MANGA REVIEW | "Fist of the North Star" - Volume Eighteen [FINALE]
In all of my years reading and reviewing manga, I never thought I would ever have the pleasure of seeing Tetsuo Hara and Buronson’s Fist of the North Star with my own eyes. I thought that I would only experience the tale of Kenshiro through my friends, via internet memes, and maybe the occasional video clip in Wicked Anime’s Hardcore Anime panel at Anime Boston. But now, over four years since Viz Media started releasing the series, I have come to the end of Fist of the North Star. And let me say first, it has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to be able to cover this iconic series.
Kenshiro’s search for Yuria, his bonding with Bat and Rin, and the battles with Raoh and Jagi have been filled with such amazing emotion, phenomenal visuals, and — most iconic of all — hardcore violence! As I mentioned all the way back in my Volume One review, Go Nagai may have invented hardcore manga, but Hara & Buronson perfected the formula. And throughout all 245 chapters, readers were able to experience what is — ultimately — the greatest shonen manga series ever made. And while some may argue that the series could’ve easily ended right after Kenshiro rescues Yuria, what follows after that arc certainly continued onward with some strong storytelling.
But here we are now, with the eighteenth and final volume of Fist of the North Star. The journey has been amazing to experience, but does Kenshiro’s story keep the momentum going all the way up to the end? In all honesty, how Fist of the North Star ends feels rather appropriate. One may even say it goes full circle, as it returns to the first people Kenshiro saved all the way back in the opening chapter.
However, before we get to the end of that, there’s the matter of Emperor Balan. His hatred of the gods has left him feeling loveless and with little guidance. As such, his manner of fighting is ruthless, to the point where he easily stands toe-to-toe with Kenshiro. But then, the son of Raoh appears, and it leaves Emperor Balan in a pool of tears.
At long last, something besides Kenshiro comes to the rescue, and while Emperor Balan doesn’t fall to them, his actions later allow him to trade his life for forgiveness. Even with the hardcore violence that’s akin to this series, Fist of the North Star knows when to allow an antagonist to go in a noble fashion. Yes, we love the gore, but we also love it when this brutal world bears its soul to its readers. And in the finale of the next-to-last arc, that soul burns brightly and passionately.
Which now leads to the grand finale. Bat accidentally causes Rin to forget about Kenshiro, and — as luck would have it — amnesia strikes Kenshiro himself. To pay for his sins, Bat impersonates Kenshiro as he goes up against Borge. In this final arc, we see everyone who has made this series what it was. Yes, even Yuria returns as a specter, one that reminds Kenshiro of why he’s on this journey in the first place.
At this point, I would be a fool if I were to spoil the ending. And this is exactly what this volume is: the be-all and end-all of Fist of the North Star. All I will say is that how everything wraps up is both satisfying and endearing. Naturally, it also has the hardcore violence that’s the trademark of Kenshiro’s story. If you’ve stuck around this story, then you will more than likely enjoy how this finale closes the book on this Shonen Jump classic.
There are many lovers and gatekeepers of manga who will decry things like, “You’re not a real manga fan if you don’t read Dragon Ball” or “You can’t call yourself a lover of shonen if you don’t pick up One Piece.” And to be honest, I sometimes think that’s kind of stupid. But Fist of the North Star is different. This is the series that became the backbone of all Shonen Jump epics. It went all in with the action, the excitement, the feels, the visuals, and the plot twists.
So it goes without saying that every Shonen manga reader needs to experience Fist of the North Star. Out of every series and franchise that has ever existed, Hara and Buronson’s original series is an essential read. It’s not 100% perfect (it does lose a tiny bit of traction after the tenth volume of this Viz Signature release), but it finds a way to get back on its horse and ride into the sunset in glorious fashion! The last volume of Fist of the North Star is — without a doubt — a proper how-to for ending an iconic series, and if you disagree, then you’re already dead!
VOL. 18 RATING:
FINAL GRADE [series]:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
