DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

Review by Chris Beveridge

Mania Grade: B+
* Audio Rating: B+
* Video Rating: A-
* Packaging Rating: B
* Menus Rating: B
* Extras Rating: B-
* Age Rating: 13 and Up
* Region: 1 - North America
* Released By: Discotek
* MSRP: 29.95
* Running time: 100
* Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
* Disc Resolution: 480i/p
* Disc Encoding: MPEG-2
* Series: Fist of the North Star

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

I will admit that I know very little about this franchise. Regardless I think I will give this movie a try to support Discotek. It seems like something that I will enjoy to watch. I will probably pick this movie up later this year.

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

I've had this movie recommended to me by people who are not even anime fans. I really need to check it out.

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

Excellent A/V quality, very nice packaging and menu. A shame that we didn't get all of the extras, but what can I say... that's Toei for you. :P

The subtitles are a little bit off, though. When Shin bests Ken early on in the film he says "Nanto Gokusatsu Ken": He's literally saying the name of his attack, something Manga translated as (I believe) Hell's Death Fist of the South Star, ages ago. Discotek has something like 'Nanto can't be harmed', which really isn't even close. It's also weird that they have Jagi calling Raoh "master" when he's using the word for 'brother'. That one's just... I, don't even know what's up with that.

Don't get me wrong, awkward subtitles are better than no subtitles, or even dubtitles, and the old Image DVD was dub-only at that. This is by far the best English friendly DVD release the film has ever had, and evidently Chris (and at least one other online reviewer) didn't notice anything was horribly off. Odds are people who aren't already familiar with the film won't notice anything awry, but it's still worth mentioning.

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

Being a Hokuto No Ken (First of the North Star) diehard fan, i liked this alternative retelling movie very much. Buti still prefer the TV series, but then again it's easier license or even watch a movie especially for those are new to the show than to go for 152 Eps.

My hope is that this release will do well to inspire Discotek or others to license more of the franchise. Meanwhile, for those who are new to the movie (both dub & sub fans) make sure to watch & enjoy the great Akira Kamiya's epic performance as Kenshiro ! becasue it's the last time he played the character :cry: no thanks to Tetsu Hara :anger200:

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

Ah! Nostalgia.
I remember we used to watch this movie on VHS in the college dorm in the early nineties. It was a fan favorite.

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

I agree that Akira Kamiya's performance is the best Kenshiro we've ever had, but the movie came out in 1986, and Hokuto no Ken 2 (episode 110+) didn't finish until 1987. Kamiya reprised the role in the non-canon Dreamcast game in the mid 1990s, and the Playstation game a few years later. He even dubbed Gary Daniels in the goofy live action Fist of the North Star direct-to-video movie! :)

Kenshiro didn't get a new seiyuu until Shin Hokuto no Ken in 2003, giving Kamiya nearly 20 years off and on with the role exclusively. The whole project reeks of stunt casting, with professional wrestlers and rock stars filling the ranks. It's the only time I'd consider the English dub in the Hokuto no Ken franchise ever so slightly less awful to sit through... nothing against Takehito Koyasu, but talk about poor casting. :puke:

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

I<m curious about this movie, I<ll probaly get it sometimes.

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

You got something against apostrophes? ;)

Re: DVD Review: Fist of the North Star Movie
 

i like him very much as a seiyuu but not for the role of Kenshiro, i guess it's no wonder they kept him away from the New Savior Movies/OVAs. On a sider note, Hiroshi Abe's perfornace in them was ok in overall but no one can fill Akira Kamiya's place for that role IMHO.

Back to this release, can anyone compare it with the JP R2 release in terms of video/audio quality ?