How to watch: Netflix
Starring: Vic Chao, Mike Colter, Jonny Cruz, Aislinn Derbez, Angélica Vale, Danny Drejo
Runtime: 8 episodes
Language: English
Creators: Brad Graeber, Álvaro Rodriguez
Director: Willis Bulliner
Writers: Álvaro Rodríguez, Daniel Dominguez
Rating: 16+
Release date: October 3, 2019
Style: Anime, Fantasy, Action, Martial Arts
For more details, you can find them on the official site, IMDB, Wikipedia
A Tribute to 70s Genre Films
When I first found out about Seis Manos I wasn’t sure what it was I was seeing. I love anime and animated series in general, add martial arts to it and I’m sold. Seis Manos is a mix of many genres from the 70s, with some added elements. Shaw Brothers kung fu movies, blaxploitation, horror, grindhouse make up the foundation. When I watched, my first thought was the creators know their kung fu, and I wasn’t wrong. I had the opportunity to talk about the series with Brad Graeber and I confirmed my suspicion. In his own words the origin of the series was his love for 70s genre films, then his co-creator Álvaro Rodriguez added the Mexican folklore and cinema aspects and it all came together with co-writer Daniel Dominguez a fan of anime who adds the more fantastic elements and director Willis Bulliner, another 70s film fan.
Overview
Our main characters are a trio of orphans in the fictional town of San Simón, in 1970s Mexico. Isabela, Jesús and Silencio live together with their adoptive father and kung fu master Chiu. San Simón is a quiet town where nothing ever happens, something García, a female police officer complains about. Then things turn for the strange when a monster starts rampaging through town, maiming and killing people in its path. When the monster reaches the temple where the orphans live and ends up killing Chiu in a fight. Chiu’s death sends the orphans on a path that will unearth many secrets of their master and the town they live in.
Story Review: 8/10
Seis Manos is a fun story with mysteries, magic, horror, and violence, but especially with some amazing characters. One of the best things I can say about the show is that the characters are the ones who move the plot and not the other way around. The story is not something that happens to them. Our main villain is the one who kind of starts it all and the chain reaction that develops from that is our main plot.
The three orphans are our main characters, Isabela is the eldest and the most grounded of the three. This goes a bit with her fighting style, she’s a Hung Ga practitioner (more on this below), and as a visual queue, she wears the traditional bracelets commonly associated with the style. Second is Jesús the big guy of the three who likes joking, is very emotional and also a has a bit of an issue with the bottle who fights using Drunken Boxing. But he’s also sometimes the mediator of the three, using Chiu’s lessons on balance. Finally, we have Silencio (silence in Spanish), so named because he’s mute. He’s the most violent of the three, often to the point of having no control, he fights with a mix of Bak Mei and Seven Star Praying Mantis.
The main characters are aided by García, the first and only female police officer of the town, and Brister an African-American Vietnam veteran turned special agent for the DEA who cooperates with Garcia on assignment with the Bi-National Task Force. Finally our main villain, El Balde an unrelenting, sadistic drug lord who will stop at nothing to assure his unwavering ascent to power.
Martial Arts Review: 10/10
Now we get to the part we’re here for. As I said, I talked a bit with Brad Graeber who confirmed he has a strong background in Chinese martial arts. But without having talked to him it was still obvious someone on the creative team knew their kung fu. The fights are just fantastic. As I mentioned, each character has their own fighting style and every movement is authentic.
Isabela fights using Hung Ga, this means low stances, strong structure, and techniques based on the five animals. When Isabela goes from crane to tiger, snake, or leopard, she also changes how she fights according to each animal’s principles. Jesús is a Drunken Boxing guy, he even fights while drunk a couple of times. He’s a big guy, strong but also shows the flexibility and speed that are main characteristics of his style. Silencio is pure rage embodied, so his mix is of two very aggressive styles. Bak Mei or White Eyebrow is a southern style, with stances more along the lines of Wing Chun than Hung Ga. It’s a short distance kind of boxing with emphasis on fist techniques like leopard fist and phoenix eye fist, which use the middle knuckles to strike soft parts of the body. He complements this with the locking and leg techniques of mantis.
Besides the main characters there’s Chiu their master who mixes a bit of this and that. During the series there are several flashbacks of him training with his disciples. You can see Chi Sao or Sticky Hands a drill commonly found in Wing Chun. Besides empty hand, the characters are good with weapons as well. El Balde just uses his enormous size and strength to fight and Brister fights like a boxer.
Grade: 9/10
Conclusion
In the vein of Castlevania, Afro Samurai, and other animated films and tv series for a more adult audience, I believe Seis Manos is a great addition to that trend. Even more so because of how original it is. Yes, it draws from old movies and folklore but it combines all that to make its own thing. Mexican folklore is something I knew nothing about and was delighted to learn something. The show delves into the traditional aspects of kung fu, not just the martial arts but also the culture. Combined with how the animation portrays the moves and techniques, I believe is a great thing not only for fiction but to highlight the Chinese martial arts in an authentic way.
It’s a very violent show, a lot of blood and gore, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart even though it’s animation. My only complaint with Seis Manos is that cliffhanger ending with a lot dangling. I just hope they get a second season and maybe even more. So go watch it, recommend it to your friends and dojo/kwoon/dojang friends. If you’re still unsure, check the trailer here.
What did you think?
What were your thoughts on Seis Manos? Were you disappointed or was this everything that you wanted and more? Tell us your thoughts on the show. You can write it in the comments down below. Check out more reviews and articles here on Martial Journal.
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