As the final episode of Shōgun aired, many fans of Japanese actors and filmmakers are sure to miss one of the best shows of the last five years. However, since the series is filled with global superstars, some are legends of their own merit. Hiroyuki Sanada is one, but another familiar and iconic face is Lord Yabushige, the actor Tadanobu Asano.
Asano stunned as the funny and cunning Yabushige in Shogun, which is just another proof of his magnificent range and talent. Asano was born in Japan, and his acting career began when he was only 16. He debuted on the silver screen in 1990 in Joji Matsuoka‘s Swimming Upstream and has had a stellar career ever since; he also plays the guitar in his band, and used to be a model. Tadanobu Asano is memorable and highly appreciated, with most of his movies serving as proof of his endless versatility. For anyone wishing to dive deeper into Japanese cinema, Asano’s biography, or go beyond Shōgun, the ten best Tadanobu Asano movies should be a great start. Mainstream or sleeper hits, he left his own stamp on each.
10 ‘Parasyte: Part 1 and Part 2’ (2014-2015)
Original Title: ‘Kiseijuu’; directed by Takashi Yamazaki
Parasyte is a big deal among manga fans. This sci-fi horror manga series describes a unique invasion of body-snatching aliens taking over Japan. They attack people by overtaking their brains and bodies, ultimately looking like them but not being them in spirit.
The main character in the 2014 film is Shinichi Izumi (Shota Sometani), who suffers an attack from one of these parasites. However, the parasite doesn’t completely take over Izumi’s brain, only his right hand, so he and the parasite must learn to coexist in the same body. Izumi names the parasite Migi, which means “right” in Japanese. In 2015, part two of the movie was released, and the two installments took the world by storm. Tadanobu Asano plays the iconic villain Gotou in both movies. He is the most powerful shapeshifting alien mu tant, overtaken by five different parasites with exceptional physical and supernatural abilities. Asano has a knack for playing villains, and he usually embodies them so well that it’s tough to forget he’s a very likable man off-screen.
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9 ‘Thor’ (2011)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh; as Hogun
Kenneth Branagh‘s Thor made waves when it was released in 2011. Thor, the Norse god of lightning, is cast out of his home world, Asgard, and forced to live with humans. While Thor finds love and gets used to living with human limitations, Asgard is more and more in danger. His team of Warriors Three goes to Earth to retrieve Thor, but he can only get his powers back if he becomes worthy enough to wield his hammer, the Mjölnir, again. A huge part of why this movie works is the casting; yes, Chris Hemsworth is the ideal Thor, but the choice of actors for Lady Sif and Warriors Three made the movie all the more charming. Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Hogun the Grim (Asano), Fandral the Dashing (Josh Dallas), and Volstagg the Svelte (Ray Stevenson) are integral to Thor’s success. They help him fulfill his potential and become the God of Thunder he’s always meant to be.
Asano was the perfect choice for Hogun because he can be stern and scary when necessary. He was able to embody the hero perfectly, blending in with the rest of the cast while looking impressive in stunning costumes. The biggest downside for Asano is not enough screen time for a legend like him, which is what some publications have wondered about. Still, as one of his biggest Hollywood forays, it’s certainly worth mentioning in his long list of acting credits.Watch on Disney+
8 ‘Vital’ (2004)
Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto; as Hiroshi Takagi
Among the best-rated Tadanobu Asano movies are many Japanese movies that may not be mainstream but are nevertheless excellent cinema. Though many people avoid foreign films because they’re not inclined to read subtitles, some features are worth the two-inch strip of subtitles, like those that won big at the Oscars. Shinya Tsukamoto‘s Vital is another such movie, where Asano shines as its main character and driving force.
Hiroshi and his girlfriend Ryoko get into a car accident, in which Ryoko dies and Hiroshi suffers severe memory loss. Unaware of who he and Ryoko are, Hiroshi’s left to piece together the details of his previous life while trying to continue living a new and fulfilled one. Tsukamoto is a master of horror and one of the most important Japanese directors, so Vital carries the title of a bizarre love story that also forces its lead to wonder about everything, from life and death to love and meaning. Sporting shoulder-length hair, Asano portrays a handsome young man with a lot of life ahead of him. He takes Hiroshi to places of emotional and psychological turmoil, especially in moments when he begins remembering Ryoko; no one else could have been the lead in this psychological thriller, indeed.
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7 ‘Ichi the Killer’ (2001)
Original Title: ‘Koroshiya 1’; directed by Takashi Miike
Potentially the most famous Tadanobu Asano feature, Ichi the Killer is a horror cult classic filled with gore and blood to the brim. Based on the (probably even gorier) Hideo Yamamoto manga of the same name, the movie dissects and slightly indulges in the glorification of violence and human sadomasochistic tendencies. While it is Asano’s most famous movie, Ichi the Killer‘s controversial nature got it banned in several countries, so many people may not be familiar with Asano from this feature alone.
Asano portrays the movie’s main antagonist, Kakihara, a masochistic yakuza enforcer whose perspective overtakes the story more than once. With dyed blonde hair, a flamboyant style, and a heavily scarred face, he manages to employ an empty and terrifying gaze, completing Kakihara in all his thrill-seeking. Roger Ebert reviewer Simon Abrams wrote: “Kakihara is flamboyant, and even sexy because of the (fake) scars on Asano’s face, his self-assured body language, and his character’s charmingly garish punk wardrobe.” Takashi Miike, an essential Japanese filmmaker, made Ichi the Killer and jumpstarted a trend of 2000s body horror movies that emphasize torture; however, many would say this movie won’t ever be surpassed in the category and is a mark up above others—a great feat, but not for the faint of heart.Watch on AppleTV+
6 ‘Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan’ (2007)
Original Title: ‘Mongol’; directed by Sergei Bodrov
International acclaim was imminent for Tadanobu Asano after the fantastic portrayal of Mongolia’s greatest warlord, Temudjin (later known as Genghis Khan). The Russian director Sergei Bodrov debuted his directing career with this medieval epic, and though his plans of turning it into a trilogy failed, Mongol was very well received and even received a Best Foreign Language Film nomination at the 2008 Oscars.Tadanobu Asano portrays the man of the hour, Temudjin. In the movie, he’s about 19 years old and on the cusp of becoming Mongolia’s greatest warlord. With exceptional battle scenes and engaging dialogue in Mongolian and Mandarin, the movie gives its actors a chance to portray physical and mental strength.
Asano especially shines as the lead, embodying Temudjin in stature and looks; his deep voice and calm delivery show the warrior that became Genghis Khan in a more detailed light than how he’s usually depicted. The costumes in the film are exceptional, and with long hair and beard, Asano seemingly belongs there. Despite the unusual choice of casting a Japanese actor, Asano was ultimately the ideal lead for Mongol.
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5 ‘Harmonium’ (2016)
Original Title: ‘Fuchi ni tatsu’; directed by Koji Fukada
Stories about mundane family lives are often too simple to be put on screen, and harmony and agreement aren’t the most attractive film themes, though people seek them out in real life all the time. That’s why Harmonium is perfect for viewers who like to see those cohesively dull family lives turned upside down. Like people who’ve not seen another human for years, Harmonium‘s Toshio, Akie, and their daughter Hatori live day-to-day within their own bubble.
One day, Toshio’s old friend Yasaka appears (played by Tadanobu Asano), tells him he just got out of prison, and asks him for a job. Toshio gives him the job in his metalworking shop and even offers him to stay with the family. Now, the family has one more member to eat at the table and lead mundane lives with. However, Yasaka quietly but unnervingly introduces chaos into the family, making the characters question themselves until the movie’s very end. They’re no longer able to hide and stay silent about their emotions, so they begin bursting at the seams. Though skinny, Yasaka’s demeanor shows him as a big man with big appetites. Quiet, reserved, but ultimately twisted, Harmonium is an interesting portrayal of the Japanese nuclear family, and one of the best modern Japanese movies of the last decade.
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4 ‘The Face of Jizo’ (2004)
Original Title: ‘Chichi to kuraseba’; directed by Kazuo Kuroki
The drama The Face of Jizo is one of Tadanobu Asano’s best roles to date. The plot takes place over four days, and it’s set in Hiroshima in 1948. It follows a young librarian, Mitsue (Rie Miyazawa), trying to get over the loss of her father, who died in the atomic bomb explosion. Mitsue meets the handsome Masa (Asano) in her library, and they start falling for each other, but she feels guilty for being attracted to him and fears it will affect her mourning. Her father appears to her, and she has conversations with him about her life.
The Face of Jizo was based on a play by the famous playwright Hisashi Inoue. The movie was set up similarly to a play, with only three of the actors (Mitsue, Masa, and Mitsue’s father) appearing throughout its runtime. The focus is on Mitsue, with Rie Miyazawa’s touching performance as a grieving daughter, while Tadanobu Asano portrays Masa in a way that choosing him is instantly the right way to go for Mitsue. As a patient and kind man, he is exactly what Mitsue needs.
The Face of Jizo isn’t currently available to stream or buy.
3 ‘The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi’ (2003)
Original Title: ‘Zatôichi’; directed by Takeshi Kitano
When people think of action that’s purely Japanese, they often think of the movie series Zatoichi. Takeshi Kitano wrote, directed, and stars in this action-packed samurai movie that focuses on the blind samurai Zatoichi. Ken Shimozawa created him in the 1960s and went down in history for introducing an iconic character that was the basis for so many other martial arts movies later on.
Zatoichi is blind but a master at wielding his trusted katana. He defends his village from gruesome enforcers whose only goal is to take the locals’ goods and pillage their residences. Tadanobu Asano appears as the skillful ronin Genosuke, who is like a “final boss” in Zatoichi’s fight to protect the village from every possible menace. His stature and demeanor depict Genosuke as a confident and skillful warrior who doesn’t fear loss or death, making him a perfect counterpart to Zatoichi. Takeshi Kitano typically directs violent and bloody action movies about the yakuza; he contributed to the already existing series of 26 Zatoichi movies (made between 1962 and 1989) with a feature that added his own touch to the famous lore. Out of all the Zatoichi movies, Kitano’s has two things others don’t: himself and Tadanobu Asano, making it a contender for the best movie about Zatoichi that isn’t a part of the series.
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2 ‘The Taste of Tea’ (2003)
Original Title: ‘Cha no aji’; directed by Katsuhito Ishii
When Tadanobu Asano isn’t playing sword-wielding samurai and warlords, he thrills in understated performances. Going from one extreme to the other is Asano’s superpower, and he’s simply brilliant in the understated but charming family comedy The Taste of Tea. The story is simple: it follows the Haruno family, who live in rural Japan and each have a set of problems they wish to overcome.
Everyone in the family is somehow creative: the mother, Yoshiko, is busy creating an animated movie; her father, Akira, is an eccentric animator; her brother, Ayano, is a producer and sound engineer who visits the family to make peace with a recent breakup; and her children, Hajime and Sachiko, have infinite imagination that helps them deal with growing up. Tadanobu Asano is Ayano, a man who was seemingly once happier than now. His visit to the family helps him recall his childhood adventures, and as he faces himself, he comes into his old shell. Though The Taste of Tea works best when analyzed on an ensemble level, the addition of Asano elevates the movie into a fantastic comedic drama. The movie is joyful and, according to the Ready, Steady, Cut reviewer, “laid back and endearing throughout.”
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1 ‘Maborosi’ (1995)
Original Title: ‘Maboroshi no hikari’; directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu
Filmmakers like Kore-eda Hirokazu are rare. Yasujiro Ozu cleverly covered a lot of similar themes before him, including the banal and minor plots and twists in everyday life. By Hollywood standards, most of the stories by Kore-eda would have a heavier impact, but he takes every plot point, depicting it as simply a part of life and its ups and downs.
Maborosi has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is Kore-eda Hirokazu’s directorial debut. It’s a stunning and haunting depiction of life, love, and loss. This movie also came five years after Tadanobu Asano’s big screen debut, and though he doesn’t appear in the entirety of Maborosi, his character leaves a lasting impact. The story follows a young Osaka-based family with a newborn whose life gets turned upside down when the father of the family seemingly dies of suicide. One thing Asano is good at is subtle acting and the ability to exude confidence and warmth even while standing still. Perhaps his looks have a part to play in that, as he is widely consideredone of the most handsome Japanese actors, but this should largely be contributed to his chameleon-like abilities as an actor. Maborosi would arguably be the best movie Asano was in, but his fans will say that there is no bad Tadanobu Asano movie at all.
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