Tatsuya Nakadai
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Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya; born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932 – November 8, 2025) was a Japanese actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, he collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career, he appeared in more than 160 films, and received numerous accolades. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015. Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Masaki Kobayashi's films, with his breakthrough being the protagonist of the epic anti-war trilogy The Human Condition (1959–1961). He won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for his performance as the vengeful ronin in Harakiri (1962), a role he considered his finest. Nakadai collaborated on eleven films with Kobayashi—including Kwaidan (1964) and Samurai Rebellion (1967)—and five with Akira Kurosawa, most notably as the tragic warlord in Ran (1985), a performance that earned global acclaim. His other notable credits included Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo (1961), The Sword of Doom (1966), The Face of Another (1966), Goyokin (1969), Kagemusha (1980), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). A lifelong stage actor, he founded the Gendai Nohgaku-kai troupe in 1975 and continued performing on stage into his nineties. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tatsuya Nakadai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Credits
Seven Samurai (1954)
as Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
Harakiri (1962)
as Hanshiro Tsugumo
High and Low (1963)
as Chief Detective Tokura
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
Ran (1985)
as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
Yojimbo (1961)
as Unosuke, gunfighter
The Empty Table (1985)
as Nobuyuki Kidoji
Kagemusha (1980)
as Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Kwaidan (1965)
as Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
as The Devil (voice)
Sanjuro (1962)
as Hanbei Muroto
Samurai Rebellion (1967)
as Tatewaki Asano
Yamato (2005)
Actor
Will to Conquer (1970)
Actor
Wish Upon a Star (2005)
as Takanori Wakamiya
Wicked City (1992)
as Daishu
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
as Kaji
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
as Kaji
The Face of Another (1966)
as Mr. Okuyama
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959)
as Kaji
The Battle of Okinawa (1971)
as Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die! (1968)
as James Elfego
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather (1982)
as Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
The Sword of Doom (1966)
as Ryunosuke Tsukue
Gun Woman (2014)
as Hamazaki
Goyokin (1969)
as Magobei Wakizaka
Battle of the Japan Sea (1969)
as Major Genjiro Akashi
Human Revolution II (1976)
Actor
Japan's Longest Day (1967)
as Narrator (voice)
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
as Kenichi Komatsu
Return from the River Kwai (1989)
as Major Harada
Giovanni's Island (2014)
as Older Junpei Senou (voice)
戦艦大和 (1990)
Actor
Heat Wave (1991)
as Tsunejiro Murai
Admiral Yamamoto (1968)
as Narrator (voice)
Hunter in the Dark (1979)
as Gomyo Kiyoemon
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978)
as Kumokiri Nizaemon
Kurosawa (2000)
as Self
Solar Eclipse (1975)
as Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
Untamed Woman (1957)
as Kimura
Like Asura (2003)
as Kotaro Takezawa
Inn of Evil (1971)
as Sadashichi
The Taika Reforms (2005)
as Minabuchi no Syôan
Murder of the Inugami Clan (2006)
as Sahei Inugami
East Meets West (1995)
as Kaishu Katsu
Immortal Love (1961)
as Heibei
Tenchu! (1969)
as Hanpeita Takechi
Conflagration (1958)
as Tokari
Basara: The Princess Goh (1992)
as Oribe Furuta
After the Rain (2000)
as Tsuji Gettan
Fireflies in the North (1984)
as Takeshi Tsukigata
Cash Calls Hell (1966)
as Oida
Hachiko (1987)
as Shujiro Ueno
Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960)
as Kuroki Shingo
Final Yamato (1983)
as Narrator
Odd Obsession (1959)
as Kimura
The Fox Dancing in the Dusk (1984)
Actor
Zatoichi: The Last (2010)
as Tendo
The Daphne (1966)
Actor
Haru's Journey (2010)
as Tadao Nakai
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival (1970)
as Ronin
Port Arthur (1980)
as Maresuke Nogi
The Last Judgment (1965)
Actor
The Human Bullet (1968)
as Narrator (voice)
Portrait of Hell (1969)
as Yoshihide
Illusion of Blood (1965)
as Iyemon Tamiya
Queen Bee (1978)
as Ginzo Daidoji
Kill! (1968)
as Genta
Making of Ran (1985)
as Self
Black River (1957)
as Jo
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai (2022)
as Makino Tadayuki
Four Days of Snow and Blood (1989)
as Sugiyama
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho (1988)
Actor
Sleeping Village (2019)
as (narration)
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor (1999)
as Self
The Wolves (1971)
as Seji Iwahashi
Sugata Sanshiro (1977)
as Yano
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan (1970)
as Naojiro Kataoka
Until the Break of Dawn (2012)
as Sadayuki Akiyama
Faraway Sunset (1992)
as Kobayashi
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2014)
as Self
A Woman's Life (1963)
Actor
The Age of Assassins (1967)
as Shinji Kikyo
Japan's Tragedy (2012)
as Fujio Murai
I Am a Cat (1975)
as Kushami
Love Under the Crucifix (1962)
as Ukon Takayama
Jubaku: Spellbound (1999)
as Hideaki Sasaki
Battle Cry (1975)
as Hijikata Toshizo
Vengeance for Sale (2002)
as Umetaro Katakura
Battle Anthem (1983)
Actor
The Thick-Walled Room (1956)
as (Uncredited)
Blood End (1969)
as Sentaro
The Phoenix (1978)
as Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
A Dangerous Hero (1957)
Actor
The Limit (2025)
as Narrator
A. K. (1985)
as Self
The Human Revolution (1973)
Actor
The Inheritance (1962)
as Kikuo Furukawa
The Human Trust (2013)
as Nobuhiro Sasakura
Kin chan no Cinema Jack (1993)
Actor
A Duel Tale (2015)
Actor
Three Yakuza (1965)
Actor
Willful Murder (1981)
as Yashiro
The Naked Sun (1958)
Actor
The Ambitious (1970)
as Shintaro Nakaoka
The Family (1974)
as Teppei Manpyo
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS (2002)
as Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
Sazae-san (1956)
as Norisuke
Fort Graveyard (1965)
as Sakuma
Blood Type: Blue (1978)
as Minami
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa (1996)
as Seijiro Miyazawa
Legacy of the 500,000 (1963)
as Mitsura Gunji
The Blue Beast (1960)
as Yasuhiko Kuroki
ふたりの死刑囚 (2015)
as Narrator
The Shadow Daughter (1957)
Actor
Atami Murder Case (1986)
as Denbei Nikaido
The Other Woman (1961)
as Minami
Love on Rainbow Island (1956)
as Yûji Wada
Oración (1988)
as Heihachiro Wagu
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict (1993)
as Yagyu Retsudo
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition' (2009)
as Self
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring (1958)
as Kazuo Shimada
Farm Girls (1962)
Actor
13 Assassins (1990)
Actor
The Corporation (1976)
Actor
The Return (2019)
Actor
Shadow Hunters (1983)
Actor
All About Marriage (1958)
as Akira Nakayama
Kojiro (1967)
as Musashi Miyamoto
Lear on the Shore (2017)
as Kuwahata Chokichi
Taikoki (1987)
as (Narrator)
Through the Mist (2009)
as (archive footage)
Trinacria: Porsche 959 (1987)
Actor
Before The Leaves Fall (2015)
as Kenichiro Miya
The Law of Hell (1982)
Actor
Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for Acting (2015)
Actor
Duel at Fort Ezo (1970)
as Daizennokami Honjo
Challenge at Dawn (1971)
as Tsukagoshi
Madame Aki (1963)
as Tatsumi
Florence My Love (1991)
Actor
Pilgrimage at Night (1959)
Actor
Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate (2013)
Actor
Magistrate of the Floating World (1981)
Actor
Go and Get It (1958)
as His assistant
Safari 5000 (1969)
Actor
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen (1957)
as Shindon
Pressure of Guilt (1963)
Actor
Tange Sazen: The Million Ryo Pot (1982)
as Sazen Tange
Three Dolls in Ginza (1959)
Actor
Ant Hell War (1964)
Actor
Get 'em All (1960)
as Tsubota
Elegy (1976)
as Setsuo Katsuragi
The Gate of Youth (1975)
Actor
Gaku (2012)
as Kazama Shin-ichi
Ôban (1957)
as Shin Don
Rise, Fair Sun (1973)
as Sakuzo
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag (1964)
Actor
The King (1973)
as Kinjiro Sekine
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha' (2002)
as Self
Gomez's Name is Gomez (1967)
as Sakamoto
The Gion Tempest (—)
as Masaki
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa (2022)
as Self
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor (2016)
as Yohei Tachibana
The Legend of Sayo (1982)
Actor
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu (2018)
as Narrator
As the Clouds Scatter (1961)
Actor
Skin-Colored Moon (1957)
as Jirô Taki
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen (1957)
as Shin don
Phoenix (1956)
Actor
How the Bell of Liberty Rings (1954)
as (uncredited)
Journey (1967)
Actor
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran' (2002)
as Self
The Fir Trees Remain (1983)
Actor
The Beast Shall Die (1959)
as Kunihiko Date
The Mandarin Room (1956)
Actor
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo' (2002)
as Self
Summer of the Moonlight Sonata (1993)
Actor
To Dance with the White Dog (2002)
as Eisuke Nakamoto
Michi (1986)
as Seiji Tajima
Listen to My Heart (2009)
as Kyozo Hayami
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low' (2002)
as Self
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell (1992)
Actor
A Town and a Tall Chimney (2019)
Actor
Miren (1963)
as Ryôta Kinoshita
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro' (2002)
as Self
Floating Weeds Diary (1955)
Actor
NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語 (2015)
Actor
Let Him Rest in Peace (1989)
Actor
Teenage Sazae (1957)
Actor
Kampai! Miai Kekkon (1958)
as Kunihiko Sasada
A Boy and Three Mothers (1958)
as The Engineer
Oban kanketsu hen (1958)
as Shin Don