Nanto Seiken

Nanto Seiken (南斗聖拳, roughly "Holy Fist of the South Dipper") is an instrumental martial arts style practiced in the Fist of the North Star series. It is partially reenacted in the Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage series.

Powers and Other Traits
Nanto Seiken is a powerful school of Chinese martial arts said to be the long time rivaling style to Hokuto Shinken. As like light to Hokuto Shinken's shadow, Nanto Seiken practices in methods of completely opposite ways in comparison to Hokuto Shinken. While its rivaling school focuses on internal methods through acupuncture, Nanto Seiken specializes in the external method of the manipulation and usage of air pressure to destroy the enemy on the outside, and with a focus on such means, the style was encouraged to be studied and approached in many ways sharing this method, growing to over 108 different schools.

As such, Nanto Seiken has developed styles ranging from hand to hand combat, the usage of ki, and even to weaponry to harness its signature method of air pressure for martial purposes. Out of its 108 schools, its strongest and most prized sects are heralded as the Six Sacred Fists of Nanto, corresponding with the Nanto constellation's own composite six stars.

Likewise with Hokuto Shinken, Nanto Seiken's heirs of its Six Sacred Fists are entrusted to roles of utmost importance, being said to uphold the role of the guardians of the Six Gates of the Emperor's Palace in Chinese legend.

Six Sacred Fists of Nanto

 * Nanto Koshūken (Southern Dipper Eagle Fist) - A style that utilizes the hands and legs to perform various stabbing techniques, and can emit enough force from the fingertips and legs to break concrete. The style, though unmentioned in sources, also appears to have a degree of ki usage, as the force of the attacks of the Koshūken school provide a unique exception to the rule of Nanto's external arts emphasis, as its attacks instill ki to its victims and destroys within. Its heirs are born under the Star of Martyrdom.


 * Nanto Suichōken (Southern Dipper Waterfowl Fist) - Considered the most graceful of the Nanto styles. On the surface, it uses elegant footwork that resembles a dance. In reality, these movements are used to deliver painful slices to the user's opponents, allowing one's fingertips to cut through objects as though they were knives. Its heirs are born under the Star of Justice.


 * Nanto Kōkakuken (Southern Dipper Crimson Crane Fist) - An elegant fighting style based mostly on long-ranged slicing attacks. Wide vertical strikes are amongst the more powerful attacks of this style and are said to be so fast and strong that a target can be sliced from the back without any injury to their front of the body. Its heirs are born under the Star of Enchantment.


 * Nanto Hakurōken (Southern Dipper White Heron Fist) - A style which focuses on powerful kicking techniques to slice its opponents. They can also use their hands to create an illusion technique to overwhelm their foes. The technique has some Capoeira inspired kicks within it. Its heirs are born under the Star of Benevolence.


 * Nanto Hō-Ō Ken (Southern Dipper Phoenix Fist) - The unrivaled style of Nanto Seiken. It conforms to no particular specialty or stance like the other Nanto techniques, relying purely on speed and power to make up for its lack of defense, which is reserved for only worthy opponents in the martial arts' code. As with the Hokuto Shinken style, only one successor can inherit it at any time. Its heirs are born under the Star of Leadership.


 * Nanto Saigo no Shō (Last General of the Southern Dipper) - A role moreso than a style, it is still one of the Six Sacred Fists' greatest sects. Heir to its role as the Last General of Nanto are instilled with the responsibility that when in times when Nanto comes to chaos, the Last General will unite with Hokuto and help fulfill Hokuto's duty to restore Nanto to order. Heirs bear the empathetic ability to heal the hearts of others, unite people under their banner, and are capable of receiving prophetic visions known as the "Voice of the Heavens" to guide those to their destiny. While the Last General does not have any fighting style of their own, they are fiercely protected by the Nanto Gosha Sei. The Last General's heirs are born under the Star of the Merciful Mother.