Tatsuya Nakadai
Known for Acting · 205 credits
- Born
- 1932-12-13
- Died
- 2025-11-08
- Place of birth
- Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
- Also known as
- Тацуя Накадай · Tatsuya Nakadaki · تاتسویا ناکادای · Motohisa Nakadai · 仲代 元久 · 仲代元久
Biography
Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya; born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932 – November 8, 2025) was a Japanese actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, he collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career, he appeared in more than 160 films, and received numerous accolades. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015.
Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Masaki Kobayashi's films, with his breakthrough being the protagonist of the epic anti-war trilogy The Human Condition (1959–1961). He won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for his performance as the vengeful ronin in Harakiri (1962), a role he considered his finest. Nakadai collaborated on eleven films with Kobayashi—including Kwaidan (1964) and Samurai Rebellion (1967)—and five with Akira Kurosawa, most notably as the tragic warlord in Ran (1985), a performance that earned global acclaim. His other notable credits included Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo (1961), The Sword of Doom (1966), The Face of Another (1966), Goyokin (1969), Kagemusha (1980), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013).
A lifelong stage actor, he founded the Gendai Nohgaku-kai troupe in 1975 and continued performing on stage into his nineties.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Tatsuya Nakadai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
TV Shows (13)
Samurai Banners
2007
Shin Heike Monogatari
1972
as Taira no Kiyomori
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World
2004
as Matsumoto Kentaro
A Son of the Good Earth
1995
A Sinner's Lie
2014
as Kenzo Haneda
Suna no Utsuwa
1977
as 今西栄太郎
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai
1980
as ナレーション
The Human Condition
1959
as Kaji
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
1992
Momi no Ki wa Nokotta: Ranshin
1983
Kinagashi Bugyō
1981
ゴメスの名はゴメス
1967
嘱託刑事･小山田昭平 旅路の果て
2001
Movies (192)
Seven Samurai
1954
as Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
High and Low
1963
as Chief Detective Tokura
Harakiri
1962
as Hanshiro Tsugumo
Ran
1985
as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2013
as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
Yojimbo
1961
as Unosuke, gunfighter
The Empty Table
1985
as Nobuyuki Kidoji
Belladonna of Sadness
1973
as The Devil (voice)
Kagemusha
1980
as Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Kwaidan
1965
as Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Will to Conquer
1970
Yamato
2005
Wish Upon a Star
2005
as Takanori Wakamiya
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
1959
as Kaji
Samurai Rebellion
1967
as Tatewaki Asano
Wicked City
1992
as Daishu
The Battle of Okinawa
1971
as Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
Sanjuro
1962
as Hanbei Muroto
Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die!
1968
as James Elfego
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
1959
as Kaji
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
1961
as Kaji
Solar Eclipse
1975
as Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
1982
as Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
The Face of Another
1966
as Mr. Okuyama
Giovanni's Island
2014
as Older Junpei Senou (voice)
Hachiko
1987
as Shujiro Ueno
Human Revolution II
1976
Gun Woman
2014
as Hamazaki
Battle of the Japan Sea
1969
as Major Genjiro Akashi
Fireflies in the North
1984
as Takeshi Tsukigata
戦艦大和
1990
Goyokin
1969
as Magobei Wakizaka
The Sword of Doom
1966
as Ryunosuke Tsukue
Conflagration
1958
as Tokari
Admiral Yamamoto
1968
as Narrator (voice)
After the Rain
2000
as Tsuji Gettan
Heat Wave
1991
as Tsunejiro Murai
Murder of the Inugami Clan
2006
as Sahei Inugami
Inn of Evil
1971
as Sadashichi
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
1978
as Kumokiri Nizaemon
Basara: The Princess Goh
1992
as Oribe Furuta
Japan's Longest Day
1967
as Narrator (voice)
Untamed Woman
1957
as Kimura
Hunter in the Dark
1979
as Gomyo Kiyoemon
Kurosawa
2000
as Self
The Last Judgment
1965
Like Asura
2003
as Kotaro Takezawa
Until the Break of Dawn
2012
as Sadayuki Akiyama
East Meets West
1995
as Kaishu Katsu
Atami Murder Case
1986
as Denbei Nikaido
The Daphne
1966
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
1970
as Naojiro Kataoka
Zatoichi: The Last
2010
as Tendo
Return from the River Kwai
1989
as Major Harada
Faraway Sunset
1992
as Kobayashi
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho
1988
Cash Calls Hell
1966
as Oida
The Human Bullet
1968
as Narrator (voice)
The Taika Reforms
2005
as Minabuchi no Syôan
Immortal Love
1961
as Heibei
Kill!
1968
as Genta
Port Arthur
1980
as Maresuke Nogi
Illusion of Blood
1965
as Iyemon Tamiya
Battle Anthem
1983
All About Marriage
1958
as Akira Nakayama
Daughters, Wives and a Mother
1960
as Kuroki Shingo
Queen Bee
1978
as Ginzo Daidoji
Jubaku: Spellbound
1999
as Hideaki Sasaki
The Fox Dancing in the Dusk
1984
Odd Obsession
1959
as Kimura
A. K.
1985
as Self
Blood Type: Blue
1978
as Minami
Three Yakuza
1965
Four Days of Snow and Blood
1989
as Sugiyama
Tenchu!
1969
as Hanpeita Takechi
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
2002
as Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
Love Under the Crucifix
1962
as Ukon Takayama
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai
2022
as Makino Tadayuki
Final Yamato
1983
as Narrator
The Family
1974
as Teppei Manpyo
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
1960
as Kenichi Komatsu
Portrait of Hell
1969
as Yoshihide
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
1996
as Seijiro Miyazawa
The Phoenix
1978
as Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
Fort Graveyard
1965
as Sakuma
Haru's Journey
2010
as Tadao Nakai
Battle Cry
1975
as Hijikata Toshizo
Vengeance for Sale
2002
as Umetaro Katakura
The Age of Assassins
1967
as Shinji Kikyo
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2014
as Self
The Ambitious
1970
as Shintaro Nakaoka
A Woman's Life
1963
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
1970
as Ronin
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring
1958
as Kazuo Shimada
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993
The Naked Sun
1958
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
1993
as Yagyu Retsudo
The Inheritance
1962
as Kikuo Furukawa
Sazae-san
1956
as Norisuke
Love on Rainbow Island
1956
as Yûji Wada
Black River
1957
as Jo
Making of Ran
1985
as Self
Sugata Sanshiro
1977
as Yano
The Thick-Walled Room
1956
as (Uncredited)
Japan's Tragedy
2012
as Fujio Murai
Through the Mist
2009
as (archive footage)
Kojiro
1967
as Musashi Miyamoto
Willful Murder
1981
as Yashiro
I Am a Cat
1975
as Kushami
13 Assassins
1990
The Human Revolution
1973
Legacy of the 500,000
1963
as Mitsura Gunji
A Duel Tale
2015
Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for Acting
2015
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa
2022
as Self
The Return
2019
The Human Trust
2013
as Nobuhiro Sasakura
The Wolves
1971
as Seji Iwahashi
Shadow Hunters
1983
The Gate of Youth
1975
About Tatsuya Nakadai
Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya; born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932 – November 8, 2025) was a Japanese actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, he collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career, he appeared in more than 160 films, and received numerous accolades. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015. Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Masaki Kobayashi's films,… With 205 credits spanning from 1954 to 2025, Tatsuya Nakadai has appeared in 192 films and 13 TV shows.
Fans searching for Tatsuya Nakadai movies, Tatsuya Nakadai filmography, or the latest projects starring Tatsuya Nakadai can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Tatsuya Nakadai Movies
- Seven Samurai (1954) — as Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
- High and Low (1963) — as Chief Detective Tokura
- Harakiri (1962) — as Hanshiro Tsugumo
- Ran (1985) — as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
- The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) — as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
Where to Watch Tatsuya Nakadai Films
Most Tatsuya Nakadai 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 Tatsuya Nakadai, check our movies catalogue and browse page.