Aug 26, 2019

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Finally!
Finally! a movie that doesn't involve superheroes or CGI! We interrupt our Animé frenzy to review the ninth film from Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (OUTH from here on). While it is true we didn't quite like his previous film, this new entry succeeds where the other failed: Delivering interesting characters and a cohesive plot. If you've been  a reader of our reviews you know we gave up reviewing superhero films a long time ago because we felt they became derivative and sadly, swallowed all the good films that weren't about superdudes, pushing the industry into a linear cash grab that has audiences simply forgetting about what makes a film, a good film. 

However, OUTH will not be everyone's cup of tea because it simply isn't like all of Tarantino's previous films, and it's not like any modern film either. OUTH is a melancholy, slow burning, comedic love letter to an age of Hollywood that we find ourselves disconnect from nowadays. Moreover, most of the reviews from actual websites with actual experts tend to title their articles with the "a love letter to Hollywood" phrase which I think it's the most accurate way to illustrate the film in a few words.

Rick Dalton, the legend.
Cliff Booth, the stuntman.
The point of this movie isn't to be just like Pulp Fiction and tell stories that have no meaning. In fact, I would argue that Tarantino wants each and every story to have a meaning. Rick Dalton (masterfully played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is a faded action star struggling to hold onto his career and fame. Every scene he was in was enjoyable, as he internally argues with himself to be better than he is. He can't find work except for as a typecast villain, and turns down an offer to go overseas initially because he thinks it's too far a step down from his past career. Dalton's story was not as fun to me as his stunt double, Cliff Booth's (Brad Pitt in his best role to date), but I will get to that in a minute. Dalton's story, some will say, was boring, overdrawn, and pointless. I say it was the most important and interesting storyline in the movie. Rick is an alcoholic, and deals with a lot of anger towards himself, particularly in his trailer (you'll see what I mean), and the long scenes showing him act out his part as the villain in the western are extremely entertaining as DiCaprio does some brilliant work letting us see Dalton as an actor without losing touch with him by slipping into acting of his own. He finally decides to go overseas, but most of that time is spent in a montage. When he returns, he dons a new Italian wife and an entirely new fashion straight from Europe. He doesn't do much towards the end, except for burn a Manson follower alive in his pool, and then he finally becomes friends with his neighbors. I'll also get to that when I talk about Sharon Tate. Rick is representative of Hollywood at the time of 1969, and unless you are familiar with film history, that will be lost on you. In 1969 movies like Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Graduate were changing the face of Cinema by eroding censorship codes and finally getting the studios to hand the reigns to directors, thus entering the age of auterism. Actors like Rick were becoming obsolete in film for a number of reasons, but mainly that they hadn't had to search for work whilst under the studio system, they just signed a contract and found work immediately. Roman Polanski, his neighbor, was one of the directors that was now given a lot of free reign in this age, . Dalton's character expressed the frustration many probably felt at the time, and Tarantino built a character that was beautifully acted by DiCaprio.

Sharon Tate.
Bruce Lee.

Cliff Booth on the other hand, was the most Tarantino character in the movie. I think he'll be the fan favorite, because he requires no historical context or empathy to understand. He's a stunt double who lives much worse than his star, Dalton, and is a no-no sense badass with a muddled past. His scenes were incredibly fun, as Pitt brought a certain energy to each scene that glued you to the screen waiting for his next move. Particularly at the end, when Tex had him at gunpoint and he was tripping on acid. Obviously he had the situation under control, but we as the audience have no idea until he sicks the dog on them. Booth was a character you expect to see in a Tarantino movie. None of his storyline was used for what people will say is "pointless", mainly because he is the most involved with the Manson clan.

Interestingly, the Manson clan is hardly shown in the movie. Charles himself only shows up twice, and only says a few words. I actually like this choice, because it left a lingering thought that perhaps Manson was a danger at all times, and didn't play to the audience the way we thought it would. It wasn't a story about the Manson murders. Manson just happened to be going on at the time Dalton and Booth were having their struggles, and it intersected.

The Manson girls.
Charles Manson.

Which brings me to my last point, and that is of Sharon Tate (gorgeous bombshell Margot Robbie). Her role, while a tad less utilized than I expected, was Central because the real life Tate was murdered by the Manson clan. If you go in as an audience member with that knowledge, you go the whole movie waiting for something to happen to her, and it never does. Tate herself was a happy, blooming actress who spent time with friends and danced (a lot). This carefree manner was underlying a want to be famous, as she tells people who she is and is clearly disappointed when they don't recognize her. Tate plays a role in this story of showing the era of actors now replacing Rick Dalton, and also showing special to Hollywood, the silver screen's allure. As this is essentially a long love letter to Hollywood, Tarantino pens what drew him to the screen through Tate.

With all of its references, obscure or in your face, there is a delicious amount to absorb, especially for connoisseurs. Tarantino has the viewer to sit back, eat up the screen, and imagine we are right there with the characters in a wonderfully painted portrait of a Hollywood long gone. This movie will be misunderstood because of the expectations for the Manson murders, and because audiences nowadays expect action on every corner, which Tarantino's name can be attached to in some capacity. Without any crazy special effects to speak, simply a fantastic script and acting, I think this film will be enjoyed thoroughly by educated audiences, and what I mean by educated is that the more you know about the history of Hollywood & American television, the more fun you will have. Especially, if the late 50's & 60's have room in your heart. I'm a 37 year old loser who loves old movies and old TV shows as much as I like listening to vinyl records on a daily basis. However, some of you may have a connection to this long gone Hollywood through your parents or other family members. In my case, my dad is a huge fan of Westerns, he practically owns every DVD set of every cowboy TV show and has seen, and still does, hundreds of films from those decades and is a big lover of Spaghetti westerns, so thanks to him I felt home when enjoying this film in the theater. No wonder, why many retired people were there too. There's nothing more beautiful than transcending generations through the things you liked and cherished in the good old days.

The original Spider-Man baby!
Shit's about to get real.
Now, a great movie deserves  its trivia section, and we deserve to die (ring any bell?) So here's my list I probably googled before you did it yourself:


Actual Jewelry.
 
Margot Robbie, who portrays Sharon Tate, wears some of Sharon Tate's real jewelry. Sharon Tate's sister, Debra, gave Robbie the jewelry to wear. 
  
Farewell Luke.
 
This is Luke Perry's last film. Perry suffered a massive stroke in late February 2019, and died March 4th. Scott Lancer is a homage to Wayne Maunder and his role in Lancer (1968). Maunder died on November 11, 2018, ten days after filming wrapped on this movie.  
 
Party for real.
 
The party sequence at the Playboy Mansion was actually filmed there, Tarantino having been a guest of Hugh Hefner on a number of occasions. 
 
Improvise!
 
Very rare for a Quentin Tarantino film, some scenes contained improvisation, particularly when Rick Dalton forgets his lines in "Lancer" and rants to himself privately in his trailer afterwards. Leonardo DiCaprio had a very difficult time playing Dalton's roles as Dalton would, rather than how he himself would, especially since Dalton is supposed to be an actor of hidden range, so he suggested Dalton forgetting his lines mid-scene to ironically help him stay in character as Dalton. The following scene in the trailer was also unscripted. 
 
The real deal.
 
When Sharon goes to a showing of her movie The Wrecking Crew (1968) the filmmakers chose to use the actual film, rather than recreating the scenes with Robbie. The real Sharon Tate briefly appears onscreen.  
 
From TV hero to zero?
a very expensive Hollywood handshake.
 
Dynamic duo.
 
Leonardo DiCaprio & Brad Pitt got along so well during the production that they confirmed at the film's Cannes premiere that they would love to team up again on another film. 
 
Don't spoil it asshole!
 
Before the film's world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Quentin Tarantino begged of Cannes crowds to avoid spoilers for later audiences in a statement made on social media; "I love cinema, You love cinema. It's the journey of discovering a story for the first time. I'm thrilled to be here in Cannes to share 'Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood' with the festival audience. The cast and crew have worked so hard to create something original, and I only ask that everyone avoids revealing anything that would prevent later audiences from experiencing the film in the same way. Thank you."  
 
Good ol' TV.
 
On Sunday night, Rick and Cliff sit down to watch "Rick's episode" of The F.B.I. (1965). The audience is later told that the episode is The F.B.I.: All the Streets Are Silent (1965). That is a real episode of the television show, and the ensuing clip is the actual opening to that episode, with one important difference - Rick Dalton has been edited into the place of the guest star villain, "Michael Murtaugh." In reality, the role of Murtaugh in the episode was played by Burt Reynolds (likely explaining why Rick and Cliff refer to the gum chewing as "strong"). Knowing Quentin Tarantino's penchant for making obscure references, it may not have been coincidence that Burt Reynolds was actually set to play the part of George Spahn in the movie, but he unfortunately died before he could take the part, which was then given to Bruce Dern. 
 
What's not to love about her!
♥♥♥.

This is a tribute.
 
The title is an homage to Sergio Leone, who directed both Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984). Quentin Tarantino has cited Leone as one of his favorite filmmakers and an influence throughout his career.  
 
Masterpiece.
 
According to Quentin Tarantino, whenever he referred to the project of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he referred to it as his "Magnum Opus". 

Stuntman & Stuntwoman.
 
The casting of Kurt Russell and Zoe Bell as the man and wife stunt coordinators on The Green Hornet is a double inside joke to Tarantino's films. Russell previously played "Stuntman Mike" in Death Proof, in which Bell, a real-life stunt performer, also appeared playing herself. Zoe Bell served as Uma Thurman's stunt double in the Kill Bill series. 
 
Michael's ride.
 
The Cadillac in this movie belongs to Michael Madsen. It also appeared in Reservoir Dogs written by Quentin Tarantino and driven by Madsen.  

Quentin's multiverse.

One of the Italian films that Rick stars in is directed by Antonio Margheriti; in Inglourious Basterds (2009), "Antonio Margheriti" is the alias used by Donny Donowitz to sneak into the premiere of "Nation's Pride".
 
Everyone's new favorite character.
Everyone's new favorite heroine.
 
Your friendly neighbor
 
Actor Nicholas Hammond, who plays Rick's director Sam Wanamaker on his episode of Lancer, played Spider-Man/Peter Parker on the The Amazing Spider-Man television series (1977-1979). 

Italy's tough guy.
 
When Sharon goes to the Bruin theatre to see the film she is in, a poster of "The Mercenary" can be seen. "The Mercenary" starred Franco Nero who sat alongside Jamie Foxx at the bartop in Django Unchained. Franco Nero was the original Django.  
  
Like mother, like daughter.
 
Maya Hawke's mother, Uma Thurman, has starred in three movies directed by Quentin Tarantino: Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). 
 
Surrender the city to Tarantino.
 
In an unprecedented film production move, a section of L.A.'s Hollywood Freeway (US-101) was completely shut down from 12pm to 2pm for a sequence populated with period cars. No VFX were used to create this sequence.  

The bandit.

Burt Reynolds was originally cast as George Spahn, the ranch owner, but he died before he was scheduled to shoot his scenes. Bruce Dern replaced him in the role.


The teaser.
The heroine.
Before we close our review with the usual video section, let me go back to what I said in the first paragraph. OUTH comes with a variety of characters that are both equally interesting and connected to the main plot. While The Hateful Eight (2015) took 168 minutes to state its point, it failed to offer a connection between the viewer and the 10 or 12 characters that movie had. Sure, there were plenty of quality dialogs and the usual graphic violence at the very end but, did we care about the plot?, the bounty hunter? his prey? or any of the remaining characters? No, we didn't, and I'm sure Tarantino learned the lesson and went for a more less is more approach that works wonders this time.

Music wise, and curated by Tarantino himself, the soundtrack’s a love letter to the music of 1960s-era Hollywood, and features everyone from Paul Revere & The Raiders, to Deep Purple, to Simon and Garfunkel, to Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. It’s a wild ride, alright. Also included are a number of jingles that should send you straight back into the picture. By the way, the album was released today in digital & CD. The vinyl is coming later this fall. However, some very limited edition vinyl will be on sale at Amoeba Records & Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema along with several indie vinyl stores.


Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Tracklist:
01. Roy Head & The Traits – “Treat Her Right”
02. The Bob Seger System – “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”
Boss Radio feat. Humble Harve:
03. Deep Purple – “Hush”
04. Mug Root Beer Advertisement
05. The Village Callers – “Hector”
06. Buchanan Brothers – “Son of a Lovin’ Man”
07. Chad & Jeremy – “Paxton Quigley’s Had the Course” (from the MGM film Three in the Attic)
08. Tanya Tanning Butter Advertisement
09. Paul Revere & The Raiders – “Good Thing”
10. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “Hungry”
11. The Box Tops – “Choo Choo Train”
12. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels – “Jenny Take a Ride”
13. Deep Purple – “Kentucky Woman”
14. Buffy Sainte-Marie – “The Circle Game”
Boss Radio feat. The Real Don Steele:
15. Simon & Garfunkel – “Mrs. Robinson”
16. Numero Uno Advertisement
17. Los Bravos – “Bring a Little Lovin’”
18. Suddenly / Heaven Sent Advertisement
19. Vagabond High School Reunion
20. KHJ Los Angeles Weather Report
21. The Illustrated Man Advertisement / Ready For Action
22. Dee Clark – “Hey Little Girl”
23. Summer Blonde Advertisement
24. Neil Diamond – “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”
25. Robert Corff – “Don’t Chase Me Around” (from the MGM film GAS-S-S-S)
26. Paul Revere & the Raiders (feat. Mark Lindsay) – “Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon”
27. Jose Feliciano – “California Dreamin’”
28. I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni – “Dinamite Jim (English Version)”
29. Vanilla Fudge – “You Keep Me Hangin’ On (Quentin Tarantino Edit)”
30. Maurice Jarre – “Miss Lily Langtry (cue from The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean)”
31. KHJ Batman Promotion.
  
The soundtrack album cover art.
"I'm not falling for that shit kiddo".
One more thing before I go, there has also been some criticism towards the depiction of Bruce Lee in this film. The thing is, with every Tarantino movie, you need to look under water before saying he made a mistake. While I won't spoil what happens specifically, When Cliff Booth meets Bruce Lee, he refers to Lee as a dancer. This is probably a reference to the fact that in addition to his martial arts prowess, Bruce Lee was an accomplished dancer, and was the Cha Cha champion of Hong Kong in 1958. So, once again the internet has got it wrong by thinking "Tarantino mocked the martial arts legend". The internet can do a lot of good, just make sure you use it before giving your misinformed opinion.Nevertheless, Shannon Lee, daughter of legend Bruce Lee, was most disappointed with the way her father was portrayed by actor Mike Moh under Quentin Tarantino's direction. She felt he was sorely misrepresented as an arrogant blowhard who was full of hot air. To each his own.

Overall, a unique film in times where disposable is the new trend.


Here's the teaser trailer:


Here's the first trailer:


Here's the second trailer:


Here's the international trailer:


a full interview with the cast & director:


 Quentin Tarantino on "mocking" Bruce Lee:


 

Aug 2, 2019

北斗の拳 / Fist Of The North Star

Manliness.
Today we'll take a look at what's probably the manliest Animé of all time:

北斗の拳 AKA Fist Of The North Star is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. Serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, the 245 chapters were initially collected in 27 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Fist of the North Star was adapted into two anime television series produced by Toei Animation, which together aired on Fuji TV and its affiliates from 1984 through 1988, comprising a combined total of 152 episodes. It has since expanded into a media franchise, including several anime films, an American live-action film, OVAs, video games, and a series of spin-offs centering on other characters from the original story. It also has a number of video games and pachinko machines produced by Sega Sammy. As of this year, Fist of the North Star is one of the top twenty highest-grossing media franchises of all time, estimated to have generated more than $20 billion in total franchise revenue. 

The original manga was published in English by Viz Communications as a monthly comic book, and later by Gutsoon! Entertainment as a series of colorized graphic novels, although neither translation was completed. English adaptations of other Fist of the North Star media have been licensed to other companies, including the TV series and the 1986 film. 


Manga to the left, Anime to the right.
Best Anime quote of all time.
Background.
Hokuto no Ken was first adapted into a weekly anime series by Toei Animation. The series aired on Fuji Television from October 11, 1984 to March 5, 1987, lasting 109 episodes. It was immediately followed by a sequel series, titled Hokuto no Ken 2, which aired from March 13, 1987 to February 18, 1988, lasting for 43 additional episodes (a combined total of 152 episodes between both series).The full series was never released on VHS in Japan, although three hour-long compilation movies were produced by Toei Video covering the first, second and fourth story arcs in that order. On July 24, 2002, Universal Music released a Region 2 DVD box set containing all 152 episodes spread across 26 discs. These discs were later released as individual volumes from May 21, 2003 through January 21, 2004. Three "best of" DVD compilations were also released in 2005, each featuring seven key episodes from the series. On March 28, 2008, Avex released a 25th anniversary edition box set featuring new video transfers of all 152 episodes remastered in high definition, once again spread across 26 discs. This set also features two additional discs of bonus content (including the aforementioned compilation movies).
 
This show aired with English subtitles on Nippon Golden Network in the late 1980s. The first 36 episodes of the first series were translated and dubbed by Manga Entertainment in 1999, although only 24 episodes were released on VHS (spread across eight tapes). All 36 episodes of the dub version were aired on Showtime Beyond in the United States and on Sci-Fi Channel in the United Kingdom, and were later released on DVD in 2003 (spread across six individual volumes). In 2008, the US subsidiary of Toei Animation produced an official subtitle-only translation of all 152 episodes, which were released on various paid download and streaming websites available only for North American customers. Discotek Media announced on October 2, 2009 that they have licensed the entire Fist of the North Star TV series. The first two boxsets were released in that year, and the latter two in 2011. The episodes use the same transfers from the 2008 DVD box set in Japan, although it did not contain any of the special features. The first set featured the first 36 episodes along with Manga Entertainment's English dub, and a Japanese audio option with English subtitles; these subtitles were adjusted from the translation of Toei's streaming episodes. Discotek later released all discs from all four boxsets (a total of 21 discs) together in one set, Fist of the North Star: The Series - The Complete Series Collection, on March 25, 2014. They were released on a Standard Definition Blu Ray set (with a total of 3 discs) with the same name on October 31, 2017. 


Rey.
Toki.
Review.
 
What can be said that hasn't been said before about one of the most important franchises to ever come out of the Japanese industry? The answer: Not enough.
109 episodes of manliness, an OVA claiming to be the most violent ever, a second series, more OVAs, a movie made in the USA (yes, you read that right), and the list goes on, and on forever.  Usually overlooked for its super powered characters, this Animé has a lot more heart and feelings than others that claim to have been made as tearjerkers for stinking otakus hiding in their parents basement.  In a nutshell, the world has been turned to shit after the final nuclear assault in 19XX (yes, that's the exact date). The military, the cops and any form of government have been entirely erased from existence.  The only reason to go on living, is essentially rebuiliding the planet from scratch, so a lot of abandoned cities and farms have been inhabited by the survivors who strive to find water and seeds to grow their food and well, survive! However, there's one motherfucking catch: Since the resources are so limited, every town has been enslaved by powerful sons of bitches who don't give a shit about how many children, men and women they have to rape, torture and murder in order to build their newfound kingdoms of ultraviolence. And that's pretty much the setting to the first story arc. 

Kenshiro, a mysterious loner who is the heir of the hokuto shin ken martial art, happens to be walking by, until his mission (to recover his girlfriend Yuria from the hands of his motherfucker brother Shin) is delayed due to a bunch of fucktards abusing the innocent. Kenshiro will not take your shit. He's a man of good feelings, and wants the world to be the peaceful place people deserve. In his world, scumbags have no place.

Fuck you scumbag!
Talk to my fist!
Contrary to popular belief, Kenshiro is not a violent man. In fact, he always gives his enemies the chance to quit their evil ways and leave in peace. Obviously, our hero is exceptional to this world of brutality, so even when they know they don't stand a chance against him, thugs won't surrender, and so the legend of the fist of the North star is born. 

Like most Animé from the early 80's, the episodes are organized in "story arcs" that usually last from 10 to 20 episodes. My strong suggestion to newcomers is to endure the first 22 episodes, because once Shin's arc is over the series really becomes interesting, as a set of very  interesting characters is added to Kenshiro's life.  On the contrary, if you've only seen the first story arc, you may be disappointed to find out  that THAT story arc is the least interesting out of the whole series. And that's a big problem for FOTNS' reputation, since many reviewers have only seen the first story arc and based their opinions only on that single portion of the series. Others have stated that the Animé is based upon the 1986 animated movie, and that the entire series is from the 1990's plus and unsatisfying finale (based on the limited amount of episodes available back then, not today, and certainly not yesterday). So, whenever you want to check the quality of an Animé/OVA you should definitely try it yourself first as the internet is filled with wrong information. Especially, when it comes to old series like today's Animé in review.

Revelations.
Lin & Bat. Kenshiro's protegees.
Moving on to the main characters, the following paragraphs can be of help:

Kenshiro: The hero of the series. Heart of gold. Doesn't like violence. Likes children, women, hardworking men. Hates thugs, bullies and injustice. His fighting technique is the hokuto shin ken.

Bat: Pink haired little fella that becomes Kenshiro's driver during the first story arc. He's a kid with good intentions but too weak to start fighting like our main character does.

Lin: The little girl that is rescued by Kenshiro in the first episode. She portrays the lost innocence of the world, and likes flowers. She's not as weak as she seems. In fact, she grows stronger with the cause of freedom and is willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of others.

Rei: Kenshiro's coolest brother. His technique is a visual spectacle as he fucking chops the shit out of his enemies mercilessly. He's a good man and sees there's good in Kenshiro so he joins him on his quest for peace and justice. His fighting technique is the nanto suicho ken.

Toki: He's the second of the four Hokuto brothers. He is a pacifist who seeks to use Hokuto Shinken as a healing art. Toki's self-made technique, Hokuto Ujoken , is an art that is capable of healing or destroying that which it is used on. When fatally wounded with this style, the victim experiences feelings of euphoria and compassion, instead of horrific pain. He sustained severe Radiation sickness while protecting Kenshiro, Yuria and a large group of children. His illness precluded him from becoming the Hokuto Shinken successor and remained with him for the rest of his life. 

Mamiya: She's a female village leader who bears resemblance to Kenshiro's fiancée, Yuria. She has limited skill in the martial arts, and uses weapons such as bladed yo-yos, bow and arrows, and emeici in combat. In the past, Yuda slaughtered Mamiya's parents and kidnapped her with the intent to make her his concubine, branding her with the "UD" mark on her back. She eventually managed to escape, and in her humiliation, renounced her womanhood and became a warrior. Mamiya recruits Ken and Rei as guardians of her village and later accompanies the two for several arcs of the story. 

Family portrait.
Powerful men & woman.
Plot wise, the 109 episodes are divided into four untitled story arcs:

  1. First Story Arc (episodes 1-22)  This part of the series focuses on the introduction of Kenshiro and his meeting with two orphans, Bat and Lin, who follow him throughout the series. It follows Ken's journey to save his fiancée, Yuria, who was kidnapped by his old rival Shin who calls himself "King". He fights the top lieutenants in Shin's empire in order to find his whereabouts. Kenshiro then goes to Shin's capital city of Southern Cross, leading to his final battle against Shin in an attempt to save Yuria.
  2. Second Story Arc (episodes 23-57) This part features Kenshiro's encounter with Rei, their developing friendship and Rei's relationship with Mamiya. It also introduces Kenshiro's fellow Hokuto brothers, Jagi, Toki and Raoh.
  3. Third Story Arc (episodes 58-82) This part follows Kenshiro as he tracks down his surviving Hokuto Shinken brothers-at-arms: Shu, a selfless man who once saved the young Kenshiro; Toki, who has dedicated his life to healing; Souther, the self-proclaimed Holy Emperor of Nanto.  
  4. Fourth Story Arc (episodes 83- 109) which chronicles the actions of Kenshiro and the South Dipper Five Chariot Stars in their efforts to protect Yuria, the Last General of Nanto and prevent Raoh (Ken-Oh) becoming the ruler of the post-apocalyptic world. 
 
Kick some seeds pal!
As long as it works.
The visuals, which I've read online to be "dated" are nothing but spectacular. From characters, to backgrounds, to vehicles to fight scenes, everything is fantastic and respectful of the Manga. Even at moments where Kenshiro cries, you see he's uber manly in doing so. On the other hand, the fighting techniques and the hundreds of deaths look really cool too. Exploding heads, torsos, twisted hands, and massive bleeding add a lot of spices to the spectacle. Besides, the hair styles are also quite cool. The overall character & vehicle design goes in line with some of the Cyberpunk style other Animé and films have mastered.

Music wise, fuck! this series features one of the best opening songs of all time!
"Ai wo Torimodose!!" by Crystal King (eps 1-82) the hard rocking guitars would make Iron Maiden jealous! Not to mention the accurate lyrics that sum up the entire series in one song. "Silent Survivor" by Kodomo Band (eps 83-109) is the second opening song in a more eightish pop rock fashion than the earlier but also, super cool, and manly because this show is all about being manly.Still, it's kinda hard to let go of "You wa shock!" after 82 episodes. 

"Yuria... Eien ni" by Crystal King (eps 1-82) and "Dry Your Tears" by Kodomo Band (eps 83-109) are the fantastic ending theme songs.

Awesome manly art.
You are already dead!
Another satisfactory feature this Animé has is how bad guys are finished. 100% of them are killed in the most violent, gruesome and cool looking ways. Fist of the North Star is not a show where bad guys go to jail or face a sentence. They're beyond saving, so death by martial arts is the only way. Obviously,
What makes this show great is the fighting. Ken normally goes up against a group of people that think they are tough and then get killed in one hit. Which is funny and badass, but makes for quick fights. Another great part is comedy/badassness. Ken hits someone, and they think its nothing. Ken says they are already dead. Then they die. Other parts are when he'll hit them and tell them they have a few seconds to live. Then a counter will pop up. Or when he tells them they are not worthy of knowing his name. Then there is when he does a rapid fire kick or punch and goes "a ta ta ta ta ta ta ta!". Eventually you might find yourself doing it with him. One great part was when a bad guy thought he knew Hokuto. He went up to Ken and hit him. Ken stood there said he was dead in a few seconds. The bad guy counted off then died. It isn't limited to Ken everyone else kills just as quick. There has never been a character as awesome as Kenshiro and their probably never will. In addition, all characters are actual adults (save for Bat & Lin) so for people that are sick and tired of teenage characters playing adult roles, this is the Animé you're looking for. As a matter of fact, the Manga is sold with the "adults only" warning. In FOTNS you won't find any of that stupid teenage shy love that is resolved by the final episode, or any kind of over sexualization of underage characters, which is usual in most recent Animé.


Kenshiro sports a beard in the film version.
And there's actual red colored blood in there too.
Overall, Hokuto No Ken is so badass it makes your beard sprout biceps it's like Dragonball Z, Jojo's bizarre adventure, and One Punch Man before those even existed. The Mad Max setting, you know, the Australian films from 1979 & 1981, only adds to the coolness factor along with very badass villain designs like Raoh or Jagi if you wanna watch Manimé watch the one that started it all, the archetype that brought you Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure, Berzerk & Toriko. Moreover, I really recommend reading the Manga because it's simply magnificent. There's a recent "Ultimate Edition" (available in many languages) that is printed in high quality paper featuring some colored pages and extra info to read on each of the 18 volumes from such collection.

Be warned though, if you watch this Animé you may end up being a manlier man. Please! do not watch with your girlfriend, as it's highly likely Kenshiro will steal your girl and make you look like a weak crybaby.

Last but not least, let's take a look at our video section for this month's Manly review:

 Here's opening 1:



Here's opening 2:



Here's ending 1:



Here's ending 2:



Cristal King playing "Ai Wo Torimodose" Live!



Kodomo Band's original "Silent Survivor" videoclip:



Cristal King "Yuria...Eien Ni" Live!



Fist of the North Star movie trailer:



Fist of the North Star movie trailer (Streamline VHS):



Fist of the North Star Japanese movie trailer:



Fist of the North Star's 1995 Live Action Movie trailer:



Fist of the North Star Nintendo NES gameplay:



Fist of the North Star 6 Super Famicom gameplay:



Fist of the North Star 7 Super Famicom gameplay:



The Sega Master System videogame:



The Sega Mega Drive videogame:



Fist of the North Star Playstation 4 videogame trailer:




A collection of Japanese TV videogame ads:





The NES/FamiCom videogame TV ad:



The Pachinko slot game TV ad:



Another Pachinko TV ad:



The official body wash TV ads: