The great Chiba dead at 82. https://variety.com/2021/global/news/sonny-chiba-dead-dies-martial-arts-kill-bill-1235044575/
I understand Western media having to reference the likes of "Kill Bill" in any Chiba obituary but man, he didn't need any charity from Tarantino to bolster what was already a hall-of-fame list of credits.
Like many kids in Hawaii I was introduced to Chiba as a star of TV detective shows like THE BODYGUARD and GORILLA 7, followed by a slew of jidai-geki: YAGYU CONSPIRACY and KAGE NO GUNDAN amongst others. I still envision Chiba doing battle with a katana more than his fists. (I didn't see any of the STREET FIGHTER movies until only a decade-plus ago.)
I wonder who the more-famous COVID death in Japan is: Chiba or Shimura Ken? I assume Shimura had higher visibility for a longer period of time but Chiba was known overseas, if only for that niche.
