Animationis a medium that lends itself to almost every genre, and when it comes to action, specifically kung fu movies, the possibilities for animators are endless.In animated films, the laws of physics and the boundaries of the natural world can be pushedto create even more incredible feats than those seen in live-action. While themartial arts styles of old-school kung fu moviesinform how animators create their models and character designs, they also get to try new techniques. However, all the best animated kung fu movies pay tribute to the influence of the original cinematic works.
The best kung fu movie stars of all timehave been inspirational in creating many animated characters who bring the genre to life through the medium.There are many martial arts styles, and depending on the region and period the movie is setin and the performer bringing the fight sequences to life, the kung fu seen on screen can vary. This is especially true in animation, as these projects tend to take liberties with the historical context to make the most entertaining possible film. However, accuracy isn’t why audiences return to these incredible movies again and again.
Mulan
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To save her father from death in the army, a young single woman secretly goes to replace him, wearing a disguise, and becomes one of China’s greatest heroes in the process.
It should be acknowledged thatMulanis highly Westernized and takes many liberties with the original legend, making it a flawed but well-loved part of the Disney Renaissance (viaBFI). With catchy songs and an empowering narrative,Mulantransports the viewer to Han China andsees its protagonist, Mulan, disguise herself as a man and join the Imperial Army to save her father.This was a distinctly progressive story for the late 1990s and saw Mulan train as a soldier learning martial arts.
Mulanis far from perfect, butit did achieve its goal of communicating to its young audience the power and strength women hold.This theme is present thanks to the strong characterization of Mulan. There are few iconic female kung fu heroes throughout cinema history, though thebest female-led martial arts moviesare some of the greatest in the genre. However, these films are typically too mature and violent for kids, and children should get to see heroes like Mulan on their screens.
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The Monkey King
Based on the classic Chinese storyJourney to the West, The Monkey King is an animated action-adventure comedy that retells the tale of the titular hero. Jimmy O. Yang stars as The Monkey King, traveling across ancient China to protect his homeland from various demons, gods, and creatures.
Netflix’s recent contribution to the animated kung fu genre,The Monkey King, incorporates elements of the iconic novelJourney to the Westand tells an updated version of the story of the legendary Monkey King. The titular character of the Monkey King, voiced by Jimmy O. Yang, is a flawed character.He seeks immortality and a place among the godsthroughout the story, but he fails to realize the importance of helping others and humility.
Though it has elements of contemporary humor and dialogue,The Monkey King’s narrative unfolds like a traditional fable, with a clear moral lesson waiting for the viewer at the story’s conclusion.
Though it has elements of contemporary humor and dialogue,The Monkey King’s narrative unfolds like a traditional fable, with a clear moral lesson waiting for the viewer at the story’s conclusion.The animation style ofThe Monkey Kingdoesn’t leave the viewer with a moment to catch their breath,always racing to the next scene, but this is in line with the relentless energy of the Monkey King himself. It’s impressive to see how skillfully the film translates the story for modern audiences.
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This iteration of the popular martial arts video game hit home with audiences
Street Fighter
Street Fighter is a long-running fighting game franchise developed by Capcom. It began with the arcade game Street Fighter in 1987, which introduced players to the concept of one-on-one fighting games. The franchise gained massive popularity with the release of Street Fighter II in 1991, setting the standard for future fighting games with its diverse cast of characters and special moves. Recently, the franchise has continued to thrive with the release of Street Fighter V in 2016 and Street Fighter 6 in 2023, along with web series like Street Fighter: Resurrection and upcoming film adaptations.
Street Fighter II: The Animated Moviebegins with a showdown between two martial artists, similar to the premise of the video game, but the rest of the movie expands the story and increases the stakes. Incorporating international agencies and crime rings,Street Fighter IIfollows the story of Ryu, the protagonist, who is targeted by a dangerous groupthat seeks to take him down. Throughout the narrative, many different types of fighters attempt to challenge Ryu, similar to the game, but none of them are able to match his skills.
The success of the film bolstered the popularity of the games, as the fighting techniques on display in the movie make the audience want to join in on the fun.
Like other movie adaptations of video games,Street Fighter II: The Animated Movieuses the world of the game and creates interesting new storiesbased on existing lore. The success of the film bolstered the popularity of the games, as the fighting techniques on display in the movie make the audience want to join in on the fun. Leaving off on a cliffhanger,Street Fighter II: The Animated Movieleft the door open for sequel films and games, cementing the franchise’s acclaim.
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A wandering ronin protects a young boy and his dog inSword of the Stranger,a fantastic samurai tale that punctuates its action-packed story with strong emotional beats. The protagonist, Nanashi, remembers nothing of his past but always keeps his sword sheathed because of a terrible trauma that haunts him. Despite this difficulty, Nanashi makes a capable bodyguard for Kotaro, an orphan who’s being hunted because he’s believed to be part of an ancient prophecy. The central dynamic between Nanashi and Kotaro is what keeps the narrative’s momentum going.
The final sword fight ofSword of the Strangeris one of the best in animation history, and the film’s story provides just as much emotional payoff as it does physical stakes during this scene.Sword of the Strangerunfolds beautifully, holding back enough information to keep the audience engageduntil the denouement. Additionally, watching Nanashi fight and defeat so many characters without his sword for much of the story makes the animation style dynamic and innovative.
Sword of the Stranger (2007)
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an animated film in the enduring action-comedy franchise. Directed by Jeff Rowe, the movie follows the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael—alongside their mentor Splinter, as they confront new adversaries and navigate their teenage years. The film combines humor and action while maintaining the core themes of the beloved series.
With a unique visual aesthetic and a hilarious voice cast, the newest animated movie in theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfranchise was a hit as soon as it premiered.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemis an exciting addition becauseit uses a style of animation that’s become popularized in the past few yearsthanks to projects likeSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This, along with the contemporary sensibilities of the film, helps it connect with modern audiences, especially those who weren’t previously familiar withTMNT.
The action and fight choreography are well executed but don’t depart from the genial and family-friendly tone of the project.
A box-office smash,the success with audiences isn’t the only reason thatMutant Mayhemwill stand the test of timein the animated kung fu genre. Recently, the film got its own spinoff series set in the same universe, and thevoice cast ofTales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesshares many of the great actors from the original movie. The action and fight choreography are well executed but don’t depart from the genial and family-friendly tone of the project.
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10 Best Animated Action Movies Ever Made
Animators have taken plenty of different approaches to action movies, choosing to make hyperrealistic works or creative, stylistic stories.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Kubo and the Two Strings is a stop-motion animation film from Laika that follows a young boy named Kubo who lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village. His life is suddenly turned upside down when a spirit from the past visits him and re-ignites an age-old vendetta. Now on the warpath of various gods and creatures, Kubo must locate a legendary suit of armor worn by his late father.
Stop-motion is one of the most labor-intensive niches of animation, but the payoff is incredible, as shown in the stunning visuals ofKubo and the Two Strings. Though it’s one of the most emotionally compelling animated martial arts movies, it can’t be ranked higher because it doesn’t include that much fighting. There are magic, action, and battle sequences, but they don’t rely on kung fu to exist. However,they’re clearly influenced by the movements and practice of martial arts, as is the film’s aesthetics.
This makesKubo and the Two Stringsgreat for younger audiences and filled with suspense that will thrill viewers new to the kung fu genre without being too scary.Kubo, the protagonist, tells stories of his father and mother’s epic love and battle against the moon king,and it’s here that techniques seen in live-action martial arts films are present. It’s a sentimental movie with a deep emotional impact, making it one of the best stop-motion movies to come out sinceCoraline.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
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10 Stunning Stop Motion Animation Movies (That Aren’t Horror)
Stop-motion is an underrated and gorgeous medium of animation, and though many of its films fall in the horror genre, plenty transcend it as well.
4Afro Samurai: Resurrection
An epic warrior must grapple with his past and family legacy in this TV series spinoff
The follow-up to the innovative anime seriesAfro Samurai,Afro Samurai: Resurrection, picks up with the protagonist, Afro Samurai, disillusioned with his life now that he has no opponentsto challenge him. In the original series, Afro seeks the number one headband, which the best fighter in the world wears, but now that he has it, he feels only apathy. However, this doesn’t stopAfro Samurai: Resurrectionfrom pushing Afro to his limit, fighting incredible warriors.
Samuel L. Jackson brings both Afro and Ninja Ninja to life with his voice acting, though Jackson is able to make each character completely unique.
Emotionally,Afro Samurai: Resurrectionis even more devastating than the TV seriesbecause it sees Afro truly accept the death of his father and face the fact that the violence of life is cyclical. Samuel L. Jackson brings both Afro and Ninja Ninja to life with his voice acting, though Jackson is able to make each character completely unique. Jackson is joined by Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill in the voice cast, making the film as star-studded as it is visually engaging.
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Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is an anime film directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. Set between episodes 22 and 23 of the Cowboy Bebop series, the crew of the spaceship Bebop hunts a terrorist planning to use a biological weapon on Mars. Featuring the voices of Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, and Melissa Fahn, the film blends science fiction with noir and western elements.
After the beloved series concluded, it made sense for Spike and the gang inCowboy Bebopto get one last ride and go out on an epic adventure. This resulted in the 2001Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, which incorporated the same level of action and gorgeous animation that viewers came to expect from the show.Spike, the protagonist, is the morally gray hero who gets some of his best action sequencesof the franchise in this movie.
Though it’s been attempted, a live-action version ofCowboy Bebophas never been successful, and this is because the way the characters move and interact with the world is so specific to animation. Spike doesn’t fight with a sword, like many famous martial arts heroes, but with a gun. However, this doesn’t make him any less capable and confident in hand-to-hand combat. Additionally,the neo-noir and Western aspects ofCowboy Bebopset it apart from any other martial arts movieor franchise in the genre.
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2Ninja Scroll (1993)
Set in Edo period Japan, Ninja Scroll is a visual triumph
As one of the most popular anime movies of the 1990s,Ninja Scrollhas been highly influential in both the live-action and animation fields of martial arts movies. Set during the Edo period in Japan,Ninja Scrollhasn’t reached the level of fame that similar works likeAkiraorGhost in the Shellhave, butfor fans of the genre,Ninja Scrollis essential viewing.While there’s plenty of plot andNinja Scrollprovides the necessary context for the political and cultural inner workings, the most important part of the project is inarguably the fantastic action sequences.
Ninja Scrolluses familiar tropes like the wandering warrior and intricate fighting techniques that cement it as a classic.
Ninja Scrollhas some dated elements, but no more than any other animated movie from the early ’90s. It stands out to this day because of how much it contributed to the popularization of adult animation. While some animated kung fu movies shine because they connect with children,Ninja Scrollstrikes a good balance of being digestible for slightly younger audiences while having the stakes and gore that adults are looking for.Ninja Scrolluses familiar tropes like the wandering warrior and intricate fighting techniques that cement it as a classic.
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The epic tales of the panda, Po, are told with a modern twist
Kung Fu Panda
The Kung Fu Panda franchise is a comedic martial arts adventure series centered around the unlikely hero Po, a clumsy panda who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. With a blend of humor, heart, and action, the franchise follows Po’s journey as he overcomes self-doubt and embraces his destiny as the Dragon Warrior.
Beginning in 2008 with the firstKung Fu Panda, the franchise has been one of the biggest successes for Dreamworks over the past decades.Kung Fu Pandaworks, and there’s hope for additional movies, even thoughKung Fu Panda 5is not confirmedyet because Po is such a relatable character. As a panda and a regular person,Po is an unexpected protagonist, but he communicates the essential theme of the movieto the audience: anyone can be a hero.
The juxtaposition of his unconventional style with the teachings of kung fu makes for a greatanimationstyle sinceKung Fu Pandahas the sense of humor that’s part of so many classic kung fu films. Though undeniably Westernized and meant for younger audiences,Kung Fu Pandapays tribute to its influences while telling stories that connect with contemporary viewers.It helps that Jack Black has brought Po to life with his voice acting since the beginning of the franchise, lending his comedic timing and warmth.
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