A Toei V-Cinema Release. Directed by Sho Kosugi.

Stars Kane Kosugi, Yasuaki Kurata, Lisa, Hideya Amamoto, Hiroshi Miyauchi, Taeko Nishino, Michael M. Horton, Simon Rhee, and Scott Harmon.

An 18-year-old Kane Kosugi takes center stage in this action-packed Japanese flick from his dad, the legendary Ninja, Sho Kosugi.

Ken Oshiro is an American-born Japanese expert in Shorin-Ryu Karate. When his father is invited to compete in a world martial arts tournament, Ken is at first excited to hear the news. However, when he is found dead, Ken decides he must head to Japan and find a way to enter the tournament himself. Coming in with a band of fellow immigrants, Ken is forced to face off against the Yakuza organization who brought them in an attempt to rip them off. He earns the respect of the others as a result and makes a new friend.

When Ken meets fellow Shorin-Ryu Karate champion and teacher Tachibana, he earns the elder’s respect with his skills. Along the way, Ken begins to slowly fall for Tachibana’s daughter. Meanwhile, he continues to struggle against the White Dragons and Ken eventually discovers that the White Dragons not only are planning to rig the upcoming tournament, but they are the ones responsible for his father’s death. Studying various moves from the competition, Ken now finds himself not only fighting to honor his father, but fight for his loved ones as well. 

This V-Cinema flick from Toei is quite a surprise as it marks the full-blooded Japanese film debut of Kane Kosugi. Having spent his childhood learning martial arts and appearing in his father’s films, Sho felt it was time to “pass the torch” and help boost Kane in the lead role of a karate expert going to compete in a tournament and learn a shocking discovery involving his late father. 

Having done his share of acting in the 80’s Hollywood, Kane gets to speak both English and Japanese in his role of Ken. Despite some flaws when it comes to the romantic element of the film (which could explain why we never see him with a love interest afterwards), Kane delivers well in the action department. While he had trained in karate and ninjutsu from his father, we see Kane using more elements of both karate and the kicking style of taekwondo against the White Dragons as well as the competition. However, we get to see Ken befriend teacher Tachibana, played by an excellent Yasuaki Kurata, who when not training and in the tournament, shows off his acting chops quite well.

The competition allows a variety of styles to be utilized and Sho Kosugi would bring in three top talents from the U.S.A. to play Ken’s competition in the tournament. Michael M. Horton, known for his role as American Gladiator “Gemini” plays a wrestler/toughman champion. Simon Rhee, best known for his iconic role of Dae Han in Best of the Best and is one of the top stunt coordinators and performers today, plays (naturally) a Taekwondo champion in Lee. The film would have a main fighting heavy in Tang Soo Do expert Scott Harmon, who plays Jim Spencer, an American champion hired by the Yakuza. Harmon, who has a bit of a resemblance to Brad Pitt, is ruthless when it comes to his action scenes. 

The Fighting King (Za Kakuto Oh) is a great starring vehicle and lead debut for future icon Kane Kosugi. Some great fight scenes enhance the film despite some occasional funny acting. Nevertheless, it’s a pretty good Japanese V-Cinema film.