Here is more of my favorite Tiger Mask episode called “The Defeat of Ken.” Late in his wrestling match against the Great Tiger, Tiger Mask’s pal Ken finally fights back a little. He applies a picture-perfect Short Arm Scissor, his legs tightly clamped around his opponent’s arm, and he looks great working the hold. Every jobber gets his moment to shine at some point in the match. His domination doesn’t last long, however, and he’s soon dumped out of the ring and injured on the floor.
The latter part of this epic match is all about blood — Ken’s blood. Poor Ken is cut open and gushing blood from his legs and his eyes. Blood sprays out of his mouth too, possibly from internal injuries. A wooden step ladder is broken on his flesh, which cuts him further near the hairline. Soon blood is soaking the mat and dripping from the ropes. At one point, a pool of blood is seen on the floor, then it enlarges and covers the entire screen in red. Tiger Mask is watching his best friend bleed out from multiple wounds right before his eyes — clearly Ken is weakened and in great danger from losing so much blood, so much of his life force. (Isn’t this all a bit too heavy for kids to be watching?)
There is little chance to cheer for Ken because the Great Tiger out-smarts and out-wrestles him at every point in the match. He is relentless and apparently lusting for blood, like a hungry beast or a vampire. He continues the non-stop assault, always finding new ways to inflict yet another wound and draw more blood from Ken. This is not just the “defeat of Ken,” it is the utter destruction and annihilation. And Tiger Mask is silently and patiently watching the entire scene from a few feet away, unable or unwilling to rescue his friend.
Ken is locked in a deadly hold, broken over the top rope in a hanging Headscissor. His cruel opponent begins bumping and grinding, rocking away relentlessly to increase the leverage on Ken’s neck. Finally, Tiger Mask can’t stand it any more, and he rescues his buddy, carrying him to safety over one shoulder almost like a lover.
The cartoons here in the states almost always have a happy ending, a big song and dance number when the hero gets the girl and becomes king. This clearly isn’t the case for Tiger Mask and his defeated buddy. This cartoon is dark! It’s way too violent and dramatic to appear on the Disney Channel, so it’s a good thing they invented You Tube.
