Nanto Seiken

Nanto Seiken (南斗聖拳, lit. "Sacred Fist of the South Dipper") is a fictional martial arts style featured promimnently in the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. It is the primary rival style of Hokuto Shinken, the main fighting style of the series. Nanto Seiken specializes in destroying the enemy from outside through the use of hand-to-hand stabbing and slicing techniques. The Nanto Seiken style is named after the Chinese asterism Nanto Rokusei (南斗六星, lit. "Six Stars of the Southern Dipper"), a portion of Sagittarius known as the Milk Dipper in the West. The six primary successors of Nanto Seiken in the story are known as the Nanto Roku Seiken (南斗六聖拳, Six Sacred Fists of Nanto). Other Nanto practioners includes the Golan Colonel, Amiba, Yuda's lieutenant Dagarl, the knife-jugglers Beji and Giji, and the Harn Bros.

In the official English versions of Fist of the North Star is referred as the Fist of the Southern Cross or Fist of the South Star, depending on the translator. The former is used in the Viz edition of the English manga and the live-action movie, whereas the latter is used in the English dub of the anime. The Raijin Master Edition alternates between the two names, using Southern Cross in the early volumes and South Star for the rest. While the Nanto asterism is unrelated to the Southern Cross, the Southern Cross itself serves as the symbol of Nanto Seiken in the series and it is also name of Shin's city.

History in the manga
Originally Nanto Seiken was the fighting style used by Shin, the first major antagonist in the series. According to the backstory provided in the first story arc (Chapters 2-10), Nanto Seiken, along with the Hokuto Shinken, are the two most powerful assasination styles in Chinese martial arts. It follows a different principle from Hokuto Shinken, in which it has the power to destroy an enemy's body from the outside through powerful stabbing techniques, as opposed to Hokuto Shinken's use of the body's accupressure points to destroy the enemy from within. Its name serves to reflect its opposite nature from Hokuto Shinken (Hokuto is the North Dipper, whereas Nanto is the South). While Kenshiro and Shin were taught to never fight each other, Shin broke the rules by defeating Ken in order to claim Yuria (Ken's fiancee) for his own. The first story arc centers around Ken's quest to reclaim Yuria from Shin.

After Shin's death, many other Nanto styles and fighters were introduced in order to expand the story beyond the initial ten chapters. These styles, such as Nanto Muon Ken and Nanto Suichǒ Ken, are established to be sects of the main Nanto Seiken. The organization structure of Nanto Seiken is eventually established in manga chapter 80. There are over 108 sects of Nanto Seiken, with the six primary branches being the Nanto Roku Seiken. The Roku Seiken were the guardians of the six gates of an Emperor's castle and whose fates are tied to the six Nanto stars. After the nuclear war which occurred before the beginning of the series, the Nanto masters were split into two groups: a pacifist side and a power-seeking side. When Yuda, one of the Roku Seiken, betrayed the Nanto school to join Raoh's forces (along with 27 subordinate sects), the fates of the other Nanto stars turned tragic (which includes the already deceased Shin and Rei, who is dying from a previously inflicted wound at this point of the story).

The story arc after Yuda's and Rei's deaths (chapters 83-97) centers around the rivarly between two of the remaining masters: the benelovent Shǔ and Souther, the strongest of the Nanto warriors. After the death of Souther, the Last General of Nanto (南斗最後の将, Nanto Saigo no Shǒ) appears to confront Raoh. The Last General is revealed to be none other than the previously thought-to-be-dead Yuria, a descendant of the Rightful Nanto Lineage (南斗正当血統, Nanto Seitǒ Kettǒ).

Nanto Koshū Ken
Shin's style. Nanto Koshū Ken (南斗孤鷲拳, South Dipper Lone Eagle Fist) is an orthodox style of Nanto Seiken. It focuses on stabbing and thrusting attacks, seemingly being most useful at a close range. The style also seems to use flying kicks, as seen during a flashback in both the manga and anime, and as the Nanto Gokuto Ken/Nanto Gokusatsu Ken Ougi (special technique). This branch of the Nanto Seiken was originally unnamed in the original manga and anime. The designation Nanto Koshū Ken was first used in the 1986 publication Hokuto no Ken Special: All About the Man and has been used in every official Hokuto no Ken source since then. Its first on-screen mention was in the 2007 OVA Yuria Den.

Nanto Suichō Ken
Rei's style. Nanto Suichō Ken (南斗水鳥拳, South Dipper Water Bird Fist, also translated as Swan Fist or Waterfowl Fist) is the most graceful of the Nanto Seiken styles. With a focus on grace and aerial attacks, its primary usage is for medium-range attacks. In the anime, although the slicing arcs of energy primarily emit from the hands, Rei appears on several occasions to emit the energy from his entire body as he moves past opponents (when Rei removes the arms from an assailant, when fighting the Fang Clan etc.)

Nanto Kōkaku Ken
Yuda's style. Nanto Kōkaku Ken (南斗紅鶴拳, South Dipper Crimson Crane Fist, also translated as the Flamingo Fist) is a style based on long-range, vertical attacks. It can attack a wide vertical range, and seems to cause more damage when used for vertical slices.

Nanto Hakurō Ken
Shū's style. Nanto Hakurō Ken (南斗白鷺拳, South Dipper White Heron Fist) is a kick-based style, somewhat. Whereas most Nanto Seiken styles primarily use the hands, Hakurō Ken primarily uses the feet (though it still uses the hands). The user can attack a wide range around them, even a spinning kick that decimates those around them. The styles also apparently uses illusory moves to confuse opponents; the one named example being Yūgen Shō (Alluring Illusion Palm), and in the film Raoh Den: Jun'ai no Shō, Shū is seen striking Kenshiro with a series of multiple images in a redo of the flashback scene (whereas in the original, the move is a series of jabbing stabs)

Nanto Hō-Ō Ken
Souther's style. Nanto Hō-Ō Ken (南斗鳳凰拳, South Dipper Phoenix Fist) is the most powerful form of Nanto Seiken. It is a free-form style, without stances or forced routine. Due to the lack of stance, this style has no defense against attacks, instead focusing only on pure speed and attacking power. The user has the ability to glide forward, leading into a powerful scissor attack. There can absolutely be only one successor to this style; the successor must kill his teacher. The ultimate technique of this style is Tenshō Jūji Hō, the Heaven-soaring cross phoenix, which takes a stance with the user's arms held out evenly, like a cross. As the name suggests, it's launched into a powerful aerial attack. This is the only stance taken in Nanto Hō-Ō Ken, and is only taken when a worthy opponent appears.

Other Nanto styles and techniques
The Nanto Seiken, as previously mentioned, is composed of over 108 sects. However, only a few of them outside the Roku Seiken are featured in the manga. The majority of the Nanto Seiken styles were featured in the Hokuto no Ken anime series, as well as spinoff manga such as Ten no Haō and Rei Gaiden.


 * Nanto Muon Ken (南斗無音拳, South Dipper Silent Fist) - The GOLAN Colonel's style. Called by the Colonel as the "strongest assasination technique", the Colonel's fighting style centers primarily around the use of weapons such as claws and boomerangs. In addition, the Colonel is abled to move without a sound (hence the name).


 * Nanto Jarō Geki (南斗邪狼撃, South Dipper Wicked Wolf Attack) - A Nanto Seiken stabbing and slicing technique Jagi used agaisnt Ken during their second battle. It was unnamed in the original manga and anime and its only designated Jarō Geki in the Fist of the North Star arcade fighting game. Kenshiro remarks that Jagi's Nanto Seiken technique is "slow" and an "insult to Shin's style".


 * Yōsō Sankaku Kyaku (鷹爪三角脚, Hawk Talon Triangle Kick) - A Nanto Seiken technique used by Amiba, a former Nanto student. An off-the-wall jump kick. Amiba's Nanto Seiken style is never given a name, although this technique's name retains the avian name pattern of the main Nanto Seiken styles.


 * Nanto Hiyoku Ken (南斗比翼拳, South Dipper Conjoined Wing Fist) - The style of Dagarl, Yuda's lieutenant. One of the 27 subordinate sects of Nanto Kōkaku Ken. Its name is given in the spinoff manga, Ten no Haō. It is named after the mythical Chinese Conjoined Bird (比翼鳥, Pinyin: Bǐ Yì Niǎo).


 * Nanto Sōzan Ken (南斗双斬拳, South Dipper Twin Kill Fist) - The fighting style used by Beji and Giji, two of Souther's underlings. This style is composed primarily of juggling the knives back and fort between its two successors.


 * Nanto Sōyō Ken (南斗双鷹拳, South Dipper Twin Hawk Fist) - The fighting style of the Harn Bros. Mentioned in the manga, it is only seen in action in the anime. Its special attack includes an joined aerial drop called the Sō-u Rakusō Ha (双羽落爪破, Paired Feather Drop Claw Rip).


 * Nanto Hien Ken (南斗飛燕拳, South Dipper Flying Swallow Fist) - Appears in Ten no Haō. Used by Hakka and Riron, two of Souther's soldiers. It specializes in mid-air stabbing techniques.


 * Nanto Ryūō Ken (南斗流鴎拳, South Dipper Flowing Seagull Fist) - Appears in Ten no Haō. Used by Ryūrō, a wise Nanto General. It uses several mid-air techniques.


 * Nanto Hisui Ken (南斗翡翠拳, South Dipper Kingfisher Fist) - Appears in the second Rei Gaiden one-shot. It uses kick techniques, similar to Nanto Hakurō Ken. Its successor is Karen, a female martial artist whose part of the Ken-Ǒ Invasion Squad. The previous successor of this style was Karen's older brother, Masaya.


 * Nanto Kōmori Ken (南斗蝙蝠拳, South Dipper Bat Fist) - Unique to the anime series. Used by two of Patra's henchmen. The Bat Fist involves the usage of gliders and claws. Mainly involves diving down onto the opponent.


 * Nanto Ryūjin Ken (南斗龍神拳, South Dipper Dragon God Fist) - A set of styles used by Patra and Drago in the anime only. The Drago's style is fire boxing, in which the user can safely engulf his skin in flames to destroy his opponent, as well as use fire-breathing techniques. Patra's part of this style is an illusion-based style, which also uses knife-throwing. The user apparently could use small crystal orbs to give the illusion of a dragon, which would be hiding knives or flames.


 * Nanto Bakusatsu Ken (南斗爆殺拳, South Dipper Explosive Kill Fist) - A Nanto style which exists only in the anime. The Bakusatsu Ken is Jackal's fighting style, which specializes in the usage of concealed blades and explosives. In the original manga, Jackal was only an average thug with no real ties to Shin or the Nanto Seiken school


 * Nanto Hyakuzan Ken (南斗百斬拳, South Dipper Hundred Slash Fist) - Unique to the anime series. Hyakuzan Ken is Dante's Nanto style, who trained together with Shin. Dante's techniques consists of stabbing and boomerang attacks.


 * Nanto Anshō Ken (南斗暗鐘拳, South Dipper Dark Bell Fist)- Unique to the anime series. Zaria's style The Dark Bell Fist is based on use of sound waves and hypnosis. The style's sound waves tend to come from bells. It kills by causing the cells in the body to destroy themselves, thus cutting its intended target.


 * Nanto Fūsha Zan (南斗風車斬, South Dipper Windmill Slash) - Unique to the anime series. The style of Baron, leader of the Scorpions. It involves the use of a large two headed axe.


 * Nanto Jaben Ken (南斗蛇鞭拳, South Dipper Snake Whip Fist) - Unique to the anime series. The style of Junk, leader of the Snakes. As its name indicates, it user wields a snake-shaped whip.


 * Nanto Ningen Hōdan (南斗人間砲弾, South Dipper Human Cannonball)- Unique to the anime series. Used by Garekkǐ and the Gold Wolf army. Closer to a move than a style. It involves the user being equipped with a sword and fired into the air via cannon. The user, upon getting above his target, can hold their sword outwards and drop down suddenly and with great, violent force. This is more of a siege style than a fighting style.


 * Nanto Ressha Hō (南斗列車砲, South Dipper Train Cannon) - Unique to the anime series. Used by Tōda. Its not a martial arts at all, but an artillery used agaisnt Kenshiro during journey to Southern Cross.


 * Nanto Shōten Ken (南斗翔天拳, South Dipper Ascension Fist) - Unique to the anime series. Joker's fighting style. It consist of the usage of playing cards, teleportation and mirror imaging techniques.

Nanto Goshasei
Despite their allegiance to the Last General of Nanto, it is never made clear whether the Goshasei's fighting styles are part of the 108 sects of Nanto Seiken. The only fighting style of the Goshasei identified in the manga is Jūza's self-taught style (我流拳, Garyǔken). In the book Hokuto no Ken: Kyǔkyoku Kaisetsushō, the styles of the other Goshasei are simply identified as Nanto Goshasei, followed by the element of each character (i.e: Umi no Ken, Yama no Ken).