High Kick Girl

 

A high-school girl named KEI TSUCHIDA (aged 17) joins a karate dojo. Kei is born with extraordinary athletic ability and she quickly outshines the boys. Her status in the dojo rises quickly as her abilities and strength helps her to even defeat men. Despite her accomplishments, the master MATSUMURA does not award her the coveted “Blackbelt”. It is clear that Kei always plays to win and only cares about kumite (fighting). Matsumura tries to teach Kei that Karate is about more than just fighting and that “the real strength is in the kata (forms)”. Kei grows impatient. She feels that she possesses the skills and deserves her blackbelt. Kei will do whatever she has to do to get it.

Kei’s resentment towards Matsumura grows. She decides to join a rival fighting group called KOWASHIYA (Destroyers) at the advice of her boyfriend. Kowashiya will allow her to use her fighting skills and to earn money doing so. Kowashiya consists of masters of martial arts who simply destroy their targets, both body and soul. The leader of Kowashiya lures fighters who are struggling for money as there is no guarantee of a promised future, fame, money or stability for fighters like them. Kei becomes deeply involved with Kowashiya until one day she discovers the true purpose of the leader of Kowashiya. He is planning an attack on her master Matsumura.

Kei is shocked and decides to warn Matsumura. But now, it is too late. The elite fighters of Kowashiya kidnap Kei and are on their way to destroy Matsumura. Matsumura, who never fights in front of Kei, now stands to save Kei. At last, the ultimate fight begins…

“High Kick Girl” achieves what last year’s ‘Shaolin Girl’ failed to do at a fraction of the cost…”
The Hollywood Reporter