Fist of the North Star, New Volume 2: The Forbidden Fist - Underland Online
- Underland Online
- Mike
- 10/01/04
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New Fist of the North Star Vol. 2: The Forbidden Fist
I wasn't sure that the OVA, the New Fist of the North Star, was going to be something that I was terribly impressed with at first. It was a bit different than the Fist that I was so familiar with, and I can honestly say that my wife, who grew up watching the series on Japanese television, was even less pleased with what had been done to Kenshiro. However, after watching the first volume, we discovered that even though there were some minor things that we didn't care for, it really wasn't as bad as we had thought that it was. Much like the television series, the second volume of the series, 'The Forbidden Fist,' continues with the story that was introduced previously.
In case you missed the first however, the producers took that into consideration and you'll find a brief recap of what has already happened. Kenshiro finds himself in Last Land, an area that was once ruler by the devious Sango, and true to form, Kenshiro has managed to free the citizens of the land from his oppression and tyranny. If you're familiar with how Fist of the North Star works however, then you already know that Kenshiro's victory doesn't mean that the problems are over.
Bista, how the citizens of Last Land believed was the God Lord Doha, has an illness that is life threatening, and has very little time left to live. Sara, another of the city's 'gods' and another practitioner of Hokuto Shinken, knows that there is a medicine that will cure him; the location is too far away, although there is a possible solution. The mountain pass will get to the destination quicker, and Kenshiro volunteers to make the journey, but the one thing that he must be wary of the Clifflanders, a mysterious group of people that have a deadly martial art of their own.
While Kenshiro is away though, Seiji has been waiting for the right time to take Last Land as his own. Sango was his father, but it isn't revenge for his father's death that he wants. He actually had intended on doing the job himself, and that's thanks to the training that he received from the Clifflanders after being abandoned by his father. Ironically enough, Kenshiro learns that the Clifflander fist, Hokuto Tenkiken or Hokumon, is an offshoot of Hokuto Shinken. But, this is going to ultimately put his up against a deadly foe as Seiji is now in full control of Last Land with no one to oppose him, save for the rebellion that Tobi has started.
Much of this episode is set up, but it's very well done. In fact, I actually am starting to think that the New Fist has a much better and thought out story than the original series did and I hope that this becomes an on-going series, either as an OVA or even as a new television series. It's more than just action this time, and the characters are much more likable most of the time. Even Kenshiro seems to have much more personality instead of simply being a cardboard hero who fights at the drop of a hat. We even see a bit of compassion from him in this episode, sparring the life of an opponent instead of using the standard 'you're already dead' line and following up with an exploding head. It's an evolution with the character in my opinion, and one that was definitely needed.
It's important to note as well that Fist of the North Star, for those that will be watching this in Japanese, marks the debut of Gackt, a former member of the Japanese band Malice Mizer. I'm going to be upfront that I'm not a fan of Gackt in the least, and have found him to be somewhat annoying, but as a voice actor, he does a fantastic job for his first time. There have been quite a few musicians though that have turned to voice acting, or the other way around, and I'm sure this won't be the last time that we see his name appear in the credits beyond just song credit.
And, if can't get enough of Gackt, then you'll be happy to know that there's an interview with his included in the extras regarding this first appearance in an anime. It's fairly informative and gives a look behind the scenes, but I'm still not impressed with him as far as personality goes. Speaking of behind the scenes, you fans of the dubbed versions of anime will find another look at things at ADV for the production of the English version of the series. It's not necessarily something that I'm inclined to watch, but fans will enjoy it I'm sure. An interesting addition here though is an interview with Michael Zang from the Jai Yen Yen School of Martial Arts. Michael shows us some of the techniques of the school, but there's also an interview talking about the art of self-defense itself. It's rather unexpected, but it does make perfect sense to have here. Lastly, you will find character bios for all of the important figures in this volume.
The New Fist of the North Star is certainly a change from the original 1980's version, but I think that fans of the old are going to appreciate the new. I also am very aware that there are some that have hated the series, having only seen the first series, but this really might be the thing to make you think otherwise. It's not nearly as repetitive, and with the fanfare around other series such as Dragonball Z or Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya for you Japanese only fans) the New Fist of the North Star is the type of series that fits in very well for fans of the fighting genre. At least give it a half a chance. I'm sure many of you will be quite pleased with what you see.
Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 (Archive on Monday, November 01, 2004)