New Fist of North Star: Vol. 1(Anime)

New Fist of the North Star: Vol. 1: The Cursed City

There are a few things that snap out about this anime. First off, it’s violent. Body parts fly around and heads explode with great frequency. Second, this is one of the new types of anime shows that actively integrate hand drawn animation sequences with computer generated animations, especially for the vehicle travel sequences where the main characters going from town to town. Plot is typical post apocalyptic struggle between mad tyrant and strong, loner hero. What is atypical is the overall dour tone of the show. Fist of the North Star starts downbeat and stays that way. The villain is a real jerk and just gets worse as the show goes on. The hero is helpful without being uplifting. The heroine is pretty but passive. The warts in these characters persona keep the show compelling and the viewer interested past the many violent scenes. This DVD is worth a rent, just keep the eyes closed during the violent scenes.