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Kunie Tanaka Biography and Full Filmography - MovieWise

Quick Facts

Born:
1932-11-23

Birthplace:
Toki, Gifu, Japan

Credits:
283 Total Roles

Kunie Tanaka

Acting

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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

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

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