Fist of the North Star Volume 3 is both more and better. Let me explain.

If you've been following along with my prior reviews of the manga, you'll know that I regard volume 1 to be excellent, but still clearly indicative of a work in a formative state. Tetsuo Hara and Buronson were riding on the momentum of the concept, piecing together an identity for the work as they went. Some of what would become the signature visual language and themes of the series were still in their infancy.

Volume 2 brought the end of the Shin Arc and the establishment of the series as we know it. This volume was the bedrock – the quintessential “state of the world” so to speak. everything that is now so recognizable about Fist of the North Star – from Kenshiro's look to his supporting cast – began to take shape here.

But it is here, in Volume 3, where we get The Good Stuff™. If Fist of the North Star were a rollercoaster ride, then this volume represents the ascent to the highest drop. We can hear the machine clanking beneath us as the narrative builds up towards a precipitous drop that will leave us all screaming.

Rei's addition to the core cast is a true demarcation line for the series. While he appeared in the previous volume, Volume 3 sees him joining the main lineup of Kenshiro's allies. The tension between Rei and Kenshiro in their tenuous but potent alliance is truly legendary stuff. There is the surface-level conflict of these wielders of two inherently oppositional fighting styles working towards a common goal. Then the extra layer of the misunderstanding over “the man with the seven scars” and the hostage situation with Kiba just adds to that pathos that makes it all sing.

This volume also marks a special moment for myself as a Fist of the North Star fan. I had seen the 1986 film during my early years as an anime fan, and while I liked it I wasn't hugely invested in it. I thought it was cool, and it became part of my “anime is not kids stuff” rotation alongside other violent films of the era like Ninja Scroll and M.D. Geist, but I had no idea what was happening in the film or why. Years later when I finally started to watch the anime proper, it was for the same surface-level enjoyment I had as a kid: violence and absurdity. It wasn't until this fight here between Rei and Kenshiro that I really became deeply invested in the narrative. The sequence where the thrown scimitar gets stopped between their rapidly moving strikes and shatters, leaving a trail of shattered metal and shining blood – wow. That's when I realized I was in that moment.

I hope this volume can pull you in as well, and I have reason to believe it will. Not only do we get Rei, whose arrival expands the lore and our understanding of the Southern Star styles, we also get a host of other important characters like Zoidberg-as-biker Jagi, Kenshiro's older brother, and the first hint of the true emotional core of the rest of the series. We get Mamiya and her most excellent blade-covered yoyos. The cast, world, and intrigue are growing as the drama of the Hokuto Brothers begins to take center stage, a preamble for one of the best runs in shonen battle manga as far as I'm concerned.

There is more of the “usual” stuff to love as well. The battles are violent. The dudes are huge. The wasteland be a wastelandin'. And we've got pop culture references peppered throughout, from Mamiya's village elder being a pretty obvious Obi Wan cosplayer to Kiba's Conan-esque throne sitting. If you love what has come before, it's very likely that you'll love what's presented here. Adding Rei's distinctive razor-sharp doom finger slashing to the mix only increases the variety of absurd deaths that can be visited upon the nameless goons of the waste, and I can't help but laugh every time a dozen mooks get turned into perfectly diced chunks.

There are a few quibbles here and there though. The scene where Rei and Mamiya talk about her wanting to join the fight is one of my least favorite in the series. It's a small moment, but him cutting off her clothes and mocking her for covering up is… weird? It's weird. Like I get it, the aim here was to show the audience a bit of Ye Olde Boobs, but it's a strange scene. I can't speak for you, dear reader, but if a stranger walked up and did jazz hands so hard my clothes exploded off my body then I'm pretty sure I would also cover myself. It's just a weird thing to do to someone you've just met, that's all I'm saying.

But overall it's a volume of intense action, gripping drama, and steadily building momentum. This is Arthur drawing the sword from the stone – a legend taking shape before our eyes.