RIP Sonny Chiba [age 82], Martial Arts Superstar

Gizmodo ^ | 08/19/2021 | Rob Bricken

[BenLurkin]

Sonny Chiba was so much more than just his Street Fighter character. Over the course of a career that spanned over 60 years, he played superheroes, scientists, assassins, samurai, emperors, detectives, soldiers, and more.

Born Sadaho Maeda in 1938 in Fukuoka, Japan, Sonny Chiba was a star even when he wasn’t on TV or film screens. He holds six black belts in six martial arts, including kendo, judo, and ninjutsu(!). In 1970, he started his own martial arts school for actors and stunt people named the Japan Action Club. He was the martial arts choreographer for dozens of film and TV projects, only some of which he starred in. Chiba was also a director, producer, and theater actor, including in a stage play of Biohazard video game series, better known in the U.S. as Resident Evil.

[EEGator]

No more Hattori Hanzo blades...

[BenLurkin]

In "Tokyo Drift"

[OKSooner]

RIP.

[Army Air Corps]

He was Space Chief!

[TianaHighrider]

RIP❤🙏

[gundog]

[Olog-hai]

Apparently Gatchaman G-1 (Ken the Eagle), aka Mark in Battle Of The Planets, was based on Sonny Chiba.

Chiba was also in the 1966 superhero movie Ōgon Batto (or The Golden Bat) as main character Dr. Yamatone. RIP.

[EEGator]

[Candor7]

RIP Sonny Chiba

"A Oricon avançou com a notícia de que o ator e artista marcial Sonny Chiba faleceu hoje num hospital da cidade de Kimitsu, na prefeitura de Chiba, devido a uma pneumonia causada por COVID-19. Ele tinha 82 anos."

https://www.otakupt.com/cinema/faleceu-o-ator-japones-sonny-chiba-vitima-de-covid-19/

[fruser1]

"If you were general, I'd be emperor, and you'd still make the tea!"

One of my favorite lines.

[gundog]

Showdown at House of Blue Leaves is the best thing Tarantino has done. The music, the tracking shot...

[EEGator]

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll check it out.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[MikelTackNailer]

Had his “Street Fighter” movies on VHS back in the day that shocked my friends with their sheer brutality and ruthlessness. It took a second showing to see the subtle humor and self-satire Sonny got in to the performance. It’s sort of ironic he was never part of the “Street Fighter” game franchise as he was the one to make the name famous. Rest in peace, tough man, and punch Bruce Lee for me.