Hiroyuki Sanada’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Hiroyuki Sanada may not exactly be a household name, but he has managed to weave his way through an impressive range of movies showing off his skill as an actor. Recently gaining acclaim as Lord Toranaga in Shogun, Sanada is a veteran performer, having been an actor since his childhood in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Having already received numerous accolades within the media landscape of his home country of Japan, Sanada is becoming more and more recognizable in Western cinema as well.

Originally gaining prominence for his many roles in Japanese Samurai movies and Hong Kong action films, Sanada has become a natural fit for all sorts of movies with explosive fight sequences. However, the 63-year-old actor has also been the star of his fair share of meditative prestige TV, with recurring characters in series like Lost and Westworld. Today, many of Hollywood’s best-produced blockbusters are likely to reach for Sanada when casting an older character of Japanese descent.

12 The Railway Man (2013)

Played: Takashi Nagase

Not the most loud or exciting film compared to the rest of Sanada’s filmography, The Railway Man offers a terse look into the actor’s more quiet, reflective side. The story of unabetted vengeance and ultimate reconciliation is genuinely heartwarming thanks to Sanada and Colin Firth’s chemistry on screen, with both actors turning up with solid performances. Instead, what holds The Railway Man back from being a bigger feather in Sanada’s cap is the uneven pacing and lack of flair.

11 Army Of The Dead (2021)

Played: Bly Tanaka

One of Zack Snyder’s better movies, Army of the Dead is a blistering action-packed romp that combines the best elements of zombie movies with heist thrillers, resulting in an unforgettable experience. Hiroyuki Sanada fits into the ensemble cast well as Bly Tanaka, a shrewd casino owner with shady ulterior motives regarding the outbreak of the undead. Even if it is something of a brainless action film, Army of the Dead accomplishes what it sets out to do well, wowing the viewer with gory, fast-paced fun.

10 Bullet Train (2022)

Played: The Elder

Bullet Train

Director

David Leitch

Release Date

July 29, 2022

Cast

logan lerman , Karen Fukuhara , Hiroyuki Sanada , Joey King , Brian Tyree Henry , Andrew Koji , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Masi Oka , Brad Pitt , Zazie Beetz , Michael Shannon , Sandra Bullock

Distributor(s)

Sony

Writers

Zak Olkewicz

Runtime

126 minutes

Budget

87 million

Set in his home country of Japan, the bloody action stylings of Bullet Train would’ve been remiss not to include Sanada. As “The Elder,” Sanada gets one of the best one-on-one fights in Bullet Train, proving he can still hang with the best of them when it comes to samurai dueling. Sanada’s presence as a sort of “final boss” helps send the violent, colorful thriller hurtling along the rails, even if the film doesn’t resonate with critics nearly as well as it does with audiences.

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8 The Last Samurai (2003)

Played: Ujio

Since breaking into Hollywood, Sanada has become somewhat typecast as a Samurai thanks to his amazing performance in 2003’s The Last Samurai. As a master swordsman, Sanada gets to have one of the greatest sword fights in martial arts movie history during his training session with Tom Cruise’s Algren. While the film may have gotten criticism for its rose-colored perception of real historical Samurai, it’s still a moving fish-out-of-water story with high production values that is enhanced by Sanada’s presence.

7 Minamata (2020)

Played: Mitsuo Yamazaki

Based on a true story, the gut-wrenching events of Minamata are autobiographical of the experiences of real-life photojournalist W. Eugene Smith, played by Johnny Depp. Smith encounters Sanada’s character, Mitsuo Yamazaki, while documenting an outbreak of disease that ravages his coastal town. The film may wander a bit between the identities of an informative biopic and a gripping environmental disaster movie, but the tender performances and reviving drama keeps Minamata on the higher echelon of Sanada’s filmography.

6 Mr. Holmes (2015)

Played: Tamiki Umezaki

Unlike most movies based on Sherlock Holmes, Mr. Holmes presents the famous English detective as a retired old man, his legend having long since gotten away from him. Sanada stars as Tamiki Umezaki, one of many skeletons in Holmes’ closet who blames the sleuth for the disappearance of his father. Even if Mr. Holmes is far from a traditional Sherlock mystery, it’s an interesting character study that remains quite unique over five years later, propelled by the excellent performances of Ian McKellan and Sanada himself.

5 Sunshine (2007)

Played: Kaneda

A claustrophobic science fiction thriller from the ever-unpredictable Danny Boyle, Sunshine allows Sanada to break out of his typecasting, getting to play the captain of the Icarus II. In only his second-ever English-speaking role, Sanada manages to hold his own against big names like Chris Evans and Cillian Murphy in the ensemble cast of the heady psychological drama. The enormity of the crew’s mission is felt in every second of Sunshine‘s ticking runtime, even if it is a tad besmirched by a sudden genre change to a straightforward slasher movie towards the end.

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3 John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Played: Shimazu Koji

In one of the better entries in the action-packed John Wick franchise, Hiroyuki Sanada joins the ranks of Willem Dafoe as a rare ally of Keanu Reeves’ terrifyingly competent assassin. Even the most meticulous critics couldn’t resist the sweet spectacle offered by John Wick: Chapter 4, which is able to stay tense and engaging thanks to the heroic character work of supporting cast members like Sanada. Functioning as the shocking ending to John Wick’s story, John Wick: Chapter 4 is undoubtedly the best pure-action film Sanada had the privilege to star in.

2 Ringu (1998)

Played: Ryūji Takayama

Oddly enough, one of Sanada’s most significant early breaks comes in the form of a supernatural horror story, a genre he hasn’t revisited much since. As the eerily-clairvoyant Ryūji Takayama, Sanada is able to help bring the sadistic Reiko’s story to life for the first time in live-action. Forever impacting horror movies with his role in the atmospheric spine-chiller, Sanada’s blend of paranormal terror and the anxieties of modern technology is substantial enough to spawn an army of Ringu sequels and remakes.

1 The Twilight Samurai (2002)

Played: Seibei Iguchi

Even if its name may conjure images of dramatic katana fights, The Twilight Samurai is more of a thoughtful character-driven drama consistently carried by Sanada’s lead performance. Following the turbulent life and times of low-ranking Samurai Seibei Iguchi during 19th century Japan, the film is a quiet yet brilliant masterpiece that dissects its namesake warrior class through a vulnerable lens. While the film does feature sword-crossing battles, they’re far from the focus, with each fight mounting with days of anxiety building up beforehand.

The Twilight Samurai also examines the financial woes real Samurai could’ve faced, showing how a member of the supposedly elite warrior class could’ve struggled just as much as the average Japanese serf of the day. While Sanada may be surrounded by plenty of world-class talent, particularly the actors playing Iguchi’s family, it’s through his concerted effort that the film is able to succeed so well. Winning an unprecedented 12 Japanese Academy Awards the year of its release, The Twilight Samurai is Hiroyuki Sanada’s undisputed magnum opus.