While Fist Of The North Star has secured the whimsical accolade of 'Won My Heart The Second I Read It', this one falls into the category of 'That One's Great Too'.
What more can I say? It's a blast! The setting is fantastic, and I genuinely appreciate the more grounded portrayals of Kenshiro and Yu-Ling, especially with the urban Shanghai backdrop replacing the post-apocalyptic wasteland. The villains offer a refreshing twist on the typical irredeemable antagonist—though they're still thoroughly despicable. Everything about it feels tangible and alive, which is to be expected from something rooted in reality. And of course, there's still the over-the-top martial arts action—but that's practically a hallmark of the series.
I particularly adore Ken. He's like Joseph Joestar but Japanese, with a touch of sass instead of pure cartoonish antics, and every moment he's on screen is a spectacle. Choosing between the two Kens is tough; both are incredible. If forced at gunpoint, though, I'd lean toward the North Star version being more my style. No disrespect intended to this one, though!
In terms of sheer insanity levels, it almost rivals Fist Of The North Star near the end, but overall, it sits at moderate-to-high. That makes it even more impactful since it's set in a realistic environment—which is bizarre to ponder because this technically counts as historical fiction. Maybe this is the part of history they don't cover in school...
Overall, 10/10, would definitely enjoy motorboating Kenshiro Kasumi's chest.
If you've just finished Hokuto no Ken and are craving more, Souten no Ken is an excellent choice. It retains the action, martial arts, and manliness but shifts to a modern gangster Chinese setting.
Story-wise, it mirrors Hokuto no Ken with Kenshiro battling other branches of Hokuto Shinken, who are mafia leaders, to aid his friends or due to destiny. There's also an arc involving Nazis and Nanto Seiken, mainly to introduce characters for the second half. This part delves into the origins of Hokuto Shinken and its traditions, which adds intriguing concepts but occasionally feels inconsistent with established lore. The ending suffers from rushing due to the magazine going under, leaving many character relationships and events unclarified, such as Shura possibly representing China, Kasumi potentially being Kenshiro's real father, and Zong Wu being Raoh's.
There's a noticeable increase in comedy, typical of Tetsuo Hara's independent works, but it's handled naturally without disrupting the mood. Characters are often compared to the original Hokuto no Ken cast, which is inevitable in prequels/sequels. Yu-Ling resembles Yuria but takes action and leads, while Fei Yan combines traits of Rei and Ein, becoming a foster parent. Antagonists start one-dimensionally but reveal sides that evoke manly tears from Ken. Characters like Yasaka, Zong-Wu, and Kasumi stand out as callbacks to North Star characters yet remain distinct. Kasumi, though resembling Kenshiro, is far from the silent stoic; he's a heroic delinquent with a good heart, helping the mafia, joking about his "humble lit. professor" act, and ready to fight when challenged.
The art matches the detailed style of Hokuto no Ken, showcasing Hara's improvement since the eighties. The World War II Chinese setting offers unique backgrounds, blending Western-influenced Shanghai, Buddhist temples, and mixed army uniforms with traditional Western and Chinese attire. Action scenes are superb, with ATATATAs executed beautifully.
Pacing can be irregular, with some parts feeling rushed and others drawn out. It lacks the strong impact or grandeur of Hokuto no Ken but remains enjoyable. If you're looking for action or to satisfy your Hokuto craving, Souten delivers. It captures the essence of Fist of the North Star, offering violence, action, death, and manly tears in a Chinese context.
Souten no Ken doesn't have the depth and grand scale that Fist of the North Star/Hokuto no Ken achieved, largely because of its shorter length. Don't be misled by the large number of chapters; there's a lot of filler, especially in the last third of the manga. There is far less substance in SnK compared to HnK. That said, the good parts of SnK can rival the best of HnK, but HnK surpasses it in terms of character and story development.
Where SnK truly excels is in its exceptional artwork. Tetsuo Hara, the creator of Hokuto no Ken, is one of the most artistically gifted manga artists. He delivers vivid, imaginative layouts with great attention to detail in every panel. His two standout skills are composition and, as expected, drawing muscular men and petite, sexy women, which aligns with the style of Hokuto no Ken. It's a significant improvement over the 80s version of Hokuto no Ken, maintaining excellent quality throughout.
The composition shines particularly when certain characters, like the typical one-shot villains towering over Kenshiro, the protagonist, or other characters, are depicted. This is taken to absurd extremes with Zhang Lieshan, an actual giant who turns the series' constant size-warping into a hilarious in-joke by refusing to acknowledge his giantism and punishing any minions who do. This character represents the best of this Hokuto no Ken prequel: self-aware, funny, and brutal. Other memorable characters include Wu and Du.
The main character also deserves praise. If you found the original Kenshiro too bland, Kasumi Kenshiro offers a refreshing change with plenty of comedic moments that made me laugh almost as much as Zhang's antics. You wouldn't expect this series to be so funny, but it's one of its greatest strengths for entertainment value. The series has its fair share of side characters, though they are hit-or-miss. The mafia characters at the start are good, but the later parts see a decline.
Plot-wise, SnK starts promisingly. Kasumi Kenshiro returns to Shanghai after hearing about the death of his friends and lover. He finds himself caught in a bitter mafia feud and must rebuild his clan from scratch, fighting off all the evil criminals who have taken over in his absence. This part of the story is very engaging, but the narrative gets sidetracked multiple times. Early on, this isn't as problematic, as the pace is good, but by the end, it slows significantly, leading me to skip entire volumes just to reach the conclusion.
It's speculated that publishing issues led to a rushed ending, which certainly doesn't provide a satisfying resolution. I personally feel that the story mostly stalls before this point, as all the villains have been defeated and the remaining non-dead ones have become protagonists. There's little left to achieve without throwing more family members of the protagonists into danger to motivate Kenshiro.
My issue with both Hokuto no Ken and Souten no Ken is their obsession with a specific idea of "manliness" that ironically portrays some of the manliest villains as outright cowards yet glorifies irredeemable ones simply because they know martial arts. These selected villains are murderers, rapists, and extremely violent before meeting Kenshiro but are given second chances because, in some cases, the heavens demanded it. This may seem like nitpicking, but it's the essence of the story by the end, and it's not a good one. The lore is only hinted at until this point but takes center stage, and I can't say I enjoy it much. I almost recommend skipping to the last volume once the Du Tianfeng arc concludes, as it's that poor.
The failing of this manga, and why it isn't considered great or fondly remembered as HnK, lies in its awkward pacing and hard-to-follow fights. It features plenty of emotional scenes and tearjerkers, but it becomes very predictable as you progress. At no point can you truly believe the protagonist can lose. This is fine for enjoying the villains' antics, but then it shifts to protagonist versus other protagonists, which is dull. The villains get whole volumes of glory before predictably meeting their end in a few chapters, and these good vs good battles kill any momentum the story had built up.
Overall, I enjoyed this manga despite its flaws, as it includes some of the best arcs in the franchise. The criticism it receives stems from the numerous "manly" fights between Kenshiro and initially intimidating but eventually watered-down villains who aren't fun at all, and the story goes completely off-the-rails. Still, it boasts great art, and aside from the ending, there's no intolerably long bad stretch. A strong recommendation for big fans of Hokuto no Ken, and if you haven't read or watched HnK, what are you doing here?
The prequel to Hokuto no Ken is much more subdued and less exaggerated when it comes to the giant evil bad guy proportions. As usual, the protagonist has a very muscular physique and knows Hokuto Shinken. The thing about Souten no Ken is that they gave it more of a storyline and less focus on fighting. Whatever fighting there is, isn't as extreme as in Hokuto no Ken. While in Hokuto no Ken, the fighting was just brute strength and hammering into the opponent's Keiraku Hikou, in Souten no Ken, Tetsuo Hara made it look a lot more like Chinese martial arts. Gone are the days of Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, but they still kept the "ATATATATATATA" and the "You're already dead." They made Kenshiro say it in Chinese though, because it's set in Shanghai where they all speak Chinese. I think this is an improvement on Hokuto no Ken, but I don't think it'll ever be as popular as Hokuto no Ken because back then, mindless gore and killing the bad guys was a hot topic.
<p>Souten No Ken, or Fist of the Blue Sky, represents one of the most adventurous and creative reinterpretations of the original Hokuto No Ken manga. Numerous authors have drawn inspiration from Brunson, striving to create works that surpass his masterpiece. Personally, I believe Brunson achieved something greater than the original Hokuto No Ken with Souten No Ken. When discussing Souten, it's essential to include Regenesis, its sequel. Unlike the "Mad Max" post-apocalyptic setting of Fist of the North Star, this series is set in the 1930s, decades before the nuclear devastation of 199X. If you enjoyed JoJo's Part 5, you'll likely appreciate this new backdrop featuring Shanghai and other parts of Asia, intertwined with mafia elements. The narrative expands beyond this initial setting, introducing characters who transcend Asia as the story unfolds during the onset of World War II. The artwork surpasses the original release of Fist of the North Star—I'm not referring to the remastered version here. Souten No Ken: Regenesis boasts some of the finest artwork ever produced, ranking among the best artistic mangas. Characters are more fully developed and have a stronger presence compared to their counterparts in Fist of the North Star. In the original manga, the sequence involving villains often felt repetitive; however, in Souten, readers gain deeper insights into these antagonists, enhancing their appeal. The storyline flows beautifully and can be viewed as two distinct sections. The first part leans more towards "mafia"-related themes, akin to the early stages of Fist of the North Star. The second part delves deeper into the "martial arts" aspect, where Kenshiro Kasumi uncovers the origins of Hokuto Shinken and what it means to be a warrior. Unlike Fist of the North Star, Souten integrates its villains seamlessly with the original theme of the manga. After the first main antagonist in Fist of the North Star, there was an evident shift in focus. In contrast, Fist of the Blue Sky maintains consistency throughout, as many characters and villains in the "first part" are tied to mafia conflicts involving Kenshiro. Despite suggestions of "two parts," the entire narrative flows naturally, with each event leading organically to the next. This contrasts sharply with the structure of Fist of the North Star, where new villains or characters occasionally appear without clear connections. Such issues do not plague Fist of the Blue Sky/Souten No Ken. Regenesis serves as an excellent continuation of Souten, offering immense enjoyment, though it remains unfinished due to the artist's illness. While I've compared this manga to Fist of the North Star, both are exceptionally well-crafted. However, I find myself favoring Souten. Overall, I consider this manga highly enjoyable and regard Souten, along with Regenesis, as the pinnacle of the franchise.</p>
Popular Reviews
What more can I say? It's a blast! The setting is fantastic, and I genuinely appreciate the more grounded portrayals of Kenshiro and Yu-Ling, especially with the urban Shanghai backdrop replacing the post-apocalyptic wasteland. The villains offer a refreshing twist on the typical irredeemable antagonist—though they're still thoroughly despicable. Everything about it feels tangible and alive, which is to be expected from something rooted in reality. And of course, there's still the over-the-top martial arts action—but that's practically a hallmark of the series.
I particularly adore Ken. He's like Joseph Joestar but Japanese, with a touch of sass instead of pure cartoonish antics, and every moment he's on screen is a spectacle. Choosing between the two Kens is tough; both are incredible. If forced at gunpoint, though, I'd lean toward the North Star version being more my style. No disrespect intended to this one, though!
In terms of sheer insanity levels, it almost rivals Fist Of The North Star near the end, but overall, it sits at moderate-to-high. That makes it even more impactful since it's set in a realistic environment—which is bizarre to ponder because this technically counts as historical fiction. Maybe this is the part of history they don't cover in school...
Overall, 10/10, would definitely enjoy motorboating Kenshiro Kasumi's chest.
Story-wise, it mirrors Hokuto no Ken with Kenshiro battling other branches of Hokuto Shinken, who are mafia leaders, to aid his friends or due to destiny. There's also an arc involving Nazis and Nanto Seiken, mainly to introduce characters for the second half. This part delves into the origins of Hokuto Shinken and its traditions, which adds intriguing concepts but occasionally feels inconsistent with established lore. The ending suffers from rushing due to the magazine going under, leaving many character relationships and events unclarified, such as Shura possibly representing China, Kasumi potentially being Kenshiro's real father, and Zong Wu being Raoh's.
There's a noticeable increase in comedy, typical of Tetsuo Hara's independent works, but it's handled naturally without disrupting the mood. Characters are often compared to the original Hokuto no Ken cast, which is inevitable in prequels/sequels. Yu-Ling resembles Yuria but takes action and leads, while Fei Yan combines traits of Rei and Ein, becoming a foster parent. Antagonists start one-dimensionally but reveal sides that evoke manly tears from Ken. Characters like Yasaka, Zong-Wu, and Kasumi stand out as callbacks to North Star characters yet remain distinct. Kasumi, though resembling Kenshiro, is far from the silent stoic; he's a heroic delinquent with a good heart, helping the mafia, joking about his "humble lit. professor" act, and ready to fight when challenged.
The art matches the detailed style of Hokuto no Ken, showcasing Hara's improvement since the eighties. The World War II Chinese setting offers unique backgrounds, blending Western-influenced Shanghai, Buddhist temples, and mixed army uniforms with traditional Western and Chinese attire. Action scenes are superb, with ATATATAs executed beautifully.
Pacing can be irregular, with some parts feeling rushed and others drawn out. It lacks the strong impact or grandeur of Hokuto no Ken but remains enjoyable. If you're looking for action or to satisfy your Hokuto craving, Souten delivers. It captures the essence of Fist of the North Star, offering violence, action, death, and manly tears in a Chinese context.
Where SnK truly excels is in its exceptional artwork. Tetsuo Hara, the creator of Hokuto no Ken, is one of the most artistically gifted manga artists. He delivers vivid, imaginative layouts with great attention to detail in every panel. His two standout skills are composition and, as expected, drawing muscular men and petite, sexy women, which aligns with the style of Hokuto no Ken. It's a significant improvement over the 80s version of Hokuto no Ken, maintaining excellent quality throughout.
The composition shines particularly when certain characters, like the typical one-shot villains towering over Kenshiro, the protagonist, or other characters, are depicted. This is taken to absurd extremes with Zhang Lieshan, an actual giant who turns the series' constant size-warping into a hilarious in-joke by refusing to acknowledge his giantism and punishing any minions who do. This character represents the best of this Hokuto no Ken prequel: self-aware, funny, and brutal. Other memorable characters include Wu and Du.
The main character also deserves praise. If you found the original Kenshiro too bland, Kasumi Kenshiro offers a refreshing change with plenty of comedic moments that made me laugh almost as much as Zhang's antics. You wouldn't expect this series to be so funny, but it's one of its greatest strengths for entertainment value. The series has its fair share of side characters, though they are hit-or-miss. The mafia characters at the start are good, but the later parts see a decline.
Plot-wise, SnK starts promisingly. Kasumi Kenshiro returns to Shanghai after hearing about the death of his friends and lover. He finds himself caught in a bitter mafia feud and must rebuild his clan from scratch, fighting off all the evil criminals who have taken over in his absence. This part of the story is very engaging, but the narrative gets sidetracked multiple times. Early on, this isn't as problematic, as the pace is good, but by the end, it slows significantly, leading me to skip entire volumes just to reach the conclusion.
It's speculated that publishing issues led to a rushed ending, which certainly doesn't provide a satisfying resolution. I personally feel that the story mostly stalls before this point, as all the villains have been defeated and the remaining non-dead ones have become protagonists. There's little left to achieve without throwing more family members of the protagonists into danger to motivate Kenshiro.
My issue with both Hokuto no Ken and Souten no Ken is their obsession with a specific idea of "manliness" that ironically portrays some of the manliest villains as outright cowards yet glorifies irredeemable ones simply because they know martial arts. These selected villains are murderers, rapists, and extremely violent before meeting Kenshiro but are given second chances because, in some cases, the heavens demanded it. This may seem like nitpicking, but it's the essence of the story by the end, and it's not a good one. The lore is only hinted at until this point but takes center stage, and I can't say I enjoy it much. I almost recommend skipping to the last volume once the Du Tianfeng arc concludes, as it's that poor.
The failing of this manga, and why it isn't considered great or fondly remembered as HnK, lies in its awkward pacing and hard-to-follow fights. It features plenty of emotional scenes and tearjerkers, but it becomes very predictable as you progress. At no point can you truly believe the protagonist can lose. This is fine for enjoying the villains' antics, but then it shifts to protagonist versus other protagonists, which is dull. The villains get whole volumes of glory before predictably meeting their end in a few chapters, and these good vs good battles kill any momentum the story had built up.
Overall, I enjoyed this manga despite its flaws, as it includes some of the best arcs in the franchise. The criticism it receives stems from the numerous "manly" fights between Kenshiro and initially intimidating but eventually watered-down villains who aren't fun at all, and the story goes completely off-the-rails. Still, it boasts great art, and aside from the ending, there's no intolerably long bad stretch. A strong recommendation for big fans of Hokuto no Ken, and if you haven't read or watched HnK, what are you doing here?
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