Hokuto no Ken Ichigo Aji (anime)

Hokuto no Ken Ichigo Aji (北斗の拳 イチゴ味), literally "Hokuto no Ken Strawberry Flavor," is a Japanese animated series of 12 segments of approximately two minutes each, broadcast from October 7 to December 23, 2015 on TV Tokyo at the end of each installment of the combined program DD Hokuto no Ken 2 Ichigo Aji+. Directed by Mankyu at studio Ajia-do, it adapts the parody manga of the same name and makes the Holy Emperor Souther its unlikely hero.

Synopsis

The official description sets the tone: the Holy Emperor Souther has a blast, acts coy, and laughs uproariously in "the problem work dubbed the greatest waste of copyrights of the century," drawn in a strikingly faithful imitation of Tetsuo Hara's art style. Souther, who has no friends, looks for ways to get closer to Kenshiro, plays around with the members of the Nanto Six Sacred Fists, savors his favorite dish, curry, and fills the screen with his ordinary madness, from the top of the Seitei Jūjiryō mausoleum to rehearsals with the end-of-century idol group Nanto DE5MEN.

A parody of Tetsuo Hara's work

The series adapts the manga Hokuto no Ken Ichigo Aji, written by Kawata Yushi and drawn by Yukito-imouto with the cooperation of Yukito, based on an original concept credited to Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. The entire charm of the work lies in its artistic approach: faithfully reproducing Hara's realistic art style while filling it with absurd humor, in contrast to the deformed designs of the DD lineage. On air, its 12 numbered segments, without individual titles, closed each installment of the combined program with DD Hokuto no Ken 2, sharing the same opening and ending themes, "Seikimatsu School Wars" by Ars Magna and "Kesenai, Nanatsu no Hoshi" by Houkago Princess. The two series nonetheless remain distinct works, with separate staff and separate home video releases.

Production

Mankyu, already involved in the DD lineage, directed the series under the supervision of Tetsuo Hara, with Yoshihara Konosuke on character design, Nakamura Takashi on backgrounds, Misawa Yasuhiro on music, and Ajia-do on animation. The casting masterstroke is the return of Ginga Banjo in the role of Souther, whom he had already voiced in the 1984 series nearly thirty years earlier. Alongside him, Konishi Katsuyuki voices Kenshiro, Suwabe Junichi voices Shu, Morikawa Toshiyuki voices Shin, Toriumi Kosuke voices Rei, and Taniyama Kisho reprises Yuda, whom he had already voiced in Ten no Haoh. Narration is provided by comedian Ishii Masanori.

Episode guide

The 12 segments, each approximately two minutes long on air, are officially numbered "Ichigo Aji 1" through "Ichigo Aji 12," without individual titles. The summaries below follow the official broadcast descriptions.

• Ichigo Aji 1, aired on October 7, 2015. To launch the series, presented as the commemorative work for the Holy Emperor's 30th anniversary, Souther personally delivers an exclusive message created for the anime.
• Ichigo Aji 2, aired on October 14, 2015. The duel between Souther and Kenshiro finally begins, but, knowing nothing about the secret of the Emperor's body, Kenshiro collapses before his shattering confession.
• Ichigo Aji 3, aired on October 21, 2015. Cheered on by his hundred hostages, Shu of the Nanto Hakuro Ken challenges Souther, and refuses so stubbornly to crown the Seitei Jūjiryō that the Emperor ends up calling him "Shu-sama."
• Ichigo Aji 4, aired on October 28, 2015. Souther shows off in front of Kenshiro, but the relentless assaults of a turban-wearing kid with no connection to the fight end up breaking his spirit.
• Ichigo Aji 5, aired on November 4, 2015. With the turban-wearing kid finally captured, Souther faces Kenshiro with a light heart, until the prisoner vanishes into thin air and the threat returns to lurk.
• Ichigo Aji 6, aired on November 11, 2015. No setback against Kenshiro can shake Souther's heart, which is galvanized by the painful memories of his childhood.
• Ichigo Aji 7, aired on November 18, 2015. An exclusive interview with the Nanto DE5MEN, the end-of-century idol group formed by Souther, Shu, Yuda, Shin, and Rei, to celebrate their major debut.
• Ichigo Aji 8, aired on November 25, 2015. The Nanto DE5MEN make their debut with their cover of "Sore ga Daiji," the classic by the Daiji MAN Brothers Band, performed on screen.
• Ichigo Aji 9, aired on December 2, 2015. Unable to confess his feelings to Kenshiro, Shin multiplies his schemes to attract his attention, and his impulses cross paths with those of Yuria.
• Ichigo Aji 10, aired on December 9, 2015. The unexpected past of Fudo, once feared under the name Fudo the Demon, is told without embellishment, not forgetting the ordinary madness of a Souther who couldn't care less.
• Ichigo Aji 11, aired on December 16, 2015. The members of the Nanto show up unannounced at Yuda's castle to discuss strategy, while Souther mostly struggles with his strawberry milkshake.
• Ichigo Aji 12, aired on December 23, 2015. The duel between Souther and Kenshiro reaches its conclusion. Upon whom will the goddess of victory smile?

Cast and staff