Tatsuya Nakadai
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.
Movies (190)
The Limit
2025
Life Work of Akira Kurosawa
2022
The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai
2022
The Return
2019
A Town and a Tall Chimney
2019
Sleeping Village
2019
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
2018
Lear on the Shore
2017
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
2016
A Duel Tale
2015
NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語
2015
ふたりの死刑囚
2015
Before The Leaves Fall
2015
Nakadai Tatsuya: to Live for Acting
2015
Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2014
Gun Woman
2014
Giovanni's Island
2014
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2013
The Human Trust
2013
Promise: The Nabari Poisoned Wine Case, The Life of a Death-row Inmate
2013
Until the Break of Dawn
2012
Japan's Tragedy
2012
Gaku
2012
Zatoichi: The Last
2010
Haru's Journey
2010
Listen to My Heart
2009
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
2009
Through the Mist
2009
Murder of the Inugami Clan
2006
Yamato
2005
Wish Upon a Star
2005
The Taika Reforms
2005
Like Asura
2003
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
2002
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
2002
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
2002
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
2002
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
2002
To Dance with the White Dog
2002
Vengeance for Sale
2002
Kurosawa
2000
After the Rain
2000
Jubaku: Spellbound
1999
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
1999
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
1996
East Meets West
1995
Summer of the Moonlight Sonata
1993
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
1993
Wicked City
1992
Faraway Sunset
1992
Basara: The Princess Goh
1992
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
1992
Heat Wave
1991
Florence My Love
1991
13 Assassins
1990
Let Him Rest in Peace
1989
Four Days of Snow and Blood
1989
Return from the River Kwai
1989
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho
1988
Oración
1988
Trinacria: Porsche 959
1987
Hachiko
1987
Taikoki
1987
Michi
1986
Atami Murder Case
1986
The Empty Table
1985
Ran
1985
A. K.
1985
Making of Ran
1985
Fireflies in the North
1984
The Fox Dancing in the Dusk
1984
The Fir Trees Remain
1983
Shadow Hunters
1983
Battle Anthem
1983
Final Yamato
1983
The Legend of Sayo
1982
Tange Sazen: The Million Ryo Pot
1982
The Law of Hell
1982
Willful Murder
1981
Magistrate of the Floating World
1981
Port Arthur
1980
Kagemusha
1980
Hunter in the Dark
1979
Blood Type: Blue
1978
The Phoenix
1978
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
1978
Queen Bee
1978
Sugata Sanshiro
1977
The Corporation
1976
Human Revolution II
1976
Elegy
1976
Solar Eclipse
1975
I Am a Cat
1975
Battle Cry
1975
The Gate of Youth
1975
The Family
1974
Rise, Fair Sun
1973
The Human Revolution
1973
Belladonna of Sadness
1973
The King
1973
The Wolves
1971
Inn of Evil
1971
The Battle of Okinawa
1971
Challenge at Dawn
1971
Will to Conquer
1970
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
1970
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
1970
The Ambitious
1970
Duel at Fort Ezo
1970
Portrait of Hell
1969
Blood End
1969
Tenchu!
1969
Battle of the Japan Sea
1969
Safari 5000
1969
Goyokin
1969
The Human Bullet
1968
Admiral Yamamoto
1968
Kill!
1968
Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die!
1968
Journey
1967
Japan's Longest Day
1967
Samurai Rebellion
1967
Gomez's Name is Gomez
1967
Kojiro
1967
The Age of Assassins
1967
The Daphne
1966
The Face of Another
1966
The Sword of Doom
1966
Cash Calls Hell
1966
Fort Graveyard
1965
Illusion of Blood
1965
Three Yakuza
1965
The Last Judgment
1965
Kwaidan
1965
Ant Hell War
1964
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
1964
A Woman's Life
1963
Miren
1963
Legacy of the 500,000
1963
High and Low
1963
Pressure of Guilt
1963
Madame Aki
1963
Farm Girls
1962
Harakiri
1962
Love Under the Crucifix
1962
The Inheritance
1962
Sanjuro
1962
Immortal Love
1961
As the Clouds Scatter
1961
The Other Woman
1961
Yojimbo
1961
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
1961
Get 'em All
1960
The Blue Beast
1960
Daughters, Wives and a Mother
1960
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
1960
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
1959
Pilgrimage at Night
1959
Three Dolls in Ginza
1959
Odd Obsession
1959
The Beast Shall Die
1959
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
1959
The Naked Sun
1958
Conflagration
1958
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring
1958
Oban kanketsu hen
1958
Go and Get It
1958
All About Marriage
1958
A Boy and Three Mothers
1958
Kampai! Miai Kekkon
1958
Teenage Sazae
1957
Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen
1957
Black River
1957
Skin-Colored Moon
1957
A Dangerous Hero
1957
Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen
1957
The Shadow Daughter
1957
Untamed Woman
1957
Ôban
1957
The Mandarin Room
1956
Sazae-san
1956
The Thick-Walled Room
1956
Love on Rainbow Island
1956
Phoenix
1956
Floating Weeds Diary
1955
How the Bell of Liberty Rings
1954
Seven Samurai
1954
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
The Gion Tempest
TV Shows (11)
A Sinner's Lie
2014
Samurai Banners
2007
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World
2004
A Son of the Good Earth
1995
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
1992
Momi no Ki wa Nokotta: Ranshin
1983
Kinagashi Bugyō
1981
Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai
1980
Suna no Utsuwa
1977
Shin Heike Monogatari
1972
The Human Condition
1959