This is a NerdPostXclusive...
NOTE: This is only a very minimal summary. No major spoilers here.
All brackets = [rough translation from Japanese.]
"199X - The earth was engulfed in nuclear flames…"
Hokuto No Ken [Fist of the Big Dipper] - a manga conceived in 1983 by mangaka artist Tetsuo Hara and writer Sho "Buronson" Fumimura (so named for his great respect for, and mustache purposely resembling Charles Bronson) is one of the most complex and imaginative narratives in all of comic book history.
Known to Americans as "Fist of the North Star". I don't think this completely insane tale has ever gotten the respect that it truly deserves here in the U.S. Although, it is quite popular, mainstream entertainment in Nippon. This story, like Godzilla, is an expression of Japan's Euro-Americatomically broken heart. It speculates as to perhaps the most horrific hypothetical aspect of post-nuclear war: How would the survivors cope with the fallout? More importantly, it is a classic story of love, revenge, hope and survival following several heroes, villains and rogues over many overlapping story arcs.
The collected mythos includes: the original 245 chapter Manga with 6 spin-off series, a 152 episode animated TV series, a prequel manga series started in 2001("Fist of the Blue Sky" which had it's own TV series as well), 2 animated feature films, a 5 film series ("Legends of the True Savior"), a really, really shitty American live-action film and about 36 different video games. Not to mention countless merchandise and toys/model-otaku. Most intriguingly, though, it also includes it's own extremely vast, violent, crazy-as-fuck, fictional, empty-hand martial arts systems.
"Horrific art of assassination was passed down for 2000 years. The Divine Fist of the North Star, under the seven stars, repeatedly bring tragedies to those who inherit it..."
The Martial Arts:
Hokuto Shinken - [Divine Fist of the Big Dipper] Kenshiro's style. It's kind of like Kenpo/Jeet Kune Do/Iron Shirt/Dim Mak creatively combined. Coolest moves: (all moves are prefixed by "North Star") - Hundred Crack Fist, Thousand Chained Kicks, Fist of Compassion, Softness Ripping Slash, Strangling Neck Break, Twin Dragon Wave, Flying Defensive Fist, Chest Killing Fist, Muscle Cutting Kick, Nothingness Finger Bullet, Boulder Splitting Wave, Meteorite Face Breaking Kick. There are a ton of "secret" (made-up) acupressure meridian points and dozens of other moves too. All with equally crazy-ass names.
Nanto Seiken - [Sacred Fist of the South Dipper] Shin/Rei's style. Consisting of Nanto Roku Seiken [Six Sacred Fists of Nanto] each of which has a different master. Also called Fist of the Southern Cross, it resembles the Northern Styles of Kung Fu especially White Crane, but also aspects of Dim Mak and Wing Chun. Crazy-named moves include: (with "South Star" prefix) Hell Slaughter Fist, Wicked Wolf Attack, Hawk Talon Triangle Kick, Thousand Dragon Head Attack, Flying Swallow Slash, Expansive Flight of Red Sparrow, Flowing Dance of Flying Swallow, Soaring White Loveliness. It's wild, man, wild.
The Cast:
Ryuken - 63rd Master of Hokuto Shinken. Ryuken adopted the four orphaned Hokuto Brothers: Raoh, Toki, Jagi, and Kenshiro. Only one of the four can be sole successor to the style. The others must have their fists "sealed"(hands crippled) or their minds erased of the teachings. In the "Fist of the Blue Sky" prequel series he is revealed to be Kasumi Ramon, brother of Kasumi Kenshiro AKA Yen Wang: "The King of Hell" 62nd successor to the style, for whom the orphan Kenshiro was named.
Kenshiro - What would happen if Mad Max, Bruce Lee, Eastwood in the Leone films, and Jesus Christ mutated into one man? Easy, Kenshiro. (AKA Ken, The Man with 7 Scars, The Savior of Century's End, Youngest of the 4 Hokuto Brothers, 64th Successor of Hokuto Shinken) Ken is betrayed by a rival (Shin) who cuts his arm and leg joints, tortures him and leaves him with 7 scars (in the shape of the Big Dipper via 7 holes poked through his torso BY HAND!) to die in the dust of the nuclear wasteland. Ken, of course, survives and comes fists blazing for revenge. In his resurrected state Ken becomes more powerful and merciless. Despite his extreme brutality, he often takes the Christ-style route healing, protecting and saving innocent, peaceful people from the multitude of raiders and marauders who prowl the wastes attempting to rob, rape, torture and enslave them. Sometimes he even shows his enemies similar compassion. Mostly, though, he just beats the shit out of guys, hitting them with lightning speed in multiple hidden acupressure points causing them to explode from the inside. Messy as fuck. Usually, just before the bastards burst open they beg for mercy to which Ken always replies with his catch phrase: "Omae wa mou - Shinderu…" [ You're already dead… ]
Yuria - (Not Urea but pronounced the same.) Kenshiro's old lady. Kidnapped by his rival who has her lavishly imprisoned in the tallest tower of his militarized city: "Southern Cross". Here, he obsessively attempts to win her favor by spoiling her with clothes, jewels and various finery in which she has absolutely no interest. Her love for Ken perseveres and she attempts both suicide and escape...
Shin- (AKA: King) One of the Nanto Seiken "6 Sacred Fists". Shin is the Master of Nanto Koshuken [South Star Lone Eagle Fist] and Ken's friend and rival. His long time infatuation with Yuria (along with some coaxing from Kenshiro's jealous brother, Jagi) causes him to attack Ken and begins the first story arc.
Rei - Another of the 6 Nanto Masters. Rei is successor to Nanto Suichoken [South Star Waterfowl Fist] Also, bent on revenge, he searches relentlessly through the wasteland for his kidnapped sister Airi. He is even faster than Ken and his technique slices his enemies into sectional ribbons. He and Ken eventually cross paths and become friends. Together they take on and destroy The Fang Clan.
Raoh - He's the Post-apocalyptic version of Alexander The Great. (AKA Ken-Oh [King of Fists], Conqueror of Century's End, Eldest Of the 4 Hokuto Brothers) Raoh is the strongest of the 4 Hokuto brothers. He is consumed with megalomania. He felt slighted when Ryuken named Kenshiro as the true successor of Hokuto Shinken, so he murdered the old master. Raoh traverses all over the wasteland on his mighty steed, Kokuoh seizing land and building his army. All those who stand in the way of his ruthless campaign, are destroyed.
Toki - 2nd eldest of the Hokuto Brotherhood. Master of his own technique: Hokuto Ujo Ken [North Star Humane Fist], which kills its target with compassion and euphoria. Toki uses the secret meridians of Hokuto Shinken as a healing art. He suffers from great hardships following the nuclear conflict including radiation poisoning which turns his hair white. He chooses to wander the wasteland as a nomadic healer and comes across a village where all the inhabitants have fallen ill. He heals them all and the town becomes known as "The Village of Miracles". He is subsequently taken by Raoh's army and imprisoned in the dungeon city of "Cassandra" to await his inevitable irradiated death...
Jagi - (AKA - The Pretender) The worst asshole of the whole series. Jagi is the least skilled of the 4 brothers. He never mastered Hokuto Shinken, and relies instead on deceit to defeat his enemies. He favors a sawed-off shotgun over his fists. Fucking shameful. He fans the flames of Shin's jealousy, inspiring him to attack Ken. This is after he tried to kill Ken himself but failed. Rather than kill his brother, Kenshiro (in true Jesus Christ style) spares him out of pity, although Jagi is irreversibly disfigured by the fight. Thinking Kenshiro was killed by Shin, Jagi poses as him, sporting the tell-tale 7 scars to inspire fear in his subordinates and enemies. He is also the one who kidnapped Rei's sister Airi, and sold her as a slave to the Fang Clan. Ken tells this ugly, miserable bastard how it is, better than anyone: "Jagi, even hell isn't blistering enough for you!!"
Rin - She is saved from the "Zeed" bandit leader who's about to crush her tiny skull by the freshly resurrected Kenshiro. At first she appears mute but this is revealed to be a psychosomatic result of her previously witnessing the brutal slaughter of her family. Ken heals her and she is able to speak again. She has a teeny, tiny dog named Pel, and seems to reflect the fragile innocence that was lost in the war as well as its resistance to the horrors of the wasteland. She follows Kenshiro around during his adventures with her friend...
Bat - Hokuto No Ken's attempt at comic relief. Bat (pronounced Batou) is a smart-ass little thief and mechanic who has a sand buggy that he drives the hero characters around in from quest to quest. He cares deeply for Rin. His mouth is always getting him into trouble with the wasteland goons. But when you have an undead, superhuman martial arts master as your road buddy, you don't have to worry about them so much.
For me, the most enjoyable thing about this franchise is the TV series. All 152 episodes are currently available to watch, for free, on Crackle/Hulu (if you don't mind ads and subtitles). It is so weird and anatomically ridiculous, yet despite its wackiness, it still manages to have an incredible heart. At the time of its conception, nuclear war was still a very real threat worldwide. Unlike the almost dis-informative American nuke-scare films of the 1950s, Fist of the North Star was intended to be a sensitively deliberated, creative, and sincere warning to the world. Its packaging, however, is ultra-violent, surreal and not really designed for digestion by the traditionally western mind.
Since my trip to Japan this past spring I have a greater appreciation for the often hilarious cultural and language barriers that exist between we Americans and our Japanese friends. I have spent a lot of time in my life infiltrating these barriers. It has been said that laughter is the universal language. I believe this is definitely true. Here now, are some of the crazy, super-dramatic, actual real translated names of some of the episodes. If you can't find any humor in these or in the crazy fictional martial art move names either maybe "you're already dead."
In the tradition of Rocky and Bullwinkle all the episodes have two titles...kind of:
ep 6 "Search Order from Satan. - Find the Man with the Seven Scars!"
ep10 "The Raging Flame Reverse Flow Punch! - There are Too Many Who Must Die!"
ep20 "Nightmarish Full-Scale War! - My Fist is 1 Million Volts!"
ep 37 "Instead, I Shall Reject Love! - For I Bear the Cursed Star of Death!!"
ep 48 "An Explosion of Secret Techniques! - BEYOND HATRED IS THE FATE FOR THE BROTHERS OF THE NORTH STAR!"
ep 59 "The Darkness Engulfs The Heavens! - Time Evolves Beyond The Deathmatch!!"
ep 63 "A Young Hero Challenges His Fate! - Scream From Your Soul Shall Move The Heavens!!"
ep 97 "Farewell Yuria! - A Strong Man Will Not Speak of Love, Even in Death!!
WARNING! - Do NOT watch unless you have an iron stomach for schlock. Starring Gary Daniels (AKA: DarthMaul/Toad) as Kenshiro, Malcom McDowell as Ryuken, and Chris Penn as Jagi. However, if you're a nerd like me, and prefer a slightly more authentic, animated cheese, watch this: LINK.
Until next time...
-2012 Wielgorecki
This has been a NerdPostXclusive.
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