In the year 19XX, after being betrayed and left for dead, bravehearted warrior Kenshirou wanders a post-apocalyptic wasteland on a quest to track down his rival, Shin, who has kidnapped his beloved fiancée Yuria. During his journey, Kenshirou makes use of his deadly fighting form, Hokuto Shinken, to defend the helpless from bloodthirsty ravagers. It isn't long before his exploits begin to attract the attention of greater enemies, like warlords and rival martial artists, and Kenshirou finds himself involved with more than he originally bargained for.
Faced with ever-increasing odds, the successor of Hokuto Shinken is forced to put his skills to the test in an effort to take back what he cares for most. And as these new challenges present themselves and the battle against injustice intensifies, namely his conflict with Shin and the rest of the Nanto Seiken school of martial arts, Kenshirou is gradually transformed into the savior of an irradiated and violent world.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
nicepants
When I first started Hokuto no Ken, I did not know a thing about Fist of the North Star. I had heard the name before, and I knew it was a popular franchise with bloody exploding heads. When I started watching the series, it looked so incredibly 80s. In fact, the Shin arc made me stop watching it for a while. The endless mooks in poorly drawn 80s style really turned me off. A few weeks later, I decided to try it again. I am so absolutely glad I did. Hokuto no Ken is a post-apocolyptic epic, and I don't use that term lightly. The story isfairly simple. Shin (Kenshiro's rival) steals Yuria (Kenshiro's love), and Ken goes to rescue her. However, in the background, darker, more dangerous forces are moving. The story is cunning in its simplicity, and quite well executed.
The art is of course, very old, and often shows its age. It is the biggest downfall the series has. The series is backed up by strong, memorable music, and one of the most comically catchy OPs (YOU WA SHOCK!) I've heard.
One of the things that Hokuto no Ken does interestingly is the characters. 90% of the major characters are large, stoic men, with pecs of iron and manly logic. The two children, Bat and Lin, are there to cheer Ken on, and be terrified/annoying, respectively. The men Ken meets are almost all evil beyond redemption. However, in the legions of mooks and generic evil, are some interesting, legitimately cool characters, such as Rei, Juza, Toki and Raoh.
To today's viewer, it would seem like you've seen all the elements of this before in other things. The reason for this is that Hokuto no Ken has inspired every single action show to come from Japan, especially the long-running shounen of today, in some form or another.
I cannot give this series a 10, between the early filler (which is just about completely gone after the Shin arc), and the recap episodes. I will, however give this a 9. What I thought would be a hilariously corny 80s romp through a field of exploding heads turned out to be a amazing, epic journey though a post-apocalyptic wasteland, starring, the manliest man to ever be placed on paper. With exploding heads.
stingzy
Do you want to be manly? Are you feeling tired of high school girls in miniskirts and pre-pubescent skinny high school boys that pander to every single weeaboo on both sides of the pacific? Tired of being spoonfed the same Isekai and moe shit year after year. Stop whatever you are doing, pull up your pants, close your hentai tabs, slide the chair back and stick around as Fist of the North Star teaches you the art of manliness! I watched this anime, no this MANime and a foot-long beard popped out of my glass chin, my max bench increased by 100lbs and my testicles doubled insheer size. Fear not as this is not caused by some kind of testicular cancer or overdose on protein shakes. The sheer amount of testosterone that oozes from this show is enough to turn any grandmother into Schwarzenegger.
Fist of the north star is a glorious tale about Kenshiro fighting to survive in this cruel Mad-Max like universe and searching for his long lost love, Julia, who was kidnaped by douche-bags and their loser henchmen. It is impossible not to shed manly tears during this show. From exploding heads to Kenshiro single-handily beating up a tank until it explodes, truly a mans tale worth writing a few words about. I will not reveal much more about the story as it is something that one should experience uncorrupted and with purity.
The artwork is majestic as fuck, never has the bombastic phrase "Every frame a painting" been more true. From the landscapes to the characters to the dynamic use of colors its as if Da vinci himself crawled out of the earth to produce these godlike frames. Now some people might disagree and tell you things like that its outdated or bland looking. Pay no attention as the complaint is more than likely uttered by a fucking creep with half naked lolicon posters in their room.
The opening title ''You wa shock'', is responsible for the emergence of the Y chromosome and male pattern baldness. Its a perfect blend of classic rock, jazz and hard vocals. Its the the kind of song you put on before injecting yourself with fake synthol and proceed to beat up the neighborhood bully and his mother.
Overall i feel like there is nothing more to be added or said. The show peaks in every category from story to animation to sound and so on. Now the choice is bestowed upon you. Will you watch this glorious tale and experience rebirth or will you rewatch Vampire knight for the 13th time like the pathetic loser you are.
THEAnimeHERO
[SPOILER WARNING] After the nuclear apocalypse of 199X, Kenshiro begins his quest to rid the world of evil & bring hope to humanity. Initially, North Star begins as a revenge tale where Kenshiro is searching for his fiancé Yuria whose been kidnapped by his rival Shin. Afterwards the story then focuses on Kenshiro's destiny to bring back peace to this "age of power" where humanity have become savage & desensitized to love & affection. Essentially, most humans are now primitive causing murders for the sake of resources such as food. Only those with power, ambition & a cold heart can survive this wasteland. As a saviorto the masses, Kenshiro battles many tyrannical martial artists with his assassination art of "Hokuto Shinken" causing his enemies to explode. Further in the series is where Kenshiro's battles his eldest brother Raoh giving a satisfying ending to the series.
Kenshiro as a hero is almost one of a kind as he features a stoic yet kind attitude who faces tragedy on a constant basis. Bearing humanity's existence on his back, Kenshiro gives his all to protect the innocent & punish the guilty.
When people think of "MANIME", this series started it all & owns up to its reputation. While the animation is obviously dated, there's no greater adaptation than this version as it portrays the sorrow & various "MANLY TEARS" moments with the greatest execution in voice acting & music. In North Star, it may not follow the typical shonen tropes of today & can be very slow at times (especially its 1st 22 eps) but manages to display character in a very tragic form. Expect to see many great men & heroes to sacrifice themselves for the sake of peace as their battles will take residence in your soul. Also it might make a MANLY MAN out of you.
If you enjoy series like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure & Toriko, this is the show for you. This anime is my all time favorite but may not appeal to everyone. It certainly is a required taste to truly be appreciative of all its concepts on how masculinity & love for a woman play a part to make a society peaceful again. Expect some episodes to be slow & major fights to be done in 3-4 episodes as Fist is manliness in its purest form. Representing themes of 80's shonen, Fist Of The North Star still stands tall as a source of inspiration for all things MANLY.
linearrush
I remember first watching Fist of the North Star in the action channel. I was but a little kid at the time and I really did not know what was going on. Unfortunately, the exploding heads and cussing was a deterrent at the time and I stopped watching it. Fast forward almost ten years later and I decide to watch it and honestly, I am glad that I did. The story is fairly simple. It takes place in a post apocalyptic world where the strong live and the weak die. Crime is at an all time high. Bandits and cut throats kill, pillage and rape to noend. Kenshiro is a man who was betrayed by his best friend, one who kidnapped his wife and nearly killed him, leaving him for dead. Kenshiro, who survived, is now out on a mission to find the man who betrayed him, kill him and save his wife.
While the exploding heads are a neat treat, it is the characters that really shine. Don't expect any teenage heroes in this show. While I do like watching Belach and other Shonen that are chuck full of teenage heroes, this show has none.
All the characters, from Kenshiro, Shin, Rei, Raoh, Toki, Shuu they are all memorable and likable in their own way. This heavy focus on adults is a breath of fresh air and is a nice distinction from all the teenage shonen that is out there. Kenshiro especially has to be one of the manliest protagonists out there and hearing him say "You are already dead." has you know that he is dead serious and is not willing to play games.
The music is catchy, especially "We are Shock!" is a nice opening theme and flows nicely with the action scenes.
If there is anything that takes away from this show is the art. This show was made in the early 80's and is heavily influenced by it. Everyone in the show has shoulder pads in one form or another and the bad guys all seem to have mohawks. Many scenes are used over and over again and there are times where the characters' look are somewhat inconsistent from episode to episode.
Even so, this show is must watch for those who are into action packed, bloody fights without having to hear a bunch of whiny sermons. Overall, I had a blast watching this show, it was great through and through.
Now if you excuse me, I am going to watch Kenshiro use some ATATATATA action against some unfortunate fool and see his head blow up!
animegorey
Having watched the movie, which is the condensed version of the series, and now actually watching the 36 episode series from Manga Entertainment, I find that this is one of the corniest/greatest animes that I've seen. I love it. I really like the opening theme that has thundering bass drums that ride you thru a monta'ge of violent clips of the anime. Kinda makes you want to fight, or at least watch one. This has alot of violence that is gorey at times and corny at times. Ken can pretty much do anything. He's a Japanese, Rambo looking, Bruce Lee sounding BAD ASS. Story ispretty good, but the little girl Lin and the boy Bart are annoying as F@*%. I laugh alot while watching this. From the goofy names they give his attacks to the cheesy narrator who reads the wierd and hilarious titles before each episode. There are parts of an episode that are right out of the movie Road Warrior. The circle town surrounded by desert, even a bus as a gate and flamethrowers stationed on each side. I loved that movie and I love this anime.
Now the review for the 109 ep series which was on subtitled dvd. Although subs were not the greatest as far as translation, I get the gist of the story based on this being an expanded version of the 36 ep eng dub dvds. It is quite the epic and tragic story at that. I found myself looking forward to the next episode and that is what's important to me to avoid boredom with the series, especially 109 eps. I never got bored with the violence either. They found ways to change it up and introduce new styles and moves/punches. Highly entertaining for the fans of older titles like Armored Trooper Votoms or Space Cobra, those of us who hold these in high regards as compared to the G.I Joe or Transformer cartoons I grew up on. I only wish I could have seen these as a kid.
Deago
First of all, let's talk about the repetitive nature of the show. It seems like every other episode features the same formula: some evil guys do some evil things, Kenshiro shows up and beats them up, the evil guys inform their boss, the boss becomes enraged and sends his minions after Kenshiro, Kenshiro beats them up, then Kenshiro beats their boss, and the episode ends. Rinse and repeat. This formula is so predictable it becomes tedious after a while, and you can easily predict what's going to happen next. The repetition doesn't stop there, the show also reuses a lot of animations, which is a commonpractice in anime but can get annoying when it's overdone. You'll see Kenshiro using the same moves over and over again, ripping his shirt(s) again and again, and the show will often reuse the same stock footage of characters screaming and punching the air. This just adds to the overall feeling of sameness that permeates the show.
Now, let's move on to the supporting characters. Bart is supposed to be the comic relief, but he's just not that funny. Lin, on the other hand, is just a damsel in distress to be rescued by Kenshiro. She's merely a helpless girl who constantly puts herself in danger, and it gets old after a while. Mamiya was initially presented as a strong and independent woman, but her character development is stunted and she eventually becomes more of a love interest for Kenshiro. And Toki was just a Jesus Christ
Rei is probably the most interesting supporting character, but after his story ended, he was reduced to being a sidekick to Kenshiro. His initial storyline about searching for his sister's kidnapper and avenging his parents was intriguing, but then I guess the writer ran out of ideas for him.
As for the villains, there are a lot of them, but most of them are forgettable. They're just there to be beaten up by Kenshiro and move the plot along. The three main villains who are actually related to the main plot are Shin, Souther, and Raoh. Shin is the best of the bunch, with a tragic backstory and a personal connection to Kenshiro that makes their fights more meaningful. Souther is an interesting character as well, but his motivations are a bit muddy, and he doesn't get as much screen time as he deserves. Raoh is a 'big bad' dark messiah dictator who is there to be defeated by Kenshiro in the end.
In terms of animation and music, the 1984 Fist of the North Star TV anime is acceptable but not exceptional. The animation was decent for its time, but it doesn't hold up well compared to modern anime. The music is forgettable, with a lot of generic rock tracks that don't add much to the show.
Overall, it is badly written, with retcons and plot rehashes that make it hard to watch after King arc (the first arc). It has some interesting ideas and characters, but it's hampered by its repetitive formula and lack of depth. If you're a fan of classic anime or martial arts stories, you might enjoy it. However, if you're looking for something with more substance and originality, you might want to look elsewhere. I would recommend the more recent pentalogy (3 movies + 2 OVAs) if you want to explore the main plot with a more streamlined presentation and the retcons were fixed by adding foreshadowings.
yardakani
this was the anime I watched when I was only six years old and recently I watched it again from the strart to the end and I'm still trying to enjoy it. it is about after a nuclear war that brings desaster to the earth and appearance of martial artists from long times ago. the main character is fantastic and has become my hero till now. I kinda feel like being in kens place when watching mostly when he is angry and tries to fight back seriously. putting all things aways I have watched it 16 years and now and I can say I really enjoyed it every timeI watched it.
It is long but worthy.
you can see the change in animation through the episodes and the astonishing picture attracts people.
Seriously go for it. it isa 10 out of 10 always for me.
VasileTraian
'Fist of the North Star' is about heads and body parts exploding. That's it. There is no plot. You may be tricked into thinking there is one, but there isn't. It's just Kenshiro, the main protagonist, walking straight, as random shit happens around him. 'Fist of the North Star' has no characters. You may be tricked into thinking there are characters, but there aren't. They are just props which Kenshiro ruthlessly destroys. Never, at any time, ever, does any spark of intelligence or emotion ever ignite in these people's (inevitably exploding) heads. They exist to have their heads exploded. Sure, they are capable of speech, motion,and basic interaction with other props, which only exist to make the viewer believe there is a stake at hand. But of course there isn't, our main man Ken will just dispatch them easily.
Is there a weakness to Hokuto? Probably. Does it matter? No, because Ken simply cannot be defeated. You know that. There is no sense of danger, or any reason to root for Kenshiro, because you know he will win .This, ironically, diminishes the man's qualities, instead of enhancing them.
He does not organically push boundaries. He does not learn. He does not grow. He does not become better,because he does not make mistakes.
Kenshiro is not the ultra alpha supra manly man he is praised to be. He is just a boring brick viciously hurled at a window.
Joining him in his adventures as a viewer is a lot like watching a Windows XP screensaver, but with more movement.
There are some kids who join Ken in his murderous rampage of brain dead, deformed beast men, but to this day I have no idea why they exist there in the first place. Nor do I really care about it. I want to see heads explode. Oh yeah, and there's a woman who probably does something.
And no, I cannot be accused of being ignorant and not following the story. I am sure whoever wrote this crap wanted me to not care. Otherwise they wouldn't make everything so void of life and uninteresting.
So is there any reason why you should enjoy this?
Yes!
1. The exploding heads: there is something cathartic about them. Maybe they remind me of simpler, more playful times. They are the main selling point of FOTNS, and I bought it, because sometimes you just need to let your brain rest and let your body take over.
2. Raoh. If he was a character in an actual anime, I would have loved him. Too bad he is wasted here, just another piece of flesh to receive Kenshiro's beating.
3. The Art. It is beautiful. Definitely not the best, there are countless others waaaaaay better; but there is something entrancing about it, and one of the reasons I came back to watching this stupid show, despite taking me more than two years to complete. That, and exploding heads, of course.
4. Ken's voice. It is really cool.
5. The goons' voices. They are actually funny at times. If you're not paying attention, you might confuse them for living, breathing characters, just because of the voice acting.
6. ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA
7. The memes.
That being said, is it worth watching 'Fist of the North Star'? Possibly not. Watch the YouTube shorts for the exploding heads, and rid yourself of the plodding, uninteresting story. And follow the memes.
Is it enjoyable? Surprisingly, yes. But there's a catch. Should you find yourself loving FOTNS, there's a solid chance you're more alike to the goons Ken effortlessly humiliates, rather than Ken himself. Take what you want from this.
Nervin
Currently everyone knows or heard of the three most popular anime that dominates this decade: One Piece, Naruto and Bleach. This is essentially the case for most decades, being the 80's most prevalent anime Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya and Hokuto no Ken - or Fist of the North Star. This may leave potential audiences wondering whether these are worth their time, and in the case of Hokuto no Ken, I can definitely recommend it for viewers interested in action based anime. ~Story~ The story is simple, having its setting in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world in which humanity regressed, where slavery and struggle for survival is commonplace. Martialarts are the main foundation for defense, and in the midst of it are two powerful schools, Hokuto Shinken and Nanto Seiken. There is one man, Kenshiro, who seeks to retrieve his love Yuria from Shin, a powerful member of the Nanto Seiken school.
This seems very generic, yet its main strength lies in its presentation and narrative. At first the story is of episodic nature, introducing different martial arts styles and characters, however as it progresses, arcs are introduced with more interesting characters and fleshing the main ones out. The battles presented are varied and engaging, where characters death are meaningful, and remain dead, and brutally so. Dialogues are simple and held to a minimum, yet meaningful to the story. Some viewers may wonder how martial arts can be a viable way to protect themselves, being in a post apocalyptic world where fire weapons should be abundant. This issue is solved by making the use of guns to a minimum, and having those considered as non-existent and forgotten, due to technological limitations.
~Characters~
There is a great variety of characters in Hokuto no Ken, being the main ones the different martial artists presented throughout the anime, dominated mainly by very "manly" man. However, character are plain and simple, and lack depth. For example, Kenshiro, successor of the Hokuto Shinken, is one dimensional with the only objective of defeating his opponents, undergoing barely any character development besides of some background information of his past. He may seem as an emotionless character, yet viewers observe how he actually has emotions. Nevertheless, this an issue that may be overlooked, as they're very likable as well formidable fighting machines. After all, it is pretty amusing to hear Kenshiro announce to his opponents "You are already dead" or "You don't deserve to live - Die!", which adds to the overall awe of the characters.
The martial artists of importance have background stories attached to them that explains their behaviour and motives in a convincing way, different to the stereotypical, one dimensional villains prevalent in other anime. The supporting cast of is mainly composed of two parties, the oppressed and helpless people, and the gangs composed of bandits with a Mohican hairstyle - yes, a Mohican hairstyle, which is hilarious. There is however other thing to mention, being the two children that follow Kenshiro: these have no purpose in the story other than to create unnecessary and typical situations. Nevertheless, the focus upon these are lessened as story progresses, which I personally found a good thing, as it could get pretty annoying and inmersion-breaking.
~Animation and sound~
The animation quality is dated, but after all this anime is from the 80's. Combat scenes are well drawn, yet some parts are rehashed and at times are simple static images. There is an evolution in the art style, being clearer and with more attention to the characters detail. There are some small inconsistencies to be found to, such as the infinite supply of Kenshiro's clothing, but this is easily overlooked, as it adds to the characters overall awe. Backgrounds are however limited to bleak and colorless wastelands, which is a bit depressing to look at over the span of 109 episodes. Not to mention how people die in the most bizarre way.
The character's voice actors matched well with the characters personalities, easily transmitting their emotions, being probably Kenshiro's voice actor the most memorable with his constant "ATATATATATATA" when fighting. Soundtracks used are very 80's like, yet matched well the story, with some very memorable tracks.
~Enjoyment~
Hokuto no Ken was overall a very enjoyable experience, which main focus lay in martial arts and its different styles presented through the different characters. The story itself is plain and simple, yet its presentation is the strongest point. Some scenes were very predictable and fillers were to be found, yet were entertaining. Recommendable to anyone who likes action based anime without unnecessary fan service, sharing similarities to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series in its "manly" battles. Not suitable for anyone looking for a deep story.
Thank you for reading.
coolman6446
Before watching this series, I only knew Hokuto no Ken (HNK) because of the iconic "you're already dead" scene as well as it inspiring some aspects of the Yakuza series. I started watching this series on a random whim and I am thankful for doing so. HNK felt like the anime equivalent of Yakuza: A series with a strong story and entertaining fights while still having comedy sprinkled throughout. It does a great job of starting off as a goofy, over-the-top action show and slowly transitions to a more plot heavy one that still recognizes to not take itself too seriously. That being said, there aresome amazing twists and moments in the series that hit me hard in the feels.
In conclusion: I は SHOCK at how great this series is. Hands down my favorite!
InkSpider
NOTE: There are going to be some spoilers in this. Yes, I know I’m not supposed to do that on this site, but I can’t critique Fist of the North Star to any satisfying degree without talking about certain specific details. If you don’t want the show spoiled, stop reading now. If you don’t care, go right ahead. The Positive Side: This is a show about a man who looks, and talks, and fights like Bruce Lee, traveling a nuclear wasteland and making comically evil people explode with his fists. For what it’s worth, Fist of the North Star embraces what itis with every fiber of its being, and never once attempts to be anything else. There’s a kind of courage in treating an absurd premise as seriously as Fist of the North Star does, a kind of charming naivete. It’s a bit like the anime equivalent of a B-movie.
Fist of the North Star hails from the bad old days of anime, the 80’s and 90’s, so the art isn’t very polished and the relative sizes get pretty wonky, but there are some beautifully painted settings, and the action feels consistently dynamic, hot-blooded and over-the-top.
Some of the music is pretty great, and the opening theme of Part 1, “Ai no Torimodose!!” (yes, that second exclamation mark is absolutely mandatory) is sure to put you in the right mood for this show, with its echoing shouts of “You hua SHOCK!” and its dramatic, fatalistic lyrics.
The story is very melodramatic and morally uncompromising, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the characters are exaggerated, there are still moments where we are moved by their suffering.
The simplicity of the show’s morality has a certain charm as well: when evil people do evil things, the hero shows up and punches them to death, and all is well again. Don’t you wish the real world was this simple?
If I could separate Part 1 from the rest of the series, I would give it a 7 out of 10. There’s a surprising sophistication to the irony of the plotting, and the anti-villain, Shin, is memorable and intriguing, but his sympathetic aspects never detract from his menace.
The Negative Side: This show neatly captures both everything good and bad about Shonen. The series comes to a neat close in Part 1, and then insists on dragging on for a hundred more episodes, well after the show’s artistic merit has been wrung dry.
This show is very repetitive, which is fine if you consistently enjoy watching our hero, Ken exploding bad guys, but gets boring pretty quick if you’ve grown used to more mature anime. Adding to this repetition is an abundance of animation recycling. I hope you liked that shot of Ken using the 100 Crack Fist of the North Star on Zeed in the first episode, because you’re going to see that about fifty more times before the series is done.
The character development is also lacking. While a few of the major villains are well-developed, the majority of the villains are two-dimensional, which isn’t too bad at first, but becomes truly grating as the series wears on and we are forced to trudge through one heartless, irredeemable megalomaniac after another. Kenshiro is supposed to be loved for his compassion and kindness, but that’s a bit hard to buy when you look at the sheer number of creative and sadistic deaths he inflicts on his foes. Ken’s sympathy is also hindered by how over-powered he is compared to the majority of his foes. For every villain who manages to significantly injure Ken, there are a dozen whom he effortlessly slays with a single blow.
There are a few side characters who are more interesting than Ken himself, but nearly every single hero not named “Kenshiro” dies a tragically stupid and pointless death trying to stop some over-powered villain. It’s not only predictable, but irritating to watch characters we care about strive so hard to live honorably and justly (like Kenshiro gets away with constantly), only to be effortlessly slaughtered by a villain to get the point across that the villain is a threat.
It’s a bit unsurprising that a Shonen from the 80’s would have trouble with gender, but the way Fist of the North Star’s handles women is consistently cringe-worthy. A disproportionate amount of time is built setting up Rei, a supposed hero who, to the modern audience, is more likely to come across as a sex criminal than a crusader. It is very hard to weep for Rei’s death when his first interaction with a major character (Mamiya) consists of him leering at her and ripping away her bath-towel. I was honestly amazed the scene didn’t end with Rei raping Mamiya. This isn’t the only time he forcefully strips her of her clothing, and to make matters worse, Rei and Mamiya are set up as love interests to each other later on. Insisting that a woman become romantically invested in a man who sexually harassed her the first time they met isn’t just unrealistic, it’s insulting.
Mamiya does her best to serve the role of the powerful, independent and capable woman, but gets hit very hard by what I like to call “Sakura Syndrome”, named after Naruto’s Sakura Haruno. Sakura Syndrome is when a female character in a Shonen is supposed to be a competent warrior, but never (or nearly never) wins a significant fight. Sakura Syndrome is generally the result of a Shonen that wants to make a female character a badass, either to placate feminists or for purposes of fetishism, but also wants to make sure that the male heroes stay firmly in the spotlight at all times. Mamiya mows down plenty of random mooks with her razor yo-yos, but the moment she is placed in a fight against anyone important enough to be given a name, she is doomed. Mamiya also espouses the philosophy that one cannot be a woman and a warrior at the same time. Because, you know, it’s not like there’s thousands of women enlisted in the Armed Forces at this exact moment. Eventually, Mamiya gives up on her career as a warrior and gets shoved back into the kitchen, which begs the question of why Fist of the North Star played with creating a female warrior in the first place.
Part 1 is worth watching if you like action series and don’t mind melodrama and cheesy dialogue, but if you go any further than that, you’re wasting your time.
GreatWarlord
From my personal Bias I would've gave this Legendary Series overall a 10, however I have given it a 9 because I can't ignore the faults others may find in it such as it having Plotholes similar to Dragonball Z or the Animation itself etc. But enough about the "bad" things and instead I'll focus on the good things. The memories of me watching this series the first 36 Episodes in Dubbed on Youtube and then the rest in Subbed on Megavideo back in 2011 when I was 16 are perhaps timeless; it was the greatest experience I had as an Anime fan that can neverbe replicated and I have also never found Anime cool again after Megavideo came to an end. The Series is emotion driven, filled with both fun & gritty action, full of manly virtues along with a range of noble, awesome, strange, silly and annoying characters.
I've been sober from Anime for quite a few months and this review might get some heat for saying what I'm about to say next but looking back I've come to the realization that Fist of the North Star(or Hokuto no Ken) is not only my favorite Anime but also the Greatest Anime! And that's all Anime is; it's just nostalgia, you shouldn't be overanylising these Gay Japanese Girl Cartoons nor should you be watching them unless maybe you grew up watching them. However, this Series is NOT a Gay Japanese Girl Cartoon; it's simply a Classic and the Best in the World at Everything it does.
inaji1
what can be said about one of the Greatest MANimes that hasn't been already said, probably one of the best, although some said it was ripped off by another great MANime, Ramenman, but amplified by 10 this is the Gold Standard of all MANime. if you finish this series you will become a man if you already weren't before..even if you're a girl as User Stingzy said if you watch this great MANime of the 80s you will indeed have all those things happen to you and if you want a rest from all those giggle and peace sign schoolgirl BS this is the perfect remedy
Shura-shurato
ATATATATATATATAWATHAAAAAA( you're already dead)! Those are the words from and revered anime charachter, and an EVEN MORE legendary anime show wich was at its height in japan in the 80's and very populair. I saw the HoK movie from 1986 first before i even knew about the serie's, and man am i glad that i have seen the show from biginning till the bloody end, and the whole serie is somewhat bloody! about the Animation, i din't care much cuz it was that time, what loads of kids these days cant appreciate from oldskool anime! Storywise , excellent, loads of twists and turns, disputes,personal problems and LOADS of tragic moments. But be warned, this show is NOT for the light/weakhearted!
Dafoose
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 weirdos12% 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.
Valkata
This anime is and always will be one of the best Shounen tragedies ever made. It all starts after the world has suffered a nuclear war, and almost all life on earth is destroyed, there are no rules, no laws and the strong prey on the weak. In this era you can only rely on your will to fight and martial arts. Our main protagonist Kenshiro is the biggest bad ass in anime history. Although he bears an extreme burden and his fate is to fight, he doesn't throw his humanity like most of the characters in the story. He's the inheritor of the strongestassassination style martial art called Hokuto Shin Ken, this style has 2000 year old history and he is chosen as the successor despite of him being the youngest of four children. He has to fight his brothers in order to imply the law of Hokuto which is that those who are not chosen as successors must have either their memory erased or their fists sealed (killed). The thing that struck me in this anime was the aftermath of the battles, no matter how much you hate the bad guys in the end you forgive them. I cried a lot of tears in this anime, I can't say why because that would reveal a lot. Also the soundtrack is amazing. It left a huge impression on me when the strong moments happened. So if you wish to enjoy a cult classic, a thrilling ride with one of the best characters in Shounen History, then go right ahead, you will not regret it.
Donwun
People who usually claim to have seen FOTNS for the most part are actually referring to the 1986 feature length animated movie of the same name and not this particular 109 episode TV series……..and when they become aware of this long running TV version of that movie people may very well assume this series just to be a dragged out gore fest version of the movie. They may think to themselves how could you make that 109 episodes!?! Well I’m here to tell you that…yeah….there is a little bit of truth in that line of thinking HOWEVER that movie only scratches the surface of the underlying storytold in this compelling TV series
Animation
The animation is pretty lacklustre and korny looking for the most part. Things like duplicated character designs, identically overused death sequences and a somewhat dull colour palette are the standout weaknesses for the animation but saying all that one has to take into consideration the time it was made….the early 80’s…..where digital animation was non-existent and funding for a long running animated TV series meant quality cuts.
From what other anime TV series I have seen made in the same era I would say the animation is actually on par with a lot of 80’s anime and as such I can forgive it for its visual flaws and honestly speaking I personally don’t find the animation god-awful but rather comical and vintage-cheesy if you will accept that as a viable description (lol)
Sound
For the most part I think the sound is pretty well selected and appropriate across the board
Firstly voice acting is actually pretty good, even to this day…I mean most of the characters are either thugs or crazy gang leaders and as such they give a convincing and consistently entertaining performance.
The opening is a pretty unforgettable rock ballad which oozes with both despair and energy and the closing theme is just miserable…..which is very appropriate for the theme of this series
The short lived English dub version of this series which only covered about the first 36 episodes I believe changed things up with the sound overall, opting to use a more electro mixed with drum and base theme which came off sounding pretty hit and miss tbh however the closing theme for the English dub is actually pretty cool……….but still the whole drum and base idea sort of a weird choice….meh
Characters
Strongest point for this series is the actual characters and how they interact with each other.
Even though this series is littered with countless foot-soldier type enemies that are squatted in mass volumes throughout the series, the CORE characters who are central to the actual storyline are written quite well and do a good job convincing you of their motivations, whether it be for good or evil reasoning’s.
Also, the interaction with the CORE characters were also very compelling and enticing which makes it easier for you as a viewer to get invested and curious about their futures. Even though it is pretty clear to everybody who is going to win what battle I had no idea what supporting character would actually survive…..and everybody is up for the chopping block in this series…kids included!
To the shows credit, it even made me get a little bit emotional about some of the horrible things that were happening to the weaker class of people…..oh the inhumanity….someone kill these evil &%$%ers already! @_@
Enjoyment
This series IS very enjoyable because it ends up being more than what it appears to be on the surface and it actually hits a lot of different beats that you usually would not see in a single anime title such as ultra-violence, oppression, romance-drama, a hero story, martial arts story, post apocalyptic disaster themes, action comedy, compelling characters and last but not least a some korny 80’s animation.
Okay, actually that pretty much sounds like a number of shounen anime I’ve seen over the years…but hey that’s the crazy thing….even after all these years this show still feels original in it’s own right and is still very entertaining overall
Value
This series is vintage shounen at its best really. Something negative about this series I did forget to mention up to this point however is people who have already seen the feature movie may actually find this series to be quite a drag as it takes about one third of the series to catch up to where the movie’s story ended and as such many people may give up on this series prematurely…..well that and the animation is actually a lot worse than the actual movie’s was
Well if you liked the movie you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how much better this series is in terms of storytelling….it’s EPIC compared to the movie and as such you will be in for a pleasant surprise if you give this a chance.
Total newcomers to the franchise should give this show a chance after you see the movie….(yes I actually recommend you watch the movie first) it starts off slow but once that Shin arc is eventually over there is no more filler and a much more compelling story awaits you.
For me this series is an anime classic that deserves the place it actually has in pop-culture and anime / manga history…..if you have no idea what I’m talking about check it out for yourself….at the very least the crazy 80’s violence will give you some great laughs….well….i think it should anyway :0P
I also made a super blog about the entire FONS anime franchise if your interested: http://bit.ly/TBVFQv
Thanks for reading!
Planet Tyro Rating: Hall of Fame
FONS Franchise Blog: http://bit.ly/123faBT
planettyro.com
BlaizeV
Ken is basically Bruce Lee on steroids living in a Mad Max post apocalyptic world. I personally love the series and while fantasy martial arts is the main focus the action is rather tame, I mean this is still an 80's anime series so don't expect explosive action but more intense buildup and graphic deaths even if the blood is censored to bright white for most scenes. The series has a strong story and really strong (in every sense) characters, it is dragged out at 140+ episodes but the series doesn't outstay it's welcome though some may feel challenged by the length and general pace.
Bristle
Before I start this review, I'll just note that I prefer to call the series by the Western name, 'Fist of the North Star'. I like 'Fist of the North Star' better than 'Hokuto no Ken' anyway. Fist of the North Star is a classic, hands down. It's a fun albeit repetitive 80's Shonen gorefest. However, that's not even the best part. It's also an epic with passion and power. It follows Kenshiro in Post-Apocalyptic 199X, as he goes around blowing up bad guys with his almighty martial arts style, Hokuto Shin Ken. It is Kenshiro's destiny as the End of Century Savior to carry the burdensof those who still love, and to carry their hopes and dreams. He does this by blowing up generic bad guys from the inside out, and then ocassionally he has to blow up a decent bad guy.
So without further ado, I'll go into more details.
Story:
The story of Fist of the North Star is utterly brilliant. It's a simple story of good prevailing over evil, and yet carries a great amount of passion. Its message is so simplistic and cliched, but its delivery carries so much power and emotion. It's the manliest thing to ever carry this level of emotion. The story ends on a perfect conclusion, bringing everything together. Story wise, Fist of the North Star is an absolute masterpiece in execution, if just for the sheer enjoyment of it.
10/10
Art:
The art style prominent in Fist of the North Star is distinctively masculine. Big muscles and highly detailed and realistic character designs galore.I can't give it 10 because there wasn't much difference in the designs of the thousands of generic goons who get blown up, but the countless number of Sex Pistols and David Bowie impersonating goons were... interesting, even if generic. As for the animation, it was a little tacky most of the time, but amusingly so.
9/10
Sound:
Awesome OPs and EDs and awesome BGM music. Whenever I heard the instrumental of the first opening song playing I knew something exciting was going to happen. Unfortunately it loses a point for the inevitable repetition of the 109 episodes. The voice actors are all great, and the narrator is absolutely crazy.
9/10
Character:
The significant characters all hold a great purpose in the story. They all feel incredibly genuine and important in the story, and I felt emotional attachment to a number of them.
10/10
Enjoyment:
It's kind of strange that enjoyment is the weakest point of Fist of the North Star when at first glance it looks like a show that's dumb fun. Sure, watching Kenshiro blow up guys is awesome... for about 50 of the 109 episodes. I tgets stale when you see the same generic scenario where a bunch of goons attack and village and Kenshiro fights them either just before they kill someone or just after. If this wasn't a Shonen, I'd be questioning Kenshiro's morals a whole lot. There's also way too many recaps. Hell, the last episode is a recap.
8/10
Overall:
Fist of the North Star has a few little issues to do with getting bland and repetitive in some ways over time, but all in all it's an absolute must watch classic. If you can get over the repetitive nature of things, you'll find somethin both cheesy and brilliant.
9/10
