Fist of the North Star new anime Kenshiro will be played by Shunsuke Takeuchi

It has been revealed that Shunsuke Takeuchi will play Kenshiro in the all-new anime "Fist of the North Star," produced to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the popular 1980s manga "Fist of the North Star." It was also announced that Daiki Yamashita will play Bat and M.A.O will play Lin. A teaser PV showing the Hokuto Shinken exploding and character image visuals of Bat and Lin moving powerfully through the wilderness were also released.

Takeuchi, who plays Kenshiro, commented, "I am very honored to be involved in a production like Fist of the North Star, which depicts such universal human themes. To me, Fist of the North Star is a story of love. Romance, friendship, human love, love-hate, philanthropy...I think the greatest appeal of this work is that it depicts various forms of love. As long as there is love, humanity can surely be reborn. I would like to carefully express this unwavering theme."

Yamashita said, "I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to play the role of Bat from Fist of the North Star! Bat is Kenshiro's younger brother and, at times, an equal companion. He is a charming character who lightens the mood with his cheerfulness and humor, while also having the toughness to survive in a harsh world. I would like to portray his light-hearted way of speaking, quick-witted actions, deep trust in his comrades, and his growth. In particular, I believe the bond between Lin and Kenshiro is the core of Bat's heart, so I am really looking forward to carefully building that bond from the beginning! I would like to survive in this world while growing together with my comrades and Bat!"

M.A.O commented, "I am truly honored to be able to take part in a production that continues to be loved by so many people all over the world. I would like to do my best to express Rin's cuteness and hidden strength, as well as her "destiny" that I felt through the original work! I hope you will look forward to the broadcast and streaming of "Fist of the North Star," which is said to have sparked a social phenomenon in the past, and how it will be portrayed as an animation in the Reiwa era."

"Fist of the North Star" is a manga written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, which was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha) from 1983 to 1988. Set in a post-nuclear war world ruled by violence in the year 199X, the story follows Kenshiro, the successor to the legendary assassination fist of the North Star, as he fights against powerful opponents including his brother Raoh and grows as a person.

It was made into a TV anime in 1984, and recorded a peak audience rating of 23.4%. It became a social hit with famous lines such as "You are already dead." It also had an anime movie and an original video animation (OVA). It was also made into a musical, which became a hot topic. The comic has sold over 100 million copies in total. A new anime will be broadcast and streamed in 2026.