events and how the story unfolds. An English-dubbed version produced by Streamline Pictures
was first released in 1991 in North America and in 1994 in Europe and Australia by Manga Entertainment
.
In 2003, a three-episode OVA mini-series titled New Fist of the North Star
was produced by OB Planning. based on a 1996 Hokuto no Ken novel Jubaku no Machi. An English dub version was produced by ADV Films in 2004.
In 2005, North Stars Pictures and TMS Entertainment
announced the development of a five-part film series
titled Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior
. The series is composed of three theatrical films and two OVAs, which were released during a three-year period between 2006 throughout 2008, culminating with the 25th anniversary of the franchise.
There has also been two cell phone novels released via the mobile site Hokuto no Ken DX. , a novelization of the manga of the same name, and , an original novel by Jotaro Higashi.
based on a script by Peter Atkins and Wynne McLaughlin. The movie, loosely based on the Shin storyline of the manga, stars Gary Daniels
as Kenshiro, Costas Mandylor
as Shin and Japanese actress Isako Washio
as Yuria, with Malcolm McDowell
as Ryuken and Chris Penn
as "Jackal" (actually a renamed Jagi). It also featured a cameo by professional wrestler Big Van Vader as Goliath, and Kevin Arbouet
as "Rao" (Raoh in the anime series). The movie was released straight-to-video
in the US and Japan (though it did receive a premiere on HBO.) The Japanese dubbed version used the original voice actors from the 1980s anime series.
Numerous video game titles based on the Fist of the North Star have been produced since the 1986 release of Enix
adventure game, simply titled Hokuto no Ken for the PC-88. The earlier games in the franchise were released by Sega
for the Mark III and Mega Drive and by Toei Animation
for the Nintendo
's Family Computer
, Game Boy
and Super Famicom
. These titles included side-scrolling action games, RPGs and competitive-style fighting game
s. The two Sega titles were released overseas without the Hokuto no Ken license under the titles of Black Belt
and Last Battle
, while a couple of the Toei titles, namely Fist of the North Star for the NES and Fist of the North Star: 10 Big Brawls for the King of Universe for the Game Boy, had American releases with the license intact. Further games were released were released for the Sega Saturn
, PlayStation
, Arcade
, PlayStation 2
and Nintendo DS
among other platforms. In 2000, Konami released an arcade game based on the franchise titled Fighting Mania
. Another arcade game, a 2D fighting game simply titled Fist of the North Star
, was produced by Sega and Arc System Works
in 2005. Both games saw international distributions, although the PS2 version of the fighting game was released exclusively in Japan. Koei produced a Dynasty Warriors
spinoff based on the franchise titled Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage
, which was released in Japan on March 25, 2010; North America on November 2, 2010; and in Europe November 5, 2010.
In addition to traditional video games, the franchise has inspired a series of typing software, an online MMORPG, and numerous pachinko
and pachislot
machines.
in 2005, the Fist of the North Star anime series ranked 26 in a list of Top 100 Anime series. In a second poll in 2006, it ranked No. 89. In a celebrity version of the poll, it ranked No. 15.
Two of its martial arts styles are referenced in the song "Vaudeville Villain" by hip-hop artist Viktor Vaughn (MF Doom): "He feel they need to give him his own dance / This his only chance to shoot the gift like a lone glance / Or like a beef scene that leave the ooey smoking / Or between Hokuto Shinken
and Nanto Suichō Ken."
}
}
}
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara
Tetsuo Hara
is a Japanese manga artist famous for drawing the series Fist of the North Star , which he co-authored with Buronson...
that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
edition by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
. Set in a post-apocalyptic world that has been destroyed by a nuclear war, the story centers around a warrior named Kenshiro
Kenshiro
is the main protagonist of the manga franchise Fist of the North Star by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. According to Buronson, Kenshiro's character design was inspired by the character of Max Rockatansky from the Mad Max film series and martial artist Bruce Lee.In the story, Kenshiro is the rightful...
, the successor of a deadly martial art style known as Hokuto Shinken
Hokuto Shinken
is a fictional two thousand year old martial art that is shrouded in mystery, from the eponymous manga and anime franchise, Fist of the North Star. Hokuto Shinken is based loosely on Dim Mak kung fu, but very few conventional martial arts compare to it....
, which gives him the ability to kill most adversaries from within through the use of the human body's secret vital points, often resulting in a ludicrously violent and gory death. Kenshiro dedicates his life to fighting against the various ravagers who threaten the lives of the weak and innocent, as well as rival martial artists, including his own "brothers" from the same clan.
The manga was adapted into two TV anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series produced by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
which aired on Fuji TV affiliates from 1984 through 1988, comprising a combined total of 152 episodes. Several films, OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
s, and video games had been produced as well, including a series of spin-offs
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
centering around other characters from the original story.
The original manga was republished in English by Viz Communications
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
as a monthly comic book, and later by Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc. is a now defunct publisher of English translated manga. The company, headquartered in Encino, Los Angeles, served as the US subsidiary of Coamix, which was founded by Nobuhiko Horie and manga artist Tsukasa Hojo. The company published the English manga anthology Raijin...
as a series of colorized graphic novels, although neither translations were completed. English adaptations of other Fist of the North Star media have also been licensed to other companies, including the TV series and the original 1986 film.
Plot
In 199X, civilization was ruined as a result of a worldwide nuclear war and many creatures died out. However, mankind survived and entered an age where the strong ruled over the weak, as the few survivors fought over whatever supply of food and uncontaminated water remained in the wasteland of the world.Kenshiro, the rightful successor to the ancient assassination art
Ansatsuken
is a Japanese neologism used frequently in fictional works to describe any martial art style or fighting technique that has been developed with the purpose of killing an opponent. The term is used interchangeably as well.- Examples in fiction :...
of Hokuto Shinken
Hokuto Shinken
is a fictional two thousand year old martial art that is shrouded in mystery, from the eponymous manga and anime franchise, Fist of the North Star. Hokuto Shinken is based loosely on Dim Mak kung fu, but very few conventional martial arts compare to it....
, wanders into a village in search of water when he is caught in a trap and imprisoned by the local defense force. In prison, he befriends a young orphaned girl named Lin who nursed him back to health. When the village is attacked by a biker gang and Lin is taken hostage by their leader, Ken breaks free from his cell and rescues Lin by defeating the leader with his deadly martial art technique. Kenshiro leaves the village and continues his journey, now accompanied by a young thief named Bat. He becomes involved against the KING organization after witnessing the many atrocities they've committed. As he infiltrates the gang's stronghold in the city of Southern Cross, he finds out that the leader of KING is his old nemesis, the Nanto Seiken
Nanto Seiken
is a fictional martial arts style featured prominently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the opposite style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. While Hokuto Shinken focuses on pressure points to destroy an enemy from within, Nanto Seiken teaches how...
master Shin, the man who engraved the seven scars on Kenshiro's chest and kidnapped his fiancee Yuria. Kenshiro emerges victorious in his rematch with Shin, only to find out that Yuria was no longer with Shin.
Kenshiro continues his journey and goes on to fight several other enemy organizations. After being reunited with Lin and meeting new allies such as the woman warrior Mamiya and the Nanto Suichōken
Nanto Seiken
is a fictional martial arts style featured prominently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the opposite style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. While Hokuto Shinken focuses on pressure points to destroy an enemy from within, Nanto Seiken teaches how...
successor Rei, Kenshiro learns that his three former brothers-in-training in the ways of Hokuto Shinken are still alive. The third brother, Jagi, a violent thug who sought to torment Kenshiro after losing the Hokuto Shinken succession to him, is quickly eliminated. Kenshiro goes on to search for the second brother, a gentle healer named Toki, and learns that he is being kept prisoner in the dungeon city of Cassandra. After rescuing Toki, Kenshiro learns that Raoh
Raoh
is a fictional character in the Fist of the North Star manga franchise by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. He is the eldest of four honorary brothers who trained alongside the protagonist Kenshiro in the ancient assassination art of Hokuto Shinken...
, the eldest of the four brothers, has become a ruthless warlord known as Ken-oh and was now seeking to conquer the postwar world. Kenshiro goes on to challenge Raoh, but the long grueling battle ends in a stalemate and the two warriors are forced to settle their differences another day. Rei is fatally wounded as a result of a previous battle with and he spends the last few days of his life tracking down his nemesis Juda, the successor of Nanto Kōkakuken and the man who once tormented Mamiya in the past. After defeating Juda, Rei goes on to die peacefully.
With Raoh still recovering from his wounds, another warlord, the Nanto Hōōken
Nanto Seiken
is a fictional martial arts style featured prominently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the opposite style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. While Hokuto Shinken focuses on pressure points to destroy an enemy from within, Nanto Seiken teaches how...
successor Thouzer, proclaims himself as the Holy Emperor. Kenshiro joins a resistance movement led by an old benefactor, the Nanto Hakuroken
Nanto Seiken
is a fictional martial arts style featured prominently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the opposite style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. While Hokuto Shinken focuses on pressure points to destroy an enemy from within, Nanto Seiken teaches how...
successor Shew. When Shew is captured and executed by Thouzer, Kenshiro confronts Thouzer and foils his ambitions. With Thouzer now gone, Raoh recovers from his wounds and goes on to resume his reign of conquest. Toki, who is on the verge of dying as a result of a terminal illness, challenges the newly-revived Raoh, but is ultimately no match for him. Toki eventually passes away from his disease, leaving Kenshiro as the only man capable of stopping Raoh.
The Last General of Nanto appears and decides to side with Kenshiro in order to defeat Raoh, sending out her five guardians, the Goshasei, after Raoh. Kenshiro and Raoh both learn that the General's true identity is Yuria, Kenshiro's missing fiancee. After a series of numerous events and battles, Kenshiro emerges victorious over Raoh and he is finally reunited with Yuria. However, the victory is bittersweet, as Yuria has be affected by a terminal illness and is left with only a few years to live. Kenshiro leaves his friends and spends the final few years of Yuria's life with her.
The peace that followed Raoh's downfall does not last long and the world returns to turmoil several years later. Kenshiro rejoins his former traveling companions, Bat and Lin, in their battle against an oppressive Empire, fighting under the banner of the Hokuto Army. The Hokuto Army rescues the rightful Empress Rui, who is also Rin's estranged twin sister, foiling the plot of the usurper Jakoh, who was blackmailing Rui's guardian, the Gento Kōken successor Falco, to do his evil bidding.
However, Lin is taken captive by the remnant of Jakoh's forces and is sent off to the mysterious Kingdom of Shura, a land of warriors ruled by three overlords who have all mastered the ways of Hokuto Ryūken, a martial art which branched off from the same clan alongside Hokuto Shinken. Kenshiro defeats Han, the third-ranking overlord, who reveals that the Kingdom of Shura was Kenshiro's birthplace. Moreover, Kenshiro also learns that Hyoh, the second overlord, is his biological older brother. After a grueling battle, Hyoh and Ken reconcile their differences and Kenshiro seeks out the highest-ranking and most powerful of the three overlords, Kaioh, who is Raoh's biological older brother. The final battle concludes with Kenshiro defeating Kaioh and Kaioh making his peace with Hyoh before both of them pass away.
Afterward, Kenshiro rescues Lin and leaves her under Bat's care as he goes on an adventure with Raoh's orphaned son Ryu. After his adventure with Ryu, Kenshiro is forced to help out Bat and Lin one last time when a villain from Kenshiro's past named Bolge threaten their happiness.
Production
Tetsuo Hara has stated that he came up with the idea of Hokuto no Ken from his editor Nobuhiko Horie. According to Hara, Horie suggested to him that he should draw a manga about "a martial artist who destroys his opponents by striking their acupressure points" based on Hara's aspiration to draw a manga about martial arts and his knowledge of pressure points. At the time, Hara was having trouble breaking into the market, as his first series, the Iron Don Quixote, was canceled ten weeks after its debut. A prototype version of Hokuto no Ken was published as a one shot story in the April 1983 issue of Fresh Jump, which was followed by Hokuto no Ken II, a second one-shot published in the June 1983 issue. Both stories are collected in the second tankōbonTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volume of Tetsu no Don Quixote.
The two one-shots were well-received in the reader's surveys of Fresh Jump and Tetsuo Hara was commissioned to turn Hokuto no Ken into a weekly series. Buronson was assigned to work with him as writer for the serialized version. The storyline was revamped, with the 1980s present-day setting in the original version replaced by a Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
-inspired post apocalyptic future world, and the protagonist Kenshiro, originally a high school student in Hara's earlier story, became an older and more stoic hero inspired by Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
. Originally, Tetsuo Hara and Buronson were contracted to do Fist of the North Star for a three-year run, but due to its popularity and the publisher's demand, it was extended to a five-year run.
Manga
Hokuto no Ken premiered in Japan in the Weekly Shōnen Jump in Issue 41 of 1983 and was serialized weekly until Issue 35 of 1988, lasting 245 chapters. The original collected volumes or tankōbonTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
of Hokuto no Ken were originally published under Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
's Jump Comics imprint and spans 27 volumes. During the 1990s, Shueisha reprinted Hokuto no Ken in 15 hardcover aizōban editions, as well as 15 corresponding economy-sized bunko editions.
A 14-volume Kanzenban edition was published by Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
in 2006 under the Big Comics Selection imprint, featuring the original water-colored artwork from the Weekly Shōnen Jump serialization. It has also been released in 27 pay-to-download e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
editions.
Viz Communications
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
published the first sixteen chapters of Fist of the North Star in English as an eight-issue monthly comic in 1989, which were later reprinted in a single graphic novel collection in 1995. During the same year, Viz resumed publication of the series as a monthly comic until 1997, lasting eighteen issues (adapting chapters 17-44), which were subsequently republished in three additional graphic novel volumes. A second English adaptation was published by Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc. is a now defunct publisher of English translated manga. The company, headquartered in Encino, Los Angeles, served as the US subsidiary of Coamix, which was founded by Nobuhiko Horie and manga artist Tsukasa Hojo. The company published the English manga anthology Raijin...
under the title of Fist of the North Star: Master Edition,which featured newly colorized artwork, but retained the original right-to-left orientation. Each volume from the fourth one and onward featured new cover illustrations by Tetsuo Hara that were made specifically for the Master Edition. The Master Edition was published from 2002 to 2003, lasting only nine volumes, due to Gutsoon!'s withdrawal from the North American market.
Spin-off works
In 2001, Tetsuo Hara began working on a Fist of the North Star prequel titled , which was serialized in Weekly Comic BunchWeekly Comic Bunch
is a defunct Japanese manga anthology marketed to young adults that was edited by Coamix and published weekly by Shinchosha from 2001 throughout 2010...
. Set during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
in 1935, the story stars Hokuto Shinken
Hokuto Shinken
is a fictional two thousand year old martial art that is shrouded in mystery, from the eponymous manga and anime franchise, Fist of the North Star. Hokuto Shinken is based loosely on Dim Mak kung fu, but very few conventional martial arts compare to it....
predecessor and Kenshiro's namesake, Kenshiro Kasumi. An English adaptation of Fist of the Blue Sky was published in North America by Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc. is a now defunct publisher of English translated manga. The company, headquartered in Encino, Los Angeles, served as the US subsidiary of Coamix, which was founded by Nobuhiko Horie and manga artist Tsukasa Hojo. The company published the English manga anthology Raijin...
in the now-defunct manga anthology Raijin Comics
Raijin Comics
Raijin Comics was a manga anthology published in North America by the now-defunct Gutsoon! Entertainment and largely backed by the Sega Corporation at its inception. The collected volumes of Raijin Comics titles were published under the Raijin Graphic Novels imprint.The comics were aimed at an...
. Four collected volumes were published before the company went out of business.
A series of Fist of the North Star spinoffs began to be published in the Weekly Comic Bunch and Big Comics Superior later. This lineup of titles has been dubbed the series, as each title focuses on a particular supporting character from the original manga. The following titles had been published so far:
by Youkow Osada. - A series that was serialized in Weekly Comics Bunch featuring Reina and Souga from The Legends of the True Savior movie series. All 42 chapters (as well as a two-part epilogue published sometime after the series' conclusion) were collected in five tankōbon volumes. It was adapted into a 13-episode anime series which aired on Tokyo MX in 2008. The anime adaptation was licensed to Sentai Filmworks and a subtitle-only DVD, dual language DVD and Blu-Ray set of the complete series are currently available for release.
by Ayumi Kasai. Serialized at Big Comics Superior in three parts that ran from March 10 to April 14, 2006 and six subsequent chapters from March 9 to June 8, 2007. A single tankōbon volume was released.
by Yasuyuki Nekoi - Rei Gaiden originally began as two separate one-shot stories that were published in the March 22 and December 8, 2006 issues of Weekly Comic Bunch. The one-shot version of the manga is subtitled . Rei Gaiden was picked up as an ongoing series, which began in the April 27, 2007 issue of Weekly Comic Bunch. The serial was originally subtitled , before receiving its current title.
, a series by Yuka Nagate that begun serialization in the August 24, 2007 issue of Weekly Comic Bunch.
by Shin-ichi Hiromoto, which began serialization in the December 26, 2008 issue of Comic Bunch.
by Kakurai Missile, which began serialization in the February 12, 2010 issue of Comic Bunch.
TV series
Hokuto no Ken was first adaptated into a weekly anime series by Toei AnimationToei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
under the title . The series aired on Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
from October 4, 1984 to March 5, 1987, lasting 109 episodes. It was immediately followed by a sequel series, titled Hokuto no Ken 2, which aired from March 13, 1987 to February 18, 1988, lasting for 43 additional episodes (a combined total of 152 episodes between both series). Reruns are aired in Japan on the satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
network Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
.
The first 36 episodes of the first series were translated and dubbed by Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
in 1999, although only the first 24 episodes were released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
. All 36 episodes of the dub version were aired on Showtime Beyond in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and on Sci-Fi Channel in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and were later released on individual DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
volumes in 2003. In 2008, the US subsidiary of Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
produced official subtitled-only translations of all 152 episodes, which were released on various paid download and video streaming websites available only for North American customers. Discotek Media announced on October 2, 2009 that they have licensed the entire Fist of the North Star TV series. They will release all 152 episodes in a total of four boxsets sometime in 2010.
In 2009, William Winckler Productions produced six all new English dubbed movie versions edited from the original TV series. Producer William Winckler, known for Tekkaman the Space Knight, wrote, produced and directed the English films, which are seen on broadband in Japan. The Winckler dubbed films focus on story arcs of the main characters of Shin, Ray, Souther, Toki, Raul, and Kaioh.
Films and OVAs
The first animated feature filmFeature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
based on the series, simply titled Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star (1986 film)
is a 1986 Japanese animated film adaptation of the manga series of the same name. It was produced by Toei Animation, the same studio who worked on the TV series that was airing at the time, with much of the same staff and cast working on both...
, was produced by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
, which premiered in Japan on March 8, 1986. Produced by the same staff and cast who worked on the TV series, the movie adapts the storyline of the manga from the beginning and up to Kenshiro's first fight with Raoh, taking several liberties with the order of events and how the story unfolds. An English-dubbed version produced by Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
was first released in 1991 in North America and in 1994 in Europe and Australia by Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
.
In 2003, a three-episode OVA mini-series titled New Fist of the North Star
New Fist of the North Star
is a three-episode anime OVA series based on the Fist of the North Star franchise, directed by Takeshi Watanabe and produced by OB Planning. The story was adapted from , a 1996 Hokuto no Ken novel written by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara set sometime after the conclusion of the original manga...
was produced by OB Planning. based on a 1996 Hokuto no Ken novel Jubaku no Machi. An English dub version was produced by ADV Films in 2004.
In 2005, North Stars Pictures and TMS Entertainment
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
announced the development of a five-part film series
Film series
A film series is a collection of related films in succession. Their relationship is not fixed, but generally share a common diegetic world. Sometimes the work is conceived as a multiple-film work, for example the Three Colours series, but in most cases the success of the original film inspires...
titled Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior
Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior
is a Japanese animated film series produced by TMS Entertainment and North Stars Pictures based on the manga Fist of the North Star written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara...
. The series is composed of three theatrical films and two OVAs, which were released during a three-year period between 2006 throughout 2008, culminating with the 25th anniversary of the franchise.
Novels
An original novel was written by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara titled which was published by Jump Novel in Japan on December 13, 1996. The novel was the basis of the later three-episode OVA series New Fist of the North Star. A novelization of the movie Legend of Raoh: Chapter of Love in Death written by Eiichi Sakaki was published by Tokuma Novels on March 10, 2006.There has also been two cell phone novels released via the mobile site Hokuto no Ken DX. , a novelization of the manga of the same name, and , an original novel by Jotaro Higashi.
Live-action film
An American-produced live-action movie version of Fist of the North Star was released in 1995, directed by Tony RandelTony Randel
Tony Randel is an American film director and screenwriter.-Film career:Randel's breakthrough into the film scene was when Clive Barker entrusted Randel with Hellbound: Hellraiser II, the 1988 sequel to the 1987 horror film Hellraiser...
based on a script by Peter Atkins and Wynne McLaughlin. The movie, loosely based on the Shin storyline of the manga, stars Gary Daniels
Gary Daniels
Gary Edward Daniels is a British kickboxer and martial arts actor. Daniels appears mostly in action-oriented B-movies. Daniels has been in over 50 films since his start as an extra in an episode of the 1980s television series Miami Vice. He is best known for playing Kenshiro in the live-action...
as Kenshiro, Costas Mandylor
Costas Mandylor
Costas Mandylor is a Greek Australian actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Kenny in Picket Fences, and for portraying Mark Hoffman in the Saw films.-Early life:...
as Shin and Japanese actress Isako Washio
Isako Washio
is a Japanese actress. She won the award for Best Actress at the 15th Yokohama Film Festival for Bloom in the Moonlight.-Filmography:*Bloom in the Moonlight Fist of the North Star -External links:...
as Yuria, with Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
as Ryuken and Chris Penn
Chris Penn
Christopher Shannon "Chris" Penn was an American film and television actor known for his roles in such films as The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance, All the Right Moves and Pale Rider.-Early life:Penn was born in Los Angeles, California, the youngest son of Leo Penn,...
as "Jackal" (actually a renamed Jagi). It also featured a cameo by professional wrestler Big Van Vader as Goliath, and Kevin Arbouet
Kevin Arbouet
Kevin Daniel Arbouet is an Award-winning director, writer and producer. He was born May 29, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York. He and his partner Larry Strong directed the viral video, "I Got a Crush.....
as "Rao" (Raoh in the anime series). The movie was released straight-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
in the US and Japan (though it did receive a premiere on HBO.) The Japanese dubbed version used the original voice actors from the 1980s anime series.
Video games
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
adventure game, simply titled Hokuto no Ken for the PC-88. The earlier games in the franchise were released by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for the Mark III and Mega Drive and by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
for the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Family Computer
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
and Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. These titles included side-scrolling action games, RPGs and competitive-style fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s. The two Sega titles were released overseas without the Hokuto no Ken license under the titles of Black Belt
Black Belt (video game)
Black Belt is a 1986 beat 'em up game released for the Sega Master System. It is a localization of the Japanese Mark III game, , based on the manga and anime series of the same name . The international version was stripped of the Hokuto no Ken license, forcing graphic alterations to the game...
and Last Battle
Last Battle (video game)
Last Battle is a side-scrolling beat 'em up released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1989 by Sega. The Japanese version, titled , is based on the manga series Hokuto no Ken . Since the international version did not retain the Hokuto no Ken license, the graphics and characters' names were altered...
, while a couple of the Toei titles, namely Fist of the North Star for the NES and Fist of the North Star: 10 Big Brawls for the King of Universe for the Game Boy, had American releases with the license intact. Further games were released were released for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, Arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
among other platforms. In 2000, Konami released an arcade game based on the franchise titled Fighting Mania
Fighting Mania
Fighting Mania: Fist of the North Star, released in Japan as , is a boxing game based on the manga series Fist of the North Star released by Konami in as a coin-operated arcade game.- Cabinet :...
. Another arcade game, a 2D fighting game simply titled Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star (arcade game)
is a 2D competitive fighting game produced by Sega and developed by Arc System Works, based on the manga series of the same name. It was originally released in as a coin-operated arcade game for the Atomiswave hardware. A PlayStation 2 port, retitled , was released in Japan in March 2007...
, was produced by Sega and Arc System Works
Arc System Works
is a video game developer and publisher based in Yokohama, Japan. It was founded by Minoru Kidooka in 1988. Arc System Works is best known for its arcade 2D fighting game, Guilty Gear and its sequels.-BlazBlue series:...
in 2005. Both games saw international distributions, although the PS2 version of the fighting game was released exclusively in Japan. Koei produced a Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
spinoff based on the franchise titled Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage, originally released in Japan as , is a 3D beat 'em up for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 developed by Omega Force and published by Tecmo Koei. It is a spin-off of the Warriors series based on the manga franchise Fist of the North Star by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara...
, which was released in Japan on March 25, 2010; North America on November 2, 2010; and in Europe November 5, 2010.
In addition to traditional video games, the franchise has inspired a series of typing software, an online MMORPG, and numerous pachinko
Pachinko
is a type of game originating in Japan, and used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a niche in gambling in Japan comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but...
and pachislot
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
machines.
Reception
Fist of the North Star was one of the Weekly Shōnen Jump's most popular titles during the 1980s. As of 2007, it is the seventh best-selling Shōnen Jump manga of all time in Japan. In a poll conducted by TV AsahiTV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
in 2005, the Fist of the North Star anime series ranked 26 in a list of Top 100 Anime series. In a second poll in 2006, it ranked No. 89. In a celebrity version of the poll, it ranked No. 15.
Two of its martial arts styles are referenced in the song "Vaudeville Villain" by hip-hop artist Viktor Vaughn (MF Doom): "He feel they need to give him his own dance / This his only chance to shoot the gift like a lone glance / Or like a beef scene that leave the ooey smoking / Or between Hokuto Shinken
Hokuto Shinken
is a fictional two thousand year old martial art that is shrouded in mystery, from the eponymous manga and anime franchise, Fist of the North Star. Hokuto Shinken is based loosely on Dim Mak kung fu, but very few conventional martial arts compare to it....
and Nanto Suichō Ken."
External links
- Official sites
- Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu - Hokuto no Ken official website
- Toei Animation's official Seikimatsu Kyūseishu Densetsu: Hokuto no Ken website
- Animax's official Seikimatsu Kyūseishu Densetsu: Hokuto no Ken website
- Official English subtitled episodes at CrunchyRoll
- Official English subtitled episodes at Funimation
- Unofficial sites
}
}
}