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