Bruce Lee Finally Gets His Own Anime Series With House Of Lee
It’s been 50 years since Enter the Dragon, a movie that propelled Bruce Lee to international stardom and made him one of the most recognizable martial artists in the history of film, dropped on silver screens. To commemorate such a milestone, Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, has revealed a new anime series, House of Lee, the first ever Bruce Lee anime project, which is expected to premiere in 2024.
According to Deadline, Enter the Dragon’s 50 anniversary will be marked with a special 4k UltraHD screening of 1973’s martial arts classic, which will be held in over 650 theaters on August 13 and 16. The screening will also include the trailer for the Bruce Lee anime project, which is the first of its kind.
The idea for the show was inspired by one of Lee’s memorable quotes, which says that “Those who are unaware they’re walking in darkness will never seek the light.”
Yes, the massive and increasingly popular world of anime has tons of characters inspired by Bruce Lee, but we have yet to encounter an anime title that features the legendary martial artist himself.
The Bruce Lee anime project, House of Lee, is described as an action/fantasy anime series in which the legendary martial artist assembles a team of Dragon Warriors to prevent the world from descending into “darkness and shadow.” Reportedly, the idea for the show was inspired by one of Lee’s memorable quotes, which says that “Those who are unaware they’re walking in darkness will never seek the light.”
It’s no secret that Bruce Lee Entertainment has been looking for a suitable partner to develop the Bruce Lee anime with for years now. According to Shannon Lee, anime is the perfect medium for telling a truly creative story in which Bruce Lee can be Bruce Lee, further expressing her own excitement over the possibility of action, fantasy, history, culture, and creativity the medium can provide.
The suggestion for making a Bruce Lee anime as a series about the Lee family legacy resonated with Emily Yang due to the show’s narrative touching upon the themes of spirituality, inner struggle, and the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander, outdated term) experience.
Lee picked Shibuya as a partner after seeing its White Rabbit anime short, co-created by artist Emily Yang, and the recommendation of Dennis Chang, Managing Partner of Bruce Lee, LLC.
The suggestion for making a Bruce Lee anime as a series about the Lee family legacy resonated with Emily Yang due to the show’s narrative touching upon the themes of spirituality, inner struggle, and the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander, outdated term) experience.
Shibuya prides itself on producing art while placing the creative controls and ownership at the hands of the IP owners—in this case, Shannon Lee—thus excluding the unnecessary and inaccurate writing that might affect the IP in an adverse manner.
Enter The Dragon
Apart from the Bruce Lee anime project, Enter the Dragon sees Lee as a martial arts student recruited by an intelligence agency to participate in a brutal tournament at a remote island fortress as a cover for the attempt to gather enough evidence to convict the international drug lord. This classic martial arts flick features a well-known scene in which the opposing fighters fight through a mirrored maze.
Furthermore, though they weren’t credited at the time, both Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan starred in Enter the Dragon.
The cultural significance of Enter the Dragon can’t be understated; Hollywood’s first kung-fu film gave birth to an entire genre, and its meticulously choreographed scenes continue to influence martial artists and actors to this day.
Its repeated screening in UHD resolution is something Bruce Lee fans shouldn’t miss. However, those wanting to see the Bruce Lee anime will have to wait a few months for the project to officially release as it has a premier date set sometime in 2024.
