A 12yearold Japanese “bodybuilder” has caused controversy on social media because he and his parents were obsessed with star Bruce Lee (19401973). Young Ryusei Imai has an active Instagram account with over 490,000 followers who have taken it upon themselves to flaunt not only his fitness but also his crush on the ‘Enter the Dragon’ (1973) star.
Imai’s admiration for Lee earned him the nickname “Bruce Lee in Miniature” among some of his fans and followers.
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2 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
In a recent interview reported by the British newspaper Daily Star, Imai shared how he started his passion for Lee when he was just one year old. His parents then got him to train in kung fu.
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3 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
“I want to be as cool as Bruce Lee,” Imai said. “I want to be as fast as him. I’ve seen all his films since I was a year old and I’ve always tried to be like him.”
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4 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai visits the grave of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai visits the grave of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
In addition to an intense routine of physical exercises and attending events as Bruce Lee, Ryusei Imai regularly visits his idol’s grave.
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5 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Ryusei Imai spoke about the impact of his passion and training on his school life: “In gym class, whenever I change my friends, my friends say, ‘Your muscles are too much'”.
Despite his fame and many awards, Imai has also been the subject of criticism. In this case his parents. Some of the posts on the boy’s account contain comments condemning the child’s excessive physical activity and possible future damage to his body.
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6 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
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“Watch out for those hands…” one person wrote in the comments to a photo showing the boy’s calloused hands. “Is this boy okay?” asked another. “Incredible,” said another.
San Franciscoborn Bruce Lee starred in hits like The Chinese Dragon (1971), Wrath of the Dragon (1972), The Dragon Soars (1972), and Enter the Dragon (1973). His death is still controversial to this day. Some people claim he was the victim of an allergic reaction, while others say he was the victim of an accidental drug overdose.
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7 of 7 Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
Young Ryusei Imai, fan of Bruce Lee (19401973) — Photo: Instagram
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