Volume 13 is a strange mix of elements and novel concepts that is visually dazzling but otherwise decent.
I hate to sound like a broken record, but many of the series’ strengths and weaknesses have persisted since volume 10. The medium is used well and the new setting is a first for the series, offering novel environments and concepts. The ongoing question remains whether all these new ideas and characters will earn the same admiration from readers as the previous stories, and whether it just feels like everyone involved is just making more because, hey, why stop? ?
The land of Asura is the main element of this book. Fist of the North Star Kenshiro has traveled the wasteland before, wandering from one environment to another, but this is his first journey to a truly novel place. This is a landmark moment in itself. it gives Tetsuo Hara Borenson was given license to create new concepts, set new expectations, and make major departures from the past.
They did get good results initially from these new ideas. It’s shocking to see this Tetsuo Hara Over the years Kenshiro painted the vast ocean against the harsh, sandy backdrop of the world we know. He’s no slouch in this regard – but I’m sure that’s no surprise to you, dear reader. The ocean is dark and unforgiving, roiling across the page despite being a still image. The ship Kenshiro takes to travel to the Land of Asura is a huge ship, as the ocean mimics the land and allows only the strongest to survive.
We’ve overhauled the average population of the Land of Asura. Back in the wasteland we’re used to, many ordinary people are hapless civilians, terrorized by a handful of strong, elite people. There were, of course, armies of muscular, bearded warriors, but their numbers were always described as small compared to the vast swathes of survivors that spread across villages or served as slave labor in various strongholds. In fact, there are only two professions in the Kingdom of Asura: the murderer and the murdered. Everyone is trained from childhood to succeed or perish, and even within these classes there are further stratifications of power.
These factors combine to create quite a formidable reputation indeed. Harsh sea, harsh land, harsh people—the legend of the Land of Asura looms large in these early chapters.
Unfortunately, this effect quickly begins to wear off. Once Kenshiro arrives in Asura Land and starts doing his usual shenanigans (beating people until they explode, becoming the coolest guy ever – you know, typical Kenshiro stuff), it ends up feeling nothing like the wasteland he just left. What a difference. Kenshiro ends up still walking around an empty land surrounded by some extremely bizarre torture dungeons, fighting villains, and doing his normal stuff. In theory, the technology is different, but in practice, it’s more of the same Fist of the North Star.
…Please note that this is not a problem! “Oh no, no more chapters to one of the greatest shounen battle stories ever written,” is a complaint you’ll never hear me say. But it’s worth pointing out that for all the extra setup and preparation that goes into establishing a new norm, this is not significantly different from the previous situation. In this sense, it’s easy to see why people criticized this segment of the series after the final battle with Raoh.
Or the final battle with Raoh? Some rumors about Rao being a legendary warrior have circulated in the text. Is this just a rumor or will he be back? If you don’t know already, I won’t spoil it for you. That said, even within the text of the series, Rao’s shadow looms over everything that’s going on, making it a challenge to shake off these comparisons.
Shachi is one of the most notable new characters. Shaki is Kenshiro’s other long-haired companion who is more interesting than he appears at first glance. At first glance, you might worry that he’s a pale imitation of Rei, Toki, or Shu. Shaqi’s long hair must have been adjusted for inflation. But despite his short time with Kenshiro, he actually managed to find a unique identity, mostly due to his use of Hokuto Shinken’s sister style: Hokuto Ryuuken. In this case, the new islands actually create storytelling opportunities that are unique enough but not too overwhelming. It makes sense that the Beidou School would have branching paths of understanding separated by major geographical features. The reason I think Gento Koken fails for me is that it’s hard to buy into this brand new style that’s so close to the other two main styles that have dominated the narrative for so long. Here we have a new but not entirely new style, and a clear reason for the separation – which is awesome!
The art is excellent as always. I keep beating this drum, but if you want to see stunning art and a keen understanding of the comics medium, this is it. even when Tetsuo Hara Drawing so obviously from outside references, he manages to make it feel special. Sure, Kenshiro looks a lot like Stallone in Cobra, but he also looks like Kenshiro realizes the same basic costume without feeling like he’s awkwardly cosplaying. It’s a masterful production, with the usual gore and great action.
The book is a strong package, but at the same time, I wouldn’t blame anyone for feeling diminishing returns in the post-run era.