Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba (born January 23, 1939 - August 19, 2021), also known as Shin'ichi Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience. Born in Fukuoka, Chiba played a variety of sports in high school, including baseball and volleyball. He also practiced gymnastics and participated at the National Sports Festival of Japan in his third year. When he was a university student, he learned martial arts, earning a black belt in Kyokushin Karate in 1965 and later receiving a fourth degree in 1984.
Chiba's career began in the 1960s, when he starred in two tokusatsu superhero shows. In his first role, he replaced Susumu Wajima as the main character Kōtarō Ran/Seven Color Mask in Seven Color Mask (Nana-iro Kamen) in the second half of the series. However, his breakthrough role was in the 1974 film The Street Fighter. Before retiring, Chiba had also appeared in a number of English language American films, including Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Fast & Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (2006).
Chiba died of COVID-19 complications at the hospital in Tokyo on 19 August 2021, at the age of 82.
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Acted in
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part II - Judgement
2024
as Jou
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
2023
as Jou
Layout
2021
Street Fighting Man: An Interview with Sonny Chiba
2019
as Self
Shakespeare In Tokyo
2018
as Calligrapher
Shashin Koshien Summer in 0.5 Seconds
2017
Gokudō Tenka Fubu: Act 4
2017
Gokudō Tenka Fubu: Act 2
2017
Gokudō tenka fubu
2017
Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend
2016
Biohazard: The Stage
2015
as Ezra Sennett
Take a Chance
2015
as Musashi
The Noise
2015
Kanto Gangster Federation: Chapter 2
2015
Kanto Gangster Federation: Chapter 1
2014
Kabukicho High School
2014
修羅の伝承 荒ぶる凶犬
2014
Unification Of Japan 2
2013
as Seizo Gonda
Don's Road 9
2013
Unification Of Japan
2013
as Seizo Gonda
Unification of Japan
2013
as Seizo Gonda
Don's Road 8
2013
Don's Road 7
2013
Sushi Girl: A Documentary
2013
as Self
Don's Road 6
2013
Sushi Girl
2012
as Sushi Chef
The Legend of Space Sheriff Gavan
2012
as Space Sheriff Voicer
修羅の花道2
2012
修羅の花道
2012
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
2011
as Hattori Hanzo
Yakuza Legacy
2009
Yakuza Eiga, une histoire du cinéma yakuza
2009
as Himself
Oyaji
2007
as Ryudo Numata
Samurai Banners
2007
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
2006
as Uncle Kamata
Tarantino's Mind
2006
as (archive footage)
Legend of Seven Monks
2006
Team Astro
2005
as Shuro
New Shadow Warriors VI: The Final Chapter
2005
as Hattori Hanzo I
New Shadow Warriors V: Hattori Hanzo vs Onmyoji
2005
as Hattori Hanzo I
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 4 - The Fire Chapter
2005
as Yagyu Jubei
Survive Style 5+
2004
as Azama
New Shadow Warriors IV: Jiraika 2
2004
as Hattori Hanzo I
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004
as Hattori Hanzo
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 3 - The Wind Chapter
2004
Explosive City
2004
as Otosan
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
2003
as Hattori Hanzo
New Shadow Warriors III: Jiraika 1
2003
as Hattori Hanzo I
Battle Royale II: Requiem
2003
as Makio Mimura
New Shadow Warriors II
2003
as Hattori Hanzo I
New Shadow Warriors
2003
as Hattori Hanzo I
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
2002
as Yasunori Hijikata
Wind and Cloud
2002
as Xiong Ba / "Lord Conqueror"
Akumyoh 2
2001
Shotgun Marriage
2001
as Ittetsu Kotani
Lonely Hitman: The Blue Wolf
2001
Hakata Movie: Chinchiromai
2000
Born to Be King
2000
as Ichiro Kusakari
Legend of the Flying Swordsman
2000
as Dagger
Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes
1998
as Self (archive footage)
The Storm Riders
1998
as Lord Conqueror
Seiryuu Densetsu
1996
Body Count
1995
as Makato
Immortal Combat
1994
as Jiro 'J.J.' Jintani
The Triple Cross
1992
as Chiba
Notes on Tokugawa Villainies
1992
as Matsudaira Tadateru
Iron Eagle III
1992
as Horikoshi
Fighting Fist
1992
as Supt. Yamada
Yakuza Warfare
1991
Saito Dosan: Rage of Power
1991
as Mitsutsugu Akechi
Takeda Shingen
1991
as Takeda Nobutora
Minamoto Yoshitsune
1990
Shingo's Ten Duels
1990
as Umei Tamon
Seventeen Ninja
1990
Sensei
1989
as Makoto Ushiyama
Shogun's Shadow
1989
as Iba Shoemon
Tetsuro Tamba's Great Spirit World: What Happens When You Die
1989
Iemitsu, Hikoza and Isshin Tasuke - A National Crisis: Edo Castle in Danger
1989
as Yagyu Jubei
Oda Nobunaga
1989
Tokugawa Ieyasu – TBS Warlord Special
1988
Tokugawa Ieyasu
1988
Sure Death 4
1987
as Bunshichi
Taikoki
1987
Cabaret
1986
as Yakuza boss
The Last True Yakuza
1985
as Ryozo Kano
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts
1985
as Self
Space Sheriff Shaider: Pursuit! The Strange Kidnappers!
1984
as Shaider (Voice)
Kotaro, An Audacious Karate Boy
1984
as Sonny Sullivan
Space Sheriff Shaider: The Movie
1984
as Shaider (Voice)
The Awesome Circus Bastard
1984
as Maejima Daigaku
Legend of the Eight Samurai
1983
as Inuyama Dosetsu Tadatomo
Kabamaru the Ninja Boy
1983
as Iga no Saizo
Space Sheriff Sharivan
1983
as Voicer (in flashback)
Ninja Wars
1982
as Shinzaemon Yagyu
Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest
1982
as Yagyu Jubei
Fall Guy
1982
Space Sheriff Gavan
1982
as Space Sheriff Voicer
Kamikaze, the Adventurer
1981
as Daisuke Kamikaze
Roaring Fire
1981
as Mr. Magic
The Bushido Blade
1981
as Prince Ido
Samurai Reincarnation
1981
as Jubei Yagyu
Shogun's Ninja
1980
as Shiranui Shogen
Yagyu's Secret Quest
1980
as Yagyu Jubei
Virus
1980
as Dr. Yamauchi
Tokyo Earthquake Magnitude 8.1
1980
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
1980
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Shadow Warriors
1980
as Hattori Hanzō
G.I. Samurai
1979
as Lt. Yoshiaki Iba
The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf
1979
as Mitsuhiko Sakurai
Dead Angle
1979
Hunter in the Dark
1979
as Samon Shimoguni
The Fall of Ako Castle
1978
as Fuwa Kazuemon
The Yagyu Conspiracy
1978
as Yagyu Yubei
The Okinawa War of Ten Years
1978
Message from Space
1978
as Prince Hans (as Sonny Chiba)
Juujiro
1978
Shogun's Samurai
1978
as Jûbê Yagyû
The Visitor in the Eye
1977
as Drunkard
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
1977
as Duke Togo (Golgo 13)
Truckster of Guts
1977
Doberman Cop
1977
as Joji Kano
Japanese Humanity and Justice
1977
Karate for Life
1977
as Sensei Masutatsu Oyama
Hokuriku Proxy War
1977
as Kanai Hachiro
Soul of Chiba
1977
as Mu Yun Tek
Japan's Don
1977
as Tsuneyoshi Sakota
The Great Okinawa Yakuza War
1976
as Seigou Kunigami
Jail Breakers
1976
as Wataru Kangi
The Rugby Star
1976
Karate Warriors
1976
as Shuuhei Sakata
The Machine Gun Dragon
1976
The Killing Machine
1976
as Doshin So
Dragon Princess
1976
as Kazuma Higaki
Karate Bear Fighter
1975
as Mas Oyama
The Decisive Power of Aikido
1975
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 2: Head of the Boss
1975
as Bartender
Detonation: Violent Riders
1975
Karate Bullfighter
1975
as Sensei Masutatsu Oyama
The Bullet Train
1975
as Aoki
Wolf Guy
1975
as Akira Inugami
13 Steps of Maki: The Young Aristocrats
1975
as Kenichi Hyuga
The Executioner II: Karate Inferno
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
The Street Fighter's Last Revenge
1974
as Takuma Tsurguri
Sister Street Fighter
1974
as Seiichi Hibiki
The Executioner
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
Miracle on Lubang Island: Army Nakano School
1974
Return of the Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
The Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
The Bodyguard
1974
Karate Killer
1973
Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok Drug Triangle
1973
as Tatsuya Wada
Robot Detective: The Movie
1973
as Keitaro Shinjo
The Bodyguard
1973
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima
1973
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Robot Detective
1973
as Keitarō Shinjō
The Horrible Obsessions
1972
as Haruo Kikuchi
Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences
1972
as Toru Ibuki
Wandering Ginza Butterfly: She-Cat Gambler
1972
as Ryuji
A Narcotics Agent's Ballad
1972
Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder
1972
Kamikaze Cop, No Epitaph to Us
1971
as Shiro Hayata
Kamikaze Cop, The Poison Gas Affair
1971
as Shiro Hayata
The Last Kamikaze
1970
as Captain Mishima
Kamikaze Cop, Marihuana Syndicate
1970
A Kamikaze Cop
1970
as Hayata Shiro
Memoir of Japanese Assassinations
1969
as Sho Onuma
Delinquent Boss: Wolves of the City
1969
as Mitsuo Fujiki
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
1968
Army Intelligence
1968
as Kazuo Yamamoto
Human Torpedoes
1968
The Rickshaw Man’s Son
1967
as Komakichi Sugimoto
Game of Chance 3
1967
King of the Gang
1967
North Sea Chivalry
1967
Classmates
1967
as Second Sublieutenant Hanzawa
Game of Chance 2
1967
Organized Violence
1967
The Golden Bat
1966
as Dr. Yamatone
Game of Chance
1966
as Bungo Endo
Dash to the Sun
1966
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
Terror Beneath the Sea
1966
as Ken Abe
The Kamikaze Guy
1966
as Mitarai Ken
Night Bitch
1966
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
Code of Ruffians
1965
Yakuza G-Men
1965
as Toru Sasayama
Tale of Japanese Burglars
1965
as Lawyer Ohki
That Cute Girl
1965
Two Lives, Two Yakuza
1964
as Shinichi Matsuhashi
Here Because of You
1964
Judo Hall Demon
1964
Orders from Hell
1964
A Life of Intimidation
1963
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
1963
The Navy
1963
as Takao
Song of Yakuza
1963
浅草の侠客
1963
Gambler Tales of Hasshu: A Man's Pledge
1963
Judo Life
1963
次郎長社長と石松社員 安来ぶし道中
1963
Fearful Witch
1962
The King
1962
Gang vs. G-Men
1962
Mid-August Commotion
1962
Four Sisters
1962
as Shinkichi Hayami
Zankokuna tsuki
1962
あの空の果てに星はまたたく
1962
All Rascals
1962
The Escape
1962
Love School
1962
South Pacific Waves Are High
1962
Tale of a Company Boss 3
1961
as Nagashima
Police Precinct Part 17
1961
as Detective Nakagawa
Man with a Funky Hat: The 20,000,000 Yen Arm
1961
Man with the Funky Hat
1961
Drifting Detective: Black Wind in Harbor
1961
Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley
1961
as Goro Saionji
Police Department Story Pt.16: 15 Year Old Woman
1961
as Detective Nakagawa
Police Department Story Pt.15: Alibi
1961
Invasion of the Neptune Men
1961
as Tachibana - Scientist / Space Chief
Messenger of Allah
1960
as Goro Narumi
Nanairo Kamen
1959
as Kotaro Ran