Takaaki Watanabe
Known for Acting · 415 credits
- Born
- 1987-01-26 (age 39)
- Place of birth
- Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Also known as
- EVIL · Naraku
Biography
Takaaki Watanabe is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Naraku. He is best known for his tenure in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name EVIL, where he debuted as a Young Lion in 2011 and later became the leader of House of Torture. During his NJPW run, he captured the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships, won the New Japan Cup in 2020, and claimed back-to-back World Tag League victories in 2017 and 2018 with SANADA before leaving the promotion in January 2026.
Watanabe debuted in WWE on the April 28, 2026 episode of NXT by confronting NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo before officially adopting the name Naraku. He later made his in-ring debut on May 12, defeating Lince Dorado.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (411)
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022
2022
as EVIL
NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall ~ Best of the Super Junior 31 Final ~
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Road To The New Beginning 2020 - Night 5
2020
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2024
2024
as EVIL
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2018
2018
as EVIL
NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2013
2013
as Takaaki Watanabe
NJPW Destruction In Ryogoku 2023
2023
as EVIL
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2019
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14: Night 2
2020
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Special in USA 2017 - Night 2
2017
as EVIL
NJPW Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall
2019
as EVIL
NJPW 51st Anniversary Event & New Japan Cup 2023: Day 2
2023
as EVIL
NJPW Castle Attack 2021 - Day 2
2021
as EVIL
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 3
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Special In San Francisco
2018
as EVIL
NJPW Dominion 7.12 in Osaka-Jo Hall
2020
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 19 (Final)
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
2018
as EVIL
ROH: Field of Honor
2015
as Self
NJPW Dominion 6.15 In Osaka-Jo Hall
2025
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 15
2023
as EVIL
NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall
2023
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 19 (Final)
2023
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 2
2023
as EVIL
ROH & NJPW: War of the Worlds 2017 - Day 2
2017
as EVIL
NJPW Tag League Finals 2015
2015
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2020 - Day 1
2020
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 19 (Final)
2020
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 14
2019
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Special in USA 2017 - Night 1
2017
as EVIL
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 3
2023
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 18
2023
as EVIL
NJPW Sengoku Lord in Nagoya
2020
as EVIL
NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 - Day 2
2017
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 26: Day 19 (Final)
2016
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 1
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14: Night 1
2020
as EVIL
NJPW Power Struggle 2017
2017
as EVIL
NJPW 47th Anniversary Show
2019
as EVIL
NJPW 45th Anniversary Show
2017
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 2
2021
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 1
2018
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 16
2019
as Evil
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 23 - Day 14 (Final)
2016
as EVIL
NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 20 (Final)
2022
as EVIL
NJPW Best Bout Collection Vol 1.
2020
as EVIL (archive footage)
NJPW The New Beginning in Niigata 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 3
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 2017
2017
as EVIL
NJPW Resurgence 2024
2024
as EVIL
NJPW 52nd Anniversary Event & New Japan Cup 2024 - Day 1
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome: Night 2
2021
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 7
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Purge Night of Torture
2025
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 8
2024
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 13
2023
as EVIL
NJPW New Japan Cup 2019 - Day 3
2019
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 1
2023
as EVIL
RevPro Uprising 2019
2019
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 1
2021
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 - Night 2
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 16
2022
as EVIL
NJPW New Japan Cup 2023: Day 1
2023
as EVIL
ROH: Best In The World
2018
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 12
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2021 - Night 1
2021
as EVIL
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 23 - Day 1
2016
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 4
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW 53rd Anniversary Event
2025
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
2023
as EVIL
ROH: Summer Heat Tour - Day 1
2014
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2024
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 12
2018
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 19 (Final)
2017
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 18
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 - Day 2
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11
2017
as Evil
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2017
2017
as EVIL
ROH & NJPW & RPW & CMLL: War of the Worlds UK - Day 1
2017
as EVIL
NJPW New Year Dash !! 2020
2020
as EVIL
ROH & NJPW: G1 Supercard
2019
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 2
2019
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 15
2024
as EVIL
NJPW Battle Autumn 2022 - Day 16
2022
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 27: Day 4
2017
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 26: Day 14
2016
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
2018
as EVIL
NJPW Invasion Attack 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2021
2021
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 10
2018
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 18
2019
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 - Night 2
2018
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 10
2020
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 6
2019
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 16
2018
as EVIL
NJPW Sakura Genesis 2024
2024
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 15
2019
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 28: Day 2
2018
as EVIL
ROH: Best In The World
2014
as Takaaki Watanabe
NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 - Day 12
2021
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning in Nagoya
2024
as EVIL
NJPW New Japan Cup 2025 - Day 9 (Final)
2025
as EVIL
ROH & NJPW: Honor Rising Japan - Night 1
2017
as EVIL
ROH & NJPW: War of the Worlds 2017 - Day 3
2017
as EVIL
NJPW Destruction in Kobe 2016
2016
as EVIL
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2016
2016
as Evil
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima 2017
2017
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 11
2024
as EVIL
NJPW & NOAH: Wrestle Kingdom 16 - Night 3
2022
as EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 34: Day 13
2024
as EVIL
NJPW New Years Golden Series 2022 - Day 1
2022
as EVIL
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
2024
as EVIL
NJPW World Tag League 2025 - Day 2
2025
as EVIL
About Takaaki Watanabe
Takaaki Watanabe is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Naraku. He is best known for his tenure in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name EVIL, where he debuted as a Young Lion in 2011 and later became the leader of House of Torture. During his NJPW run, he captured the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships, won the New Japan Cup in 2020, and claimed back-to-back World Tag League victories in 2017 and 2018 with SANADA before leaving the promotion in Ja… With 415 credits spanning from 1972 to 2026, Takaaki Watanabe has appeared in 411 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Takaaki Watanabe movies, Takaaki Watanabe filmography, or the latest projects starring Takaaki Watanabe can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Takaaki Watanabe Movies
- NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2022 (2022) — as EVIL
- NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall ~ Best of the Super Junior 31 Final ~ (2024) — as EVIL
- NJPW Road To The New Beginning 2020 - Night 5 (2020) — as EVIL
- NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2016 (2016) — as EVIL
- NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2024 (2024) — as EVIL
Where to Watch Takaaki Watanabe Films
Most Takaaki Watanabe movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Takaaki Watanabe, check our movies catalogue and browse page.