Hokuto Shinken

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Hokuto Shinken (北斗神拳, Big Dipper God Fist) is a fictional martial art from Tetsuo Hara's mangas, Fist of the North Star and Fist of the Blue Sky. It is a 1800 year old Chinese art used by the main character Kenshiro and his brothers. Its name has also been translated as "North Star God Fist," "God-Given Fist of the North Star," "Divine Fist of the North Star," "Holy Fist of the North Star" and using the literal meaning of "hokuto," "Divine Fist of the Northern Sky."

[edit] History

Founded by Shuken after he and his aunt's son Ryūō split off from the original Hokuto style to form their respective styles. The art's power lies striking some of the 708 "Keiraku Hikō" or pressure points in the human body (also known as acupressure points, power points, vital points, tsubo, etc.). This causes the victim to explode, be controlled involuntarily or otherwise incapacitated. It can also be used to heal certain physical and psychological wounds, though the main purpose of Hokuto Shinken is assassination. Hokuto Shinken also derives power by using "Tōki" or fighting spirit to use the human body's full potential as well as to project energy attacks. These energy attacks can be also used to strike pressure points, as was the case when Kenshiro battled Souther.

Hokuto Shinken seems to be a very open style, not putting much faith in set stances or rigid technique. Certainly, special techniques are used (See below), but there is an open area for self-expression within them. The basic guard position in Hokuto Shinken is similar to the by-jong stance of Jeet Kune Do and allows for effective footwork. This footwork's worth is proven when Kenshiro easily avoids all but one blow thrown at him by Sanga in their duel at the end of the first chapter of Shin Hokuto No Ken.

The plethora of techniques used primarily involve high side-kicks, powerful non-chambered roundhouse kicks, backward elbows, straight punches and various flying kicks. Defense techniques use the forearms, specifically the outside flats of them, absorbing blows along the muscle of the top of the elbow. When facing an opponent and not wishing to kill him or her, the practitioner will most likely aim his or her punches at the chest of the opponent rather than the face. "My fist destroys the face of my opponent. If you were to meet head-on with it, you would only be heading towards death."

Hokuto Shinken, unlike Nanto Seiken, can only have one successor at a given time. Usually, it is passed down from father to son or some other blood relative; it was passed on to Ramon Kasumi (aka Ryuken) after Kenshiro Kasumi was presumably killed (see Fist of the Blue Sky). Anyone elsed schooled in Hokuto Shinken not selected as successor must vow to give up the art or be forced to either have their fists destroyed or their memory removed.

Ryuken had a series of students who grew up as if they were brothers. The ones shown in the manga are Kenshiro, Jagi, Toki, Raoh and Kim. Kim was eliminated from the rite of succession early on and was kicked out of the dojo. Toki was eliminated much later due to his nuclear accident which brought on a terminal illness. Jagi was presumably eliminated due to his underhandedness and clear lack of ability compared to his other brothers. Finally, Raoh and Kenshiro were put to a test where they were both confronted by a wild tiger and had to prove their merit as an assassin. Kenshiro was able to cause the tiger to submit quietly to death whereas Raoh caused the tiger to fear death and attack him. Kenshiro was seen as having a true assassin's style and therefor chosen as the 64th successor to Hokuto Shinken.

[edit] Important Hokuto Shinken techniques

• Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken (北斗百裂拳, North Star Hundred Crack Fist):

The technique most often associated with Kenshiro and parodied by other animes. It is used to hit hundreds of pressure points (Keiraku Hakou) in one attack. Each attack is usually accompanied by multiple high-pitched martial arts vocalizations of a style perhaps in homage to Bruce Lee. It was first used by Kenshiro on Zed in the very first chapter of the manga and first episode of the anime. It was never officially used again in the manga though it may very well have and just was not announced. In the anime it comes up many times against the "filler villains". It is usually a special move that can be used in Fist of the North Star video games. In Punchmania, it is the special move that Kenshiro uses when you fight against him as Raoh in the final difficulty level. Toki uses Tenshou Hyakuretsu Ken, a mid air version of the same technique. Another variation is with the use of the foot, as Kenshiro employs both in midair and on the ground.

Seiji seems to use the original technique in Shin Hokuto No Ken's third chapter, but as he practices Hokumon No Ken, a "style made to heal," it is easily defended against by the battle-hardened Kenshiro. Jagi also appears to use this technique in the Hokuto No Ken OVA, but he experiences the same results as Seiji would later.

By comparison, the Anryuu Tenha (暗琉天破, Dark Lapis Heaven Shred) of Hokuto Ryuken (北斗琉拳) can hit all 1,109 of the body's pressure points.

• Hokuto Gousho Ha (北斗剛掌波)

The technique most often associated with Raoh, but it is used by Kenshiro and Baran (Emperor of Light) in the later episode of the manga. The practitioner emit their Touki (闘気) from their hand (Raoh uses single hand, Kenshiro uses both hands) to attack the others far away from himself. In the latest arcade game of Fist of the North Star Raoh can use this technique in the mid-air (just like Gouki/Akuma's Tenma Gou Zankuu - an aerial version of Hadouken)

• Hokuto Shin Ken Ougi: Ten Ha Kassatsu

This technique is used by Kenshiro against Souther in their final battle atop the pyramid of the holy emperor. Here; Kenshiro emits Touki (闘気) from his hands, (akin to the Hokuto Gousho Ha) but in this technique the energy pierces through the enemy and leaves the pattern of the big dipper in both the enemy and any solid objects behind them.

• Hokuto Ujo moshu-ha

This technique is used only by Kenshiro in the anime in his final battle against Souther. It begins as a Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken but end with a tremendous amount of Ki being transmitted from the fist into the opponents chest. This is the move that ultimately defeated Souther.

• Hokuto Zankai Ken (North Star fist of remorse)

This technique is used by Kenshiro against Spade. Kenshiro inserts his thumbs into the temples of his enemy. Upon removal of Kenshiro's thumbs the enemy is left with just 7 seconds to live. In these 7 seconds Kenshiro suggests that they feel great regret about the negative actions they have taken in life, before being split in half vertically and exploding.

• Ganzan Ryōzan Ha (岩山両斬波, Mountain Splitting Wave):

A knife-hand strike that crushes the victim's skull. Noteworthy only because it is used more than once by Kenshiro and is an extremely straightforward maneuver in spite of its elaborate name. Does not even use any of the body's pressure points. Kenshiro had used this attack at least more than three times. One time against a big muscley guy who tried to chain up Kenshiro, the second was Taki's murdered/ambusher the last time was against Souther in which Kenshiro missed his attack.

• Tenryū Kokyū Hō (転龍呼吸法, Spinning Dragon Breathing):

A method of breathing that allows the Hokuto Shinken practitioner to tap into their body's full potential. A normal human beings uses but 30% of their body's strength so Tenryū is used to tap into that other 70%. A technique of utmost secrecy, anyone who sees it being performed must be killed to protect one Hokuto Shinken's greatest advantages over other styles. This technique make Kenshiro burst his jacket, he only announced this technique twice during the series, however it is assumed that he used this technique everytime his jacket explode when fighting against strong opponent.

• Sekkatsukō (剎活穴):

A series of six pressure points, three on each inner thigh. A self-inflicted technique, when these points are pressed, the user gains great power and fully recovers from injury for a short while. After that, the user's lifespan is shortened considerably. The only people who had it used on them were Toki, Raoh and Falco, the former being critically ill and the last two being at death's door. Therefore, it is uncertain by how much it shortens the user's lifespan. Toki survived at least a few days after using it on himself, though his condition was considerably aggravated.

• Musō Tensei / Musou Tensei (無想転生, Nil Thought Rebirth):

The ultimate Hokuto Shinken technique which had never before been mastered by anyone in all 1800 years of the style. Kenshiro was the first to master it, followed by Raoh. Ken achieved this by becoming consumed with sorrow to the point where he had achieved communion with the deathless absolute emptiness or void spoken of in Buddhism. At times it enables him to be at one with the spirits of deceased fighters (Toki, the Nanto Rokusei Warriors), and in the second series, it enables his spirit to fight Kaio even though in a coma (following the first fight with Kaio, after Shachi escapes with his body). Its mastery was perfected after Kenshiro learned the secrets of the Hokuto Souke in Tasieiden, Shura, in the second TV series.

• Kentou Shadan (Fist-Stealing Sacrifice Judgment):

Kentou Shadan is the most powerful attack when facing the Rashou of Hokuto Ryuken. Ken used this technique to weaken Kaio's block and it is therefore considered to be a very powerful form of attack.