MANGA REVIEW | "Fist of the North Star" - Volume Thirteen
Sand, sand everywhere, and nary a drop of water to be seen. That’s always seems to be the case for post-apocalyptic stories (save for Waterworld, but we don’t talk about that one!). So it took me as a surprise to see the thirteenth volume of Fist of the North Star begin on mightiest of seas. With pirates now invading this iconic world, who knows what troubles will befa—and Kenshiro’s killed them all already.
Okay, one has their life spared, as he’s the only one who can steer the ship. Captain Akashachi is old and slightly mad, but he’s got a good heart. And in that heart rests the thoughts of his lost son Shachi, who may be long dead in the unforgiving lands that Kenshiro is looking to go to. Since it’d be killing two goons with one stone, Kenshiro adds a search for Shachi on top of his quest to rescue Rin. Of course, as you can imagine, the pathway to both is paved in blood and the corpses of many musclemen.
Alas, during this journey, another comrade of Kenshiro’s is sent to Valhalla. A beacon of hope shines, as the fallen warrior’s bloodline continues. Naturally, Kenshiro goes one-on-one with the one who ended this life, as he gets closer to finding Rin. But as Rin waits like your average damsel-in-distress, a strong power is cloaked close to her. The most wild part of it all: he’s got his own Hokuto, one that can devour even a god!
Once again, readers of Fist of the North Star are treated to more of the greatest fights ever put in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump. Although it’s been just over 40 years since Kenshiro made his debut, these battles feel just as fresh now as they did back then. Perhaps it’s the detail placed in Tetsuo Hara’s artwork, or maybe it could be that no two brutal deaths look the same. Even the exploding heads we’ve witnessed throughout this volume (and previous ones too) all have their own uniqueness to them.
However, it’s when we learn of Hokuto Ryuken when it feels like something’s bubbling in the narrative. Is it the Yin to Kenshiro’s Hokuto Shinken Yang, or do they share far more in common with one another? When we see it in action, it certainly looks like they have plenty of similarities. Then again, it could differ depending on who is wielding it. And when it comes to the wielder of Hokuto Ryuken, we don’t know just what color heart he has.
No matter. On top of this new challenger, there’s quite a few more for Kenshiro to get to first. From a man claiming to have beaten all his opponents in less than two minutes to Freddie Mercury on steroids, there’s a bunch of wild warriors who aim to cut Kenshiro’s life short. But we all know what will happen, and although it’s predictable, it’s still fun as hell to watch Kenshiro’s foes bleed, break, and explode like they do.
It may seem like there’s a little lost focus on the narrative now that Yuria isn’t a factor in it, but Fist of the North Star is still an engaging read. Volume Thirteen brings a new threat, a plethora of violence, and a flickering of hope when the time calls for it. Will the wickedness ever end, or is Kenshiro destined to keep eliminating evil for the rest of his existence? Whatever fate awaits our hero, readers will certainly be treated with one hell of a spectacle!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
