The mighty Sonny Chiba (Bodyguard Kiba) stars in two spectacular martial arts movies based upon the real life of Masutatsu “Mas” Ōyama – the fabled bull-slaying karate master who trained none other than Chiba himself.

In Karate Bullfighter (or Champion of Death), a karate tournament is crashed by an enigmatic martial artist calling himself Ōyama (Chiba), who arrives in tattered rags and beats all who dare challenge him. But Ōyama’s entrance into the world of karate has unforeseen consequences, and soon he is fighting for far more than sporting victory. Then, in Karate Bearfighter, Ōyama is expelled from the karate community for refusing to pull his punches. With no where else to turn, he takes a job with the yakuza after running into Kimura (Hideo Murota), who Ōyama once knew as a fellow member of the Imperial Japanese Air Service before he turned to a life of crime. Ultimately, though, Ōyama has no more respect for his superiors on the streets than he did in the dojo…

Directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (Sister Street Fighter), Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bearfighter were adapted from the popular manga series Karate Baka Ichidai by Ikki Kajiwara, which ran from 1971 to 1977 and chronicled the life and legend of Mas Ōyama. Eureka Classics is proud to present both films for the first time ever on Blu-ray from brand new restorations of the original film elements by Toei.

For thoughts on The Beast Fighter Collection: Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bearfighter, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bearfighter come to Blu-Ray via Eureka Entertainment with a 1080p master in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio derived from brand new restorations of the original film elements by Toei. The level of subtle detail is a joy as you take in intricate facets that older transfers could never reach. Blessedly, the transfer does not appear to succumb to any egregious DNR which allows it to maintain its organic appearance. There is very little in the way of wear and tear, and the film does not reveal any egregious instances of compression artifacts.

Black levels hold up decently and highlights do not get too hot. There are brief shots that are a bit soft which presumably dates back to the conditions of the source elements. The transfer features extraordinary color saturation throughout with complex colors emanating off the screen, especially in the clothing and elements of the production design. This new release offers a special presentation that brings these film together with the utmost care. Eureka Entertainment has treated both of these films with the care of a quality boutique label.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set presents these films with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Japanese along with an English dub for Karate Bullfighter that holds up decently. We always encourage audiences to go for artistic purity and listen to the original language track, especially since it is more robust than the English dub track. The tracks can sound a bit thin overall which can make some moments less impactful than you may desire. Dialogue is clear and does not suffer from sibilance. The score maintains fine fidelity, but there are moments of age-related wear and tear and general harshness at the highest amplitudes. The films deploy some rough and tumble sound effects in the mix that are given the appropriate presence. Overall, Eureka Entertainment has done a quality job with this audio experience. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Eureka Entertainment Blu-Ray of The Beast Fighter Collection includes a booklet featuring an essay by film historian Eddie Falvey This provides a great context for and analysis of the film. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentaries: Action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema deliver lively and informative explorations of each film that delve into the career of Sonny Chiba, the history of the figure that inspired these tales, the legacy of martial arts, the sets that were used for filming, the audience reception of the film, the evolution of the sequel, and more.

In Search of the Ultimate Truth – A Video Essay by Jonathan Clements: A 21-minute video essay that explores the history of martial arts, the legacy of Ōyama, the stretching of truth in the filmed depictions, how the state of the government informed the life of the real-life figure, and more.

Alternate Opening Credits: A two-minute alternate opening credits using the title Champion of Death.

Original Trailers: There are trailers provided for Karate Bullfighter (2:59) and Karate Bearfighter (3:02)

TV Spot: A minute-long TV Spot is provided for Karate Bullfighter.

Final Thoughts

The Beast Fighter Collection contains two films that give Sonny Chiba a chance to show off many of his talents, but Karate Bullfighter has some tasteless elements that do not quite sit right with us. Karate Bearfighter proves to be the more consistent of the two films as it shifts tactics with the narrative. These are not our favorite Sonny Chiba films, but they hold up decently within the genre. Eureka Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and some interesting special features. If you are a fan of martial arts films but want some variety, this should serve you well. Recommended

The Beast Fighter Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Eureka Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.