Why the world don’t need Fist of the North Star.

So many gruesome anime are getting more attention like Attack On Titan, which I’m watching on Crunchyroll, yes, this kind of splatter anime was since Fist Of The North Star, aka Hokuto-No-Ken (北斗の拳) also on Crunchyroll. It is said to be one of the greatest grand epic anime from the 1980s if Attack On Titan is considered as the 2010’s greatest epic anime. Oh boy, it was horrible. I felt really sick to my stomach.

Why we don’t need Fist Of The North Star? Because it is the nikushokukei (肉食系 “carnivore”=macho) anime. And nikushokukei, in Francis Fukuyama’s words, is the First Man, driven by megalothymia. And Raoh, aka Ken-oh (拳王 ‘King of Fist”), the tyrant ruler of the end of the century (Seikimatsu Hasha “世紀末覇者”), was the embodiment of the First Man. The strongest man of the 2000 years history of Hokuto-shin-ken. He was megalothymia itself.

Back in the early 1980s, the Reagan administration came into power, completely turned Americans into nikushokukei. John Lennon died and the 70’s isothymia was over. The world went back to megalothymia. America/Soviet conflict became once again the First Man’s war.

And in Japan, school violence was at its peak. Motorcycle gangs (暴走族) were going rampant. So, taikukaikei (体育会系 “P.E.”) teachers were recruited to suppress school violence. Meet evil with evil. Some of these violent school kids were sent to Totsuka Yacht School, and some died there because of so called “discipline,” severe corporal punishment, i.e., torture to death. At first Totsuka was hailed by the media, strongly supported by Ishihara Shintaro, a nationalist writer, ex-Tokyo Governor. But after the torture incident, Totsuka was arrested, and the public opinion shifted to a softer approach.

Totsuka’s education was based on konjou (根性 “root character, gutsy mental spirit” i.e. “manhood”), based on pseudo-science noukanron (脳幹論 “brain root theory”). The Japanese manga were predominantly supo-kon (Sports-konjou) during the 60s and 70s, heavily promoted by Kajiwara Ikki, who himself was a violent thug, critical of post-war democracy, gender equality, pacifism, and children’s rights. Hideaki Anno makes fun of supo-kon by making an OVA, Aim For the Top (spoof of Aim for the Ace).

Konjou is a ghost of Japanese militarism which made the whole East Asia suffer. Motorcycle gangs proudly put the imperial navy flag of Japan to their bikes, glorifying Japanese militarism. Kajiwara’s theme of “manhood” was all about Battle Royal violence. His manhood ideology was probably influenced by Ishihara Shintarou’s novel in 1955, or at least sharing the zeitgeist. It’s well known that Ishihara’s novels are all about rape and murder (true definition of “sex and violence”).

Rape is glorified as summation of manhood, equal to military aggression like the Rape of the Sabine Women. Girls would be all raped under Raoh’s reign of terror. This madness was what Airi and Mamiya went through. Girls were only something to conquer and subjugate! Just like the military dictator enslaves the masses. Just like Raoh squeezes Yuria with his over-muscular arm if she doesn’t comply with his sexual advance! Mad sadism there!

Ken-oh, the First Man that all nikushokukei boys idolize at one point in their lives, dismissed pacifism with his fist, smashing the head of Mahatma Gandhi. “Non-violence can’t be a weapon to stop Ken-oh!” In other words, satyagraha was totally meaningless in a chaotic Madmax situation. Raoh would just slaughter us all if we’re singing “Give Peace A Chance” or “Te Recuerdo Amanda” by Victor Jara. There is no place for peaceniks in the time of terror. Even soshokukei (草食系 “herbivore”)  had to fight in such chaotic time, with a great resistant leader like Shuu, whom John Lennon would’ve praised, “Shuu was much cooler than Che Guevara!”

Then, after the fall of Berlin wall, the bubble collapse, and the beginning of the Lost Decade, the nikushokukei values have crumbled, so called “Showa values (昭和的価値観).” The Heisei period started in 1989, the year of the fall of Berlin wall. Yes, the age of the First Man ended and the new era of the Last Man has started. And the Last Man is soushokukei-danshi (herbivorous boys)! And the most prominent ones are otaku!

So, we don’t need Hokuto-No-Ken anymore. Konjou education has gone and Yutori education has been implemented. And school uniforms have changed from gakuran to blazer, blazer can’t be modified, so that yankees (school gangs) have been driven out, no more broken glass window. So, school uniforms have become more feminine. Ahh, so cuuute. Probably the advent of blazer has also contributed to the rise of soshokukei.

Yet, in America, the First Man myth still lingers on. Capitalism requires everyone to fight. Children are taught to fight from their early age.

“You’re on your own. Fight to survive.” “一日不作一日不食 (He who does not work shall not eat.)” was not only the motto of Zen Buddhism, Samurai’s spirituality, and Marx-Leninism, but also Calvinism, Protestant work ethics, and capitalism. “By the sweat of your brow” is “By the blood of your brow.” In other words, “一日不戦一日不食 (He who does not fight shall not live).” That’s why capitalism creates inequality, makes society utterly dangerous, gangs terrorizing our neighborhoods, and girls only date aggressive macho man. Totally survival of the fittest mode. (While in socialism, if you refuse to work, they send you to gulag, forced labor, or involuntary servitude. Totally terror system.) Why can’t be more yutori (relaxed, lazy)? Don’t we have the right to be yutori?

Raoh’s funeral was held in 2007. Finally the world seemed to have moved on from the nikushokukei era. Raoh’s death was the symbolic demise of the First Man. Yet, in the recent anime, especially Attack On Titan fever, the First Man myth as a grand narrative is coming back. The First Man is basically a dude with too much muscle, and a nation with too much nukes. All the male characters of the Fist of North Start were over-muscular, but in Attack on Titan, even a girl is over-muscular! And here in America, the First Man’s system (i.e., capitalism) is still going on. This fortress must crumble just like the Bastille was brought down and prisoners were freed. Because now is time for soshokukei, the Last Man, eco-prince, le petit prince with petites récits!

Seikimatsu Hasha (ruler of end of century) was Raoh. But now, our Shinseiki kyuuseishu (新世紀救世主 “savior of new century”) is Mikage from Silver Spoon, a very cute high school farm girl in Hokkaido, yes, JK (joshi-kousei “high school girl”). And she explains horses are very delicate and sensitive, yes, soushokukei, just like us! Thus, Raoh’s black horse becomes Mikage’s black horse, yes, from megalothymic horse to isothymic horse. From konjou to yutori, from Shouwa to Heisei, from Cold War to Post Cold War (apres-guerre), from bubble to post-bubble, from nikushokukei to soshokukei, from megalothymia to isothymia, from over-muscularness to slenderness. From terrorism to perorism. From man on top (La Dolce Vita) to woman on top (La Matriarca). And now, we no longer strive to become Raoh the First man to ride on a horse, but rather fancy ourselves to become a horse itself that Mikage, Krista, or Sawa mounts on. Yes, horse is soushokukei! From moe pig to moe horse, from buhi (oink) to hihiin (neigh)!

sawahorse 2

Author: Monsieur LaMoe

A refugee from Japan. Live in NAFTA. Get hooked on Moe. Moe is opium? Twitter: @MonsieurLamoe

39 thoughts on “Why the world don’t need Fist of the North Star.

  1. We may have the “First Man” mentality here, but there are so many youth here that aren’t good at it and/or doing it in the worst way possible. 😛 Helicopter parents too like Oreimo’s dad. 😛

    1. Yes, helicopter parents, in Japanglish, we call it “monster parents.” And yes, there is this notorious Spartan education that these parents does to their children, which they would be arrested and charged with DV if they do that here in America. For example, Hoshi-Ittetsu from Kyojin-no-hoshi, a very typical supo-kon manga/anime written by Kajihara Ikki. “Major league ball delevopment cast” The worst child abuse ever seen in anime.

  2. I really enjoyed the way you laid out rhe rise and fall of Nikushoku-kei! I think “Captain Tsubasa” in 80s overthrew Spo-Kon and began the era of more yutori sedai 😀

    1. Thanks, Bobbie! Yes. Captain Tsubasa. And Touch! was significant too for overthrowing Spo-Kon. And Shounen Jump had a first rabukome (rom-com) manga, Kimagure Orange Road, and I think that was also a breakaway. Kids born in the 80s become yutori-sedai, today’s soushokukei, more feminine and feminist.

    1. Please elaborate which part is wrong. I watched Hokuto No Ken all episodes, so it’s totally nikushokukei anime.

      1. I know this is an old article, but I came across it looking for anime similar to my fav of all time and after reading this I just can’t help comment myself 😉 listen, just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean everyone should have to stop and cater to you and just because you like or dislike a certain type of anime doesn’t mean everyone else is the whole wide world has the same tastes as you. You have some interesting history facts, but with the way you wrote everything in such a jaded light I highly doubt their validity and the stament that you’ve ‘watched every episode’ omfg. obvi you need to rewatch Fist of the North Star if you’re completely confusing THE PROTAGONIST (Ken) and one of the antagonists (Raoh). If you’re gonna write about something please try and do some research before posting. That’s writing 101 and I’m honestly embarrassed for you. I understand the point you were trying to make with unnecessary violence in media but you totally missed your mark. Personally, I would take this down and/or rewrite… unless you’re keeping it around for people to laugh at. I sent links to a few friends (we used to get together just to watch ‘old anime’) and this garbage straight out made our night.

  3. Your understanding of anime classics like Hokuto no Ken is as underdeveloped as a new born baby’s brain. The reason we look to old anime is for interesting inspiration for no-nonsense new anime. What YOU who watch for lesser things like oh say, generic and mainstream BS call anime, and what we who actually love anime because of its style and flexibility are different things. And also, DON”T GO TALKING SHIT ABOUT ANIME THAT ACTUALLY HAVE MEANING BEHIND THEM!!!

    1. My brain is 17 years old, not of infantile. I do understand that Hokuto No Ken is as revolting as Attack On Titan. Hokuto No Ken doesn’t have moe, only violent inhuman bloodshed like head explosions, screaming “Abeshi! Hidebu!” by Chiba Shigeru’s improv. Body explosion was also prominent in Urobuchi’s Psychopass, which didn’t give me any moe but only repulsiveness.

      Anime without moe is not anime. True anime is romantic comedy and romantic story, yes, the one Okada Mari writes, theme of seishun, youth, skinship with a girl we idolize, yes, saudade, a sense of lost youth, past, in form of moekko, that eternity we seek, if you watch Nagi no Asukara, or AnoNatsu, the real anime we love.

      1. Just like to stop by in 2019 to tell you that you’re an idiot. “Real anime” is definitely not romantic bullshit, if it was then it would be at the top of the list in terms of popularity and ratings. And at the very least, you can’t just call anime like attack on titan and fist of the North Star revolting and act like that’s some kind of fact. Just because they have mindless bloodshed in them doesn’t discredit the story or the characters.

  4. Elaborate?
    Which part?
    TOTALLY is TOTALLY !!
    If you know at least one single episode of Hokuto No Ken you know that Raoh isn’t the main protagonist. The protagonist is his younger brother Kenshiro, who fight to proctect the other survivors. Ken Oh’s way is the wrong way. Kenshiro is the savior. He fight for love and justice, same as Rei, Shu, Shachi, Mamiya, Lin…
    Women are glorified: when many male characters (Souther or Kaioh, for example) where driven crazy by tragic events, female characters are often more strong. Lil’ Lin is the first to rebel to Ken Oh’s army, giving lesson to everyone!!
    So, my little moe fanboy, try again, maybe you’ll be more lucky…

    1. Impression of North Star is just bloodshed and human explosion, which gives me sense of repulsiveness and revoltingness that gives me the same feel from Attack On Titan. It is very cruel and inhuman. It was very shocking when Ken-oh smashed Mahatma Gandhi’s head when he performed non-violence resistance against the Ken-oh army. I admire Gandhi, one of my heroes, but to see the admirable person smashed into pieces like that in such a horrendous way was just unbearable. It surely sent the wrong message.
      Souther was horrible, kidnaped children and forced them to slave labor, building pyramid, he was the scum of earth. Shu is the true resistance leader, but he was cruelly killed by Souther in the cruelest way. How Jagi treats women, especially Airi, killed her fiance and her parents, and made her his sex slave, and once got tired of her body, sold off to other gang boss. And Yuda the okama did the same to Mamiya. Fist of North Star is just based on megalothymia, the drive to be the First Man, which Ken-oh called Ten (celestrial). Totally nikushoku-anime.

      Fist of North Star was during bubble economy, but we are post-bubble generation, so this kind of anime is obsolete. Now is the Last Man, or soushokukei boys, such as otaku, hikikomori, NEET, the youth that aren’t self-assertive, but pacifist, it’s rather moe anime, that provides therapy in this hardship.

    1. Amen.

      Here’s the issue. The total rejection of individual assertive dignified masculinity is a world culture subjugation movement. Its in a lot of things now. You can say “Now is the time of the Last Man” all you want. But, at the end of the day, most human beings fear pain and death. They desire security and prosperity and good health. Comradere and community. To a certain extent, assertive masculinity is necessary for ensuring a community’s continued prosperity. Its not about aggression or subjugation.

      Fist of the North Star is NOT obsolete. In fact, mankind is in need of things that exemplify ideals of masculine dignity and compassion. Now, is Hokuto no Ken violent? Yes. Is it realistic? No. But if you study more than political movements or philosophy, you will come to find that humans identify with archetypal story telling. These are found throughout all world cultures. All times. The power of a story is in its symbols. Hokuto no Ken tells the hero’s story. Mankind will always aspire to have a hero story. The face changes, the setting changes, the time changes – but, there are patterns that we find in all great human storytelling from age to age. I’m not saying pacifism is wrong. I’m saying that there is real human value in Hokuto no Ken. It may not be your own exact perspective on life or existence – but, it exists, and resonates with many other human beings for a valid reason that you might want to look into trying to understand a bit more. To completely condemn and then, disregard its merit, its value as a storytelling device, comes across as both hesvy handed, shallow, and frankly, immature.

      There is still a place for a dignified assertive masculinity as a human mythic ideal. The many other human beings (whome you share this existence and life experience with) who find value in the heroes of Hokuto no Ken prove this.

      You’re not obligated to like what we like. But, try to understand what other humans find inspiring and valuable and you may find more value in others as living beings altogether. Is that not worth trying?

      All We Are Saying

      Is Give Peace A Chance

  5. II can care less of any bodies opinions fist of the north star will always be my all time favorite no matter how many other animes I watch im 24 and I want to finish bleach too many fillers man. And im open to watch any anime the funniest one ive seen was ouran high school host club. Peace.

  6. You have got to be a troll this is fucking hilarious lol
    I’m not even a huge HnK fan but people’s reactions in this comment are a riot. Good job

  7. so let me just some try to sum this up
    1: I have terrible grammar
    2: I try and use Japanese words while speaking English cuz that is not awkward
    3: I am appalled at how mean every one in post nuclear society would act
    4: Why do i not have any big strong muscles like the guz in the anime
    5: and most interesting i want some school girl to mount and ride me like a horse

    is this accurate

  8. You realize Raoh was the villain in the show, not the main character. In fact in the manga, Raoh actually murdered a band of rapists.

  9. The world doesn’t need this shitty website, written by SJW snowflakes who can only stomach moe crap through rose-tinted glasses!

  10. shut up man.you dont have the right to talk about Hokuto-No-Ken when you dont even know who is the first character of this anime the only thing you care about is boobs under skirts of girls in anime like ecchi so dont talk like you understand Hokuto-No-Ken

    1. yes brother. no body know about ken.the only man in world anime.if you and every one will know who is ken so see the the all character.frist until end

  11. lmfao what if you love the bloody body explosions? this dude needs to grow some nuts, anime is very diverse and so are the people who watch it we all like different shit like i love it when shit gets bloody and gory heads explode and peoples guts fall out its fucking awesome to watch ur fav char fuck some shit up on screen if you dont like it dont watch it man. go watch some Koisuru Boukun u fuck i hope ur body explodes.

  12. I know I’m late, but this guy can’t even comprehend why HnK is such a deep cartoon. Manly animes (MANime) are almost dead because of scrub like him. I used to love anime but now im embarassed to watch it because the mosern depiction of anime is “cute” girls doing stupid things in a “cute way” what i love about HnK, or hell even my favorite anime of all time Yu Yu hakusho is the not only the characters manlyness but also the way the author fleshess them out, gives each individual character life making them memorable and give a long lasting impression.

  13. The show is about fighting and growing into the role you may plan in the divine plan of the universe. They all have a star over them and those stars shine, then fade. To be honest, Ken-Oh, was the one that sacrificed the most… He could have beaten Kenshiro… He could have been the ultimate law and order in a world of chaos… Instead, he have a large part of himself to the woman that he also loved. Yuria is not just a woman, she represents the fading and hidden hope that is lost and regained inside all men, time and time again. Ken-Oh even knew that he was not of the world, and declared that he would return to the heavens where Toki was resting.

    The show is almost religious… Kenshiro even gives all offenders 10 seconds to repent for the sins they have commited. You guys that do not agree… Have no clue. So much religion and symbolism in that show… It made me fight to be the better man I am today. Never shed so many tears in my life. I was jacked up in the emotions for 1 whole week after Kenshiro rode off with Yuria on that damn monster horse Ken-Oh rode.

  14. ”Muh end of history” we need Hokuto no Ken and your generation be send to Otokojuku!

    1. For real. Hokuto no Ken is part of what made me into a true man. I can’t accept anyone trying to insult this masterpiece.

  15. Get your dirty sjw hands out of this glorious anime. This anime is pure manliness, which makes it beautiful. SJWs like you keep whining about how bad manliness is, while it isn’t. Do you see me accusing femininity of being toxic? No, because I know it is part of nature, of reality. We can’t go against our instincts obviously. And it’s the same about masculinity. Manliness is magnificent. It is what make us men strong. We are proud of our manliness. And you can’t take away what defines us. Now if you hate manliness so much, why don’t you become a lesbian instead. Oh, maybe you are one already…

  16. Oh and by the way Raoh is not the main character you moron… It seems like you didn’t even watch the first episode ( which shows immediately who’s the main character).

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