Tatsuya Nakadai
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.
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.
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Media of
Tatsuya Nakadai
Photos (21)
Filmography of
Tatsuya Nakadai
Narrator
... 2025
... 2022
Makino Tadayuki
... 2022
... 2019
... 2019
(narration)
... 2019
Unosuke (archive footage)
... 2018
... 2018
Kuwahata Chokichi
... 2017
... 2016
... 2015
... 2015
Narrator
... 2015
Kenichiro Miya
... 2015
... 2014
Hamazaki
... 2014
Older Junpei Senou (voice)
... 2014
Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
... 2013
Nobuhiro Sasakura
... 2013
Sadayuki Akiyama
... 2012
Fujio Murai
... 2012
Kazama Shin-ichi
... 2012
Tendo
... 2010
Tadao Nakai
... 2010
Kyozo Hayami
... 2009
... 2009
(Archive Footage)
... 2009
Sahei Inugami
... 2006
... 2005
Takanori Wakamiya
... 2005
Minabuchi no Syôan
... 2005
Kotaro Takezawa
... 2003
... 2002
... 2002
... 2002
Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
... 2002
Eisuke Nakamoto
... 2002
Umetaro Katakura
... 2002
Self
... 2000
Tsuji Gettan
... 2000
Hideaki Sasaki
... 1999
... 1999
Seijiro Miyazawa
... 1996
Kaishu Katsu
... 1995
... 1993
... 1993
Yagyu Retsudo
... 1993
Daishu
... 1992
Kobayashi
... 1992
Oribe Furuta
... 1992
... 1992
Tsunejiro Murai
... 1991
... 1991
... 1990
... 1989
Sugiyama
... 1989
Major Harada
... 1989
... 1988
Heihachiro Wagu
... 1988
... 1987
Shujiro Ueno
... 1987
(Narrator)
... 1987
Seiji Tajima
... 1986
Denbei Nikaido
... 1986
Nobuyuki Kidoji
... 1985
Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
... 1985
Self
... 1985
Self
... 1985
Takeshi Tsukigata
... 1984
... 1983
... 1983
... 1983
Narrator
... 1983
... 1982
Sazen Tange
... 1982
... 1982
Masagoro Kiryuin - Onimasa
... 1982
Yashiro
... 1981
... 1981
Maresuke Nogi
... 1980
Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
... 1980
Gomyo Kiyoemon
... 1979
Minami
... 1978
Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
... 1978
Kumokiri Nizaemon
... 1978
Ginzo Daidoji
... 1978
Yano
... 1977
... 1976
... 1976
Setsuo Katsuragi
... 1976
Yasuo Hoshino, the Chief Cabinet Secretary
... 1975
Kushami
... 1975
Hijikata Toshizo
... 1975
... 1975
Teppei Manpyo
... 1974
... 1973
... 1973
The Devil (voice)
... 1973
Kinjiro Sekine
... 1973
Seji Iwahashi
... 1971
Sadashichi
... 1971
Colonel Hiromichi Yahara
... 1971
Tsukagoshi
... 1971
... 1970
... 1970
Naojiro Kataoka
... 1970
Shintaro Nakaoka
... 1970
Daizennokami Honjo
... 1970
Yoshihide
... 1969
Sentaro
... 1969
Hanpeita Takechi
... 1969
Major Genjiro Akashi
... 1969
... 1969
Magobei Wakizaka
... 1969
Narrator
... 1968
Narrator (voice)
... 1968
Genta
... 1968
James Elfego
... 1968
... 1967
Narrator (voice)
... 1967
Tatewaki Asano
... 1967
Sakamoto
... 1967
Musashi Miyamoto
... 1967
Shinji Kikyo
... 1967
... 1966
Mr. Okuyama
... 1966
Ryunosuke Tsukue
... 1966
Oida
... 1966
Sakuma
... 1965
Iyemon Tamiya
... 1965
... 1965
... 1965
Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
... 1965
... 1964
... 1964
... 1963
Ryôta Kinoshita
... 1963
Mitsura Gunji
... 1963
Chief Detective Tokura
... 1963
... 1963
Tatsumi
... 1963
... 1962
Hanshiro Tsugumo
... 1962
Ukon Takayama
... 1962
Kikuo Furukawa
... 1962
Hanbei Muroto
... 1962
Heibei
... 1961
... 1961
Minami
... 1961
Unosuke, gunfighter
... 1961
... 1961
Tsubota
... 1960
... 1960
Kuroki Shingo
... 1960
Kenichi Komatsu
... 1960
... 1959
... 1959
Kyosuke Tamura
... 1959
Kimura
... 1959
Kunihiko Date
... 1959
... 1959
... 1958
Tokari
... 1958
Kazuo Shimada
... 1958
Shin Don
... 1958
His assistant
... 1958
Akira Nakayama
... 1958
The Engineer
... 1958
Kunihiko Sasada
... 1958
... 1957
Shindon
... 1957
Jo
... 1957
Jirô Taki
... 1957
... 1957
Shin don
... 1957
... 1957
Kimura
... 1957
Shin Don
... 1957
... 1956
Norisuke
... 1956
(Uncredited)
... 1956
Yûji Wada
... 1956
... 1956
... 1955
Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
... 1954
Masaki