A hulking mashup of Bruce Lee and Mad Max wanders through a ruined, post-apocalyptic hellscape, doling out summary justice. His means of dispatching his foes? A terrifying form of martial arts. A litany of secret techniques. In short: he makes bad guys explode like meat pinatas.
This is Fist of the North Star, the iconic manga which kicked off a generation of imitators. A pulpy, earnest saga rife with revenge, redemption and gore, Fist of the North Star has become a kind of miraculous cultural touchstone.
Now regarded as one of the most profoundly influential shōnen manga of all time, Fist was cited by the late great Miura Kentarō as the work which had the most profound impact on his magnum opus, Berserk. It even gave birth to one of the greatest touchstones of the gaming world: the Mortal Kombat fatality … though I’d argue Fist did it better. Using pressure points to make your opponent detonate, but not before muttering at them “you are already dead”, is the kind of stone-cold level of cool which blew me away as a kid.
Tetsuo Hara is the man who illustrated Fist of the North Star, bringing the bloody saga of the wandering hero Kenshiro to life. His style directly influenced Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and frankly obliterated any hope young manga readers had of ever sleeping properly again.
There’s something so distinct, so disturbing and so compelling about Hara’s trademark style – his ability to render gutted metropolises in painstaking detail, and to turn ruptured organs into works of art, was utterly unprecedented in the medium of manga.
Thankfully, the long-awaited complete English translation of Fist has just landed. To mark the occasion, I sat down with Tetsuo Hara to find out what made him tick.
Kotaku Australia: Thanks so much for talking with me, Tetsuo! First off, what was it that made you want to draw manga?
Tetsuo Hara: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. In particular, I loved the anime for Astro Boy, Jungle Emperor Leo, Cyborg 009, and Tiger Mask, so I would often draw those characters. Later on, I honed my artistic skills by designing my own original monsters. As for manga itself, I would draw four-panel comics every day to practice storyboarding.
And you’ve created so much incredible work. It’s a really hard time to be a creator, an artist — do you have any advice for people in the arts who are thinking of giving up?
Tetsuo: At first, I thought that talent was what mattered most! But after having had the opportunity to work with so many people over the years, I’ve come to realise that what’s really important is having the determination to keep on going. I think many people shy away from creating something because of how difficult the process is, or the criticism they might receive.
I’m still working as hard as ever on new manga, and I consider the voice of the readership not as criticism, but as feedback that they’re going out of their way to give for the sake of the work itself, and I utilise it in that fashion.
Fist of the North Star’s look and feel remains hugely influential. How would you describe the style you created? And what were the influences you drew from to make that world?
Tetsuo: As far as my style is concerned, I think the term “baroque art” fits perfectly. My influences include Frank Frazetta (the Conan series), Neal Adams (Batman), and Syd Mead (Blade Runner). I still look at their art books and get inspired by them.
Fist of the North Star is set in a post-apocalyptic world. Right now, the world is a pretty scary place. This might sound odd, but what do you think Fist of the North Star can teach us about how to get through hard times?
Tetsuo: To learn the Keiraku Hiko! (Laughs.)
Well, that’ll make my next massage a lot more stressful! Speaking of Keiraku Hiko … what is it that makes Kenshiro unique? And what kind of a man is he?
Tetsuo: I don’t think of him as particularly unique, but if I had to give an answer, it would be his incredible strength and lack of fear in the face of his enemies. Readers can vicariously live out their hyper-masculine fantasies through Kenshiro.
And lots of people are about to be able to do that – in English – for the very first time. What do you hope they take away from the experience?
Tetsuo: I just want people to enjoy it for what it is — entertainment. I love hearing from readers who enjoyed the series, so please send me fan letters and emails if you feel so inspired! I would also be honored if it sparks an interest in drawing in those who are curious about it — be it manga, illustrations, or otherwise.
I’ve seen countless ways in which your art style and world design has influenced some amazing bodies of work – Berzerk, Dark Souls, etc – what is it like to see people inspired by what you created on Fist of the North Star?
Tetsuo: I have been influenced by so many writers and works over the years, so if my work was able to do them same for others, that means the world to me.
It would be incredible if 100 years down the line, someone says that Fist of the North Star was an inspiration to them. It would make me so happy if my work is able to live on, even after I’m gone.
The English translation of Fist of the North Star is available now. Paul Verhoeven is an author, broadcaster and TV presenter. His books Electric Blue and Loose Units are out now through Penguin, and his podcasts, DISH! and Loose Units, are available everywhere you get your podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and in person, if you can find him (he’s very good at hiding).
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