Karate Bear Fighter was quickly cranked out to follow its predecessor, Karate Bull Fighter, and fans of the first film can rest assured they will get more of the same. Like most quickly-made sequels, Karate Bear Fighter follows its predecessors events to a 't' -- the character of Oyama deals with corrupt rivals in the karate world, dodges a would-be girlfriend and befriends a broken family in a heart-tugging subplot. Thus, it doesn't have the 'shock of surprise' the first installment offered but there's enough memorable moments to make it worth a look for Sonny Chiba fans. Director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi keeps the pacing swift and the action plentiful while Chiba delivers the kind of committed, charismatic performance that made him a fan favorite. The appeal of this movie is best summed up by its titular fight -- Chiba is obviously fighting a man in a bear suit -- so fans of realism (or serious filmmaking) won't be impressed, but anyone who likes bizarre martial arts fare will smile with glee.