Acting
Tatsuya Nakadai
1932-12-13 · Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
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
Seven Samurai
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Ran
Yojimbo
Harakiri
High and Low
Kagemusha
Sanjuro
Kwaidan
Belladonna of Sadness
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
The Face of Another
Samurai Rebellion
The Sword of Doom
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
Movie credits · 192
The Limit
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai
The Return
A Town and a Tall Chimney
Sleeping Village
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
Lear on the Shore
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
A Duel Tale
NORIN TEN inadzukagonjirō monogatari
Futari no shikeishû - saishin imada hirakarezu
Before The Leaves Fall
Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for Acting
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Gun Woman
Giovanni's Island
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
The Human Trust
Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate
Until the Break of Dawn
Japan's Tragedy
Gaku
Zatoichi: The Last
Haru's Journey
Listen to My Heart
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
Through the Mist
Murder of the Inugami Clan
Yamato
Wish Upon a Star
The Taika Reforms
Like Asura
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran'
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
To Dance with the White Dog
TV credits · 13
Cold Case: Door of Truth
A Sinner's Lie
Samurai Banners
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World
嘱託刑事･小山田昭平 旅路の果て
A Son of the Good Earth
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
Momi no Ki wa Nokotta: Ranshin
Kinagashi Bugyō
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai
Suna no Utsuwa
Shin Heike Monogatari
ゴメスの名はゴメス
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