You have three options depending on your tolerance for quality.
If you grew up in the 90s, there is a specific brand of chaotic, slapstick energy that only Jackie Chan could deliver. While Rumble in the Bronx introduced him to mainstream America, there is one film in his filmography that stands apart from the rest: City Hunter (1993) .
For decades, English-speaking fans had a difficult relationship with this movie. Based on the hit manga by Tsukasa Hojo, City Hunter is a bizarre, fourth-wall-breaking, live-action anime. But the question that haunts forums and Blu-ray collectors remains: Where can you find the definitive Jackie Chan City Hunter English dub?
In this article, we dive deep into the history of the film, the multiple English dubs that exist, why the "original" English dub is a lost treasure, and where you can legally watch the best version today.
Let’s be honest. City Hunter is a messy film. It is not Jackie Chan’s best stunt work (that’s Police Story or Project A). However, it is his most fun film.
Watch the English dub if:
Avoid the English dub if:
For fans of so-bad-it’s-good cinema: The City Hunter English dub is a must-watch. It’s a time capsule of 1990s localization madness – awkward, loud, and oddly endearing.
For Jackie Chan purists: Avoid. Stick to the original Cantonese or Japanese audio with subtitles. The dub strips away the movie’s manic charm and replaces it with stiff schlock.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5 as a film, 4/5 as a comedy experience)
Recommended if you like: The Legend of the Drunken Master English dub, Samurai Cop, Miami Connection, or watching Street Fighter (1994) on repeat.
Where to watch: Check streaming services like Amazon Prime, Tubi, or YouTube for the English dub version (often labeled “US Version”). Some Blu-ray releases include it as a bonus track.
The 1993 live-action film City Hunter , starring Jackie Chan
, is widely available in an English-dubbed format. While the movie was originally filmed in Cantonese, several English dubs have been produced for international audiences, including a notable one released on various home media editions like the Eureka Classics Blu-ray. Film Overview and Cast
Based on the popular Japanese manga by Tsukasa Hojo, the film follows Ryo Saeba (Jackie Chan), a suave but goofy private detective known as "City Hunter".
The Mission: Ryo is hired by a publishing tycoon to find his runaway daughter, Shizuko (Kumiko Goto). jackie chan city hunter english dub
The Setting: The search leads Ryo to a luxury cruise liner, the Fuji Maru, where he is joined by his long-suffering assistant Kaori (Joey Wong).
The Conflict: A group of terrorists, led by the villainous Donald MacDonald (Richard Norton), hijacks the ship, forcing Ryo to stop being a womanizer and start being a hero. Notable Features and Highlights I really wish City Hunter was dubbed
"City Hunter" is a popular Japanese manga and anime series that has been adapted into various forms of media, including live-action films. One of the most well-known live-action adaptations is the 1987 film starring Jackie Chan, titled "City Hunter" or "" (Singh Cheng).
The English dub of the film is widely available, and it's great that you're interested in watching it. Here's some information about the film:
Title: City Hunter Release Year: 1987 Starring: Jackie Chan, Kim Hee-seon, Wang Kuan-hsi, and James Tien Genre: Action-comedy
In the film, Jackie Chan plays the role of Chan Wai-yan, a private detective who teams up with a beautiful police officer, Kim Hee-seon, to solve a series of crimes.
If you're looking to watch the English dub of "City Hunter" starring Jackie Chan, you can try searching for it on various streaming platforms or purchase a DVD/Blu-ray copy. Enjoy!
Title: The Cult Charm of Jackie Chan's City Hunter English Dub: A Time Capsule of 90s Anime Meets Slapstick Mayhem
When discussing Jackie Chan’s filmography, City Hunter (1993) sits in a peculiar place. Loosely based on Tsukasa Hojo’s manga of the same name, the film casts Chan as private detective Ryo Saeba—a lecherous, hyper-skilled marksman who, in the source material, is a far cry from Chan’s usual "clean-cut everyman." The English dub of this film, produced for international markets (often distributed by Media Asia or Dimension Films), transforms an already bizarre action-comedy into a full-blown cult experience.
The Dub’s Tone: Cheesy, But Committed
Unlike the more reverent dubs of Jackie’s earlier Police Story films, the City Hunter English dub leans heavily into the film’s cartoonish energy. The voice actors do not attempt to replicate Chan’s natural speaking voice. Instead, Ryo Saeba is given a confident, slightly smarmy "ladies’ man" cadence—think a PG-13 version of Johnny Bravo meets a 90s action hero. This works because the film itself is an outlier: it features Chan fighting street thugs on a cruise ship, dodging henchmen in a video game arcade, and famously, transforming into Street Fighter’s Chun-Li for a fight scene.
Key Highlights of the English Dub:
Why Seek Out the English Dub?
Purists often stick to the original Cantonese with subtitles. However, the English dub of City Hunter is a time capsule. It represents the era when foreign films were aggressively "Westernized" for home video—adding snappy one-liners, changing character names slightly, and turning down the original film’s more adult manga elements (like Ryo’s actual womanizing) in favor of slapstick.
For Jackie Chan fans, the dub is essential for one reason: accessibility for parties or background viewing. The plot (a kidnapped heiress on a cruise ship) is thin enough that you don’t need to read subtitles to follow the incredible stunt work. The English track allows you to focus entirely on Chan’s physical comedy—the sliding down ship walls, the basketball duel, the giant "hammer space" gags—without your eyes leaving the screen. You have three options depending on your tolerance
Where to Find It
The English dub of City Hunter has appeared on various DVD releases (often the "Dimension Films" or "Miramax" branded versions) and occasionally on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime or Tubi under different regional labels. Be warned: the version sometimes runs slightly shorter, with a few seconds of risqué material trimmed to maintain a PG-13 rating for Western TV syndication.
Final Verdict:
Is the City Hunter English dub a masterpiece of localization? No. Is it a gloriously inaccurate, laugh-out-loud funny way to experience one of Jackie Chan’s weirdest films? Absolutely. If you want to hear Jackie’s Ryo Saeba yell "Let’s get this party started!" before kicking a villain into a giant birthday cake, track down the English dub. It’s pure 90s VHS nostalgia.
The 1993 film City Hunter , starring Jackie Chan , is a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga of the same name. It is known for its highly stylized, "live-action cartoon" aesthetic and a famous sequence where characters transform into figures from the Street Fighter II video game. English Dub Information
Dubbing Status: Like many of Jackie Chan's early 90s Hong Kong productions, City Hunter was not filmed with sync sound. The original release was dubbed into Cantonese and Mandarin.
Voice Talent: Jackie Chan typically did not dub his own voice for the Cantonese or English versions of his early Hong Kong films. Availability:
An English-dubbed version exists and has been released on various home media formats over the years.
Shout Factory released a two-pack Blu-ray featuring City Hunter alongside Battle Creek Brawl, which typically includes multiple audio options.
Some streaming platforms like Prime Video list English-dubbed versions of City Hunter titles, though these are often for the animated series or television specials. Film Overview
Director: Wong Jing, known for his fast-paced, "street-level" comedy style.
Plot: Jackie Chan plays Ryo Saeba, a private investigator hired to find the runaway daughter of a wealthy businessman. The search leads him onto a luxury cruise ship that is subsequently hijacked by terrorists led by Col. MacDonald (played by Richard Norton). Key Cast: Jackie Chan as Ryo Saeba (the City Hunter).
Joey Wong as Kaori Makimura, Ryo's assistant and the sister of his late partner. Richard Norton and Gary Daniels as the primary antagonists. Notable Scenes:
Street Fighter II Sequence: Ryo is electrocuted by an arcade machine and "becomes" characters like E. Honda and Chun-Li to fight Gary Daniels (as Ken).
Skateboard Chase: A high-energy sequence filmed on location in Hong Kong. Critical Reception Avoid the English dub if: For fans of
The film is often considered a "cult classic" rather than one of Chan's masterpieces due to its extreme absurdity and broad humor. Jackie Chan himself reportedly did not enjoy making the film. However, it remains popular among fans for its unique energy and the iconic Street Fighter homage.
The 1993 live-action adaptation of City Hunter is a surreal chapter in Jackie Chan
's career, and its English dub adds a layer of unintentional comedy to an already bizarre film. The Weirdness of the Dub
While Jackie Chan began dubbing his own voice for international releases starting with Battle Creek Brawl (1980) Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) , the English dub for City Hunter
is notorious among fans for its "cartoony" quality. The voice acting often leans into the slapstick nature of the film, matching the manga-inspired visuals with equally exaggerated vocal performances. Why This Movie is a Cult Favorite The Street Fighter Scene
: The film is most famous for a sequence where Jackie Chan’s character, Ryo Saeba, transforms into various characters from Street Fighter II
, including a memorable (and horrifying) turn as E. Honda and Chun-Li. Jackie's Relationship with the Film
: Interestingly, despite the film's cult status, Jackie Chan reportedly did not enjoy the final product
, finding the $14 million production to be too far removed from his usual grounded action style. Language Barrier
: During this era, Chan was still mastering English—a struggle he later famously detailed regarding his experience on the Rush Hour set
, where he often didn't understand his co-stars' fast-paced dialogue. How to Watch
If you're looking for the English-dubbed version today, it can be elusive on mainstream platforms, though other City Hunter projects, like the Secret Service anime special
, are more readily available in English. For the Jackie Chan classic, fans typically look to boutique physical media releases or specialist streaming services. from the dub, or do you want to find a place to stream the movie right now?
City Hunter is already a live-action anime adaptation of Tsukasa Hojo’s manga, known for its bizarre tonal shifts: Jackie Chan fighting goons, then suddenly becoming Street Fighter characters. The English dub (produced for international home video) adds another layer of absurdity.