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| “ | Since the day you resisted the Japanese army, you've already been a dead man. But you're talented, you could be useful to us. So I'll give you one chance to be loyal to the Japanese Emperor. Teach our army Chinese kung-fu. That way, we might still save your life. | „ |
| ~ General Miura's offer to Ip Man. |
General Ryota Miura (in Japanese: 陸軍大将 三浦良太, Rikugun-Taishō Miura Ryōta/in Chinese: 三浦将军, Sānpǔ liángtài jiāngjūn) is the main antagonist of Ip Man, the first installment in the Ip Man film series.
He is an Imperial Japanese Army officer overseeing the occupation of Foshan as well as a karate master who, fascinated by Chinese martial arts, offers the young men of Foshan extra rations in exchange for sparring against his military trainees.
He was portrayed by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi.
Biography[]
The Japanese Empire invades southern China in 1937. The city of Foshan, known for its flourishing martial arts community, is quickly subjugated. General Miura oversees the occupation. His staff move into the former residence of Wing Chun practitioner Ip Man and use it as their headquarters. The people of Foshan are forced into back-breaking labor with little food.
Eager to study kung fu, Miura orders his right-hand man Colonel Nobuyoshi Sato to bring local martial artists to his dojo to spar with his military trainees. Those who can win a match are rewarded with bags of rice depending on the numbers of Japanese trainees they defeat. Miura observes the sparring sessions and decides to participate himself. He chooses to battle three men at once and offers them rice even if they lose. The general easily defeats the three young men, but one of them, Ip Man's friend Lin, refuses to concede and even blood spits in the general's face. Enraged, Miura throws a spinning kick to Lin's neck/trachea, consequently killing Lin as a result.
When Lin does not return from the arena, Ip Man joins the next batch of fighters in order to find out what happened to him. Another kung fu master, Liu, wins a duel before asking to fight three more Japanese soldiers in order to win extra food; Miura is impressed with Liu's request and relents. Liu loses the duel but tries to claim his original bag of rice, which prompts Colonel Sato to shoot him.
Miura is insulted by this dishonorable act and threatens Sato, who meekly apologizes and quickly arranges the next match. Ip Man is shocked by Liu's death and - after deducing that Lin is dead - demands to fight ten Japanese soldiers, much to everyone's amusement. When Ip Man easily defeats the ten black belts, the arena is silent and Miura is impressed by this display of skill. Miura asks Ip Man for his name, to which Ip Man replies "I'm just a Chinese man.".
Miura wishes to duel Ip Man himself and sends Colonel Sato to ask Ip Man to a formal duel. Ip Man refuses until he is eventually taken by force and imprisoned. Sato asks Miura to reconsider the duel, but Miura is confident in his chances. Miura sets up an arena in the middle of town, where all of Foshan can watch the ultimate clash between Japanese and Chinese martial arts.
When the duel begins, Miura initially holds his own against Ip Man, but he is quickly overpowered and brutally beaten. Incited to revolt, the people of Foshan rise up and fight against the Japanese occupation; Sato is killed in the process, whereas Miura's fate is left unknown.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Miura's rank in the Imperial Japanese Army is General or Army General (陸軍大将, Rikugun-Taishō), one of the three highest ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army, behind only the Marshal or Field Marshal (元帥陸軍大将, Gensui-Rikugun-Taishō) and the Grand Marshal of the Japanese Empire or Generalissimo (大元帥陸軍大将, Daigensui-Rikugun-Taishō), the highest rank in the Imperial Japanese Army and that it belonged to the Emperor of Japan of that era (in this case, Emperor Hirohito or Emperor Showa).
- General Miura is arguably the weakest main antagonist in the Ip Man series, as Ip struggles the least when fighting him. Although it should be noted Miura had the most hits on Ip Man than Frank or Twister.
- One deleted scene shows Miura committing hara-kiri at his residence after being defeated by Ip Man because he feels humiliated. The reason for the deletion is not known, but one possibility is that the clip may have affected the look and feel. However, the segment was deleted resulting in Miura's condition being unknown.
External Links[]
- General Miura on the Ip Man Wiki
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