The film stars Gordon Liu (who actually sports hair here versus his trademark shaved head) as a young man named Ah To, who has been arranged to marry a Japanese woman, Kung Zi (Yuko Mizuno). Ah To is hesitant at first, but perks up considerably when he sees that Kung Zi is a bit of a hottie. Despite their mutual attraction, things soon become rocky due to Kung Zi's love of Japanese martial arts. Ah To feels the Japanese style is too unrefined compared to Chinese kung fu, and so forbids Kung Zi to practice, which causes her to flee back to Japan.

Desperate to win her back, Ah To issues a challenge to Kung Zi to have a showdown between the Chinese and Japanese styles. This attracts the attention of Kung Zi's sensei and former lover, Takeno (Yasuaki Kurata), who heads back to China along with six other Japanese masters in order to demonstrate the power of Japanese martial arts to Ah To and gain the affection of Kung Zi.

As a director, Lau Kar-Leung has long been known for portraying a mixed bag of styles of martial arts and weapons in his movies, and Heroes of the East's plot is the perfect vehicle for his methods. Sure, this is a gimmick, but it never really feels like it. The various matchups never feel forced, and they're quite exciting, even with the aforementioned lack of bloodshed. This is just simply solid, no-frills action that was obviously done with a great deal of love and respect for martial arts, despite where they come from.

Speaking of which, Heroes of the East takes a refreshing tact on the whole Chinese versus Japanese conflict which forms the nucleus of many martial arts films, even to this day. Yes, as this is a Chinese production, there's never really any doubt that Ah To will prevail, but the Japanese people are treated as real characters, instead of the "nasty Jap" villain cardboard cut-outs far too many of these sorts of films feature. It's the seemingly little touches such as that which makes Heroes of the East a true classic of the genre, and mandatory viewing for any "old school" fan.

The fighting in Heroes of the East was pretty slick. I'm guessing that's the whole reason to see a movie like this, which is why I was a little disappointed at how long the lead up was to the actual challenges was and how quick some of the fights actually went. The Japanese so-called masters gave up far too easily in some cases, after taking a few licks they'd decide they simply couldn't win and walked away. This was only a few of the fights, but it almost seemed to be done to put a negative spin on the Japanese mentality or their martial arts in general (of course, the whole movie was about that, seeing as a Chinese Kung-Fu student beats 8 Japanese Martial Arts masters using various weapons). It was still cool to see, and the fact that no one dies at all is pretty amazing for a movie of that sort. Overall, I'd recommend it... to any non-Japanese martial artists.

Ho Tao (Gordon Liu) is initially opposed to an arranged marriage to Kuda, the daughter of his father's Japanese business partner. Once he gets a good look at her, however, he changes his mind (if you saw that your bride-to-be was Yûko Mizuno, you'd do a 180 too. When she starts practicing karate, Ho Tao lets her, amused with her "foreign" ways. But once her training gets more aggressive, he begins to get more concerned with impressing upon her the superiority of Chinese kung fu. Not that I blame him; you can't have the new wife busting down walls, breaking statues, or removing all of your weapons from the gymnasium.

Kuda grows more and more obstinate, and the couple can't resolve their differences, which threatens to ruin their marriage. Of course, it's all very entertaining. My favorite scene involves the couple getting ready to go to bed, but not before removing all of their secret weapons (daggers, throwing stars, darts, and enough hidden weaponry to make James Bond green with envy). And their fight in the gymnasium, each trying to "explain" the merits of their styles, is a great one. Unable to beat Ho Tao, and fed up with his closed-mindedness, Kuda returns to Japan and her old teacher, Sanzo (Kurata).

In a dimwitted plan to get her back, Ho Tao sends her a letter claiming that Japanese martial arts are poor rip-offs of Chinese techniques. He hopes to rile her up so that she comes back to China, where they can kiss and make up (but not before he puts the smack down). Just a little advice, pal... you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Of course, this letter falls in the hands of Sanzo, who heads to China along with his master and 6 other Japanese experts, all who intend to put Ho Tao in his place. And you thought in-laws were bad.

Now, this is basically an extended set-up for some incredible martial arts action, as Ho Tao takes on each of the Japanese, all masters of different styles. Of course, given that this a Hong Kong movie, it's pretty easy to figure out how all of the fights are going to end, but that doesn't lessen the fun any bit. Each one is a blast to watch, especially Ho Tao's duel with the nunchaku master. But it all leads up to the titular battle with Sanzo, a master of ninjitsu.

Ho Tao's extended duel ranks right up there with "Chinese Super Ninjas" as far as old-school ninja action goes. Although not as bloody as that movie, "Shaolin Challenges Ninja" does get pretty clever, especially in Ho Tao's initial confrontation with Sanzo, which involves a heavy dose of illusion and mannequin killing. And then there's that whole "crane vs. crab stance" sequence that you must see to believe.

Liu - best known for his role in the classic "36 Chambers Of Shaolin" - is quite impressive here, with his martial arts skills put on prominent display. Another treat is Kurata, who may best be known as the elderly uncle of Jet Li's girlfriend in "Fist Of Legend". And of course, there's Mizuno. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like she did any other movies, which is a shame. Here, she's cute as a button as well as capable of kicking some serious butt, although her role in the film's second half is seriously reduced. But casting aside, there are several other things worth noting here.

Okay, so Kuda doesn't really start off the marriage on the right foot. But the movie does a good job at pointing out Ho Tao's ignorance and refusal to learn anything about his new bride's culture. One misunderstanding piles on top of another, and Ho Tao stubbornly refuses to admit that his pride is getting in the way of things.

Also, unlike some kung fu comedies, which sometimes seem to focus on the slapstick rather than the martial arts, "Shaolin Challenges Ninja" is all about the latter. There are some sophomoric gags involving Kuda's training, loose fitting clothing, and cleavage, but they occur early on in the film and are quickly forgotten (thankfully). That leaves the remainder of "Shaolin Challenges Ninja" to focus on one great fight after another, with a good lesson in tolerance (and not pissing off your wife's martial arts master) to end on.

A wealthy Chinese man (Liu Chia Hui) is 'persuaded' by his family to marry a Japanese woman who he has never met in an arranged ceremony. After initial annoyance he finally meets her and, when enchanted by her beauty, happily goes along with the marriage. Wedded life starts off well for the newlyweds and there appears to be no clash of culture between them. Unfortunately the status quo is unsettled when the man objects to the harsh and aggressive martial arts style that his wife passionately practices. During their argument about which country has the better martial arts, the wife is soundly beaten in a sparring match and travels back to Japan. Persuaded to send a letter explaining the roots of all martial arts, the jilted husband is shocked to find that his good intentions have been miscontrued as a challenge to the Japanese. A team of Japanese fighters - masters of different disciplines - therefore arrive at the home of their perceived threat and decide to prove once and for all whose martial arts are better, China's or Japan's.

From a basic premise that is deceptively clever, Liu Chia Liang crafts a martial arts film that is based on cultural misunderstanding rather than cliched tensions. Liang makes sure that, although the Chinese kung fu styles gain victory eventually, the result is that both parties can better appreciate each other's roots. With such a subtle yet effective conclusion to the film, Liang manages to turn the usual misconceptions on their head and add another outstanding production to the genre. In addition to this wonderful touch, this is perhaps the only kung-fu film where nobody is seriously hurt let alone killed, even though the action is spellbinding. These two notable plus points again remind all that Liu Chia Liang is a criminally underrated auteur. Gordon Liu Chia Hui enjoys a more relaxed lead role than usual as the troubled husband, but still demonstrates immense skill in the varied bouts. Whether it be with tonfa or traditional Chinese sword, Hui is assured and captivating.

'Shaolin Challenges Ninja' starts relatively slowly, but when the storyline develops beyond the basic exposition, this is another kung fu treat from 'The Pops'.

REVIEW:
This is a near-perfect conglomeration of Chinese/Japanese conflict, martial arts styles, and legendary talent. For both hardcore and casual genre viewers, the enjoyment factor when watching this film is through the roof.

The story was scripted by Ngai Hong who is perhaps the best writer Shaw Brothers had. It begins as Ah To (Gordon Liu), son of a wealthy Chinese businessman meets his arranged bride-to-be. Initial apprehension turns to joy when he sees that Kuda (Yuko Mizuno) is quite beautiful. But, this joy doesn't last long into the marriage. Kuda begins to exhibit a fiery stubbornness after trashing the household during her martial arts practice and proclaiming Japanese martial arts to be the best. The two engage in a number of marvelous duels employing a wide range of weapons and styles. Each time, Kuda is bested by her husband and she eventually returns to Japan in frustration.

There is some great subtle humor in scenes such as the wedding ceremony. The Chinese women in attendance gawk at Kuda's Japanese dress and her refusal to follow Chinese tradition. Yuko Mizuno plays the role to the fullest, exhibiting both charm and impudence. Another amusing scene has Kuda showing off her skills and a little more cleavage than intended as her stunned husband and grinning manservant look on. Gordon Liu even tries to show her how to fight like a Chinese woman in a great example of the "skirt style," also performed well by Jackie Chan in The Young Master. This whole dispute among the newly weds over martial arts technique works so well because it directly parallels the difficulties real newly weds encounter. Once they begin to know each other, they clash over differences of opinion and tend to overreact to issues that might seem trivial to the outside observer.

Of course, even trivial matters can become serious when you're dealing with differences among cultures who have long held little respect for one another. Back in Japan, Kuda returns to her ninjitsu master, Sanzo (Yasuaki Kurata). Taking the ill-advice of his meddlesome manservant, Ah To fires off a letter to his wife, challenging her to another match in the hopes that she will return to him. The letter ends up in the hands of Sanzo who takes it as a challenge to the Japanese people and travels to China with his master and six other martial arts masters to fight Ah To. To some degree, the story suffers from here on as director Liu Chia Liang focuses on one fight after another and the dispute between husband and wife simply dissolves as the action takes center stage. Of course, this is good news for kung fu fans. Its decided that Ah To will spar with one of the Japanese fighters each day. He will fight without help from his master, played by Simon Yuen or his brothers so as not to create a larger conflict.

This must have been a dream project for Liu Chia Liang. In order to effectively combat the varying Japanese styles, Ah To would have to perform a wide assortment of Chinese techniques. This of course would give the director ample opportunity to show the genuine strengths of a variety of kung fu styles. He even shows up as a drunken beggar who gives Ah To a few lessons. Gordon Liu who is usually sporting a shaved head does a great job displaying a huge variety of styles, seemingly with little effort. Each of the Japanese fighters are credible opponents and Kurata's ninjitsu technique during the final bout is very entertaining.

If only the husband/wife relationship had not been shelved during the second half of the film, Heroes of the East would be flawless. As is, the film with its legendary cast and crew and excellent and generally bloodless battles is absolutely outstanding and a must-have classic for any fan...

On that simplistic, shallow level, this is a highly enjoyable film. The fights are long and the choreography is brilliant. In fact, on the surface, this film may appear to be nothing but one long fight after another. This is what happens when you don't dig.

After all, we're talking about Liu Chia-liang here. The man was one of the true and few ground-breakers and risk takers in the kungfu genre. When Mona Fong demanded that no women be portrayed as strong or heroic in Shaw Brothers films (she thought seeing a woman besides her who was strong would weaken her power base in the company), it was Liu Chia-liang who bucked the system and cast Kara Hui Ying-hung as a strong and heroic female in damn near every film he made. It was Liu Chia-liang who took the studio's films out of the simple, bloody Chang Cheh years and started infusing them with real plots and real characters.

Just below the surface, there is a ton going on in this film. Let's start with the biggest thing first. The Japanese are not the villains. Throughout the 1970s, kungfu films had lined up a seemingly endless parade of heartless Japanese villains for Chinese heroes to knock down. The bitter hatred of the Japanese reached as far back as incidents like the Sino-Russian War (in which Russia and Japan waged war against one another, but did it inside China), but were predominantly a result of the vicious occupation of China by Japan during World War II, an event that only in the past couple years has gotten any sort of global recognition.

So in Chinese films, the Japanese were as unquestionably the bad guys as the Nazis were in American films. There was nothing good about them. Until Shaolin Challenges Ninja. Liu Chia-liang stepped forward in this film with the message that it's time to put the wounds behind us and let the healing start. In this film, the Japanese are not inherently evil. In fact, they are basically pretty good people. The aggression between the two people is a result of misunderstanding, a lack of clear communication. The Japanese don't understand the letter Chia-hui writes, and in turn, he takes their gesture of respect (the offering of a samurai sword) as an attack.

Victory comes not when one side beats the the other, but when both realize that they are fighting for no reason, that it was all a mistake. Victory comes as a result of comprehension, not of physical superiority.

Liu Chia-liang also took a chance by making a kungfu film in which no one dies. This is, of course, almost unheard of, especially hot on the heels of the Chang Cheh era, in which people were slaughtered in droves. In fact, the violence usually took the place of other things, like plots and characters. I'm not getting all down on Chang Cheh films. Sometimes you want rampant bloodshed and heroic sacrifice -- at least I do. But Liu Chia-liang set out to prove that you could make an action-packed kungfu film in which there was no gore, in which the ultimate outcome is a state of peace. The ultimate goal is understanding, not revenge.

He also cast Japanese actors as the Japanese. This was no stretch in the case of the main Japanese guy, played by Yasuaki Kurata. Kurata built a career on playing evil Japanese guys in Hong Kong films. It's refreshing to see him in a more positive role. Yuko Mizuno is also good as Chia-hui's wife. Their parts in this film are indicative of something larger at work. One of the points of the film is that Japanese and Chinese culture grew from the same seed, that they are intertwined. Hating one is hating yourself. Yasuaki Kurata is an example of how Chinese people took pleasure from something Japanese, yet still harbored hatred toward the country. In fact, there is lots of trade-off between Japanese and Chinese pop culture.

Also on the chopping block is Chinese moral superiority. Previously, the Chinese heroes could do no wrong. Here, however, it's the Chinese hero's lack of respect for his wife's martial arts, his snobbery toward Japanese styles, and his ignorance of their ways of showing respect that leads to the fighting. The Chinese definitely and without ambiguity occupy the moral high ground when it comes to the incidents during World War II. But to imply that China is always without fault and has never committeded crimes against another country is preposterous (ask Tibet).

Each time I watch Shaolin Challenges Ninja, I find a new layer of the onion to peel away and examine. It's probably the most thematically rich and powerful film Liu Chia-liang has made. In 1996, it was paid homage to in the Jet Li film Fist of Legend, which was a partial remake of this and a partial remake of the Bruce Lee film Fist of Fury. Most fitting of all is the fact that Yasuaki Kurata appears in Fist of Legend as a benevolent Japanese karate master who is sick of politics and military machinations and simply wants to test skill against skill with a worthy opponent.

The film's ties to this film were all but ignored by most people, even though they are quite obvious. It's certainly a remake of Fist of Fury, but the influence of Shaolin Challenges Ninja is not trivial. Fist of Legend has a softer, more enlightened view of Japan and China than the Bruce Lee film. Jet Li's clothing is almost identical to the clothes worn by Liu Chia-hui in Shaolin Challenges Ninja (the grey suit). He has a Japanese wife, just like Li Chia-hui. And the villains are neither the Japanese nor the Chinese, but the politicians who sacrifice innocent people in the mad quest for power and glory.

Shaolin Challenges Ninja is the better and more important of the two films, though both are worth seeing. It represents Liu Chia-liang doing everything right. A brilliant story with a brilliant message, incredible choreography, tons of action, and a reason behind it all. It's probably one of the most perfect kungfu films ever made.

Gordon Liu is Ho Tao, the well-to-do son of a Chinese businessman, who strikes a deal with his associate, a Japanese warlord. The elders agree to have their children marry each other when they are old enough. When the time comes and Ho Tao’s Japanese bride comes to China to meet him for the first time, he wants nothing to do with her, because he assumes she is unattractive. Ho Tao feels like an ass when his bride Kuda shows up, and she turns out to be a truly beautiful woman (played by the luscious Yuko Mizono). Soon they are married, and Kuda is welcomed into Ho Tao’s family. However, it is not long before the servants complain that she practices Karate all day, usually resulting in the loss of some expensive household items. It isn’t long before the playful Kuda challenges her husband’s martial arts. This sparks a rivalry between the two, which pits Ho Tao’s Kung Fu against Kuda’s Karate skills. Ho Tao wins out every time and brags about how superior his martial arts are. The proud Kuda finally beats Ho Tao using the deceptive techniques of the Ninjas. This upsets her husband who accuses the Ninja as being dishonorable murderers. Kuda takes this as an insult, and leaves him to return home to Japan.

With his wife gone, Ho Tao realizes how much Kuda meant to him. One of his servants notices Ho Tao in a state of depression and formulates a plan to win her back. They write a letter challenging her to return and face her husband in a battle of Kung Fu vs. Ninjitsu, and send it to Japan. The letter arrives there, but falls into the hands of Kuda’s master, Sanzo (Kurata) who takes Ho Tao’s message as a challenge to all Japan. Sanzo recruits the services of his fellow martial artists, who make the long trek to China to face Ho Tao. When they arrive, Sanzo seeks out Ho Tao and informs him that every 24 hours, he will send one of his Japanese martial artists after him. Ho Tao agrees to the terms (to save face), but he is really concerned about it, as these Japanese masters have studied Kung Fu and have been specially trained to beat Kung Fu practitioners. After witnessing a drunken Kung Fu master on a binge, Ho Tao realizes that he must study Drunken Boxing to retain the upper hand. But can Ho Tao’s newly acquired Drunken Boxing skills be enough to beat these masters of the Samurai, Karate, Judo, and Ninjitsu?

Rumor has it that Shaw Brothers producer Mona Fong was so entrenched in her own ego, that she forbid the Shaw Brothers filmmakers like Chang Cheh from portraying females as heroic figures or positive role models. To showcase the martial arts skills of an actress would be to empower her, and threaten Mona Fong’s position in the company. Looking back at the Shaw Brothers cannon, no films come to mind that show that women can kick ass equal to their male counterparts. Most of the Shaw Bros efforts, like the popular Venoms films, portray women only as victims. Meanwhile, outside of the Shaw Brothers sphere of influence, independent films were showcasing the talents of Angela Mao, Lily Li, and other Kung Fu vixens. However, director Chia Liang Liu apparently butted heads with Mona Fong on several occasions over the portrayal of women in these films. The success of Chia Liang Liu’s 1978 martial arts epic, SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA hinges on the believability of a strong female character in a lead role, which was filled by Yuka Mizuno. Perhaps Mona Fong allowed her to participate because she was a foreigner, and not someone inside the Hong Kong film industry. So, Yuka Mizuno is perhaps the first actress to carry the lead torch in the Mona Fong era.

The most entertaining part of SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA is when Gordon Liu and Yuka Mizuno debate the pros and cons of each other’s martial arts disciplines. She produces the actual Ninjitsu weaponry, and he shows her the Chinese Kung Fu equivalent of each weapon. When Ho Tao prepares to face the Japanese experts, Kuda warns her husband of the strengths and weaknesses of each Japanese fighting style. Then we get to see Japanese nunchuks vs. Chinese three-sectional staff, Samurai sword technique vs. Chinese sword stance, Karate and Judo vs. Drunken Boxing, etc. Since this is a Chinese production, the Kung Fu usually wins out in each competition, but certainly not in every conflict. This is where Chia Liang Liu’s martial arts choreography really shows its brilliance in accurately depicting the Japanese and Chinese styles; he must have done a lost of research to be able to faithfully reproduce the Japanese martial arts skills such as Judo, Ninjitsu, Karate, etc. Another interesting aspect to the Japanese Vs. Chinese angle, is that since the Japanese are not perceived as evil, there is no hate or vengeance in any of these fights. It’s all about honor to these men.

The plot of SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA seems straightforward enough on the surface, but Chia Liang Liu’s decision to portray Japanese and Chinese martial artists as people with honor and integrity adds another layer of believability to the script. SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA is not just another violent martial arts film, and preaches peace to both the Japanese and Chinese. This creates some wonderful acting opportunities for the cast, mainly Gordon Liu, one of the leading martial arts stars who can provide depth to even the most one dimensional character. Yuka Mizuno was obviously hired for her Japanese martial arts skills, but lo and behold--she can act! Mizuno upstages Gordon Liu in many scenes, and together they make for the most memorable martial arts couple in Hong Kong cinema. Yasuaki Kurata gets to play an honorable Japanese warrior this time out, even though he is the source of the conflict. SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA also features Norman (HEAVEN SWORD AND DRAGON CHAMBER) Chu as one of Gordon Liu’s comrades. Wilson (DIRTY KUNG FU) Tong cameos as a Chinese martial artist. Simon Yuen usually plays the old master in films like DRUNKEN MASTER, but here he plays Gordon Liu’s sober bald-headed master. Chia Liang Liu himself cameos as a tattered old drunken master who inspires Gordon Liu’s character.

SIGHT
Like all Shaw Brothers films, SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA was released theatrically in Shawscope (2.35.1). Unfortunately, unlike the widescreen DIRTY HO, Ground Zero was unable to secure a widescreen video master (as no such master exists), and the film is shown matted at 1.33.1. The source print used for the transfer is surprisingly free from scratches and blemishes, but displays muted colors and a slight softness. This transfer is exactly in the same vein as CHINESE SUPER NINJAS, so if you’ve seen that disc, you know what to expect here. The framing for the fight choreography is adequate, though the Shaw Brothers production design certainly takes a hit with the cropping. The actors all appear within the frame and there is no phantom dialog. The black levels in the image are solid. The detail level is affected by the softness, so even if you read Chinese, don’t expect to read any signs. Ground Zero has done a decent job with the dated source materials on hand.

SOUND
Ground Zero delivers another Dolby Digital Mono 2.0 soundtrack that is clean, loud, and free from analog hiss (which usually plagues videotape). SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA is a virtual showcase of ancient Japanese and Chinese weaponry, and the sound field resonates with the respective clanging of staffs, swords, nunchuks, daggers, etc. If you have a favorite martial arts weapon, you’ll see it in this film. The English-dubbed dialog is performed by the same group of people, except for the actress who provides the vocals for Kuda. Her voice is very sweet in contrast to her deadly abilities. The dialog is clear and natural, except for when Gordon Liu and Yuka Mizuno compare weapons. I couldn’t quite clearly make out the descriptions, but this is more attributable to the dubbing rather than the audio elements. Chen Yung Yu is one of the Shaw Brothers best composers, and scored many of the best Venoms films. But his contributions to SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA are restrained at best. Except for the wedding scene, the music in the film does not leave a lasting impression. Not that the music is bad, its just that Chia Liang Liu uses it sparingly.

FEATURES
The disc contains Talent Bios for Gordon Liu, Yasuaki Kurata, and Chia Liang Liu. These Bios include a mug shot and an extensive filmography for each individual. There are also 14 minutes of additional fight footage in the form of clips from RETURN OF THE MASTER KILLER (8:22) and CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS (5:20) that further showcase the fight choreography of Chia Liang Liu. This additional footage comprise some of the best fights from each film, and in the case of RETURN OF THE MASTER KILLER, the entire concluding battle sequence. Both clips are shown full frame from serviceable prints.

CONCLUSION
While SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA is not as satisfying as Chia Liang Liu’s classic, MASTER KILLER, it successfully charts new ground in Hong Kong film industry. The movie breaks the cycle of portraying the Japanese as ruthless killers, and proves that women can carry a studio production, and that some (like Yuka Mizuno) can even hang with the big boys. SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA proves that Chia Liang Liu was a revolutionary director, and further cements his reputation as one of the greatest directors in the history of Kung Fu cinema. Besides the great direction, the scripting and cast all come together to make SHAOLIN CHALLENGES NINJA something truly special. The good news is that Ground Zero has delivered this rarity to the masses, with pleasing presentation, extras, and DVD authoring. The bad news is you’ll have to tolerate the full frame presentation, which is a shame since other Shaw Bros. DVDS like DIRTY HO and KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARM are widescreen. But fans of these old school films know (and accept) that widescreen prints for these films are non-existent.