Fist of the North Star Movie (1986)
Ask a Gen Xer what the first anime they watched was. Fist of the North Star would top that list. Initially released in Japan in 1986, Fist of the North Star would find success in the States with its VHS release in 1991. Its influence was so visceral that recording artists such as Method Man and Jeru the Damaja would reference it or sample its elements in the mid-nineties.
Fist of the North Star samples has also been used by the late MF Doom and electronic producer Flying Lotus. At 100 million manga copies sold, numerous adaptions, including a live-action film (1995), Fist of the North Star tops many an anime aficionados must-watch list.
The Fist of the North Star OVA is an adaptation of the manga by the same name. It is a retelling of events featured in the manga and concurrent TV series. The events and plots featured in the OVA are resequenced and do not follow the manga or television series directly. However, it maintains the graphic nature of the manga, a trait the television series did not follow.
Produced by Toi Animation Fist of the North Star, known in Japanese as Hokuto no Ken, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ravished by nuclear war. In the wasteland, humanity clings to survival and searches for what remains of uncontaminated food and water. The new world is torn between predator and prey as the Warlord era has begun. Again! But amidst the chaos are those who would save humanity from being extinguished. Or that would be the case if the series protagonist wasn’t lovestruck!
When Fist of the North Star opens, I mean after the Narrator and Shadows of Death exposition, we find our love birds Yuria and Kenshiro ambushed by Shin and his merry band of minions.
Having the locks of a Golden Greek God, Shin, master of the Fist of the South Star, has decided that Yuri should be his woman. Defeating Kenshiro and marking him with seven wounds in the shape of a dipper, he takes Ken’s lifeless body and throws him over the side of a cliff. It had been Yuria and Kenshiro’s dream to bring the earth back to life by planting seeds. With Ken’s death, that dream died with him.
In the OVA, Ken is the youngest of three siblings and is the chosen successor to the Hokuto Shinken or Big Dipper God Fist. His two brothers Jagi and elder brother Raoh believe that Kenshiro is too young to be the successor. The result was a sibling rivalry between the three brothers and a test of philosophies between Raoh and Kenshiro. Jagi never masters Hokuto Shinlen and instead chose deception over skill. His deception would prove lethal.
Kenshiro would return from the grave a year later, much more potent and more powerful. He would find himself as the deliverer in a sea of Empires.
Fist of the North Star covers themes of spirituality, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Kenshiro is the reluctant Knight or savior who, while gifted, focuses on his passion for Yuria instead of saving the world. He is joined by Lynn, Bat, and Rei, who help guide him into his role as a deliverer. His three main antagonists Jagi, Shin, and Raoh, provide the necessary arcs that move the story forward.
Fist of the North Star was initially released in Japanese theatres in 1986. It would receive a home release in Japan in 1988. An English dub would be released for U.S audiences in 1991. The English adaptation was produced by Carl Macek (Robotech) and released by Streamline Pictures.
The animation in the original release left much to be desired, but when paired against the anime released at the time, Its character designs set it apart from other franchises and individuals such as Kenshiro, Rei, and Roah are quickly recognizable within the franchise’s branding.
The late Bruce Lee influenced Kenshiro’s design. His hair, eyebrows, facial features pay as Kenshiro’s vocal tone when fighting pay homage to the martial arts legend. It is also apparent that George Oliver’s Mad Max was influential on the OVA.
As much as I love the OVA, I have to say the censorship can be annoying. Because of its over-the-top use of blood and gore, many of the fight scenes resemble bloody blurs that seem laughable at best. The Hokuto Shinken is a martial arts technique that causes massive bleeding or bodily explosions against opponents. While the blurring can be intrusive, there are times when we get to see the method used to viewer satisfaction.
Fist of the North Star possesses an excellent soundtrack that pairs well with the anime. My favorite track is “Heart of Madness,” If you want to know the lyrics, I recommend going sub, which brings me to an exciting discovery. As much as I love the dub, it was the first version I watched; the subtitle is much better. While I enjoy hearing the late James Avery (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), the dub alters certain plot aspects. The deviation is minimal, but the departure is like grape cough syrup when placed against the greater Fist of the North Star story.
At 110 minutes, Fist of the North Star is like an anime infomercial that asked you, “would you like to know more?” The OVA, while good, does not do the complete franchise justice as it is a retelling of the story. Characters such as Bat and Lynn play more significant roles in the franchise.
The anime, probably due to time constraints, does not mention the fourth brother Toki. I recommend giving the OVA a chance as it is a quick ride through a series that has been around for nearly three decades. Old school anime fans may find it a trip down memory lane, while unfamiliar weebs may shun the anime due to its archaic animation and low waifu count.
