Kenshiro
Kenshiro or just Ken as he is often called, is the 64th successor to the Hokuto Shinken art of combat, after his adopted father, Ryuken. He is considered "one of the greatest" successors in Hokuto Shinken history, due to his knowledge of certain legendary techniques like "Musou Tensei". In a survey conducted by the Oricon in 2007 between 1,000 people, Kenshiro ranked third place as the "strongest manga character of all time". [1] Kenshiro is characterized as the youngest of three adopted sons trained by the previous Hokuto Shinken successor, Ryuken. He was sent to Japan, along with his future nemesis Raoh and Raoh's brother Toki, to escape from their homeland, the war-torn Land of Asura. Kenshiro is trained in the art of Hokuto Shinken along with Raoh, Toki and a fourth student named Jagi, and is eventually named successor by Ryuken. After surviving the nuclear war, he tries to live in peace with his fiancee Yuria, until he is challenged and defeated by Shin, a jealous rival from the Nanto Seiken school, who engraves the iconic seven scars on Kenshiro's chest and leaves him for dead.

He seeks to reclaim Yuria, meets Bat and Lin, who travel with him, and becomes known as "Savior of the Century's End." He eventually confronts and defeats his eldest brother Raoh, and he is reunited with Yuria, who he lives with until she eventually dies from a terminal illness. Years later, Kenshiro joins forces with the now grown Bat and Lin, who have formed the Hokuto Army to fight off the now-corrupt Gento Kōken warriors. He eventually goes the Land of Asura, where he learns of his Hokuto Sōke heritage, and fights against the Warlords who controls the Land of Asura: a man who can control strong winds Han; his estranged blood brother Hyoh; and Kaioh, Raoh's other blood brother. He takes Raoh's orphaned son, Ryu, under his wing, before continuing on his own, and later wishes to pass on Hokuto Shinken's successorship to him

Kenshiro was voiced by Akira Kamiya in the TV series and 1986 movie, Ryō Horikawa voiced the child-aged Kenshiro in flashbacks. The role of Kenshiro was recasted to Takehito Koyasu in the 2003 OVA series New Fist of the North Star and then given to Kunihiro Kawamoto in the 2005 Fist of the North Star arcade game and the 2006 CG animated short film Hokuto no Ken: Legend of Heroes. In the Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu movie series, Kenshiro is voiced by Hiroshi Abe and by Eiji Hanawa as a child. English voice actors that had voiced Kenshiro includes John Vickery in the Streamline Pictures dub of the 1986 movie, Lex Lang in the Manga Entertainment dub of the TV series and Robert Kraft in ADV Films dub of New Fist of the North Star. Gary Daniels played Kenshiro in the 1995 live action movie

Raoh
Raoh or Ken-oh is the central antagonist of Fist of the North Star, and the protagonist of Hokuto no Ken Raoh Gaiden: Ten no Haoh. Raoh is the last of the four Hokuto Brothers introduced. He is the brother of Toki, and the two are orphaned at an early age. They are taken in by Ryuken and trained in the art of Hokuto Shinken. When Kenshiro is named successor by Ryuken, Raoh refuses to give up the art and then slays his master. After the nuclear war, he takes on the mantle of Ken-oh and builds an army of followers.

He easily defeats Kenshiro's ally, Rei, and proves to be more than a match against Ken and Toki. After he recovers from his wound, he challenges his master's former rival Koryu, and then Toki, defeating both. Afterwards, he is challenged by the Nanto Goshasei, the guardians of the Last Nanto General. He soon rushes and captures Yuria, the last guardian, to lure Ken out. He loses the final battle, and after accepting his defeat and recognizing Kenshiro as a worthy successor, he lift his fist in the air, proclaims "he has no regrets", and then transfers his life energy to the sky, restoring light to the world. The promotion for the theatrical release of Raoh Den Gekitō no Shō featured a mock funeral service that was held at the Koyasan Tokyo Betsuin on April 18, 2007.[2][3]

In the TV series and 1986 movie, Raoh was voiced by Kenji Utsumi, although the character was originally voiced by Norio Wakamoto in his silhouetted appearance in episode 32. Nobuo Tobita voiced the child aged Raoh in flashbacks. In Streamline Pictures' English dub of the 1986 movie, Raoh was voiced Wally Burr. Raoh was voiced by Tesshō Genda in the 2006 CG animated short film Hokuto no Ken: Legend of Heroes. In the Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu movie series, Raoh is voiced Takashi Ukaji and as a child by Shigeru Shibuya. Ukaji will cast Raoh again in the upcoming anime Hokuto no Ken Raoh Gaiden: Ten no Haoh.

Toki
Toki is the second of the four Hokuto brothers. He is a pacifist who seeks to use Hokuto Shinken as a healing art. Toki's self-made technique, Hokuto Ujō Ken (北斗有情拳, Hokuto Ujō Ken? "North Star Humane Fist"), is an art that is capable of healing or destroying that which it is used on. When fatally wounded with this style, the dying experiences a great feeling of euphoria, instead of horrifying pain. Toki is from the Land of Asura, and along with Raoh, is orphaned and adopted by Ryuken, who is seeking a student to train. Although he originally doesn't train Toki, Toki shows incredible potential, and he is made to promise that he will stop Raoh if he falls down the wrong path,

During the war, Toki is exposed to the nuclear fallout. Toki survives for two weeks without food and water, but the nuclear exposure turns his hair white and leaves him terminally ill. Thus, Toki renounces the succession to the Hokuto Shinken style and becomes a wandering doctor, easing the people's ills. Toki wanders into a village full of sick people and heals everyone there. The village became known as the "Village of Miracles" and Toki becomes heralded as a miracle maker. However, Toki is taken captive by Raoh's army and imprisoned at Cassandra, while Amiba impersonates him in an attempt to tarnish Toki's reputation. Kenshiro rescues him, and Toki attempts to stop Raoh, though he is defeated. Toki later dies from his illness.

Toki was voiced by Takaya Hashi in the TV series and as a child by Ryō Horikawa. He was voiced by Hideyuki Tanaka in his brief appearance in Shin Hokuto no Ken. In the Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu movie series, Toki is voiced by Kenyū Horiuchi and by Tetsuharu Ota as a child. Kirk Thornton voiced Toki in Manga Entertainment's dub of the TV series. In the upcoming anime Houko no Ken Raoh Gaiden: Ten no Haoh, Hiroki Touchi will be the fourth actor who voices Toki in Houko no Ken anime.

Jagi
Jagi is the third of the four Hokuto brothers. Deceptive and evil, Jagi stops at nothing to win and frequently uses dirty tricks during battle. After a botched attempt at killing Kenshiro, he is left with a hideously disfigured head as a reminder of his failure. Consequently, he hides his head by wearing an iron helmet. Harboring a severe hatred for Kenshiro, Jagi deliberately sets into motion a few of the story arcs. After his death, Jagi (quickly forgotten) is usually unaccounted for when the Hokuto Brothers are mentioned.

Jagi was voiced by Kōji Totani in the TV series, Chikao Ōtsuka in the 1986 movie and David Itō 2007 OVA Yuria Den. He was voiced by Dan Woren in Streamline Pictures' dub of the 1986 movie. The late Chris Penn portrayed Jagi (anglicized as "Jackal") in the 1995 live-action movie.

Ryuken
The previous successor to the Hokuto Shinken style. Ryuken (リュウケン, Ryūken?) was the sifu who adopted and trained Raoh, Toki, Jagi, and Kenshiro in the Hokuto Shinken style. After he chose Kenshiro as his successor, he was slain by Raoh, a feat made possible by chance; he suffered a stroke at the moment he was about to seal Raoh's fist. Kenshiro did not know the real cause of Ryuken's death, having been told that Ryuken died from illness, until Toki revealed the shameful secret during their first battle. Both Kenshiro and Raoh reflect on Ryuken's teachings during difficult situations. Ryuken appears in Fist of the Blue Sky under his former identity, Ramon Kasumi.

Ryuken was voiced by Ryūji Saikachi in the TV series and 1986 movie, although he first voiced by Junji Chiba in a flashback in episode 5. The young Ryuken who appears in flashbacks was voiced by Kōji Totani. Ryuken is voiced by Chikao Ōtsuka in the Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu movie series. Malcom McDowall played Ryuken in the 1995 live-action movie.

Koryu
Koryu is a former rival of Ryuken who competed against him for the succession of the Hokuto Shinken. After losing the successorship to Ryuken, he began living an ascetic life in the mountains. Raoh challenges Koryu and defeats him but spares the lives of Koryu's two sons, Zeus and Aus.