Fist of the North Star
Hokuto no Ken, known in English as Fist of the North Star, was born in 1983 in Weekly Shonen Jump, written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara. In a world ravaged by nuclear war, Kenshiro, heir to Hokuto Shinken, takes on the tyrants of the end of the century and his own brothers, Raoh, Toki and Jagi. Over more than forty years, the manga has spawned a cult anime series, films and OVAs, around ten gaiden, parodies and a brand-new adaptation in 2026. This page traces the entire saga as a tree, from the two pilot stories of 1983 to the 2026 anime, with a detailed entry for every work. Follow a branch, filter by medium, or start with the reading and viewing order at the bottom of the page.
47 works listed
The 1983 pilots, the origins of Fist of the North Star
Before the series, Tetsuo Hara drew two short stories for Fresh Jump, in April and June 1983. Their hero, Kasumi Kenshiro, lives in present-day Japan and already wields Hokuto Shinken, the art of striking the body's secret points. Both stories topped the readers' poll, and Shueisha launched the series in Weekly Shonen Jump on September 13, 1983, with Buronson as writer and a world devastated by nuclear war. The pilots have never been published in English.
The Toei anime series and the 1986 film
A year after the manga began, Toei Animation brought it to television. The series aired on Fuji TV from October 11, 1984 to February 18, 1988, for 152 episodes, 109 under the title Hokuto no Ken and 43 under Hokuto no Ken 2. Released in Japan on March 8, 1986, Toyoo Ashida's film offers a more violent retelling of the early chapters, up to Kenshiro's first duel with Raoh. Both are known in English as Fist of the North Star.
After the manga, from the novel Jubaku no Machi to Shin Hokuto no Ken
Eight years after the manga ended, Buronson and Tetsuo Hara gave it a sequel in novel form. Jubaku no Machi, published by Shueisha in December 1996, takes Kenshiro to Lastland, the city of the tyrant Sanga. The novel was adapted in 2003 and 2004 into three 58-minute OVAs, Shin Hokuto no Ken, released in English as New Fist of the North Star, marking the saga's return to animation after fifteen years of absence. In between, in 2001, the two authors launched Souten no Ken, the prequel devoted to Kenshiro Kasumi, the hero's uncle, in 1930s Shanghai.
The 25th anniversary films and OVAs, the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu pentalogy
For the series' 25th anniversary, North Stars Pictures, the company founded by Nobuhiko Horie with Buronson and Tetsuo Hara, produced a new animated saga in five parts, alternating films and OVAs, under the banner Legends of the True Savior. Each one follows a pillar of the story, Raoh, Yuria, Toki and finally Kenshiro, staying as close as possible to the original work. The CG short film Legend of Heroes, aired in 2006, accompanied the anniversary without being part of the pentalogy.
The Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu pentalogy
The Fist of the North Star gaiden, the legend of each character
From 2006 onwards, each major figure of the saga received a manga of their own, from an original idea by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. Ten no Haoh tells of Raoh's youth and conquest, and became an anime series in 2008. Yuria, Rei, Toki, Jagi and Jûza followed, then Garuda and the prehistory of the Five Chariot Stars of Nanto.
DD Hokuto no Ken, Ichigo Aji and the parodies
Since 2010, the saga has been poking fun at itself with its creators' blessing. DD Hokuto no Ken imagines a world where the nuclear war never happened, with Kenshiro working the till at a convenience store. Hokuto no Ken Ichigo Aji makes Souther the hero of a comic retelling drawn in Tetsuo Hara's exact style, and Zako-tachi no Banka follows the daily life of the lowly foot soldiers of Raoh's army. All three were adapted into anime, the last one in 2026.
Fist of the North Star 2026, the new anime
For the franchise's 40th anniversary, TMS Entertainment adapted the original manga once again. Directed by Maeda Hiroshi, the anime has been airing since April 10, 2026 in Japan on TOKYO MX and BS11, and worldwide exclusively on Prime Video. It relies on CG animation to capture the density of Tetsuo Hara's artwork.
Video games, figures, music and publications
Beyond manga and anime, Fist of the North Star has inspired more than forty years of spin-off creations. Explore the video games from the Famicom to pachislot, figures sorted by manufacturer, soundtracks and the books devoted to the saga.
Frequently asked questions
In what order should you read and watch Fist of the North Star?
For the manga, start with Hokuto no Ken, whose 27 volumes tell the whole story. Its sequel, the novel Jubaku no Machi, has only been published in Japanese, but the three Shin Hokuto no Ken OVAs, released in English as New Fist of the North Star, adapt it directly and pick up where the manga ends. For anime, the 1984 series adapts the manga up to chapter 210 across 152 episodes, Hokuto no Ken 2 included, taking some liberties and adding filler episodes. The 1986 film and the 2006 to 2008 pentalogy are retellings, best watched separately, in the order Raoh Den Junai no Sho, Yuria Den, Raoh Den Gekito no Sho, Toki Den and Zero Kenshiro Den. The gaiden can be read on their own, and Souten no Ken, the prequel, can be enjoyed before or after.
How many volumes does Fist of the North Star have?
The original manga runs 27 volumes in its first Japanese edition, or 245 chapters published from 1983 to 1988 in Weekly Shonen Jump. It has since been reissued in thicker formats with fewer volumes.