Fist of the North Star (1986 film)
Encyclopedia
is a 1986 Japanese animated
film adaptation of the manga
series of the same name
. It was produced by Toei Animation
, the same studio who worked on the TV series that was airing at the time, with much of the same staff and cast working on both. The film adapts the storyline of the manga from the beginning of the series up until Kenshiro
's first match with his rival and elder brother Raoh
, with many liberties taken with the order of events and how the story unfolds (including the roles of several characters). However, the film retains the more violent content of the original manga, which the television series lacked.
, the majority of earth's surface has become a wasteland, with most of the world's survivors fighting over the few uncontaminated food and water supplies. Kenshiro, the master of the deadly martial art Hokuto Shinken
, is traveling with his fiancee Yuria (Julia in English version) when they are confronted by Ken's former friend Shin of the Nanto Seiken
. After defeating Ken in combat, Shin engraves seven stab wounds on Ken's chest and leaves him for dead, taking Yuria with him. Ken's eldest brother Raoh
, having witnessed the fight without intervening, returns to his dojo and challenges his Master Ryuken's decision to choose Ken as his successor over him. Raoh kills Ryuken and proclaims he will become the ruler of the new world.
A year passes and Ken is found wandering in the desert. He rescues a couple of young children named Bat and Lin from bandits. Afterwards he allies himself with another martial artist named Rei, a Nanto Seiken master who is searching for his sister Airi. Ken learns from Rei that his brother Jagi has been impersonating him in an attempt to tarnish his reputation and draw him out. Ken heads to Jagi's lair and defeats him. Before dying, Jagi reveals that he was one who convinced Shin to betray Ken and that he is now living with Yuria in his stronghold of Southern Cross.
Elsewhere, Raoh has amassed a huge army, expanding his domain by defeating rival warlords and begins heading to Southern Cross. There Yuria is treated with a life of luxury, living under the rule of King Shin. However, Yuria refuses Shin's gifts of affection, longing to be reunited with Ken. When she overhears that Ken is still alive, she attempts to sneak out of the castle, only to be taken captive by Raoh, who challenges Shin to combat. A while later, Kenshiro arrives at Southern Cross, finding the city in flames and Shin's men dead. Shin is still alive and fights Ken, but the battle does not last long, as Shin was graveley wounded in his battle with Raoh. Before dying, Shin tells Ken that Raoh has taken Yuria to Cassandra, the City of Wailing Demons.
Lin arrives at Cassandra along with Bat and Rei, where they witness Raoh's army marching through the streets. Lin sees Yuria being held by Raoh's men during the parade and decides to break into Raoh's Dungeon later that night with Bat. The two meet Yuria in her cell and leave her with a plant grown from a seed Yuria gave to Ken before leaving. The plant catches Raoh's attention and Yuria is immediately sentenced to a public execution the following morning. Rei challenges Raoh, after defeating his second-in-command. However, he is no match against Raoh himself. Ken rushes to Cassandra, but arrives too late. After Rei dies, Kenshiro and Raoh unleash their full fighting aura and battle until most of the town is destroyed. Both exhausted of all their power and strength, Lin interrupts the fight before either one can kill the other and implores Raoh to stop the fight. Raoh agrees to Lin's request and walks away, swearing to postpone the battle for another day. Ken leaves Lin and Bat, and continues his search for Yuria, who mysteriously vanished during the final battle.
release in 1988, on Laserdisc
in 1995, and on Region 2 DVD
on November 21, 2008. The Japanese home video versions of Hokuto no Ken featured a revised ending from the original theatrical version. In the theatrical version, Kenshiro falls unconscious during the final battle, giving Raoh the ample opportunity to finish him off until he is interrupted by Lin. In the revised ending, both warriors are still conscious when they're about to deliver their mutual finishing blows before they're both interrupted by Lin. The revised ending was produced since the film's director, Toyoo Ashida, felt that the theatrical ending was unnatural due to the way Raoh abruptly decides to spare Kenshiro's life. Only the first-print editions of the DVD featured the theatrical ending.
, which was first released on home video in 1991 in North America and in 1994 in the United Kingdom and Australia by Manga Entertainment
. The DVD release of Streamline's English dub was released by Image Entertainment
. Discotek released a remastered DVD version of the film in May 2009, which, unlike the Japanese re-release, features only the original ending from the theatrical release.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
film adaptation of the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series of the same name
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
. It was produced by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
, the same studio who worked on the TV series that was airing at the time, with much of the same staff and cast working on both. The film adapts the storyline of the manga from the beginning of the series up until Kenshiro
Kenshiro
is the main protagonist of the manga franchise Fist of the North Star by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. According to Buronson, Kenshiro's character design was inspired by the character of Max Rockatansky from the Mad Max film series and martial artist Bruce Lee.In the story, Kenshiro is the rightful...
's first match with his rival and elder brother Raoh
Raoh
is a fictional character in the Fist of the North Star manga franchise by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. He is the eldest of four honorary brothers who trained alongside the protagonist Kenshiro in the ancient assassination art of Hokuto Shinken...
, with many liberties taken with the order of events and how the story unfolds (including the roles of several characters). However, the film retains the more violent content of the original manga, which the television series lacked.
Plot
After a global-scale nuclear warNuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
, the majority of earth's surface has become a wasteland, with most of the world's survivors fighting over the few uncontaminated food and water supplies. Kenshiro, the master of the deadly martial art Hokuto Shinken
Hokuto Shinken
is a fictional two thousand year old martial art that is shrouded in mystery, from the eponymous manga and anime franchise, Fist of the North Star. Hokuto Shinken is based loosely on Dim Mak kung fu, but very few conventional martial arts compare to it....
, is traveling with his fiancee Yuria (Julia in English version) when they are confronted by Ken's former friend Shin of the Nanto Seiken
Nanto Seiken
is a fictional martial arts style featured prominently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the opposite style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. While Hokuto Shinken focuses on pressure points to destroy an enemy from within, Nanto Seiken teaches how...
. After defeating Ken in combat, Shin engraves seven stab wounds on Ken's chest and leaves him for dead, taking Yuria with him. Ken's eldest brother Raoh
Raoh
is a fictional character in the Fist of the North Star manga franchise by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. He is the eldest of four honorary brothers who trained alongside the protagonist Kenshiro in the ancient assassination art of Hokuto Shinken...
, having witnessed the fight without intervening, returns to his dojo and challenges his Master Ryuken's decision to choose Ken as his successor over him. Raoh kills Ryuken and proclaims he will become the ruler of the new world.
A year passes and Ken is found wandering in the desert. He rescues a couple of young children named Bat and Lin from bandits. Afterwards he allies himself with another martial artist named Rei, a Nanto Seiken master who is searching for his sister Airi. Ken learns from Rei that his brother Jagi has been impersonating him in an attempt to tarnish his reputation and draw him out. Ken heads to Jagi's lair and defeats him. Before dying, Jagi reveals that he was one who convinced Shin to betray Ken and that he is now living with Yuria in his stronghold of Southern Cross.
Elsewhere, Raoh has amassed a huge army, expanding his domain by defeating rival warlords and begins heading to Southern Cross. There Yuria is treated with a life of luxury, living under the rule of King Shin. However, Yuria refuses Shin's gifts of affection, longing to be reunited with Ken. When she overhears that Ken is still alive, she attempts to sneak out of the castle, only to be taken captive by Raoh, who challenges Shin to combat. A while later, Kenshiro arrives at Southern Cross, finding the city in flames and Shin's men dead. Shin is still alive and fights Ken, but the battle does not last long, as Shin was graveley wounded in his battle with Raoh. Before dying, Shin tells Ken that Raoh has taken Yuria to Cassandra, the City of Wailing Demons.
Lin arrives at Cassandra along with Bat and Rei, where they witness Raoh's army marching through the streets. Lin sees Yuria being held by Raoh's men during the parade and decides to break into Raoh's Dungeon later that night with Bat. The two meet Yuria in her cell and leave her with a plant grown from a seed Yuria gave to Ken before leaving. The plant catches Raoh's attention and Yuria is immediately sentenced to a public execution the following morning. Rei challenges Raoh, after defeating his second-in-command. However, he is no match against Raoh himself. Ken rushes to Cassandra, but arrives too late. After Rei dies, Kenshiro and Raoh unleash their full fighting aura and battle until most of the town is destroyed. Both exhausted of all their power and strength, Lin interrupts the fight before either one can kill the other and implores Raoh to stop the fight. Raoh agrees to Lin's request and walks away, swearing to postpone the battle for another day. Ken leaves Lin and Bat, and continues his search for Yuria, who mysteriously vanished during the final battle.
Voice cast
| Character | Japanese version | English version |
|---|---|---|
| Kenshiro (Ken) | Akira Kamiya Akira Kamiya is a Japanese voice actor. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.-Career:Kamiya made his debut on Mahou no Mako-chan in 1970 while working for Theater Echo... |
John Vickery John Vickery John Estill Vickery is an American stage and film actor known for his work in Babylon 5 and Star Trek. Vickery grew up in Oakland, California. He attended the University of California at Davis, where he pursued a degree in mathematics... |
| Yuria (Julia) | Yuriko Yamamoto Yuriko Yamamoto is a Japanese voice actress currently employed by Aoni Production.-Notable voice roles:* Arcadia of My Youth as La Mime* Dancouga as Sara Yuki* Earthian as Takako* Fight! Iczer One as Iczer One* Fist of the North Star as Yuria... |
Melodee Spevack Melodee Spevack Melodee M. Spevack is a voice actress and vice president of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. She is also credited as Sonja S... |
| Raoh | Kenji Utsumi Kenji Utsumi is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Kitakyūshū, affiliated with the self-founded Ken Production. He is married to fellow voice actress Michiko Nomura.... |
Wally Burr Wally Burr Wally Burr is an American voice actor and director. He was best known as the voice director for the Generation 1 cartoon and The Transformers: The Movie. Aside from voicing some incidental characters, he has also filled in roles for regular voice actors who were unavailable for taping. He is also... |
| Jagi | Chikao Ohtsuka Chikao Ohtsuka is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo currently represented by Aoni Production. He is the father of Akio Ōtsuka, another voice actor, and they occasionally perform together... |
Dan Woren Dan Woren Daniel E. Woren is an American voice actor who is also known as Jackson Daniels, Warren Daniels, Dan Warren, Daniel Woren, and Dan Worren... |
| Shin | Toshio Furukawa Toshio Furukawa is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production and is married to fellow voice actress Shino Kakinuma. His height is 164cm. Hobbies are Fishing, diorama, reading and movies.In July 2011, Furukawa appeared at Anime Expo as a guest.-Career/Personal:... |
Michael McConnohie Michael McConnohie Michael D. McConnohie is a voice actor and is the President of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. He is known for his recognizable deep booming voice and is generally known for playing more charismatic characters... |
| Rei (Ray) | Kaneto Shiozawa Kaneto Shiozawa Kaneto Shiozawa , real name was a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo affiliated with Aoni Production. He had a distinctive cold, calm voice which usually typecast him in roles as villains or anti-heroes.... |
Gregory Snegoff |
| Lin (Lynn) | Tomiko Suzuki Tomiko Suzuki was a Japanese seiyu. She was born in Aichi Prefecture and was a member of Aoni Production. Her last film was Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker which was released only a week and half after Suzuki's death from a heart attack on July 7, 2003 at the age of 47.-Notable Anime Credits:* Captain Tsubasa —... |
Holly Sidell |
| Bat | Mie Suzuki Teiyu Ichiryusai is a seiyū and kōdan-shi who was born on June 20, 1958 in Osaka as . Ichiryūsai's original stage name is , which is written the same as her birth name, but with the given name written in Hiragana.-Voice Work:*Chibi Maruko-chan - Sumire Sakura... |
Tony Oliver Tony Oliver Rafael Antonio Olivier , better known as Tony Oliver, is an American voice actor best known for voicing Rick Hunter from Robotech and Arsène Lupin III from Lupin The 3rd... |
| Airi (Alei) | Arisa Andō Arisa Ando is a Japanese voice actor who works for 81 Produce. She is originally from Tokyo.-TV anime:* Anpanman * Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! * Highschool! Kimen-gumi * Hello Hedgehog... |
Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson is an American actress known mostly for her versatility in voicing original and dubbed cartoons. She is voted one of the ten best women to do the voices for young males in cartoons... |
| Ryuken | Junji Chiba | Jeff Corey Jeff Corey Jeff Corey was an American stage and screen actor and director who became a well-respected acting teacher after being blacklisted in the 1950s.-Biography:... |
| Narrator | Tarō Ishida Taro Ishida ' is a Japanese actor and seiyū from the city of Kyoto.-Career:Ishida is a chief priest at a Buddhist temple in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.Ishida is affiliated with Granpapa Production and his former stage name is '.... |
Jeff Corey Jeff Corey Jeff Corey was an American stage and screen actor and director who became a well-respected acting teacher after being blacklisted in the 1950s.-Biography:... |
Japanese
The film version of Hokuto no Ken was released theatrically in Japan on March 8, 1986, followed by a VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
release in 1988, on Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in 1995, and on Region 2 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on November 21, 2008. The Japanese home video versions of Hokuto no Ken featured a revised ending from the original theatrical version. In the theatrical version, Kenshiro falls unconscious during the final battle, giving Raoh the ample opportunity to finish him off until he is interrupted by Lin. In the revised ending, both warriors are still conscious when they're about to deliver their mutual finishing blows before they're both interrupted by Lin. The revised ending was produced since the film's director, Toyoo Ashida, felt that the theatrical ending was unnatural due to the way Raoh abruptly decides to spare Kenshiro's life. Only the first-print editions of the DVD featured the theatrical ending.
English
An English-dubbed version was produced by Streamline PicturesStreamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
, which was first released on home video in 1991 in North America and in 1994 in the United Kingdom and Australia by Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
. The DVD release of Streamline's English dub was released by Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
. Discotek released a remastered DVD version of the film in May 2009, which, unlike the Japanese re-release, features only the original ending from the theatrical release.