When Japanese animation was making its presence known in North America, the shows and films were rarely subtitled. More often than not, they were butchered by overseas distributors and given truly terrible dubs that are still ridiculed to this day. But that was the 1970s through the 1990s, as nowadays, most anime is given a more proper treatment. Enter Run Tiger Run, directed by Stanley Tsang and Joey Zou and written by six different people, which seems to want to pick up the mantle of poor dubbing. Can the magical-tinged action flick overcome the dub to still be entertaining?
Tiger (Hayley Nelson) was raised by the Four Seas Travelguard Agency, where his parents worked before dying on the job. The 11-year-old spins yarns about the noblest and bravest of the travelguards, Master Yang (Todd Kuhns), and how he vanquished all foes and kept the delivery items in perfect condition. Then, due to several accidents, thanks in part to Tiger’s supernatural running speed, a very wealthy man hires Tiger specifically for a long delivery trip.
Said journey is full of bandits, treacherous mountain passes, and martial arts masters who will fight at the drop of a hat. So, in order to help the boy along the way, a party is assembled, including Master Yang, who is at his lowest, meaning Tiger is more of a nuisance to the wary man than anything else. Will Tiger learn his lessons and become the travelguard he was destined to be, or will his overeagerness prove his undoing?
“…thanks in part to Tiger’s supernatural running speed, a very wealthy man hires Tiger specifically for a long delivery trip.”
Let’s follow up on the dubbing of Run Tiger Run, as it is awful. Nelson sounds like a 60-year-old pretending to be a child as opposed to an actual child. Often, she’s too whiny and speaks too fast to give off the impression of this character being real. Kuhns isn’t much better, as his flat monotone is more “dull surprise” than intense brooding. Alex Ross, as Lord Black, seems to think a cackle in and of itself is menacing, which is not true. Unfortunately, no one in the voice cast comes across as authentic or real.
With that being said, there’s a lot to really enjoy about the film. For starters, the animation is excellent. Thankfully, the crew eschews the ultra-realism that seems to dominate the big studio animated fare, going for a cute, rounded design instead. Tiger is an adorable moppet, and the sense of speed given to him is impressive. Yang moves in a way that makes his martial arts move believable. The action is fluid and exceptionally exciting, in part due to the detailed backgrounds and all that happens in them.
Beyond the animation, Run Tiger Run works thanks to the character arcs. Yang’s reason for semi-retiring/vanishing is understandable, making his turnabout with Tiger sweet and heartfelt. Tiger learning the truth behind his family and what he’s made of is endearing, no matter how annoying his voice comes across. The side story involving an undefeated martial arts champion who can use magic is terrific fun and could be spun out into its own film.
If you can see Run Tiger Run in its original Japanese language with subtitles, do so, as it will be an enjoyable time. If you can only see the dub, then note that there’s a lot to really like and appreciate, but the English voices are not one of those things. All in all, this is an exciting romp with good animation, only hampered by one poor element; unfortunately, that one thing is a big part of the film.
"…an exciting romp with good animation..."
