Hokuto no Ken episodes: Difference between revisions

    From Hokuto no Ken Encyclopedia | HnKWiki
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    {{EpiList}}
    {{EpiList}}
    {{HnK Episode|1|God or Devil!? The Mightiest Man Appears in Hell|Kami ka Akuma ka!? Jigoku ni arawareta saikyō no otoko|神か悪魔か!? 地獄にあらわれた最強の男|October 11|1984|After a long time travelling in the desert, Kenshiro is taken prisoner while wandering into a village looking for water. There, he shares a cell with a young thief named Bat, and befriends his cell guard, an orphaned girl named Lin. Shortly afterwards, a biker gang attacks the village and their leader, Zeed, takes Lin hostage. Ken breaks out of his cell and kills Zeed using the ''Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken'' technique, rescuing Lin. As Ken leaves the village, Bat decides to follow him as his self-appointed sidekick, while Lin stays behind.}}
    {{HnK Episode|1|God or Devil!? The Mightiest Man Appears in Hell|Kami ka Akuma ka!? Jigoku ni arawareta saikyō no otoko|神か悪魔か!? 地獄にあらわれた最強の男|October 11|1984|After a long time travelling in the desert, Kenshiro is taken prisoner while wandering into a village looking for water. There, he shares a cell with a young thief named Bat, and befriends his cell guard, an orphaned girl named Lin. Shortly afterwards, a biker gang attacks the village and their leader, Zeed, takes Lin hostage. Ken breaks out of his cell and kills Zeed using the ''Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken'' technique, rescuing Lin. As Ken leaves the village, Bat decides to follow him as his self-appointed sidekick, while Lin stays behind. The leader of the village mentions that, wherever ''Hokuto Shinken'' goes, chaos follows.}}


    {{HnK Episode|2|The Fist of Lingering Regret and Certain Death! The Future Is Sighted in the Barren Wasteland!|Hissatsu Zankaiken! Fumō no Kōya ni ashita o mita!|必殺残悔拳! 不毛の荒野に明日をみた!|October 18|1984|Kenshiro rescues an old man named Smith from Spade, a member of the Four Jacks working for the King organization. The old man seeks to deliver a bag of rice seeds to his village, hoping to harvest them for the future. Ken and Bat take Smith back to his village, unaware that Spade and his men are following them. Spade, who lost his eye during his initial encounter with Ken, attacks the village and kills Smith in retaliation. Enraged by Smith's death, Ken kills Spade with a ''Hokuto Shinken'' technique that makes whoever is subjected to it feel remorse before dying a gruesome death. After the battle, Ken plants Smith's seeds over his grave.}}
    {{HnK Episode|2|The Fist of Lingering Regret and Certain Death! The Future Is Sighted in the Barren Wasteland!|Hissatsu Zankai Ken! Fumō no Kōya ni ashita o mita!|必殺残悔拳! 不毛の荒野に明日をみた!|October 18|1984|Kenshiro rescues an old man named Smith from Spade, a member of the Four Jacks working for the King organization. The old man seeks to deliver a bag of rice seeds to his village, hoping to harvest them for the future. Ken and Bat take Smith back to his village, unaware that Spade and his men are following them. Spade, who lost his eye during his initial encounter with Ken, attacks the village and kills Smith in retaliation. Enraged by Smith's death, Ken kills Spade with a ''Hokuto Shinken'' technique that makes whoever is subjected to it feel remorse before dying a gruesome death. After the battle, Ken plants Smith's seeds over his grave.}}


    {{HnK Episode|3|In the City Without Light, a Lone Fist Burns! The Furious Death by the Five Exploding Fingers|Hikari-naki machi ni koken ga moeta! Bakusatsu Goshi Retsudan|光なき街に孤拳が燃えた! 爆殺五指烈弾|October 25|1984|Bat spots Lin in a truck full of captive villagers being taken to the town of Dorado, which is occupied by the King organization. While in Dorado, Kenshiro encounters two of the remaining Four Jacks, Diamond and Club, who are torturing their captives. Ken kills both of them and, with Bat's help, is reunited with Lin.}}
    {{HnK Episode|3|In the City Without Light, a Lone Fist Burns! The Furious Death by the Five Exploding Fingers|Hikari-naki machi ni koken ga moeta! Bakusatsu Goshi Retsudan|光なき街に孤拳が燃えた! 爆殺五指烈弾|October 25|1984|Bat spots Lin in a truck full of captive villagers being taken to the town of Dorado, which is occupied by the King organization. While in Dorado, Kenshiro encounters two of the remaining Four Jacks, Diamond and Club, who are torturing and killing the villagers for fun. Ken uses the power of ''Hokuto Shinken'' to destroy them both and, with Bat's help, is reunited with Lin.}}


    {{HnK Episode|4|Attack the Bloody Cross! The Secret Technique, Death by Soft Strikes|Braddi Kurosu o ute! Hiken Jūhazan|ブラッディクロスを撃て! 秘拳·柔破斬|November 1|1984|Kenshiro learns that the other prisoners transported with Lin are being held in a separate prison camp in a nearby valley. Ken manages to break the imprisoned villagers free, but they're all killed in an ambush led by Mr. Heart, the last of the Four Jacks. While Mr. Heart's excess flesh proves resistant to his attacks, Ken eventually uses a ''Hokuto Shinken'' technique that exposes a pressure point in Mr. Heart's body. From his battle with Mr. Heart, Ken learns that the identity of King is none other than his old friend-turned-nemesis: Shin.}}
    {{HnK Episode|4|Attack the Bloody Cross! The Secret Technique, Death by Soft Strikes|Braddi Kurosu o ute! Hiken Jūhazan|ブラッディクロスを撃て! 秘拳·柔破斬|November 1|1984|Kenshiro learns that the other prisoners transported with Lin are being held in a separate prison camp in a nearby valley. Ken manages to break the imprisoned villagers free, but they're all killed in an ambush led by Mr. Heart, the last of the Four Jacks. While Mr. Heart's excess flesh proves resistant to his attacks, Ken eventually uses a ''Hokuto Shinken'' technique that exposes a pressure point in Mr. Heart's body. From his battle with Mr. Heart, Ken learns that the identity of King is none other than his old friend-turned-nemesis: Shin.}}


    {{HnK Episode|5|Can the Flames of Love Burn in Hell? You Don't Even Know You're Dead!|Jigoku ni saku ka ai no honō. Omae wa mō shinde iru!|地獄に咲くか愛の炎·おまえはもう死んでいる!|November 8|1984|In a flashback, Kenshiro remembers how a year ago Shin defeated him in combat, engraved the seven scars on his chest and took his fiancée Yuria, who went with Shin to save Ken's life. Ken arrives at a castle where Shin was said to be staying, but Shin has already left for his new capital city, Southern Cross. Ken only finds Shin's right-hand man Joker, who reveals that Shin and his gang have already left the castle, taking Yuria with them. Joker escapes and sets the castle ablaze with Ken inside, but Ken manages to escape, swearing to find Shin.}}
    {{HnK Episode|5|Can the Flames of Love Burn in Hell? You Don't Even Know You're Dead!|Jigoku ni saku ka ai no honō. Omae wa mō shinde iru!|地獄に咲くか愛の炎·おまえはもう死んでいる!|November 8|1984|In a flashback, Kenshiro remembers how a year ago Shin defeated him in combat, engraved the seven scars on his chest and took his fiancée Yuria, who went with Shin to save Ken's life. Ken arrives at a castle where Shin was said to be staying, but Shin has already left for his new capital city, Southern Cross. Ken only finds Shin's right-hand man Joker, who reveals that Shin and his gang have already left the castle, taking Yuria with them. Joker escapes and sets the castle ablaze with Ken inside, but Ken manages to escape, swearing to find Shin and take Yuria back.}}


    {{HnK Episode|6|The Devil's Hit List. Find the Man With the 7 Scars!|Akuma no tehaisho. Nanatsu no kizu no otoko o nerae!|悪魔の手配書 七つの傷の男を狙え!|November 15|1984|Kenshiro, Bat and Lin arrive at an oasis city under the surveillance of God's Army, a fanatical military group composed of former special forces members. Ken has a bounty placed on his head after he kills one of the group's security officers in a fight.}}
    {{HnK Episode|6|The Devil's Hit List. Find the Man With the 7 Scars!|Akuma no tehaisho. Nanatsu no kizu no otoko o nerae!|悪魔の手配書 七つの傷の男を狙え!|November 15|1984|Kenshiro, Bat and Lin arrive at an oasis city under the rule of God's Army, a fanatical military group composed of former special forces members. Ken has a bounty placed on his head after he kills one of the group's security officers in a fight.}}


    {{HnK Episode|7|Villains! How About Counting Down to Your Own Death?!|Akutō domo! Shi e no Byōyomi yatte miru kai|悪党ども! 死への秒よみやってみるかい|November 22|1984|God's Army conducts a full-scale manhunt for Kenshiro. When the search team starts executing innocent bystanders at random to lure him out, Ken allows himself to be captured in order to infiltrate their training facility. There, he faces and defeats the army's drill instructor, Sergeant Mad.}}
    {{HnK Episode|7|Villains! How About Counting Down to Your Own Death?!|Akutō domo! Shi e no Byōyomi yatte miru kai|悪党ども! 死への秒よみやってみるかい|November 22|1984|God's Army conducts a full-scale manhunt for Kenshiro. When the search team starts executing innocent bystanders at random to lure him out, Ken allows himself to be captured in order to infiltrate their training facility. There, he faces and defeats the army's drill instructor, Sergeant Mad.}}


    {{HnK Episode|8|Strike the Hidden Power Point! There's No Requiem for the Wicked|Keiraku Hikō o tsuke! Akutō domo ni chinkonka wa nai|経絡秘孔を突け! 悪党どもに鎮魂歌はない|November 29|1984|Kenshiro penetrates the headquarters of God's Army and confronts their leader, The Colonel, who is a deluded follower of Shin that has mastered the art of ''Nanto Muonken''. However, he is no match for the power of ''Hokuto Shinken'', and Ken ultimately kills him by hitting a pressure point that causes the Colonel's skeleton to explode out of his body.}}
    {{HnK Episode|8|Strike the Hidden Power Point! There's No Requiem for the Wicked|Keiraku Hikō o tsuke! Akutō domo ni chinkonka wa nai|経絡秘孔を突け! 悪党どもに鎮魂歌はない|November 29|1984|Kenshiro penetrates the headquarters of God's Army and confronts their leader, the Colonel, who is a deluded follower of Shin that has mastered the art of ''Nanto Muonken''. However, he is no match for the power of ''Hokuto Shinken'', and Ken ultimately kills him by hitting a pressure point that causes the Colonel's skeleton to explode out of his body.}}


    {{HnK Episode|9|Villains! Finish Your Prayers Before You Die!|Akutō domo! Shinumae ni inori o sumasero!|悪党ども! 死ぬ前に祈りをすませろ!|December 6|1984|Kenshiro and his friends arrive at a village where the young men and women are being offered as slaves to Madam Patra, a local sorceress who controls the village's water supply from her fortified castle. After defeating her bodyguards, Ken confronts her, but she disappears in a blinding flash of light. When Ken explores behind the castle, he discovers that the lake has completely dried up.}}
    {{HnK Episode|9|Villains! Finish Your Prayers Before You Die!|Akutō domo! Shinumae ni inori o sumasero!|悪党ども! 死ぬ前に祈りをすませろ!|December 6|1984|Kenshiro and his friends arrive at a village where the young men and women are being offered as slaves to Madam Patra, a local sorceress who controls the village's water supply from her fortified castle. After defeating her bodyguards, Ken confronts her, but she disappears in a blinding flash of light. When Ken explores behind the castle, he discovers that the lake has completely dried up.}}


    {{HnK Episode|10|Inverse Raging Fire Punch! There are Too Many Who Deserve to Die!|Rekka Gyakuryūken! Shisubeki Yatsura ga Ōsugiru!|烈火逆流拳! 死すべき奴が多すぎる!|December 13|1984|Kenshiro follows the dried-up river bed and ventures into Patra's lair at Dragon God Mountain to save the young villagers. There he faces Patra's partner, Dragon, a fire breather with the power of ''Nanto Ryujinken'' who attempts to coerce Ken to his side, but he refuses. Ken tricks Dragon into killing Patra and then causes Dragon's throat to constrict, consuming him in his own flames, setting fire to his castle and freeing the villagers.}}
    {{HnK Episode|10|Inverse Raging Fire Punch! There are Too Many Who Deserve to Die!|Rekka Gyakuryūken! Shisubeki Yatsura ga Ōsugiru!|烈火逆流拳! 死すべき奴が多すぎる!|December 13|1984|Kenshiro follows the dried-up river bed and ventures into Patra's lair at Dragon God Mountain to save the young villagers. There he faces Patra's partner, Dragon, a fire breather with the power of ''Nanto Ryujinken'' who attempts to coerce Ken to his side, but he refuses. Ken tricks Dragon into killing Patra and then causes Dragon's throat to constrict, consuming him in his own flames. Dragon and his castle burn to the ground and the villagers are freed.}}


    {{HnK Episode|11|Villains! Listen to the Blues of Hell!|Akutō domo! Jigoku no Burūsu o kike!|悪党ども! 地獄のブルースを聞け!|December 20|1984|Kenshiro and his companions meet Taki, an old friend of Bat's. Taki takes them to his home village where Auntie Toyo, an elderly woman who takes care of orphaned and abandoned children, is trying to dig a well. Ken is unaware that the Warriors biker gang led by Jackal have followed him, seeking to claim Toyo's village as their new turf.}}
    {{HnK Episode|11|Villains! Listen to the Blues of Hell!|Akutō domo! Jigoku no Burūsu o kike!|悪党ども! 地獄のブルースを聞け!|December 20|1984|Kenshiro and his companions meet Taki, an old friend of Bat's. Taki takes them to his home village where Auntie Toyo, an elderly woman who takes care of orphaned and abandoned children, is trying to dig a well. Ken is unaware that the Warriors biker gang, led by Jackal, have followed him, seeking to claim Toyo's village as their new turf.}}


    {{HnK Episode|12|I Am Death Itself! I'll Chase You to the Ends of Hell!|Ore wa Shinigami! Jigoku no Hate made Oitsumete yaru!|俺は死神! 地獄の果まで追いつめてやる!|January 10|1985|After Toyo is killed by Jackal, Kenshiro leaves Bat and Lin to watch over Toyo's orphans while he pursues Jackal and the Warriors. While searching for clues to Jackal's destination, Ken encounters Fox, Jackal's right-hand man, but Ken outwits and kills him. Ken finally catches up to Jackal, but before Ken can kill him, he is rescued by Joker.}}
    {{HnK Episode|12|I Am Death Itself! I'll Chase You to the Ends of Hell!|Ore wa Shinigami! Jigoku no Hate made Oitsumete yaru!|俺は死神! 地獄の果まで追いつめてやる!|January 10|1985|After Toyo is murdered by Jackal, Kenshiro leaves Bat and Lin to watch over Toyo's orphans while he pursues Jackal and the Warriors. While searching for clues to Jackal's destination, Ken encounters Fox, Jackal's right-hand man, but Ken outwits and kills him. Ken finally catches up to Jackal, but before Ken can kill him, he is rescued by Joker.}}


    {{HnK Episode|13|Arhat Deva Fist! Once Released There's No Stopping It!|Rakan Niōken! Ugokidashitara mō tomaranai!|羅漢仁王拳! 動きだしたらもう止まらない!|January 17|1985|Kenshiro chases Jackal to the ruins of Villainy Prison, where the most vicious of criminals are imprisoned. Hoping to defeat Ken, Jackal releases Devil's Rebirth, a gigantic demon-like killer who has mastered the forbidden art of ''Rakan Niohken''. Jackal dupes him into believing that Ken was responsible for imprisoning him, but Ken defeats the giant and then uses one of Jackal's own sticks of dynamite to destroy them both.}}
    {{HnK Episode|13|Arhat Deva Fist! Once Released There's No Stopping It!|Rakan Niōken! Ugokidashitara mō tomaranai!|羅漢仁王拳! 動きだしたらもう止まらない!|January 17|1985|Kenshiro chases Jackal to the ruins of Villainy Prison, where only the most vicious of criminals are imprisoned. Hoping to defeat Ken, Jackal releases Devil's Rebirth, a gigantic demon-like killer who has mastered the forbidden art of ''Rakan Niohken''. Jackal dupes him into believing that Ken was responsible for imprisoning him, but Ken defeats the giant and then uses one of Jackal's own sticks of dynamite to destroy them both.}}


    {{HnK Episode|14|A Miserable Era! The Good Die So Young!|Fukō na jidai da! Zennin hodo hayajini suru!|不幸な時代だ! 善人ほど早死にする!|January 24|1985|Kenshiro and his friends visit a village where the local doctor, Duran, offers his hospitality. However, Duran is a former member of a group of bandits who have been dispatched by Shin to hunt down Ken. Their leader, Dante, blackmails Duran into killing Ken under threat of divulging Duran's shady past to the villagers. Duran attempts to kill Ken at the edge of an active volcano, but fails, and is murdered by Dante and his men when he tries to protect a young girl. An enraged Ken kills Dante's men in retaliation and, when Dante tries to use his ''Nanto Hyakuzanken'' style against him, overpowers the villain and forces him to walk straight into the volcanic magma.}}
    {{HnK Episode|14|A Miserable Era! The Good Die So Young!|Fukō na jidai da! Zennin hodo hayajini suru!|不幸な時代だ! 善人ほど早死にする!|January 24|1985|Kenshiro and his friends visit a village where the local doctor, Duran, offers his hospitality. However, Duran is a former member of a group of bandits who have been dispatched by Shin to hunt down Ken. Their leader, Dante, blackmails Duran into killing Ken under threat of divulging Duran's shady past to the villagers. Duran attempts to kill Ken at the edge of an active volcano, but fails, and is murdered by Dante and his men when he tries to protect a young girl. An enraged Ken kills Dante's men in retaliation and, when Dante tries to use his ''Nanto Hyakuzanken'' style against him, overpowers the villain and forces him to walk straight into the volcanic magma.}}

    Revision as of 12:42, 23 March 2021

    See also: Hokuto no Ken (TV series)

    The Hokuto no Ken manga by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara was adapted into two animated television series produced by Toei Animation. The original series, simply titled Hokuto no Ken (北斗の拳), lasted 109 episodes, which aired on Fuji TV from October 11, 1984 to March 5, 1987, adapting the first 136 chapters of the original manga. A sequel series, Hokuto no Ken 2, took over the previous series' time slot and lasted 43 episodes, airing from March 12, 1987 to February 18, 1988, which adapts chapters 137 to 210 (the remainder of the manga was not adapted).

    The original opening and ending themes for the series up to episode 82 are Ai o Torimodose!! (愛をとりもどせ!!, "Taking Back Love") and Yuria... Eien ni (ユリア...永遠に, "Yuria... Eternally"), both performed by the band Crystal King. From episodes 83 to 109, the opening and ending themes are changed to Silent Survivor and Dry Your Tears by Kodomo Band. For the Hokuto no Ken 2 portion of the series (episodes 110-152), the opening and ending themes are Tough Boy and Love Song by Tom Cat.

    Fist of the North Star

    The Bloody Cross Arc

    This portion of the series adapts Chapters 1-25 of the original manga, adapting the story from the beginning to the battle between Kenshiro and Devil's Rebirth. The order of the events and how they transpire were changed in the anime, so that the final battle between Kenshiro and Shin does not occur until the very end.

    # Title Original Airdate

    Fūun Ryūko Hen

    Fūun Ryūko Hen (風雲龍虎編 Chapter of Wind, Clouds, Dragons and Tigers) adapts Chapters 26 to 83 of the manga, covering the story from the introduction of Rei to the final battle between Rei and Yuda.

    # Title Original Airdate

    Ransei Hadō Hen

    Ransei Hadō Hen (乱世覇道編 Martial Conquest of Troubled Times chapter) adapts the manga from Chapters 84 to 109, adapting the story from the Souther arc to the Ryuga arc.

    # Title Original Airdate

    Saishūshō

    Saishūshō (最終章 The Final Chapter), the final portion of the original series, adapts Chapters 110 to 136, covering the story from the introduction of the Five Chariots to the final battle between Kenshiro and Raoh.

    # Title Original Airdate

    Fist of the North Star 2

    The Celestial Emperor Arc

    This arc adapts Chapters 137 to 160 of the original manga.

    # Title Original Airdate

    The Land of Asura Arc

    This arc adapts Chapters 161 to 210 of the original manga.

    # Title Original Airdate

    Releases

    Japanese

    Although the series has never been fully released on VHS in Japan, Toei released three hour-long "digest" episodes on VHS during the late 1980s, composed of clips of episodes from Chapters 1, 2, and 4 of the first series. The complete series has been collected on DVD in Japan, in a boxed collection known as the Super Premium Box[1] and in 26 individually released discs containing 5-6 episodes per volume.[2] A three volume DVD series, the Kyūkyoku Retsuden series, which features key episodes of the series.[3] Toei later produced an HD Remaster Edition of the Hokuto no Ken DVD set, which was released on March 28, 2008.[4]

    English

    The first 36 episodes were licensed to Manga Entertainment and released in English dubbed and subtitled formats on VHS and DVD. Manga Entertainment initially released the series in eight VHS volumes spanning only 24 episodes in 1999 and later released all 36 episodes in five DVD volumes in 2003.[5] The English dub of the show features a new soundtrack provided by Reinforced Records and voice acting by Animaze. The original opening and ending sequences were replaced by in-house versions produced by Manga Entertainment with music by Mike Egan. The dubbed version aired on Showtime Beyond in the US and on Channel 4 and the Sci-Fi Channel in the UK.

    On May 2008, Toei began releasing English-subtitled episodes of the TV series on the internet.[6] All 152 episodes are available on various video streaming services.[7][8][9]

    Discotek released the complete TV series in North American in four different DVD sets.[10]

    Reception

    A reviewer of DVD Vision Japan stated that the English voice acting was "terrible, even for an early dub" and compared David Lucas' performance as Shin unfavorably to his role as Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop. The same reviewer also states that the music by Mike Egan is mediocre.[11] Mike Toole of Anime Jump proclaimed that the drum n' bass soundtrack is "occasionally nice, but usually just obtrusive".[12] Chadwick Ngan of EX Anime wrote that the "American voice actors' efforts are commendable" and that the new opening and ending themes "aren't bad, but nothing to get excited about either."[13]

    References

    External links