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Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
82 years (Jan 23, 1939 – Aug 19, 2021)
Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
122 Movies
17 TV Shows

Sonny Chiba

Known for
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
Hattori Hanzo
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Uncle Kamata
Survive Style 5+
Azama
Take a Chance
Musashi
A Japanese actor and martial artist born in Fukuoka, Sonny Chiba was an international action legend and a pioneer of gritty, hard-hitting screen fighting. A genuine karate master, he became a global cult icon through 'The Street Fighter' (1974) and starred in scores of Japanese action films and television series across a five-decade career. He introduced himself to a new generation as the master swordsmith Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' (2003). A charismatic, physically explosive performer, he remains one of the most influential figures in martial-arts cinema. He died in 2021.
A Japanese actor and martial artist born in Fukuoka, Sonny Chiba was an international action legend and a pioneer of gritty, hard-hitting screen fighting. A genuine karate master, he became a global cult icon through 'The Street Fighter' (1974) and starred in scores of Japanese action films and television series across a five-decade career. He introduced himself to a new generation as the master swordsmith Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' (2003). A charismatic, physically explosive performer, he remains one of the most influential figures in martial-arts cinema. He died in 2021.
Known for
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
Hattori Hanzo
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Uncle Kamata
Survive Style 5+
Azama
Take a Chance
Musashi
Movies
TV Shows
Latest Trailers
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
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Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
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Full Filmography
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part II - Judgement
Jou
2024
Film
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
Jou
2023
Film
Shakespeare in Tokyo
Calligrapher
★ 7.3
2018
Film
Biohazard: The Stage
Ezra Sennett
★ 9.0
2015
Film
Take a Chance
Musashi
★ 10.0
2015
Film
Unification Of Japan 2
Seizo Gonda
2013
Film
Unification Of Japan
Seizo Gonda
★ 5.3
2013
Film
Sushi Girl
Sushi Chef
★ 5.5
2012
Film
The Legend of Space Sheriff Gavan
Space Sheriff Voicer
★ 10.0
2012
Film
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sonny Chiba still alive?
Sonny Chiba passed away on August 19, 2021 at age 82.
What are the most famous roles of Sonny Chiba?
Sonny Chiba is best known for roles in Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
How many movies has Sonny Chiba been in?
Over a 60-year career (since 1961), Sonny Chiba has appeared in 122 movies and 17 TV shows.
What was Sonny Chiba's first movie?
The career of Sonny Chiba began with Police Department Part 15: Alibi (1961).
What is Sonny Chiba's most recent movie or series?
Sonny Chiba's most recent release is Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part II - Judgement, which premiered on July 29, 2024.
What TV shows has Sonny Chiba appeared in?
On television, Sonny Chiba has appeared in Space Sheriff Gavan, Space Sheriff Sharivan, Wind and Cloud, Samurai Banners.
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Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
1939-01-23 · Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

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.Sonny Chiba, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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