5 reasons why you need Hi-YAH! in your life…

Being a martial arts fan in the age of streaming can make even the most patient fan feel tired of living. Sure, a smattering of kung fu can be found on Netflix (plus we can listen to Jackie Chan dub a monkey), and eventually both versions of Mulan will make it to Disney’s streaming channel, but it feels like more of a starter than it does a banquet worthy for an army of invading Qing’s. But what if there was a channel out there that was dedicated purely to martial arts goodness?

Lucky for us, the team over at Well Go USA have decided to make that a reality. We’ve been watching and promoting Well Go USA titles since they released the very first Ip Man film, so it would make sense that we dive into Hi-YAH!, the company’s very own Asian/martial arts streaming channel. Roughly a month ago, Well Go USA presented the official launch of its downloadable app version of Hi-YAH!, so we thought it would be the perfect time to check it out.

Our verdict? Here it is in 5 reasons:

Reason 1: Fresh content 

We’re not going to cancel our Netflix or Amazon Prime accounts anytime soon, but let’s face it, the titles on these two services have a tendency to run stale, especially for the Asian/martial arts cinema fan. With Hi-YAH!, the first thing you notice after logging in is a menu filled with a refreshing list of titles you’re not used to seeing. I mean, it’s Well Go USA, so most of their titles are there (even the ones we think are shit. Hey, every company has ’em, right?). So for all of you who have been struggling with the moral dilemma of wanting to watch Vincent Zhao reprise the role of Wong Fei Hung, but have hesitated to splash out on the Blu-rays, Hi-YAH! is here to help. Best of all? You can then wash it down with an Ip Man saga marathon. All those Well Go USA titles that you may have missed on Blu-ray or DVD are finally available at the tap of your device.

Reason 2: They’re keepin’ it old school

We have a soft spot for old school kung fu films (but we won’t tell you where it is, except to say think Fong Sai Yuk), so the inclusion of Jackie Chan’s pre-stardom classics like Spiritual Kung Fu, Dragon Fist (in any self respecting Jackie Chan fans Top 5!) and Half a Loaf of Kung Fu – all looking the best we’ve ever seen ’em – was definitely a surprise. Heck, even Jackie’s first Hollywood film, Battle Creek Brawl, makes an appearance. Even homegrown titles like Chuck Norris’ A Force of One and the cult 80s favorite Miami Connection fit right in. Our personal old school favorite is Tower of Death (aka Game of Death 2), which is presented with a rare soundtrack from the film’s original Hong Kong release. And is that Johnnie To’s Throwdown we see?

Reason 3: Diversity 

Asian cinema is not just a bunch of guys kickin’ ass, right? Of course not. Hi-YAH! features an array of colorful genre sections, such as “Kick-Ass Women” that includes titles like The Machine Girl, Tokyo Gore Police, The Assassin and Memories of the Sword. Then there’s a “Takashi Miike Madness” section featuring Audition, Dead or Alive 1-2, Ichi the Killer, Rainy Dog and the newly released First Love. For those looking for horror: The Wailing, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum and Bedevilled (just to name a few) are waiting for you. There’s also sections for “Gun-Fu”, “Do it like Donnie” (yes, Donnie Yen’s movies) and “Sammo Hung’s hits” (take a guess). Of course, the entirety of Sammo’s 80’s and 90’s output now comes with a “This film has outdated attitudes, language, and cultural depicitons which may cause offence today.” warning. Just joking, it doesn’t really.

Reason 4: They keep it fresh

In a nutshell, New and Exclusive titles are added to Hi-YAH! ever Friday. May not be big deal for most, but for the die hard Asian/martial arts cinema fan, it’s a blessing. So if the quesiton you ask yourself each week is which of the slim pickings on your current streaming services are you going to watch for the umpteenth time, now you can look forward to asking yourself what new slice of Asian cinematic goodness is on the cards this week. The month of June saw the inclusion of Believer, The Great Battle, God of War and Rampant (it’s not on Netflix anymore!). At the time of writing this article, another fresh release is expected in a couple of days. So for the month of July and so on, we can expect four more new releases. That’s a lot of freshness.

Reason 5: You have nothing to lose!

As much as we would have loved to support Hi-YAH! from the get-go, we didn’t really have to because it’s FREE. That’s right. For the first 30 days, you can watch all the Asian/martial arts releases you can handle and won’t have to pay a cent. Ever wondered how many times you can watch Half a Loaf of Kung Fu in a month? Hi-YAH! is the channel to help you answer that question.  If you choose to stay with the service (who wouldn’t?), it’ll only cost you $3.99 a month. I mean, seriously, that’s how much it used to cost to rent a single movie at Blockbuster Video (and you still had to drive it back and be charged 50¢ for not rewinding the tape).

Now that I revealed by age, I’m going to grab my iPhone, hide under the covers, and finish watching Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing, one of the best horror films of the last 20 years.

Want to give Hi-YAH! a go? Use promo code “CITYONFIRE” for 50% off the first month following the 30 Day FREE Trial.