Today is a sad day for lovers of Japanese cinema and for those who remember the many roles that the legendary actor and martial artist, Sonny chiba, performed over the years.

Through Yahoo Japan The news reaches us of the death of Sonny Chiba, at the age of 82 in Kimitsu. Chiba is one of the millions of people who has taken the coronavirus pandemic since it started in late 2019.

Most remember the mythical role of Sonny Chiba in the Kill Bill movie of Quentin Tarantino, where he played Hattori hanzō, the legendary swordsmith who came out of retirement just to create Beatrix Kiddo’s katana.

But Chiba had an impressive filmography in both film and television, with titles such as Bushido Blade, Shadow Warriors, The Assassin, Bullet Train, The Samurai Sword or a small role in Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, the third film in the series, where he played the head of the Yakuza Kamata.

In addition to his work as an actor and producer, Sonny Chiba, also known as Shin’ichi Chiba, he was an impeccable martial artist in disciplines such as Bujinkan, Judo, Kendo, Goju-ryu Karate, Kyokushin Karate or Shorinji Kempo.

Born in Fukuoka in 1939, Sonny Chiba’s career has been long and certainly intense. His last work for the cinema was in the movie Bond of Justice: Kizuna, which is currently in post-production.

From the staff of Hobby Consolas, we send our condolences to Chiba Shin’ichi’s family and friends. Rest in peace, Chiba-san.