The upcoming short anime series, Fist of the North Star: Elegy of Ken-Oh’s Army Grunts (Hokuto no Ken: Ken’ō-gun Zako-tachi no Banka), has revealed details regarding its opening and ending theme songs, offering a musical preview for fans anticipating its January 5 premiere. The comedy spinoff is set to launch on AT-X and Tokyo MX channels, bringing a lighter, grunt-level perspective to the post-apocalyptic world of Fist of the North Star.
Theme Songs and Artists Revealed
The official details confirm that the opening theme for Fist of the North Star: Elegy of Ken-Oh’s Army Grunts will be “Blacker Co., Ltd.” performed by itsuka-saisei. Complementing this, the ending theme, titled “Elegy of the Enemies,” will be sung by The Canbellz. These musical selections aim to set the tone for the comedic take on the harsh realities faced by the lower ranks within Ken-Oh’s army.
Diving into the World of Ken-Oh’s Grunts
The anime adapts Hiroshi Kurao’s spinoff manga, which offers a unique, comedic lens on the Fist of the North Star universe. Instead of focusing on the legendary warriors, the story centers on Nobu, an ordinary grunt struggling to survive in the perilous, post-apocalyptic landscape under the iron fist of Ken-Oh. The series tagline, “Three daily meals included, company room and board, no experience necessary!”, humorously highlights the grim reality of a workplace where “deaths outnumber even the job applicants”.
Production Team and Voice Cast
The production of Fist of the North Star: Elegy of Ken-Oh’s Army Grunts is handled by Do-Raku, with Takuma Hase and Yūma Saitō serving as technical directors and editors. Daisuke Miura is the animation director, while Mirai Iwai handles art direction and color key artistry. Sayoko Itō is credited as the compositing director of photography, and Seiji Miura is composing the music.
The cast bringing these grunt characters to life includes Hiro Shimono as the protagonist Nobu, Shinnosuke Ogami as Zaku, and Masaaki Yano as Buzz. Shinya Takahashi takes on the role of the narrator.
Origins of the Spinoff
Hiroshi Kurao’s Fist of the North Star: Elegy of Ken-Oh’s Army Grunts manga first launched on Coamix’s Manga Hot app in November 2017 and concluded in February 2020, with its third and final compiled volume shipping in March 2020. The original Fist of the North Star manga, written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, was serialized from 1983 to 1988 and has inspired numerous adaptations, including a popular TV anime that began in 1984. This new short anime continues the expansion of the beloved franchise, offering a fresh, comedic perspective on its iconic world.
