Kenshiro

This article is about the original character from Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara featured in Hokuto no Ken and Fist of the North Star

Kenshiro (Ken for short) is the main character of the Hokuto no Ken manga, anime, and related media. He is the 64th successor of the Hokuto Shin Ken style and considered on of the greatest successors in its history

His famous catchphrase Omae wa mo shindeiru (You're already dead!) is dealt to many opponent's he has killed before they know it.

Personality
Although still emotionally repressed and stoic like most male heroes in 1980s media, Kenshiro is notable in anime culture for being a sensitive and kind-hearted man who broke the established "men don't cry" cultural stereotype. He is famous for openly lamenting, if not outright crying, for the suffering of innocents and the deaths of his few noble enemies. This trait is unfortunately downplayed in the 1980s anime adaptations, but returns to the franchise in the modern adaptations.

Origin
Kenshiro was originally an orphan from Taiseiden, Shura and a descendent of the Hokuto Soke bloodline. He was sent to the mainland by Jukei as a baby to be adopted by Ryuken, master of Hokuto Shin Ken. Ryuken named him after his older brother Kenshiro Kasumi, since they shared the same Big Dipper-shaped birthmark on their heads.

Kenshiro watched his adoptive brothers train in the art of Hokuto Shin Ken and decided to join them in the fight to become Ryuken's successor. Despite being younger and more naive than his older brothers, Kenshiro was a keen student and ultimately earned the title of successor.

After the nuclear war and the death of Ryuken, Kenshiro left with his fiancee Yuria to find a future for themselves in the post-apocalyptic world. However, this was curtailed by Shin, a rival from the Nanto Sei Ken school, who defeated Kenshiro and engraved the trademark seven scars on his chest, before kidnapping Yuria for himself.

Character Overview
Kenshiro survived his wounds and spent the next year wandering the wasteland for his revenge. During this time, he learned the ruthlessness needed to survive in the war-torn age and also befriended two young orphans, Bat, and Lin, who followed him on his journey. He discovered that Shin had assumed the title of King and was now leader of the eponymous King organization. After defeating Shin's best henchmen, he infiltrated his headquarters, Southern Cross, to deal with him once and for all. Driven by his new strength, Kenshiro soundly defeated Shin, but he was too late to rescue Yuria. Before his death, Shin revealed that Yuria had already committed suicide to stop his violent ambition. Refusing to die from Kenshiro's technique, Shin then leapt to his death from the palace balcony, as Yuria did before him.

Kenshiro continued to journey the wasteland, never staying at one place for long, as the curse of Hokuto only leaves chaos in its wake. He made a career of destroying those who preyed on the weak and innocent, such as the Golan, Jackal and the Fang Clan, which earned him the reputation as a savior of the people. He also discovered that his three older brothers, and fellow Hokuto Shin Ken practitioners, Jagi, Toki and Raoh had all survived the nuclear holocaust. Jagi, the second-youngest, had always hated Kenshiro and was now committing acts of carnage in his name. He was also responsible for manipulating Shin into madness. Kenshiro caught up with Jagi and delivered him a gruesome death. Kenshiro then fought against his second-oldest brother Toki, who had turned to evil after the holocaust, but this was in fact Amiba, who was posing as Toki. The real Toki was imprisoned at Cassandra by Raoh, the oldest brother, who was now under the title Ken-Oh (Fist King) and aimed to conquer the world with an iron fist. With the help of Rei and Mamiya, Kenshirō toppled Cassandra and was reunited with Toki. Toki became a valuable ally to Kenshiro and stopped his first fight with Raoh, as they were on the verge of killing one another.

Kenshiro joined forces with Shuh, leader of a rebel outfit against Souther, the Holy Emperor, and master of Nanto Hoo Ken, who enslaved young children to build his empire. Kenshirō was overcome by Souther when his pressure-point attacks had no effect on Souther's body. Close to death, Kenshiro was rescued by Shuh's young son Shiva, who sacrificed his life in the process. However, Shuh was later executed by Souther at the summit of the Holy Pyramid in retaliation. Kenshiro recovered from his wounds and this time he uncovered Souther's secret (his heart was on the opposite side and the position of his vital points were reversed). Kenshiro took pity on Souther's tragic past and killed him with a merciful technique, bringing an end to the Holy Emperor's empire.

With the final battle with Raoh drawing near, the mysterious Last Nanto General appeared to challenge Raoh's hegemony. It turned out the General's identity was actually Yuria, Kenshiro's betrothed. In truth, she had been saved by the Nanto Gosha Sei after attempting suicide at Shin's palace and her survival was kept a secret to protect her from Raoh. Kenshiro fights Raoh using the ultimate Hokuto Shin Ken technique Muso Tensei, drawing on his profound sadness and sacrifice, which causes Raoh to retreat. However, Raoh takes Yuria with him and prepares to kill her if it will imbue him with the same power. Kenshiro and Raoh finally have their last battle, with Raoh having killed Yuria to summon the power of Musō Tensei. Kenshiro's greater grasp of death and sacrifice gives him the edge over his older brother and leads him to victory. Yuria awakens after the battle, as she was actually put in a false state of death by Raoh, who was unable to kill her when he realized she was terminally ill. After Raoh's death, Kenshiro spends his next few years living in peace with Yuria, whose disease had been subdued by Raoh's power.

The later half of the manga (and the corresponding Hokuto no Ken 2 anime adaptation) sees Kenshiro joining forces with the grown-up Bat and Lin, who have now formed the Hokuto Army to oppose the corrupt Gento Ko Ken warriors. The story eventually takes Kenshiro to his birthplace, the Land of Shura, where he learns of his heritage and fights against the warlords who oppress the land: his estranged blood-brother Hyoh, and the nefarious Kaioh, Raoh's other blood-brother. The final story arcs of the manga (which were not adapted for the TV series) see Kenshiro taking Raoh's orphaned son, Ryu, under his wing before continuing on his own, where he settles the love triangle between himself, Bat and Lin. At the end, Kenshiro journeys into the desert alone to fulfil his destiny as the Hokuto Shin Ken successor.

Hokuto Shin Ken
Kenshiro is a master of the highest calibur in Hokuto Shin Ken and is therefore adept with certain techniques only he may know

Dan Kotsukin
(Cutting Bone and Tendon): Killed Jackal's Boxer (Scorpio) in the manga. Causes an opponent's muscles to self-destruct.

Enkan Zanshu Kyaku
(Big Dipper Ring Beheading Layered Leg): Anime-only technique in which Kenshiro defeats a group of enemies with a spin kick.

Ganzan Ryozan Ha
(Rocky Mountain Splitting Wave): A knife-hand strike that crushes the victim's skull. Noteworthy only because it is used more than once by Kenshiro and is an extremely straight forward maneuver in spite of its elaborate name. Does not even use any of the body's pressure points. Kenshiro uses this attack at least three times: once against one of Shin's men, a second against Taki's murderer/ambusher and the last time against Kiba Daio.

Gedokujutsu
Cures venom in one's body.

Gekitsui Shi
(Big Dipper Strike-Down Fingers): Kenshiro strikes his opponent's forehead with four fingers. When he moves his fingers the opponent is left with 3 seconds to live. Kenshiro used this on Targel after he killed Bella.

Gokin Bundan Kyaku
(Big Dipper Steel Muscle Cutting Kick): Weakens muscles; used on Buro.

Goshi Retsu Dan
(Five Finger Violent Bullets): Explodes fingers. Used on Goda and Club.

Hachimon Kudan
(Big Dipper Eight Agonies Nine Breaks): A technique that induces eight sensations of pain, before the body dismembers into nine parts. This technique was cancelled against Jagi during a flashback.

Hagan Ken
(Big Dipper Face Breaking Fist): Caves in face, used on Madara.

Hakkei no Ho
(Method of Internal Energy Release): Stops projectiles thrown towards one's body.

Hicho Kuzan Pa
(Flying Bird Empty Beheading Wave): A flying kick that Kenshiro used to counter the Nanto Komori Ken.

Hiei Ken
(Big Dipper Flying Defense Fist): A flying kick used to counter Shin's Nanto Gokuto Ken in the TV series.

Hikko Fuji
(Pressure Point Sealing): Resists pressure points, used to break Amiba's pressure point hold.

Honsha Bakuretsu Ken
(Spilling Wheel Exploding Fist): Anime-only technique which defeats a large group of thugs at once.

Hyakuretsu Dan
(North Star Hundred Crack Snap): A prototype version of the Hyakuretsu Ken from the series. Kenshiro uses this technique as a finishing move against the Taishan assassin Baiken Kinbu.

Hyakuretsu Ken
(Big Dipper Hundred Crack Fist): Kenshiro's trademark technique; the one most frequently associated with him. It is characterized as a strike of over a hundred blows, delivered at rapid speed to the designated 708 Keiraku Hikō (Pressure Points) on the adversary's body. Each attack is usually accompanied by shouting, "Atatatatata!".

Hyappo Zan
(Big Dipper Every-Way Beheading): An enhanced version of the Four Way Slash which kills several more enemies. Depicted only in the anime series as well.

Jarai Ko
(Big Dipper Snake Thunder Bite): A rushing punch.

Juha Zan
(Big Dipper Soft-Breaking Slash): A technique Kenshiro used against Heart that allowed him to penetrate his gummy flesh and strike his vital points.

Juji Zan
(Big Dipper Cross Slash): Kenshiro used this technique to defeat Shin during their rematch, striking his vital points in the cross-shape of Shin's emblem. The victim is given only minutes to live.

Juretsu Ha
(Big Dipper Column Break) Anime-only technique in which Ken destroys a single line of thugs.

Kaikotsu Ken
(Bone Crushing Fist): Two fingers to the forehead which causes the skeleton to explode from the body; used to kill the Colonel.

Koku Zan
(Big Dipper Void Slash): Kenshiro developed this technique to counter Shin's aerial flying kick, but it was also used to counter the South Star Human Cannonball technique. In the latter case, the adversary was left completely paralyzed (Afterwards, Kenshiro fires this enemy out of a cannon).

Koretsu Ha
(Steel-Rending Grasp): Destroyed Ughurs's shoulder with six fingers only.

Koshu Gyakusetsu
(Hanging Reverse Break): Twisted head around on a Taisan Guard.

Koshu Hagan Ken
(Neck Twisting Face Breaking Fist): A knee kick to the face used against Diamond, causing his head to split open in half.

Koshu Hato Ken
(Successive Neck-Breaking Head Fist) A kick to the back of the opponent's head which causes the body to split in half. Depicted only in the anime series, where its used against Baccam, the leader of the God's Army Elite Forces.

Kukyoku Ryubu
(Empty Polar Current Dance) An evading technique used to avoid the Golan Colonel's boomerangs.

Kyomu Shidan
(Big Dipper Nothingness Attack): Erases memory; used on Jackal's Warriors.

Kyosatsu Shitotsu Ken
(Big Dipper Chest Murder Thrust Fist) Anime-only technique in which Kenshiro strikes the opponent's chest with hand thrusts, which then explodes.

Meidatsu Hokai Ken
(Life-Snatching Collapse Fist) Anime-only technique used by Ken to destroy an undead minion of Zaria.

Messatsu Ken
(The North Star Annihilation Fist): Hit Boltz with a crouching kick as the first blow. A game-original technique. It is a special technique that devours the body in an instant, causing its soul to be lost forever.

Muso Kaketsu
(Unconscious Arm Split): A secret technique used to defeat Falco. The player must strike Falco's back with a standing punch while he performs his sliding kick. In the manga, Kaketsu was the name of a vital point that Ken struck on Falco's chest.

Muso Tensei
(Nil-Thought Rebirth): The ultimate Hokuto Shin Ken technique, which had never before been fully mastered by anyone in the 1800 year history of the style. Kenshiro was the first to master it, followed by Raoh. Ken achieved this by becoming consumed with sorrow to the point where he had achieved communion with the deathless absolute emptiness or void spoken of in Buddhism. At times it enables him to be at one with the spirits of deceased fighters (Toki, the Nanto Rokusei warriors), and in the second series, it enables his spirit to fight Kaio even though he is in a coma (following the first fight with Kaio, after Shachi escapes with his body). Its mastery was perfected after Kenshiro learned the secrets of the Hokuto Souke in Taiseiden, Asura, in the second TV series.

Nishi Shinku Ha
Two-Finger Nil-Space Grasp): Deflects arrows back at attackers. This technique took Spade's eye.

Rekka Gyakuryu Ken
(Raging Flame Reverse-Flow Punch): This technique causes the opponent's throat to close, preventing the escape of air (or in one victim's case, fire). The adversary chokes for a few moments before exploding. This technique is administered in the same manner as the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken.

Renkan Kumite
(Hokuto Surrounding Exercise): Defeats a group of enemies using only basic techniques. Named in episode 7 of the anime series.

Ryu Geki Ko
(Big Dipper Dragon Attacks Tiger): Like the Nanto Ko Ha Ryu, it puts the victim in a false state of death. Used by Kenshiro on Rei.

Ryusei Hagan Kyaku
(Meteorite Face Breaking Kick): A head-splitting kick that killed Denki Saito.

Seiei Ko
(Sobering Sharp Hole): Kenshiro strikes his opponent's Ryugan, located in the chest. This causes the victim's body to become like a mass of bare nerves, causing extreme pain with the slightest touch. Kenshiro uses this technique on Jagi as revenge for Yuria before finally killing him with a blow to the head.

Seikyokurin
(Saint Zenith Ring): A stance used to signal an unwilling opponent in case of an emergency.

Senha Shito Ken
(Lung Destroying Fist): Used on Geila. The first blow must be a punch to his belly. In the original work, the finishing move on Geila was simply a vital point called Senha.

Senjukai Ken
(Big Dipper Thousand Hand Destruction Fist): A more powerful and devastating version of the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken, the technique increases the severity of pain by increasing the number of punches to one thousand; Kenshiro used this punch on Kemada after he pried Ko's necklace from his neck.

Senpu Rengeki
(Big Dipper Whirlwind Group Attack): Never Explained???

Senren Kyaku
(Big Dipper Thousand Group Leg) Anime-only technique in which Kenshiro defeats an entire group of enemies using his kicks.

Shichisei Ken
(The Big Dipper Fist): Hit Bronza with a kick to the head as the fist blow. A technique that is launched subconsciously by Ken when the seven scars on his are glowing red and his sense of awareness is enhanced.

Shichishi Kihei Zan
(Seven Death Cavalry Kill): A flying technique against enemies on horseback. Ken first wounded Raoh with this, cutting his face and breaking his helmet.

Shichishi Seiten
(Seven Star Points of Death): Kenshiro uses this to strike Devil Rebirth's vital points in the shape of the Big Dipper and defeat him.

Shichishi Toki Dan
(Seven Death Aura Cut): Toki aura gathering. Frightened Kokuo. This technique was only named in 1986 movie promotional materials.

Shiho Zan
(Big Dipper Every Direction Beheading) A spin kick which kills four surrounding enemies. Depicted only in the anime series.

Shimetsu Koha
North Star Purple Destroying Lightweight: He Hit Solia with a punch to the face as the first blow. A game-original technique. According to the official strategy guide, it is a kind of Aura Punch that uses sunlight that exercises its might particularly to purple objects. In other words, it can destroy Solia's purple armor.

Sokin Jizai Ken
(Big Dipper Reeling Muscle At-Will Fist) Anime-only technique which causes two rival gang leaders, Baron of the Scorpions and Junk of the Snakes, to embrace each other literally to death.

Sokin Jizai Kyaku
(Big Dipper Tendon Pulling Will Kick): Kenshiro performs a series of two kicks at the pressure points in the neck, sending a wave of paralysis to the enemy, unable to move.

Soryu Ha
(Big Dipper Twin Dragon Wave): Both fists hit chest and destroy. Used on Goda.

Suieishin
(Water Reflection Spirit): A technique stealing stance. After watching somebody use a special technique, the Suieishin allows Kenshiro to replicate it. The moves he replicated with this were Yuda's Densho Reppa and Shuu's Nanto Rekkyaku Zanjin.

Tenha Kassatsu
(Heaven Breaking Life or Death): A secret technique, similar to Hokuto Gōsho Ha, in that the aspect of the fighter's Tōki being expelled through their hands. However, with the Tenha Kassatsu, their Toki is transmitted via the fingertips into the adversary, penetrating the body and causing toki to erupt from the body in the pattern of the "Big Dipper" constellation, piercing even solid objects behind them. This technique was used by Kenshiro against Souther during their final battle atop the Pyramid of the Holy Emperor.

Tenha no Kamae
(Heaven Breaking Stance): A stance that resembles the Hokuto constellation. In Souten no Ken, this technique is revealed to be one of the secrets Shuken learned from the Seito Gekken style.

Tenha no Ken
(Heaven-Splitting Fist): A secret technique used to defeat the Nameless Asura. The player must strike the Asura's chest with a standing kick as the first blow. It is a technique which gives the opponent the greatest sense of pain they can feel, causing its victim to yell loudly enough to split the heavens, hence the name.

Tenkai Senretsu Sho
(Dobhe Breaking Palm): A powerful series of punches that sends waves of toki before a palm strike that sends a finishing explosive blast. This technique is only used in the game, Hokuto Muso.

Tenki Sho
(Return to Heaven Palm): Right fist against palm stance; used to signal an honorable match.

Tenryu Kokyu Ho
(Art of Dragon's Breathing): A method of breathing that allows the Hokuto Shinken practitioner to tap into their body's full potential. A normal human uses but 30% of their body's strength so Tenryū is used to tap into that other 70%. A technique of utmost secrecy, anyone who sees it being performed must be killed to protect one of Hokuto Shinken's greatest advantages over other styles. Use of this technique causes Kenshiro's jacket to burst. He only announces this technique twice during the series, however it is assumed that he uses it every time his jacket explodes when fighting against a strong opponent.

Toki no Aura
(Fighting Spirit Aura): Basic for most manga and anime adaptions of manga.

Ujo Mosho Ha
(Big Dipper Sattva Fierce Flying Smash): This technique is derived from Toki's Hokuto Ujō Ken, and the one technique which ultimately leads to the defeat of Souther at the hands of Kenshiro. A final blow to the heart, transmits a tremendous shock of Tōki through the body, achieving immediate breakdown of the adversary's muscular system.

Zankai Ken
(Big Dipper Remorse Fist): This technique is used by Kenshiro against Spade. Kenshiro inserts his thumbs into the temples of his enemy. Upon removal of Kenshiro's thumbs the enemy is left with just three seconds to live. In these three seconds, Kenshiro advises them to meditate on the folly of their wicked ways, before being split in half vertically and exploding. The technique is actually performed more than once, once performed on Kenshiro by Gaira, a minion of Jagi, who killed himself with it by accident.

Zankai Sekiho Ken
(Burden of Regret Walk Fist): By striking the power-point known as Shitsugen, Kenshiro triggers the involuntary locomotion of the adversary's legs to walk backwards, and the adversary is helpless to stop the legs' motion.

Superhuman Strength
Kenshiro can lift 100+ tons, split a rock that has a 5 meter diameter, and send a 200kg man flying 25 meters into the air. But is limitless in Muso Tensei.

Superhuman Durability
Kenshiro can repel the bullet of a small calibur gun when its strained. But he is absulutely imperveous to physical attacks while in Muso Tensei.

Superhuman Speed
Kenshiro can move 100 miles in 9 seconds (roughly 700 km/ h) and can throw 50 punches in 3 seconds while performing the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken (North Star Hundred Crack Fist). But in Muso Tensei he's around mach-10 and higher.

Superhuman Reflexes
Kenshiro can react instantaneously and therefore he can beat opponents far faster than himself.

Superhuman Agility
Kenshiro can coordinate his body perfectly with agility and a sort of grace.

Superhuman Stamina
Kenshiro can easily outlast any other human.

Superhuman Sense of Sound
Kenshiro can hear a whisper from 2km away.

Superhuman Sense of Smell
Kenshiro can smell about as good as a hound.

Superhuman Sense of Taste
Kenshiro's taste is sensitive enough to detect poisonous food and such.

Superhuman Breath Capacity
Kenshiro has a breath capacity of about 8 700 c.c. giving him a diving time of 53 minutes.

Healing Factor
Kenshiro can recover very quickly after he's very wounded

Intangibility
Kenshiro cannot be sensed by the normal senses.

Telekinesis
Kenshiro can move stuff with his mind.

Aura Vision
Kenshiro can see the aura of a living creature in pitch black darkness.

Kinetic Vision
Kenshiro can intercept a quick arrow the moment it is shot.

Poison Resistance
Kenshiro can endure five times the dose of Potassium Cyanide required to kill an ordinary man.

Fasting Resistance
Kenshiro's body can remain strong for three months without eating.

Sleep Resistance
Kenshiro can spend an entire week without sleeping.

Master Combatant
Kenshiro is a master of Hakuto Shin Ken (North Dipper God Fist) making him an amazing martial artist.

Weapons Expert
Kenshiro is a master of nunchaku, six-sectioned staffs, and throwing knives combat as well as other types of feudal era japan weapons.

Voice Mimicry
Kenshiro is able to perfectly mimic anybody's voice he has seen talk.

Biological Clock
Kenshiro's biological clock only has a margin of error of more than three seconds in a month.

Memory Capacity
Kenshiro can memorize up to 50,000 words at one time after reading them once.

Gifted Intellect
Kenshiro is a genius in the field of Chinese medicines and quite basic in most other fields.

Strength Level
Class 100+ the exact magnitude of Kenshiro's strength isn't really known but it's kinda said it's unmeasurable in Muso Tensei but is still Class 100+ without Muso Tensei.

Weaknesses
-> Cannot fly

-> Human body is still subject to aging and disease