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Henry Sanada
What it did for his career
Not much, considering that he uses kicks about 50% of the time, though his aren't as devastating as others, his intensity really makes them work. Like Sonny Chiba's kicks, it's what he puts behind them (attitude) that make them more deadly. Though Roaring Fire was far from an excellent film, it showcased a lot of his kicking (and natural) ability. Shogun's Ninja was a much better vehicle for him and really showed the depth of his acting abilities, whereas Ninja in the Dragon's Den helped him reach a much wider audience.Some of his best work
Total = 28 points
Jet Li
What it did for his career
"Croughing Tiger, Hidden Wires". Not really an excellent kicker, but he can surely get his point across. Loses points on the "Wire-work", but is probably the best we have in the kung-fu department now. His boyish charm reminds me of Fu Sheng, his fists like Bruce, movement like Jackie, and his feet like Billy Chong (ok, not that good).Yet, with all this talent, they still feel the need to add the wires to make him look like an airplane. His talent is such that he doesn't need these things to make him look good. Take the movie The Hitman, an excellent film to showcase his "Ground-work" (No wires), and he looked excellent doing so. This is the type of film he should be doing as he'd gain even more fans this way.
Some of his best work
Total = 34 points
John Liu
What it did for his career
I can't lie, though he has goods, he doesn't possess the total package. Leans to much when he kicks and it looks as if he's straining to get them out there when we know he isn't. This only makes his kicking look stiff and he holds them at the end, like someones taking pictures. He has great flexibility, but when he kicks, it looks like he over-stretched, which can take away from the beauty of his kicks.Still, he's one of the genre's best when it comes to kicking ability. Paired against Wang Jang-Li, you can see the difference and they starred in a number of films together. Though both have smooth kicks, Liu seems to try to hard to "sell" his, when Wang Jang-Li, simply lets them flow.
Some of his best work
Total = 37 points
Kam Kong
What it did for his career
Having trained with Tan Tao-Liang, you'd think that he would have picked up some serious legwork. But from all of the movies I've seen him in Kicking seems to be the last thing on his mind. Big in stature, if he had mastered the art of kicking , they probably would have had to use a Wide-angle lense for all of his shots. As a villain, better kicking skills would have increased his star power.Some of his best work
Total = 18 points
Kent Lo
What it did for his career
Tremendously. After the success of Drunken Master-2, everyone wanted to see more of him. Movies like A Kickboxer's Tears did less for him and more for Moon Lee (hi sister in the film), who has to avenge his death by fighting Billy Chow. A former Thai-Boxing Champion and Jackie Chan's personal bodyguard, it was Chan who decided to use his ability to make his own (abilities) shine by fighting against him. Since his time in the limelight, he has yet to do anything to equal his DM-2 moves, but with his natural ability (minus the strings), his best days may still be ahead of him.Some of his best work
Total = 30 points
Kim Tai-Chung
What it did for his career
Greatly. This Korean powerhouse was chosen to be the "double" for the Bruce Lee in. After Lee's death, his movie that was in production - Game of Death, was shelved until they could find a look-a-like with similiar moves. Enter this man. With the type of kicking ability to hang with Wang Jang-Li, his kicks spoke volumes, to the extent that their battle in Tower of Death (Game of Death-2), earned the film "Best Fight Scene" in 1981.The flashback fight scene against Cassanova Wong was good too, though Wong easliy outclassed him. Yet, his work in the horribly spiced together version of "Game of Death", set the tone for excellent work, his lack of film roles quickly saw his career flash before our eyes like one of his Hook Kicks.
Some of his best work
Total = 30 points
Kwan Yung-Moon
What it did for his career
Definitely one of the better kickers around. This Korean kicking machine has some excellent kicks and leg control to match. Most of the movies he plays in usually show his mastery of Leg fighting in very good fashion. But, given his disposition (doesn't have a Hero's face), he could fit in well with Kung Fu's best villains.Another Samo Hung discover, he started getting his best notices by starring in films helmed by Liu Chia-Liang, two of the best being My Young Auntie and Return of the Master Killer. I really liked him in the excellent Rebellious Reign, where he really had to put those fast feet into action.
Some of his best work
Total = 35 points
Li Chun-Kun
What it did for his career
Not much. Outside of the good showings he made in films like Thunderkick and The Chinese Tiger, though he has starred in a number of films, they just don't do him much justice. Though he was one of the highest ranking Black Belt in films, during the early 1973, it didn't really show in his movies or his movement.He seemed a bit sluggish and out of place in movies like Bruce Li, in New Guinea and 10 Tigers of Shaolin. His kicks seemed good, but not to the point of overwhelming, for I guess people would think that if he was a high ranking Black belt, should he have a higher skill level?
Some of his best work
Total = 25 points
Sun Chien
What it did for his career
If Chen Sing's Side Kicks remind me of Jim Kellys', then Sun Chien's kicks definitely remind me of John Liu's. Leaning, stiffly to the side, almost forcing the leg out, he really needed to relax more. Though, he was flexible (aren't the all), he couldn't use his Kicking skills to their full potential. Even Lo Mang's kicks looked just as good in the Roar of the Lion.In the Chinatown kid, (I know he was starting out), he had that stiff-lean when he kicked, the he showed it again in the Crippled Avengers. He opened up more in the Kid with the Golden Arm, but still same problem. What I think it is , is that when he and John Liu kick, they seem to be "Posing", and that takes alot from their kicking ability.
Some of his best work
Total = 28 points
Tan Tao-Liang
What it did for his career
You have to ask ?? This man is one of the first names to pop into people's minds when they think about Kickers - Period! The things that he can do with that Left-Leg has let people in awe for years. His little Hopping-in-Kick that he does was invented by him during his stint of Tournament fighting (to allow the judges to see he made contact. This went over tremendously with his fans and became one of his Trademark kicks.In the opening sequence of the film The Hot, The Cool, & The Vicious, we see him pumping out kicks as easy as pumping gas. His kicks are precise & accurate, and they never fail to delight. He has even been called "Flash Legs" after his film Shaolin Deadly Kicks and believe me, no one is more deserving of this title.
Some of his best work
Total = 39 points
Tiger Yang
What it did for his career
Not much. Though he also has the goods, he just never really reached his full potential as a Leg Fighter. He has starred in ome pretty good movies that have shown his kicks at their best Little Mad Guy and 2 Wondrous Tigers, but they don't give us the type of kicks we know that this man was capable of. His best film was probably the classic Warriors 2, where he went up against another Leg-meister - Cassanova Wong.His presence as a villain has always overshadowed his kicking abilities, only because you can get away with making faces, but when you have to put those feet into motion, well, that's another story. His kicks seemed stiffer than they were because of him trying to tense up for that muscular-effect when kicking, than just letting those legs go and do their thing.
Some of his best work
Total = 30 points
Wang Jang-Li
What it did for his career
Let me put it like this, there are Leg Fighters, and then there's this man. Even if you didn't know his name, you'd know his work. Without a doubt the best screen villain to ever grace a kung-fu screen. And to say that this man "Kicks Ass", would be an understatement. The true "Lord of the Legs" if there ever was one, he makes use of all his kicking abilities when on the screen.Though it's easy to fake kicks (and ability) nowadays with wires, he has built-in abilities that you just can't hide (unless you're looking at one of his films. He put out an instructional tape in the 70's, and the kicks he showed on this tape alone puts a lot of his competition (in the movie business) to shame.
Some of his best work
Total = 40 points
Wang Lung-Wei
What it did for his career
Like Bruce Liang, he's a bit stocky, but that hasn't stopped him from winning legions of fans with his kicking ability. He fight against Gordon Liu at the end of Instructors of Death, had people talking about that scene for years. Then in the film 2 Toothless Tigers, he showed the type of intensity that secures you a place on everyone's list of the best kickers.Movies like To Kill a Mastermind and the awesome Fearless Dragons showed his abilities in great fashion and what he was really capable of doing once unleashed. Yet, when he went up again Yuan Te in the Shaw classic 3 Evil Masters, he showed us just how far a great pair of legs will take you.
Some of his best work
Total = 37 points
Whang In-Sik
What it did for his career
Coming from a Kicking art - "Hapkido", his kicks seemed stiff in Way of the Dragon, but let's not forget that was a Bruce Lee film. After that, though, he seemed to just take off. His kicks are undoubtedly some of the best in the business. In The Young Master, once he started kicking, you wonder how in the hell Jackie Chan was going to beat him.I was disapponted that he didn't share a fight with Kwon Yung-moon in the film Dragon Lord, but delighted when he had to battle Billy Chong in A Fist Full of Talons. An excellent villain with excellent kicking abilities and timing. Movies like Hapikdo and Sting of the Dragon Masters really helped to launch his star. He give more excitement to the film Bruce Lee & I and The Tournament. Definitely one of the best.
Some of his best work
Total = 38 points
Yasuaki Kurata
What it did for his career
In the early 70's he was the Top Japanese actors starring in Kung Fu movies. He actually, probably help Sonny Chiba's chances as a up and coming stars of Martial Arts films. His kicks were his mainstay when he started working at Shaw Bros. His films with good friend Bruce Liang are usually top knotch kick-fests that show how well these two buddies blend together.If you've never seen the movie Call Me Dragon, then you'd be missing probably his best Leg work. Though his Leg work was never truly exploited at Shaw Bros', he has the type of kicks that will stand the test of time. Look at him going up against Jet Li in Fists of Legends. Though he's getting up in age, his kicks speak for themselves.
Some of his best work
Total = 31 points
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