SINGAPORE – He is the quintessential Japanese actor who has cornered Hollywood’s market playing feudal warlords or modern-day crime bosses, gaining global recognition in the process.
With a katana, he sliced and diced his way through action flicks, sparring with the likes of Tinseltown A-listers such as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves and Hugh Jackman, as well as Hong Kong stars like Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen.
Hiroyuki Sanada is once again brandishing a fearsome blade in Shogun, now streaming on Disney+. Based on British author James Clavell’s sprawling 1975 novel of the same name, the 10-episode period series follows the exploits of Lord Toranaga (Sanada), a shogun or military leader who is modelled after Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Ieyasu was a real shogun who unified Japan after winning a civil war, and his military government ruled the country in relative peace for more than 260 years.
In Shogun, Sanada’s first lead role after more than 20 years in Hollywood, he finally gets to rule.
The 63-year-old took his responsibility as producer seriously, telling The Hollywood Reporter he wanted the show to be authentic and not westernised.
He used a Japanese crew and cast Japanese actors. The sets were painstakingly recreated in Vancouver, Canada, to look like 17th-century Japan. Each kimono and other costumes were handmade based on traditional clothes imported from Japan.
Sanada personally checked the props, offered support to the Japanese crew and served as interpreter. “It’s always been my goal to avoid misunderstandings overseas when playing a Japanese character or appearing in a film about Japan,” he said.
So do not dismiss Sanada as the token Japanese actor who appears to be typecast as either the bad-a** samurai (Japanese warrior) or yakuza (Japanese mafia) in Hollywood.
The veteran thespian is simply protective of how Japanese culture should be portrayed on-screen, and has taken it upon himself to dedicate his career to ensuring such authenticity is achieved.
Here are some of Sanada’s other note-worthy films and series.
The Last Samurai (2003)
How many can say they made their Hollywood debut brutally beating up Tom Cruise with a bokken (wooden sword)?
Trained in kendo – a Japanese style of sword fighting – from a young age, Sanada fit the bill to play the formidable and ferocious warrior Ujio, who schooled Cruise in the way of the samurai.
And it was Sanada’s scene-stealing performance in this film that kick-started his samurai career in the West.
He reportedly spent six months on his own dime in Los Angeles to assist director Edward Zwick during the post-production process, offering advice on Japanese culture.
“I didn’t care if it turned out to be my first and last Hollywood film,” Sanada told Nikkei Asia.
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Sanada traded his samurai top-knot and kimono for a suit to play triad leader Kenji in the action-comedy sequel, the first of many yakuza roles to come.
He might have been the antagonist and was up against Hong Kong action titan Jackie Chan, but Sanada stole the thunder with his nifty action moves and superb use of the katana.
The Wolverine (2013)
Sanada’s first foray into the Marvel universe was playing Lord Shingen Yashida, the infamous villain from the Wolverine comics.
Unhappy with Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) attempt to protect his daughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto) – he wanted her dead – Shingen, donning samurai armour, went after Wolverine.
The film had an epic sword fight between Japanese steel and Wolverine’s lethal adamantium claws, as one would expect from a comic-book movie that was set in Tokyo.
47 Ronin (2013)
Loosely based on the legendary 47 ronin, a real-life group of masterless samurai in 18th-century Japan, the revenge film might have been a critical and commercial bomb, but it marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Sanada and Keanu Reeves.
Not only did Sanada, who played the leader of the ronin, teach Reeves how to behave like a samurai and wear the obi (belt) correctly, but he also showed Reeves how to wield a katana the way a Japanese would.
Westworld (2018 to 2020)
Sanada’s appearance was brief – only four episodes – but as usual, he made a huge impact with his swordplay.
In the award-winning sci-fi series where people played out their Wild West fantasies in a western-themed amusement park, Sanada portrayed two different characters: a samurai in Season 2 and a yakuza boss in Season 3.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Sanada’s second Marvel outing is his smallest movie role to date, but it is no less significant.
As a yakuza boss – yes, again – who survived Thanos’ snap, he duelled with Ronin, Hawkeye’s alter-ego. A clip of their fight was also used in an episode of the standalone Hawkeye TV series (2021).
Bullet Train (2022)
Sanada was aptly named The Elder in this set-in-Japan action comedy about assassins killing assassins. Again, his role was small but pivotal.
Sanada also had one of the best close-quarter fights in the colourful film. Whenever he drew his samurai sword sheathed in a cane, you knew his opponent’s time was up.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Sanada reunited with Reeves in this cult hit sequel, playing Shimazu, best friend to Reeves’ titular assassin. Director Chad Stahelski created the role specially for Sanada, a “little guy” who dispatches big guys with a sword.
Chapter 4 also marked the first time Sanada fought Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen on-screen. The clash between these legendary martial artists was a dream match for action fans.
