Hokuto Kyūkyoku Zōkei by CCP: Sculpting Tetsuo Hara’s Line Art

As every Friday, it’s time for figures and merchandise from the franchise. This week, we head to Japan with a veteran manufacturer that has made Tetsuo Hara’s line art its raw material.

CCP (Character Contents Production) is one of Japan’s biggest names in soft vinyl figures, known as sofvi. For several years, the brand has dedicated a series to Hokuto no Ken called: “Hokuto Kyūkyoku Zōkei” (北斗究極造形, literally “The Ultimate Sculpture of Hokuto”). Its ambition is simple: to reproduce in three dimensions not just the characters, but the very drawing style of Tetsuo Hara, his thick outlines, his tension, down to the dust and blood. A complete overview of a catalog that has grown impressive over the years.

CCP, Guardian of Japanese Pop Culture

Founded in Japan, CCP has established itself through two flagship licenses: Ultraman, which it has been producing for about twenty years, and Kinnikuman, for which it has produced around 150 references within its CMC (CCP Muscular Collection) line, which has become its hallmark for the muscular bodies of manga. Godzilla, Evangelion, and Saint Seiya round out a catalog focused on Japan’s heritage licenses.

The philosophy claimed by the company shines through in all its production: evolving the figure “from toy to artwork, and from artwork to traditional craftsmanship”, in order to pass on the techniques of Japanese sofvi to future generations. It is in this spirit that the Hokuto Kyūkyoku Zōkei series, attached to the CMC line, was born.

Reproducing Hara’s Line Art in Three Dimensions

The official presentation text of the series poses a sculptor’s question: how to capture “the characteristic contour lines of Tetsuo Hara, the strength of the line that conveys the presence of the characters, the tension, the atmosphere of the panels”? CCP’s answer relies as much on sculpture as on painting, with a clear theme: “representing through modeling and color the end of the century dominated by violence”. In practice, this translates into the dust of arid lands, the oil stains of machines and motorcycles, the dirty clothing, and the bloodstains of battle.

Three Finishes, Three Levels of Immersion

The entire series is built on a system of three finishes, sold at increasing price points:

• Initial Design (初期設定版, shoki settei ban): the character’s reference colors, with simple painting. The entry point of the range.
• Manga Version (劇中版, gekichū ban): dust, oil stains, and clothing grime make their appearance, and the painting reproduces even the thick outlines and brushstrokes of gekiga.
• Battle Version (激闘版, gekitō ban): at the top of the range, bloodstains, both old and freshly splattered, are applied by hand. CCP specifies that no two pieces are identical: each copy is unique in the world.

First Wave: Raoh vs. Fudō

Launched in 2020, the first wave tackles one of the most intense scenes in the manga, with the confrontation between Raoh and Fudō of the Mountain. Raoh draws a line behind him and orders his men to pierce him with arrows if he steps back even once. CCP offers the two fighters separately: Raoh in a helmetless version or with his Ken-Oh helmet (approximately 22.5 cm), Fudō in giant proportions (approximately 26.5 cm), all in soft vinyl.

Raoh Without Helmet

Raoh, Ken-Oh Helmet

Fudō of the Mountain

The EX Series, Special Variants

Alongside the numbered waves, CCP offers an EX series of variants in special colors or manga colors. The most striking is undoubtedly Fudō “Shitō ver.” (死闘, fight to the death), which depicts the giant’s final moments, pierced by arrows from Ken-Oh’s army, with hand-applied streams of blood, unique on each copy.

Second Wave: Jagi and His Motorcycle

The second wave features the third of the four Hokuto brothers in his most iconic pose, the “Omae no na wo itte miro!!” (“Say my name!!”). Jagi is available alone (approximately 18 cm) or with his motorcycle (approximately 28 cm long), giving CCP the opportunity to deploy its famous oil stains on the machinery. The sets with motorcycle, sold from 60,000 to 66,000 ¥ depending on the finish, are among the most impressive pieces in the series.

Jagi (Soft Vinyl)

Jagi on His Motorcycle (Soft Vinyl)

Takumi Versions in Resin

Third Wave: Toki and the Duel Beneath the Death Star

Released in summer 2022 for its soft vinyl versions, the third wave is dedicated to Toki in the moment that CCP sums up with a definitive phrase: “To talk about Toki, there is only this scene.” The final duel against Raoh, when the Death Star shines above the two brothers and Toki abandons his fist of flexibility for the Gō no Ken, the fist of strength, in order to bring tears back to his brother.

The piece comes in two outfits: the clothed version faithful to the reference illustration, and the “Gō no Ken” version with bare torso, clothing torn by the confrontation (approximately 22.5 cm).

Toki Clothed (Soft Vinyl)

Toki Gō no Ken (Soft Vinyl)

Takumi Versions in Resin

The Takumi Range: When CCP Moves to Art Resin

Above soft vinyl, CCP offers for its combat versions a “Takumi” (匠仕様, “master-craftsman specification”) variant made of resin, a blend of polyurethane and polystone that the brand describes as “the closest replica to the original prototype, materials generally reserved for art replicas”. Prices double compared to sofvi, and patience is required: according to feedback from Japanese collectors, the time between pre-order and delivery can stretch up to three years, as each piece is produced and painted to order.

With its Jagi and motorcycle Takumi at ¥83,800 (approximately €500), CCP delivers the crown jewel of its Hokuto no Ken catalog, halfway between a collectible figure and a studio sculpture.

Hokuto no Ken Japan Sofuvi Series

The CCP catalog also retains three references from a visually simpler series, simply titled “Hokuto no Ken Japan Sofuvi Series”, in soft vinyl with manga colors, featuring Raoh and Rei in two variants, including a white-haired version.

A series to follow

With three waves, an EX series that continues to produce variants, and a resin line that keeps growing, Hokuto Kyūkyoku Zōkei has established itself in just a few years as one of the most compelling lines in the Hokuto no Ken universe. CCP offers a faithful interpretation, fueled by decades of expertise. The question remains: which character will earn the honor of a potential fourth wave.

The pieces are available on the official CCP shop (payment by advance bank transfer or cash on delivery, the latter with a surcharge of approximately ¥1,100), as well as from the usual Japanese retailers such as AmiAmi or HobbyLink Japan for certain references.

Source: SHOP.CCP.JP — Official Hokuto no Ken Catalog. © 武論尊・原哲夫／コアミックス 1983.