A Guide to the Hiroyuki Sanada Extended Universe
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An actor since the was six years old, Hiroyuki Sanada has been working on his craft for more than five decades. Sanada took on his first role in Game of Chance, a yakuza film, where he acted alongside Sonny Chiba, an acclaimed Japanese martial artist and actor.
Sanada has hardly slowed down since. He steals just about every scene in FX's Shōgun, commanding the screen with his portrayal of Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Sanada is trained in martial arts, Shakespearean acting, and is downright arresting every time he graces the screen. Unfortunately, Shōgun is almost over, but Sanada has starred in plenty of stellar movies and TV shows that are worth your time. But where do you even begin if you're a Sanada fanatic?
Well, there's probably a few films you can already cross off your list, even if you've never done a deep dive (like yours truly!) for a comprehensive watchlist. That said, Sanada has some brilliant, lesser-known roles in his filmography. Rest assured, you'll have no shortage of TV series and films for your Sanada marathon—so dive right in.
Shōgun
Sanada has absolutely shined as Yoshii Toranaga in FX's Shōgun. Fearsome, ruthless, and intelligent as all hell, Sanada brings levity and humanity to such an imposing figure. All we have to say is: give this man an Emmy!
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Westworld
Sanada joined the HBO sci-fi series when it introduced the Shogun World theme park. Sanada not only struck fear in everyone's hearts as Musashi, but he also provided important cultural guidance during the filming of the series.
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Lost
That's right, Sanada even made his mark on one of the most legendary TV shows of all time: Lost. Sanada joined the cast in the final season and promptly shook up audiences' theories about the finale. Sanada's character, Dogen, was a mysterious dweller of The Temple and had a story arc that tugged on fans' heartstrings.
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John Wick 4
From Donnie Yen to Halle Berry, the John Wick franchise has no shortage of legendary cameos. This includes Sanada, who made his appeared in John Wick 4 as Shimazu Koji, a powerful swordsman and ally to Wick.
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Bullet Train
In Bullet Train, David Leitch's stylish and action-packed 2022 film, Sanada portrays The Elder, a former yakuza member and formidable fighter, whose mission is to protect his family from assassins. Sanada may have limited screen time, but he makes a lasting impression, as always.
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Mortal Kombat
The much-anticipated Mortal Kombat adaptation—which is based on the video game of the same name—finally arrived in 2021. Sanada left his mark in the legacy of Mortal Kombat as the iconic character Hanzo Hasashi, AKA Scorpion. His decades of martial-arts experience made him a believably fearsome warrior.
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Rush Hour 3
The third installation of the beloved buddy cop franchise, Rush Hour, saw Sanada as Kenji—Inspector Lee's foster brother, who turned into the boss of a crime syndicate. Sanada shows off impressive stuntwork opposite his longtime friend, Jackie Chan.
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Sunshine
Set in an apocalyptic future, Sunshine tells a story of eight men and women on a last-ditch mission to revive the sun before the planet goes dark. Sanada plays Kaneda, the ship's captain. He trained in many English dialects in order to capture his character's educational and experiential background.
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The Last Samurai
Sanada's first time in a major Hollywood production also happened to be opposite Tom Cruise. The Last Samurai is a historical drama about an American soldier who becomes embroiled with samurai warriors amidst the Meiji Restoration. Sanada's performance as Ujio earned him critical acclaim and the attention of Hollywood studios.
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The Twilight Samurai
An unconventional samurai story, The Twilight Samurai stars Sanada as Seibei Iguchi, a poor bookkeeper, who yearns to reach his full potential as a samurai and as a man. His heartfelt and emotionally brutal performance earned him international praise.
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Ringu
Ringu is a horror masterpiece that launched a wave of Asian horror films that spawned dozens of American remakes. Based on the terrifying concept of a chain letter, Ringu is about a videotape that causes the death of anyone who watches it after seven days. Sanada brings gravity to the film as the clairvoyant Ryuji Takayama, who tries to break the curse.
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Royal Warriors
Sanada tested out his crossover appeal by appearing in many Hong Kong films. One of the most popular movies was Royal Warriors, which saw him team up with Michelle Yeoh. In the film, he plays a hardboiled former Tokyo police officer who must help a cop (Yeoh) stop a plane hijacking.
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Shogun's Samurai
One of Sanada's first breakout roles was in Shogun's Samurai, where he played Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi's (Sonny Chiba) son. The film was a massive hit in Japan—and it even spawned a TV spinoff. It also marked a milestone in Chiba's mentorship of Sanada.
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