Actor · Acting

Kunie Tanaka

Born 1932-11-23

Died 2021-03-24

📍 Toki, Gifu, Japan

Kunie Tanaka (田中邦衛 Tanaka Kunie, November 23, 1932 - March 24, 2021) was a Japanese actor. He had his first notable role in 1960 as a thug in Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well, and worked with the director again on Sanjuro. Tanaka is well known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series. He also appeared in Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan.

He has been nominated for five Japanese Academy Awards, winning the Best Supporting Actor statuette for Gakko in 1993. He appeared as the lecherous Shinjiro Ishiyama, nicknamed Aodaishō, the antagonist of the hero, played by Yūzō Kayama, in all of the Wakadaishō series of films. The character Kizaru, from Eiichiro Oda's manga series One Piece, is modeled after Tanaka.

Filmography 281

The Sun in Kurobe

The Hidden Blade

as Kanbê Katagiri

The Boat to Heaven

as Masato Sakurai

北の国から記憶前編

Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'

Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Bad Sleep Well'

Kita no kuni kara 2002 Yuigon Part 2

北の国から記憶

All About Our House

as Chouichirou Iwata

The Password is Courage

As the River Flows

as Matsuda (The Shopkeeper)

A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage

The Rainbow Seeker 2

Magnitude: Bridge to Tomorrow

The Rainbow Seeker

Tora-san to the Rescue

as Ship Captain

Salaryman Senka

北の国から ’95秘密後編

Kita no kuni kara '95 Himitsu

イルカに逢える日

Free and Easy Special

Hacchōbori Torimono Banashi

A Class to Remember

Baian the Assassin: Showdown

Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict

as Buddhist Priest

Kita no kuni kara '92 Sudachi Part 1

Baian the Assassin

as Han-Emon of Otowa

as Eitaro Imanishi

A Desirable Marriage

as Mr. Kawamata

The love song of farewell later

Private Detective Dobu

Kamigata Kugaizoshi

Baian the Assassin

as Magozaemon Doi

Hoshi wo tsugu mono

as Kenji Yoshida

Kita no kuni kara '89 Kikyo

Love on a Daily Basis

I Love You So Much

as Shoji's stepfather

The Great Department Store Robbery

Take Me Out to the Snowland

as Yûichirô Tayama

The Return of the Newshound and the Lady Cop

as Yutaro Hatori

The Thief and the Expelled Master

Kita no kuni kara '87 Hatsukoi

The House of Wedlock

as Kazuya Enomoto

Maison Ikkoku - Apartment Fantasy

Early Spring Story

as Okino, Hitomi's father

as Inspector Joichi Uno

Kita no kuni kara '84 Natsu

The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel

as Keizo Fukami

Tokimeki Kaigan Monogatari

Private Detective DOBU 6: The Origami Murder Case

Choji Snack Bar

Nogare no machi

Deadly Swords in Search of Hidden Gold

The Undercover Ninja Organization

Private Detective DOBU 5: The Pinwheel Murder Case

Kita no kuni kara '83 Fuyu

Private Detective DOBU 4: The Mysterious Kite Murders Case

Highschool Scramble

Tonga Adventure Family

Private Detective DOBU 3: The Exile Island Murder Case

Private Detective DOBU 2: The Kyoto Murder Case

At This Late Date, the Charleston

as Army Minister

Kita no kuni kara

as Goru Kuroita (黑板五郎)

Return of the Champ

as Shinjiro Ishiyama

Private Detective DOBU 1

Aoki Ookami Narukichiomoase no Shougai

as ボオルチュ

May Love Be Restored

as Yugiri-ro client

Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga

as Masakichi Makihara

The Bride of the Ghost Lake

as Inspector Joichi Uno

Troubleman Laughs and Kills

The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi

as Lt. Todoroki

as Unpei Ikegata

Ghost Festival in Zenjin Village

as Inspector Joichi Uno

Murder in the Doll House

as Detective Naraki

Down with The Big Boss

The Truck Rascals Go to The North

Pink Lady's Motion Picture

Blood Type: Blue

as Inspector Joichi Uno

Dynamite Don-Don

Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron

as Rikichi Komadera

Winter's Flower

as Kokichi Minami

Inside the Storm of Love

The Extravagant Cops

Village of Eight Gravestones

Sugata Sanshiro

The Love and Adventures of Kuroki Taro

Kawachi Rascal Is Spurred On

as Shinichiro Nabeyama

Yoake no hata matsumoto jiichirō Den

as Toramatsu Otani

Hangyaku no Tabi

The Machine Gun Dragon

as Yokomichi Keiji

The Wild Trucker

300 Million Thief: Statute of Limitations

The International Gang of Kobe

as Teruo Maruyama

Company Buggers

Japan Beauty Story: A Woman Among Women

The Bullet Train

as Koga's Brother

Light of Africa

Shimane Prison Riot

as Yoshikazu Minagawa

as Kinpachi Komiya

The Nagasaki Crime Chronicles

as Yoshitoshi Kogure

Great Jailbreak

Graveyard of Honor

as Katsuji Ozaki

Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack

New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1

as Gen Sakagami

Submersion of Japan

Third Generation Boss

Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy

as Daisuke Jigen

Evil of Dracula

as Dr. Shimomura

Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode

as Masakichi Makihara

Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics

as Masakichi Makihara

Yakuza of the Present

Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War

as Masakichi Makihara

Japan's Top Gangster

The School Deviate Waru

Deeper Than Blue

The Three Musketeers of Japan: The Tale of Hakata Obi

Battles Without Honor and Humanity

as Masakichi Makihara

Outlaw Killers: Three Mad Dog Brothers

The Shin Hasegawa Series

as 蛙ヶ池の仙太

Kogarashi Monjiro 2: Secret of Monjiro's Birth

as Johei Yawata

New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm

My Voiceless Friends

Summer Soldiers

The Witty Samurai

Zorome no San Kyoudai

Japan's No. 1 Shocked Man

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter

as Matsuzo Tsumura

The Battle of Okinawa

The Instant Services Bureau

Kigeki: Onna ikitemasu

Tora-san, the Good Samaritan

as Teacher Fukushi

Detective Story: A Brother's Rule

Young Guy, the Ace Rider

Banner of the Young

It's a Man's Way of Life

as Heihachirou Yanai

as Hatsutaro Kawaguchi

The Kingpin of Fair Ladies

Get Your Sky, Young Guy

Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival

as Kuramoto Kuraji

Bravo, Young Guy

Live Again Tomorrow

as 刈田勝利

Rebel Against Glory

The Summit of Mt. Fuji

Duel at Fort Ezo

Vermillion Sword: Scabbard Code Sword Amidst the Swirling Cherry Blossoms

as Seiji Matsumiya

The Great Japanese Pick-Pocket Club

as Rokkaku Prison Officer

Young Guy on Mt. Cook

Forward, Young People!

Young Guy Graduates

Outlaw: Black Dagger

as Doctor Michio Hongô

The Woman Gambler's Revenge

In Broad Daylight

The Human Bullet

Cry of the Mountain

An Angel's Temptation

Young Guy in Rio

Women and Miso Soup

The Woman Champion

How to Be the Worst of Office Workers

Hymn to a Tired Man

as Hisataro Ohno

Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2

as Katsuji Nemoto

Circuit-A-Go-Go

The Free Island

Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil

Young Guy in the South Pacific

as Shinjiro Ishiyama

Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido

Game of Chance 2

Mesu ga osu o kuikorosu: Kamakiri

as Ken Takahashi

River of Forever

Birth of a Fighter

Let's Go! Young Guy

as Shinjirou Ishiyama

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country

Koto—The Lake of Tears

as Kenkichi Ohara

Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South

Zatoichi's Pilgrimage

The Face of Another

as Mentally Ill Man #1

The Front Line Showdown

It Started In The Alps

as Shinjiro Ishiyama / Aodaisyô

Third Class Soldier Boss

The Bullet and the Horse

The Sword of Doom

Silence Has No Wings

Cash Calls Hell

Prison Walls of Abashiri 4

若い野ばら

as 石丸雄吉

as Masayoshi Imanishi

Prison Walls of Abashiri 3

Sword of the Beast

Young Guy at Sea

as 石山新次郎（青大））

Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2

The Last Judgment

Abashiri Prison

Tale of Ninja Duty

as Yasaku (segment "Hoichi the Earless")

as George Takase

Shingo's Final Duel

Punishment of a Lawless Villian

Sasuke and His Comedians

as Sankichi Fujita

Walleyed Nippon

Young Guy in Hawaii

as 石山新次郎（青大将）

A Photo journalist's Story: Risk Your Life for the Moment

Sensation Seekers

A Fishmonger's Tour

as Man in White Suit

Operation Sewer Rats

as Private Anayama

The Crimson Sky

The Inheritance

Pride of the Campus

as Shinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)

Blood on the Sea

Sir Galahad in Campus

as Shinjiro Ishiyama (Aodaisho)

Big Shots Die at Dawn

Eternity of Love

The Merciless Trap

The Bad Sleep Well

The Sun's Burial

The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity

as Obara Nitôhei

Lucky Dragon No. 5

The Story of Pure Love

Triumphant Song of Youth