When i applied to University of Virgina, one of the essay questions was "your favorite book." So I answered it (even though the book has pictures in it). It's about the shonen manga Fist of the North Star
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Fistof the North Staris one of the first books I ever read. Looked at would be more accurate as I was too young to read, but I could follow the images and actionof this comic book series. Set in post apocalyptic Asia, it told the tale of Kenshiro, a man who used an incredible martial arts style called the Fistof the North Starto protect the innocent and right wrongs. Kenshiro, through striking pressure points has the power to make people explode in a mess of organs and flesh. This series is also rather infamous for its ultra violence; some dismiss it on that ground alone. But that same knowledge also allows him to heal the sick and infirm. It may seem strange and inappropriate for such violence to be in children's entertainment, but it is the context that the violence is used which is of utmost importance.
Violence was a critical aspect of the author's narrative. It acted as a measure of a character's karma, their moral value. The more senseless a person's misdeeds, the more gruesome their death would be. Petty thugs withno mercy who laughed at the pain they caused others were fittingly given the ugliest ends. The explosive deaths this series is known for was reserved for them. In Kenshiro was always stern, taking no pleasure in killing. There was no appeal in crime when those that committed crime were ultimately pathetic and died in gruesomely at the hands of the vastly stronger hero.
Nameless thugs were not the only adversaries, there were also men of strength who committed evil and oppressed the weak. Unlike faceless bullies, these powerful foes believed their intent was good or some tragic past had made them what they were.Some believed force of violence was the only way to bring order to the chaotic era so they warred with one another. Others killed in the name of love, or closed their hearts to empathy in the belief that only the heartless could survive in the wasteland. Their strength was impressive because it was backed with strong principles, unlike the thugs who showed how power alone was empty. The admirable aspect of these "worthy foes", as they would be called by Kenshiro, was that they retained some goodness in them. It felt like many could have been heroes if circumstances were different. They were not born evil; these men were the products of a chaotic world born of nuclear war. There was a sense of tragedy when Kenshiro had to confront them.
They communicated through epic battels. Kenshiro would show them the error of their ways; find the root cause of their evil. He could feel sympathy for his foe's plight, even if they must be defeated. And The strongest man in the story, the man of greatest karma, one that even the greatest warlord acknowledged as his superior, was a man of peace. Though he also practiced the deadly Fistof the North Star, his mastery was shown through his unmatched powers of healing and his compassion for others. The violence of Fistof the North Startold the precious value of life.
To a four year old boy, the action and violence was amazing, enthralling. Yet it had purpose, it was a story of morality. The strongest men were those that used their strength to help others. The truly weak were those who lived only for selfish gain. Acts of evil bring only evil, but the cycle can be broken with love and understanding. These are basic messages simple enough for a child to understand yet often absent from the actions taking place on the world stage today. I want to change that.
