Fist of the North Star review: Legendary action and a moving story

Fist of the North Star: A legend from the end of the century and its influence

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

October 11, 1984 - March 5, 1987 Every Thursday 19:00 - 19:30

■Broadcasting station

CX

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 109

■Original Story

Original story by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara

■ Director

・Direction: Toyoo Ashida

■ Production

Produced by CX and Toei (animation)

■ Story

At the end of the century, the world was devastated by nuclear war and ruled by violence. Kenshiro, the successor to the Hokuto Shinken, an assassination martial art passed down from father to son that destroys the body from the inside by striking secret points, has his lover Yuria kidnapped by Shin, a man of the Nanto Rokusei Ken. Along the way, Kenshiro continues on his journey to find Yuria with Bat and Lin, whom he meets along the way. Awaiting them at the end are the men of the Nanto Rokusei Ken, and Raoh, the eldest of the four Hokuto brothers, who calls himself the End of the Century Champion and Ken-Oh.

■Explanation

A violent anime with a unique worldview. The original work was a popular manga by Buronson that was serialized in Shonen Jump. Its fine line between humor and seriousness made it a huge hit. It gave birth to catchphrases such as "Hidebu" and "You're already dead."

■Cast

・Kenshiro/Akira Kamiya ・Bat/Saegusa Suzuki ・Lynn/Tomiko Suzuki ・Yuria/Yuriko Yamamoto ・Raoh/Kenji Utsumi ・Narrator/Shigeru Chiba

■ Main staff

・Original story: Buronson, Tetsuo Hara ・Planning: Yoshio Takami, Tadashi Oka, Yoshinobu Nakaya ・Production: Yoshiro Sugawara ・Screenplay: Shozo Uehara, Hiroshi Toda, Shikichi Ohashi ・Chief director: Toyoo Ashida ・Direction: Atsutoshi Umezawa, Masahisa Ishida, Hiromichi Matano, and others ・Character design: Masami Suda ・Art design: Mitsuki Nakamura ・Music: Nozomu Aoki

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Get your love back!!
Lyrics by Kimiharu Nakamura Music by Michio Yamashita
Arrangement: Michio Yamashita, Hiromoto Tobisawa Vocals: Crystal King

・OP2
・SILENT SURVIVOR
Lyrics: Tsuyoshi Ujiki Composition: Tsuyoshi Ujiki
Arrangement: Tsuyoshi Ujiki Vocals: KODOMOBAND

・ED1
・Yulia...Forever ・Lyrics: Hidetoshi Nomoto, Masayuki Tanaka ・Music: Hiromi Imagirei
Arrangement: Hiromi Imagirei, Hiromoto Tobisawa Vocals: Crystal King

・ED2
・DRY YOUR TEARS
・Lyrics/KATZ & JICK
・Composition: Ujiki Tsuyoshi
Arrangement: Tsuyoshi Ujiki Vocals: KODOMOBAND

Fist of the North Star: A legend from the end of the century and its influence

"Fist of the North Star" was an iconic presence in the world of Japanese animation in the 1980s. Set in a devastated world after a nuclear war, this work depicts the journey of Kenshiro, the successor to the Hokuto Shinken, an assassination fist that defeats enemies by striking pressure points. It left a strong impact on viewers and gave birth to numerous catchphrases, making its influence immeasurable. This article will take a detailed look at the appeal and influence of "Fist of the North Star."

Original story and anime adaptation

"Fist of the North Star" is a manga written by Buronson and illustrated by Hara Tetsuo that was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1988. The original work quickly gained popularity with its unique worldview and storytelling, and in 1984 it was decided to make an anime version. The anime version aired on CX (now Fuji TV) from October 11, 1984 to March 5, 1987, and became a long-running series with a total of 109 episodes.

The anime version was produced by Toei Animation (now Toei Animation), with Toyoo Ashida as chief director. It left a strong impression on viewers by retaining the violent elements of the original work while adding the expressive power unique to anime. In addition, character design was done by Masami Suda and music was composed by Nozomi Aoki, which succeeded in raising the quality of the entire work.

Story and Characters

The story of "Fist of the North Star" is set in a devastated world after a nuclear war. The main character, Kenshiro, is the heir to the Hokuto Shinken, and can defeat enemies by striking certain pressure points. The story begins when Kenshiro's lover, Yuria, is taken away by Shin, a practitioner of the Nanto Rokusei Ken. Kenshiro goes on a journey to save Yuria and the world. The story is colored by a variety of unique characters that he meets on his journey, including Bat and Lin, and Raoh, the eldest of the four Hokuto brothers.

The voice of Kamiya Akira, who played Kenshiro, perfectly expressed the strength and kindness of the main character, deeply moving viewers. Additionally, the powerful performance of Utsumi Kenji, who played Raoh, also contributed to enhancing the appeal of the work. Other cast members, including Suzuki Mie as Bat, Suzuki Tomiko as Lin, and Yamamoto Yuriko as Yuria, were also highly praised for their acting skills.

Music and theme song

The music for "Fist of the North Star" was written by Aoki Nozomu. He provided grand music that matched the worldview of the work, and succeeded in drawing out the emotions of the viewers. In particular, the opening theme "Take Back Your Love!!" and the ending theme "Yuria...Forever" were deeply engraved in the hearts of viewers, along with Crystal King's powerful singing voice. In addition, the later opening theme "SILENT SURVIVOR" and the ending theme "DRY YOUR TEARS" brought out new charms with KODOMOBAND's unique style.

Buzzwords and Cultural Influence

"Fist of the North Star" gave birth to many catchphrases due to its unique worldview and story. Phrases such as "Hidebu!" and "You're already dead" left a strong impression on viewers and became a social phenomenon. The violent depictions in the work also had a major impact on the anime industry at the time, and this influence can be seen in later works.

Furthermore, "Fist of the North Star" was highly praised overseas, and was a huge hit in France and Italy in particular. Its success overseas proved that Japanese anime could be used worldwide, and it can be said that it contributed to the development of the anime industry as a whole.

Remakes and sequels

The popularity of "Fist of the North Star" has not waned, and various remakes and sequels have been produced since the 2000s. A new anime series, "New Fist of the North Star," was broadcast in 2006, and a live-action film, "Fist of the North Star," was released in 2010. In 2015, a spin-off work, "Fist of the North Star Strawberry Flavor," was released, attracting attention as a work that depicts the world of the original from a new perspective.

These remakes and sequels have succeeded in conveying the appeal of "Fist of the North Star" not only to fans of the original work, but also to a new generation of viewers. "New Fist of the North Star" in particular faithfully reproduced the story of the original work while adding new elements, giving viewers a fresh and moving experience. In addition, the live-action film "Fist of the North Star" realistically reproduced the worldview of the original work, leaving a strong impact on viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Fist of the North Star" is a work that left a strong impression on viewers with its unique worldview, story, and the appeal of its characters. In particular, the portrayal of the characters, such as Kenshiro's strength and kindness, Raoh's power, and the growth of Bat and Lin, was extremely realistic and captured the hearts of viewers. Additionally, the music and theme songs were also important elements that enhanced the appeal of the work, and succeeded in evoking the emotions of the viewers.

This work may not be suitable for those who dislike violent depictions, but I would definitely recommend it to those who are attracted to the charm of the story and characters. In particular, "Fist of the North Star" is a must-see for those who want to know about anime from the 1980s or who are interested in violent works. In addition, as can be seen from its success overseas, it is a work that can be said to be a symbol of conveying the charm of Japanese anime to the world, and its influence is immeasurable.

"Fist of the North Star" left a strong impact on viewers and gave birth to many catchphrases, and its influence was immeasurable. By keeping the violent elements of the original work intact and adding the expressive power unique to anime, it left a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the character design and music also succeeded in improving the quality of the entire work, capturing the hearts of viewers. Remakes and sequels have also been produced, and they have succeeded in conveying the appeal of "Fist of the North Star" not only to fans of the original work but also to a new generation of viewers. This work may not be suitable for those who are not good at violent depictions, but it is highly recommended for those who are attracted to the charm of the story and characters. In particular, "Fist of the North Star" is a must-see for those who want to know about anime from the 1980s or are interested in violent works. Also, as can be seen from its success overseas, it is a work that can be said to be a symbol of conveying the appeal of Japanese anime to the world, and its influence is immeasurable.