Chinese Hero
Encyclopedia
Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword is a wuxia
manhua
series created by Hong Kong
artist Ma Wing-shing. It is also referred to as Blood Sword, Blood Sword Dynasty, A Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword and A Man Called Hero.
's most popular artist at that time. The story was an immediate hit selling 45,000 copies when first released. At the peak of its popularity, sales hit peaks of 200,000 copies. It is famous for having characters that are physically imperfect, such as missing an eye or limb for the sake to express the realism that real life people are not perfect.
who murdered his family, Wah Ying-hung (aka Hero Hua) flees to America
to start a new life. Throughout his adventures in America, he meets new friends such Ghostserver and Gold Dragon and gradually becomes a powerful martial arts
master. Once in Chicago
, Wah is up against gang wars, murder, treachery and racial discrimination.
It then later became its own separate manhua. The first issue of the Chinese Hero periodical was published in 1982
under the title The Blood Sword, which was criticised for its poor translation. Jademan later published a second series entitled Blood Sword Dynasty which followed the adventures of the Hero's son, Kim-hung (aka Sword). By 1989, Ma Wing-shing left Jademan.
The Chinese manhua Blood Sword Dynasty is part of the same series as Chinese Hero and not a spin-off
. Despite its popularity, the series was eventually canceled in 1993.
s.
The reprints at the point of volume 8 do not extend beyond the original plot of the original Jademan comics.
starred as Wah Ying-hung in a 1999
Hong Kong
film called A Man Called Hero
that was directed by Andrew Lau
. Although the plot differed largely from the original story, the film was popular and became the highest grossing Hong Kong film up to that time.
A video game based on the manhua was produced by Acebrock. The game was initially scheduled to be released in both Chinese and English on the PC platform. Although the game shared the same English title as the film, it remained faithful to the original story as opposed to the changes introduced in the film. As of 2007, Acebrock fell through and the game existed in either scrap or beta form only.
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
manhua
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
series created by Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
artist Ma Wing-shing. It is also referred to as Blood Sword, Blood Sword Dynasty, A Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword and A Man Called Hero.
Background
The artwork and drawing style of Chinese Hero is responsible for the modern day characteristics of manhua. It was a breakthrough in terms of using high levels of details, realistic style, clear cut action scenes and skillful use of color in combination with an engrossing plot. The manhua turned the artist from rags to riches. Ma Wing-shing became Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
's most popular artist at that time. The story was an immediate hit selling 45,000 copies when first released. At the peak of its popularity, sales hit peaks of 200,000 copies. It is famous for having characters that are physically imperfect, such as missing an eye or limb for the sake to express the realism that real life people are not perfect.
Plot
After seeking vengeance on the WesternersCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
who murdered his family, Wah Ying-hung (aka Hero Hua) flees to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to start a new life. Throughout his adventures in America, he meets new friends such Ghostserver and Gold Dragon and gradually becomes a powerful martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
master. Once in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Wah is up against gang wars, murder, treachery and racial discrimination.
Original release
Chinese Hero was first published in Golden Daily in 1980 and was a supplement to Wong Yuk-long's Drunken MasterDrunken Master
Drunken Master, also known as Drunk Monkey In The Tiger's Eye, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang Lee...
It then later became its own separate manhua. The first issue of the Chinese Hero periodical was published in 1982
Jademan comic releases
In late 1988, Jademan started publishing Chinese Hero in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
under the title The Blood Sword, which was criticised for its poor translation. Jademan later published a second series entitled Blood Sword Dynasty which followed the adventures of the Hero's son, Kim-hung (aka Sword). By 1989, Ma Wing-shing left Jademan.
The Chinese manhua Blood Sword Dynasty is part of the same series as Chinese Hero and not a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
. Despite its popularity, the series was eventually canceled in 1993.
DrMaster releases
In October 2006, publishers DrMaster announced that they were planning to release a new English translation of Chinese Hero. These new releases included an all new English translation as well as new digital re-coloration. The re-release started from the beginning of the second series, with the plot alteration of Hero's parents being murdered by a "rival martial arts clan" instead of Westerners in the original version, due to the first series use of anti-Western sentimentAnti-Western sentiment
Anti-Western sentiment refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, or governments in the western world. In many cases the United States, Israël and the United Kingdom are the subject of discussion or hostility...
s.
The reprints at the point of volume 8 do not extend beyond the original plot of the original Jademan comics.
Collections
The collections are:- Chinese Hero:
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 1 (April 2007, 260 pages, ISBN 1597960411)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 2 (September 2007, 260 pages, ISBN 1597961167)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 3 (August 2007, 280 pages, ISBN 1597961175)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 4 (November 2007, 280 pages, ISBN 1597961183)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 5 (February 2008, 240 pages, ISBN 1597961248)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 6 (May 2008, 224 pages, ISBN 1597961310)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 7 (August 2008, 224 pages, ISBN 1597961485)
- Tales of the Blood Sword volume 8 (November 2008, 224 pages, ISBN 1597961493)
Television
| Year | Region | Wah Ying-hung | Title | No. of episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Hong Kong | Kenny Ho Kenny Ho (actor) Kenny Ho Ka-King is a Hong Kong actor who is best known for his role as Zhan Zhao in the 1993 Taiwanese drama Justice Bao.-Career:Ho enrolled in the ATV's training institute in 1982 and officially became an ATV actor after signing a contract with the company the following year... |
The Blood Sword | 25 |
| 2005 | Taiwan | Peter Ho Peter Ho Peter Ho Jun-tung is an American-Taiwanese singer and actor. Ho was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Taiwan and Canada... |
The Legend of Hero The Legend of Hero The Legend of Hero is a 2005 Taiwanese television series adapted from the Hong Kong manhua series Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword by Ma Wing-shing. The series was produced by Yang Pei-pei and starred Peter Ho and Ady An in the leading roles.... |
40 |
Films
Ekin ChengEkin Cheng
Ekin Cheng is a Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer. Early in his career he used the name Dior as a first name. He has also been referred to as Noodle Cheng, after a popular noodle product with a similar name...
starred as Wah Ying-hung in a 1999
Hong Kong films of 1999
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1999:.-1999:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1999 at...
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
film called A Man Called Hero
A Man Called Hero
A Man Called Hero is a 1999 Hong Kong film based on the manhua series Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword by artist Ma Wing-shing. Directed by Andrew Lau, the film starred Ekin Cheng, Shu Qi, Kristy Yang, Nicholas Tse and Yuen Biao. The film's theme song Tin Sat Ku Hsing was performed by Ekin...
that was directed by Andrew Lau
Andrew Lau
Andrew Lau Wai-Keung is a Hong Kong cinematographer and filmmaker. Lau began his career in the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a cinematographer to filmmakers such as Ringo Lam, Wong Jing and Wong Kar-wai. In the 1990s, Lau decided to have more creative freedom as a cinematographer by becoming a film...
. Although the plot differed largely from the original story, the film was popular and became the highest grossing Hong Kong film up to that time.
Video game