"The greatest actor to ever work in martial arts films!" - Quentin Tarantino
Sonny Chiba starred in the now-legendary 1975 martial arts flick, The Street Fighter. Chiba,
who has blackbelts in Judo, Ninjitsu, Kendo and Shorinji Kenpo, made a huge impression
with this character, who could teach his own classes in badassary.
This movie was so successful it was followed up with three sequels: Return of the Street Fighter, Sister Street Fighter
and the Street Fighter's Last Revenge. Chiba's popularity is almost surely due to his expressive,
classic facial features, and the original physicality he brings to his roles
drawn from his multi-disciplinary martial arts background.
Chiba's popularity exploded from the popularity of his Street Fighter movies and he went on to
make 125 martial arts flicks for Toei Studios. He's played a lot of hardcore characters from
Terry Tsuguri (The Street Fighter) to the legendary swordsman Yagyu Jubei. More recently he starred
in the movie The Storm Riders.
"Chiba is... extraordinary!" - New York Post (The Street fighter)
Sonny was born January 23, 1939, (birth name: Sadao Maeda) to Shichinosuke Maeda, a military test pilot,
and his wife Haruko in Fukuoka, Japan. He studied martial arts and gymnastics at
Nippon Taiiku University. When he graduated he began working for Toei Studios in 1961 after winning
a 'New Faces' competition. He developed his acting skills in a number of dramatic roles
during the 60's. In the 70's he began work in martial arts films; shortly after he made The Street Fighter and his career took off.
In 1970, Chiba founded the Japan Action Club (JAC), a highly successful martial
arts school and stunt association whose students are professional actors
and stunt men. Several alumni of the Japan Action Club have also made major
contributions to the martial ares film genre, including Sue Shiomi and Henry
Sanada.
Some info from IMDb:
Japanese game maker
Capcom used Sonny Chiba's image for the central character of their
popular video game "
Onimusha".
Sometimes Credited As:
Shin-Ichi Chiba
Shinichi 'Sonny' Chiba
Shinichi Chiba
Selected filmography:
Sheng zhe wei wang (2000) .... Isako Kusaraki
... aka Born to Be King
Feng yun (1998) .... Conquer
... aka Storm Riders, The
Codename: Silencer (1996) .... Makato
... aka Body Count
Immortal Combat (1994) .... Jiro "J.J." Jinkline
Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992) .... Horikoshi
Makai tenshô (1981) .... Yagyu, Jubei
... aka Samurai Reincarnation (1981)
Bushido Blade, The (1979) .... Prince Edo
Golgo 13: Kûron no kubi (1977) .... Duke Togo
... aka Golgo 13 Kowloon Assignment
Gyakushû! Satsujin ken (1974) .... Takuma Tsurugi
... aka Revenge! The Killing Fist (1974) (USA: literal English title)
... aka Street Fighter Counterattacks! (1974)
... aka Street Fighter's Last Revenge, The (1974)
Onna hissatsu ken (1974) .... The Street Fighter (Sonny Kawasaka)
... aka Sister Streetfighter
... aka Woman Certain Kill Fist
Satsujin ken 2 (1974) .... Takuma Tsurugi
... aka Return of the Street Fighter
Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken (1974) .... Takuma Tsurugi
... aka Street Fighter, The (1974)