Hokuto no Ken began as a Japanese manga in the 1980s and became a landmark anime series known in English as Fist of the North Star, following Kenshiro in a post-apocalyptic world. Its bold title music became closely associated with the franchise as clips, edits and retro anime compilations circulated online. Fans still use the short theme to signal an epic entrance, a dramatic showdown or a nostalgic nod to classic anime, keeping the series recognisable to audiences who may never have watched the original episodes.