Who was actor Sonny Chiba and what was his cause of death?

SONNY Chiba was a Japanese actor who famously starred in Kill Bill.

It was announced that Chiba had passed away on August 19, 2021.

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Sonny Chiba

Who was actor Sonny Chiba?

Shinichi Chiba, known internationally as Sonny Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist.

He was one of the first Hollywood stars to gain notoriety for his martial arts skills.

The CEO of film studio Toei bestowed him with the stage name “Shinichi Chiba” after he was discovered as a new face.

Chiba started his career in superhero shows before graduating onto crime thriller films.

Sonny Chiba starred as Hattori Hanzo in Kill Bill

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Sonny Chiba starred as Hattori Hanzo in Kill Bill

In 1970, Chiba started his own training school called the Japan Action Club for for aspiring martial artists, film actors and stunt performers.

Some of his most notable films include  The Bullet Train (1975), Karate Warriors (1976), Doberman Cop (1977), Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon (1977) and The Assassin (1977). 

Chiba has starred in over 125 films for Toei Studios and has won numerous awards in Japan for his acting.

In his later career, he attracted attention internationally by playing the sushi chef and retired samurai Hattori Hanzo in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2.

What was Sonny Chiba’s cause of death?

Sonny passed away in Chiba Prefecture Kimitsu hospital in Japan after battling pneumonia.

The pneumonia was reportedly caused by Covid, according to Japan’s Oricon News, and he had been in the hospital since August 8.

He was 82-years-old at the time of his death. He reportedly was not Covid vaccinated.

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