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
Key Hunter
1968
as 風間洋介
Shadow Warriors
1980
as Hattori Hanzō
Space Sheriff Gavan
1982
as Space Sheriff Voicer
Space Sheriff Sharivan
1983
as Voicer (in flashback)
Team Astro
2005
as Shuro
Nanairo Kamen
1959
as Kotaro Ran
风云争霸
2004
as 东方青木 / 东方白石
Layout
2021
The Yagyu Conspiracy
1978
as Yagyu Yubei
Shotgun Marriage
2001
as Ittetsu Kotani
Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest
1982
as Yagyu Jubei
Robot Detective
1973
as Keitarō Shinjō
Yagyu's Secret Quest
1980
as Yagyu Jubei
Daihijôsen
1976
Oda Nobunaga
1989
Takeda Shingen
1991
as Takeda Nobutora
Yume ni Mita Hibi
1989
as Sekimoto Shinsaku
The Bodyguard
1974
Notes on Tokugawa Villainies
1992
as Matsudaira Tadateru
Seiryuu Densetsu
1996
Juujiro
1978
Messenger of Allah
1960
as Detective Goro Narumi / Messenger of Allah
Tokugawa Ieyasu
1988
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
Battle Royale II: Requiem
2003
as Makio Mimura
Virus
1980
as Dr. Yamauchi
Survive Style 5+
2004
as Azama
Shogun's Samurai
1978
as Jûbê Yagyû
The Bullet Train
1975
as Aoki
The Bushido Blade
1981
as Prince Ido
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima
1973
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Four Sisters
1962
as Shinkichi Hayami
Message from Space
1978
as Prince Hans
Samurai Reincarnation
1981
as Jubei Yagyu
Born to Be King
2000
as Ichiro Kusakari
Shogun's Shadow
1989
as Iba Shoemon
Shogun's Ninja
1980
as Shiranui Shogen
Iron Eagle III
1992
as Horikoshi
The Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
Don's Road 9
2013
Dead Angle
1979
Legend of the Eight Samurai
1983
as Inuyama Dosetsu Tadatomo
Sister Street Fighter
1974
as Seiichi Hibiki
Fall Guy
1982
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
1977
as Duke Togo (Golgo 13)
Unification Of Japan 2
2013
as Seizo Gonda
Kabamaru the Ninja Boy
1983
as Iga no Saizo
Kotaro, An Audacious Karate Boy
1984
as Sonny Sullivan
Sushi Girl
2012
as Sushi Chef
The Executioner
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
Ninja Wars
1982
as Shinzaemon Yagyu
Japan's Don
1977
as Tsuneyoshi Sakota
Karate Bear Fighter
1975
as Mas Oyama
Body Count
1995
as Makato
The Last True Yakuza
1985
as Ryozo Kano
The Fall of Ako Castle
1978
as Fuwa Kazuemon
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
2002
as Yasunori Hijikata
Roaring Fire
1981
as Mr. Magic
G.I. Samurai
1979
as Lt. Yoshiaki Iba
Cabaret
1986
as Yakuza boss
The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf
1979
as Mitsuhiko Sakurai
Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye
1977
as Drunkard
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part II - Judgement
2024
as Jou
Wolf Guy
1975
as Akira Inugami
The Street Fighter's Last Revenge
1974
as Takuma Tsurguri
Yakuza Eiga, une histoire du cinéma yakuza
2009
as Himself
Hunter in the Dark
1979
as Samon Shimoguni
The Killing Machine
1975
as Doshin So
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
2001
New Shadow Warriors VI: The Final Chapter
2005
as Hattori Hanzo I
Shingo's Ten Duels
1990
as Umei Tamon
Tale of Japanese Burglars
1965
as Lawyer Ohki
Immortal Combat
1994
as Jiro 'J.J.' Jintani
Hokuriku Proxy War
1977
as Kanai Hachiro
Sure Death 4
1987
as Bunshichi
Dragon Princess
1976
as Kazuma Higaki
Memoir of Japanese Assassinations
1969
as Sho Onuma
Human Torpedoes
1968
Karate Bullfighter
1975
as Sensei Masutatsu Oyama
Sushi Girl: A Documentary
2013
as Self
The Okinawa War of Ten Years
1978
A Kamikaze Cop
1970
as Hayata Shiro
The Great Okinawa Yakuza War
1976
as Seigou Kunigami
Truckster of Guts
1977
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 3 - The Wind Chapter
2004
Here Because of You
1964
Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness 4 - The Fire Chapter
2005
as Yagyu Jubei
Legend of the Flying Swordsman
2000
as Dagger
Takeda Shingen
1991
as Takeda Nobutora
Return of the Street Fighter
1974
as Takuma Tsurugi
Doberman Cop
1977
as Joji Kano
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 2: Head of the Boss
1975
as Bartender
Terror Beneath the Sea
1966
as Ken Abe
The Escape
1962
The Executioner II: Karate Inferno
1974
as Ryuichi Koga
The Bodyguard
1973
as Naoto Kiba
Jail Breakers
1976
as Wataru Kangi
The Last Kamikaze
1970
as Captain Mishima
Gang vs. G-Men
1962
Bodyguard Kiba 2
1973
as Naoto Kiba
The Noise
2015
Hakata Movie: Chinchiromai
2000
The Golden Bat
1966
as Dr. Yamatone
Fighting Fist
1992
as Supt. Yamada
Legend of Seven Monks
2006
Explosive City
2004
as Otosan
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
Orders from Hell
1964
New Shadow Warriors III: Jiraika 1
2003
as Hattori Hanzo I
Bond of Justice: Kizuna Part I - Encounter
2023
as Jou
Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley
1961
as Goro Saionji
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
Kamikaze, the Adventurer
1981
as Daisuke Kamikaze
Masaaki Hatsumi: Living Ninja Legend
2016
The Rugby Star
1976
The Machine Gun Dragon
1976
13 Steps of Maki: The Young Aristocrats
1975
as Kenichi Hyuga
The Horrible Obsessions
1972
as Haruo Kikuchi
Shashin Koshien Summer in 0.5 Seconds
2017
Iemitsu, Hikoza and Isshin Tasuke - A National Crisis: Edo Castle in Danger
1989
as Yagyu Jubei
Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok Drug Triangle
1973
as Tatsuya Wada
Saito Dosan: Rage of Power
1991
as Mitsutsugu Akechi
Seventeen Ninja
1990
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
1980
as Katsutoshi Otomo
Yakuza Legacy
2009
Karate Warriors
1976
as Shuuhei Sakata
Sensei
1989
as Makoto Ushiyama
Fearful Witch
1962
Amazing Masters of Martial Arts
1985
as Self
Japanese Humanity and Justice
1977
修羅の花道
2012
Kanto Gangster Federation: Chapter 2
2015
The Triple Cross
1992
as Chiba
Yakuza: Domination of the Realm 4
2017
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
1963
Minamoto Yoshitsune
1990
The Legend of Space Sheriff Gavan
2012
as Space Sheriff Voicer
Yakuza G-Men
1965
as Toru Sasayama
Two Lives, Two Yakuza
1964
as Shinichi Matsuhashi
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.