Versiones alternativas

Two endings were produced for the final fight between Kenshirô and Raô. In the Japanese theatrical cut of the film, Raô emerges victorious over Ken, but decides to spare him at Lin's request. An alternate ending was then featured in the Japanese home video (VHS and laserdisc) release which features Kenshirô and Raô ending the fight in a draw. All of the overseas dubs (including English Streamline Pictures dub) are based on the theatrical cut and thus, uses the "Raô wins" ending. Many foreign fans believe that the "Draw" ending is the original ending, but this is a common misconception since the "Raô wins" ending is not in any of the Japanese home video releases. The Korean DVD edition features "Raô wins" with its original Japanese soundtrack.

The English Streamline Pictures dub (released in the UK by Manga Video) features a drastically altered script from the Japanese original. The exact nature of the Hokuto Shinken and Nanto Seiken schools (North Star and South Star in the English dub) are never fully explained and Yuria's Nanto heritage is never mentioned. The English dub also features an instrumental version of the ending theme, Purple Eyes, instead of the vocal version by Kodomo Band in the Japanese original.

All home video releases (with the exception to the Italian VHS release) contain censorship of blood and gore. Certain shots were censored or cut by Toei upon the film's original home video release in Japan, due to complaints from parents and PTA groups. These shots include Shin stabbing Kenshiro with his fingers, the death of a villain whose skull explodes out of his head and subsequently emits geysers of blood from the neck, and another villain squishing the head of a crowd chanter. It is believed that the uncensored 35mm reels were destroyed in a fire; the only form in which the uncut version exists is through an Italian VHS release from the 90s. However, on this release, some shots remain censored.

The Malay DVD version (which can be found on the "Fist of the North Star" box-set from Lambaian Filem) appears to be the Japanese home video version, and thus contains the "draw" ending.