ShootFighter Tekken: Round 1

Trained by his father in the deadly, secret Nanshin Shadow Style, Kiichi Miyazawa is the "star" of this laughably bad martial arts anime that finds father and son crossing paths with pro wrestler Iron Kiba, who once fought the senior Miyazawa in an attempt to prove that pro wrestling is the ultimate martial art (sounds like a doomed quest to me). When Kiba demands a rematch, and Mr. Miyazawa declines, the hotheaded Kiichi accepts, first working his way through a couple of Kiba's lackeys. The fights, which are the show's main point, are quite bloody (earning the disc's 16-up age rating), but the stiff animation drains them of any drama or excitement. In addition, the story is badly plotted and poorly written, the character designs are ugly, and the whole mess is topped off by the totally gratuitous appearance of a topless woman (all of which makes the short running time on this dual-language disc something of a blessing). Round 2 and Round 3 are also available, with all three boxed together in ShootFighter Tekken: The Tough DVD Collection set, priced at $49.99. Not recommended. Aud: P. (S. Raiteri)