kenshirou

Kenshirou (often called Ken) is the 64th successor of the "Hokuto Shin Ken" martial art. He bears seven scars on his chest, arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper ("Hokuto Shichisei"), inflicted by Shin. A strong and mostly stoic individual, Kenshirou feels compelled to punish wrongdoers and can perform feats beyond the capabilities of ordinary people. His mastery of the ancient martial art Hokuto Shinken allows him to kill or cripple with just a touch. The results are often very messy—usually causing parts of the victim to explode—but the art also includes other methods of killing. Additionally, he can use this art for healing or altering people's behavior. Later in the series, Kenshirou learns elements of other martial arts. When angered, his spiritual powers peak, typically resulting in the dramatic destruction of his shirt and jacket (which, despite the lack of a wardrobe or clothing store, are always replaced in the next episode or story arc) to reveal his muscular torso. His catchphrase is "Omae wa mō shindeiru," meaning "You are already dead," which he usually says before a villain's head explodes. After surviving the nuclear war, Kenshirou tries to live peacefully with his fiancée Yuria until Jagi instigates Shin, a jealous rival from the Nanto Seiken school, to challenge and defeat Kenshirou. Shin then engraves the iconic seven scars on Kenshirou's chest and leaves him for dead. Prior to this event, Kenshirou was more forgiving of his enemies, as shown in a flashback where he spares Jagi's life after defeating him. When Kenshirou later confronts his old rivals, particularly Shin, Jagi, and Raoh, they all remark on his newfound mercilessness. The initial story arc revolves around Kenshirou's quest to reclaim Yuria from Shin. In the first chapter, he meets two orphans who join him on his journey: Bat, a thief; and Lin, a young girl rescued by Kenshirou. Throughout the series, Kenshirou protects the weak and innocent from numerous gangs roaming the post-apocalyptic wasteland, eventually earning his reputation as the "Savior of the Century's End." Kenshirou's skills improve through encounters with members of the Nanto Roku Seiken and his Hokuto Brothers. Although still emotionally repressed and stoic like many male heroes in 1980s media, Kenshirou stands out in anime culture for being a sensitive and kind-hearted man who broke the "men don't cry" cultural expectation. He is famous for openly shedding tears, if not outright weeping for the suffering of innocents and the deaths of his noble enemies. This trait is unfortunately downplayed in the 1980s anime adaptations but returns strongly in later adaptations from the 1990s onward. In the 1970s, Kenshirou was born in Taiseiden, Land of Asura, to the Hokuto Sōke family. Ryūken named Kenshirou after his older brother, Kenshirou Kasumi, because both had a Big Dipper-shaped birthmark on their heads. The identity of his parents remains unclear, but he has an older brother named Hyō. Hyō and Kenshirou were rescued from a fire by Kaiō's mother, at the cost of her life. With the Land of Asura in political turmoil, Jūkei sent baby Kenshirou away to Japan with Raoh and Toki to be raised by Ryūken.