Fist of the North Star is a classic of manga and anime, and in Japan it’s also one of the best-selling franchises in pachislot. If you only recognise one franchise on a parlour’s slot floor, it might well be Hokuto no Ken (北斗の拳, Fist of the North Star).
Why it matters
Fist of the North Star is the 1980s manga by Buronson (story) and Tetsuo Hara (art), serialised in Weekly Shōnen Jump (en.wikipedia, secondary source). In parlours its reputation rests on one machine: the original Pachislot Hokuto no Ken, which the official Hokuto no Ken website says recorded 620,000 installed units (official site, Japanese).
When Sammy brought the game to the smart era, the official site described Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken as fully carrying on that original (official site). It went on to be:
- the best-selling new pachislot of 2023, at about 84,000 units, according to sales data presented by Pachinko Village (Greenbelt via P-World);
- the pachislot winner of the pachinko advertising council’s fan vote for 2023 (Greenbelt).
Hokuto no Ken machines in 2026
All three are by Sammy, per P-World’s machine database.
| Machine | Type | In halls from | PachiPass page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken (スマスロ北斗の拳) | Smart pachislot | 3 Apr 2023 (P-World) | Machine page |
| Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken: Tensei no Shō 2 (スマスロ 北斗の拳 転生の章２) | Smart pachislot | 5 Jan 2026 (P-World) | Machine page |
| e Hokuto no Ken 11 Bōkyōsei (e 北斗の拳１１ 暴凶星) | Smart pachinko | 8 Dec 2025 (P-World) | Coming soon |
When we checked on 4 October 2026, both smart slots were in P-World’s nationwide pachislot installation ranking (P-World). We don’t reproduce third-party rank numbers.
What “smart slot” means at the machine
Smart slots have no physical medals. You load credit at the unit beside the machine, press MAX BET, pull the lever and stop the reels, then move your credits back to an IC card when you finish (Sammy, Japanese). Our smart slot guide walks you through the card unit, and pachislot types explains the AT system these machines use.
For fans: what to look out for
- The Japanese names. Search 北斗 on a hall’s machine list. 転生の章 (Tensei no Shō) is a separate line of machines from the original-style smart slot.
- Pachinko too. e Hokuto no Ken 11 is a smart pachinko, so it plays like pachinko with sealed balls. See how to play pachinko.
- Where to start. Slot rates vary by hall. MARUHAN’s visitor halls, for example, list both 20-yen and 5-yen pachislot (MARUHAN). If you’re new, a cheaper corner makes your budget last longer. See what pachinko costs.
More franchises: anime machines in halls now · machine database.
Quick answers
What is Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken?
A smart pachislot (no physical medals) by Sammy, based on Fist of the North Star. It arrived in halls from 3 April 2023 and was the best-selling new pachislot of 2023, at about 84,000 units according to Pachinko Village sales data.
Why is Hokuto no Ken so famous in pachislot?
The official Hokuto no Ken site says the original 'Pachislot Hokuto no Ken' recorded 620,000 installed units. Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken was built to carry on that machine's game design.
Is there a Hokuto no Ken pachinko machine?
Yes. Sammy's smart pachinko 'e Hokuto no Ken 11 Bōkyōsei' has been in halls since 8 December 2025, according to P-World's machine database.
Sources
- Hokuto no Ken official website – Smart Slot Hokuto no Ken from 3 Apr 2023 (Japanese)
- P-World – スマスロ北斗の拳 (Sammy; from 3 Apr 2023)
- P-World – スマスロ 北斗の拳 転生の章２ (Sammy; from 5 Jan 2026)
- P-World – e 北斗の拳１１ 暴凶星 (Sammy smart pachinko; from 8 Dec 2025)
- P-World news (Greenbelt, 15 Dec 2023) – 2023 sales: Smart Slot Hokuto 84,000 units
- Greenbelt – PAA fan awards 2023 (Smart Slot Hokuto wins pachislot)
- P-World – nationwide pachislot installation ranking (checked 4 Oct 2026)
- en.wikipedia – Fist of the North Star (manga background; secondary source)
- Sammy – smart pachislot and smart pachinko explained (Japanese)
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 4 October 2026. Rules, prices and venues change, so always follow the signs and staff at the venue.
