Kunie Tanaka

Acting

The MovieWise Take

Refining cinematic analysis...

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

Sanjuro

Samurai

Kwaidan

Yasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")

The Face of Another

Mentally Ill Man #1

The Bad Sleep Well

Hitman

The Sword of Doom

Senkichi

The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity

Obara Nitôhei

Dodes'ka-den

Hatsutaro Kawaguchi

The Hidden Blade

Kanbê Katagiri

Full Filmography

Year	Title	Role
2010	The Last Ronin MOVIE	Self
2009	The Sun in Kurobe TV	Genkichi
2004	The Hidden Blade MOVIE	Kanbê Katagiri
2003	Fukumimi MOVIE	Self
2003	The Boat to Heaven MOVIE	Masato Sakurai
2003	北の国から記憶前編 MOVIE	演员
2003	Resurrection MOVIE	Dr. Saito
2002	Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro' MOVIE	Self
2002	Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Bad Sleep Well' MOVIE	Self
2002	Kita no kuni kara 2002 Yuigon Part 2 MOVIE	Self
2002	北の国から記憶 MOVIE	演员
2002	Kewaishi MOVIE	Self
2001	世界で一番熱い夏 TV	Self
2001	All About Our House MOVIE	Chouichirou Iwata
2000	The Password is Courage TV	Self
2000	As the River Flows MOVIE	Matsuda (The Shopkeeper)
1998	A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage MOVIE	Inoue
1997	The Rainbow Seeker 2 MOVIE	Self
1997	Magnitude: Bridge to Tomorrow MOVIE	Self
1996	The Rainbow Seeker MOVIE	Tsune-san
1996	Oishinbo MOVIE	Tattsan
1995	Tora-san to the Rescue MOVIE	Ship Captain
1995	Salaryman Senka MOVIE	Self
1995	北の国から ’95秘密後編 MOVIE	Self
1995	Kita no kuni kara '95 Himitsu MOVIE	Self
1994	イルカに逢える日 MOVIE	Self
1994	Free and Easy Special MOVIE	Self
1993	Hacchōbori Torimono Banashi TV	Self
1993	A Class to Remember MOVIE	Ino
1993	Baian the Assassin: Showdown MOVIE	Self
1993	Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict MOVIE	Buddhist Priest
1992	Kita no kuni kara '92 Sudachi Part 1 MOVIE	Self
1992	Luminous Moss MOVIE	Hachizo
1991	My Sons MOVIE	Self
1991	Baian the Assassin TV	Han-Emon of Otowa
1991	Castle of Sand MOVIE	Eitaro Imanishi
1991	A Desirable Marriage MOVIE	Mr. Kawamata
1991	The love song of farewell later MOVIE	Self
1991	Shy Security MOVIE	Self
1991	Private Detective Dobu TV	Self
1991	Mourning Work MOVIE	Self
1991	Kamigata Kugaizoshi MOVIE	Self
1990	Baian the Assassin MOVIE	Self
1990	Ronin-gai MOVIE	Magozaemon Doi
1990	Tasmania Story MOVIE	Self
1990	Hoshi wo tsugu mono MOVIE	Kenji Yoshida
1989	Kita no kuni kara '89 Kikyo MOVIE	Self
1988	Love on a Daily Basis MOVIE	Self
1988	I Love You So Much MOVIE	Self
1988	Yojo no jidai MOVIE	Self
1988	This Heartbeat MOVIE	Self
1988	Tomorrow MOVIE	Shoji's stepfather
1988	Oración MOVIE	Self
1987	The Great Department Store Robbery MOVIE	Self
1987	Take Me Out to the Snowland MOVIE	Yûichirô Tayama
1987	The Return of the Newshound and the Lady Cop MOVIE	Yutaro Hatori
1987	The Thief and the Expelled Master MOVIE	Self
1987	Kita no kuni kara '87 Hatsukoi MOVIE	Self
1986	The House of Wedlock MOVIE	Kazuya Enomoto
1986	Maison Ikkoku - Apartment Fantasy MOVIE	Man
1986	Rice Curry TV	Self
1985	Early Spring Story MOVIE	Okino, Hitomi's father
1985	Demon MOVIE	Keita
1984	Ghost Reunion MOVIE	Inspector Joichi Uno
1984	Kita no kuni kara '84 Natsu MOVIE	Self
1984	The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel MOVIE	Self
1984	Sukanpin Walk MOVIE	Keizo Fukami
1984	Tokimeki Kaigan Monogatari MOVIE	Self
1983	Private Detective DOBU 6: The Origami Murder Case MOVIE	Dobu
1983	Choji Snack Bar MOVIE	Iwashita
1983	Nogare no machi MOVIE	Self
1983	Deadly Swords in Search of Hidden Gold MOVIE	Self
1983	The Undercover Ninja Organization MOVIE	Self
1983	Private Detective DOBU 5: The Pinwheel Murder Case MOVIE	Dobu
1983	Kita no kuni kara '83 Fuyu MOVIE	Self
1983	Private Detective DOBU 4: The Mysterious Kite Murders Case MOVIE	Dobu
1982	Highschool Scramble MOVIE	Self
1982	Tonga Adventure Family MOVIE	Self
1982	Private Detective DOBU 3: The Exile Island Murder Case MOVIE	Dobu
1982	The Shootout MOVIE	Iwai
1982	Ekisutora MOVIE	Self
1982	Private Detective DOBU 2: The Kyoto Murder Case MOVIE	Dobu
1982	Karate Cop MOVIE	Neighbor
1981	At This Late Date, the Charleston MOVIE	Army Minister
1981	Station MOVIE	Sugawara
1981	Kita no kuni kara TV	Goru Kuroita (黑板五郎)
1981	Return of the Champ MOVIE	Shinjiro Ishiyama
1981	Private Detective DOBU 1 MOVIE	Dobu
1980	Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai TV	ボオルチュ
1980	May Love Be Restored MOVIE	Yugiri-ro client
1980	Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga MOVIE	Masakichi Makihara
1980	The Revolt MOVIE	Self
1979	The Last Game MOVIE	Self
1979	The Fixer MOVIE	Self
1979	The Bride of the Ghost Lake MOVIE	Inspector Joichi Uno
1979	Troubleman Laughs and Kills MOVIE	Self
1979	White Love MOVIE	Self
1979	The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi MOVIE	Lt. Todoroki
1979	The Inferno MOVIE	Unpei Ikegata
1979	Ghost Festival in Zenjin Village MOVIE	Inspector Joichi Uno
1979	Murder in the Doll House MOVIE	Detective Naraki
1979	Down with The Big Boss MOVIE	Self
1979	Nichiren MOVIE	Self
1978	The Truck Rascals Go to The North MOVIE	Self
1978	Pink Lady's Motion Picture MOVIE	Self
1978	Blood Type: Blue MOVIE	Self
1978	Ghost Coast MOVIE	Inspector Joichi Uno
1978	Never Give Up MOVIE	Bartender
1978	Dynamite Don-Don MOVIE	Sakuzo
1978	The Demon MOVIE	Policeman
1978	Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron MOVIE	Rikichi Komadera
1978	Winter's Flower MOVIE	Kokichi Minami
1978	Inside the Storm of Love MOVIE	Self
1978	幽霊列車 MOVIE	Self
1977	The Extravagant Cops MOVIE	Self
1977	Village of Eight Gravestones MOVIE	Self
1977	Sugata Sanshiro MOVIE	Yasuyoshi
1977	Older brother TV	Kintaro
1977	The Love and Adventures of Kuroki Taro MOVIE	Kuroki Taro
1977	Seasonal Wind MOVIE	Self
1977	Dazzling Cops TV	Nangou Goro
1977	Japan's Don MOVIE	Self
1976	Kawachi Rascal Is Spurred On MOVIE	Shinichiro Nabeyama
1976	Yoake no hata matsumoto jiichirō Den MOVIE	Toramatsu Otani
1976	Hangyaku no Tabi MOVIE	Self
1976	Hobo General MOVIE	Self
1976	The Machine Gun Dragon MOVIE	Self
1976	Manhunt MOVIE	Yokomichi Keiji
1975	The Wild Trucker MOVIE	Borsalino 2
1975	300 Million Thief: Statute of Limitations MOVIE	Toyama
1975	The International Gang of Kobe MOVIE	Teruo Maruyama
1975	Company Buggers MOVIE	Self
1975	Japan Beauty Story: A Woman Among Women MOVIE	Self
1975	The Bullet Train MOVIE	Koga's Brother
1975	Light of Africa MOVIE	Katsuhiro
1975	Shimane Prison Riot MOVIE	Yoshikazu Minagawa
1975	Cops vs. Thugs MOVIE	Kinpachi Komiya
1975	The Nagasaki Crime Chronicles TV	Yoshitoshi Kogure
1975	Great Jailbreak MOVIE	Goda
1975	Battle Cry MOVIE	Self
1975	Graveyard of Honor MOVIE	Katsuji Ozaki
1975	Doterai Man MOVIE	Self
1975	Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack MOVIE	Self
1974	New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 MOVIE	Gen Sakagami
1974	Submersion of Japan TV	Tatsuno
1974	Third Generation Boss MOVIE	Self
1974	Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy MOVIE	Daisuke Jigen
1974	Evil of Dracula MOVIE	Dr. Shimomura
1974	Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode MOVIE	Masakichi Makihara
1974	Machi no Hi MOVIE	Goro
1974	Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics MOVIE	Masakichi Makihara
1973	Yakuza of the Present MOVIE	Zen san
1973	Stray Dog MOVIE	Sagawa
1973	Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War MOVIE	Masakichi Makihara
1973	Japan's Top Gangster MOVIE	Self
1973	The School Deviate Waru MOVIE	Self
1973	Deeper Than Blue MOVIE	Ajikawa
1973	The Three Musketeers of Japan: The Tale of Hakata Obi MOVIE	Self
1973	Battles Without Honor and Humanity MOVIE	Masakichi Makihara
1972	Outlaw Killers: Three Mad Dog Brothers MOVIE	Ohno
1972	The Shin Hasegawa Series TV	蛙ヶ池の仙太
1972	Kogarashi Monjiro 2: Secret of Monjiro's Birth MOVIE	Johei Yawata
1972	New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm MOVIE	Self
1972	My Voiceless Friends MOVIE	Self
1972	Summer Soldiers MOVIE	Fujimura
1972	The Witty Samurai MOVIE	Self
1972	Zorome no San Kyoudai MOVIE	Self
1971	Japan's No. 1 Shocked Man MOVIE	Self
1971	New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter MOVIE	Self
1971	The Wolves MOVIE	Matsuzo Tsumura
1971	The Battle of Okinawa MOVIE	Self
1971	The Instant Services Bureau MOVIE	Self
1971	Kigeki: Onna ikitemasu MOVIE	Self
1971	Tora-san, the Good Samaritan MOVIE	Teacher Fukushi
1971	Detective Story: A Brother's Rule MOVIE	Self
1971	Young Guy, the Ace Rider MOVIE	Self
1970	Banner of the Young MOVIE	Taro
1970	It's a Man's Way of Life MOVIE	Heihachirou Yanai
1970	Dodes'ka-den MOVIE	Hatsutaro Kawaguchi
1970	The Kingpin of Fair Ladies MOVIE	Tadao Ueda
1970	Fear of Sex MOVIE	Self
1970	Get Your Sky, Young Guy MOVIE	Self
1970	Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival MOVIE	Self
1970	Charming Men MOVIE	Kuramoto Kuraji
1970	Bravo, Young Guy MOVIE	Self
1970	Live Again Tomorrow MOVIE	刈田勝利
1970	Rebel Against Glory MOVIE	Self
1970	The Summit of Mt. Fuji MOVIE	Self
1970	Duel at Fort Ezo MOVIE	Kurobei
1970	Zoku Isoginchaku MOVIE	Takashi Takai
1969	Vermillion Sword: Scabbard Code Sword Amidst the Swirling Cherry Blossoms MOVIE	Seiji Matsumiya
1969	The Great Japanese Pick-Pocket Club MOVIE	Kanegai
1969	Tenchu! MOVIE	Rokkaku Prison Officer
1969	Young Guy on Mt. Cook MOVIE	Self
1969	Forward, Young People! MOVIE	Taro
1969	Goyokin MOVIE	Hirosuke
1969	夕月 MOVIE	Self
1969	Young Guy Graduates MOVIE	Self
1968	Outlaw: Black Dagger MOVIE	Doctor Michio Hongô
1968	Angel's Lover MOVIE	Self
1968	The Woman Gambler's Revenge MOVIE	Self
1968	Young People MOVIE	Taro
1968	The Day the Sun Rose MOVIE	Self
1968	In Broad Daylight MOVIE	March
1968	The Human Bullet MOVIE	Self
1968	Three Rogues MOVIE	Self
1968	Cry of the Mountain MOVIE	Self
1968	An Angel's Temptation MOVIE	Self
1968	Young Guy in Rio MOVIE	Self
1968	Women and Miso Soup MOVIE	Self
1968	The Woman Champion MOVIE	Self
1968	How to Be the Worst of Office Workers MOVIE	Self
1968	Hymn to a Tired Man MOVIE	Hisataro Ohno
1968	Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2 MOVIE	Katsuji Nemoto
1967	Circuit-A-Go-Go MOVIE	Self
1967	The Free Island MOVIE	Self
1967	Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil MOVIE	Self
1967	Young Guy in the South Pacific MOVIE	Shinjiro Ishiyama
1967	Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido MOVIE	Self
1967	Game of Chance 2 MOVIE	Self
1967	Mesu ga osu o kuikorosu: Kamakiri MOVIE	Ken Takahashi
1967	River of Forever MOVIE	Self
1967	Birth of a Fighter MOVIE	Self
1967	Let's Go! Young Guy MOVIE	Shinjirou Ishiyama
1966	Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country MOVIE	Self
1966	Debt of Honor MOVIE	Self
1966	Golden Ninja MOVIE	Risuke
1966	Koto—The Lake of Tears MOVIE	Kenkichi Ohara
1966	Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South MOVIE	Self
1966	Zatoichi's Pilgrimage MOVIE	Storyteller
1966	The Face of Another MOVIE	Mentally Ill Man #1
1966	The Front Line Showdown MOVIE	Sawamura
1966	It Started In The Alps MOVIE	Shinjiro Ishiyama / Aodaisyô
1966	Third Class Soldier Boss MOVIE	Self
1966	The Bullet and the Horse MOVIE	Self
1966	The Sword of Doom MOVIE	Senkichi
1966	The Threat MOVIE	Self
1966	Silence Has No Wings MOVIE	Self
1966	Cash Calls Hell MOVIE	Umegaya
1965	Prison Walls of Abashiri 4 MOVIE	Self
1965	Campus A Go-Go MOVIE	Self
1965	若い野ばら MOVIE	石丸雄吉
1965	Yakuza G-Men MOVIE	Masayoshi Imanishi
1965	Prison Walls of Abashiri 3 MOVIE	Otsuki
1965	Sword of the Beast MOVIE	Tanji
1965	Young Guy at Sea MOVIE	石山新次郎（青大））
1965	Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2 MOVIE	Kirikawa
1965	Three Yakuza MOVIE	Self
1965	The Last Judgment MOVIE	Self
1965	Abashiri Prison MOVIE	Otsuki
1965	Tale of Ninja Duty MOVIE	Self
1965	Kwaidan MOVIE	Yasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
1964	Red Diamond MOVIE	George Takase
1964	間諜 MOVIE	Self
1964	Shingo's Final Duel MOVIE	Self
1964	The Desperate MOVIE	Chiba
1964	Punishment of a Lawless Villian MOVIE	Self
1963	Sasuke and His Comedians MOVIE	Self
1963	Okashina yatsu MOVIE	Sankichi Fujita
1963	Walleyed Nippon MOVIE	Shirosaka
1963	Young Guy in Hawaii MOVIE	石山新次郎（青大将）
1963	A Photo journalist's Story: Risk Your Life for the Moment MOVIE	Self
1963	Sensation Seekers MOVIE	Self
1963	A Fishmonger's Tour MOVIE	Self
1962	College Champ MOVIE	Self
1962	Pitfall MOVIE	Man in White Suit
1962	Operation Sewer Rats MOVIE	Private Anayama
1962	The Crimson Sky MOVIE	Self
1962	The Inheritance MOVIE	Self
1962	Pride of the Campus MOVIE	Shinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)
1962	Sanjuro MOVIE	Samurai
1961	Blood on the Sea MOVIE	Self
1961	Sir Galahad in Campus MOVIE	Shinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)
1961	Big Shots Die at Dawn MOVIE	Self
1961	Eternity of Love MOVIE	Self
1961	Hidden Fangs MOVIE	Self
1961	The Merciless Trap MOVIE	Self
1960	The Bad Sleep Well MOVIE	Hitman
1960	The Sun's Burial MOVIE	Thief
1959	The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity MOVIE	Obara Nitôhei
1959	Lucky Dragon No. 5 MOVIE	Self
1957	The Story of Pure Love MOVIE	Satoyan
1956	Triumphant Song of Youth MOVIE	Self

Quick Facts

Kunie Tanaka

The MovieWise Take

Biography

Known For

Full Filmography

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