I just finished watching this film and WOW was that bad. Actually the only thing that kept me watching was that it was SO MONUMENTALLY bad it was kind of entertaining. The action of the characters is hilarious, from the hyper-dramatic way they fall to gunfire, to their incredibly bad acting (were the bad guys all just pulled off the street, or were they actually actors?), to incredibly bad delivery of lines, to their inexplicable actions (if you are going to try and shoot someone through a doorway as they enter, obviously the thing to do is shoot directly at the doorknob!!). This film must break some record for worst written and delivered lines.The camera work was also really bad - you can hardly see what's going on in the fight scenes due to switching camera angles and shakiness.I would have voted "1" except that I do like Chiba and sidekick Sue Shihomi, and I was entertained by a couple of scenes: 1) breaking of a villain's arm so the bone pops out of the skin (that's gotta hurt) 2) a drug kingpin eating a brown-furred animal (a monkey??) by hacking away at the carcass with a meat cleaver 3) Sonny Chiba's performing some impromptu eye surgery on a guy with his fingers.I am actually a big fan of Sonny Chiba but this one is really not worth anyone's time. I've seen about 7 or 8 of his films and have come to the conclusion that the only ones worth watching (and they are great!) are the Street Fighter series, and The Killing Machine. I've also heard the Executioner and Golgo 13 are good. I recommend sticking to those ones.

This flick is kinda boring. The beginning should be a flash-back to Pulp Fiction (Sonny Chiba reads the Ezekial 25:17 quote). This is probably the coolest thing in this damn movie. Let me get this out of the way, I am a Sonny Chiba fan. However, even Sonny's karate strikes couldn't save this bore.Sonny plays himself (or some character with his name, it's never really explained). He offers his services up to anyone who is interested in taking on the drug syndicate in Tokyo. OK, thus far things sound alright. The problem is that the film drags on for at least 45 minutes before we start to realize where the plot is going and who the girl he is guarding is. When the action finally comes, don't expect Streetfighter like, fast paced, karate action. There isn't even the gratuitous gore or sarcastic one liners.Overall, Sonny's performance isn't bad, but this movie is hardly a good vehicle for his talents.

I got a question. Is there any widescreen versions of This awesome flick? Any help would be great. I know that there are full screen copies out there but i want it in the original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio. This film rocks. Sonny Chiba has never been better.The film rocks and it's interesting to see Chiba essentially playing himself. Surprislingly, this is one violent film. All of the butt-kicking of the Streetfighter with the action of 5 martial arts films rolled into one.Karate Kiba (1976) Karate master and anti-drug vigilante Chiba returns to his home in Japan, where he holds a press conference announcing his intention to wipe out the nation's drug industry. He also offers his services as a bodyguard to anyone who is willing to come forward and provide information about the drug lords' activities. He is soon approached by a mysterious woman claiming to have important information and asking for Chiba's protection. She seems to be legitimate, but is she really what she appears to be?

Even if you are a die-hard Sonny Chiba fan there is no reason to see this snooze-fest. However, watch the first five minutes for a tacked-on bit shot at a Times Square dojo in the mid-'70's that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the film. That sequence is so badly-acted and ludicrous that you'll wet yourself laughing! The sequence goes something like this:CAMERA PANS UP STAIRCASE, GOES INTO DOJO.An Hispanic martial arts guy does a pointless routine with two pair of nunchaku ("chucks") and comments to an Italian-looking karate guy "That's how Bruce Lee woulda done it!" The Italian guy says "That's pretty good, but here's how Sonny Chiba woulda done it!" He then proceeds to approximate some of Chiba's trademark moves from THE STREET FIGHTER on some poor student. After leaving the poor student hanging by his nuts, the two martial artists rub their chins and muse "I wonder what Sonny Chiba's doing now?" Then the movie lurches to a start. You may now turn off your vcr and do something useful like eat your own earwax.