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Fist of the North Star, also known asHokuto no Ken, one of the most iconic and classicShonen Jumpseries, is returning next year with a new anime. The social media account for the series has just confirmed that the new anime is coming sooner than fans expected.
Fist of the North Staris a manga by Buronson (story) and Tetsuo Hara (illustrations) first serialized from 1983 to 1988 and collected into 27 volumes. With over 100 million copies sold, it became a cornerstone of contemporary battle shonen series and one of the most influential manga of all time. It spawned many sequels, spin-offs, and animations. It is the origin of the popular meme “Omae wa mou shindeiru” (“You are already dead”). With the right investment and direction, it could become a hit like the reboot ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Fist of the North Star Anime Coming Next Year
The official account forFist of the North Staron X (formerly Twitter) has just confirmed thatthe new anime will debut in 2026. They are likely referring tothe reboot of the seriesannounced in 2023. Furthermore, a new trailer and details about the main cast will be revealed at Anime Expo on June 20, 2025, during the Warner Bros. panel. There’s a good chance the anime will feature an entirely new cast for the main characters.
Information about the studio and main staff hasn’t been revealed yet. However, the trailer set to premiere at Anime Expo will likely include those details. The original announcement was part of the series' 40th anniversary, and while the release window has taken time to surface, fans are hopeful that this indicates the production team is working hard to ensure high quality.
What Is Fist of the North Star About?
The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting in the 1990s, after a nuclear war has devastated the Earth (as was common in many series written during the Cold War). What’s left of humanity struggles to find food and water safe for consumption, and the law of survival of the strongest prevails. Kenshiro is a warrior trained in a martial art called Hokuto Shinken, which allows him to strike his enemies' vital points to kill them. After being separated from his fiancée, Kenshiro leaves behind his hope for a peaceful life and embarks on a journey to defend the weak from gangs and evil organizations.
The series was heavily influenced by Bruce Lee’s movies, as well as Yusaku Matsuda, an actor featured in several Japanese action movies back in the 1970s. It also drew inspiration from productions likeMad Max, Blade Runner,and the iconicAkira. The series was originally intended to run for three years, but it was extended to five years due to the manga’s massive popularity. At that time, no series inShonen Jumphad run for over 10 years, so a five-year serialization was quite long (though not unprecedented) by the magazine’s standards. Toei Animationproduced two TV anime adaptationsof the story in the 1980s.
The Fist of the North Staroriginal manga is licensed in the US by VIZ Media.
