Sonny Chiba, a Japanese karateka and actor known to the general public for playing Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill", died at 82 of complications related to Covid-19. This was announced by his agent, Timothy Beal, remembering him as "a great friend and a fantastic client, such a humble, caring and jovial man". Born with the name of Sadaho Maeda in 1939 in Fukuoka, South West Japan, Chiba studied martial arts in the 1960s and his expertise, particularly in karate, earned him numerous film and television roles, including in important productions such as that of the Toei studio. To make him known to the international public was the trilogy, inspired by the success of the films with Bruce Lee, of "The Street Fighter",in which Chiba played the part of Takuma Tsurugi, a lethal hitman who kills his enemies with his bare hands and finds himself first working for the Yakuza and then fighting it. The trilogy, released in the 1970s, aroused a great impression on the young Tarantino, who decided to recruit Chiba for the role of the elderly samurai who forges one of his famous swords for Uma Thurman to help her carry out her revenge. In 2006 Chiba also starred in "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift". His next film was to be "Outbreak Z", a zombie film starring Wesley Snipes.a great impression on the young Tarantino, who decided to recruit Chiba for the role of the elderly samurai who forges one of his famous swords for Uma Thurman to help her carry out her revenge. In 2006 Chiba also starred in "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift". His next film was to be "Outbreak Z", a zombie film starring Wesley Snipes.a great impression on the young Tarantino, who decided to recruit Chiba for the role of the elderly samurai who forges one of his famous swords for Uma Thurman to help her carry out her revenge. In 2006 Chiba also starred in "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift". His next film was to be "Outbreak Z", a zombie film starring Wesley Snipes.
Sonny Chiba (AP Photo / Kevork Djansezian)
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August 20, 2021 Sonny Chiba, a Japanese karateka and actor known to the general public for playing Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill", died at 82 from complications related to Covid-19.
This was announced by his agent, Timothy Beal, remembering him as "a great friend and a fantastic client, such a humble, caring and jovial man".
Born with the name of Sadaho Maeda in 1939 in Fukuoka, South West Japan, Chiba studied martial arts in the 1960s and his expertise, particularly in karate, earned him numerous film and television roles, including in important productions such as that of the Toei studio.
To make him known to the international public was the trilogy, inspired by the success of the films with Bruce Lee, of "The Street Fighter", in which Chiba played the part of Takuma Tsurugi, a lethal hitman who kills his enemies with his bare hands and finds himself first to work for the Yakuza and then to fight it.
The trilogy, released in the 1970s, aroused a great impression on the young Tarantino, who decided to recruit Chiba for the role of the elderly samurai who forges one of his famous swords for Uma Thurman to help her carry out her revenge.
In 2006 Chiba also starred in "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift". His next film was to be "Outbreak Z", a zombie film starring Wesley Snipes.
