Hokuto Shinken

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Hokuto Shinken (北斗神拳, Hokuto Shinken^? lit. "Divine Fist of the Big Dipper", but more commonly translated as "Divine Fist of the North Star") is a fictional martial art from Tetsuo Hara's manga, Fist of the North Star and Fist of the Blue Sky. It is a 1,800 year old Chinese assassination art used by the protagonists of both series. In official English translations of the series, it has been referred as the Sacred Fist (in Viz edition of the manga), Holy Fist (in Manga Entertainment's dub of the anime) and God Fist of the North Star (in Gutsoon!'s editions of both titles, a literal translation of the kanji characters in "Shinken"). In the Viz manga, it has also been referred as the Sacred Martial Art of the Great Bear School.

[edit] History

Hokuto Shinken is first described as an 1,800 years old (2,000 years in the TV series and 1986 movie) Chinese assassin's art formed during the Three Kingdoms era. The art's power lies into channeling one's energy in a single blow and striking into the 708 Keiraku Hikō (経絡秘孔, Keiraku Hikō^? "Hidden Channeling Points") 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, such as restoring a person's voice, eyesight or memories, though the main purpose of Hokuto Shinken is assassination. The average person uses only 30% of their body's potential strength, but those who had mastered Hokuto Shinken can tap into the remaining 70% as well. Hokuto Shinken also derives power by using Tōki (闘気, Tōki^?) or fighting aura 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 fought Souther.

Due to its deadliness, Hokuto Shinken can only have one successor per generation according to the art's law. Students who failed the successorship must renounce the style voluntarily or risk having their memories erased or their fists crushed. Because of this, there has been great competition over who gets to be the successor. Prior to the events of the Fist of the North Star manga, the successor of Hokuto Shinken was Ryuken, who won the successorship against his rival Koryu. Ryuken then trained four adopted sons; Raoh, Toki, Jagi and Kenshiro in the art. Kenshiro was chosen by Ryuken to become his successor, although the other brothers still used the style due to Ryuken's death at the hands of Raoh. In the prequel series Fist of the Blue Sky, Ryuken (or Ramon Kasumi, as he is called in the series) is revealed to had been the 63rd Grand Master of Hokuto Shinken, preceded by his elder half-brother Kenshiro Kasumi, the 62nd Grand Master. The two brothers learned the style from their father, Tesshin Kasumi, the 61st Grand Master, thereby making the Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star the 64th Grand Master. It should be noted that in the original manga pilot for Hokuto no Ken, Kenshiro was the 23rd successor, preceded by his unnamed father, who learned the art from the 21st master, Liu Zheng.

Late in the series, it is revealed that the founder of Hokuto Shinken is a man named Shuken of the Hokuto Sōke (北斗宗家) bloodline and the ancestor of Kenshiro and Hyoh. Fist of the Blue Sky further develops the origins of Hokuto Shinken, where it is revealed that Hokuto Shinken is a blending of Shuken's original Hokuto style and the Keiraku Hikō techniques of Seito Gekken.

[edit] Techniques

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

Kenshiro's trademark technique; the one most frequently associated with him and often parodied by other anime. It is characterized as a strike of over a hundred blows, delivered at rapid speed to the designated 708 Keiraku Hikō (Pressure Points) on the adversary's body. Each attack is usually accompanied by multiple high-pitched martial arts vocalizations of a style perhaps in homage to Bruce Lee. A variation includes the use of the foot, as Kenshiro employs both in midair and on the ground. During the last fight between Toki and Raoh, Toki employs a similar technique known as Tensho Hyakuretsu Ken (Heaven Soaring Hundred Crack Fist).

The technique was first used by Kenshiro on Zeed 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 been unannounced. In the anime it comes up many times against the "filler villains" and is usually a special move that can be used in Fist of the North Star video games.

Hokuto Zankai Ken (北斗残悔拳, North Star Remorse Fist)

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 three seconds to live. In these three seconds, Kenshiro advises them to meditate on the folly of their wicked ways, before being split in half vertically and exploding.

Tenryū Kokyū Hō (転龍呼吸法, Art of Dragon's Breathing)

A method of breathing that allows the Hokuto Shinken practitioner to tap into their body's full potential. A normal human 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 of Hokuto Shinken's greatest advantages over other styles. Use of this technique causes Kenshiro's jacket to burst. He only announces this technique twice during the series, however it is assumed that he uses it every time his jacket explodes when fighting against a strong opponent.

Hokuto Gousho Ha (北斗剛掌波, North Star's Iron Palm Wave)

A technique created for the purpose of attacking an adversary outside the practitioner's reach. To achieve this, the fighter expels a large amount of their Touki (闘気, battle aura) from the palm of their hand, creating a fierce and powerful wave. The trademark technique of Raoh, as he is shown using it frequently.

Hokuto Shinken Ougi: Shichisei Tenshin (北斗神拳奥義: 七星点心, Divine Fist of the North Star Secret Technique: Seven Star Point Spirit)

A secret technique used by Ryuken in his final fight against Raoh.

Hokuto Shinken Ōgi: Tenha Kassatsu (北斗神拳奥義:天破活殺, Divine Fist of the North Star Secret Technique: Heaven Breaking Impalement)

A secret technique similar to Hokuto Gousho Ha in the aspect of the fighter's Touki (闘気) being expelled through their hands. However, with the Tenha Kassatsu, their Touki is transmitted via the fingertips into the adversary, penetrating the body and causing Touki to erupt from the body in the pattern of the "Big Dipper" constellation, piercing even solid objects behind them. This technique was used by Kenshiro against Souther during their final battle atop the Pyramid of the Holy Emperor. In Fist of the Blue Sky, this technique is revealed to be one of the secrets Shuken learned from the Seito Gekken style.

Retsu Ka Hyakaru Ken

This technique causes the opponent's throat to close, preventing the escape of air (or in one victim's case, fire). The adversary chokes for a few moments before exploding. This technique is administered in the same manner as the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken.

Honsha Bakuretsu Ken (Explosive Reverse-Spin Fist)

This is a simple attack wherein the user spins rapidly in a circle with their fists flailing into the multiple enemies surrounding them. This causes the adversaries to explode almost the instant they are hit.

Hokuto Kokuo Zan (North Star's Void Slash)

Kenshiro developed this technique to counter Shin's aerial flying kick, but it was also used to counter the South Star Human Cannonball technique. In the latter case the adversary was left completely paralyzed. (Afterwards, Kenshiro fires this enemy out of a cannon)

Hokuto Ujō Mōshō-Ha (北斗有情猛翔破, North Star Merciful Shock Wave)

This technique is derived from Toki's Hokuto Ujō Ken (Merciful Fist of the North Star), and the one technique which ultimately leads to the defeat of Souther at the hands of Kenshiro. Using the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, Kenshiro closes the numerous pressure points (keiraku hikou) along the adversary's torso, halting their blood flow thusly, and with a final blow to the heart, transmits a tremendous shock of Touki through the body, achieving immediate breakdown of the adversary's muscular system.

Ganzan Ryōzan Ha (岩山両斬波, Mountain Fissuring 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 uses this attack at least three times: once against a big muscular man who tried to capture Kenshiro, a second against Taki's murderer/ambusher and the last time against Souther in which Kenshiro missed his attack.

Hokuto Soukin Jizai Ken (北斗繰筋自在脚, North Star's Tendon Pulling Will Kick)

Kenshiro strikes into two adversaries' chests using a monkey-paw-like fist. This makes the adversaries' arms draw together causing the pair of enemies struck to "hug" each other to death, crushing their spines and internal organs.

Hokuto Shinken Ōgi: Zankai Sekiho Ken (残悔積歩拳, Divine Fist of the North Star Secret Technique: Burden of Regret Walk Fist)

By striking the power-point known as Shitsugen, Kenshiro triggers the involuntary locomotion of the adversary's legs to walk backwards, and the adversary is helpless to stop the legs' motion.

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 used it 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 (無想転生, Unparalleled Transmigration of Souls)

The ultimate Hokuto Shinken technique, which had never before been mastered by anyone in all 1,800 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 he is 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.

Kentō Shadan (拳盗捨断, Fist-Stealing Sacrifice Judgment)

Kentō Shadan is the most powerful attack when facing the Rashou of Hokuto Ryuken. Ken uses this technique—a swift vertical chop with the hand—to weaken Kaio's block and critically injure his arms, and it was also the decisive attack in their final battle, turning around a fight that had previously been in Kaio's favor. It is therefore considered to be a very powerful form of attack.

Hokuto Shinken Ōgi: Sui Ei Ko

Kenshiro strikes his opponent's Ryugan, located in the chest. This causes the victim's body to become like a mass of bare nerves, causing extreme pain with the slightest touch. Kenshiro uses this technique on Jagi as revenge for Yuria before finally killing him with a blow to the head.

Hokuto Senjukai Ken (North Star Thousand Hand Destruction Fist)

An instant thousand hand punch. Kenshiro used this punch on Kemada after he pried Ko's necklace form his neck.

Hokuto Gekitsui Shi (?????, North Star Four Finger Attack)

Kenshiro strikes his opponent's forehead with four fingers. When he moves his fingers the opponent is left with 3 seconds to live. Kenshiro used this on Dargel after he killed Bella.

Hokuto Hachimon Kyuudan (North Star Eight Agonies Nine Breaks)

This technique would have killed Jagi had it actually been used.

Hichou Kyuzanpa (Flying Bird-Break Attack)

A flying kick that Kenshiro used to counter the Nanto Komori Ken.

Hokuto Hiei Ken (?????, Flying Defensive Fist of the North Star)

A flying kick that disables arms and legs and a counter to Shin's Nanto Gokuto Ken attack.