ACTOR
Kunie Tanaka
Kunie Tanaka (田中 邦衛 Tanaka Kunie, November 23, 1932 - March 24, 2021) was a Japanese actor. He had his first notable role in 1960 as a thug in Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well, and worked with the director again on Sanjuro. Tanaka is well known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series. He also appeared in Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan. He has been nominated for five Japanese…
Snapshot 2026-10-13
- Born
- Nov 23, 1932
- Died
- Mar 24, 2021
- Birthplace
- Toki, Gifu, Japan
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Kunie Tanaka (田中 邦衛 Tanaka Kunie, November 23, 1932 - March 24, 2021) was a Japanese actor. He had his first notable role in 1960 as a thug in Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well, and worked with the director again on Sanjuro. Tanaka is well known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series. He also appeared in Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan.
He has been nominated for five Japanese Academy Awards, winning the Best Supporting Actor statuette for Gakko in 1993. He appeared as the lecherous Shinjiro Ishiyama, nicknamed Aodaishō, the antagonist of the hero, played by Yūzō Kayama, in all of the Wakadaishō series of films. The character Kizaru, from Eiichiro Oda's manga series One Piece, is modeled after Tanaka.
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Filmography
Movies
Triumphant Song of Youth
1956
The Story of Pure LoveSatoyan
1957
Lucky Dragon No. 5
1959
The Human Condition II: Road to EternityObara Nitôhei
1959
The Bad Sleep WellHitman
1960
The Sun's BurialThief
1960
The War Without WeaponsDetective Kitajima
1960
Big Shots Die at Dawn
1961
Blood on the Sea
1961
Eternity of Love
1961
Hidden Fangs
1961
Sir Galahad in CampusShinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)
1961
The Merciless Trap
1961
College Champ
1962
Operation Sewer RatsPrivate Anayama
1962
PitfallMan in White Suit
1962
Pride of the CampusShinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)
1962
SanjuroSamurai
1962
The Crimson Sky
1962
The Inheritance
1962
A Fishmonger's Tour
1963
A Photo journalist's Story: Risk Your Life for the Moment
1963
Hell FestivalSomei To
1963
Kagami no naka no razō
1963
Okashina yatsuSankichi Fujita
1963
Sasuke and His Comedians
1963
Sensation Seekers
1963
Walleyed NipponShirosaka
1963
Young Guy in Hawaii石山新次郎（青大将）
1963
Punishment of a Lawless Villian
1964
Red DiamondGeorge Takase
1964
Shingo's Final Duel
1964
The DesperateChiba
1964
間諜
1964
Abashiri PrisonOtsuki
1965
Campus A Go-Go
1965
KwaidanYasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
1965
Prison Walls of Abashiri 3Otsuki
1965
Prison Walls of Abashiri 4
1965
Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2Kirikawa
1965
Sword of the BeastTanji
1965
Tale of Ninja Duty
1965
The Last Judgment
1965
Three Yakuza
1965
Wakai nobara石丸雄吉
1965
Yakuza G-MenMasayoshi Imanishi
1965
Young Guy at Sea石山新次郎（青大））
1965
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country
1966
Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South
1966
Cash Calls HellUmegaya
1966
Debt of Honor
1966
Golden NinjaRisuke
1966
It Started In The AlpsShinjiro Ishiyama / Aodaisyô
1966
Koto—The Lake of TearsKenkichi Ohara
1966
Silence Has No Wings
1966
The Bullet and the Horse
1966
The Face of AnotherMentally Ill Man #1
1966
The Front Line ShowdownSawamura
1966
The Sword of DoomSenkichi
1966
The Threat
1966
Third Class Soldier Boss
1966
Zatoichi's PilgrimageStoryteller
1966
Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil
1967
Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido
1967
Birth of a Fighter
1967
Circuit-A-Go-Go
1967
Game of Chance 2
1967
Let's Go! Young GuyShinjirou Ishiyama
1967
Mesu ga osu o kuikorosu: KamakiriKen Takahashi
1967
River of Forever
1967
The Free Island
1967
Young Guy in the South PacificShinjiro Ishiyama
1967
An Angel's Temptation
1968
Angel's Lover
1968
Cry of the Mountain
1968
How to Be the Worst of Office Workers
1968
Hymn to a Tired ManHisataro Ohno
1968
In Broad DaylightMarch
1968
Outlaw: Black DaggerDoctor Michio Hongô
1968
Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2Katsuji Nemoto
1968TD
The Day the Sun Rose
1968
The Human BulletPlatoon Leader
1968
The Woman Champion
1968
The Woman Gambler's Revenge
1968
Three Rogues
1968
Women and Miso Soup
1968
Young Guy in Rio
1968
Young PeopleTaro
1968
Forward, Young People!Taro
1969
GoyokinHirosuke
1969
Tenchu!Rokkaku Prison Officer
1969
The Great Japanese Pick-Pocket ClubKanegai
1969
Vermillion Sword: Scabbard Code Sword Amidst the Swirling Cherry BlossomsSeiji Matsumiya
1969
Young Guy Graduates
1969
Young Guy on Mt. Cook
1969
夕月
1969
Banner of the YoungTaro
1970
Bravo, Young Guy
1970
Charming MenKuramoto Kuraji
1970
Dodes'ka-denHatsutaro Kawaguchi
1970
Duel at Fort EzoKurobei
1970
Fear of Sex
1970
Get Your Sky, Young Guy
1970
It's a Man's Way of LifeHeihachirou Yanai
1970
Live Again Tomorrow刈田勝利
1970
Rebel Against Glory
1970
The Kingpin of Fair LadiesTadao Ueda
1970
The Summit of Mt. Fuji
1970
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
1970ZI
Zoku IsoginchakuTakashi Takai
1970
Detective Story: A Brother's Rule
1971
Japan's No. 1 Shocked Man
1971
Kigeki: Onna ikitemasu
1971
New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter
1971
The Battle of OkinawaBarber Higa
1971
The Instant Services Bureau
1971
The WolvesMatsuzo Tsumura
1971
Tora-san, the Good Samaritan福士老师
1971
Young Guy, the Ace Rider
1971
Kogarashi Monjiro 2: Secret of Monjiro's BirthJohei Yawata
1972
My Voiceless Friends
1972
New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm
1972
Outlaw Killers: Three Mad Dog BrothersOhno
1972
Summer SoldiersFujimura
1972
The Witty Samurai
1972
Zorome no San Kyoudai
1972
Battles Without Honor and HumanityMasakichi Makihara
1973
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy WarMasakichi Makihara
1973
Deeper Than BlueAjikawa
1973
Japan's Top Gangster
1973
Rika 3: Juvenile's LullabySoldier Mania
1973
Stray DogSagawa
1973
The School Deviate Waru
1973
The Three Musketeers of Japan: The Tale of Hakata ObiKen
1973
What is Love?Saitaro Asami
1973
Yakuza of the PresentZen san
1973
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final EpisodeMasakichi Makihara
1974
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police TacticsMasakichi Makihara
1974
Evil of DraculaDr. Shimomura
1974
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic StrategyDaisuke Jigen
1974
Machi no HiGoro
1974
New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1Gen Sakagami
1974
Third Generation Boss
1974
300 Million Thief: Statute of LimitationsToyama
1975
Battle CryYamakawa Hiroshi
1975
Company Buggers
1975
Cops vs. ThugsKinpachi Komiya
1975
Doterai Man
1975
Graveyard of HonorKatsuji Kozaki
1975
Great JailbreakGoda
1975
Japan Beauty Story: A Woman Among Women
1975
Light of AfricaKatsuhiro
1975
Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack
1975
Shimane Prison RiotYoshikazu Minagawa
1975
The Bullet TrainKoga's Brother
1975
The International Gang of KobeTeruo Maruyama
1975
The Wild TruckerBorsalino 2
1975
Hangyaku no Tabi
1976
Hobo General
1976
Kawachi Rascal Is Spurred OnShinichiro Nabeyama
1976
ManhuntYokomichi Keiji
1976
The Machine Gun Dragon
1976
Yoake no hata matsumoto jiichirō DenToramatsu Otani
1976
Japan's DonDetective Goto
1977
Seasonal Wind
1977
Sugata SanshiroYasuyoshi
1977
The Extravagant Cops
1977
The Love and Adventures of Kuroki TaroKuroki Taro
1977
Village of Eight Gravestones
1977
Bandits vs. Samurai SquadronRikichi Komadera
1978
Blood Type: BlueKazuo, Saeko's brother
1978
Dynamite Don-DonSakuzo
1978
Ghost CoastInspector Joichi Uno
1978
Ghost Train
1978
Inside the Storm of Love
1978
Never Give UpBartender
1978
Pink Lady's Motion Picture
1978
The DemonPoliceman
1978
The Truck Rascals Go to The North
1978
Winter's FlowerKokichi Minami
1978
Down with The Big Boss
1979
Ghost Festival in Zenjin VillageInspector Joichi Uno
1979
Murder in the Doll HouseDetective Naraki
1979
Nichiren
1979
The Adventures of Kosuke KindaichiLt. Todoroki
1979
The Bride of the Ghost LakeInspector Joichi Uno
1979
The Fixer
1979
The InfernoUnpei Ikegata
1979
The Last Game
1979
Troubleman Laughs and Kills
1979
White Love
1979
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete SagaMasakichi Makihara
1980
May Love Be RestoredYugiri-ro client
1980
The Revolt
1980
At This Late Date, the CharlestonArmy Minister
1981
Private Detective DOBU 1Dobu
1981
Return of the ChampShinjiro Ishiyama
1981
StationSugawara
1981
Ekisutora
1982
Highschool Scramble
1982
Karate CopNeighbor
1982
Private Detective DOBU 2: The Kyoto Murder CaseDobu
1982
Private Detective DOBU 3: The Exile Island Murder CaseDobu
1982
The ShootoutIwai
1982
Tonga Adventure Family
1982
Choji Snack BarIwashita
1983
Deadly Swords in Search of Hidden Gold
1983
Kita no kuni kara '83 Fuyu
1983
Nogare no machi
1983
Private Detective DOBU 4: The Mysterious Kite Murders CaseDobu
1983
Private Detective DOBU 5: The Pinwheel Murder CaseDobu
1983
Private Detective DOBU 6: The Origami Murder CaseDobu
1983
The Undercover Ninja Organization
1983
Ghost ReunionInspector Joichi Uno
1984
Kita no kuni kara '84 Natsu
1984
Sukanpin WalkKeizo Fukami
1984
The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel
1984
Tokimeki Kaigan Monogatari
1984
DemonKeita
1985
Early Spring StoryOkino, Hitomi's father
1985
The Roaming Reporter and Rookie Detective - I Saw a Female Ghost in Hida Takayama!Yutaro Hatori
1985
Maison Ikkoku - Apartment FantasyMan
1986
The House of WedlockKazuya Enomoto
1986
The Roaming Reporter and Rookie Detective 2 - I Saw the Bride's Corpse in the Sea of Toba!Yutaro Hatori
1986
Kita no kuni kara '87 Hatsukoi
1987
Take Me Out to the SnowlandYûichirô Tayama
1987
The Great Department Store Robbery
1987
The Return of the Newshound and the Lady CopYutaro Hatori
1987
The Roaming Reporter and Rookie Detective 3 - I Saw a Woman's Corpse in the Steam of Beppu Onsen!Yutaro Hatori
1987
The Thief and the Expelled Master
1987
I Love You So Much
1988
Love on a Daily Basis
1988
Oración
1988
This Heartbeat
1988
TomorrowShoji's stepfather
1988
Yojo no jidai
1988
Kita no kuni kara '89 Kikyo
1989
Baian the Assassin
1990
Hoshi wo tsugu monoKenji Yoshida
1990
Ronin-gaiMagozaemon Doi
1990
Tasmania Story
1990
A Desirable MarriageMr. Kawamata
1991
Castle of SandEitaro Imanishi
1991
Kamigata Kugaizoshi
1991MW
Mourning Work
1991
My Sons
1991
Shy Security
1991
The love song of farewell later
1991
Kita no kuni kara '92 Sudachi Part 1
1992
Luminous MossHachizo
1992
A Class to RememberIno
1993
Baian the Assassin: Showdown
1993
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final ConflictBuddhist Priest
1993
Rainbow Bridge
1993
Free and Easy Special
1994
イルカに逢える日
1994
Kita no kuni kara '95 Himitsu
1995
Salaryman Senka
1995
Tora-san to the Rescue船长
1995
北の国から ’95秘密 後編
1995
OishinboTattsan
1996
The Rainbow SeekerTsune-san
1996
Magnitude: Bridge to Tomorrow
1997
The Rainbow Seeker 2
1997
A Class to Remember III: The New VoyageInoue
1998
As the River FlowsMatsuda (The Shopkeeper)
2000
All About Our HouseChouichirou Iwata - Master Carpenter
2001PO
Proof of the Man 2001
2001
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'Self
2002
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Bad Sleep Well'Self
2002
Kewaishi
2002
Kita no kuni kara 2002 Yuigon Part 2
2002
北の国から記憶演员
2002
Fukumimi
2003
The Boat to HeavenMasato Sakurai
2003
YomigaeriDr. Saito
2003
北の国から 記憶 前編演员
2003
The Hidden BladeKanbê Katagiri
2004
The Last RoninOkuno Shōgen
2010Television
The Saturday Tiger1 eps
1966
The Shin Hasegawa Series蛙ヶ池の仙太 · 30 eps
1972
Submersion of JapanTatsuno · 26 eps
1974
The Nagasaki Crime ChroniclesYoshitoshi Kogure · 26 eps
1975
Dazzling CopsNangou Goro · 1 eps
1977
Older brotherKintaro · 13 eps
1977
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougaiボオルチュ · 2 eps
1980
From the Northern CountryGoru Kuroita (黑板五郎) · 24 eps
1981
Rice Curry13 eps
1986
Baian the AssassinHan-Emon of Otowa · 5 eps
1991
Private Detective Dobu7 eps
1991
Hacchōbori Torimono Banashi2 eps
1993
The Password is Courage11 eps
2000世
世界で一番熱い夏4 eps
2001TS
The Sun in KurobeGenkichi · 2 eps
2009Photos
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