Hokuto no Ken

The way you're going to enjoy this series depends on your tolerance for big muscled men being uberemotional and so prone to crying/showing their emotions that the 90's animated Usagi Tsukino (the one some people on the internet have problems with in regards to her crying, but not me) would look like a cloistered buddist nun in comparison to them and of abundant, sensical (for once) gore which, incredibly enough, was censored due to the same parents who watched violent Taigas with samurais violently dying in battles and seppuku innuendos with their children while this series was broadcasted in Japan. If you have problems with both things, move away. If you don't and, on the contrary, you love the idea, while watching this Masterpiece of the genre that here in Italy has garnered the second strongest fanbase worldwide, you will be perfectly at home and you will be rewarded with memorable characters, astounding seiyuu performances from all parts involved (particularly Kaneto Shiowaza in the pants of my favourite, both 33 years ago when this was regularly broadcasted on private TV networks in its fake, non-japanese form and now, Rei, absolutely kills it), Epic storytelling reminescent of greek and roman sagas like Virgilius' Eneide and the Odissey, soap opera like drama of the finest quality that would make the Maestro Toshiki Inoue (where are all the people who love this series when I defend him against his haters?) and his heir to the palm of best tokusatsu writer ever Akiko (check the perfect in all aspects 15th episode of No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger as a proof) proud, well coreographed fights, excellent fotorealistic landscapes due to painting-alike backgrounds that depict the most realistic and palpable post-apocalyptic landscape I've ever seen and memorable OST that reminds me of Versailles No Bara in some cases. Awesome, just awesome. The only real problem I see in this besides the skippable recaps (some with incredible background anyway) and the subjective thing of not being a life-changing experience like Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (concerning serial animation, nothing is anyway) is the constant reuse of flashbacks. I don't have problems with the original ones deepening the lore, but those repeating the same thing over and over again are boring at the end of the day. Highly recommended. And if you're into the Golden Age Superman (of whose spirit the main character of this series is the best modern reinterpretation I can think of as of now, Urotoraman is better than Superman but it's another thing entirely) like me, double recommended. Larmès de Heros, Larmès de Heros indeed, to quote the french heavy metal band Sortilège. P.S. this review applies ONLY to the first series, when everything the facto ended. Avoid the second, more "manga-accurate" one entirely like avoid like the black plague the announced HNK remake-ca$hgrab by the billionaires Buronson and Tetsuo "I sell sketches for prices (12.000 EUROS) not even Frank Miller would ask" Hara. Don't give them more money than the one they already own, please.

an abysmal animation budget, sloppy execution and a backbreaking release schedule makes kenshiro a dull boy. By the standards of today, this is borderline unwatchable. By the standards of its own time, well, dragon ball Z didn't come out that long after Hokuto no Ken, and it basically copied kenshiro's formula but did it better with a higher budget. But we wouldn't have DBZ without Hokuto no Ken. And it's birthed some really iconic scenes and a lot of tropes you'd be familiar with. I'm admitting this is really not my genre of choice and i still enjoyed it for a while, so maybe someone who actually likes shonen action anime and all the tropes Hokuto no Ken established would find it more tolerable. 5/10* *3/10 +2 stars for historical relevance

A late 1980's fist-clencher! A unique animation style all it's own, I enjoyed Fist of the North Star simply because it's a unique experience. IN A post-apocalyptic WORLD, where society is made up of the following. 25% Poor people, oppressed 50% Thugs with a Mow-hawk 9% Thugs without a Mow-hawk 10% Mutated Homocidal weirdos 12% Gang Bosses 1% Martial Artists representing different stars in the sky I think the show does a great job of portraying Martial Art as a kind of beautiful thing, and they make some awesome statements about what is art, and create drama which entertains the viewer in ways you can't find anywhere else. That suspension of disbelief! The viewer can be the judge of whether or not a martial artist was truly "an artist of death." as portrayed in the anime. You can tell there were influences from different martial arts, but most of the references and themes in the anime were very original if not: contextually avoidant. Really one of the classiest adult anime of our time, it's a shame the story did not end with the third Arc! The last arc was dragged out for a long time, probably because the creators lost sight of "the art" part of the story, and it really ended up being about power instead. It was a very ironic ending, but I enjoyed the first 75% of the ride I dock points on story because it lost momentum. The Art was fantastic, the sound was iconic, The "fighting noises" of throwing punches is awesaome. Characters were unique and everybody had some limelight, even the goons. Enjoyment was a 10, and the overall rating is a 9. I guess the death omen star was early for Fist of the North Star. Also some of the modern adaptations don't even come close to capturing the magic of Kenshiro and his journey.

I personally like shonen battle series, but i could never truly say i worshipped the big 3 or dragon ball like the gods some fans make them out to be. When it comes to Fist of the North Star, however, my view will never change and it'll always eclipse the aforementioned titles. My reasons are thus; I feel that it tells the best overall story, instead of scattering it around in too many plot arcs. Said story (in anime form at least) takes a while to truly become something special, and when it does, it REALLY does. It becomes an intense and gripping story. It intenseifies (pun intended). When it comes to its characters, Fist has a tendency not to classify its antagonists as pure evil in the way most other shonen series would. There is always some little piece of humanity left lingering unconciously within them, waiting to be recovered. As to its heroic characters, there is Kenshiro, and other notables. And then there is KENSHIRO. Simply put, he's as iconic as anime heroes get and just as enjoyable to watch and listen to as Goku ever was. If you watch this series, the primitive- looking animation (at first) should really be an afterthought, as there is so much more going on here. Its soundtrack is really something (dear god, just listen to those opening songs), and there are feels moments in places too (dear god, those epic death scenes). I've said all I can say, really, except watch this series.

Disclaimer: This was the anime that broke me out into a wide variety of tastes and I hold this show very close to my heart. It is a 10 in my heart, but it does have it's issues. Hokuto no Ken is set in Japan in 199X, presumably a couple of years after nuclear war has annihilated most of civilization on Earth. The people that do survive live in a Mad-Max inspired desert wasteland. Massive cities have crumbled, water is a very scarce resource, and the land is ruled by those who are willing to kill. "Those who are willing to kill" are usually twice the size of a normal human and are some master of a martial art and or at least uses crossbows...and it's fucking awesome. The show revolves around Kenshiro, the most bad-ass protagonist I've ever seen. He's the successor to the deadliest martial art known to mankind, THE FIST OF THE NORTH STAR - which, to summarize, is acupuncture with an explosive twist. He has the Big Dipper punctured into his skin- why? His best friend turned rival Shin stole his girlfriend Yuria, and humiliated him by shoving his fingers into his chest in the shape of the constellation. Now Kenshiro wherever Kenshiro walks, the omen star of Death lingers over him as everybody hears of the man with the 7 scarred chest. The anime does have it's flaws. The second half of the show (Hokuto no Ken 2) is VERY flawed. Most of the series can have pacing issues as well as general animation errors as it's a very old anime. If you can't look past those issues I recommend at least checking out the manga. You get to see the beautiful artwork in it's prime. Fist of the North Star is an explosive, gory masterpiece. The series went on to inspire countless Shonen stories, and is one of the most iconic animes in general. Seriously, you can find so many references to the way Kenshiro uses his HUNDRED CRACK FIST by screaming "AAAAAAAAAAAATATATATATAT-WATA!!". If you consider yourself a fan of Shonen stories, PLEASE do yourself a favor and check out this one. If you like "Manime", then this is the literal definition of it. Big hunky manly men beating the shit out of eachother because they both love the same woman...absolutely iconic. YOU WA SHOCK!

Hokuto no Ken is a story of Kenshiro as he travels through a post-apocalytic future. Blessed with the martial arts known as The Fist of the North Star, he uses it to his discretion amid blatant situations of violence, greed, and corruption. The basis of the story revolves around Kenshiro, who he is and what he does. Typically, the viewer can deduce the former through the latter. He is inherently interesting as a character since he himself does not know how he defines himself. His adventures help direct him towards this goal. For example, early on, he saves two children from murder what innately seems to be a whim. However, this may speak towards his own isolation with society or his feelings regarding humanity overall. These open-ended questions may as if the pace is slow, though, it is meant to taken as thoughtful and reflecting. Kenshiro stoically wrestles with issues involving life, love and finding meaning in a life perhaps without love. As Kenshiro solidifies his own persona, the pace quickly picks up in the later half of the series. The action scenes may seem repetitive as Kenshiro almost too regularly stumbles across average thugs in small towns. However, they are something to look forward to outside of the Kenshiro's inner exploration of self. As we learn, The Fist of the North Star is the supreme martial arts without parallel. However, conflicts between the users and his/her philosophy shapes the future for humanity. Quickly reviewing the art and sound of Hokuto no Ken, I can only say that they are fitting. While more detail can be found in the original work, the animated series still retains the stylistic feel of the manga. The opening title theme, "You wa Shock," aims to celebrate the raw, and brute strength of men in an overly zealous 80's fashion. I think that the tiny nuances of Hokuto no Ken are often overlooked in presence of the fighting. Still, I appreciated both on different levels. As Kenshiro defines himself, he is able to express more passion and more will that leads him to his own fate. Being a fairly long series, Hokuto no Ken can seem repetitive, slow or even formulaic at times. Regardless, it does not stretch itself too thin and reaches a definitive conclusion near the end. Finally, Hokuto no Ken is a very fitting series for its time and should be watched by those who appreciate hand drawn animation.

Like you can guess, I'm a huge fan of Fist Of The Northstar, I read the original manga twice, I read both oneshots, the prequel (Souten No Ken) and I read most of the bibliography from Tetsuo Hara and Buronson, I love this work even with all and its flaws. But unfortunately, my feelings towards Toei's adaptation is totally the opossite of my appreciation to the original work. Before the existence of Dragon Ball or One Piece, all that complains many fans had with Toei's slow pacing and repetitive and unnecesary shots, we're present in Hokuto No Ken; an Anime that isn't the half of pleasant as the Manga is, most of the memorable moments of the work are ruined with a poor direction, plenty of censored scenes and fights, and an unnecesary slow pacing just with the excuse of not "caught up the source material" yeah many could like the Anime for iconic things just as Kenshiro "tatatata" or maybe that epic opening "YOU WA SHOCK!" but the reason too many people find Hokuto No Ken something boring or anticuate, is most for the fault of the terrible adaptation it had, and unless you are hardcore fan of classic Anime, is something hard to enjoy in paralell with the brilliant work by Hara and Buronson, I'm not planning to watch too soon the sequel, because precisely adapts the time skipps that is the worst part of the story, and if in the source material is weak, can imagine how is going to be in the adaptation. And you know the worse part? Toei anime is by far the "best" adaptation of the series, because things that came late (live action, tms anime films, or even Toei attempt of a "mature film") are even worse than this, is kind of if Toei just throw a malediction towards the franchise and could have a decent adaptation to the screen, and I wish that the new remake that is gonna release in one week could be the first work to understand the essence of the manga, but everything I saw surrounding the project aim more to be most of the same, as a Hokuto fan we are sentenced to receive poor adaptations... Hokuto No Ken have the potential to be as revolutionary as it was JoJo's Anime, but until there isn't a studio capable of making an adaptation with heart, there's nothing more we can do.

i had watched part of this series once in my childhood , me & my sister was so obssessed by the way kenshiro avenges for the weak victims off the bad guys and i liked the story too much , cause when i was child i thought someday we gonna live in a dark stincky world , full of evils and crimes Now, AS COVID 19 Spreads over the world and everybody is in the quarntine me 24 old, started watching it again but this time to complete it in such similar gloom-like enviroment I enjoyed it moooooore than i did before , The OST is great , the drama was epic kenshiro is silent fighter most of the time and i prefer this kind of guys although there was some events unexplainable but honestly i enjoyed the show

I had heard about Hokuto no Ken so many times, from the famous meme to the Kenshiro vs Jotaro Deathbattle. I started watching it last November and was completely drawn. The OST, the fights, everything. For Part 2 you feel nostalgia as you hear references to previous characters. The storyline is very deep and thorough as each episode is somewhat related to each other. The concept of Kenshiro is very macho. He just kicks butt and takes names. He is a man who gives no flips. If you see him and try to attack...You are already dead. It is a good classic anime to watch. In my honest opinion, it even tops Dragon Ball.

This series honestly changed my life. Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) is possibly the most influential anime or manga series of all time for me. Every Shounen or Seinin series that came out afterwards owes themselves to the series. The two biggest influences the post Apocalypse film Mad Max & Martial Artist Bruce Lee mesh together so well for a series like this, it's mind blowing how well it all worked out in the end. Also just watch this in Japanese, the few English dubs that exist are absolutely horrendous and do not convey the emotion or tension that HNK feels. Do yourself a favor and just stick to the original Japanese version. Now let's begin. Now the story premise goes like this, in the year 199X, Human Civilization was demolished by Nuclear War. Everyone who surived is left to fend for themselves or die. A man named Kenshiro is left to die by his rival Shin and is given scars on his chest. His lover Yuria is then kidnapped and for the next whole year he is left to survive on his own in the wasteland. Eventually though, he comes across a town with two children named Bart & Lyn. He is left in a prison due to suspicion but then is set free because a rouge named Zeed comes to attack the village. Eventually, Ken kills the rouge and sets off to find his lover. While the two kids join him on support. Basic synopsis on the prologue, but it gets the job done. The story takes a whole bunch of twist and turns. Plus, it gets incredibly deep once you reach the second or third arc. Now I really gotta say, the fight scenes in HNK are super intense for an 80s anime. My God, now the blood is censored out for depending on which version you watch but don't let that ruin your enjoyment. This is a white knuckle action anime that will keep you on your toes to watch til the end. It is absolutely gritty, dark & brutal from the moment you start. As the anime wants you to know that people are suffering in this world. The music is just absolutely classic with the most badass intro song. Its part of the era but man, it gets you excited. While the animation is super basic and some of the special fight animations repeat. It gets the job done, the backgrounds all look quite decent. Nothing but grey skies and deserts, but since its the apocalypse, you really can't do much. But for its time, it looked absolutely incredible. Also I gotta say, the characters in this anime are super epic. Let me just tell you this, Kenshiro is a badass. If you know the "ATATATATA" or "You're already dead" thing, then you already know why. Just seeing this guy walk straight sends chills down my spine. The villains like Jagi honestly terrify me because you don't know what's gonna happen but they're so full of it, that you just wanna see Ken end this guy. Plus, the hulking mammoth Raoh will keep you on your feet throughout when Ken encounters this guy. Trust me, its a sight to behold. Plus the other Martial Artists like Rei & Toki really add to the show with it's characters. It gives you some hope that they are fighting for something and it's amazing that Ken has such amazing partners to help him throughout the adventure. Overall, Hokuto no Ken is a relic but an absolute classic of anime. By far, one of the most influential to ever exist & one of my all time favorites. Sit down with this anime one day, trust me. If you've never seen HNK you will be doing yourself a favor. Plus, with all the modern lore that exists today. There's a reason why people still hold HNK with so much value after all this time.

Fist of the North Star was one of the very few anime that I can say really changed the way that I approached life. The character of Kenshiro inspires me even to this day, and when I'm unsure of the right course of action, I generally ask myself two very important questions: 1.) Is this something that Kenshiro would do. 2.) Is this something that would make Kenshiro go on a righteous rampage that would end with my head exploding and him telling me that "you're already dead". You may be able to slide by if you can't answer question one in the affirmative, and you really don't want to fail question two, just in case Kenshiro finds out what you did. I have on occasion looked at a heavy barbell that I'm about to deadlift, told the barbell that it was already dead, and proceeded to set a personal record. I watched this show many years ago, probably back in the early/mid nineties, long before the modern tropes and current memes of anime took hold. I've started rewatching it, and I can say that it is as fun and as good to watch as I remember it. The story is a bit of Mad Max combined with old school Martial Arts flicks. Kenshiro was obviously inspired visually by Bruce Lee. The story itself is one of survival in a world post apocalypse. Rule by the ruthless and the strong is the norm, and the weak are cast aside and exploited. Kenshiro is the main protagonist and the show follows him using his powerful martial arts "Hokuto no Ken" style to basically become a messianic figure of hope for the downtrodden. Kenshiro is also an interesting study in manliness, as he is able to shed tears freely when they are warranted, and while it isn't shown often, has a huge heart. He embodies the paladin in ways that many that carry the title can't quite live up to. The villains in the story run from run of the mill Saturday morning cartoon villains to more complex men that have their own agendas that may be ruthless, but fall a bit more on the grey end of morality. For a few of the antagonists, a case could be made that given the state of the world, what they are doing, while not nice, would more or less be warranted. Fist of the North Star, much like Bruce Lee advised us many years ago is best approached with a "don't think, feel" mindset. The show is distilled testosterone and manliness in its greatest form. It's the rise of and fall of powerful men who wish to impose their will on the world instead of just living in it. It's the manly tears that you feel when a sympathetic antagonist falls. It's the feeling of righteous justice that one feels when a horrible villain is given no quarter and, much to his inevitable shock and horror Kenshiro tells them "Omae wa mou shindeiru"(you are already dead). There's something of the pure romanticism in this show behind the overpowered machismo that seems to be missing from modern action/adventure pieces in our postmodern age. While this show is obviously dated nowadays and is going on 35 years old. It demands to be watched, if for no other reason than to get an understanding of how the shounen genre used to be and where it came from. This is also a great show to watch to cleanse the palate of all of the pretty boys and cute girls shows that saturate modern offerings and take yourself back to a time where protagonists were not someone that you could simply relate to in their slovenly, yet comforting mediocrity, where things are simply handed to him, but the protagonist was someone that you could aspire and look up to, because they embody an ideal. Then, after watching a few episodes, you use that manly energy to go build something, lift something, or conquer something.

First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile. And again.. it will take me a while to achieve writing/presenting reviews In a manner I would like as I'm not sure how I want them to be structured or what the main focus should be, so reviews will change a lot each time I write one. But probably, when I'll be satisfied of my format, it will be mentioned. ------ Story (8) For most part I did like it, there were lot of enjoyable old-school cliches and tropes. The world was quite boring, but else was fun. In simplicity manner I gave it high score, for modern day meta of building a "good story" it does not fall great there. As story was very simple, but fun. Art (8) I can't remember many anime I have watched of similar air dates. But I think for it's time the art did look quite good. Women look a bit odd in old style. And men are extremely muscular machos. Well JoJo, what else. World was probably quite okay drawn, but was simply boring for me. And no-name characters did have their details even though they were mostly boring punks. Sound (7) Did like most of the soundtracks. I think the second ending or opening was the only thing I did not like. So OST & music was between of fine or good presence. Character (7) Ken - the main guy. A badass kind and silent martial artist with lot of care and love. "atattata" meme is what eventually led me adding this anime to the plan to watch. Probably only characters else I can mention without spoilers are Lin and Bat. As they are sidekicks that will stay. Bat the annoying trickster bat. I rarely like his type. But he was a good guy. Lin, I'll be honest. Even by the end of the series I don't understand her feelings towards Ken. It doesn't seem she cares about him as "big brother" or "father" ... but neither it feels as she feels towards him "love" .. very odd and confusing character. But aside that she is really insightful and caring character. Now about others characters I can only add in general that "trash" characters are most biker gang/punks stereotypes and are quite boring. But "elite" or "boss" characters vary between mediocre and quite cool. Enjoyment (7) I did really like whole Ken battles and the whole concept of emphasizing strength with feelings of love, sorrow whilst hatred falls off and so on. Very pure and straightforward anime regarding simplicity of importance/point and the strength of strong feelings and bonds. The recaps were quite annoying at times, battles were fun, Ken so called trademark lines were satisfying. Indeed it's quite oldschool and predictability was in your face, which I did not mind. Probably some of the "elite" characters "finish lines" I wasn't fond of it, but they for most part worked as plot devices. Yet still this anime had still some absolutely unnecessary deaths where characters didn't react in quite an unreasonable way. Overall (7) To wrap this up, I can say its definitely fun old school battle shounen. It has it's weak links regarding story and moronic reactions to give plot device some fuel. But for a story of love and tragedy with strong emphasis of bonds/feelings it was a fun run. Simple thing to enjoy for someone who likes battle shounens.

Along with Devilman Hokuto no Ken broke new ground for anime. While it's violence is toned down compared to the manga it keeps the tone of the story in sight. It can be fun, it can be engaging, it can be dramatic, it can be gripping, and it can be sad. It falls short towards the conclusion but it's status as a classic is well deserved. Earlier episodes simplified Hara's art from the manga and I think this was a strength. It allowed the show to take an identity of it's own and gives the animators opportunity for creative and stylized moments. As mentioned the violence is toned down but only in how it's presented: great beams of light highlight the silhouettes of the extreme gore and the detailed violence is usually saved for close ups. Later on they put a lot more detail in and change the proportions to be taller, following Hara's work more closely. This does take a toll on the animation itself, as it's impressive to see such detailed figures but it allows for more cracks to show. They only had so much time to polish up every frame. I appreciate the attempt and the variety it brings but it's quality is less consistent than with their more simplified take. Audio is one of the show's strongest aspects. All voice work is terrific, everyone sounds appropriate for their situations and the voices match. The soundtrack, however, is on another level. Most battle anime goes for hard rock or metal but HnK has very orchestral music. It keeps the weight of each situation suitably epic and meaningful which is what you'd expect in a show covering post-apocalyptic Earth, war and martial arts. There is some rock here but its reserved. The vocal tracks are iconic for a reason- they're also terrific. Action is solid, characters have depth, and the pacing is mostly perfect. Towards the end theres a lot of filler which can be a drag, and even a full recap episode comprised of clips from previous episodes (feel free to skip, no plot progression). It can be a hard show to binge with the depressing subject matter but once you reach the conclusion it's a show you'll be happy you stuck around for. If you've seen the movie you'll find a ton of plot here that wasn't covered there so worth a watch if you enjoyed it.

i like the show very much because of Kenshiro intimidating presence and the amount of gore in the show i could re watch the show but i don't got time so i just read the manga now and i also like it for the excitement i get from the action and the style and animation is good for a old anime and the enjoyment i get from the show is a lot the story is good and the show is very entertaining and honestly the show is straight up one of my favorite action anime i love the brutality and the sad scenes and the music and the ost with the fitting openings with the character designs as well Very very very very very good anime i suggest you watch it and you might like it like i do

Tough Times require strong wills but the will itself isn't enough, there should be strength to amplify the effect an age where the word is only applied by force stripped of love countless people fell into the darkness,some even went beyond that that's when a person appears to be the resolve for the weak,the voice of speechless if you are expecting a huge plot discussing a social dilemma then you should see something else the situation here is different,here it 's a clash of principles among powerful men the story here is pure and simple (1+1=2) just like that don't expect sympathy despite the gloom & sorrow each warrior fighting has a desire reflected in his fists only time can tell the true winner