Karate Kiba


Karate Kiba or Bodyguard Kiba is a martial-arts film starring Sonny Chiba, released in 1973 and based on an action manga by Ikki Kajiwara.
A recut version was released in the U.S. in 1976 as The Bodyguard, with added footage in the first ten minutes of the film.
There were three more film adaptations released in 1993,, and by Takashi Miike at the beginning of his career.

Plot summary

"Karate master and anti-drug vigilante Chiba returns to his home in Japan, where he holds a press conference announcing his intention to wipe out the nation's drug industry. He also offers his services as a bodyguard to anyone who is willing to come forward and provide information about the drug lords' activities. He is soon approached by a mysterious woman claiming to have important information and asking for Chiba's protection. She seems to be legitimate, but is she really what she appears to be?"

In popular culture

The American version of the film opens with a quotation:
An altered version of the same passage, complete with erroneous attribution to Ezekiel by the character of Jules Winnfield, appears in Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction.

Home media

On November 20, 2007, BCI Eclipse released the film in their Sonny Chiba Collection DVD set, which also includes , The Bullet Train, Dragon Princess, Karate Warriors, and Sister Street Fighter.