Tatsuya Nakadai

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. Discovered on the streets of Tokyo by director Masaki Kobayashi, Nakadai rose to prominence starring in 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.

Cast

Kwaidan
Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Sanjuro
Hanbei Muroto
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Kaji
Ran
Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
Kagemusha
Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Yojimbo
Unosuke, gunfighter
Hachiko
Shujiro Ueno
Samurai Rebellion
Tatewaki Asano
High and Low
Chief Detective Tokura
Phoenix
Unknown
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
Kaji
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
Kaji
The Wolves
Seji Iwahashi
Harakiri
Hanshiro Tsugumo
The Face of Another
Mr. Okuyama
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Kenichi Komatsu
Tenchu!
Hanpeita Takechi
Odd Obsession
Kimura
13 Assassins
Unknown
Hunter in the Dark
Gomyo Kiyoemon
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
Narrator
Kill!
Genta
Magistrate of the Floating World
Unknown
Wish Upon a Star
Takanori Wakamiya
Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die!
James Elfego
Goyokin
Magobei Wakizaka
Illusion of Blood
Iyemon Tamiya
Final Yamato
Narrator
Ant Hell War
Unknown
Wicked City
Daishu
The Sword of Doom
Ryunosuke Tsukue
Portrait of Hell
Yoshihide
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
Ronin
Daughters, Wives and a Mother
Kuroki Shingo
Kurosawa
Self
Return from the River Kwai
Major Harada
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen
Shindon
Oban kanketsu hen
Shin Don
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
Kumokiri Nizaemon
Ôban
Shin Don
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen
Shin don
Conflagration
Tokari
Inn of Evil
Sadashichi
Black River
Jo
Haru's Journey
Tadao Nakai
Blood End
Sentaro
The Human Bullet
Narrator
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
Immortal Love
Heibei
Battle of the Japan Sea
Major Genjiro Akashi
Like Asura
Kotaro Takezawa
Japan's Tragedy
Fujio Murai
East Meets West
Kaishu Katsu
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
Yohei Tachibana
I Am a Cat
Kushami
Heat Wave
Tsunejiro Murai
The Battle of Okinawa
Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
Self
The Inheritance
Kikuo Furukawa
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho
Unknown
Battle Cry
Hijikata Toshizo
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
Unknown
The Age of Assassins
Shinji Kikyo
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
Naojiro Kataoka
The Law of Hell
Unknown
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
Seijiro Miyazawa
Duel at Fort Ezo
Daizennokami Honjo
Love Under the Crucifix
Ukon Takayama
Vengeance for Sale
Umetaro Katakura
After the Rain
Tsuji Gettan
Rise, Fair Sun
Unknown
Until the Break of Dawn
Sadayuki Akiyama
A Dangerous Hero
Unknown
ふたりの死刑囚
Narrator
Murder of the Inugami Clan
Sahei Inugami
A Boy and Three Mothers
The Engineer
Battle Anthem
Unknown
Fireflies in the North
Takeshi Tsukigata
The Empty Table
Nobuyuki Kidoji
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
Giovanni's Island
Older Junpei Senou (voice)
Safari 5000
Unknown
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Self
Listen to My Heart
Kyozo Hayami
Untamed Woman
Kimura
Basara: The Princess Goh
Oribe Furuta
Belladonna of Sadness
The Devil (voice)
The Gate of Youth
Unknown
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa
Self
Seven Samurai
Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
Making of Ran
Self
The Fir Trees Remain
Unknown
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
Yagyu Retsudo
The Family
Teppei Manpyo
Fort Graveyard
Sakuma
Queen Bee
Ginzo Daidoji
Will to Conquer
Unknown
Gaku
Kazama Shin-ichi
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
Unknown
Port Arthur
Maresuke Nogi
Blood Type: Blue
Minami
Shadow Hunters
Unknown
The Ambitious
Shintaro Nakaoka
Cash Calls Hell
Oida
The Human Trust
Nobuhiro Sasakura
Three Yakuza
Unknown
The Phoenix
Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
Solar Eclipse
Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
A. K.
Self
Through the Mist
(Archive Footage)
A Woman's Life
Unknown
The Other Woman
Minami
Jubaku: Spellbound
Hideaki Sasaki
Love on Rainbow Island
Yûji Wada
Atami Murder Case
Denbei Nikaido
The Corporation
Unknown
Lear on the Shore
Kuwahata Chokichi
Human Revolution II
Unknown
The Blue Beast
Unknown
Chibusa o daku musume tachi
Unknown
Four Days of Snow and Blood
Sugiyama
Oración
Heihachiro Wagu
As the Clouds Scatter
Unknown
Kojiro
Musashi Miyamoto
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
Self
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
The Last Judgment
Unknown
Pressure of Guilt
Unknown
The Naked Sun
Unknown
Get 'em All
Tsubota
The Beast Shall Die
Kunihiko Date
Tange Sazen: The Million Ryo Pot
Sazen Tange
Journey
Unknown
Admiral Yamamoto
Narrator (voice)
A Duel Tale
Unknown
Taikoki
(Narrator)
Before The Leaves Fall
Kenichiro Miya
Legacy of the 500,000
Mitsura Gunji
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
Self
The Daphne
Unknown
The Return
Unknown
Zatoichi: The Last
Tendo
Willful Murder
Yashiro
Faraway Sunset
Kobayashi
All About Marriage
Akira Nakayama
To Dance with the White Dog
Eisuke Nakamoto
The Legend of Sayo
Unknown
Michi
Seiji Tajima
Sazae-san
Norisuke
Teenage Sazae
Unknown
Yamato
Unknown
Pilgrimage at Night
Unknown
Sugata Sanshiro
Yano
A Town and a Tall Chimney
Unknown
The Human Revolution
Unknown
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai
Makino Tadayuki
Japan's Longest Day
Narrator (voice)
Sleeping Village
(narration)
Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate
Unknown
NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語
Unknown
Let Him Rest in Peace
Unknown
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring
Kazuo Shimada
Floating Weeds Diary
Unknown
Gomez's Name is Gomez
Sakamoto
Summer of the Moonlight Sonata
Unknown
The Shadow Daughter
Unknown
The Mandarin Room
Unknown
Skin-Colored Moon
Jirô Taki
Go and Get It
His assistant
Kampai! Miai Kekkon
Kunihiko Sasada
The Gion Tempest
Masaki
Three Dolls in Ginza
Kyosuke Tamura
Miren
Ryôta Kinoshita
Yushu Heiya
Tatsumi
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
Unknown
Challenge at Dawn
Tsukagoshi
The King
Kinjiro Sekine
Elegy
Setsuo Katsuragi
Trinacria: Porsche 959
Unknown
Florence My Love
Unknown
The Limit
Narrator
The Taika Reforms
Minabuchi no Syôan
Black Baby
Unosuke (archive footage)
Gun Woman
Hamazaki
The Thick-Walled Room
(Uncredited)