Champion Of Death (けんか空手 極真拳, Kenka karate kyokushinken, literal translation: Fighting Karate Kyokushin Fist), also known as Karate Bullfighter, is a Japanese martial arts film made by the Toei Company in 1975.[1][2] It was the first in a trilogy of films based on the manga Karate Baka Ichidai (literal translation: A Karate-Crazy Life), a manga based on Masutatsu Oyama's life by Ikki Kajiwara, Jiro Tsunoda and Jōya Kagemaru. Sonny Chiba stars as his former master Oyama who was the founder of Kyokushin karate. Chiba would reprise this role in two more films Karate Bearfighter (1975), and Karate for Life (1977).

Kenka karate kyokushinken
Champion of Death
Theatrical poster to the U.S. release of Champion of Death
Directed byKazuhiko Yamaguchi
Written byNorifumi Suzuki
StarringSonny Chiba
Yumi Takigawa
Mikio Narita
Jirô Chiba
Katsumasa Uchida
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release dates
  • August 9, 1975 (1975-08-09) (Japan)
  • March 1977 (1977-03) (U.S.)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

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Korean-descent Japanese karate master who tries to prove that his karate is better than the modern "dance" karate. Based on Mas Oyama portrayed by student and actor Sonny Chiba.[3]

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ JJサニー千葉『千葉流 サムライへの道』ぶんか社、2010 p.11 p.51 ISBN 4821142694
  2. ^ "けんか空手 極真拳" (in Japanese). ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  3. ^ "けんか空手 極真拳" (in Japanese). tvapple. 8 August 1975. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
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