When we look back at legendary actors across the decades, Bruce Lee is undoubtedly at the forefront of action cinema. Breaking down barriers for Asian Americans in Hollywood, since his passing Lee has remained an icon in the mixed martial arts sphere, so what better way to commemorate him than his own animated series?
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lee's iconic movie Enter the Dragon, his entertainment company, co-founded by his daughter Shannon Lee, has teased an upcoming anime series. If you're interested in harnessing your own creative power, our collection of the best animation books could help to sharpen your skills.
House of Lee is set to be an action/fantasy series, following Lee as he assembles his team of dragon warriors before the world is taken over by darkness. The series will debut in 2024, taking inspiration from Lee's words: "Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light.” The series aims to encapsulate the cultural and spiritual side of Lee's identity while celebrating the marital arts legacy that he has left behind.
"Anime is an amazing medium for telling a truly creative story where Bruce Lee can be Bruce Lee," says Shannon Lee to Deadline. As a creative medium, animation allows the team to encapsulate Lee's movement and spirit in a way that cameras can't replicate, celebrating his identity as more than just an action star.
The 30-second teaser has a very retro feel with muted colours and a thumping '80s-style soundtrack. There's even a hint at Lee transforming into a dragon, a fitting homage to his breakthrough Hollywood movie.
After being inspired by the short film White Rabbit, produced by the creative studio Shibuya, Shannon Lee reached out to its co-founder Emily Yang to collaborate on the project. “I found myself immediately resonating with the narrative as it touches on themes of spirituality" and "the battle against your inner demons", Yang told Deadline. So it seems that this collaboration will be a passion project, with Bruce Lee's fighting spirit at its core.
We're hyped for House of Lee, however not every new anime release has had such a positive reception, as was the case with this infuriating AI anime from Netflix. Either way, we can't wait to see what's next for this series and we're thrilled to see Bruce Lee back on our screens (especially in badass anime form).
