The new anime Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star 2026 is officially launched. Streaming since April 10, 2026 on Prime Video worldwide, it marks Kenshiro’s return to the screen after a 38-year absence. Production, full cast, opening, ending, CGI controversy: here is everything you need to know about this highly anticipated new adaptation of the manga by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara.
A worldwide release on Prime Video
In France, the first two episodes of the Hokuto no Ken 2026 anime have been available since April 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM on Prime Video with French subtitles and French dubbing. Episodes 3 and 4 aired on April 17, after which the series switched to a weekly schedule with a new episode every Friday. In Japan, the series airs on Tokyo MX and BS11 since April 10 at 25:00 JST.
Warner Bros. Japan produces and distributes the project, announced in 2023 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original manga. The animation studio chosen is TMS Entertainment, under the direction of director Hiroshi Maeda. The series is available in over 240 countries and territories via Prime Video, making it one of the widest releases ever achieved for a Hokuto no Ken anime.
The full staff
- Director: Hiroshi Maeda
- Assistant Director: Kazuma Ogasawara
- Screenplay: Kazuhiko Inukai
- Character design: Naoki Hisatsune
- Animation Director: Koji
- Music: Yuki Hayashi (My Hero Academia)
- Studio: TMS Entertainment
- Production: Warner Bros. Japan
The full voice cast
The voice cast is entirely different from the original 1984 series. Here is the full cast as officially announced:
- Kenshiro: Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Raoh: Taiten Kusunoki
- Bat: Daiki Yamashita
- Lin: M.A.O
- Rei: Yuichi Nakamura
- Mamiya: Ruriko Aoki
- Shin: Koji Yusa
- Yuria: Saori Hayami
- Jagi: Wataru Takagi
- Toki: Tsuguo Mogami
- Narration: Koichi Yamadera
- Heart: Chafurin
- Dia: Yasuhiro Mamiya
- Club: Anri Katsu
The presence of Koichi Yamadera as narrator is particularly noteworthy: a true legend of Japanese voice acting, his deep and composed voice immediately gives the story an epic and solemn dimension perfectly suited to the post-apocalyptic universe of Hokuto no Ken.
The opening and the ending
The opening theme is titled Hallelujah, performed by the Japanese rock band Alexandros. The track was presented during a panel at AnimeJapan 2026 in March, and was well received by the community for its modern energy that contrasts with the 80s style of the original work.
The ending theme is a new rendition of Ai wo Torimodose !!, the iconic opening theme from the original 1984 anime created by Crystal King, covered here by Toshi, the vocalist of X Japan. This choice was one of the most powerful moments of the launch: revealed only at the end of the first episode, it triggered an immediate wave of emotion on social media among fans who had grown up with the original anime.
The CGI controversy
The trailer unveiled at the Anime Expo in Los Angeles in July 2025 had drawn mixed reactions, due to CGI animation deemed too stiff by some fans. Comparisons with the 2016 CGI adaptation of Berserk, universally criticized for the quality of its 3D animation, quickly circulated on both Japanese and Western social media.
The first episodes that aired on April 10, 2026 confirmed that the series does indeed use a pronounced CGI style. While some fans were won over by the fluidity of the fight scenes and the faithfulness to Tetsuo Hara’s character design, others still lament the stiffness of facial expressions and the lip-sync animations that could be improved. The debate remains open, but the quality of the voice cast and the music has been unanimously praised.
A faithful adaptation of the original manga
The production has confirmed that this new adaptation of Hokuto no Ken will follow the original manga by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara from the beginning, starting from the first volume. The Shin arc, the first major narrative arc of the series, is the one covered in the early episodes. Season 1 consists of at least 12 episodes, with a new episode airing every Friday on Prime Video in France.
Sources: hokuto-anime.com (official website), Anime News Network, Crunchyroll News
