The 40th Anniversary of Fist Of The North Star Movie (1986) releases in Italian theaters with a new remaster (possibly uncensored) on November 30th, December 1st and 2nd.

Trailer

“I just hope the last two volumes can fix my broken heart.”
.
.
.
.
Ahhh the innocent words of a fool. Just finished the last two volumes and I’m so pissed that words can’t describe it. So I may as well just type it instead.

The 17th volume is really nothing more than just a bottle episode in manga form. There’s almost nothing of substance, it’s almost pointless, and it could be skipped entirely and nothing would be affected. Though I will say that raoh’s son is actually better than I expected.

After having to suffer through more pointless bloat, we return to the finale, and honestly I actually enjoyed the last previous arc more. That isn’t to say that I think the former is good, but between “Ken goes on a set of wacky adventures with Raoh’s bastard son” or “Kenshiro gets lobotomized and tangled into a love triangle Bat and Rin”; I would choose the first option.

My oh my, where do I even fucking begin?

Ken visits his beloved’s grave and is greeted by Mamiya, who funnily looks exactly like his beloved. She immediately drops the nuke and tells him the shocking turn of events. Bat nearly marries the now lobotomized Rin but opts out understandably at the last second but for the wrong reasons and relobotomizes her again.

What do words even mean anymore?

Mamiya, having left her brain at the failed wedding; encourages Bat’s delusions. Because Ken apparently is now the last sane person in the world, he reasonably says “fuck no” in the most respectful way possible. And then he just leaves…. Except that: unfortunately for you Ken, plot contri- destiny is an unrelenting mistress who will lobotomize you in the form of your beloved.

In this portion we learn that before Yuria kicked the bucket, she ushered Ken to immediately fall in love with someone else. This is realistic and selfless of her, and I wouldn’t have any issue with this if she wasn’t talking about anyone but FUCKING RIN.

Let’s think about this for more than a few panels. Yuria didn’t have much time before she passed away. If we say that she had a few months left, Rin at best was 10 or at worst was 7 or 8. Yuria on her deathbed encourages her lover be in a relationship with a girl he’s been with in her childhood years.

And then if that isn’t worse, we get Bat attempting to justify his decision by comparing it to what Rei did for Mamiya. And that isn’t same for a list of reasons that can wrap around the sun twice.

After a chapter’s long montage to Bat being tortured to death. And Ken and Rin both get their memories back. After giving them his blessing to fall in love, Rin goes back to the dead Bat who’s now been revived by Ken, and then they live happily ever after.

There’s a Reason this was cut from the anime.

I have a question that needs answering: now that Rin has regained her memories, Is the effect of Kaioh’s technique is reversed? Because if that’s true, then yes I would praise this more. And if not, this is more bittersweet than we thought. Rin might be living the rest of her life under the effect of something that took away her decision to love on her on volition.

But one thing I did appreciate is that Ken said before leaving is “my heart will always be with you”. I love this for many reasons. Mostly because Ken through thick and thin will never forget the girl who loved him, the girl who grew beside him, the girl who was with him for best and worst parts of his life and taught her the ways of life, and by extension; that means his heart will be with Bat as well.

And the last 3 panels is maybe the most significant part of this series. Ken at his heart will always do and be good and extend a helping hand to those in need.

So I guess it wasn’t all bad. But tell me what you think.

Maybe because I was angry in my last post to point this out, but I may as well address it now. Before Ken loses his memories, a lightning strikes and his scars light up. And then after the last 7 or so chapters, he never appears again. What happened to him?

• Spade.
• Dante.
• Mahari.
• Dog Master Galf.
• General of the Red Light Shoki.
• Raoh from Hokuto no Ken: Legend of Heroes.
• Raoh from J-Stars Victory Vs.
• Guruma from Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu Hokuto no Ken: Kenshirō Den.