Sonny Chiba was born January 22 1939 in Fukoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. His father was a pilot in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. In high school Sonny Chiba participated in artistic gymnastics, track and field, baseball, and volleyball. He was also an avid movie buff, and watched such Westerns as Shane (1953) and High Noon (1954). In 1957 he began attending the Nippon Sport Science University. Until his career was derailed by a back injury, Sonny Chiba was a serious contender for the Japanese Olympics team. While still attending university, Mr. Chiba began studying martial arts with Kyokushin Karate master Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama.
Sonny Chiba was discovered in a talent search conducted by Toei Company. Toei gave him the stage name Chiba Shin'ichi. He began his career in 1959 in the tokusatu TV series Nana-iro kamen. In 1960 he appeared in the TV series Arâ no shisha. In the Sixties he appeared on such Japanese TV shows as JNR Inspector No. 36 and Jûdô itchokusen. He made his film debut in 1961 in Keishichô monogatari: Fuzai shômei. In the Sixties he appeared in a variety of movies, from action films to science fiction. They included such films as Fūraibō tantei: akai tani no sangek (1961 Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley), Uchû Kaisokusen (1961 Invasion of the Neptune Men), Kamikaze yarō: Mahiru no kettō (1966 Kamikaze Man: Duel at Noon), Ōgon Batto (1966), Soshiki bôryoku (1967), and Yakuza deka (1970).
In the Seventies, The Street Fighter (1974) brought Sonny Chiba an international audience. In the United States, the film was rated X by the MPAA Ratings Board for its extreme violence. In the U.S. he was billed as "Sonny Chiba," which would be the name he would use for most non-Japanese projects from that time forward. The Street Fighter proved successful enough to be followed by two sequels, Return of the Street Fighter (1974) and The Street Fighter's Last Revenge (1974), as well as spin-off projects such as Sister Street Fighter (1974). In addition to the Street Fighter films, Sonny Chiba also appeared in such movies as Karate Kiba (1973), The Executioner (1974), The Bullet Train (1975), Champion of Death (1975), Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon (1977), Shogun's Samurai (1978), Message from Space (1978), and Shogun's Ninja (1980). He starred on the TV series The Bodyguard, The Gorilla Seven, The Yagyu Conspiracy, and Shadow Warriors, and appeared on such shows as Robot Detective and Crossroads.
the Eighties Sonny Chiba starred in the cult film Samurai Reincarnation (1981), as well as such movies as Fall Guy (1982), Ninja Wars (1982), Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983), and Shogun's Shadow (1989). He starred on the television shows Shadow Warriors II, Shadow Warriors III, Shadow Warriors IV, and Shadow Warriors: The End of an Era.
In the Nineties Sonny Chiba appeared in such films as Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992), The Triple Cross (1992), Immortal Combat (1994), The Storm Riders (1998), and Born to Be King (2000). On television he starred in the shows Tokugawa Buraichō and Terakoya Yume Shinan. In the Naughts he played Hattori Hanzō in Kill Bill Volume I (2003) and Kill Bill Volume II (2004). He also appeared in such movies as Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002), Battle Royale II: Requiem (2003), Explosive City (2004), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), and Master of Thunder (2006). He starred on the TV shows Fūrin Kazan. In the Teens he appeared in such movies as Sushi Girl (2012), Take a Chance (2015), and April Fools (2015). His final film is Bond of Justice: Kizuna, currently in post-production.
Sonny Chiba is one of the most famous martial arts stars of all time, and there can be no doubt why. The style of fighting portrayed in his movies was a sharp contrast to previous martial arts on film, much more brutal. What further established Sonny Chiba as a star was that he also happened to be a very good actor. While in the United States he may be best known for such crime films as The Street Fighter, he acted in genres ranging from science fiction to jidaigeki. Indeed, he portrayed Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi multiple times, as well as such other historical figures as Miyamoto Musashi and even his mentor Mas Oyama. Regardless of genre, he always gave a good performance.
While Sonny Chiba played bad guys often and even his heroes could be merciless, in reality he was as far removed from his screen persona as one could get. His agent, Timothy Beal, said of Mr. Chiba, "He was a great friend and an awesome client. Such a humble, caring and friendly man. I will surely miss him." Sonny Chiba was a true legend who changed cinema forever. His influence is still being felt to this day.
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