Fist of the North Star

[Anarky]

Hey there,

Yesterday, the Master of Cosmos (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/member.php?u=447) told me about this anime called "Fist of the North Star". And since he dressed up as Kenshiro for Halloween I knew it must be good...

I've just finished watching the movie to the series and I tell you, it's wicked. There's a lot of things too awesome to describe. I mean, the setting alone is the best thing ever. Earth has more or less survived a nuclear holocaust and now people strive for food and water (aside from Ken, he seeks leather jackets, red shirts and shoulderpads) and they formed gangs. Sounds like Mad Max, doesn't it? Oh, and there's an oil tanker sticking in a skyscraper. And the slogan is, as usual, "only the strong survive". And there is Kenshiro, undisputedly the strongest of them all, even opposing him is an act of idiocy. Yet there's still people who want to give it a shot. So Kenshiro has, after being beaten to death, thrown off a cliff and having half a moutain thrown on him, to find his girl again...

There's the best dialogue ever. between Ken and his brother Jagi. Jagi is dying because Ken used his special technique on him (which I will describe later) and then he dies. Ken killed him, don't get me wrong. And then Ken says, horribly dubbed: "Jagi... damn... what a waste." Isn't that the best line ever.

Now a bit more on Kenshiro. He's so strong, it's almost beyond funny. And his eyebrows tell everything. He is badass. Everytime he fights, his body bursts out too much energy for his red shirt, his shoulderpads and his leather jacket. They just vapourize! And reappear for no reason at all. And in his first big scenes, he lets skyscrapers collapse... on his head! And he has this awesome special attack that lets his opponent's head explode. I swear I'm not making this up.

And there's at least a hundred people dying for no reason at all. And the people are at least 15 feet tall.

So, who has seen this masterpiece and liked it as much as I did? I mean, Ken's Xena-scream is the best thing anime has ever given me. To any of you who haven't seen it, I tell you that you missed something.

http://www.hokutonoken.it/immagini/125.jpg http://www.hokutonoken.it/immagini/131.jpg http://www.hokutonoken.it/immagini/155.jpg http://www.hokutonoken.it/gifanimate/gifani2.gif

[Voltron]

I find it hard to talk about the show and not bring physical harm to the nearest living thing, that's how brutally awesome it is.

WATATATATATATATATATATATATAAAA!

There's a lot to be said for a show where the main character beats people blind, or kicks them so hard they (and this actually happens) gets crucified on a stone slab, decomposes, then gets ripped in half by lightning.

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

I know this show rules! I love the whole Bruce Lee meets Mad Max thing they have going, and the way he just touches people and they explode is cool!

[愛]

Me and Voltron used to watch it on Saturday nights. The show is downright manly. I never saw so much violence in a twenty minute period. A true classic.

[GK Punk]

Talking about Fist of the Northstar makes me want to poke 7 holes in to my brothers chest.I first saw the movie when I was about 11 or 12, needless to say it left quite an impression on me. Easily, one of the best Manga and Animes EVER.

[KROW]

I'm quite fond of this show, as well. It's wonderful in all its glorious, gorious, violence. This is the only anime show out of the ones I like that I can't seem to snag on DVD.

I've only seen the old series, though. Is the new one a remake or a continuation?

[Voltron]

It's a continuation, but it doesn't hold a candle to the original.

[U2WaTCHer]

I first got into this when I was browsing the channels and showtime beyond had the orginal cartoon series on I thought it was so cool with all the blood and violence. Then after a while it went off. Even at the time it was all repeats after a while I coudnt get over the gore and fun it had in the show. The only thing that pissed me off was that little girl and kid but it all worked out. Anyways after it went off I was browsing ondemand in the anime network and it had a redone 2005 cartoon. It was total bad ass it only had eps 1 and 2 and then thats all they had. I was at pantues cube or whatever they call it at the mall they told me that that new series only had 12 eps and they said there just going to release movies instead of eps because it was more profitable. So if anyone knows where to catch this show on tv or whatever let me know.

[Anarchistguy]

Anarky, you HAVE to check out the re-made 2004 version. REALLY badass stuff.

[Anarky]

Watatatataaaaa!

I've just finished watching the first episode of the series... I am almost in tears! It has two Watatatatataaa-moves in it! Two! This is anime at its best!

[Anarchistguy]

Check out these awesome pictures I found:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen027.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen028.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen029.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen030.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen031.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen032.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen033.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/anarchistguy/928547_20050901_screen034.jpg

[Anarky]

Wow! Thank you a lot. I know just the thing to do with these images!

And the series get better every episode. It's insane!

"You are dead already! You have seven seconds to live..."

Another thing: Voltron, you were Kenshiro on Halloween. Could it be that your shoulderpad was on the wrong side?

[Voltron]

Actually, now that you mention it...I did. :D

[Anarky]

27 episodes and one movie later. The show's great! Ailee this, Yuria that, Ken here and Rei there... amazing. I so want to learn Hokuto Shinken and wear shoulderpads. There's a couple of things I've noticed though.
Everybody wears shoulderpads.
People love licking their knives, axes, pointy weapons...
Lynn only knows one subject to talk about and that's the awesomeness that is Ken.
Bat only knows one song.
Peru/Bell (the dog) is always out of character... always
Bandits only grunt and don't do anthing else
Ken survives everything and has an unlimited supply of shoulderpads, leather jackets and red T-Shirts.
Ken doesn't eat or drink.
There's "WATATATATAAAA!" and "WATUUUU!"
Ken's wounds heal withing nanoseconds.
75% of an episode is either screaming or motionless images, or both.

But it's really awesome. One of the best anime series ever. And I'll watch "Shin Hokuto no Ken" after I'm through with the 52 episodes of the regular series.

[Raphael29]

Yes this show f*cking rocks!!!

I've been an avid fan for about 3 years now and have the first 8 volumes in manga form. Anyone know where I can get the rest, as viz stopped printing them and I've been dying to know what happens after Kenshiro beats the wolf clan.

[Anarky]

Okay, 52 episodes, 3 OVAs, one Manga and one movie later, I can safely say that Kenshiro is the most badass anime person there is. There's no one else who kicks that much ass and all that.

But: I watch 52 episodes of "Fist of the North Star" only to find out that the show has 109 episodes. Yay! Luckily, I've already come across everything up to 70, which is fantastic.

Oh, and look what I found: WATATATATAATATAAAA! (http://www.viruskiller.jp/product/hokuto05.html)

[Brodie]

Lynn only knows one subject to talk about and that's the awesomeness that is Ken.




I am pretty awesome.



Ken survives everything and has an unlimited supply of shoulderpads, leather jackets and red T-Shirts.




It just kinda happens, but yeah, I dig leather jackets.



Ken doesn't eat or drink.




I wasn't that hungry.



Ken's wounds heal withing nanoseconds.



Yeah, I do that sometimes.

[Anarky]

News! Oh oh oh... this is so exciting. Although my Japanese is kinda rusty (read: nonexistant) I figured out that there's going to be a new movie or a new series or something. It's called "Fist of the North Star" (duh) and then something with "Raoh", so I figure that this will be about him.

And there's a trailer (http://www.hokuto-no-ken.jp/index2.html) online. Isn't it wonderful when somthing that good doesn't get abandoned or overdone after the series was such a huge success?

[Anarchistguy]

HOLY CRAP!!! I'm in Florida AND I get to "hear" this? You just made my day!!! :D THANK YOU!!!

[Anarky]

Here's an update on the new movie:

The movie's called "Hokuto no Ken - Raoh Gaiden Junai-hen" Which means "Fist of the North Star - Raoh sidestory Junai-arc" and it's part of a three theatrical movies and two OVAs, each released every spring until 2008. And Lyn and Bat are back in the new movie. Revamped character designs and all.

Yes, you heard me right. More Kenshiro-goodness until 2008. I so can't wait.

And somebody please explain this to me:
http://image.lik-sang.com/images/170/nds-jissen-pachislo-fist-north-star-jap.jpg

And now I've seen "Shin Hokuto no Ken" which is awesome as well. Sure, it doesn't have that 80ies-feeling anymore, but the animation is just too sweet.

[Turtledude2k3]

Hey guys. i only heard of this anime.. never seen it.

I should ask my friend about it.. He may have seen it.. Judging by you all, you love this series!

BTW, do you guys like Evangelion?

[Anarky]

Evangelion has nothing to do with this thread. If you want to know stuff about the series, stop spamming and open a thread on the subject.

Please use the mushy stuff between your ears... just once.

[Turtledude2k3]

Evangelion has nothing to do with this thread. If you want to know stuff about the series, stop spamming and open a thread on the subject.

Please use the mushy stuff between your ears... just once.

dude, take it easy.. I just mention if you guys heard of this anime? That's all.

Um I have a question about Fist Of The North Star though..

How long is this series all together and can all of them be bought on dvd here in North america or do I have to go and download em?

[Anarky]

How long is this series all together and can all of them be bought on dvd here in North america or do I have to go and download em?

The series consists of three parts as of March 10th, 2006.
Hokuto no Ken: 1984-1987, 109 episodes, 25 min each, released on DVD, episodes/DVD, not all episodes available
Hokuto no Ken: The movie: 1986 1 movie, 110 min, released on DVD
Hokuto no Ken 2: 1987-1988, 43 Episodes, 25 min each
Fist of the North Star, 1995, live action movie, 103 minutes, released on DVD
Shin Hokuto no Ken: 2003, 3 Episodes, 60 min each, released on DVD

Then there's also a Manga
Hokuto no Ken, Manga, Vol 1 - 21 released.

And there's also a Hokuto no Ken anti-virus software.

[Anarchistguy]

And somebody please explain this to me:
http://image.lik-sang.com/images/170/nds-jissen-pachislo-fist-north-star-jap.jpg

I think it's the new arcade game ported on the DS.

And now I've seen "Shin Hokuto no Ken" which is awesome as well. Sure, it doesn't have that 80ies-feeling anymore, but the animation is just too sweet.

Oh, hell yeah. One of the best animated moments is when Ches killed all those people in the the windy desert.

[Turtledude2k3]

So is it recommanded to watch all those episodes of teh series? Are they connected or are some new versions?

It seems that the game will be coming to nintendo ds only in japan! Sweet.

[Anarky]

So is it recommanded to watch all those episodes of teh series? Are they connected or are some new versions?
Please tell me you didn't just ask that? You can't be that stupid, can you? It's like you'd need a negative IQ-score to be that dumb... and you're hopefully not.

I reckon you've seen anime, and I assume that you might have noticed that anime is usually one big story which is told - gasp - in the order of episodes. Now go figure...

... no, don't ask "y r u no given me N-swur???", use your brain... just once, please.

new arcade game
My italian is worse than I thought or that arcade-game is some weird "imitate Ken's WATATATATATATAAAAA!-move"-thing and quite old. And my one english source hasn't even heard of a new arcade-game. Care to tell me something about it, if you know?

Oh, and here's something interesting I found while researching on the arcade-game, after getting completely lost in cyberspace and ending up on some page talking about the manga where I found this statement:
Manga's bumper pack of Fist Of The North Star will bring a strong dose of nostalgia to those, Stateside at least (it was too violent to air much, if at all, back in the UK), who remember the original TV airing. The series itself retains something of a cult following - not least because of its distinctive tone and setting, which packages pounding martial arts action, a deconstruction of the family, as well as interesting homoerotic undertones - all set in a Mad Max style post-catastrophe landscape.
Homoerotic undertones? At first I went "What the hell, Kenshiro's probably as manly as man gets. Plus, we know that he's straight, Yuria and all that." Then I thought that it might be a good idea to watch some of the 1st anime-season. So I did and it just happened to be the fight between Raoh and Toki in Episode seventy-something. Now, if we push aside the fact that they're brothers by blood, Raoh and Toki really had some weird lines in there. Besides, none of them has had a girlfriend we know of. Then there's Rei, who poses as a woman for some reason... for no reason, actually, but then again, we know that there's a lot of stuff happening for no reason at all (which makes the show that good) and that the manga isn't any better in that direction. It's only gorier, but not exactly full of explanation either. And Rei's straight as well, since he's obviously had the hots for Mamiya.

So, what do you have to say to this statement? Silly blahblah or good observation?

[Anarchistguy]

My italian is worse than I thought or that arcade-game is some weird "imitate Ken's WATATATATATATAAAAA!-move"-thing and quite old. And my one english source hasn't even heard of a new arcade-game. Care to tell me something about it, if you know?

Here ya go:

http://www.hokutolegacy.com/contenu/jeux/arcade.htm

BTW, for those of you who speak french, this is THE "Hokuto no Ken" website to see:

www.hokutolegacy.com

[BlueSonnet]

If you ask me Fist of the North star is the best damn anime ever made and i've been a fan of it for years and seen the whole lot bar the new ones from 2006.

The original japanese dialogue (not Manga's atrocious dub) 152 episode anime series is the best of the lot imo, even though from what i could see the early episodes were done on a low budget. The Hokuto no ken animated feature length is great too though again the dub messed things up
And Lynn buggered up what could have been a rock-on ending, the alternate ending mind. good thing this isn't the case in the series
Shin Hokuto no ken has its moments but i feel it's quite flavourless compared to former. And i'm not keeping my hopes up for the recent movie since it seems to be about events that have already happened barthe new character Reina's tale.

Avoid the live-action movie like the plague, folks.

Homoerotic undertones? At first I went "What the hell, Kenshiro's probably as manly as man gets. Plus, we know that he's straight, Yuria and all that." Then I thought that it might be a good idea to watch some of the 1st anime-season. So I did and it just happened to be the fight between Raoh and Toki in Episode seventy-something. Now, if we push aside the fact that they're brothers by blood, Raoh and Toki really had some weird lines in there. Besides, none of them has had a girlfriend we know of.


It's fair to say for the main characters they love each other like brothers or they just get plain sad and mopey from losing a friend (hey people can lose they're cool in a post apocalyptic age can't they?). This goes double for Raoh and Toki since they're brothers by blood and not just adopted like Ken and Jagi.
Mind you the topic of love and sadness gets quite important later on in the series as you'll soon discover.

Most of the guys seem to be fighting over a woman anyway though if anything though some of the minor baddies come off quite dodgy, like the Fang tribe along with their "pa"

I have a link to translated scans of the manga btw or is that taboo?

[Anarky]

If you ask me Fist of the North star is the best damn anime ever made and i've been a fan of it for years and seen the whole lot bar the new ones from 2006.

I agree. I don't know what makes this series so damn good. Was it the drugs the writers took when they came up with the story or is it the senseless violence and the badassness that is Kenshiro? I don't really care, but it's damn good to know this whole "universe". I wouldn't know what to do without it. I mean, I have lots of time to kill at the moment, so a bit of healthy "WATATATATATATAAA!"-ing can't hurt.

The original japanese dialogue (not Manga's atrocious) 152 episode anime series is the best of the lot imo, even though from what i could see the early episodes were done on a low budget. The Hokuto no ken animated feature length is great too though again the dub messed things up

I love the manga. My favourite line was "Let's dance the Foxtrott of Death." or "Kenshiro's body is transforming. He is becoming Indra, the assassin of the demon-god family Ashra." At that moment I knew that logic will never be the same again.

And I'm afraid posting links to scanlation-pages is illegal. Nothing against PM, but please keep it private.

[BlueSonnet]

Just occured to me. If its worth bringing up, for the 1st animated feature length 1986 the guy who does the english dub voice for the fang king is none other than James Avery aka uncle Phil aka shredder.

Mind you when i watched the original japanese dialogue for the whole series i had to put up with bootleg subtitles so i dunno if i'm one to talk. "YOU CANNOT WIN ME!" Good thing i was too much of a fan anyway so i could get round it.

Still have yet to find reviews for the new movie released a few weeks back. As far as i know it made 110million yen on 200 odd screenings, which is just under £1million. Not bad i guess. Hey it's kenshiro we're talking about.

[Anarchistguy]

I heard the movie's got pretty bad reviews, mainly due to the new character (Leina (?)) and her almost complete uselessness and the lack of action and gore.

[Anarky]

I heard the movie's got pretty bad reviews, mainly due to the new character (Leina (?)) and her almost complete uselessness and the lack of action and gore.She is totally useless and I wonder why they even introduced her in the first place. I mean, Bat and Lynn were pretty useless, but Reina beats them with ease. She's basically a female Toki, minus the coolness, character and fighting skills (not to forget the headband).

But back to the old series, I just finished watching the "Ken vs. Yuria's brother"-arc and I still have no idea what her brother (whose name I can't remember at the moment) actually wanted. First he wants peace, then he goes killing people, then he's with Ken-Oh, then he disembowels himself to fight Kenshiro? What the hell's up with that? It doesn't make any sense.

[BlueSonnet]

I heard the movie's got pretty bad reviews, mainly due to the new character (Leina (?)) and her almost complete uselessness and the lack of action and gore.

Well i guess that didn't come as a surprise. I don't suppose you can show me your source though?

But back to the old series, I just finished watching the "Ken vs. Yuria's brother"-arc and I still have no idea what her brother (whose name I can't remember at the moment) actually wanted. First he wants peace, then he goes killing people, then he's with Ken-Oh, then he disembowels himself to fight Kenshiro? What the hell's up with that? It doesn't make any sense.

If it's Ryuuga i think he was always Raoh's flunky since he believed Raoh would bring order to the chaotic world. I think he was first friendly with Ken since he was Yuria's fiancee, but perhaps also since he could get close enough to stab him in the back (or something). More than anything he wanted to see why Yuria fancied Ken (through battle obviously) and through time he began to compare Raoh to Ken when thinking who is the better saviour.
Ryuuga's martial art is the Tenro star which is meant to be a helper to Hokuto, which would explain why Ryuuga decides to kill himself to make a point to Ken. Mad bugger.

I don't like the episodes much between Souther and Nanto Goshasei, especially not those clip shows.

[Anarky]

Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring news.

Some of you might know, some of you might not, but "Raoh Gaiden" was in cinemas and is coming to DVD on July 11th... wait, I missed it. I must go.

Then there's something happening even before that. They're making CGI-version of HNK. A CGI-VERSION!!! And it looks bloody awesome.

Here you go, preview-videos. The first is a sort of "Making Of", the second one is actual footage.

Video 1 (http://www.hokutolegacy.com/stuff/hokuto_heroes1.wmv)
Video 2 (http://www.hokutolegacy.com/stuff/hokuto_heroes2.wmv)

So, now I shall go looking for Raoh Gaiden.