Fist of the North Star, New Volume 1: The Cursed City - Cultcuts Magazine
- Cultcuts Magazine
- Mark Engle
- 11/09/04
- click here
Article written by Mark Engle
Do you want to see people?s heads blowing up? Do you really? I thought so and, man-oh-man, is there a show in town to bring cartoon brains exploding directly into your living rooms. Part ROAD WARRIOR, part CONAN THE BARBARIAN, mixed with a serious dose of old school martial arts and seasoned with a SCANNERS fetish for those noggins that go boom, and you?ve got yourself NEW FIST OF THE NORTH STAR.
The original series was well known among both its many fans and detractors, as it spawned two series (over 150 episodes combined), an animated feature, a video game and a live action feature from director Tony (HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II, TICKS) Randel starring Gary Daniels (BLOODMOON) and Malcolm McDowell (A CLOCKWORK ORANGE). This is not to mention countless Manga and graphic novels as well. Like different eras of the GODZILLA franchise, NEW FIST doesn?t rely on the original story, but uses it as a backdrop for a whole new set of adventures. So the good news is, you don?t have to go back and watch everything that was released in the mid-eighties to know what is going on. The bad news for those new to the story is that some of it just has to be accepted without explanation. The lead character has a special martial arts skill that when he chooses to, he can punch his enemies in the face causing terminal facial distortions and eventual combustible cranium calamity. The world as we know it has ended and roaming gangs, ala MAD MAX, roam the countryside in search of water and power. The list could go on, but none of it is all that complicated when it comes to the basic premise. The ongoing story on the other hand?
VOLUME 1: THE CURSED CITY ? In the first of three episodes, we open with a band of rogues working for Sanga, an evil ruler of a city called Last Land. As our hero, or better put, anti-hero Kenshiro comes upon a group of slaughtered villagers, he takes on the gang by himself. This includes one of my personal favorite head bursts in the entire series thus far (top of head blows off leaving bottom jaw and tongue flapping in the wind, as the body convulses before hitting the ground). After all is said and done, one villager remains, Tobi, who will become the most battered and messed up victim in any form I can recall during the course of the series. The wounded Tobi and Kenshiro head into the Village of Freedom to seek medical aid from Sara, a powerful healer. Unfortunately, Sanga wants Sara for himself to gain more control over his growing population of slaves (you want clean uncontaminated water, you work for and get whipped by Sanga?s henchmen). He already has one ?god? in the form of a young disturbed boy, who somehow seems to sprout unlimited fresh water from his hands. Adding a mystical healer under his control will bring Sanga more power.
Much like ZATOICHI and many other lone crusaders of good over evil, Kenshiro gets involved and seeks to make things right. Fortunately, Sanga?s arrogance, which gives a whole new meaning to the word, makes him easily viable, but that doesn?t mean the fight isn?t going to be easy. Without giving away too much, there are plenty of final twists within the mayhem to leave you hanging for the second episode. Disc One also comes with four character bios, six trailers for other ADV titles, and a half hour interview with the U.S. director and four actors who did the dubbing for the English version (the original Japanese version, subtitled in English being preferred). There is also a seventeen minute interview with martial artist Phil Cardella, who talks about pressure points in the human body and fighting skills, and finally an eighteen minute press conference with the original filmmakers that is quite informative and entertaining. As for the transfer, it isn?t anamorphic, but the picture is so clear, I almost want to say that it doesn?t need it, plus it includes one of the best examples of Dolby 5.1 stereo sound with incredible separation. Some of the CGI is obvious, but it mixes so well that it doesn?t distract with the actual animation.
VOLUME 2: THE FORBIDDEN FIST ? The second episode dives right in where the first left off with an injured ?god? and Kenshiro needing to find a special serum within two days or all will fail. No worries, I won?t indulge too much information, but needless to say, the only way to get the serum is through an impassable mountainside guarded by the Cliffland Demons. Actually, these creatures are a group of monks who happen to share similar powers as Kenshiro for reasons that I won?t convey here. Meanwhile, Sara, Tobi and gang now have a new mysterious stranger in their midst who calls himself Seiji, a formidable foe with brains, hellish experience and a sense of revenge beyond evil. Seiji claims to take over everything Sanga has ruled over. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Just as we receive more plot twists in this epic tale, we are left hanging on the threshold for part three!
Where the first episode settles in with an introduction and sets up the premise, the second takes the tale in some very interesting and surprising new directions. Granted, somehow many of the main characters are connected in one way or another with their pasts making the twists a little hard to swallow at times, but it does make for some great shocking moments and effective drama. This second disc (sold separately) comes with a similar transfer and is up to the overall excellent quality from ADV films. The six trailers are for different titles not found on the first disc and the bios are dedicated to different characters. This time around, the interviews are focused on Gackt Camui, who plays the voice of Seiji, and Michael Zang of the Jai Yen Street Combat & Self Defense System that may only be of interest to those practicing martial arts. Here, the behind-the-scenes footage isn?t with any original press footage but rather covers several of the US actors? ADR footage redubbing the film into English. Not nearly as informative, but still worthwhile for those who are interested.
VOLUME 3: Coming soon!
Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 (Archive on Thursday, December 09, 2004)