Fist of the Blue Sky

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Fist of the Blue Sky
Volume 1 cover
蒼天の拳 (Sōten no Ken)
Genre	Historical fiction, Action, Drama
Manga: Fist of the Blue Sky
Author	Tetsuo Hara, Nobuhiko Horie
Publisher	Shinchosha
Demographic	Seinen
Magazine	Comic Bunch Raijin Comics (2003-2004)
Original run	May 2001 – ongoing
Volumes	currently 17
TV anime: Fist of the Blue Sky
Director	Yoshihiro Yamaguchi
Studio	Souten Studio
Network	TV Asahi
Original run	October 4, 2006 – March 14, 2007
Episodes	26

Fist of the Blue Sky (蒼天の拳, Sōten no Ken^?) is a manga series by Tetsuo Hara with plot supervision by Buronson, serialized in the Weekly Comic Bunch since 2001.^[1] It is a prequel to the popular 1980s series Fist of the North Star, which Hara originally co-wrote with Buronson. Set primarily in Shanghai during the 1930s, the series centers around the 62nd successor of the Hokuto Shinken style, Kenshiro Kasumi, the namesake and predecessor of Fist of the North Star's own Kenshiro. It has been adapted into a 26-episode anime series that aired from 2006 to 2007.

Contents 1 Plot overview 2 Characters 2.1 Hokuto Shinken 2.2 Hokuto Sonkaken 2.3 Hokuto Sōkaken 2.4 Hokuto Ryūkaken 2.5 Kyokujūji Seiken 2.6 Seito Gekken 2.7 Qīng Bāng 2.8 Hóng Huá Huì 2.9 Japanese 2.10 Others 3 Media information 3.1 Manga 3.1.1 Japanese volumes 3.1.2 English volumes 3.2 Anime 3.2.1 Episodes 3.2.2 Theme songs 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Plot overview

The main protagonist of this story is Kasumi Kenshiro, better known as "Yan Wang" or "The King of Hell" (derived from the myth Yan Luo Wang). Kasumi is a laid back and chain-smoking Tokyo professor who possesses the deadly Chinese assassin martial art Hokuto Shinken who travels to Shanghai after hearing the news of his Triad friend Pan Guang-Lin and his sister Yu-Ling (Kasumi's love interest) are in trouble.

In Shanghai, Kasumi has to fight the three Hokuto families, the Hokuto Sankaken (based on the royal families of Romance of the Three Kingdoms). At the same time Kasumi has to help Pan's "Qing Bang" Triad gang against the immoral "Hong-Hua" Triads in gaining territory and influence in Shanghai.

Many of the plot points mentioned in the comic contain real historical facts, such as how Shanghai was controlled with International Settlements (the story focus mainly on the French settlement) during the 1930s. Also seen are Jewish refugees who escaped from Nazi persecution in Europe, and the invasion of China by the Japanese Army. Chiang Kai Shek and some historical Kuomingtang figures appear in the story as well.

Tetsuo Hara wanted the fights in the manga to look more like traditional Chinese martial arts, so the action is somewhat faster and more detailed than those in Fist of the North Star. Hara went to Shanghai in person to get his inspiration.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Hokuto Shinken

"North Dipper Divine Fist" (北斗神拳, Pinyin: Běidǒu Shénquán). Called "God Fist of the North Star" in the Raijin Comics translation.

• Kenshirō Kasumi (霞 拳志郎, Kasumi Kenshirō^?) (character voice Kōichi Yamadera)

The main character and 62nd successor to Hokuto Shinken. Known in Shanghai as "Yán Wáng" (閻王, En'ō^?). Loves smoking cigarettes, reading, and has a good smelling instinct. His fighting technique is similar to Toki, in which he fight in a fluid and smooth fighting style. In Japan, he's a lecturer at the Tōwa Women's University. Depicted as somewhat easy going, as well as comical; compared to his namesake and nephew, Tetsuo Hara describes Kenshiro Kasumi as a combination of the strength of Kenshiro, the good nature of Keiji Maeda from Hana no Keiji and the sarcastic attitude of the title character of Nakabo Rintaro. However, remains the stoic persona which would be eventually seen in his nephew. He uses the same catch-phrase as his nephew, "You're already dead" (お前はもう死んでいる, Omae wa mō shindeiru^?), but pronounces it in Chinese, "Nǐ yǐ jīng sǐ le" (儞已經死了). Despite the fact that his father Tesshin is the successor of Hokuto Shinken, Kenshiro is revealed to be descended from the Hokuto Sōke bloodline from his mother's side of the family^{[citation needed]}.

• Ramon Kasumi (霞 羅門, Kasumi Ramon^?) (c.v. Takashi Kondō (young) / Mugihito (old))

Kenshiro's younger brother, who becomes Fist of the North Star's Ryūken, 63rd successor of Hokuto Shinken (the adopted father of Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki and Jagi). It is revealed in the first chapter that he named the baby Kenshiro (from Fist of the North Star) in honor of his brother Kenshiro Kasumi, who were both born with a Big Dipper shaped birthmark on his head. His refers his older brother, Kenshiro, as the "Strongest Hokuto Shinken warrior" whose as "mighty as the blue sky above." The young Ramon appears thorought the series, first protecting Aya Kitaoji from hired thugs, later serving as a bodyguard to Pān Yù-Líng from the Tài Hú Bāng during her stay in Japan. Ramon is later revealed to be Kenshiro's half-brother, since Kenshiro was born from a different mother.

• Tesshin Kasumi (霞 鉄心, Kasumi Tesshin^?)

Father of Kenshirō and Ramon; he was the 61st successor of Hokuto Shinken. He once fought Wèi Ruì-Yīng, founder of Kyokujūji Seiken, to a draw. Tesshin remarked that Ruì-Yīng may have been able to defeat him had he not lost a leg.

• Shuken (シュケン, Shuken^?)

The founder of Hokuto Shinken, first mentioned in Fist of the North Star. 2,000 years ago, he became an apprentice of Seito Gekken, learning its secrets of the Keiraku Hikō pressure points and blending it with the original Hokuto style. In order to fulfill his destiny as foreordained by the Hokuto Sōke priests, he killed the other disciples of Seito Gekken, including his lover Yahma, and established the one successor rule for Hokuto Shinken so that its dangerous secrets would not fall to the wrong hands. Kenshiro Kasumi and his mother are descended from him, as well Kenshiro and Hyou from Fist of the North Star^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Hokuto Sonkaken

"North Dipper Sūn Family Fist" (北斗孫家拳, Pinyin: Běidǒu Sūnjiāquán)

• Máng Kuáng-Yún (芒 狂雲, Bō Kyōun^?) (c.v. Kiyoyuki Yanada)

Also known as Líng-Wáng (靈王, Reiō^?). Mastered the forbidden art of "Pressure Point Displacement" (秘孔変位, Hikō Hen'i^?). He was the one that took Pan Yu-Ling's memory because he fell in love with her, but also because he thinks this is a fitting punishment to Kenshiro. He got his wish to "fight someone worthy of taking my life" granted by the Old Taoist Fortune Teller. He was already dying from a slow decaying death from his self inflicted pressure points by then.

• Charles de Guise (シャルル・ド・ギーズ, Sharuru Do Gīzu^?) (c.v. Taiten Kusunoki)

A French Jew and colonel in the French army that works with the Qing-Bang. Although he knows Sonkaken, he prefers using conventional fighting methods like guns and swords. He has a sister, Sophie, who suffered trauma resulting in memory suppression due to her experinces in escaping from Nazi Germany as her husband (a non-Jewish German who was prohibited from marrying her by Nazi law) got sent to a concentration camp. When she regained her memory by Kenshiro's acupressure, she was assassinated by Zhang Tai Yan. De Guise was eventually wounded fatally by Liú Fēi-Yàn when the latter deemed him unfit to take care of Erika and challenged him to a duel. Kenshiro used acupressure techniques on him to prolong his life just long enough to watch his friends staging a glimpse of his vision- a Shanghai in prosperity(where Jews can take refuge). Believing that Kenshiro and friends will make it come true, he then died in peace.

[edit] Hokuto Sōkaken

"North Dipper Cáo Family Fist" (北斗曹家拳, Pinyin: Běidǒu Cáojiāquán)

• Zhāng Tài-Yán (張 太炎, Chō Taien^?) (c.v. Hōchū Ōtsuka)

The Hóng Huá Huì's No.2 man. Although he appeared laid back, he can be destructive when angered, his attacks are based on cutting and slicing with his hands. Has a monstrous libido and is known as the "Bride Thief" because of his habit of killing newlywed husbands and taking their wives. He assassinated Charles de Guise's little sister with a time bomb. Due to a misunderstanding, he believed his stepfather Zhāng Dà-Yán killed his mother and yearns to kill him for it. Later on, after learning the truth, he repented all his past sins with de Guise agreeing not to seek revenge for the time being. He eventually became the new Master of Hokuto Sōkaken after a showdown fight with Zhāng Dà-Yán and earned his father's approval.

• Zhāng Dà-Yán (章 大厳, Shō Daigen^?) (c.v. Seizō Katō)

Master of the Sōkaken style. Father of the Hong Hua Hui boss, Zhāng Liè-Shān. He later married Zhāng Tài-Yán's mother and had been led to believe Tài-Yán was his child when he was actually the son of her previous husband. Years later Dà-Yán was enraged to learn the truth and his wife killed herself on the condition Dà-Yán spare Zhāng Tài-Yán's life. Noticing the young Tài-Yán's talent, he adopted him and trained him in Sōkaken. Eventually Dà-Yán passed on the title of Sōkaken Master to Tài-Yán after Tài-Yán defeated him. However, Dà-Yán then died as a result of injuries from the fight.

• Wǔchāmén-Dǎng (五叉門党, Goshamon-Tō^?)

An order of monks who serve Zhāng Tài-Yán. Each is known only by the number of stars they have tattooed on their heads. Their true purpose is to help Tài-Yán become a worthy successor of Hokuto Sōkaken; under the orders of Zhāng Dà-Yán.

[edit] Hokuto Ryūkaken

"North Dipper Liú Family Fist" (北斗劉家拳, Pinyin: Běidǒu Liújiāquán). Same style as Hokuto Ryūken (北斗琉拳, lit. "North Dipper Gem Fist") from Fist of the North Star. According to Hokuto law, when there are no male successors for Hokuto Shinken, a student of the Ryūkaken style can be chosen to be the next successor.

• Liú Zōng-Wǔ (劉 宗武, Ryū Sōbu^?)

Driven to revenge by the death of his family, Zōng-Wǔ turned evil and joined the Nazis as a German army officer even though he is Chinese. He had the chance to kill Adolf Hitler, but didn't because he felt Hitler is too pitiful a prey for him to kill.

• Xià Wén-Lì (夏 文麗, Ka Bunrei^?)

Liú Zōng-Wǔ's former lover. She had her nipples ripped off by him when she attempted to dissuade him from joining the Nazis. She then became a Buddhist nun, but in spite of what Zōng-Wǔ did she still loves him deeply- while she claimed to be wishing to see Zōng-Wǔ dead, she really meant that she wants to see him living out his destiny.

• Jūkei (ジュウケイ, Jūkei^?)

An orphaned young boy whose sister was killed. He will eventually become the Hokuto Ryūken master from Fist of the North Star.

• Liú Xuán-Xìn (劉 玄信, Ryū Genshin^?)

The previous successor of the Hokuto Ryūkaken style before Zōng-Wǔ.

• Měi-Fú (美福, Mifuku^?)

Mistress of the Tài Shèng Yuàn (泰聖院, Taiseiin^?) Temple in Ningbo. She is actually Liú Xuán-Xìn's daughter Liú Yuè-Yīng (劉 月英, Ryū Getsuei^?) and is the mother of Kenshirō Kasumi.

[edit] Kyokujūji Seiken

"Pole Cross Sacred Fist" (極十字聖拳, Pinyin: Jíshízì Shèngquán), an offshoot of Hokuto Ryūkaken. A relatively new style compared to the Hokuto styles, its astrological symbol is the constellation of the Southern Cross and uses stabbing techniques that destroys the body externally.

• Wèi Ruì-Yīng (魏 瑞鷹, Gi Zuiyō^?)

The grubby founder of Kyokujūji Seiken. Ruì-Yīng was at first the most promising student of Hokuto Ryūkaken of his generation, but left after he become disgruntled since he considered all other practitioners of Ryūkaken too weak by his standards. When he left he asked his Hokuto Ryūkaken master for the right to challenge Hokuto Shinken in order to become the strongest Hokuto Master, but was refused. He then fought his own master but was hit with a poisoned arrow in the leg during the process, which he then chopped off. Wèi Ruì-Yīng later fought Kasumi Tesshin, Kenshirō's father and 61st successor of Hokuto Shinken, to a draw.

• Biāo Bái-Fèng (彪 白鳳, Hyō Hakuhō^?)

Wèi Ruì-Yīng's elder student. Prepared for death, he challenged Kenshiro, but was shot to death by the Nazis before their actual duel.

• Liú Fēi-Yàn (流 飛燕, Ryū Hien^?)

Wèi Ruì-Yīng's second student. Nicknamed the Death Bird Demon (死鳥鬼, Sǐ Niǎo Guǐ), he befriended Erika and risked his life to protect her. He challenged Charles de Guise to a duel because he thought de Guise cannot bear the responsibility of protecting Erika and ended up killing de Guise. This led to a fight with Kenshiro, and although he was defeated, Erika's influence on him earned him Kenshiro's forgiveness. He was mortally wounded at the hands of Yasaka. Fēi-Yàn, knowing that he was certain to die from his injuries and unwilling to add to Erika's grief (by making her witness his death), asked Kenshiro to send him to sea in a boat. He recalled all the good things Erika did for him before drawing his last breath.

[edit] Seito Gekken

"West Dipper Lunar Fist" (西斗月拳, Pinyin: Xīdǒu Yuèquán). A martial art of the Yuezhi people. Shuken studied this martial art and blended it with his Hokuto Sōke no Ken (北斗宗家の拳, lit. "North Dipper Lineage's Fist") to create Hokuto Shinken.

• Yasaka (ヤサカ, Yasaka^?) - A mysterious green-eyed warrior. A descendant of the Yuezhi whom carries their nearly 2000-year grudge against the Hokuto. Works as a bodyguard for Dù Tiān-Fēng. Claims his name is ancient Hebrew for "to see God". He appears in the second closing credits of the Sōten no Ken anime.
• Yahma (ヤーマ, Yāma^?) - a female practitioner from 2000 years ago that was the lover of Shuken.

[edit] Qīng Bāng

Qīng Bāng (青幇, Chinpan^?) is the Shanghai "Green Gang".

• Pān Guāng-Lín (潘 光琳, Han Kōrin^?) (c.v. Masaki Terasoma)

Leader of the Qīng Bāng, also close friend of Kenshiro. While Kenshiro was away from Shanghai, his Triad gang members were killed one by one. He was tortured for a period of time by the Hong Hua, thus losing his feet from flesh eating rats. Kenshiro saved his life by amputating his already poisoned feet. He now walks with two prosthetic iron shoes.

• Pān Yù-Líng (潘 玉玲, Han Gyokurei^?) (c.v. Aya Hisakawa)

Pān Guāng-Lín's sister and Kenshirō's girlfriend. She first met Kenshirō after he was badly beaten and she nursed him back to health. She also appears to be some sort of Christian. Her adopted father promised her to Máng Kuáng-Yún as payment. But Yù-Líng was already in love with Kenshiro, and a jealous Kuáng-Yún erased her memory and left her with a nomadic warlord in Northern China. She became the horse bandit leader Lǐ Xiù-Bǎo (李 秀寶, Ri Shūhō), fighting small guerilla battles against the Imperial Japanese Army, gaining a sense of hatred against the Japanese. She also learned some Praying Mantis martial art. She eventually regains her memories in Shanghai after meeting Kenshiro again, and soon marries him. After Guāng-Lín was crippled in a failed assassination attempt, she succeeds her brother as leader of the Qīng Bāng.

• Yáng Měi-Yù (楊 美玉, Yan Bigyoku^?) (c.v. Sayaka Ōhara)

Pān Guāng-Lín's actress girlfriend.

• Yè (葉, Yō^?) (c.v. Kinryu Arimoto)

Nicknamed "Two-Pistol Yè". He was horribly burned by the Hóng Huá Huì and disfigured.

• Yè Zi-Yīng (葉 子英, Yō Shiei^?) (c.v. Yūdai Satō)

Son of Yè, a streetwise kid (around 12-14 year old) who also serves as a sidekick of Kenshiro.

• Lǐ Yǒng-Jiàn (李 永健, Ri Eiken^?) (c.v. Umeji Sasaki)

Worked as an assassin for the secret society Qīng-Bāng and was called The Sleeping Dragon (睡龍, Shuì-Lóng). A good friend of Kenshirō Kasumi. At the beginning of the series, the old man works as a food taster for Emperor Pu-Yi and travels with him to Japan. He was captured by the Hóng-Huá Society and was interrogated as to the whereabouts of Yán-Wáng . Even when they cut off his toes, he refused to tell them anything. Dies from his illness by the end of the first story arc.

[edit] Hóng Huá Huì

Shanghai's evil "Red Flower Gang" (紅華会, Kōkakai^?). Most of them were maimed in some way by Kenshiro during a previous visit to Shanghai prior to the start of the series. Based on the real life Shanghai Red Gang (紅幫 Hóng Bāng).

• Zhāng Liè-Shān (章 烈山, Shō Retsuzan^?)

The gigantic leader of the Hóng Huá Society. He is the son of the Hokuto Sōkaken master, Zhāng Dà-Yán, and Zhāng Tài-Yán's older half-brother. Former Beiyang Army. He is also a general in the Kuomingtang army (reflecting real historical support the Kuomingtang received from various Triad gangs), but works in secret with Chinese communist groups as well to his own benefit. His father did not train him in Hokuto Sōkaken, but due to his giant stature and overwhelming physical strength he is still deadly wielding a pair of matching giant sai.

• Huáng Xī-Fēi (黄 西飛, Kō Seihi^?) (c.v. Yōsuke Akimoto)

The Number Three Boss after Zhāng Liè-Shān & Zhāng Tài-Yán. Due to injuries he suffered at the fists of Kasumi Kenshiro, he must wear a metal contraption on the left side of his head and body. Whenever he moves he always shouts, "A-I-TA!" in pain. He's a big contributor to a corrupt Catholic church that will forgive any sins he confesses for the right price.

• Wú Dōng-Lái (吳 東來, Go Tōrai^?) (c.v. Chafurin)

The Number Four Boss comes from the province of Canton. Due to injuries he suffered at the fists of Yán Wáng, he is wheelchair-bound and must wear a metal contraption with a crank to raise and lower his head. Jumpy and triggerhappy, he'll shoot anything that bothers him. A slovenly womanizer, Wu desired Pān Guāng-Lín's actress girlfriend Yáng Měi-Yù. The insanely jealous Wu held Pan in his dungeon, intending to use him as the "tiger-meat" in his "Dragon-Tiger Stew". Wu never got the chance, because Yan-Wang knocked Wu into his own boiling cauldron, killing him.

• Chén Jùan-Mín (陳 狷民, Chin Kenmin^?) (c.v. Issei Futamata)

Nicknamed "Weasel" Chén, he has a metal hand. His face was scarred by Yan-Wang after his failed attempt to kidnap Takeshi Kitaoji.

• Píng Yīng-Zhèng (憑英正, Hyō Eisei^?) (c.v. Katsuhisa Houki)

Has a metal jaw. Shot to death by Yè.

• Mù Dà-Hóng (沐 大洪, Moku Daikō^?) (c.v. Masuo Amada)

Wears dark glasses and has a metal plate on his head. Has a metal claw in place of one hand. Shot to death by Yè.

• Tián Xué-Fāng (田 學芳, Den Gakuhō^?)(c.v. Minoru Inaba)

Once nicknamed Shuǐ Hǔ Tian for the bald patch atop his head, he now wears a heavy iron toupee. Has metal hands. Died from drowning in a bath house after Kenshiro disabled his arms and legs.

[edit] Japanese

• Takeshi Kitaōji (北大路 剛士, Kitaōji Takeshi^?) (c.v. Katsuhiko Sasaki)

Head of the Kitaōji Zaibatsu and founder of Tōwa Women's University. He and his daughter Aya were saved by Kenshirō in Shanghai from Chen the Weasel and soon became friends with him, giving him a job as a lecturer in at Tōwa University. A collaborator in the Fugu Plan.

• Aya Kitaōji (北大路 綾, Kitaōji Aya^?) (c.v. Aya Hisakawa)

The daughter of Takeshi Kitaōji. A co-ed attending Professor Kasumi's class at the Tōwa Women's University. In the TV series, Kenshirō notices her resemblance to Pan Yu-Ling.

• Tokusaburō Kumazasa (熊笹 徳三郎, Kumazasa Tokusaburō^?) (c.v. Nobuyuki Furuta)

Head of the Shanghai branch of the Kitaōji Zaibatsu.

• Hōsaku Ōkawa (大川 奉作, Ōkawa Hōsaku^?) (c.v. Nobuaki Kakuda)

Lieutenant General of the Kwantung Army Headquarters. His son was killed by the horse bandit Yǔ Zhàn-Hǎi.

[edit] Others

• Aisin-Gioro Puyi (愛新覺羅溥儀, Aishinkakura Fugi^?) (c.v. Hiroshi Yanaka)

Former emperor of China, then emperor of Manchukuo. Purely a puppet of the Japanese Empire, the neurotic Puyi becomes terrified of being assassinated. On April 6 1935, Puyi came to Japan under the cover of a "Japan-Manchuria Friendship Envoy" to employ the legendary Hokuto Shinken successor Yan-Wang as his bodyguard.

• Jīn Kè-Róng (金 克榮, Kin Katsuei^?) (c.v. Ryūzaburō Ōtomo)

The Captain of the first regiment of Puyi's Imperial Guard, and is known as the "Fist Hero of Hebei". He is a master of Bājíquán, and fights with a metal fan. Years ago, when was working as a bodyguard in Shanghai he was scarred in a fight with Yán Wáng, which resulted in a draw; but felt cheated by Yán Wáng because he refused to use Hokuto Shinken against him.

• Goran (ゴラン, Goran^?) (c.v. Yoshinori Sonobe)

A boxer who serves as the champion of the Execution Games held at the Great New World Entertainment Hall. He was responsible for the deaths of countless Qīng Bāng members that were captured by the Hóng Huá Huì and thrown into the ring. In the past, he served in the French Military stationed in Indonesia, where he learned Muay Thai. He is destroyed by Kenshiro Kasumi's rendition of the Hokuto Hyakuretsuken which ends with him striking Tōmonketsu Hashisō pressure point, which causes all of Goran's bones to break within his body, turning him into mush.

• Jean Carne (ジャン・カルネ, Jan Karune^?) (c.v. Masaru Ikeda)

The chief of police at the French Concession of Shanghai. An ally of the Hóng Huá Huì, he got his position by murdering his predecessor Girardeau, a supporter of the Qīng Bāng. After Pān Guāng-Lín is saved by Kenshiro, he attempts to flee to South America, but is shot to death by Guāng-Lín.

• "The Taoist" (道士, Dōshi^?) (c.v. Masaru Ikeda)

A mystical old fortune teller, who appears time to time out of nowhere to talk to (or sometimes taunt) Kenshiro. Other people may or may not notice his appearance or existence, as he seems to possess some kind of mysterious ability to make bystanders forget about him. He gave a "fate medallion" to Kenshiro as a flip coin to help him make a decision when facing a serious dilemma. He also grants worthy people connected to the Hokuto clan a wish about their fate. His identity and agenda have yet to be revealed.

• Erika Arendt (エリカ・アレント, Erika Arento^?)

A Jewish girl with a photographic memory, Erika has a catalogue of Jewish people called "The List of Hope" memorized. Nazis pursue her to get this information, and she comes under the protection of Liú Fēi-Yàn.

• Horse Bandits (馬賊, Bazoku^?)

A group of lawless non-Han Chinese bandits roaming in the countryside, elements of whom hired by Zhāng Liè-Shān to cause chaos in Shanghai and reinforce the Hong Hua Triads. They adopted Yu-Ling when her memory was erased.

• Edmond Heckler (エドモンド・ヘックラー, Edomondo Hekkurā^?)

A Colonel in the German Wehrmacht, he works as a military advisor for the Nazi Party and has a side job as an arms dealer. He uses Zōng-Wǔ to prolong the war so he can continue to profit from it. After Zōng-Wǔ kills one of Dù Tiān-Fēng's informant, he tries to kill Zōng-Wǔ at Dù's request, but fails and is killed by Zōng-Wǔ.

• Dù Tiān-Fēng (杜 天風, To Tenbū^?)

The big boss of a secret organization called the Tài Hú Bāng (太湖幇, Taikopan, "Lake Tai Gang"). He murdered Zōng-Wǔ's father, Liú Zōng-Jiàn, in order to launder money from him when Zōng-Wǔ was still a child. Yasaka is in his employ. He created an electrified "Pressure Point Defense Suit" that would electrocute anyone that tried to touch him; an attempt at protecting himself from the Hokuto arts. Liú Zōng-Wǔ was able to safely kick him using his rubber-soled boots, shorting out the circiuts on his suits and then sending him into the ocean where Dù ended up electrocuting himself to death.

[edit] Media information

[edit] Manga

Fist of the Blue Sky has been in serialization in the Weekly Comic Bunch since the magazine's first issue, published with the cover date of May 29, 2001^[2]. New chapters of Sōten no Ken are published irregularly in the magazine. Currently, there are 18 collected volumes (tankobon) of Sōten no Ken published in Japan.^[3]

An English version of Fist of the Blue Sky was serialized in the now-defunct Raijin Comics published by Gutsoon! Entertainment from 2003 and 2004. Only the first four collected volumes of this English edition were released before Gutsoon went out of business. No other company has picked up the license yet.

Also, Fist of the Blue Sky volumes 13-15, mark the first time in history that an unknown American artist, named Jeremy Mauney, was able to work as a full-time assistant illustrator on a popular Japanese manga title. Jeremy's illustration contributions to Fist of the Blue Sky/Fist of the North Star manga also include later volumes of the full color Fist of the North Star: Master Edition and Japanese cell-phone (keitai) versions of Fist of the North Star. Jeremy Mauney was hired by Tetsuo Hara in person only 2 days after Jeremy arrived in Tokyo, Japan. He was then personally trained by Tetsuo Hara and his staff for several months before contributing heavily to Fist of the Blue Sky. Jeremy worked and contributed to the manga series from 2005-2006.

[edit] Japanese volumes

Vol.	Release date	[3] ISBN
01	2001-10-09	ISBN 4-10-771000-9
02	2001-11-09	ISBN 4-10-771016-5
03	2002-05-09	ISBN 4-10-771036-X
04	2002-08-09	ISBN 4-10-771051-3
05	2003-01-09	ISBN 4-10-771073-4
06	2003-05-09	ISBN 4-10-771089-0
07	2003-09-09	ISBN 4-10-771112-9
08	2004-01-09	ISBN 4-10-771129-3
09	2004-05-09	ISBN 4-10-771151-X
10	2004-08-09	ISBN 4-10-771167-6
11	2004-12-09	ISBN 4-10-771189-7
12	2005-03-09	ISBN 4-10-771206-0
13	2005-07-09	ISBN 4-10-771225-7
14	2006-01-09	ISBN 4-10-771258-3
15	2006-07-09	ISBN 4-10-771281-8
16	2007-02-09	ISBN 978-4-10-771318-6
17	2007-09-08	ISBN 978-4-10-771356-8
18	2008-03-08	ISBN 978-4-10-771387-2

[edit] English volumes

Vol.	Release date	[4] ISBN
01	2003-06-18	ISBN 0-97-250378-1
02	2003-09-09	ISBN 1-93-245403-9
03	2003-11-18	ISBN 1-93-245409-8
04	2004-03-17	ISBN 1-93-245422-5
05	Unpublished	ISBN 1-93-245433-0

[edit] Anime

A weekly anime series based on Sōten no Ken aired on Japan's TV Asahi on Thursdays at 2:40am from October 4, 2006 to March 14, 2007. The series has a total of 26 episodes, but only 22 episodes were actually aired on TV. The series was intended to be a full-fledge adaptation of the manga, but truncates the story at the end of Vol. 8. It is believed that the series' low ratings (an average of 1.2) led to the show's cancellation.^[5] The complete series has been released on DVD, including unaired episodes and uncensored content. In a bonus interview with executive producer Nobuhiko Horie included in Vol. 9 of the Sōten no Ken DVD release reveals that North Stars Pictures has plans to produce a continuation of the Sōten no Ken anime adaptation.

[edit] Episodes

No.	Episode Title	Airdate
1	"Wanted - the King of Death" "Shōkinkubi En'ō" (賞金首・閻王)	2006-10-04
2	"The Code of Duty" "Kōko no giki" (江胡の義気)	2006-10-11
3	"The Successor to Hokuto" "Hokuto o tsugumono" (北斗を継ぐ者)	2006-10-18
4	"Wish Upon the Blue Sky!" "Sōten ni negae" (蒼天に願え)	2006-10-25
5	"In Shanghai" "Shanhai ni tatsu" (上海に立つ)	2006-11-01
6	"The Execution Game" "Gyakusatsu no shokei yūgi" (虐殺の処刑遊戯)	2006-11-08
7	"The Battle" "Gekitotsu" (激突)	2006-11-15
8	"Pray to the God of Hell" "Jigoku no Kami ni inore" (地獄の神に祈れ)	2006-11-22
9	"A Destiny Steeped in Blood" "Chi nurareta shukumei yue ni" (血塗られた宿命ゆえに)	2006-11-29
10	"Battle of the Hokuto Masters" "Hokuto dōshi no tatakai" (北斗同士の戦い)	2006-12-06
11	"Ask the Dragon" "Ryū ni toe" (龍に問え)	2006-12-13
12	"Signal of Resurrection" "Fukkatsu no noroshi" (復活の狼煙)	2006-12-20
13	"At The End of Madness" "Kyōki no hate ni..." (狂気の果てに)	2007-01-10
14	"Journey of Fate" "Unmei no tabi" (運命の旅)	2007-01-17
15	"The Beautiful Horse Bandit" "Utsukishi bazoku" (美しき馬賊)	2007-01-24
16	"Seeking Refuge" "Ansoku no chi o motomete" (安息の地を求めて)	DVD
17	"Death Sentence! The Fallen Palm" "Shi no senkoku! Datenshō" (死の宣告！堕天掌)	DVD
18	"The Aura of Hokuto Sōkaken" "Hokuto Sōkaken no tōki" (北斗曹家拳の闘気)	DVD
19	"An Undaunted Offering of Flowers" "Kizentaru kenka" (毅然たる献花)	2007-01-31
20	"A Trick of Fate" "Unmei no itazura" (運命の悪戯)	2007-02-07
21	"A Burning Confrontation" "Moetagiru taiji" (燃えたぎる対峙)	DVD
22	"The Secret Technique of Zhāng Tài-Yán" "Chō Taien no ōgi" (張太炎の奥義)	2007-02-14
23	"The Unforgettable Pain" "Wasureinu itami" (忘れ得ぬ痛み)	2007-02-21
24	"A Deep Strong Memory" "Fukaku tsuyoki omoi" (深く強き想い)	2007-02-28
25	"A Banquet and a Gunshot" "Shukuen to Jūsei" (祝宴と銃声)	2007-03-07
26	"To a Better Tomorrow" "Yori yoi ashita e" (より良い明日へ)	2007-03-14

[edit] Theme songs

Opening theme

"Roses Bloom, Roses Scatter" (薔薇が咲く 薔薇が散る, Bara ga Saku Bara ga Chiru^?) by Rina Aiuchi

Ending themes

1. "The Rhythm of the Heart is a Fluttering Butterfly" (心のリズム飛び散るバタフライ, Kokoro no Rizumu Tobichiru Batafurai^?) by doa
2. "Kissing til i die" by Jun Manaka

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Fist of the Blue Sky at the Internet Movie Database
• Fist of the Blue Sky (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Anime Souten no Ken Official Homepage (Japanese)
• Comic Bunch - Coamix (Japanese)
• Universal Pictures DVD (Japanese)
• Hokuto-No-Ken.com