Hokuto no Ken is not about people exploding like gory balloons. Yes that is a part of the tradition of the series from both manga and anime, however, the point is sorely missed by those who are simply looking for a bloodbath and base entertainment.
Hokuto no Ken is about personal responsibility, hope and standing up for what a person values. This new movie keeps with that theme and further explores characters who were not fully developed in the series. It expands upon relationships which were glossed previously. The subtitle for the anime translates to murdered love story. By retelling the parts of the story which it does it shows how the main character's brother murdered love in his heart and provides a parallel with the villain, Souther showing the fruit of murdered love and how it leads one to destruction and doom. This movie is an excellent piece of storytelling and my only complaint is that Souther's back story was removed, taking away from his depth as a character.
Hokuto no Ken is about personal responsibility, hope and standing up for what a person values. This new movie keeps with that theme and further explores characters who were not fully developed in the series. It expands upon relationships which were glossed previously. The subtitle for the anime translates to murdered love story. By retelling the parts of the story which it does it shows how the main character's brother murdered love in his heart and provides a parallel with the villain, Souther showing the fruit of murdered love and how it leads one to destruction and doom. This movie is an excellent piece of storytelling and my only complaint is that Souther's back story was removed, taking away from his depth as a character.