Fist of the North Star and Mad Max are heavyweight influences in their own right, so a collaboration between both franchises certainly feels like a match made on the Fury Road. Ahead of the release of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, manga artist and Fist of the North Star creator Tetsuo Hara drew a special illustration of Imperator Furiosa, featuring her signature buzz cut, prosthetic left arm, and a revolver in her left hand.
Now that it’s out as the cover art on Japanese film magazine Eiga HiHo’s July 2024 issue, the time has come for Mad Max creator George Miller to receive his copy. The filmmaker was presented with Hara’s artwork in their first meetup — more than 40 years after the debut of their works — that includes some personalised elements, such as the illustrator’s own signature and a “Dear George” greeting.
“[Miller] is someone who continues to create new visuals. I didn’t know it was possible to create art in such a way! He’s still a very big influence on me, and I want to continue supporting Miller,” said Hara in an interview with Warner Bros. Japan. “I want to see the different cinematic worlds that he has to offer, and teach these insights to the new generation of filmmakers.”
It’s a fitting tribute to the series that inspired one of the most iconic animanga titles of all time. The original Fist of the North Star manga was published from 1983 to 1988, with its two anime adaptations aired from 1984 to 1988. Set in a world ravaged by nuclear war, it follows Kenshiro, the successor of a deadly martial art known as Hokuto Shinken, who dedicates his life to protecting the defenseless and innocent by fighting against various gangs, bandits, warlords, and rival practitioners.
Furiosa: A Mad Max serves as the sequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, which is largely considered to be one of the best action films to date. It will open in Japan on 31 May, a week after its release in U.S. and other territories, including Singapore.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Natalie
