Kunie Tanaka
Known for Acting · 287 credits
- Born
- 1932-11-23
- Died
- 2021-03-24
- Place of birth
- Toki, Gifu, Japan
- Also known as
- 田中邦卫
Biography
Kunie Tanaka (田中 邦衛 Tanaka Kunie, November 23, 1932 - March 24, 2021) was a Japanese actor. He had his first notable role in 1960 as a thug in Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well, and worked with the director again on Sanjuro. Tanaka is well known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series. He also appeared in Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan.
He has been nominated for five Japanese Academy Awards, winning the Best Supporting Actor statuette for Gakko in 1993. He appeared as the lecherous Shinjiro Ishiyama, nicknamed Aodaishō, the antagonist of the hero, played by Yūzō Kayama, in all of the Wakadaishō series of films. The character Kizaru, from Eiichiro Oda's manga series One Piece, is modeled after Tanaka.
Known For
TV Shows (15)
Kita no kuni kara
1981
as Goru Kuroita (黑板五郎)
Submersion of Japan
1974
as Tatsuno
Rice Curry
1986
The Shin Hasegawa Series
1972
as 蛙ヶ池の仙太
Older brother
1977
as Kintaro
The Password is Courage
2000
The Nagasaki Crime Chronicles
1975
as Yoshitoshi Kogure
Hacchōbori Torimono Banashi
1993
Baian the Assassin
1991
as Han-Emon of Otowa
The Sun in Kurobe
2009
as Genkichi
Private Detective Dobu
1991
世界で一番熱い夏
2001
Dazzling Cops
1977
as Nangou Goro
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai
1980
as ボオルチュ
The Saturday Tiger
1966
Movies (272)
Sanjuro
1962
as Samurai
Kwaidan
1965
as Yasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
The Bad Sleep Well
1960
as Hitman
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
1959
as Obara Nitôhei
The Face of Another
1966
as Mentally Ill Man #1
The Inferno
1979
as Unpei Ikegata
Graveyard of Honor
1975
as Katsuji Ozaki
Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido
1967
The Bullet Train
1975
as Koga's Brother
Campus A Go-Go
1965
My Sons
1991
The Battle of Okinawa
1971
Battles Without Honor and Humanity
1973
as Masakichi Makihara
The Sword of Doom
1966
as Senkichi
May Love Be Restored
1980
as Yugiri-ro client
Never Give Up
1978
as Bartender
Dodes'ka-den
1970
as Hatsutaro Kawaguchi
Tenchu!
1969
as Rokkaku Prison Officer
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War
1973
as Masakichi Makihara
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics
1974
as Masakichi Makihara
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1
1974
as Gen Sakagami
Demon
1985
as Keita
The Day the Sun Rose
1968
The Last Ronin
2010
Japan's Don
1977
The Shootout
1982
as Iwai
Village of Eight Gravestones
1977
Big Shots Die at Dawn
1961
A Fishmonger's Tour
1963
Goyokin
1969
as Hirosuke
Cash Calls Hell
1966
as Umegaya
Yomigaeri
2003
as Dr. Saito
Station
1981
as Sugawara
Hobo General
1976
Winter's Flower
1978
as Kokichi Minami
Third Generation Boss
1974
Sword of the Beast
1965
as Tanji
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
1978
as Rikichi Komadera
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode
1974
as Masakichi Makihara
Manhunt
1976
as Yokomichi Keiji
Down with The Big Boss
1979
Kewaishi
2002
The Hidden Blade
2004
as Kanbê Katagiri
White Love
1979
All About Our House
2001
as Chouichirou Iwata
Choji Snack Bar
1983
as Iwashita
The Summit of Mt. Fuji
1970
Baian the Assassin
1990
Take Me Out to the Snowland
1987
as Yûichirô Tayama
Red Diamond
1964
as George Takase
Blood Type: Blue
1978
Vermillion Sword: Scabbard Code Sword Amidst the Swirling Cherry Blossoms
1969
as Seiji Matsumiya
間諜
1964
Early Spring Story
1985
as Okino, Hitomi's father
The Wild Trucker
1975
as Borsalino 2
Deeper Than Blue
1973
as Ajikawa
Abashiri Prison
1965
as Otsuki
Maison Ikkoku - Apartment Fantasy
1986
as Man
Ronin-gai
1990
as Magozaemon Doi
Prison Walls of Abashiri 3
1965
as Otsuki
Pink Lady's Motion Picture
1978
Cops vs. Thugs
1975
as Kinpachi Komiya
A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage
1998
as Inoue
Three Yakuza
1965
Koto—The Lake of Tears
1966
as Kenkichi Ohara
The International Gang of Kobe
1975
as Teruo Maruyama
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
1979
as Lt. Todoroki
The Wolves
1971
as Matsuzo Tsumura
The Demon
1978
as Policeman
Dynamite Don-Don
1978
as Sakuzo
The Rainbow Seeker
1996
as Tsune-san
The Inheritance
1962
Eternity of Love
1961
The Great Department Store Robbery
1987
My Voiceless Friends
1972
Silence Has No Wings
1966
Kita no kuni kara '92 Sudachi Part 1
1992
The Story of Pure Love
1957
as Satoyan
The Fixer
1979
Sugata Sanshiro
1977
as Yasuyoshi
As the River Flows
2000
as Matsuda (The Shopkeeper)
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
1970
Nogare no machi
1983
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
The Sun's Burial
1960
as Thief
The Revolt
1980
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan
1971
as Teacher Fukushi
Tomorrow
1988
as Shoji's stepfather
The Human Bullet
1968
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy
1974
as Daisuke Jigen
Blood on the Sea
1961
Yakuza of the Present
1973
as Zen san
The Love and Adventures of Kuroki Taro
1977
as Kuroki Taro
The Machine Gun Dragon
1976
Evil of Dracula
1974
as Dr. Shimomura
Pitfall
1962
as Man in White Suit
This Heartbeat
1988
Great Jailbreak
1975
as Goda
Tora-san to the Rescue
1995
as Ship Captain
Shimane Prison Riot
1975
as Yoshikazu Minagawa
Rika 3: Juvenile's Lullaby
1973
as Soldier Mania
The Extravagant Cops
1977
Japan's Top Gangster
1973
Sasuke and His Comedians
1963
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
1980
as Masakichi Makihara
Kita no kuni kara '83 Fuyu
1983
The School Deviate Waru
1973
Outlaw: Black Dagger
1968
as Doctor Michio Hongô
Light of Africa
1975
as Katsuhiro
At This Late Date, the Charleston
1981
as Army Minister
Sir Galahad in Campus
1961
as Shinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)
The Boat to Heaven
2003
as Masato Sakurai
The love song of farewell later
1991
Baian the Assassin: Showdown
1993
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
1993
as Buddhist Priest
Kita no kuni kara '87 Hatsukoi
1987
300 Million Thief: Statute of Limitations
1975
as Toyama
The Bullet and the Horse
1966
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country
1966
About Kunie Tanaka
Kunie Tanaka (田中 邦衛 Tanaka Kunie, November 23, 1932 - March 24, 2021) was a Japanese actor. He had his first notable role in 1960 as a thug in Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well, and worked with the director again on Sanjuro. Tanaka is well known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series. He also appeared in Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan. He has been nominated for five Japanese Academy Awards, winning the Best Supporting Actor statuette for Gakko in 1993. He appeared as the lecherous Shi… With 287 credits spanning from 1956 to 2010, Kunie Tanaka has appeared in 272 films and 15 TV shows.
Fans searching for Kunie Tanaka movies, Kunie Tanaka filmography, or the latest projects starring Kunie Tanaka can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Kunie Tanaka Movies
- Sanjuro (1962) — as Samurai
- Kwaidan (1965) — as Yasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
- The Bad Sleep Well (1960) — as Hitman
- The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959) — as Obara Nitôhei
- The Face of Another (1966) — as Mentally Ill Man #1
Where to Watch Kunie Tanaka Films
Most Kunie Tanaka 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 Kunie Tanaka, check our movies catalogue and browse page.