The new Fist of the North Star anime could never match up to the manga's legacy

With an anime remake announced for 2026 for the Fist of the North Star series on June 27, 2025, the fandom was left quite amazed. While most of them are happy about the anime remake, some fans have seemingly shown concern considering the history of the series, and their worries are rightfully justified.

The manga can be considered a legendary series from back in the 80s. However, the main concern that arises with the series is regarding its history with adaptations and what kind of reception it will get in the year 2026, and whether it will ruin the series' reputation or not.

Disclaimer: This article solely reflects the author's opinions.

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The new Fist of the North Star anime could turn out to be more catastrophic than good

As mentioned earlier, the new anime adaptation of the 1983-1988 popular manga series Fist of the North Star was announced this Friday, June 27, set to be released in 2026. Being one of the best-selling manga of all time, the series has also served as an influence on the creation of several other popular titles that we love.

Being one of the pioneers in the shounen anime genre, Fist of the North Star impacted and influenced many series, with some of the most notable titles being Dragon Ball, Vinland Saga, and Berserk. The 80s post-apocalyptic martial arts series has one of the best storylines and several iconic characters that have been imprinted on the fans' hearts even to this day.

The first anime adaptation for the series was produced by TOEI Animation, which aired the first episode on October 11, 1984. After completing the installment with a total count of 109 episodes, the first season ended in 1987. It was picked up again by TOEI for a sequel a few days later and aired a total of 43 episodes, completing season 2 and ending on February 18, 1988.

While TOEI Animation has been known for some of the best anime series ever created, like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Sailor Moon, the Fist of the North Star adaptation did not measure up to the mark, considering how popular the manga series was at the time. Now, leaving out the films, it is the third attempt at an anime adaptation for the series.

Even if there was a slight chance of success for an adaptation back in the day, the current scenario will definitely do more harm to the series than any good. As of now, fans have already been introduced to a certain standard of animation, and the anime industry has shifted toward a limited scheduling for series, given the attention span of modern viewers.

With the modern-day anime scheduling, the introduction of a long-span series will have a major impact on its viewership. Furthermore, the pioneering factor that Fist of the North Star once held is long gone, with more popular series taking its place in the action genre, even those that were once influenced by the original manga.

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Final thoughts

The Fist of the North Star series is still one of the most popular old-school manga that fans enjoy, even to this day. However, with some underwhelming anime adaptation attempts before the 2026 return, it is highly unlikely that the upcoming anime will receive a great reception. Furthermore, the change in trend of the modern anime industry will also greatly impact the 2026 anime.

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Edited by Janhavi Chauhan