On the morning of November 2nd 2025, the Teatro del Giglio in Lucca hosted the conference “The Portrait of a Myth: from Hokuto no Ken to Tetsuo Hara,” featuring the master himself.
Sitting in the audience, I wasn’t just looking for the autograph of an icon, but for the man behind the myth: the one who gave shape to Kenshiro and, with him, an entire collective imagination.
At 10:30PM, the room was packed with fans of all ages with books and sketchbooks in hand. Hara took the stage with a measured smile, displaying the calm of someone who lets gestures speak louder than words. The moderator recalled his career and the monographic exhibition held at the Church of Santa Annunziata dei Servi, which features over one hundred original works.
It was immediately clear that this wouldn’t be a simple interview. Hara asked the audience for a moment of silence to reflect on his encounter with drawing, and on the discipline and sacrifice that guided him. It was a way to remember that behind every “manga hero” is a man who fought.
He explained how, since the 1980s, he had put the body and anatomy at the service of emotion, sculpting in Kenshiro the strength and fragility of the human being. In Lucca, he also presented The Savior in the Arena (70 x 60 cm), a work that fuses manga iconography with Italian classicism: architecture, sculpture, and symbolism.
Speaking about the success of Hokuto no Ken—over one hundred million copies sold—Hara admitted that the weight of fame can be crushing, but it’s also a reminder of responsibility toward readers.
His advice to young artists has remained etched in his memory:
“Don’t just draw with technique, but with sincerity. Draw what you are; the truth is seen in the line.”
It wasn’t just a celebratory encounter, but a genuine dialogue between master and audience. Hearing Hara reflect on art as a universal language—capable of uniting Japanese comics with the Italian tradition—was moving.
Growing up with Kenshiro meant believing that strength was everything. Today, thanks to Hara, I understand that vulnerability is also part of strength.
