Potentially most famous in the West for his appearance in the Kill Bill franchise as legendary sushi chef (and swordmaker) Hattori Hanzo, Sonny Chiba had over 200 credits in a career spanning sixty years. He started training in the martial arts while in College and was originally working towards participating in the 1964 Olympics in Gymnastics before an injury had him refocus his energy into a film career. He earned a black black belt the legendary Karate master Mas Oyama in 1965 and later portrayed his Master in a series of three films, Champion of Death, Karate Bearfighter and Karate for Life.
His first martial arts film was in 1973 and the very next year he starred in The Street Fighter which was supposedly so violent it earned an X-rating in the United States. By 1984 he had black belts in ninjutsu, shorinji kempo, judo, kendo and gōjū-ryū karate.
He was hospitalized for WuFlu back in July and died from related pneumonia.
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His first martial arts film was in 1973 and the very next year he starred in The Street Fighter which was supposedly so violent it earned an X-rating in the United States. By 1984 he had black belts in ninjutsu, shorinji kempo, judo, kendo and gōjū-ryū karate.
He was hospitalized for WuFlu back in July and died from related pneumonia.
Sonny Chiba, martial arts icon and ‘Kill Bill’ star, dead at 82
The star of the 1974 cult classic “The Street Fighter” was reportedly unvaccinated at the time of his death amid COVID complications.
nypost.com
Sonny Chiba, Martial Arts Legend and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor, Dies at 82 of COVID Complications
Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba, the Japanese actor and martial arts legend who had roles in American films like “Kill Bill” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” …
variety.com