It’s hard to find a shonen anime that didn’t involve fisticuffs at one point or another. Some use weapons, like Bleach. Others spice things up with energy beams like Dragon Ball Z or have a proxy do the attacking for them like the titular Pokemon.
When it comes to anime with pure pummeling, Fist of the North Star is one of the more influential examples. The show’s mix of heavy violence and high drama can be seen in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Baki the Grappler, and even Berserk. So, for those curious to see what kind of action Kenshiro’s adventures offer, here are the show’s best fights.
9 Kenshiro Vs Jagi
Few people hate Kenshiro with as much passion as his elder foster brother Jagi does. He tried to kill him, only for Kenshiro to strike back and disfigure his face. Yet he let Jagi live out of filial devotion. Jagi responded by scarring his own chest like Kenshiro’s and framing him for his crimes, like killing Rei’s parents and selling his sister Airi into slavery.
Once Kenshiro tracks him down, he intends on ending him once and for all. Jagi fights back with a variety of tricks, like trapping Kenshiro in a gasoline fire. He even admits to giving Kenshiro’s old rival Shin the idea to kidnap his girlfriend Yuria from him just to taunt him. Not the best move. Kenshiro breaks free and obliterates the man. But not before he warns Kenshiro that his other brothers are still alive.
8 Kenshiro Vs ‘Toki’
After Jagi’s warning, Kenshiro goes looking for his other brother, Toki. Eventually, he hears that Toki is using the local villagers as experiments for his pressure point research. Some would become overpowered monstrosities. Others would just die horribly. Kenshiro finds it hard to believe the good man he once knew could become this evil. Yet the Toki he meets is convincing enough.
That is until Rei arrives and reveals ‘Toki’ is actually Amiba, a Nanto Seiken washout who took on Toki’s likeness after he disappeared. With the truth exposed, Amiba tries powering himself up, only to destroy his hands in the process. Poor guy wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. Kenshiro presses a pressure point that makes Amiba walk backward off a balcony. Unable to fix it, Amiba falls and explodes.
7 Rei Vs Juda
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In the show’s heyday, Rei was so popular that author Yoshiyuki ‘Buronson’ Okamura considered keeping him alive, even after he doomed him to die. In the end, the best he could do was give the man a stay of execution. Juda’s betrayal to work for Raoh would lead all the Nanto Seiken schools to death. It would be up to Rei to use his last day alive to punish Juda and avenge the deaths of his lover Mamiya’s parents at his hands.
Juda would cheat by getting his underlings to break a nearby dam. The sudden torrent would keep Rei grounded while Juda slashed him with swift projectile strikes. After Kenshiro stopped the flow, Rei would leap into the air and strike Juda fatally through the chest. The beauty of his technique would make the villain repent in death and serve as Rei’s final victory.
6 Raoh Vs Fudoh
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This fight has been mentioned a few times across the web. But that’s because it is one of the highest points in the series. Raoh fights Fudoh to overcome his fear and gain the strength to defeat Kenshiro, while Fudoh fights back to protect the orphans under his care.
As mighty as Raoh is, he keeps seeing Kenshiro in the way Fudoh fights back, and in the eyes of the kids who come to their foster dad’s aid. Fudoh successfully forces Raoh back past the line he drew, only for Raoh’s forces to try and gain favor by killing Fudoh with ballista bolts instead. All they did was doom their Conqueror to his fate: to always be weaker than Kenshiro.
5 Raoh Vs Juza
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In the fourth series, the Nanto General’s servants tried to stop Raoh from reaching them. The King of Fists made short work of the first two but ran into a speed bump once the third leaped into action. Juza succeeded in taunting Raoh and stealing his horse. However, eventually, he had to fight him properly.
Smashing his own armor, Juza went all-out against Raoh. He got some good shots in and even resisted Raoh’s torture when he tried to get the Nanto General’s identity out of him. Juza even tried to tear off Raoh’s arm, seeing his life as a good trade for crippling him. In the end, even though Juza fought even beyond his death, the Conqueror’s strength was just too much for him.
4 Kenshiro Vs Shin: Final Round
By this final battle, Shin acts like he’s finally won Yuria over. But it’s not enough to dissuade Kenshiro from his revenge. Even if she forgot who he was, it would all be worth it so long as Yuria was still alive. The two fight each other, with Shin having much more trouble against him now. Kenshiro’s journey made the man stronger and sterner.
Shin tries to break Kenshiro’s morale once and for all by killing Yuria. Instead, Kenshiro’s rage overflows, and he pays Shin back. Shin scarred Kenshiro’s chest with the Hokuto stars (Big Dipper). Now, Shin would die with the Southern Cross on his own. Except the Yuria Shin struck wasn’t real.
3 Kenshiro Vs Souther: Round 1
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In the third series, Kenshiro came across Emperor Souther, the master of Nanto Ho-ohken: the most powerful Nanto Seiken art. On his orders, his troops would kidnap children and force them to be his slaves. Kenshiro would try to stop him once and for all by striking his pressure points. If all went to plan, his life would end in three seconds.
Souther counts them down, only for nothing to happen. No matter how much he fought back, Souther wouldn’t succumb to his techniques. Worn out, Kenshiro falls before him. For the first time in ages, Kenshiro loses cleanly. It would only be through luck that he would survive and learn why Souther was immune.
2 Raoh Vs Toki: Round 2
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As children, Toki made a promise to Raoh that he’d stop him if his ambition went too far. That time came once the world ended and Raoh became the Conqueror of Century’s End. The two fought once more by their old childhood home. Raoh thought he had the advantage, but Toki proved stronger than he thought. He knocked Raoh down and pointed out the Shichousei: a small star that foretells its viewer’s death.
Fearful that his life was on the line, Raoh fought back with all his might. The two were on an even keel until Toki’s strength gradually ebbed away. Moved to tears, Raoh discovered Toki’s strength came from his Sekkakou pressure points. Once pressed, they boost the fighter’s strength at the cost of their lifespan. The Shichousei was shining for Toki, not Raoh. Despite his will to keep his promise, Toki didn’t have the strength to fulfill it. Moved by his brother’s efforts, Raoh symbolically ‘killed’ his warrior side, letting the man live out the rest of his days.
1 Kenshiro Vs Raoh: Round 2
Despite all efforts, Raoh made it to the Nanto General’s castle. Kenshiro held him at bay while they made their escape. Raoh got the advantage by knocking him to the ground. He was about to punch through Kenshiro’s face when he somehow escaped without him noticing. Raoh tried to strike him again, only for Kenshiro to zip past him and strike him with one of Rei’s moves.
For the first time in 2,000 years, a Hokuto Shinken master had achieved its ultimate technique: the Musou Tensei. It renders the user intangible to attacks, while the souls of their deceased friends and foes aid them in battle. Despite Raoh’s tough talk, the sight of Kenshiro’s newfound strength and his spiritual backup make him feel fear for the first time in decades. The Conqueror’s days were now numbered.