Thursday, May 28, 2009

Enterbay Bruce Lee as Kato Preview

Kato was the Green Hornet's assistant/sidekick and has been played by a number of actors. On radio, Kato was initially played by Raymond Hayashi, then Roland Parker and in the later years Mickey Tolan. Keye Luke took the role in the movie serials and in the television series it was handled by Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee's version is the one we all most remember. When I first heard that Enterbay was producing a 1/6 scale 12-inch Bruce Lee as Kato from "The Green Hornet", I was excited.

Now they have released pictures! Features will include: Authentic headsculpt likeness of Bruce Lee as Kato, Enterbay’s 360° Eye Ball System, Movie-accurate Kato outfit (2 different attire), 2 x hair styles (One for posing with hat and one for without hat), Removable as-seen-on screen Mask and old style chauffeur's hat, 2 x Kato Throwing Darts, 10 interchangeable hands (8 black gloved hands), New Original Action Body BL 3.5 (with improved leg joints), Bonus Paper Binocular (??), Figure Stand FS-200 (Full diecast metal and extra foldable base), Certificate of Authenticity Card and Exclusively Designed Premium Packaging Box Set (each edition comes with it’s own carry bag)

Kato was Britt Reid's valet, who doubled as The Green Hornet's unnamed, masked driver and sidekick to help him in his vigilante adventures.

When not doing any crime fighting, he was dressed in his casual attire

As Kato, he was dressed in chauffeur's outfit with hat and mask. Kato was a skilled driver, mechanic and fighter, with the creations of both the special automobile, the Black Beauty, and the Hornet's trademark sleeping gas and the gun that delivered it attributed to him.

In the television series he also became an expert in martial arts. It was due in part to Bruce Lee's portrayal of this character that martial arts became popular in the United States in the 1960s.

The Green Hornet's success in Hong Kong, where it was popularly known as "The Kato Show", led to Bruce Lee starring in the feature films that would make him a pop culture icon.

Bruce Lee so impressed the producers with his lightning-fast moves that he earned the role of Kato alongside Van Williams in the TV series The Green Hornet.

However, the show was surprisingly terminated after only one season (30 episodes), but by this time he was receiving more fan mail than the show's star.

Bruce Lee's Kato had him using green sleeve darts to give him a ranged attack he can use to counter enemies with guns long enough for him to close in to fight hand to hand.

Bruce Lee once said that he was selected for the role of Kato because he was the only Asian actor who could properly pronounce "Britt Reid". That and his KUNGFU!


Enterbay's 1/6 scale 12-inch Bruce Lee as Kato from The Green Hornet is really impressive and a MUST have, if not for the PRICE!!

Playing Mantis also released a Captain Action as Kato action figure some time back (link here for pictures) as well as The Green Hornet (pictures here). Pictures of Green Hornet and Kato here.


6 comments:

desmond said...

I am considering this piece :P How about you bro??

Dash MacBastard said...

Looks pretty cool. Wonder if Enterbay will make a Van Williams Green Hornet to go with Kato.

alex teo said...

also considering, desmond, price a bit steep leh :(

hey dash, rumor mill says "unlikely" because Van Williams Green Hornet wasn't as popular as Kato in this region. Even Medicom only released a RAH Kato but no Green Hornet. PLUS i believe Enterbay's banking on their hotseller Bruce Lee head sculpt to make the tills ring ;p

Dash MacBastard said...

LOL. I don't think Van Williams was as popular as Bruce Lee in our region either, Alex.

alex teo said...

HA! HA! dash, i didn't know that. thanks for clearing that up XD

Anonymous said...

This Kato comes with an innovation -- magnetic coupling at the skull.