Tatsuya Nakadai
Acting • Born 1932-12-13 – Died 2025-11-08
Biography
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.
Filmography
200 credits
Kwaidan
Movie • 1965
Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Sanjuro
Movie • 1962
Hanbei Muroto
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Movie • 1959
Kaji
Ran
Movie • 1985
Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
Kagemusha
Movie • 1980
Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Yojimbo
Movie • 1961
Unosuke, gunfighter
Hachiko
Movie • 1987
Shujiro Ueno
Samurai Rebellion
Movie • 1967
Tatewaki Asano
High and Low
Movie • 1963
Chief Detective Tokura
Phoenix
Movie • 1956
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
Movie • 1959
Kaji
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
Movie • 1961
Kaji
The Wolves
Movie • 1971
Seji Iwahashi
Harakiri
Movie • 1962
Hanshiro Tsugumo
The Face of Another
Movie • 1966
Mr. Okuyama
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Movie • 1960
Kenichi Komatsu
Tenchu!
Movie • 1969
Hanpeita Takechi
Odd Obsession
Movie • 1959
Kimura
13 Assassins
Movie • 1990
Hunter in the Dark
Movie • 1979
Gomyo Kiyoemon
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
Movie • 2018
Narrator
Kill!
Movie • 1968
Genta
Magistrate of the Floating World
Movie • 1981
Wish Upon a Star
Movie • 2005
Takanori Wakamiya
Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die!
Movie • 1968
James Elfego
Goyokin
Movie • 1969
Magobei Wakizaka
Illusion of Blood
Movie • 1965
Iyemon Tamiya
Final Yamato
Movie • 1983
Narrator
Ant Hell War
Movie • 1964
Wicked City
Movie • 1992
Daishu
The Sword of Doom
Movie • 1966
Ryunosuke Tsukue
Portrait of Hell
Movie • 1969
Yoshihide
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
Movie • 1970
Ronin
Daughters, Wives and a Mother
Movie • 1960
Kuroki Shingo
Kurosawa
Movie • 2000
Self
Return from the River Kwai
Movie • 1989
Major Harada
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen
Movie • 1957
Shindon
Oban kanketsu hen
Movie • 1958
Shin Don
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
Movie • 1978
Kumokiri Nizaemon
Ôban
Movie • 1957
Shin Don
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen
Movie • 1957
Shin don
Conflagration
Movie • 1958
Tokari
Inn of Evil
Movie • 1971
Sadashichi
Black River
Movie • 1957
Jo
Haru's Journey
Movie • 2010
Tadao Nakai
Blood End
Movie • 1969
Sentaro
The Human Bullet
Movie • 1968
Narrator
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
Movie • 1982
Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
Immortal Love
Movie • 1961
Heibei
Battle of the Japan Sea
Movie • 1969
Major Genjiro Akashi
Like Asura
Movie • 2003
Kotaro Takezawa
Japan's Tragedy
Movie • 2012
Fujio Murai
East Meets West
Movie • 1995
Kaishu Katsu
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
Movie • 2016
Yohei Tachibana
I Am a Cat
Movie • 1975
Kushami
Heat Wave
Movie • 1991
Tsunejiro Murai
The Battle of Okinawa
Movie • 1971
Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
Movie • 1999
Self
The Inheritance
Movie • 1962
Kikuo Furukawa
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho
Movie • 1988
Battle Cry
Movie • 1975
Hijikata Toshizo
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
Movie • 1993
The Age of Assassins
Movie • 1967
Shinji Kikyo
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
Movie • 1970
Naojiro Kataoka
The Law of Hell
Movie • 1982
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
Movie • 1996
Seijiro Miyazawa
Duel at Fort Ezo
Movie • 1970
Daizennokami Honjo
Love Under the Crucifix
Movie • 1962
Ukon Takayama
Vengeance for Sale
Movie • 2002
Umetaro Katakura
After the Rain
Movie • 2000
Tsuji Gettan
Rise, Fair Sun
Movie • 1973
Until the Break of Dawn
Movie • 2012
Sadayuki Akiyama
A Dangerous Hero
Movie • 1957
ふたりの死刑囚
Movie • 2015
Narrator
Murder of the Inugami Clan
Movie • 2006
Sahei Inugami
A Boy and Three Mothers
Movie • 1958
The Engineer
Battle Anthem
Movie • 1983
Fireflies in the North
Movie • 1984
Takeshi Tsukigata
The Empty Table
Movie • 1985
Nobuyuki Kidoji
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
Movie • 2002
Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
Giovanni's Island
Movie • 2014
Older Junpei Senou (voice)
Safari 5000
Movie • 1969
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Movie • 2014
Self
Listen to My Heart
Movie • 2009
Kyozo Hayami
Untamed Woman
Movie • 1957
Kimura
Basara: The Princess Goh
Movie • 1992
Oribe Furuta
Belladonna of Sadness
Movie • 1973
The Devil (voice)
The Gate of Youth
Movie • 1975
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa
Movie • 2022
Self
Seven Samurai
Movie • 1954
Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
Making of Ran
Movie • 1985
Self
The Fir Trees Remain
Movie • 1983
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
Movie • 1993
Yagyu Retsudo
The Family
Movie • 1974
Teppei Manpyo
Fort Graveyard
Movie • 1965
Sakuma
Queen Bee
Movie • 1978
Ginzo Daidoji
Will to Conquer
Movie • 1970
Gaku
Movie • 2012
Kazama Shin-ichi
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
Movie • 1992
Port Arthur
Movie • 1980
Maresuke Nogi
Blood Type: Blue
Movie • 1978
Minami
Shadow Hunters
Movie • 1983
The Ambitious
Movie • 1970
Shintaro Nakaoka
Cash Calls Hell
Movie • 1966
Oida
The Human Trust
Movie • 2013
Nobuhiro Sasakura
Three Yakuza
Movie • 1965
The Phoenix
Movie • 1978
Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
Solar Eclipse
Movie • 1975
Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
A. K.
Movie • 1985
Self
Through the Mist
Movie • 2009
(archive footage)
A Woman's Life
Movie • 1963
The Other Woman
Movie • 1961
Minami
Jubaku: Spellbound
Movie • 1999
Hideaki Sasaki
Love on Rainbow Island
Movie • 1956
Yûji Wada
Atami Murder Case
Movie • 1986
Denbei Nikaido
The Corporation
Movie • 1976
Lear on the Shore
Movie • 2017
Kuwahata Chokichi
Human Revolution II
Movie • 1976
The Blue Beast
Movie • 1960
Chibusa o daku musume tachi
Movie • 1962
Four Days of Snow and Blood
Movie • 1989
Sugiyama
Oración
Movie • 1988
Heihachiro Wagu
As the Clouds Scatter
Movie • 1961
Kojiro
Movie • 1967
Musashi Miyamoto
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
Movie • 2002
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
Movie • 2002
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
Movie • 2002
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
Movie • 2002
Self
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Movie • 2013
Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
The Last Judgment
Movie • 1965
Pressure of Guilt
Movie • 1963
The Naked Sun
Movie • 1958
Get 'em All
Movie • 1960
Tsubota
The Beast Shall Die
Movie • 1959
Kunihiko Date
Tange Sazen: The Million Ryo Pot
Movie • 1982
Sazen Tange
Journey
Movie • 1967
Admiral Yamamoto
Movie • 1968
Narrator (voice)
A Duel Tale
Movie • 2015
Taikoki
Movie • 1987
(Narrator)
Before The Leaves Fall
Movie • 2015
Kenichiro Miya
Legacy of the 500,000
Movie • 1963
Mitsura Gunji
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
Movie • 2009
Self
The Daphne
Movie • 1966
The Return
Movie • 2019
Zatoichi: The Last
Movie • 2010
Tendo
Willful Murder
Movie • 1981
Yashiro
Faraway Sunset
Movie • 1992
Kobayashi
All About Marriage
Movie • 1958
Akira Nakayama
To Dance with the White Dog
Movie • 2002
Eisuke Nakamoto
The Legend of Sayo
Movie • 1982
Michi
Movie • 1986
Seiji Tajima
Sazae-san
Movie • 1956
Norisuke
Teenage Sazae
Movie • 1957
Yamato
Movie • 2005
Pilgrimage at Night
Movie • 1959
Sugata Sanshiro
Movie • 1977
Yano
A Town and a Tall Chimney
Movie • 2019
The Human Revolution
Movie • 1973
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai
Movie • 2022
Makino Tadayuki
Japan's Longest Day
Movie • 1967
Narrator (voice)
Sleeping Village
Movie • 2019
(narration)
Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate
Movie • 2013
NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語
Movie • 2015
Let Him Rest in Peace
Movie • 1989
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring
Movie • 1958
Kazuo Shimada
Floating Weeds Diary
Movie • 1955
Gomez's Name is Gomez
Movie • 1967
Sakamoto
Summer of the Moonlight Sonata
Movie • 1993
The Shadow Daughter
Movie • 1957
The Mandarin Room
Movie • 1956
Skin-Colored Moon
Movie • 1957
Jirô Taki
Go and Get It
Movie • 1958
His assistant
Kampai! Miai Kekkon
Movie • 1958
Kunihiko Sasada
The Gion Tempest
Movie
Masaki
Miren
Movie • 1963
Ryôta Kinoshita
Madame Aki
Movie • 1963
Tatsumi
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
Movie • 1964
Challenge at Dawn
Movie • 1971
Tsukagoshi
The King
Movie • 1973
Kinjiro Sekine
Elegy
Movie • 1976
Setsuo Katsuragi
Trinacria: Porsche 959
Movie • 1987
Florence My Love
Movie • 1991
The Limit
Movie • 2025
Narrator
The Taika Reforms
Movie • 2005
Minabuchi no Syôan
Gun Woman
Movie • 2014
Hamazaki
The Thick-Walled Room
Movie • 1956
(Uncredited)
How the Bell of Liberty Rings
Movie • 1954
(uncredited)
Three Dolls in Ginza
Movie • 1959
Shin Heike Monogatari
TV • 1972
Taira no Kiyomori
A Sinner's Lie
TV • 2014
Kenzo Haneda
Samurai Banners
TV • 2007
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World
TV • 2004
Matsumoto Kentaro
嘱託刑事･小山田昭平 旅路の果て
TV • 2001
A Son Of The Good Earth
TV • 1995
ゴメスの名はゴメス
TV • 1967
Kinagashi Bugyō
TV • 1981
Momi no Ki wa Nokotta: Ranshin
TV • 1983
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
TV • 1992
Suna no Utsuwa
TV • 1977
今西栄太郎
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai
TV • 1980
ナレーション