2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the manga Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken), written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, which has made a significant impact worldwide. In celebration of this milestone, Warner Bros. Japan has announced a new anime project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of this iconic manga this year.
While details about the new project are scarce, a promotional image has been revealed, and no additional information regarding the film’s format has been disclosed yet.
According to the information available, the new anime adaptation of Fist of the North Star will feature complete character redesigns. This change is primarily due to the aging of the characters from previous adaptations. The anime is expected to premiere to audiences in late 2024 or early 2025.
The manga Fist of the North Star was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from Shueisha with a total of 245 chapters, published from 1983 to 1988, and was compiled into 27 volumes by Jump Comics. This manga series has sold over 100 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga of all time. Fist of the North Star is regarded as one of the most influential titles in manga history.
The storyline is set in a post-apocalyptic world where civilization has collapsed due to a nuclear war, focusing on a martial artist named Kenshiro. He is the last successor of the martial art Hokuto Shinken. His mission revolves around defeating various antagonists using the secret techniques of this martial art, which allows him to exploit pressure points on the human body.
The work has been adapted into two anime series produced by Toei Animation, aired on Fuji TV from 1984 to 1988, with a total of 152 episodes. Since then, there have been various adaptations, including live-action films, OVAs, and video games, all of which have received positive recognition.
