Sonny Chiba
Shinichi Chiba, known internationally as Sonny 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 to 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 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 and The Fast and the Furious: [Tokyo Drift].
Chiba died of COVID-19 complications at the hospital in Tokyo on 19 August 2021, at the age of 82.
Names
Born Sadaho Maeda, he used the stage name "Chiba Shinichi" throughout his professional career. When New Line Cinema released the film Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken in the United States in 1974, they retitled it The Street Fighter and billed its star as Sonny Chiba. Later, Chiba modified the name to "JJ Sonny Chiba", wherein the initials stood for "Justice Japan". After appearing in the taiga drama Fūrin Kazan in November 2007, he announced the retirement of the stage name "Shinichi Chiba"; henceforth he was billed "JJ Sonny Chiba" as an actor and Rindō Wachinaga as a film director.Early life
Chiba was born in Fukuoka, the third of five children. His father was a pilot for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service; his mother, originally from Kumamoto Prefecture, had competed in track and field in her youth. When he was four years old, his father was transferred to Kisarazu, Chiba, and the family moved to Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture.After Chiba went to junior high school in Kimitsu, the physical education teacher advised him to do artistic gymnastics. He also was passionate about track and field sports, baseball, and volleyball. He participated in those four sports championships of Chiba Prefecture. In high school, Chiba dedicated himself to artistic gymnastics and won the National Sports Festival of Japan while in his third year. He enjoyed watching movies, including Western movies such as Shane and High Noon.
Chiba went to the Nippon Sport Science University in 1957. He was a serious candidate for a place in the Japanese Olympic team in his late teens until he was sidelined by a back injury. While he was a university student, he began studying martial arts with the renowned Kyokushin Karate master Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama, which led to a first-degree black belt on 15 October 1965, later receiving a fourth-degree on 20 January 1984.
Career
Sometime around 1960, he was discovered in a talent search by the Toei film studio, and he began his screen career soon after. The CEO of Toei at the time gave him the stage name "Shinichi Chiba".His acting career began on television, starring in two tokusatsu superhero shows, first replacing Susumu Wajima as the main character Kōtarō Ran/ Seven Color Mask in Seven Color Mask in the second half of the series and then starring as Gorō Narumi/Messenger of Allah in [Messenger of Allah (Japanese TV Series)|Messenger of Allah]. He starred in the 1961 science fiction movie Invasion of the Neptune Men and the first Kinji Fukasaku film, Drifting Detective: Tragedy [in the Red Valley], which marked the beginning of a long series of collaborations for the two. Over the next decade, he was cast primarily in crime thrillers. By 1970, Chiba had started his own training school for aspiring martial arts film actors and stunt performers known as, in order to develop the level of martial arts techniques and sequences used in Japanese film and television. Today the organization is known as Japan Action Enterprise. He starred in Karate Kiba in 1973, which was his first martial arts movie. Chiba's breakthrough international hit was The Street Fighter which was brought to Western audiences by New Line Cinema. The film and its sequels established him as the reigning Japanese martial arts actor in international cinema for the next two decades. It was New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye who gave Chiba the English name "Sonny", which Chiba would adopt as his own from that point on.
Chiba's subsequent projects included such pictures as The Bullet Train, Karate Warriors, Doberman Cop, Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon, and The Assassin. He also occasionally returned to the science fiction genre, in movies such as Message from Space. He also began to star on some jidaigeki such as Shogun's Samurai, The Fall of Ako Castle, G.I. Samurai, Shadow Warriors, and Samurai Reincarnation. He was not only actor in but also stunt coordinator for G.I. Samurai, Burning Brave, and Shogun's Shadow. He was executive producer and director for Yellow Fangs and also directed and starred in Oyaji.
Chiba portrayed Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi multiple times, first in the 1978 film Shogun's Samurai and in its TV series remake The Yagyu Conspiracy, which aired from 1978 to 1979.
He then appeared as Jūbei in the TV series Yagyū Abaretabi, which aired from 1980 to 1981 and in the 1981 film Samurai Reincarnation and its theatrical musical version Yagyu Jubei Makai Tensho. He then reprised his role as Jūbei in the second season of Yagyū Abaretabi, this time entitled Yagyū Jūbei Abaretabi, which aired from 1982 to 1983. A few years later he returned to play Jūbei in Iemitsu, Hikoza, and Isshin Tasuke: A National Crisis, a TV movie that aired in 1989. His final appearance as Jūbei was in 2 direct-to-DVD films entitled Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 3: Wind Chapter and Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 4: Fire Chapter in 2005. Other notable Japanese television roles for Chiba were the ninja leaders Hattori Hanzō III, Tsuge Shinpachi, Tarao Hanzō, and Hattori Hanzō XV across multiple seasons of the Shadow Warriors TV series and Hattori Hanzō I in the 2003 direct-to-DVD series follow-up Shin Kage no Gundan.
Chiba was even busier in the 1980s, doing dozens of movies as well as making forays into television, and with roles in such high-profile adventures as the popular Hong Kong comic-based movie The Storm Riders, starring alongside Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok. His fame in Japan remained unabated into the 1990s.
In his fifties, the actor resumed working as a choreographer of martial arts sequences. At the dawn of the 21st century, Chiba was as busy as ever in feature films and also starring in his own series in Japan. Roles in Takashi Miike's Deadly Outlaw: Rekka and his work with directors Kenta and Kinji Fukasaku in Battle Royale II effectively bridged the gap between modern day and yesteryear cinematic cult legends. Chiba's enduring onscreen career received a tribute when he appeared in a key role as Hattori Hanzo, the owner of a sushi restaurant and retired samurai sword craftsman, in director Quentin Tarantino's bloody revenge epic Kill Bill: Volume I in 2003.
Chiba starred in more than 125 films for Toei Studios and has won numerous awards in Japan for his acting.
Personal life
In 1994 Chiba divorced his first wife, actress Yōko Nogiwa. Their daughter Juri Manase is also an actress.He married Tamami Chiba in 1996, with whom he had a 28-year age difference.
They had two sons, Mackenyu Arata and Gordon Maeda, who are both actors. Chiba and Tamami Chiba divorced in 2015.
Also in 2015, Weekly Shincho reported that Chiba was romantically involved with a 22-year old female university student. At the time, his divorce with Tamami Chiba was in the process of being finalized.
His younger brother, Jirō Yabuki, was also an actor.
Death
In early August 2021, Chiba contracted COVID-19. Initially, he was treated at home, but was hospitalized a few days later on 8 August when he developed pneumonia. He died at the hospital in Kisarazu, Chiba, on 19 August 2021, at the age of 82. He had not received double or triple vaccination, according to his agency. His body was cremated on 20 August after a private funeral.In Western popular culture
The protagonist, Clarence Worley, in the Quentin Tarantino-written True Romance is a fan of Chiba. In a pivotal early scene, he watches a Chiba triple feature. A modified version of the opening scroll to the English dub of Karate Kiba was used in the script of Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction. Tarantino's script changed the Ezekiel 25:17 speech, swapping out "I am Chiba the Bodyguard" for "my name is the Lord".Tarantino worked with Chiba in 2003 with Kill Bill: Volume I, in which Chiba portrays Katana master maker Hattori Hanzō in a vignette that combines comical interaction with his assistant, with sombre references to traditional Japanese sword making.
The character Takayuki Chiba from the shōnen manga series Kengan Ashura is based on Chiba and Hiroyuki Sanada.
Martial arts ranks
Chiba held black belts in the following martial arts:- Kyokushin Karate: 4th Dan
- Togakure-ryū Ninpō Taijutsu: 4th Dan
- Goju-ryu karate: 2nd Dan
- Shorinji Kempo: 2nd Dan
- Judo: 2nd Dan
- Kendo: 1st Dan
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1961 | Police Department Story: Alibi | Detective Nakagawa | |
| 1961 | Police Department Story: The 15 Year Old Woman | Detective Nakagawa | |
| 1961 | Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley | Gorō Saionji | |
| 1961 | Drifting Detective: Black Wind in the Harbor | Gorō Saionji | |
| 1961 | Invasion of the Neptune Men | Shinichi Tachibana/Iron Sharp | |
| 1961 | Hepcat in the Funky Hat | Ichirō Tenka | |
| 1961 | Police Department Story: Twelve Detectives | Detective Nakagawa | |
| 1961 | Hepcat in the Funky Hat: The 20,000,000 Yen Arm | Ichirō Tenka | |
| 1961 | Shinto Boss Series: Employee Ishimatsu Is the Man | Nagashima | |
| 1962 | The Kamikaze | Yūki | |
| 1962 | Love School | Shinichi Kogure | |
| 1962 | Escape: The 2/26 Incident | Private First Class Shinohara | |
| 1962 | For Love, the Sun, and the Gang | Yamauchi | |
| 1962 | Higher Than the Stars in the Sky | Yoshio Horimoto | |
| 1962 | Tragedy of Twins | Masaki | |
| 1962 | Four Sisters | Shinkichi Hayami | |
| 1962 | Mid-August Commotion | Dr. Ōmori | |
| 1962 | Gang vs. G-Men | Osamu Kaji | |
| 1962 | The Gambler | Mōri | |
| 1962 | The Terrifying Witch | Daisuke Shirono | |
| 1963 | Twins Searching for Mother | Ume-san | |
| 1963 | President Jiro and Employee Ishimatsu: Yasugi Bushi Road | Hiroshi Shiomi | |
| 1963 | The Violent Underworld | Kazuo Ichinoki | |
| 1963 | Special Tactical Police | Detective Naitō | |
| 1963 | Twins in the Meadow | Kenichi Tomizawa | |
| 1963 | Judo for Life | Shirō Hongō | |
| 1963 | Special Tactical Police 2 | Detective Naitō | |
| 1963 | Lure of A Killer | Daisuke Jōno | |
| 1963 | Gambler Tales of Hasshu: A Man's Pledge | Satarō | |
| 1963 | The Chivalrous of Asakusa | Shinsuke Hayama | |
| 1963 | The Navy | Takao Mutaguchi | |
| 1963 | Song of the Yakuza | Shunji Nitta | |
| 1963 | Gang Chusingura | Shichirō Yatō | |
| 1963 | White Ball | Yōta Ogiwara | |
| 1963 | Life of Blackmail | Gorō Ozawa | |
| 1964 | Decree from Hell | Shinichi Ōmatsu | |
| 1964 | Judo for Life: The Devil of Kodokan | Shirō Hongō | |
| 1964 | Tokyo Untouchable: Prostitution Underground Organization | Yoshio Hamada | |
| 1964 | Here Because of You | Makoto Yabuki | |
| 1964 | Dragon and Tiger Generation | Shinichi Matsuhashi | |
| 1965 | Singing to Those Clouds | Jun Tonomura | |
| 1965 | That Cute Girl | Morimoto | |
| 1965 | Hey, Clouds! | Saburō Tatsumi | |
| 1965 | Tale of Japanese Burglars | Attorney Ōki | |
| 1965 | The Fugitive | Saburō Tateishi | |
| 1965 | Yakuza G-Men: Meiji Underworld | Tōru Shibayama | |
| 1965 | A Villain's Code Of Honor | Sōichi Jinnai | |
| 1965 | Abashiri Prison: Hokkai Territory | Hayama | |
| 1966 | Bitches of the Night | Tatsuo Ōtsuki | |
| 1966 | Kamikaze Man: Duel at Noon | Ken Mitarai | |
| 1966 | Terror Beneath the Sea | Ken Abe | |
| 1966 | Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South | Tanimura | |
| 1966 | Dash to the Sun | Takashi Shindō | |
| 1966 | Game of Chance | Bungo Endō | |
| 1966 | Ōgon Bat | Dr. Yamatone | |
| 1967 | Soshiki Bōryoku | Shinji Takasugi | |
| 1967 | Game of Chance 2 | Bungo Endō | |
| 1967 | Diaries of the Kamikaze | Second Sub-lieutenant Hanzawa | |
| 1967 | The North Sea Chivalry | Shūichi Aida | |
| 1967 | King of Gangsters | Matsumoto | |
| 1967 | Game of Chance 3 | Bungo Endō | |
| 1967 | Kawachi Chivalry | Komakichi Sugimoto | |
| 1968 | Human Torpedoes: Kaiten Special Attack Force | Chief navigator Takiguchi | |
| 1968 | Army Intelligence 33 | Kazuo Yamamoto | |
| 1968 | The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze | Second Sub-lieutenant Kodama | |
| 1969 | Delinquent Boss: Ocho the She-Wolf | Mitsuo Fujiki | |
| 1969 | Memoir of Japanese Assassinations | Tadashi Onuma | |
| 1970 | Yakuza Deka | Shirō Hayata | |
| 1970 | Yakuza Cop 2: Marijuana Trafficking Syndicate | Shirō Hayata | |
| 1970 | The Last Suicide Squad | Captain Mishima | |
| 1971 | Yakuza Cop 3: Poison Gas Affair | Shirō Hayata | |
| 1971 | Yakuza Cop 4: No Epitaphs for Us | Shirō Hayata | |
| 1972 | Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder | Gōsuke Himuro | |
| 1972 | Vice G-Men | Yasuo Kikuchi | |
| 1972 | Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler | Ryūji Azuma | |
| 1972 | Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences | Tōru Ibuki | |
| 1972 | Vice G-Men 2: Terrifying Flesh Hell | Haruo Kikuchi | |
| 1973 | Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima | Katsutoshi Ōtomo | |
| 1973 | Bodyguard Kiba | Naoto Kiba | |
| 1973 | Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok Drug Triangle | Tatsuya Wada | |
| 1973 | Bodyguard Kiba 2 | Naoto Kiba | |
| 1974 | The Street Fighter | Takuma Tsurugi | |
| 1974 | Return of the Street Fighter | Takuma Tsurugi | |
| 1974 | Military Spy School | Ichirō Kikuchi | |
| 1974 | The Executioner | Ryūichi | |
| 1974 | Sister Street Fighter | Seiichi Hibiki | |
| 1974 | The Street Fighter's Last Revenge | Takuma Tsurugi | |
| 1974 | The Executioner II: Karate Inferno | Ryūichi | |
| 1975 | Killing Machine | Doshin So | |
| 1975 | Young Nobility: Maki of the 13 Steps | Kenichi Hyūga | |
| 1975 | Wolfguy: Enraged Lycanthrope | Akira Inugami | |
| 1975 | The Bullet Train | Aoki | |
| 1975 | Champion of Death | Masutatsu Ōyama | |
| 1975 | Detonation: Violent Riders | Tsugami | |
| 1975 | New Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Boss's Head | Bartender | Uncredited |
| 1975 | The Defensive Power of Aikido | Shinbei Natori | |
| 1975 | Karate Bearfighter | Masutatsu Ōyama | |
| 1976 | Dragon Princess | Isshin Higaki | |
| 1976 | Yokohama Underworld: Machine Gun Dragons | Keiichi Komatsu | |
| 1976 | Karate Warriors | Shūhei Sakata | |
| 1976 | The Rugby Star | Rikio Ōtate | |
| 1976 | Jail Breakers | Wataru Kangi | |
| 1976 | Okinawa Yakuza War | Seigō Kunigami | |
| 1977 | Yakuza War: The Japanese Don | Tsuneyoshi Sakota | |
| 1977 | Soul of Chiba | Mu Yun Tek | Planning |
| 1977 | Hokuriku Proxy War | Hachirō Kanai | |
| 1977 | Karate for Life | Mas Oyama | |
| 1977 | Gambler's Code of Japan | Katsuji Kogure | |
| 1977 | Doberman Cop | Jōji Kanō | |
| 1977 | Torakku Yarō | Jōji Niimura | |
| 1977 | Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon | Golgo 13/Duke Tōgō | |
| 1977 | Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye | Drunk | |
| 1978 | Shogun's Samurai | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | |
| 1978 | Message from Space | Prince Hans | |
| 1978 | Okinawa: The Ten Year War | Chōyū Inami | |
| 1978 | The Fall of Ako Castle | Kazuemon Fuwa | |
| 1979 | Dead Angle | Yōsuke Ōta | |
| 1979 | Hunter in the Dark | Samon Shimoguni | |
| 1979 | The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf | Mitsuhiko Sakurai | |
| 1979 | The Bushido Blade | Prince Ido | |
| 1980 | Virus | Dr. Yamauchi | |
| 1980 | Shogun's Ninja | Shōgen Shiranui | Action director |
| 1981 | G.I. Samurai | Lt. Yoshiaki Iba | Action director |
| 1981 | Chanbara Graffiti | documentary | |
| 1981 | Samurai Reincarnation | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | |
| 1981 | Roaring Fire | Shunsuke Tachikawa | Action director |
| 1981 | The Kamikaze Adventurer | Daisuke Kamikaze | |
| 1981 | The Blazing Valiant | Action Director | |
| 1982 | Fall Guy | Himself | |
| 1982 | Ninja Wars | Yagyū Munetoshi | |
| 1983 | Kabamaru the Ninja | Saizō Igano | Planning |
| 1983 | Legend of the Eight Samurai | Dōsetsu Inuyama | |
| 1984 | Kotaro to the Rescue | Moore County colonel | Planning |
| 1985 | The Last True Yakuza | Ryōzō Kanō | |
| 1986 | Cabaret | ||
| 1987 | Sure Death 4: Revenge | Bunshichi Warabeya | |
| 1989 | Tetsuro Tamba's Large Spiritual World | ||
| 1989 | Shogun's Shadow | Shōzaemon Iba | Action director |
| 1989 | Sensei | Makoto Ushiyama | Producer |
| 1990 | Yellow Fangs | Director Producer | |
| 1991 | Gokudo Wars | Takatsugu Kasai | |
| 1992 | Fighting Fist | Superintendent Yamada | Director |
| 1992 | Aces: Iron Eagle III | Colonel Sueo Horikoshi | |
| 1992 | A Mine Field | Hiromichi Takagi | Original idea |
| 1992 | The Triple Cross | Shiba | |
| 1994 | Immortal Combat | Jiro 'J.J.' Jintani | |
| 1995 | Body Count | Makoto | |
| 1998 | The Storm Riders | Lord Conqueror | |
| 2000 | The Legend of the Flying Swordsman | 'Dagger' Yuan-ba Li | |
| 2000 | Born to Be King | Ichio Kusakari | |
| 2000 | Chinchiromai | Takeshi Kuroda | |
| 2001 | The Melancholy Hitman | Direct-to-video | |
| 2001 | Akumyoh | Tōyōzō Kuroshima | Direct-to-video |
| 2001 | Koroshi no Gundan | Miyoshi | Direct-to-video |
| 2001 | Koroshi no Gundan 2 | Miyoshi | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Akumyoh 2 | Tōyōzō Kuroshima | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Deadly Outlaw: Rekka | Yasunori Hijikata | |
| 2002 | Yakuza of Legend: Chapter of Raging Fire | ||
| 2002 | Don no Michi 6 | Takagi | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Don no Michi 7 | Takagi | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Don no Michi 8 | Takagi | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | New Shadow Warriors | Hattori Hanzō I | Planning |
| 2003 | Yakuza of Legend: Chapter of the Setting Sun | Direct-to-video | |
| 2003 | New Shadow Warriors II | Hattori Hanzō I | Planning |
| 2003 | Don no Michi 9 | Takagi | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Battle Royale II: Requiem | Makio Mimura | |
| 2003 | True Kyūshū Yakuza 1 | Isoji Ōga | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | New Shadow Warriors III | Hattori Hanzō I | Executive producer |
| 2003 | Kill Bill: Volume 1 | Hattori Hanzō | Kenjutsu Choreographer |
| 2003 | Namishō no Yamamoto-ja! Kenka Yakyū-hen | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | New Shadow Warriors IV | Hattori Hanzō I | Executive producer |
| 2004 | Kill Bill: Volume 2 | Hattori Hanzō | |
| 2004 | Zenidō | Kōjirō Shinkai | |
| 2004 | Zenidō 2 | Kōjirō Shinkai | |
| 2004 | Zenidō 3 | Kōjirō Shinkai | |
| 2004 | New Boss of Japan | Matsuo Takano | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | New Boss of Japan 2 | Matsuo Takano | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | New Boss of Japan 3 | Matsuo Takano | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Survive Style 5+ | Kazama | |
| 2004 | Zenidō 4 | Kōjirō Shinkai | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Explosive City | Otosan | |
| 2004 | Zenidō 5 | Kōjirō Shinkai | Direct-to-video |
| 2005 | Zenidō 6 | Kōjirō Shinkai | |
| 2005 | New Shadow Warriors V | Hattori Hanzō I | |
| 2005 | New Shadow Warriors VI | Hattori Hanzō I | |
| 2005 | Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 3: Wind Chapter | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | |
| 2005 | Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 4: Fire Chapter | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | |
| 2006 | Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair | Hattori Hanzō | |
| 2006 | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift | Boss Kamata | |
| 2006 | Master of Thunder | Genryū | |
| 2006 | The Winds of God: Kamikaze | Nobutada Ōta | |
| 2006 | True Kyūshū Yakuza 2 | Isoji Ōga | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | True Kyūshū Yakuza 3 | Isoji Ōga | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | Oyaji | Ryūmichi Numata | Director |
| 2009 | Sennen no Matsu | Direct-to-video | |
| 2009 | Sennen no Matsu 2 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2012 | Shura no Hanamichi | Yoshio Sutama | |
| 2012 | Shura no Hanamichi 2 | Yoshio Sutama | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Gokudō no Monshō Part 18 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2012 | Sushi Girl | Sushi chef | |
| 2013 | Nihon Tōitsu | Seizō Gonda | |
| 2013 | Nihon Tōitsu 2 | Seizō Gonda | Direct-to-video |
| 2014 | Shura no Denshō Araburu Kyō Inu | Shūhei Akiyama | |
| 2014 | Kabukichō High School | Hakkaisan board chairman | |
| 2014 | Kanto Gokudo Association Part 1 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2015 | Take a Chance | Miyamoto Musashi | |
| 2015 | Kanto Gokudo Association Part 2 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2015 | April Fools | Bōryokudan leader | |
| 2015 | So-On: The Five Oyaji | ||
| 2017 | Gokudō Tenka Fubu Part 1 | Motonari Mōriya | |
| 2017 | Teppen | Direct-to-video | |
| 2017 | Gokudō Tenka Fubu Part 2 | Motonari Mōriya | |
| 2017 | Teppen 2 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2017 | Teppen 3 | Direct-to-video | |
| 2017 | Shashin Koshien Summer in 0.5 Seconds | Chair workshop craftsman | |
| 2017 | Gokudō Tenka Fubu Part 4 | Motonari Mōriya | |
| 2023 | Bond of Justice: Kizuna | Jō | Posthumous release; Final film role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | Seven Color Mask | Seven Color Mask II/Kōtarō Ran | 26 episodes |
| 1960 | Messenger of Allah | Gorō Narumi | 26 episodes |
| 1960 | Wanted: Demon Fire | 1 episode | |
| 1963 | The Light of Asakusa | TV film | |
| 1964 | JNR Inspector No. 36 | Railway Inspector Hayakawa | 4 episodes |
| 1965 | Flag of Glory | Lieutenant Yamanaka | Part 1 |
| 1965–1966 | Blind Black Belt | Tatsuya Kurami | |
| 1965 | Special Tactical Police | Detective Komatsu | 1 episode |
| 1965–1966 | Kiiroi Fūdo | ||
| 1968–1973 | Key Hunter | Yōsuke Kazama | |
| 1969 | Special Investigation Office | 1 episode | |
| 1970 | Judo Straight Line | Washio | 3 episodes |
| 1972–1974 | The Young Detective | Detective Yabuki | 3 episodes |
| 1973 | Robot Detective | Keitarō Shinjō | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Suspense Series: Modern Witch Tale Murderous Love | Shige | 1 episode |
| 1974 | The Bodyguard | Shūsuke Washimi | 26 episodes |
| 1975 | The Gorilla Seven | Daisuke Kazami | 26 episodes |
| 1975–1976 | Blazing Dragnet | Shirō Ōgami | 14 episodes |
| 1976 | Emergency Line | Masahiro Godai | 10 episodes |
| 1976 | Nanairo Tongarashi | Tetsuo Samejima | |
| 1977 | Shingo Tondeke Torimonochō | ||
| 1978 | Crossroads | Junzō Kihara | 3 parts |
| 1978 | Omoide no Umibe Papa, Boku Shinitakunai!! | TV film | |
| 1978–1979 | The Yagyu Conspiracy | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | 39 episodes |
| 1978 | Yukiyama Sanka Aru Seishun: Tateta! Subereta! | TV film | |
| 1978 | Southern Cross | Miyamoto Musashi | TV film |
| 1980 | Shadow Warriors | Hattori Hanzō III | 27 episodes |
| 1980 | Tokyo Great Earthquake Magnitude 8.1 | Kobayashi | TV film |
| 1980–1981 | Yagyu Abaretabi | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | 26 episodes |
| 1981 | Keishichō Satsujin-ka | 1 episode | |
| 1981–1982 | Shadow Warriors II | Tsuge Shinpachi | 26 episodes |
| 1982–1983 | Space Sheriff Gavan | Voicer | 6 episodes, uncredited |
| 1982 | Shadow Warriors III | Tarao Hanzō | 26 episodes |
| 1982–1983 | Yagyu Jubei Abaretabi | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | 26 episodes |
| 1983 | Space Sheriff Sharivan | Voicer | 1 episode, uncredited |
| 1984 | Wonderful Circus Guy | Daigaku Maejima | TV film Planning |
| 1985 | Shadow Warriors IV | Hattori Hanzō XV | 27 episodes |
| 1985 | Shadow Warriors: The End of an Era | Hattori Hanzō XV | 13 episodes |
| 1986 | Shinya ni Yōkoso | Kōzō Murata | 4 parts |
| 1987 | Taikoki | Akechi Mitsuhide | TV film |
| 1987 | Tomorrow's Snow | Dr. Sakamoto | TV film |
| 1987 | A Traveling Girl | Takeshi Ishikawa | |
| 1987 | Autumn Scenario | Tatsumi | TV film |
| 1988 | Tokugawa Ieyasu | Ishikawa Kazumasa | TV film |
| 1988 | Ryokō keba Renzoku Satsujin | Tetsuya Nanjō | TV film |
| 1989 | Oda Nobunaga | Oda Nobuhide | TV film |
| 1989 | Iemitsu, Hikoza, and Isshin Tasuke: A National Crisis | Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi | TV film |
| 1989 | OL Sennyū! Nippon Fūzoku Meisho | Iwata | TV film |
| 1989 | The Days I Saw in My Dreams | Shinsaku Sekimoto | 10 episodes |
| 1990 | Minamoto Yoshitsune | Zenrinbō Kakunichi | TV film |
| 1990 | Shingo's Ten Duels | Umei Tamon | TV film |
| 1990 | Ashi de Miru-yama | Kurahashi | TV film |
| 1990 | Seventeen Ninja | Iga no Jingoza | TV film, assistant director |
| 1991 | Takeda Shingen | Takeda Nobutora | TV film |
| 1991 | Saito Dosan: Rage of Power | Akechi Mitsutsuna | TV film |
| 1992 | Tokugawa Buraichō | Matsudaira Tadateru | 24 episodes |
| 1993 | Mori Ranmaru: Sengoku o Kake Nuketa Waka Jishi | Mori Sanzaemon Yoshinari | TV film |
| 1996 | Legend of St. Dragon | Yūji Saeki | 1 episode |
| 1997–1998 | Terakoya Yume Shinan | Matajūrō Sensui | 23 episodes |
| 2001 | Shotgun-Marriage | Ittetsu Kotani | 11 episode |
| 2002 | Wind and Cloud | Lord Conqueror | |
| 2005 | Legendary Sword fights of Yagyu Jubei | Miyamoto Musashi | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Team Astro | J. Shuro | |
| 2007 | Fūrin Kazan | Itagaki Nobukata | 30 episodes |
| 2011 | Secret Agent Erika | Pastor of St. Francisco Church | 1 episode |
| 2014 | Owakon TV | Genjirō Aramaki | 8 episodes |
Shorts
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2013 | Ninja Theory | Ninja master | Voice |
| 2018 | Shakespeare in Tokyo | Calligrapher |