Fist of the North Star Day

What Is Fist of the North Star Day?

September 13th marks "Fist of the North Star Day," commemorating the start of the manga series "Fist of the North Star" (Hokuto no Ken), written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, which began serialization in the issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump released on September 13, 1983. The day was established by Coamix Inc., which manages the rights to the work, and was certified by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2018, the 35th anniversary of the series, with the aim of spreading the appeal of the work around the world.

The Background of Fist of the North Star Day

"Fist of the North Star" is a hard-boiled action manga set in "199X," after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization, and follows Kenshiro, the successor to the legendary assassination martial art "Hokuto Shinken." It ran in Weekly Shōnen Jump from issue 41 of 1983 to issue 35 of 1988 and set off a nationwide boom. A TV anime began in 1984, and the series was also adapted into films, video games, and more.

• Serialization began: September 13, 1983 (Weekly Shōnen Jump).
• Story by: Buronson.
• Art by: Tetsuo Hara.
• Collected volumes: 27 volumes in the Jump Comics edition. Including all related editions, worldwide circulation passed 100 million copies as of November 2019.

Fun Facts About Fist of the North Star

• Famous lines: Iconic lines from the series, such as "You are already dead" (Omae wa mou shindeiru), remain widely recognized to this day, as do the villains' dying screams such as "Hidebu!" and "Abeshi!"
• "Hokuto no Ken Jump": A special issue celebrating the series' 35th anniversary and Weekly Shōnen Jump's 50th was released on September 13, 2018, the same date the serialization began.
• Media adaptations: Beyond the anime adaptation, the series has been the basis for numerous pachinko and pachislot machines, as well as many video games.
• Lasting popularity: Even after the original series ended, sequels and spin-offs have continued to be produced, reflecting its enduring fan base.

Ways to Celebrate Fist of the North Star Day

It's a great day to revisit the manga or anime with an eye toward the era in which it was created. Reflecting on how a work that has been beloved for so long has managed to maintain its appeal across generations can be an interesting exercise in itself.