It’s no coincidence that Rock Lee from Naruto shares similarities with Bruce Lee. The character is, after all, inspired by the latter (and he’s not the only one), so it’s nothing short of poetic that the martial arts legend has finally gotten his very own anime series.
Enter House of Lee, an action fantasy show that follows Lee as he assembles a team of warriors to prevent the world from plunging “too far into darkness and shadow”. As reported by Deadline, the story takes inspiration from a well-known Bruce Lee quote: “Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light.”
The first ever Bruce Lee anime series is created by his daughter, Shannon, in partnership with Shibuya, a content platform that assists artists in funding their films. Beijing-based studio Shockunit Studio will helm the animation, with a teaser trailer offering a first look at its impressive, stylish presentation.
“Anime is an amazing medium for telling a truly creative story where Bruce Lee can be Bruce Lee,” said Shannon Lee to Deadline. “I’m so excited for the possibilities for action, fantasy, history, culture, and creativity within this medium.”
The trailer will also be shown at the special 50th anniversary screenings of Bruce Lee’s classic film Enter the Dragon, held over 650 theatres across the U.S. from 13 to 16 August. In the movie, the martial artist, playing a martial arts student recruited by an intelligence agency, takes part in a brutal tournament at a remote island fortress and attempts to gather enough evidence to convict the international drug trafficker responsible for his sister.
House of Lee is releasing sometime in 2024.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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