Hokuto no Ken's message.

[Pocket-Gog~]

Done to complete C.C's challenge, http://www.dbzeta.net/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=12352&start=555
I apologise that it was so late.

Hokuto no Ken is considered to be the manliest anime under the sun. Why wouldn't it be thought so? It's about hyper buff martial artists roaming about a post apocalyptic Earth with people blowing up in gruesome fashion. However, surprisingly enough, in most discussion I never see Hokuto no Ken's actual themes brought up. It's themes of love, hope and humanity.

Kenshiro is a stoic intimidating man, however his kindness knows no bounds, and despite the hellish conditions of the world, Kenshiro's presence makes the world a better place. The series even says that Kenshiro will transform the world and bring about a happier age. Raoh an evil monster, has an character arc about discovering and understanding love which enables him to achieve the ultimate technique. These are two examples of love and hope and humanity appearing within Hokuto no ken.

But how well did you think the show achieved it's message? I personally thought it was great. Unlike a typical Shonen about love, friendship, or anything else, Hokuto no Ken's message and theme works because of it's setting. The world is a hellscape, ruled by gangs of violent monsters. The theme sticks when it's contrasted with such a bleak setting, which makes it all the more impactful than any typical cynical and nihilistic post apocalyptic story.

 

[Fantastische Hure]

Most people are probably too caught-up in the mengliness to notice anything-else.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I thought it achieved it's thematic quality very well for the most part due to it's setting and the level of stakes associated with it, seeing as how all but less than a handful of the main cast are dead by the end of it. I did feel the attempts to redeem the villains through their realisation of love sometimes went too far, such as Souther doing a complete 180, but it never reached a level that could be seen as damaging to the series (as long as you ignore Part 2 and the mess that is Kaioh).

 

[Pocket-Gog~]

I haven't read part 2, how bad is it in regards to the themes of love?

 

[Captain Cadaver]

I haven't read part 2, how bad is it in regards to the themes of love?

For the most part, it wasn't terrible in that area, since characters such as Falco and Shachi executed that pretty well. Kaioh, however, is a terrible example of it due to the attempts used to ultimately redeem him through it in a manner similar to past villains despite being far more despicable than the three previous main villains. This is a guy who smashed his pet puppy's skull with a rock to prove his abandoning of love, mind controlled his adopted brother for a decade or so and killed his own sister to blame the crime on Kenshiro and get the previously mentioned foster brother angry towards Ken. Despite all that, he starts seeing the way because of love right at the end in an attempt to make him somewhat noble.

Basically, it's as if you took Souther's character arc and made it a hundred times edgier.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

I always find amusing when everyone starts talking about love except for Shin and Rei.

 

[Pocket-Gog~]

I haven't read part 2, how bad is it in regards to the themes of love?

For the most part, it wasn't terrible in that area, since characters such as Falco and Shachi executed that pretty well. Kaioh, however, is a terrible example of it due to the attempts used to ultimately redeem him through it in a manner similar to past villains despite being far more despicable than the three previous main villains. This is a guy who smashed his pet puppy's skull with a rock to prove his abandoning of love, mind controlled his adopted brother for a decade or so and killed his own sister to blame the crime on Kenshiro and get the previously mentioned foster brother angry towards Ken. Despite all that, he starts seeing the way because of love right at the end in an attempt to make him somewhat noble.

Basically, it's as if you took Souther's character arc and made it a hundred times edgier.

That sounds like a terrible version of Raoh's character arc too.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

Well, he looks like Raoh and biological older brother.