Hiroyuki Sanadais one of those actors fans often see but may not exactly know by name. However, since the premiere of the fantasticFXseriesShogun, which Sanada stars in and produces, that’s about to change. As Toranaga Yoshii,Sanada displays the stature of a seasoned, professional performer; his delivery is impeccable, and his mannerisms are skilled and mastered.
BeforeShogun, though, Hiroyuki Sanada could have been seen almost everywhere. In American productions,he mostly played samurai warriors or rugged yakuza bosses.Still, in his homeland, Japan, Sanada often led in romantic comedies and dramas; after moving to Hong Kong, he dominated the martial arts genre, proving his range and likability. For anyone wishing to know Sanada’s career a bit more, including a mix of genres is important. He’s also the TV series guest king, with appearances inLost,Revenge, andWestworld, to name a few.
As Bly Tanaka
Army of the Deadmay not have been a critical success, but manyZack Snyder/zombie movie fans loved thecombination of a zombie apocalypse theme and the heist genre. It’s an action, adventure, and dark comedy on occasion, and it’s decent to watch when you finally decide to stop doom-scrollingNetflixandwish to land on one thing in particular. The movie follows Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a mercenary hired to retrieve a valuable item from a zombie-ridden Las Vegas, or more accurately, from a high-security safe in one of its casinos. Scott realizes the task isn’t meant for one person, so hegathers a team of his crime-savvy friends, from mercenaries to safe robbers.
In true badass fashion,Hiroyuki Sanada appears briefly but is integral to the movie’s plot. He portrays Bly Tanaka, the owner of the casino that Scott Ward is meant to reach. Despite the obvious end of the world, Bly seems to be thinking about business, because the thing Scott and his group need to retrieve is crucial to the government and his further success. Fans are used to seeing Sanada in roles like this - mysterious and aloof, but also charming.
Watch on Netflix
9‘Succession’ (1992)
‘Keisho Sakazuki,’ as Yoshinari Masakazu
Picture Hiroyuki Sanada in a slapstick comedy about the yakuza. Can’t do it? Before he became an action hero, he dabbled in some comedy, which can be seen inKeisho Sakazuki, translated asSuccessionin English. The movie is about Yoshinari (played by Sanada), a stockbroker turned yakuza who must do a particular mission to become part of the group. Simply, Yoshinari must tell the replacementoyabun(the yakuza head) that he’s invited tohost a succession ceremonybecause the originally intended host fell ill.
Yoshinari soon finds out that the replacementoyabunis not the most cheerful flower in the field, and must tread lightly around him. The story complicates further when the original host suddenly feels better, and nowYoshinari must give the bad news to the unpredictable replacement. Sanada portrays Yoshinari as a nervous but charming man, displaying great comedic timing. He’s also joined byOgata Ken, another one of Japan’s legendary actors. While it may be hard to findSuccessionon streaming (without being redirected totheHBOdrama),MUBIand Rokumight have it on their streaming schedulenow and again.
Succession is currently unavailable to buy or stream
8’Minamata' (2020)
As Mitsuo Yamazaki
The true story of theChisso Corporation dropping waste into the waterin the Japanese town of Minamata is a haunting reminder of how fragile and endangered human life can become at the hands of such large entities.Minamatadepicts those exact events as they were captured on filmby the famous war photographer W. Eugene Smith in 1971.Johnny Deppplays Smith, a photographer who became famous for his WWII coverage, and whose career began to haunt him.
A translator from Minamata, Japan, reaches out to Smith and Life Magazine,begging them to show the world what the Minamata residents are going through. Smith agrees and goes to Japan, where he bonds with the locals. Hiroyuki Sanada portrays one of the local men in charge of protests against the Chisso Corporation. Carrying the burden of portraying a character in such a heavy, but important story for the world was put on great shoulders when it came to Sanada’s casting. He’s the perfect name to attract a wider audience to such a project, though there was also a good deal of praise for Johnny Depp as W. Eugene Smith.
Watch on Hulu
7‘Sunshine' (2007)
The star-studded sci-fi mystery/dramaSunshineis one ofDanny Boyle’s best cinematic achievements for many reasons. Written byAlex Garland, a sci-fi connoisseur,Sunshinerevolves around a group of astronauts taking a leap of faith bygoing to the Sun in an attempt to reignite itand bring life as it was back to Earth. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Kaneda, the captain of the ship carrying the astronauts.
This was his second big role in English, something that’s not entirely obvious to viewers; as a skilled actor, Sanada manages to convey an authority role even when it’s not in his native language. Interestingly, sinceSunshinetakes place on the spaceship only,Danny Boyle insisted that the actors live togetherin preparation for the role and to get used to each other and discuss each other’s roles. This could be what alsohelped Sanada master acting in Englishand feel comfortable on set.Sunshineremainsone of the best Cillian Murphy performances, but it’s also afantastic genre-switching feature.
Watch on Disney+
6’Mr. Holmes' (2015)
As Tamiki Umezaki
Ian McKellenleads the way in the gripping mystery drama that isMr. Holmes. The storytakes viewers on a journey through Sherlock Holmes’s fading memoriesa long time after his retirement. This interesting look at Sherlock Holmes, a nonagenarian living in a cottage outside the city with beekeeping as a hobby, is unfamiliar to many fans ofthe world’s greatest detective. However, in all reality, this must be what it’d be like if Holmes were to ever be a real person.
Ian McKellen gives one of his best performancesas Sherlock Holmes, who must face himself while looking for the core of many memories. One part of his journey takes him to Japan, where he meets a local guide (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) who gives hima plant called prickly ash that might help preserve his memory. Sanada has a short role, but his character is pivotal to Holmes’s increasingly awakening humility (which only took him to reach his 90s to kick in). All the cast, from McKellen and Sanada toLaura Linney, pay fantastic homage to Sherlock Holmes with their performances.
Watch on Amazon
5’Round About Midnight’ (1999)
‘Mayonaka Made,’ as Moriyama Koji
The Japanese adoration of jazz didn’t start when the famous novelistHaruki Murakamibegan confessing his love for it in writing. It seems jazz touches many Japanese souls and is relatable to them as a craft unlike any other. Jazz is almost pivotal forRound About Midnight, orMayonaka Made, as it’s originally titled. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Koji, a confident jazz trumpet performer at the club called Cotton Tail. As he prepares to do a gig with his idol on the club roof, he sees a girl (Michelle Reis) being attacked by two men in suits.
He saves her from them, and they both run away. She later tells him she saw the two men commit murder, and the movie becomes a chase for the next hour and a half; the movie combines comedy, film noir, and romance - in this case, a recipe for success. This is the Sanada many Japanese viewers knew before he became Hollywood-famous -the effortlessly cool guy who embraces many talents and roles. Truly, he’s one of the greatest performers who is embracing and open to learning new skills all the time; no wonder then, thatSanada does all the trumpet playing himself, and is a jazz lover in his private life.
Mayonaka Madeis currently unavailable to buy or stream.
4’Tadon and Chikuwa’ (1998)
‘Tadon to Chikuwa,’ as Asami
WhatYasujiro Ozuwas for the early 20th century Japanese film - a pivotal filmmaker withsome of the best worldwide cinematic achievements- that’s whatJun Ichikawawas for the latter decades, mainly the 1990s. One article inThe Guardianeven statesIchikawa idolized Ozu, which can be seen in many of his movies. Adeliberately slow and immersing experience on screenthat leaves viewers invested in the characters' lives long after the end credits roll.
Jun Ichikawa directedTadon to Chikuwa, where the main characters are portrayed byHiroyuki Sanada and Koji Yakusho, who were at the top of stardom in 1998. The movie consists of two stories -Tadonis about Kita (Yakusho), a cab driver who spends his days listening to his customers' stories;Chikuwais about Asami (Sanada), a writer suffering from writer’s block. Compared to Ichikawa’s generally subdued stories,Tadon to Chikuwashows people fighting to stay calm. Repressing feelings for so long makes Kita and Asami sensitive to their environments, causing them to split at the seams. One can only imagine this as a potential outcome of many Japanese people’s mental health, as they’re generally known for being subdued and bottled up.
Tadon to Chikuwais currently unavailable to buy or stream.
3’John Wick: Chapter 4' (2023)
As Shimazu Koji
The John Wick universehas garnered hardcore fans over time. While the first movie was received well, it’s tough to know whetherKeanu Reeves, the directorChad Stahelski, and the original writerDerek Kolstadknewjust how great and beloved the franchise would later become. The first movie starts with a story about a retired hitman, John Wick (Keanu Reeves), who is forced to un-retire after tragedy befalls his family.
Later, though the focus remains on Wick, it also depicts worldwide hitmengathering in the assassin hotel called The Continental, based in NYC. The final chapter,John Wick: Chapter 4, shows there are other hotels like The Continental all across the globe. At the Osaka Continental, the man in charge is Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada). Wick seeks refuge in his hotel, hoping to add more time to the cat-and-mouse chasein which he’s inevitably the mouse.
Considering Reeves is 59 and Sanada 63, the action sequences they star in the final chapter ofJohn Wickare intense; but, age is just a number for professionals like them, and seeing Sanada in a familiar role feels like watching him do it for the first time all over again.As a martial arts expert who starred in numerous kung-fu films, he proved he was meant to be an action star, and that it’s never too late to reach iconic heights.
2’Ring' (1998)
‘Ringu,’ as Takayama Ryuji
Potentiallythe most terrifying Japanese horror movieever made,Ring, orRinguin original Japanese, may have been overshadowed by its American remake. However,Ringuholds terror in the palm of its hand with every aspect -from its tense soundtrack and immersive photography to the star-studded Japanese cast, which includes Hiroyuki Sanada. Later,Ringuwas given its deserved accolades as it became a cult classic, and the catalyst for a special genre in every horror fan’s heart -J-horror.
The story follows the journalist Reiko (Nanako Matsushima) investigating the mysterious death of her niece. WhenReiko realizes a cursed videotape has something to do with it, she asks her ex-husband Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada) to help her investigate. Ryuji has a supernatural power, a sort of sixth sense, so his help is invaluable to Reiko.Ringuis a masterclass in horror, but the casting of Sanada was a bit surprising. Though this was still before he forayed into acting in English, he always portrayed romantic leads or some sort of action hero. Horror was an interesting choice, but Sanada continuously proves he can shine regardless of the genre.
Watch on AppleTV+
1’The Twilight Samurai' (2002)
‘Tasogare Seibei,’ as Iguchi Seibei
A role many are used to seeing Sanada in,The Twilight Samuraisees him as a bureaucrat samurai handling the many aspects of life. There are sword fights and action scenes, but the story focuses more on life itself - typical for aYoji Yamadamovie. Sanada plays Iguchi Seibei, wholoses his wife to an illness and is left to take care of his home, elderly mother, and two young daughters alone. Because of this, Seibei doesn’t participate in typical samurai bonding and free time, which would be late-night drinking, conversations, and dinners.
Instead,he rushes home to his family and gets jokingly called “Twilight” by his peers. Sanada gives a strong, emotional performance as a man who must take on a dual role in life - one as a caretaker and the other as a loyal samurai.The Twilight Samuraiis set in a period in Japan just before modernization began, and the pace of that slow transformation and being ready to move on to the 20th century can be seen. This is a beautiful feature film thatshows Sanada’s talents in the best possible lightand is his best movie to date.
