Fist of the North (Korean) Star, part 1

For some reason that I still don’t understand, my wife Ryoko really likes Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star). It’s not really a girl-oriented anime, so I’ve wondered on occasion what she finds so interesting in it. When I ask her, she just says something like “Because Kenshiro is so cool!” which doesn’t answer the real question that I’m asking. I mean, if you like Hokuto no Ken, then there is a good chance you would like, say…. professional wrestling, which she certainly does not.

So if you don’t know or haven’t seen what Hokuto no Ken is, the basic story is Kenshiro, a kung fu master (with a Japanese name, of course) is wandering through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, searching for his lost love, Julia. So if you want to see what it’s like, YouTube is there to save the day again! With a bit of searching, here is the intro to Hokuto no Ken and Hokuto no Ken 2. I really like both of these songs, mostly because of the over-the-top 80’s rock style, and the hilarious lyrics. For example, here is my (albeit literal) tranlsation to the opening theme of Hokuto no Ken, Ai wo Torimodose (Bring Back the Love):

[falsetto]You are Shock!
The sky is falling from my love.
[falsetto]You are Shock!
It’s falling to my chest.
Even if you bind my burning heart with chains,
It’s impossible.
I’ll take down anyone who gets in my way with a single finger.
[falsetto]You are Shock!
My heart is beating faster from my love.
[falsetto]You are Shock!
My heart beats faster.
Looking for you, my wandering heart is now
burning fiercely.
I should just melt everything and send it flying without any remorse.
[falsetto refrain]
In order to protect our love,
You leave on a journey.
I’ve lost sight of tomorrow.
A face that’s forgotten how to smile,
I don’t want to see it.
Bring back the love!

Pretty amazing stuff, huh? Between those lyrics, the 80’s metal, and the awesome head-exploding kung-fu animation in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, what’s there not to love about this show?