Sonny Chiba
Known for Acting · 237 credits
- Born
- 1939-01-23
- Died
- 2021-08-19
- Place of birth
- Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Also known as
- Shinichi Chiba · Sadaho Maeda · Sonny Chiba
Biography
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.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Sonny Chiba, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
TV Shows (27)
Wind and Cloud
2002
as 雄霸
Samurai Banners
2007
Shadow Warriors
1980
as Hattori Hanzō
Space Sheriff Gavan
1982
as Space Sheriff Voicer
Key Hunter
1968
as 風間洋介
Team Astro
2005
as Shuro
Space Sheriff Sharivan
1983
as Voicer (in flashback)
Nanairo Kamen
1959
as Kotaro Ran
风云争霸
2004
as 东方青木 / 东方白石
Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest
1982
as Yagyu Jubei
Robot Detective
1973
as Keitarō Shinjō
Layout
2021
Shotgun Marriage
2001
as Ittetsu Kotani
Yagyu's Secret Quest
1980
as Yagyu Jubei
Daihijôsen
1976
The Yagyu Conspiracy
1978
as Yagyu Yubei
Takeda Shingen
1991
as Takeda Nobutora
Oda Nobunaga
1989
Notes on Tokugawa Villainies
1992
as Matsudaira Tadateru
Yume ni Mita Hibi
1989
as Sekimoto Shinsaku
The Bodyguard
1974
Seiryuu Densetsu
1996
Tokugawa Ieyasu
1988
Juujiro
1978
Messenger of Allah
1960
as Detective Goro Narumi / Messenger of Allah
Late Night Salute
1986
Blazing Dragnet
1975
Movies (210)
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
2011
as Hattori Hanzo
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
2003
as Hattori Hanzo
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004
as Hattori Hanzo
The Storm Riders
1998
as Lord Conqueror
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
2006
as Uncle Kamata
The Bullet Train
1975
as Aoki
Battle Royale II: Requiem
2003
as Makio Mimura
Survive Style 5+
2004
as Azama
Virus
1980
as Dr. Yamauchi
Shogun's Shadow
1989
as Iba Shoemon
Shogun's Ninja
1980
as Shiranui Shogen
Born to Be King
2000
as Ichiro Kusakari
The Bushido Blade
1981
as Prince Ido
Samurai Reincarnation
1981
as Jubei Yagyu
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima
1973
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Shogun's Samurai
1978
as Jûbê Yagyû
The Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
Iron Eagle III
1992
as Horikoshi
Four Sisters
1962
as Shinkichi Hayami
Sister Street Fighter
1974
as Seiichi Hibiki
Japan's Don
1977
as Tsuneyoshi Sakota
The Street Fighter's Last Revenge
1974
as Takuma Tsurguri
Fall Guy
1982
Dead Angle
1979
G.I. Samurai
1979
as Lt. Yoshiaki Iba
Message from Space
1978
as Prince Hans
Unification Of Japan 2
2013
as Seizo Gonda
Legend of the Eight Samurai
1983
as Inuyama Dosetsu Tadatomo
Yakuza Eiga, une histoire du cinéma yakuza
2009
as Himself
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
1977
as Duke Togo (Golgo 13)
Memoir of Japanese Assassinations
1969
as Sho Onuma
Kotaro, An Audacious Karate Boy
1984
as Sonny Sullivan
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 3 - The Wind Chapter
2004
Return of the Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
Don's Road 9
2013
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
2002
as Yasunori Hijikata
Tale of Japanese Burglars
1965
as Lawyer Ohki
The Escape
1962
Human Torpedoes
1968
The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf
1979
as Mitsuhiko Sakurai
Legend of Seven Monks
2006
Sushi Girl: A Documentary
2013
as Self
The Okinawa War of Ten Years
1978
Hunter in the Dark
1979
as Samon Shimoguni
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 2: Head of the Boss
1975
as Bartender
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
2023
as Jou
The Great Okinawa Yakuza War
1976
as Seigou Kunigami
Sure Death 4
1987
as Bunshichi
The Fall of Ako Castle
1978
as Fuwa Kazuemon
Shingo's Ten Duels
1990
as Umei Tamon
Cabaret
1986
as Yakuza boss
Roaring Fire
1981
as Mr. Magic
Explosive City
2004
as Otosan
Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder
1972
as Gosuke Himuro
Karate Bear Fighter
1975
as Mas Oyama
The Last Kamikaze
1970
as Captain Mishima
Dragon Princess
1976
as Kazuma Higaki
Fighting Fist
1992
as Supt. Yamada
The Executioner
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
Doberman Cop
1977
as Joji Kano
The Last True Yakuza
1985
as Ryozo Kano
The Decisive Power of Aikido
1975
Bodyguard Kiba 2
1973
as Naoto Kiba
Sushi Girl
2012
as Sushi Chef
Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley
1961
as Goro Saionji
The Executioner II: Karate Inferno
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye
1977
as Drunkard
Body Count
1995
as Makato
Takeda Shingen
1991
as Takeda Nobutora
The Legend of Space Sheriff Gavan
2012
as Space Sheriff Voicer
The Machine Gun Dragon
1976
Taikoki
1987
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 4 - The Fire Chapter
2005
as Yagyu Jubei
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
1980
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Ninja Wars
1982
as Shinzaemon Yagyu
Minamoto Yoshitsune
1990
Truckster of Guts
1977
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part II - Judgement
2024
as Jou
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts
1985
as Self
Wolf Guy
1975
as Akira Inugami
Organized Violence
1967
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
1963
Invasion of the Neptune Men
1961
as Tachibana - Scientist / Space Chief
Game of Chance 2
1967
Jail Breakers
1976
as Wataru Kangi
The Bodyguard
1973
as Naoto Kiba
Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences
1972
as Toru Ibuki
The Killing Machine
1975
as Doshin So
Immortal Combat
1994
as Jiro 'J.J.' Jintani
Karate for Life
1977
as Sensei Masutatsu Oyama
The Noise
2015
A Kamikaze Cop
1970
as Hayata Shiro
South Pacific Waves Are High
1962
Japanese Humanity and Justice
1977
Game of Chance
1966
as Bungo Endo
Space Sheriff Shaider: The Movie
1984
as Shaider (Voice)
Man with a Funky Hat: The 20,000,000 Yen Arm
1961
Terror Beneath the Sea
1966
as Ken Abe
Hokuriku Proxy War
1977
as Kanai Hachiro
Karate Bullfighter
1975
as Sensei Masutatsu Oyama
The Golden Bat
1966
as Dr. Yamatone
Gang vs. G-Men
1962
13 Steps of Maki: The Young Aristocrats
1975
as Kenichi Hyuga
The Kamikaze Guy
1966
as Mitarai Ken
Street Fighting Man: An Interview with Sonny Chiba
2019
as Self
Sensei
1989
as Makoto Ushiyama
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
The Navy
1963
as Takao
The Horrible Obsessions
1972
as Haruo Kikuchi
Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend
2016
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
1968
Mid-August Commotion
1962
as Dr Omori
Karate Warriors
1976
as Shuuhei Sakata
Code of Ruffians
1965
Hakata Movie: Chinchiromai
2000
Iemitsu, Hikoza and Isshin Tasuke - A National Crisis: Edo Castle in Danger
1989
as Yagyu Jubei
Legend of the Flying Swordsman
2000
as Dagger
Space Sheriff Shaider: Pursuit! The Strange Kidnappers!
1984
as Shaider (Voice)
Seventeen Ninja
1990
About 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, earn… With 237 credits spanning from 1959 to 2024, Sonny Chiba has appeared in 210 films and 27 TV shows.
Fans searching for Sonny Chiba movies, Sonny Chiba filmography, or the latest projects starring Sonny Chiba can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Sonny Chiba Movies
- Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2011) — as Hattori Hanzo
- Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) — as Hattori Hanzo
- Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) — as Hattori Hanzo
- The Storm Riders (1998) — as Lord Conqueror
- The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) — as Uncle Kamata
Where to Watch Sonny Chiba Films
Most Sonny Chiba 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 Sonny Chiba, check our movies catalogue and browse page.