Ten no Haoh : Hokuto no Ken Raoh Gaiden (anime)

Ten no Haoh : Hokuto no Ken Raoh Gaiden, released in France under the title Hokuto no Ken : La Légende de Raoh, is a Japanese animated series of 13 episodes produced by studio Satelight and broadcast from October 3 to December 26, 2008 on TOKYO MX, TV Aichi, TV Osaka and Kids Station. Adapted from the eponymous manga by Osada Yuko, it tells the story of Raoh's youth and his rise to the title of Ken-oh, the King of Fists.

Synopsis

In the world ravaged by nuclear flames, one man rises to conquer the century: Raoh, the eldest of the Hokuto brothers. Proclaiming himself Ken-oh, the King of Fists, he subjugates one by one the warlords who divide the ruins of the world among themselves, aided by his strategist Souga and by Reina, Souga's sister, placed at the head of his personal guard.

The founding of Ken-oh's citadel, the encounter with the horse-king Kokuo, the truth behind Toki's imprisonment in Cassandra: all events the manga had never shown, and upon which the series lifts the veil. Why did Raoh set out on the path of conquest, to the point of transforming himself into a demon? What did he sacrifice along the way, and what feelings did he harbor for his youngest brother Kenshiro? Friendships, rivalries and merciless battles mark the youth of the man who lived without a single regret.

An anime for the 25th anniversary of Hokuto no Ken

A commemorative work for the 25th anniversary of Hokuto no Ken, the series adapts the manga Ten no Haoh, drawn by Osada Yuko based on an original concept by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara, published in Weekly Comic Bunch from March 2006 to 2007 and compiled in five volumes. A tale of conquest infused with tributes to the life of Oda Nobunaga, the manga draws on the expanded universe of the Shin Kyuseishu Densetsu pentalogy, bringing back its original characters Reina and Souga alongside Raoh. The anime series was presented to the public during the Soul Wedding on September 13, 2008, the fictional marriage of Kenshiro and Yuria, before premiering on television the following month.

Faithful to the spirit of the 1984 series, the broadcast displayed the names of techniques on screen. The most violent scenes, however, were retouched and blurred on terrestrial channels. The series also introduces an original character, Sakuya, a mysterious strategist versed in divination, who later appeared in a special chapter of the manga.

Production

Production was placed under the general supervision of Nobuhiko Horie, while Hidano Kazuhiko, executive producer, continued the link with the pentalogy, which he had already produced. The series was financed by a production committee bringing together Amuse Soft Entertainment, Interchannel, Showgate and Coamix.

On the casting side, Ukaji Takashi was the only voice actor from the films to reprise his role, once again lending his voice to Raoh, while Toki, Souther, Reina and Souga were given new voice actors. Kenshiro made a few appearances voiced by Ishikawa Hideo, and the narration was provided by Ono Atsushi, who also voiced Ryuken.

The music

The original soundtrack is by KAZSIN, a duo formed by Ishikawa Kazuhiro and Naito Shinya. The opening theme, "Nageki no Endless," is performed by the visual kei group jealkb, with lyrics by haderu and composition by elsa. The ending theme, "Namida no Kawa," is written, composed, and performed by mina☆muse. Both groups had performed on the Soul Wedding stage one month before the series launched.

Episode Guide

The series has 13 episodes, broadcast every Friday on TOKYO MX. The French titles are those from the Kazé DVD edition.

• Episode 1, Mon poing sert le ciel, aired on October 3, 2008.
• Episode 2, Un roi reconnaît un roi, aired on October 10, 2008.
• Episode 3, Nul château ne me résiste, aired on October 17, 2008.
• Episode 4, Qui ce poing sert-il ?, aired on October 24, 2008.
• Episode 5, Frères ennemis, aired on October 31, 2008.
• Episode 6, L'éveil du Démon, aired on November 7, 2008.
• Episode 7, Le Loup Bleu dévale la terre, aired on November 14, 2008.
• Episode 8, Un cri résonne dans l'obscurité, aired on November 21, 2008.
• Episode 9, Le combat d'une femme, aired on November 28, 2008.
• Episode 10, Poing brisé sur le sable, aired on December 5, 2008.
• Episode 11, L'Empereur Sacré, aired on December 12, 2008.
• Episode 12, Le château tombe, aired on December 19, 2008.
• Episode 13, J'avance vers le ciel, aired on December 26, 2008.

Cast and staff