Here is an editorial crossover that is, to say the least, unexpected: the Japanese magazine Young Guitar (ヤング・ギター), a leading publication for guitarists published by Shinko Music Entertainment, dedicates the cover feature of its July 2026 issue to Hokuto no Ken. A special issue celebrating the broadcast of the 2026 new adaptation, which launches a brand-new series of features called “Guitar and Anime”.
“Hokuto no Gen”, the legend of the guitar of the end of the century
The feature bears a title that plays on words: “Hokuto no Gen” (北斗の弦). Where the original title of the work ends with the kanji 拳 (ken, the fist), the magazine replaces it with 弦 (gen, the guitar string), which is pronounced similarly. This produces a title that is literally untranslatable, which could be rendered as “The Strings of the Big Dipper” instead of “The Fist of the Big Dipper”. The subtitle announces the program: “Legend of the guitar of the end of the century: decoding Hokuto no Ken through music and guitar”.
True to the spirit of the franchise, the magazine takes the wordplay all the way to its promotional tagline with a twist on Kenshiro’s iconic line: instead of the famous “You are already dead” (お前はもう死んでいる), Young Guitar proclaims “You are already playing!” (お前はもう弾いている).
The first installment of the “Guitar and Anime” series
This feature launches a new editorial series from the magazine titled “Guitar and Anime” (ギターとアニメ), which sets out to explore the connection between the six-string and anime soundtracks. Hokuto no Ken is a logical choice to kick things off: the franchise has been intimately tied to rock since its origins, with iconic musical themes driven by the electric guitar, starting with the legendary opening theme “Ai wo Torimodose!!” by the group Crystal King, which has become an intergenerational anthem in Japan.
This is not Young Guitar’s first foray into pop culture: the magazine had already devoted similar features to other popular franchises in the past, notably an issue dedicated to the music of the Super Sentai franchise. This approach, which combines technical musical expertise with the analysis of animated works, has now become part of its editorial identity.
Availability
The July 2026 issue of Young Guitar containing the “Hokuto no Gen” feature will be available in Japan starting Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Fans of the franchise who appreciate its musical dimension, as well as guitarists curious to rediscover the themes of Hokuto no Ken from a technical angle, will find it to be an original collector’s item on the occasion of the work’s 40th anniversary.
