Best volume yet.
First, the conclusion of Rei’s tale. He outclasses Yuda but the crazed narcissist has one last trick — unleashing the waters of the local dam to hinder Rei’s footwork. Rei responds by launching himself from the water’s surface in a swan leap that stuns Yuda with its beauty and allows Rei to deliver the fatal blow.
Yet even in victory, the wounds inflicted by Raoh erupt and Rei leaves to die in agony. The others can only listen in horror beyond the doorway of his tomb. His sacrifice is not in vain — the cursed star that haunted Mamiya vanishes; by slaying Yuda, Rei was able to change her fate.
Next is the Souther arc. Souther has fashioned himself as a pharaoh and is building a giant pyramid with child labor. He has his armies kidnap them and slaughters their parents. He sends poisoned food to the resistance. It’s the customary FOTNS plot that sees a despot wreaking havoc on hapless innocents. Priming the audience to anticipate vengeance meted out by Kenshiro.
Ken meets up with a blind master of nanto seiken named Shu. Initially he appears as an enemy but it turns out he was only testing Ken’s prowess. The two have a history — it was Shu who many years ago gave his sight to spare Ken from execution, believing it was Ken’s destiny to bring hope to the world. Once again we have the theme of heroic self-sacrifice.
This time Ken faces his most serious challenge yet, with most of the arc moving in a negative direction. Ken is actually defeated and captured, unable to crack Souther’s mysterious “secret.” He is freed from the lightly guarded prison by Shu’s son, who blows himself up to allow Ken to escape.
Raoh then shows up and personally delivers Ken to safety. An interesting turn for the villain.
Meanwhile Souther has found the rebel hideout and launched an all-out attack. Shu sends the unconscious Ken downriver to safety and goes to lead a desperate defense. He is defeated by Souther, who employs children as hostages, and forced to carry the pyramid’s huge capstone to the top, all the while bleeding from severe leg injuries. This is one of the most iconic scenes from Fist, as the dying Shu bears the weight by sheer force of will in order to spare the children.
Ken hears Shu’s psychic cries for aid and awakens to head for the pyramid, vaporizing a few low-level grunts on the way.
Raoh and Toki also sense the impending clash and go to the pyramid. Toki claims to know the secret to defeating Souther.
Ken, as is his habit, arrives just in time to see Souther crushed beneath the capstone.
We get a short flashback showing the origin of Souther’s villainy. He unknowingly slew his master in a blindfolded duel, and the resulting anguish caused him to swear off love and friendship forever, relying only on his own invincible strength. It’s a nice touch that adds a welcome depth which most of the villains have lacked.
The climax will have to wait for the next volume.
Fist of the North Star has an operatic, epic quality. These are figures of myth, far beyond mere mortals, engaged in titanic struggles of good and evil. The heroes are paragons of martial virtue, displaying incomparable courage, honor, and self-sacrifice, just as the villains are sadistic, bloodthirsty madmen.
The story could scarcely be simpler, but that simplicity lends it a brutal, primal power.
Art is incredible with high detail and a robust plasticity. The action is clear and easy to follow. The architectural designs are a mix of classical and 80s dungeons & dragons with a backdrop of rotting skyscrapers, providing a distinctive atmosphere.