Read that the original Fist of the North Star manga sold over 100 million copies

I was browsing through some news sites and saw a stat about Fist of the North Star hitting over 100 million copies in circulation. That number blew my mind because I always thought it was more of a niche cult thing in the West. But the article said it basically defined the battle shonen genre in Japan during the 80s. Made me realize how much stuff we take for granted now like the big muscular hero and dramatic fighting poses all trace back to Kenshiro. Has anyone here actually read the full manga or just seen the anime?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin6921mo ago

Saw my cousin trying to explain the "You are already dead" thing to his girlfriend at a party last month, it didn't land the way he thought it would. @scott.jana your uncle sounds like he had the right idea about settling arguments, I think my cousin needs to borrow that VHS tape. Reminds me of when I tried to do the 100 crack fist on a piñata at a kid's birthday party and everyone just stared at me.

scott.jana1mo ago

That "over 100 million copies" stat is crazy. It reminds me of how my uncle had a worn out VHS tape of the old English dub. He'd always skip to the part where Kenshiro punches a guy's head off and go "see, that's how you settle an argument". Anyway, I only saw bits of the anime but the manga must have been a huge deal for those sales numbers.

angela6871mo ago

Did you read that interview where the creator said he based Kenshiro on Bruce Lee but made him way more brutal because of how violent the 80s manga scene was? I seen @gavin692 mention trying the hundred crack fist on a piñata, and honestly that tracks with how kids back then wanted to be Kenshiro without realizing he was actually a sad guy underneath all the screaming. The manga sold that many copies because it was basically the template for every tough guy story that came after it, even if most people only remember the memes now.

-1