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