MANGA REVIEW | "Fist of the North Star" - Volume Seventeen
When Fist of the North Star goes for the heart, that’s when readers see its greatest strengths. Sure, watching Kenshiro chop up and explode enemies with his muscles is terrific, but it’s when Tetsuo Hara and Buronson want to teach their readers a lesson when this post-apocalyptic tale bares its soul. In its seventeenth volume, Fist of the North Star gives us all a story of a leader, his three sons, and what happens when the future of a kingdom seems bleak. Thankfully, Kenshiro’s there to change fate.
He and Ryu find themselves in the kingdom of Sava, as inner turmoil overtakes the land. King Asam III is dying, and one of his three sons must take over. However, they are unworthy of the throne, as they have never learned the concept of yielding. As such, the ruler of Sava asks Kenshiro for a favor: kill his sons, for he couldn’t do it when he had the strength.
At first, it would seem like another brutal tale of senseless violence in Fist of the North Star. But then, we see the flashback to when the brothers were young and filled with innocence. It was then that a fortune teller told of King Asam III of the cruel fate that was in store, as none of the siblings have the chance to unite the kingdom peacefully. So when the fortune teller tells the father to kill his sons before it’s too late, well, who wouldn’t give the fortune teller what for in the name of fatherly love?!
All three sons were trained, taught, and lived equally, with no sibling treated with more or less care. Alas, this idea backfires when they are older, with the brothers constantly fighting over who is the strongest. It’s why Kenshiro must do the deed, for King Asam just can’t muster up the strength to do so. On top of that, warriors from a rival kingdom are arriving to try to take Sava for themselves.
It’s here where Kenshiro teaches the sons how to be humble. In an almost comedic fashion, he takes on one brother after another, making fools out of them without even breaking a sweat. As the fight goes on, the brothers slowly learn that no one man can take down Kenshiro, meaning a team-up is required. From there, the brothers begin to acquire the concept of yielding, and the realization of what’s going on with their father puts a heavy feeling on the trio.
That all leads to the siblings setting out to aid King Asam III, who’s dealing with enemies with the last bit of strength he has. The moment brings to light the importance of family and compromise, as each brother attempts to save their father via sacrifice. In the end, a kingdom is spared, but at a dire cost. It shows that even when Death comes a-knocking, there’s always room to protect the very people that one holds dear in their hearts.
After all of this, it’s the setup for what will be the last hurrah for Fist of the North Star. Another kingdom in turmoil, this time a former realm of peace. But as this story has shown, there’s no room for peace when bullies and vermin are sitting on the throne. The question is, can Kenshiro finally bring tranquility to this post-apocalyptic world? We’ll know soon enough…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
