Fist of the Northstar is getting a reboot in 2026 – the most gonzo fighting anime of all time returns nearly 40 years after its debut

It's official: Fist of the Northstar is coming back with a new anime series over 40 years after the original debuted. If you have any love for classic anime, you've undoubtedly seen (or at least heard of) Fist of the Northstar, the ridiculously brutal post-apocalyptic story known for its almost hilariously gonzo fight scenes.

Now, Warner Bros. Discovery Japan is rebooting the anime with "an all-new team of creators and voice actors, and powered by the latest animation technology."

Here's how WB Japan describes the new series:

"In the year 199X, the world was engulfed in nuclear fire!! The seas dried up, the earth split open, and it seemed as if all life had been wiped out... Yet...humanity somehow survived!! Across the scorched and broken land, survivors cling to hope, desperately searching for food and water. However, their hopes are trampled underfoot by violence. Might makes right in this world, and the weak are crushed without mercy. From the depths of that despair, a lone man with seven scars on his chest emerges. His name is Kenshiro, heir to the legendary assassination art Hokuto Shinken. As he roams the wasteland in pursuit of his sworn enemy Shin, who stole his fiancée Yuria, Kenshiro answers the cries of the oppressed, becoming a beacon of hope in a world of despair. Standing in his path are brutal survivors of the apocalypse, their ambitions twisted by power and greed. In a world where the weak are prey and prayers go unheard, Kenshiro forges a path with his iron fists!"

Seen above are two pieces of key art released by the studio, showing off the anime's main character, Kenshiro, looking particularly faithful to the general design he's had since writer Buronson and illustrator Tetsuo Hara launched the original manga back in 1983.

Warner Bros. Japan promises to reveal the first trailer for the new Fist of the North Star along with detailed info on the cast at Anime Expo 2025, during their panel on Saturday, July 5.