For the 25th anniversary of Hokuto no Ken in 2008, the 7Artist project invited seven creators to reinterpret the four Hokuto brothers, each in their own style. While most contributions took the form of PVC figures, Urata Spancall‘s stands out due to its format, with a soft vinyl (sofubi) series, produced by Glam Senses, which gives the characters an inimitable retro and cartoonish look.
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Urata Spancall, the pop spirit of the 80s
Born in 1977 in Osaka and a graduate of Kyoto Seika University, Urata Spancall is an illustrator whose creative world draws from American children’s films of the 1980s, which he transposes into a pop, colorful, and humor-filled style. He is notably known for numerous collaborations with fashion brands. His reinterpretation of the Hokuto warriors, all rounded shapes and vivid colors, is true to form: offbeat, endearing, and immediately recognizable.
The four brothers in soft vinyl
The lineup features the four Hokuto brothers: Raoh, Toki, Kenshiro, and Jagi, brought straight out of the artist’s illustrations. Standing approximately 20 cm tall, these soft vinyl figures play up their retro charm. The Raoh piece goes the extra mile by offering a removable cape and helmet. Each character was sold separately. Alongside the standard edition, a Tower Records limited color version was also offered, featuring the retailer’s iconic red and yellow colors. A sought-after variant that rounds out the collection for fans of Urata Spancall’s work.
