Fist of the North Star (1995 film)

Fist of the North Star
Directed by	Tony Randel
Produced by	Mark Yellen Akihiro Komine
Screenplay by	Peter Atkins Tony Randel
Based on	Fist of the North Star by Buronson & Tetsuo Hara
Starring	Gary Daniels Costas Mandylor Chris Penn
Music by	Christopher L. Stone
Cinematography	Jacques Haitkin
Edited by	Sonny Baskin
Production company	First Look Studios
Release date	April 21, 1995 (Japan) February 2, 1996 (USA)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$6.5 million

Fist of the North Star is a 1995 American straight-to-video live-action martial arts film based on the manga of the same name by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. The film was directed by Tony Randel, who also co-wrote the script with Peter Akins, and stars Gary Daniels, Costas Mandylor, Chris Penn, Isako Washio and Malcolm McDowell. A Japanese dub of the film was produced by Toei Video which featured the cast of the 1980s anime television series reprising their roles.

The film, which loosely adapts the first story arc of the original manga, centers on Ken (Daniels), the lone master of the "North Star" martial art school, who wanders the post-apocalyptic Earth in search of his nemesis Lord Shin, the man who killed his master and kidnapped his fiancee. Meanwhile, Shin rules as dictator of the city of Southern Cross with his personal army known as the Crossmen, who are given orders to hunt down Kenshiro.

In the post-apocalyptic aftermath of World War III, what's left of the human race scrounges for survival. The world has become a place where the strong lord their power over the weak, and the strongest of all is a man named Shin (Mandylor). Years before, Shin was a student of a martial art school called the "Southern Cross". In pursuit of becoming the most powerful man alive, Shin murdered the master of the rival "North Star" art (McDowell), breaking the ancient tradition that the masters of the North and South schools must never fight. Afterwards, Shin and his gang sought out the North Star's successor, his former friend Kenshiro (Daniels). Finding Kenshiro with his fiancee - and their shared love interest - Julia (Washio), Shin defeated Kenshiro and left him for dead after puncturing Kenshiro's chest and stomach with his fingers. They then kidnapped Julia, with Shin planning to make her the "queen" of his new world order. The symbol of the Southern Cross soon became the symbol of a cruel and barbaric regime that ruled the land with an iron fist.