Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS review: The beginning of a new legend

"Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS": A new story of destiny and battle for the North Star

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 10, 2018 - June 26, 2018
0:30～

■Broadcasting station

TOKYO MX, BS Fuji

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Tetsuo Hara

■ Director

Akio Kazumi

■ Production

Animation Production: Polygon Pictures

■Works

©NORTH STARS PICTURES, INC. All Rights Reserved.

■ Story

The year is 193X, in Shanghai, the city where life is cheapest. The conflict between the two major underworld forces, the Blue Gang and the Honghua Society, has intensified, and is finally drawing to an end with the victory of the Blue Gang. Kasumi Kenshiro and Gyokurei, who have revived the Blue Gang, are happy about their brief respite. Meanwhile, Hien and Erika set course for Shanghai and head to Guise, a French army intelligence officer. However, an ominous figure appears in front of Guise... Hokuto's destiny calls for a new battle. Will light or darkness lie ahead?

■Explanation

Fist of the Blue Sky is a Japanese manga by Tetsuo Hara. It was serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch (Shinchosha) for a total of 255 chapters from the first issue in 2001 to issue 39 (the last issue) in 2010. The second part, Fist of the Blue Sky: Regenesis, began serialization in Monthly Comic Zenon (North Stars Pictures) in 2017. The illustrations are by Hideki Tsuji and the script is by Hiroyuki Yatsu.

"Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS" is an animated version of the story of this second part, and is a new challenge to further expand the grand world view and deep story of the original. The CG animation by Polygon Pictures realizes realistic expressions and dynamic action scenes that are different from conventional 2D animation, and gives a strong visual impact. In addition, it is a work that will appeal not only to fans of the original work, but also to a new audience.

■Cast

・Kenshiro Kasumi/Koichi Yamadera/Erika Arendt/Sumire Uesaka/Yasaka/Setuji Sato/Simeon Nagit/Tomokazu Sugita/Himuka/Rikiya Koyama

The cast is a diverse mix of veteran and new voice actors, bringing out the best in each character's personality. In particular, Yamadera Kouichi, who plays Kasumi Kenshiro, fully expresses the charm of the main character with his overwhelming presence and powerful voice. Meanwhile, Uesaka Sumire, who plays Erica Arendt, captures the hearts of viewers with her skillful portrayal of her purity and strength.

■ Main staff

・Director / Akio Kasumi ・Series Composition / Satoshi Ozaki ・CG Character Design / Kazuma Teshigahara, Hiromi Sato ・Art Director / Seiko Yoshioka ・Color Design / Hiroko Umezaki ・Director of Photography / Keisuke Nakamura ・Editors / Kazunari Hoshino, Hideaki Kashima ・Sound Director / Takeshi Takadera ・Music / Masao Nishimura (FENCE OF DEFENSE)
Animation Production: Polygon Pictures Production: Fist of the Blue Sky Co., Ltd.

The staff is made up of professionals from various fields, and their technical skills and creativity are reflected throughout the film. In particular, the team of Teshigahara Kazuma and Sato Hiromi, who were in charge of CG character design, pursued realistic character movements and expressions, greatly improving the quality of the animation. Additionally, Nishimura Masatoshi, who was in charge of the music, is a member of FENCE OF DEFENSE and provides a grandiose sound that matches the atmosphere of the film.

■ Main Characters

The 62nd successor of the Hokuto Shinken. In Shanghai, he is feared and called "King of Hell." He has both extraordinary strength and enormous talent, and lives in an endless battle due to his fate as the successor of the Hokuto Shinken.

Erica Arendt - A girl who holds the secret of the "Catalogue of Hope". The family that was entrusted with the catalogue were killed except for Erica. She is saved by Ryu Hien and regains her smile.

Yasaka: A man who inherited the Seitogetsukuken style that was supposed to have been lost 2,000 years ago. He has a deep hatred for Hokuto.

・Simeon Nagit:
The head of the Nagit family, who for generations have maintained a strict bloodline, never mixing blood from outside the Horeb tribe. He is the successor to the Tento Seikage Ken style.

・Himkasimeon's servant.

Each character has their own background and thoughts, and plays a role in digging deeper into the story. In particular, the character of Kenshiro Kasumi is portrayed as a being who combines both strength and humanity, making a strong impression on the viewer. Also, the story of Erica Arendt's growth symbolizes the overall theme of the work, "hope" and "struggle."

■ Related works

Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS

"Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS" is positioned as a sequel to "Fist of the Blue Sky", and while continuing the world view of the original, it develops new characters and storylines. For fans of the original manga, it is a long-awaited sequel, and its appeal has been further expanded by its anime adaptation. In addition, even viewers who are not familiar with the original can enjoy it as an independent story.

■ Theme songs and music

Opening theme: AK-69/"At the End of the Blue Sky"

Ending theme: Sumire Uesaka / "Starry Sky of Prayer"

The opening theme "Aozora no Hateni" features AK-69's powerful voice and lyrics, symbolizing the themes of the series, "fighting" and "hope," and inspiring viewers. The ending theme "Prayer no Hoshizora" features Sumire Uesaka's crystal clear voice, expressing Erika's purity and strength, and playing a role in deepening the emotional impact of the story.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS" has been highly praised for its adoption of new methods of expression through CG animation while retaining the grand worldview and deep story of the original work. In particular, the realistic action scenes and detailed character expressions have a strong visual impact and draw viewers in. Furthermore, as a result of the combined technical skills and creativity of the cast and staff, the content will appeal not only to fans of the original work, but also to new audiences.

The recommended points are as follows:

• Realistic CG animation : The CG animation by Polygon Pictures has achieved realistic expression and dynamic action scenes that are different from conventional 2D animation. This creates a strong visual impact and draws the viewer in.
• Deep story and characters : While inheriting the grand world view and deep story of the original, it develops new characters and storylines. In particular, the characters of Kasumi Kenshiro and Erica Arendt have a charm that captures the hearts of viewers.
• Powerful Theme Songs : The opening theme "At the End of the Blue Sky" and the ending theme "Prayer's Starry Sky" are powerful songs that symbolize the theme of the work and inspire the viewers. The ending theme also expresses Erica's purity and strength, deepening the emotional impact of the story.

For these reasons, "Fist of the Blue Sky REGENESIS" is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for viewers who want to enjoy action anime and deep stories. Please experience this new story of Hokuto's destiny and battle.