You’re Already Dead

Imagine facing an opponent with the ability to disable your movements, and end your life merely by placing an index finger gently against a pressure point in your lower abdomen, right shoulder and or the nape of your neck. In what amounted to a matter of seconds, under a guise seemingly equivalent to that of brushing against a door knob, you’ve effectively met the end of your existence.

Your shoulders flesh begins to bubble, blood oozing from newly formed cracks in your skin; in an instant your shoulder erupts in a geyser of blood. Your head quickly follows suit, and that’s it. You’re already dead. 30 seconds ago you were proclaiming victory.

Thus is Hokuto Shinken. The dominating force, of the Hokuto no Ken Universe.

Hokuto no Ken’s published origins can be traced back to an early pilot manga, consisting of two chapters written by Yoshiyuki "Buronson" Okamura and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. Here we are formally introduced to Hokuto Shinken, a martial arts practice with a 2000 year history. Hokuto focuses on internal pressure points, inflicting injury from the inside out. It is said the average human utilizes 30% of their potential; a practitioner of Hokuto Shinken is capable of tapping into the other 70%.

With the well received reception of the pilot chapters, Buronson and Tetsuo set out to serialize Hokuto no Ken as a weekly manga series. With it came the arrival Hokuto no Ken’s championed hero and successor to the Hokuto Shinken style. Kenshiro. Named for the central character of the pilot series, Kenshiro’s adoptive uncle Kasumi Kenshiro.

“In the year 199X, the earth was devastated by nuclear war. As a result, the earth was left crippled. The oceans dried up, while vegetation, food and water have become a rarity. The remnants of civilization are now severed into two distinct factions, the weak and the strong that prey upon them. With life an everyday struggle for survival, there remains but one hope to regain peace and prosperity for the future. The end of the century savior, and successor to Hokuto Shinken: Kenshiro.

Amidst his fight to rid the world of those that feast upon the innocent, Kenshiro is consumed by the loss of his fiancé Yuria. Brutally taken from him by the hand of his best friend Shin, a master of the Hokuto counterart Nanto Seiken. Shin savagedly mutilated a then weaker and carefree Kenshiro leaving him for dead, after marking his chest with 7 distinct scars resembling the big dipper. Franticly Kenshiro searches out his beloved whilst withstanding an unrelenting onslaught of Shin’s diabolically cruel forces as they mercilessly hunt for his head. With Ken's evergrowing sadness, his level of skill and power increases with it." And so the first Arc of Hokuto no Ken begins, with even far greater challenges lurking ahead.

The manga ran the course of 5 years, through the years of 1983 – 1988 amounting to 27 volumes. This also spawned a two part tv series totaling 152 episodes through the years of 1984 – 1988, as well as an animated feature film which most English speaking fans would recognize in its dubbed form as Fist of the North Star in 1986.

Due to the overwhelmingly lethal potential of Hokuto Shinken, there can only be one successor. Hokuto Shinken is traditionally passed down between father and sons, with successorship awarded to the most skilled. Those that fail to make successor are then forced to give up the art, potentially having their memories altered or fists sealed (crushed, leaving them unable to practice HokutoShinken).

Ryuuken the 63rd Hokuto Shinken successor never had any sons of his own, as a result Ryuuken came to adopt four sons: Raoh, Toki, Jagi and Kenshiro.

Raoh - The eldest Hokuto brother. Raoh intends to conquer the heavens and vows to topple anything and anyone who gets in his way.

Toki - 2nd eldest Hokuto brother. Until being stricken with illness, Toki had been most likely to become successor. Toki believes in Hokuto Shinken’s potential as a healing art, and thus his style reflects this.

Jagi - 3rd eldest and least skilled of the Hokuto brothers. Is inflamed with jealously and contempt due to his younger brother’s superior skill.

Kenshiro - Youngest Hokuto brother, who is ultimately chosen to take the succesorship.

In the heavens there exists two pole stars; the northern Hokuto, and southern Nanto. Complete opposites counterbalancing each other in everyway. Nanto Seiken attacks the oppont from the exterior, via a series of slashing and thrusting techniques. Master practionors of Nanto are capable of inflicting injury without physical contact, through the use of air displacement.

In contrast to Hokuto Shinken which allows but one successor, Nanto Seiken is comprised of 108 schools. The most noted being the Nanto Roku Seiken, or "Six Sacred Fists of the South Dipper". These six represented the Nanto generals, all of which fated to one of the six stars of the Nanto pole constellation. Before the fallout, these deadly warriors were entrusted with guarding the six entrances to the palace of the Nanto emperor.

• Released in 1983.
• Two volumes, consisting of two parts each.
• Written by Yoshiyuki "Buronson" Okamura and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara.
• Follows the Exploits of Kasumi Kenshiro, no Hokuto no Ken or Souten no Ken spoilers.

• Released in 1983 -1988.
• 27 volumes.
• Written by Yoshiyuki "Buronson" Okamura and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara.

• Released in 1984-1987.
• 109 episodes, 24 minutes each.

• Released in 1986.
• 140 minutes.
• Directed by Toyoo Ashida.
• English dubbed release known as "Fist of the North Star".
• Summerizes the events of the first 55 episodes of the television series. Much of the story is condensed, altered or missing all together.

• Released in 1987-1988.
• 43 episodes, 24 minutes each.
• There is a deliberate narrative gap between the the last episode of the first series and the first episode of the second series.

• Released in 1995.
• 92 minutes.
• Directed by Tony Randel. Starring Gary Daniels and Malcom McDowell.
• Deviates heavily from the Manga and tv series, yet still contains several of the main events of episodes 1-32.

• Released in 1999.
• 36 episodes, 24 minutes each.
• English dub of the first 36 episodes from the orginal television series.

• Released in 2001-2008.
• 18 volumes, ongoing.
• Written by Yoshiyuki "Buronson" Okamura and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara.
• Also known as "Fist of the Blue Sky"
• Prequel to Hokuto no Ken. Set primarily in Shanghai during the 1930's, focusing once again on 62nd Hokuto Shinken successor Kasumi Kenshiro.

• Released in 2003-2004
• 3 episodes: 1.) A Spellbinding City. (59 minutes.) 2.) The Forbidden Fist (54 minutes.) 3.) When a Man Carries Sorrow. (60 minutes.)
• Also known as "New Fist of the North Star"
• Based on Buronson's novel Jubaku no Machi, focuses once again on Kenshiro.

• Released in 2006-2007
• 22 episodes broadcast, 26 released on DVD.
• Also known as "Fist of the Blue Sky"
• Television series based on the ongoing manga, cancelled due to poor ratings.

• Released in 2005.
• 95 mins.
• Directed by Takahiro Imamura.
• Also known as "The Legend of Raoh: A Martyred Love."
• Part of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu series AKA: "True Savior Legend".
• Reworking of the HnK 1 storyline, contains several alterations and added material.

• Released in 2007.
• 65 mins.
• Directed by Hidehito Ueda.
• Also known as "The Legend of Yuria."
• Part of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu series AKA: "True Savior Legend".
• Reworking of the HnK 1 storyline, contains several alterations and added material.

• Released in 2007.
• 90 mins.
• Directed by Takahiro Imamura.
• Also known as "The Legend of Raoh: Fierce Fighting."
• Part of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu series AKA: "True Savior Legend".
• Reworking of the HnK 1 storyline, contains several alterations and added material. Recomended the last of the "Dens" viewed.

• Released in 2008.
• 55 mins.
• Directed by Kobun Shizuno.
• Also known as "The Legend of Toki."
• Part of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu series AKA: "True Savior Legend".
• Reworking of the HnK 1 storyline, contains several alterations and added material.

• Expected Fall 2008.
• Directed by Kobun Shizuno.
• Also to be known as "Zero: The Legend of Kenshiro. "
• Last of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu series AKA: "True Savior Legend".
• Rumored to be a prequel to the alread established storyline.