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