Kunie Tanaka

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.

Kunie Tanaka is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 16 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes Kewaishi (2002), Kita no kuni kara '92 Sudachi Part 1 (1992), The Return of the Newshound and the Lady Cop (1987), Station (1981), From the Northern Country (1981), Manhunt (1976), The Battle of Okinawa (1971), Dodes'ka-den (1970). The recorded credits span 1959 to 2002, including 15 movies and 1 TV show.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.