Fist of the North Star Series Status

[gfanikf]

I just wanted to double check when did the license with Magna expire?

Any idea if other compaines are interested in puting the show out. It seems like a natural choice as it already has a decent sized fanbased despite only having a partial release. I'm suprised ADV didnt when they got the OVAs (especially since they did a good job dubbing it so dubbing the show wouldn't be an issue).

[kakugo]

Unfortunately, Hokuto no Ken: Fist of the North Star isn't particularly popular in the US, so even if Manga's license has expired I doubt that anyone else is willing to pick it up in their stead.

The VHS release of the TV series was canceled at volume 8, the Showtime Beyond airing only got to episode 32 (I believe), the Viz comic format manga was canceled after 4 trade paperback releases, and the Master Edition color manga was canceled after volume 9.

To compare, the ENTIRE TV series and manga ended up having a successful mainstream TV release in Italy and France back in the mid 1980's. The only part of the franchise that has ever done particularly well in the US is the 1986 theatrical movie, and even then it has much more of a "cult" status than any major critical acclaim. The New Fist of the North Star OVA's may or may not have done well, but most reviewers - those who do AND don't like the original - haven't been particularly kind to it. (My issue is the cast, mostly. Damnit Gackt...)

I'd love to see a complete, unedited release of the Fist of the North Star TV series with the original opening and soundtrack in place, but I don't think that's likely to happen. Hokuto no Ken was a shounen title aimed at middle school kids, despite the fact that people explode and get sliced apart regularly. Targeting the series at children in the US would cause undue controversey and probably hurt its' credibility to the general public, and aiming it at adults - as has done in the past - hasn't really worked yet.

The new trilogy of movies and pair of OVA's may see a US release, though I can imagine their massive expense may keep them unlicended for at least a little while. Perhaps if they do well, we'd see more Fist of the North Star in the US. But until (and if) that happens, I think the fans willing to pay for either the manga or TV series won't change drastically.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Fist of the North Star is a series I will really get to enjoy over the next couple of months. I can't tell if its the opaque white colored blood or the terrible music ("You are shock!!!!), but I would happily collect an R1 release. Sporting so many releases it would need to have a collection style release.

For now we can wait and see, but I would love to see it. Come on Funimation. Maybe its one of the series FuniRepBlue was talking about. :P

[gfanikf]

Fist of the North Star is a series I will really get to enjoy over the next couple of months. I can't tell if its the opaque white colored blood or the terrible music ("You are shock!!!!), but I would happily collect an R1 release. Sporting so many releases it would need to have a collection style release.

For now we can wait and see, but I would love to see it. Come on Funimation. Maybe its one of the series FuniRepBlue was talking about. :P

What do you mean "series FuniRepBlue was talking about",?

Slightly off-topic I remeber a rumour was going around that one of there people unoffically confirmed Legend of the Galactic Heroes was licensed by another company and that it suprised them. Sadly nothing came of the rumour

[akcoll99]

One of the things I see as a basic trend with most "classic" anime series is that if they didn't succeed in some form back in the 1970's or 80's in the US, then they probably never will. Series like Astro Boy, Macross ("Robotech"), Voltron, Gatchaman, and Kimba The White Lion all succeeded on some level and developed followings who grew up, had fond memories of the show and were willing to buy the series on DVD. However, other classics like Saint Seiya, Fist Of The North Star, City Hunter and Slam Dunk have failed to find widespread audiences because they've been introduced to the US long after their prime in Japan and at a time where consumers seem much more interested in flashier, newer anime series.

I would LOVE to see a complete release of FOTNS in the US, but sadly I think the OVA from ADV may be all we get. Though I would love for some licensor to prove me wrong.... :D

[Chacranajxy]

I'm happy with the OVA, though it'd be nice to see whatever the new FOTNS stuff in production is come out over here. The original series though... probably wouldn't want to buy the whole thing. I mean, the most complex an episode gets is essentially this:

*Band of bad dudes goes to a farmer and takes a bag of rice from him. They laugh*
*Kenshiro appears, says "You are bad [points finger]. Give back the rice you have stole because you have not money."
*Bad dudes say "Ha, baka boy you die*
*Kenshiro goes "Watatataatataatatataatataatata Whaaa. You are Already Dead"*
*People explode*
*Kenshiro gives a bullshit moral message*
*End.*

Honestly, not even the joy of YOU WA SHOCK can convince me to buy this whole show. Which is WA SHOCKing, I realize, but yeah.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Fist of the North Star is a series I will really get to enjoy over the next couple of months. I can't tell if its the opaque white colored blood or the terrible music ("You are shock!!!!), but I would happily collect an R1 release. Sporting so many releases it would need to have a collection style release.

For now we can wait and see, but I would love to see it. Come on Funimation. Maybe its one of the series FuniRepBlue was talking about. :P

What do you mean "series FuniRepBlue was talking about",?

Slightly off-topic I remeber a rumour was going around that one of there people unoffically confirmed Legend of the Galactic Heroes was licensed by another company and that it suprised them. Sadly nothing came of the rumour



A representative from Funimation said they don't have much information on DBZ because there is several other currently unannounced series she is working on. I was simply joking at the chance that FOTNS could be one of them. There is no rumor of it, and I highly doubt it. Just joking.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes was polled by the Japanese company to see if there was enough American interest to release a massive set. The idea has since been scrapped.

[kusanagi-sama]

Fist of the North Star is a series I will really get to enjoy over the next couple of months. I can't tell if its the opaque white colored blood or the terrible music ("You are shock!!!!), but I would happily collect an R1 release. Sporting so many releases it would need to have a collection style release.

For now we can wait and see, but I would love to see it. Come on Funimation. Maybe its one of the series FuniRepBlue was talking about. :P

What do you mean "series FuniRepBlue was talking about",?

Slightly off-topic I remeber a rumour was going around that one of there people unoffically confirmed Legend of the Galactic Heroes was licensed by another company and that it suprised them. Sadly nothing came of the rumour



A representative from Funimation said they don't have much information on DBZ because there is several other currently unannounced series she is working on. I was simply joking at the chance that FOTNS could be one of them. There is no rumor of it, and I highly doubt it. Just joking.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes was polled by the Japanese company to see if there was enough American interest to release a massive set. The idea has since been scrapped.


I voted on the poll several times over the course of a year that the poll was up. The poll asked several questions such as what sort of release would you like such as dub type (dub only, sub only, dub/hard subs, dub/soft subtitles) and format type (VHS or DVD). And I think they wanted to release the set here in one whole piece for close to $2000 if they could find a licensee or distributor.

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Fist of the North Star is a series I will really get to enjoy over the next couple of months. I can't tell if its the opaque white colored blood or the terrible music ("You are shock!!!!), but I would happily collect an R1 release. Sporting so many releases it would need to have a collection style release.

For now we can wait and see, but I would love to see it. Come on Funimation. Maybe its one of the series FuniRepBlue was talking about. :P

What do you mean "series FuniRepBlue was talking about",?

Slightly off-topic I remeber a rumour was going around that one of there people unoffically confirmed Legend of the Galactic Heroes was licensed by another company and that it suprised them. Sadly nothing came of the rumour



A representative from Funimation said they don't have much information on DBZ because there is several other currently unannounced series she is working on. I was simply joking at the chance that FOTNS could be one of them. There is no rumor of it, and I highly doubt it. Just joking.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes was polled by the Japanese company to see if there was enough American interest to release a massive set. The idea has since been scrapped.


I voted on the poll several times over the course of a year that the poll was up. The poll asked several questions such as what sort of release would you like such as dub type (dub only, sub only, dub/hard subs, dub/soft subtitles) and format type (VHS or DVD). And I think they wanted to release the set here in one whole piece for close to $2000 if they could find a licensee or distributor.


I did the poll too. $2,000 is a little too much to ask for a series that most people haven't seen at all. Oh well we can only hope can't we.

[RedDragon]

I thought CITY HUNTER is very great show. I watched it & i loves it. I wish ADV dub. the show instead released in Sub w/ jap. track.

[akcoll99]

I thought CITY HUNTER is very great show. I watched it & i loves it. I wish ADV dub. the show instead released in Sub w/ jap. track.


City Hunter is my all-time favorite show, so I would definitely pick it back up if it ever got re-released with a dub, but I sadly don't see that happening. I'm satisfied with my sub-only box sets. My greatest wish for CH would be for the last TV special to get an R1 release. I'd love to see Cat's Eye too, but that's an even longer shot...

[Digital Boy]

Praise on