His outstanding performance in the 2024 period drama and action series Shōgun has earned actor Hiroyuki Sanada all the praise and applause for h. While the first season is garnering rave reviews and cheer from across the globe, two more seasons have received a green signal from FX and Hulu. As the series continues to enthral viewers, let’s take a look at some of the best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV shows that prove his versatility.
The Japanese action star made his film debut at the age of five with Rokyoku Komori-uta (1965). He went on to join Japan Action Club by Sonny Chiba to master martial arts when he was 11 or 12 years of age. In 1999, Sanada became the first Japanese actor to play King Lear in a stage production by the Royal Shakespeare Co. and even received an honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2002.
From starring alongside Michelle Yeoh in Royal Warriors (1986) to featuring in Danny Boyle’s action flick Sunshine (2007), he became a noted character actor only for bigger and leading roles to arrive soon.
The best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV are a testament to his prolific acting career which has propelled him towards other noted projects like the horror film Ringu (1999), The Last Samurai (2003), Lost (2004-2010), 47 Ronin (2013), The Railway Man (2013), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Mortal Kombat (2021), The Bullet Train (2022) and now Shōgun. These popular movies and series have also garnered high ratings on IMDb, attesting to their critical acclaim.
Such films and shows have earned him prestigious accolades and awards, too. One film that deserves a mention is Rush Hour 3 (2007). Although it has an IMDb rating of 6.2, the film is an entertaining watch. It features Sanada showing off his stunts alongside action star and his longtime friend Jackie Chan. On a different note, did you know Sanada lent his voice to the character of Sumo Villain in Minions (2015), one of the fighters from the Villain-Con organisation?
Considered among the most talented actors in Hollywood and the Japanese film industry, Hiroyuki Sanada has built a vast and diverse repertoire of movies and TV shows that will interest any cinephile.
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15 of the best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV shows
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- Mortal Kombat (2021)
- Rush Hour 3 (2007)
- The Wolverine (2013)
- Royal Warriors (1986)
- Sunshine (2007)
- Minamata (2020)
- Bullet Train (2022)
- The Last Ship (2014-2018)
- John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
- The Last Samurai (2003)
- The Twilight Samurai (2002)
- Lost (2004-2010)
- Westworld (2016-2022)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Shōgun (2024-)
IMDb rating: 6
Directed by: Simon McQuoid
Other cast members: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Chin Han
Movie duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Synopsis: MMA fighter Cole Young (Tan) is used to taking a beating for money. However, he is unaware of his lineage and why Outworld’s Emperor Shang Tsung (Han) is looking for him. To ensure his family’s safety, he begins training the temple of Lord Raiden to join the forces of Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe. But will he be successful?
Trivia: Sanada plays the role of ninja Hanzo Hasashi, aka Scorpion, in the film.
IMDb rating: 6.3
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Other cast members: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow, Tzi Ma
Movie duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Synopsis: Three years after the events of Rush Hour 2 (2001), this action-comedy film sees Carter (Tucker) as a Los Angeles traffic officer, while his partner Lee (Chan) is an ace Hong Kong Police inspector. Lee takes Chinese Ambassador Han (Ma) to the World Criminal Court, to reveal crucial information about the criminal family of the Triads. When an assassination attempt goes wrong, intense action and a laughter riot follow. Meanwhile, Carter and Lee find themselves in Paris, trying to retrieve a list containing essential details about gang lords with enemies wanting to thwart their efforts.
Trivia: Sanada plays Kenji, Lee’s foster brother who assassinates Han and sets off the flurry of events.
IMDb rating: 6.7
Directed by: James Mangold
Other cast members: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Tao Okamoto
Movie duration: 2 hours 6 minutes
Synopsis: Haunted by his past, Wolverine (Jackman) travels to Japan to meet an old friend whom he saved years ago. However, he gets entangled in the ninja and Yakuza battles. The events that follow change his life and perspectives forever.
Trivia: Sanada plays Shingen Yashida, a Japanese martial artist who was disgraced for trying to kill his own daughter. He particularly dislikes Wolverine because, since the day the latter saved his father’s life he became obsessed with Wolverine’s way and tactics, ultimately ruining the Yashida family name.
IMDb rating: 7
Directed by: David Chung
Other cast members: Michelle Yeoh, Michael Wong
Movie duration: 1 hour 36 minutes
Synopsis: Michelle Yip (Yeoh) is a rough and tough Hong Kong police official; Michael Wong (Wong) is from air security and is smitten by her; Peter Yamamoto (Sanada) is a retiring Tokyo police officer. Together, they plan to foil a flight hijack carrying a mob prisoner. The perilous task is faced with high-octane action, and intense chase scenes follow.
Why you should watch it: If you are an action buff who enjoys high-speed chases and classic stunts from the ‘80s, then this film is a must-watch for you. Young Sanada and Yeoh are delightful in their respective roles.
Image credit: Royal Warriors/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 7.2
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Other cast members: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh
Movie duration: 1 hour 5 minutes
Synopsis: Set in 2057, the thrilling sci-fi film revolves around a group of astronauts who set out on a dangerous mission in a spaceship captained by Kaneda (Sanada) to reignite the dying Sun with the help of a nuclear fission bomb. Their plan hits a rough patch when the team receives distress calls from another spaceship. Will they be able to complete both missions?
Why you should watch it: One of the most underrated yet brilliant sci-fi films by Boyle, Sunshine offers a star-studded cast where every actor delivers brilliantly. A unique storyline and fantastic visuals make it a must-watch as well.
Image credit: Sunshine/ © 2007 Twentieth Century Fox/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 7.2
Directed by: Andrew Levitas
Other cast members: Akiko Iwase, Kogarashi Wakasugi, Johnny Depp
Movie duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
Synopsis: Acclaimed war photographer W. Eugene Smith (Depp) returns to the coastal city of Minamata, Japan, to investigate the case of severe mercury poisoning. Eugene is aided by a local interpreter and supported by the locals as his photographs show the horrors of years of negligence.
Trivia: The film is based on the true event of Chisso Corporation dropping hazardous mercury waste into the ocean, leading to poisoning. Sanada plays one of the local men who led the protests against the company and supported Smith to cover the event. Real-life photographer W. Eugene Smith was known for his coverage of World War II.
IMDb rating: 7.3
Directed by: David Leitch
Other cast members: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Movie duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
Synopsis: After a dry spell of calmness, assassin Ladybug (Pitt) is tasked with retrieving a briefcase from a swiftly moving bullet train bound for Kyoto and returning it to its owner safely. However, the mission is ridden with difficulties, as five hitmen are on the hunt for that same briefcase. As Ladybug has been on a spiritual journey before this to become less violent, what will be the outcome of this mission when he faces them?
Why you should watch it: Eclectic colourful visuals, thrilling fight sequences, comedy and witty lines make it a laughter-meets-action joyride. While Pitt is as entertaining as always with his charm and swag, Sanada steps in as a mysterious yakuza member known as The Elder. His display of martial arts prowess makes the film a classic light-hearted watch as well.
IMDb rating: 7.4
Created by: Steven Kane, Hank Steinberg
Other cast members: Eric Dane, Adam Baldwin, Charles Parnell, Rhona Mitra
Episode: 56
Duration of each episode: 40-45 minutes
Synopsis: This action, sci-fi, thriller series revolves around the crew aboard the naval destroyer USS Nathan James. Captained by Tom Chandler (Dane), the team on the ship is accompanied by scientist Rachel Scott (Mitra) who is tasked to find the cure to a deadly pandemic, which has wiped out large portions of the population. As they return, the team faces threatening challenges from people who make the spread of the cure more difficult.
Trivia: Sanada plays a Japanese pirate named Takehaya, who helped in spreading Rachel’s cure to the Japanese people. But when the cure did not, he blamed himself. He even assembled a band of pirates to rob other ships to get more supply of the cure.
IMDb rating: 7.7
Directed by: Chad Stahelski
Other cast members: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, George Georgiou, Bill Skarsgård, Donnie Yen
Movie duration: 2 hours 49 minutes
Synopsis: In this action blockbuster, John Wick (Reeves) decides to exact revenge against The High Table. For this, he kills one of its leaders The Elder (Georgiou) in Morocco. The High Table senior member Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Skarsgård) orders John’s old friend and High Table assassin Caine (Yen) to kill him. John, on the other hand, takes refuge in the Osaka Continental Hotel, managed by his ally Koji Shimazu (Sanada). What follows is an action-packed chase and a slew of bloody deaths as John Wick is the prime target of his old friends who have turned foes.
Why you should watch it: This marks the fourth film in the highly successful John Wick franchise and has attracted audiences from all over. Sanada’s impeccable sword fight against Yen is one of the highlights of the film. Of course, there’s Reeves’ outstanding performance.
Trivia: This is not the first time that Sanada and Reeves are working together. Previously, they have worked in 47 Ronin in 2013.
Awards won: Won Best Action Film at the 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards and Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry from the National Board of Review, USA. The film has also received a 2024 Golden Globe nomination for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement as well as three People’s Choice Award nominations — The Action Movie of the Year, and The Male Movie Star of the Year and The Action Movie Star of the Year for Reeves.
IMDb rating: 7.8
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Other cast members: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
Movie duration: 2 hours 27 minutes
Synopsis: This period action flick revolves around US Army veteran Nathan Algren (Cruise) who arrives in Japan at the behest of the Japanese Emperor to train its soldiers in modern warfare techniques. The more Nathan witnesses the traditional samurai and their methods, the more he is intrigued. He struggles between the two worlds, and as the samurai rebellion swells against westernisation, Nathan is badly wounded. However, samurai leader Katsumoto (Watanabe), impressed by his stand and morals, spares Nathan his life.
Trivia: The Last Samurai is Sanada’s first major Hollywood film that made him a recognised face among American audiences. He plays Ujio, a swordsman with unwavering loyalty to Katsumoto. The film received criticisms at the time of release but soon raked in rave reviews and became a box office hit.
Awards won: It was nominated for four Oscars, three Golden Globes and three Critics Choice Awards in 2004.
IMDb rating: 8.1
Directed by: Yôji Yamada
Other cast members: Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Miki Ito, Erina Hashiguchi, Min Tanaka
Movie duration: 2 hours 9 minutes
Synopsis: Seibei Iguchi (Sanada) is a commonplace samurai living in 19th-century Japan. He is a widower with two daughters, Kayano (Ito) and Ito (Hashiguchi), and an ageing mother to support. Besides his imperial duties, Seibei also takes up small side jobs to make ends meet. However, his life turns upside down when his long-lost lover Tomoe Iinuma (Miyazawa) divorces her cruel husband and reenters Seibei’s life.
Why you should watch it: The film shows Sanada in a completely different avatar — as a romantic actor. Though there are sword fights and action scenes, the depiction of changing times, the coming of the modern era, and how Seibei sees life make it a heartwarming movie.
Awards won: Sanada and Miyazawa won Best Actor and Best Actress at the 2003 Awards of the Japanese Academy. The movie bagged Best Film, Tanaka won Best Supporting Actor and Yamada won Best Director at the same event. The Twilight Samurai was nominated for the 2003 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Image credit: The Twilight Samurai/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 8.3
Created by: J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber, Damon Lindelof
Other cast members: Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim
Episode: 121
Duration of each episode: 40-43 minutes
Synopsis: It is literally a game of survival of the fittest on a seemingly deserted tropical island. When Oceanic Flight 815 crashes on a mysterious island, 48 survivors must team up and work together to stay safe and steer clear of the mysterious inhabitants called The Others.
Trivia: Despite a brief guest role in the last season, Sanada shows his acting prowess as Dogen, a member of The Others, who resides in a mystical and ominous temple.
Image credit: Lost/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 8.5
Created by: Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan
Other cast members: Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, Rodrigo Santoro, Thandiwe Newton
Episode: 36
Duration of each episode: 50-60 minutes
Synopsis: In a dystopic world, Westworld is a futuristic fantasy park for the money-loaded. Here, a bunch of android ‘hosts’ stray from their human programmers’ carefully planned scripts to cause havoc, resulting in a flurry of thrilling and dangerous consequences. While some ‘hosts’ continue to revolt, some seek answers about their past.
Trivia: Here, Sanada plays a ‘host’ called Musashi. He was created by Dolores Abernathy (Wood) as a counterpart to Westworld’s Hector Escaton (Santoro) and is a strong ally of another powerful ‘host’ Maeve Millay (Newton).
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Other cast members: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Movie duration: 3 hours, 3 minutes
Synopsis: Following the devastating effects of Thanos’ wrath in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) that left the universe in ruins, the Avengers must reunite once more to bring order and stability to the universe.
Trivia: This hugely successful film is a part of Marvel’s acclaimed Avengers franchise. Sanada steps in as Yakuza leader Akihiko, who is chased by Ronin (Renna) after he survived the Snap.
Awards won: In 2020, the film won Best Visual Effects and Best Action Movie at the Critics Choice Awards. It bagged three People’s Choice Awards and Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture at the 2020 SAG Award. Avengers: Endgame was also nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects at the 2020 Oscars and BAFTA Awards, and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media at the Grammy Awards.
IMDb rating: 8.8
Created by: Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo
Other cast members: Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis, Tadanobu Asano
Episode: 10
Duration of each episode: 55-60 minutes
Synopsis: The period drama is set in feudal Japan of the 1600s. Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Sanada) is surrounded by foes as members of the Council of Regents plot against him. Meanwhile, a mysterious European ship is marooned on the Japanese coast from which British hero John Blackthorne (Jarvis) emerges and joins Toranaga on his cause.
Why you should watch it: Taking his acting career to the well-deserved higher levels, Shōgun offers Sanada the opportunity to show his acting prowess as the lead protagonist. His powerful performance as the warrior leader shows how versatile he is.
Trivia: The series is adapted from the James Clavell novel of the same name.
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(Hero and Feature image credit: Shōgun/ © 2024, FX. All Rights Reserved./ IMDb)
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-Which is the best Hiroyuki Sanada movie?
Some of the best movies starring Hiroyuki Sanada are Avengers: Endgame, Round About Midnight, The Twilight Samurai and The Last Samurai.
Which is the highest-rated Hiroyuki Sanada movie, according to IMDb?
Some of the highest-rated Hiroyuki Sanada movies, according to IMDb, are Avengers: Endgame (8.5), The Twilight Samurai (7.8) and The Last Samurai (7.7). However, his latest series Shōgun has earned an 8.8 IMDb rating.
