Sonny Chiba
“Kill Bill” star dies after corona infection
Sonny Chiba gave the Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill – Volume 1”.
© imago images / EntertainmentPictures
Martial arts star Sonny Chiba has died of complications related to Covid 19 disease.
The Japanese actor Sonny Chiba (1939-2021) is dead. Chiba, who was best known as a martial arts star, was 82 years old. He died on Thursday of complications related to Covid 19 disease, confirm his agent and manager to the US industry journal “Variety”.
He played the Hattori Hanzo
Chiba was born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1939 and has appeared in more than 200 TV and film productions since the 1960s. The martial artist studied under the karate master Masutatsu “Mas” Oyama and was particularly known for his numerous martial arts films. He later appeared in western productions as well.
In “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” Chiba was a yakuza boss. He will probably be remembered by local film fans who are less familiar with martial arts films, but who will be remembered for a very specific role. In “Kill Bill – Volume 1” by Quentin Tarantino (58) he played Hattori Hanzo, who makes a sword for the leading actress Uma Thurman (51).