Jackie Chan seemed almost fitted for his own kids show.
While the international action movie star was in fact known for a slew of iconic action movies that continue to win the hearts of movie buffs to this day, Jackie Chan’s methods were so much more different than Bruce Lee’s. By the mid-nineties Jackie Chan was no longer just an Asian action movie icon, becoming an international movie icon, coming to America with his Rumble in the Bronx. Before we knew it he had teamed up with American comedy star Chris Tucker in the hit action comedy series Rush Hour.
To tap his ever-rising popularity, the WB network eventually gave him his own animated series for kids and, unlike other action stars, it seemed like a natural fit that wouldn’t alienate any of the fan base.
You see, Chan’s maneuvers are basically reliant on being on the offensive, where he not only didn’t often hit his enemies, but used props around him to turn into weapons. While someone like Jet Li would kick and punch, Chan would find ways to avoid getting hit and, if given something like a chair or an umbrella, he would use it to defeat the deadliest villain imaginable.
In the past, Chuck Norris garnered his own cartoon in spite of his hyper violent movies, Rambo starred in his own series in spite of his hyper violent movies, Conan had his own series in spite of his violent films, and heck, even Robocop garnered an animated series in spite of originating from a movie that was once X-Rated.
Basing a show on a hero that avoided getting hit as well as avoiding actually hitting his enemies was a breath of fresh air, and it seemed like Saturday morning kismet. Jackie Chan was a change of pace from the usual action hero who relied on evasion to survive and made running away seem dignified, proving there’s no shame in running away from fights sometimes.
This is basically the same reason he was cast as the new Miyagi for the 2010 remake of Karate Kid. In the centerpiece of the film, the new Miyagi manages beat up a group of preteen bullies without ever actually hitting them. It’s good for the kids to emulate. In a few episodes of the animated series, “Uncle Chan” even helps his young niece Jade learn how to deal with bullies without resorting to terrible violence that will help no one in the long run.
The Jackie Chan Adventures was a vehicle for Chan to improve his fan base, but the show was also (thankfully) a quality animated series based mainly around comedy with a healthy dose of action, adventure and fantasy to accompany Chan’s presence. The new vehicle paid off, too, with a series that lasted five whole seasons on the WB Saturday morning line-up and then flourished in syndication.
Rather than enlist Chan as a movie star, Chan was instead cast as an archaeologist in his new series. Sort of an under-appreciated Indiana Jones, he spends most of his time looking for artifacts while avoiding evil organizations trying to steal them out from under him. Chan is a bachelor who spends most of his days surviving danger by the skin of his teeth and hilariously delivers his own catch phrases like “Bad Day! Bad Day! Bad Day!” or “I’ll give it back later, thank you!”
He works for his crusty old uncle in an antique shop, and their world is rattled when Jackie is asked to care for his rebellious young niece Jade for the summer to help quell her mischief and attitude. When Jackie is recruited by Section 13 to retrieve twelve magic talismans before an evil serpent named Shendu does, Jackie has to race against time to gather the artifacts while also attending to Jade who not only loves the thrill of the adventure, but has a large rebellious streak.
The series found ways to re-invent itself over the course of its 95 episode run, and created some interesting ideas and hilarious characters. Enemies like the giant sumo thug Tohru became an ally and gentle giant friend to Jade, Jackie garnered a love interest in an international thief named Viper, and the cast of heroes expanded in to what Jade coined as “The J Team” consisting of Viper, Jackie, Tohru, Jade, and a Mexican Wrestler named El Toro and his protege Paco.
There were also clever references to Chan himself as one episode sees Chan fighting drunken style, and some episodes garnered spoof tiles like “Project A, For Astral” a la “Project A” and “Rumble in the Big House” a la “Rumble in the Bronx.”
James Sie took on the role of Jackie Chan and did a marvelous job, channeling Chan’s playful but fierce nature. And while Jackie Chan didn’t actually play himself in the show, it didn’t stop the producers from casting a slew of notable and seasoned Asian actors from playing key roles throughout the series. Sab Shimono is a scene stealer as the wise Uncle who practices his magic throughout the series, James Hong was great as the series’ third villain Dalong Wong who posed a threat against the Uncle, and Amy Hill as the eccentric mother of the lovable giant Tohru was hilarious in her rivalry against Uncle. Plus in one of many time shifting episodes, Lucy Liu guest stars as future Jade to fill her in on what she can expect in the field of fighting evil.
Inevitably, the show drew to a close in 2005 and left behind a really raucous vehicle that Chan’s fan base and cartoon lovers could enjoy. It’s still a darn entertaining animated action series, the kind that the WB (unfortunately) really doesn’t aim for anymore.
