Fist Of The North Star |
 | Summary:Tremendously-violent actioneer chronicles the struggle between three powerful brethrens and an ancient prophecy of martial arts. Though somewhat dated, still considered a cult-classic for it's bombastically-rampant carnage; campy plot/dialouge. This is a must see for classic action buffs not bothered by some weatherworn artwork. Near-epic feel. |
| Title Aka: | Hokuto No Ken |
| Company/Distributors: | Toei Animation;Streamline Pictures;Orion |
| Year: | 1986 |
| Length: | 110 Minutes |
| Rating: |  |
| Genres: | Action, Martial Arts, Fantasy, Science Fiction |
| Format: | Feature Film |
| Content Level: |
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| Comments: | N/A |
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Synopsis:
The distant future is a desolate wasteland of chaos, forged from the hatred and destruction of the human race. Little life and no existance of nature is found on the planet Earth. Small legions of beings thrive on what is left on the earth, scavenging like lost animals with no place to go. The humans walk endlessly upon the scorched Earth, looking for water, food or any sign of human life left on the planet. Those who are too weak to carry on have their hopes crushed and shattered, the humans live what is left of their meaningless existance. Once a prosper land is now a dark and empty one as a result of the human race's self-made apocalypse. Now in this new world there are only two kinds of beings who survive. Those of the stong and the weak. The strong use all their power, skill and strength in order find what they need to survive. They often appear in forms of armies and gangs, attacking small villages and the weak people who inhabit them. Those who do this steal all they need to survive. The weak are the ones who truly suffer in this world, and there are none alive stong enough to stand up for those who are too weak to do so. For in this world there are no rules, boundaries or means of proper existence. Mankind have become animals trapped in their own world of hatred. Few wish to establish to world to the place it once was, while others are too weak to stand up to those who forge destruction upon the planet.
Only the few who are strong stand up for the well-being of the planet. A powerful martial arts warrior named Kenshiro (Aka: Ken) wishes to establish the world to the prosper and peaceful land it once was. Durring a devastating battle for supremacy, Ken was left unconscious by his enemy and former comrad Shin. Shortly after defeating him, Shin abducted Ken's love Julia. Along side his pain and suffering, Ken bears the fact of the betrayal of his three powerful brothers; all whom wish to see Ken dead for several different reasons. One of Ken's brothers suffers from a face scorched with a deadly sickness full of pain, which will eventually wage his own death. Ken's eldest brother Roah is known as a powerful and ruthless ruler of a legion of powerful warriors, destroying everything in their path. All brothers were taught by the same martial arts master, the art of Hokuto Shinken is the deadliest and most powerful of all the arts. A fighting style able to destroy enemies using various pressure-points and way of summoning the energy of the earth. Left as a burden for him, Ken bears the marks of the "Hokuto Shinken" (The Fist Of The North Star); a set of wounds formed to make a shape of the "Big Dipper". These wounds were placed upon Ken from Shin. After recovering from the wounds left by his previous battle, and now a master of "Hokuto Shinken"; Ken seeks the path of his destiny. To establish the right of the planet and to put an end to his enemies' evil rein of terror. Can Ken defeat his brother Roah in time enough to save Julia, once again establishing the peace and dignity of the planet? But soon enough Ken finds that the key to defeating the evil lies within the secrets of a young and mysterious girl.
Review:
"Hokuto No Ken" or "Fist Of The North Star" is based upon the classic graphic novels by Tetsuo Hara, and is directed by Toyoo Ashida. The film is a cross between the epic scope of sci-fi fantasy films like "Dune" and "Mad Max", the action of films like "Universal Soldier" and The movie is full of action, fight-scenes and plenty of violence. And boy, is this film indeed a VIOLENT one. Fist Of The North Star obtains a level of action-violence so extreme, grandiloquent and so over-the-top, to the point when it becomes not disturbing or graphic but down-right ridiculous. The director is obviously trying to achieve something the Japanese animation industry is either incapable of doing with a decent extent of artistic quality, or the film is trying to be a pointless action movie. Fist Of The North Star has no direction, no perpose and no point. Once you think you see the good in this film, you think twice; and no such redeeming qualities can save it's lacking of several aspects. The film leaves a bad aftertaste of something potentially much greater. The movie contains few appealing characters, whom are portrayed rather indecently. The ideas, characters and aspects portrayed in Fist Of The North Star belong in a better production. The film is simply too old to obtain the desired technological aspects the director envisions, the result is a rather pointless, non-entertaining and rather gory action movie. Although some appreciate "FOTNS" for it's appealing ideas and promising production values, which I admit the film contains to some extent; it's simply not a high quality film. The film's animation, effects and production try way too hard to accomplish it's storyline intent; the movie just becomes a scattered, often poorly-constructed film. Which is I'm afraid to say, just what I feel Fist Of The North Star to be.
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"Kickboxer" and the supernatural and metaphysical elements of films like "Akira" and "Blade Runner"; all taking place in a post-apocalyptic, disaster-ridden world. Although it holds a decent and often epic feel all it's own, "FOTNS" is most prominently an action movie. The film's theme is so well set into it's surroundings that it's rather difficult to imagine Fist Of The North Star being any other way. Indeed it is full of action, and though the movie is rather low on plot and character development, it contains a unique quality unlike anything I've seen in recent or classic anime films. Fist Of The North Star is an epic story of friendship, love, war, hatred, death, destruction and life; though it may not seem as so. The film centers around a large group of characters, some whom are portrayed rather nicely, yet most over-the-top. The films maintains the mainstream action feel, but at the same time is trying to be something it's not (Or at least is unable to be). The film is indeed rather old, and the art at times can seem extremely dated; though it's not terrible.