Hokuto Hyakuretsu-ken / "AH TATATATATATA"

About

The Hokuto Hyakuretsu-ken (北斗百裂拳, translated as Hundred Cracking Fist of the North Star) is a fictional martial arts technique used by Kenshiro, the main protagonist from the Japanese manga series "Fist of the North Star", which consists of numerous rapid punches that result in the illusion of several arms appearing at the same time. It is also known by Kenshiro's trademark battle cry "AH-TATATATATA!". Often, the phrase "You are already dead" (お前はもう死んでいる Omae wa mou shindeiru) is stated by Kenshiro at the end of his technique just before the opponent meets his gruesome end.

Origin

Fist of the North Star (北斗の拳 Hokuto no Ken) is a Japanese manga authored by Buronson (Yoshiyuki Okamura) and Tetsuo Hara and published by Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988. In the series, Kenshiro is the sole successor (along with very few practitioners) of Hokuto Shinken (Divine Fist of the North Star), an extremely lethal martial art which involves attacking adversaries at their hidden pressure points.

The original manga in Japanese was published by Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1988 and its TV anime series aired from 1984 to 1987. The English-translated manga was first published in 1989, reprinted as a single-volume graphic novel in 1995 and the Master Edition was published as nine volume set from 2002 to 2003.

Spread

Various clips of memorable scenes from the anime series were first uploaded on YouTube circa mid-2006, parodies and remixes of Kenshiro's line "AH TATATATATATA" have been circulating on YouTube as early as in June 2007. Most instances combine Kenshiro's audio clip and footage from other popular animes depicting martial-art inspired fight scenes. Numerous videos and parodies have been created adding Kenshiro's Hokuto Shinken sound effects.

Notable Examples:

Search Interest

Related Trend: ORA ORA ORA / MUDA MUDA MUDA

In similar fashion as Hokuto No Ken, other animes and mangas feature characters throwing hundreds of fast-paced punches with the same "numerous arms appearing at the same time" illusion. One of them is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ^[1]. Part 3 protagonist's Jotaro Kujo's stand Star Platinum, among few others, shouts "ORA ORA ORA" while punching. Similarly, Dio Brando, the antagonist of parts 1 and 3 shouts "MUDA MUDA MUDA". The trend got the Internet treatment as well, as shown by Urban Dictionary^[2] and Macrochan^[3].

External References