Connection
Tak Sakaguchi is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter and Action Director Japonais born on 15 march 1975 at Ishikawa Prefecture (Japon)
Tak Sakaguchi (坂口 拓, Sakaguchi Taku, born March 15, 1975) is a Japanese actor, director, fight choreographer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in Ryuhei Kitamura's cult film, Versus. Since his debut, Sakaguchi has worked with Kitamura several times, often appearing alongside fellow Kitamura staple Hideo Sakaki. He has also worked with frequent Kitamura collaborators Yudai Yamaguchi and Yuji Shimomura. Sakaguchi is a talented martial artist, and most often appears in films featuring copious fight scenes, usually performing all of his own stunts. He is purportedly skilled in Bājíquán, Shorinji Kempo, boxing, and kick boxing.
2006 saw Sakaguchi in more mainstream roles, such as Yashamaru in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, and "Grave" in Death Trance. He also guest-starred in the Japanese tokusatsu show, Kamen Rider Kabuto, as the villain Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm. In 2008, Sakaguchi made his directorial debut with Sakigake!! Otokojuku (a.k.a. "Samurai School"), in which he also starred, wrote the screenplay, and choreographed the action sequences. He made a cameo appearance in Yoshihiro Nishimura's 2008 exploitation film, Tokyo Gore Police, as well as directed/starred in Yoroi: Samurai Zombie, based on a story by Ryuhei Kitamura.
In 2011, Sakaguchi reprised his role as Yakyû Jubei in Deadball, a reimagining of Battlefield Baseball, and also co-directed/starred in Yakuza Weapon, based on the manga Gokudō Heiki. In 2013, Sakaguchi announced his retirement from acting to focus on work behind the camera. Despite this, he is expected to reprise his role as KSC2-303 in Ryuhei Kitamura's Versus 2, and has stated that he is currently working on a sequel to Death Trance.
Source : Wikidata
Tak Sakaguchi
Biography
Before entering into the film industry, Sakaguchi was an underground street fighter who was well known for his skill in the martial arts. He was discovered by then-unknown director Ryuhei Kitamura, who recruited Sakaguchi for a lead role in Versus. Since then, Sakaguchi has appeared in several films directed by Kitamura, including the Azumi films, Kitamura's short in the Jam Films titled The Messenger, and minor roles in Aragami and Alive. He played a larger role in the quirky, yet successful Battlefield Baseball (produced by Kitamura and directed by Yudai Yamaguchi).2006 saw Sakaguchi in more mainstream roles, such as Yashamaru in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, and "Grave" in Death Trance. He also guest-starred in the Japanese tokusatsu show, Kamen Rider Kabuto, as the villain Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm. In 2008, Sakaguchi made his directorial debut with Sakigake!! Otokojuku (a.k.a. "Samurai School"), in which he also starred, wrote the screenplay, and choreographed the action sequences. He made a cameo appearance in Yoshihiro Nishimura's 2008 exploitation film, Tokyo Gore Police, as well as directed/starred in Yoroi: Samurai Zombie, based on a story by Ryuhei Kitamura.
In 2011, Sakaguchi reprised his role as Yakyû Jubei in Deadball, a reimagining of Battlefield Baseball, and also co-directed/starred in Yakuza Weapon, based on the manga Gokudō Heiki. In 2013, Sakaguchi announced his retirement from acting to focus on work behind the camera. Despite this, he is expected to reprise his role as KSC2-303 in Ryuhei Kitamura's Versus 2, and has stated that he is currently working on a sequel to Death Trance.
Usually with
Filmography of Tak Sakaguchi (23 films)
Actor
Add to a movie list
Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)
Directed by Sion Sono
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror, Crime, Western
Themes Ghost films
Actors Nicolas Cage, Imogen Poots, Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Bill Moseley, Nick Cassavetes
Roles Yasujirō
Rating42%
Un criminel a pour mission de retrouver et de sauver une jeune fille kidnappée dans un univers surnaturel appelé le « Ghostland » où ils devront briser la malédiction qui les garde prisonniers de mystérieux revenants.
Kingdom (2019)
, 2h14Directed by Shinsuke Satō
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Actors Masami Nagasawa, Kanna Hashimoto, Ryo Yoshizawa, Kanata Hongō, Masahiro Takashima, Jun Kaname
Roles Zuo Ci
Rating67%
Devenu orphelin à cause de la guerre, Li Xin (Kento Yamazaki ) rêve de quitter son statut de serviteur en devenant général. Il fait une rencontre décisive avec le garçon destiné à devenir l'empereur Qin, Ying Zheng (Ryō Yoshizawa ) qui se révèle être un allié essentiel dans la quête de la grandeur par Xin. Ensemble, les jeunes hommes cherchent à reconquérir le trône de Zheng et à unir les Royaumes combattants sous une même bannière.
Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)
, 2h9Directed by Sion Sono
Genres Drama, Comedy, Action
Themes Films about films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Yakuza films, Gangster films
Actors Shinichi Tsutsumi, Jun Kunimura, Gen Hoshino, Akihiro Kitamura, Fumi Nikaidō, Hiroki Hasegawa
Roles Sasaki
Rating71%
There's a war going on, but that won't stop the inexperienced but eager wannabe film crew The Fuck Bombers from following their dreams of making the ultimate action epic. Ten years ago, yakuza mid-boss Ikegami led an assault against rival don Muto. Now, on the eve of his revenge, all Muto wants to do is complete his masterpiece, a feature film with his daughter in the starring role, before his wife is released from prison. And The Fuck Bombers are standing by with the chance of a lifetime: to film a real, live yakuza battle to the death on 35mm.
Yakuza Weapon (2011)
, 1h44Directed by Tak Sakaguchi, Yūdai Yamaguchi
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Yakuza films, Gangster films
Actors Mei Kurokawa, Akaji Maro, Jun Murakami, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Tak Sakaguchi, Shingo Tsurumi
Roles Shozo Iwaki
Rating52%
Shozo Iwaki (Tak Sakaguchi) is a strong fighter with a strong disregard for his own safety during fights by shrugging off all wounds and damage. He has a falling out with his father, the Boss Yakuza Kenzo Iwaki (Akaji Maro) and spends years in the South American jungle fighting mercenaries. After a battle against opposing soldiers, Shozo is found by Red Tiger and his team, a Japanese special agent who informs him that his father was assassinated.
Deadball (2011)
, 1h38Directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi
Genres Comedy, Horror
Themes Sports films, Baseball films
Actors Tak Sakaguchi, Mari Hoshino, Mickey Curtis, Kōichi Yamadera
Roles Jûbei Yakyû
Rating51%
In modern-day Japan, the young Jubeh Yakyu practices his pitching and catching with his father only to discover that he has super powers by accidentally killing his father with the ball. This is seen by his younger adopted brother, Musashi Nakagawa. Some time later, Jubeh (Tak Sakaguchi), now 17, has become a juvenile delinquent responsible for 50 murders within a week. After being caught for his crime, Jubeh is sent to the Pterodactyl Juvenile Reformatory, run by governor Mifune (Ryosei Tayama), until his trial date. Jubeh shares a cell with the 16-year-old killer Shinosuki Suzuku, (Mari Hoshino) and also comes gets into conflicts with the chief warden Ishihara (Miho Ninagawa), who is the granddaughter of a World War II collaborator in the Nazis' genocide programme. In prison, Jubeh finds out that Musashi was also a prisonmate at one point but died there. Ishihara organises the prison baseball Juvie League and wants Jubeh to take his place in the prison's team, known as the Pterodactyl Gauntlets. Jubeh has not played baseball since the accidental death of his father, but after Ishihara threatens to kill Shinosuki he agrees to play on the condition that the prison food is improved and all the players are pardoned of their crimes. The next day the Pterodactyls take on the St. Black Dahlia High School team, composed of young female psycho-butchers.
Mutant Girls Squad (2010)
, 1h25Directed by Tak Sakaguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Noboru Iguchi
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Horror
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Yumi Sugimoto, Yuko Takayama, Suzuka Morita, Naoto Takenaka, Kanji Tsuda, Tak Sakaguchi
Roles Kisaragi
Rating56%
Rin (Yumi Sugimoto), a young high school student, is an unassuming and awkward girl who is bullied at school. One day, while being bullied, she feels a sharp pain in her hand. Later, Rin learns that she is a descendant of the ancient Hiruko clan, whose members are mutants gifted with superpowers. No sooner than she learns of this, that her home is raided by anti-Hiruko soldiers. Rin's parents are killed and Rin barely escapes with her life. After killing an entire shopping district out of misunderstanding and grief-fueled rage, Rin meets Rei (Yuko Takayama), another mutant. Rei introduces Rin to a small rag-tag group of mutant rebels led by a transvestite samurai named Kisaragi (Tak Sakaguchi), who is bent on restoring the Hiruko clan's place in the world.
Tokyo Gore Police (2008)
, 1h49Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Political films, Dystopian films
Actors Eihi Shiina, Itsuji Itao, Tak Sakaguchi, Shun Sugata, Ayano Yamamoto, Takashi Shimizu
Roles Koji Tanaka
Rating59%
The film is set in a near future chaotic Japan. A mad scientist known as "Key Man" has created a virus that mutates humans into monstrous creatures called "Engineers" that sprout bizarre weapons from any injury. The Tokyo Police Force has been privatized to deal with this new threat of engineers, so a special squad of officers called "Engineer Hunters" are created to deal with them. However, unlike the average police force, the Engineer Hunters are a private quasi-military force that utilize violence, sadism, and streetside executions to maintain law and order.
Be a Man!! Samurai School (2008)
, 1h50Directed by Tak Sakaguchi
Genres Comedy, Action
Actors Tak Sakaguchi, Hiroyuki Onoue, Shōei, Go Ayano, Tetsushi Tanaka, Shun Sugata
Roles Momotaro Tsurugi
Rating55%
Genji Togashi (Shōei) visits his brother's grave and informs him that he too will be enrolling in Otokojuku. Young Yakuza successor Hidemaro Gokukouji (Hiroyuki Onoue) runs into thugs from Kanto Gogakuren while partying, but is saved by Momotaro Tsurugi (Tak Sakaguchi). As it turns out, Hidemaro's mother (Tomoko Nakajima) already decided to send him to Otokojuku for him to become a man.
Samurai Zombie (2008)
, 1h31Directed by Tak Sakaguchi
Genres Horror comedy, Action, Horror, Slasher
Themes Medical-themed films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Comedy horror films, Disaster films
Actors Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tak Sakaguchi, Nana Natsume, Airi Nakajima, Keiko Oginome
Rating49%
A family of four (Shigeo, Yasuko, Asami and Ryota) on a road trip has their idyllic holiday turned into a nightmare with a bizarre series of events. They stop their car after accidentally hitting a man dressed in white (Aihara) but when he stands up brandishing a gun, another man, Jirō, shoots Aihara. Jirō and his manic girlfriend Lisa then hijack the family's car, holding the father at gun point. When one of the tires is punctured, Jirō tells the father, Shigeo, that they are in the land of the undead and that the father must go off to find help, leaving his family with the captors. When Shigeo finds a ghostly cemetery he starts digging until he finds a blade which he then uses to decapitate himself, with the resulting fountain of blood spraying an ancient tomb. Some time later an eerie samurai warrior appears from the tomb and begins to hunt the family and the captors. The fugitives think to find shelter in an abandoned building but more horrors and surprises await.
United Red Army (2007)
, 3h10Directed by Kōji Wakamatsu
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Thriller, Documentary, Historical
Actors Gō Jibiki, Arata Iura, Maki Sakai, Tak Sakaguchi, Akiko Monō, Yoshio Harada
Roles Takaya Shiomi
Rating70%
Le film est divisé en trois parties. La première concerne l'histoire des mouvements d'extrême gauche au Japon dans le contexte de la contestation généralisée qui secoue alors le monde (opposition à la guerre du Viêt Nam, révolution culturelle en Chine, mai 68 en France, contestation radicale du capitalisme...).
Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006)
, 1h38Directed by Kenta Fukasaku
Origin Japon
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Aya Matsuura, Rika Ishikawa, Yuki Saitō, Erika Miyoshi, Yui Okada, Tak Sakaguchi
Roles Romeo's thug
Rating50%
À la demande de l'agent gouvernemental Kazutoshi Kira, la délinquante K (ou Kei) est rapatriée des États-Unis où elle était détenue, pour reprendre l'identité et l'arme-yo-yo de l'agent secret Saki Asamiya ; elle reprend donc, 20 ans après, la suite de sa mère elle aussi incarcérée, en échange de leur libération à toutes deux, pour enquêter sur une série d'attentats-suicide commis à Tokyo par des lycéens. Elle affrontera entre autres une « sukeban deka » rebelle dans un duel au yo-yo sans pitié, scène pitch du film.
Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)
, 1h48Directed by Shūsuke Kaneko
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films
Actors Aya Ueto, Yuma Ishigaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shun Oguri, Kenichi Endō, Reiko Takashima
Roles Tsuchi-Gumo
Rating62%
Azumi and her only remaining colleague Nagara find themselves hunted by ninjas hired by General Kanbei for the assassinations they have carried out. One of which is the killing of his master. They hid temporarily in a temple so Nagara can heal his wounds sustained from their recent encounter. Azumi comes across some bandits led by Ginkaku, a young bandit who bears a striking resemblance to Azumi's former friend (and love interest) Nachi. Later, Azumi and Nagara are found by the allied ninjas working for Gessai, upon whose orders the assassins initially began their mission. After discussing it with Gessai, Azumi and Nagara leave to seek out their final target, Sanada Masayuki. On their mission they are accompanied by a squad of government ninja, among them a young woman named Kozue.
, 1h25Directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi
Origin Japon
Genres Comedy, Action
Actors Mitsuki Koga, Kenichi Endō, Tak Sakaguchi, Itsuji Itao, Ben Pronsky, Mika Kanai
Roles Ichiro Yamamoto
Rating59%
Régulièrement détruite, la Cromartie High School est un repaire de cancres qui recueille les rebuts de tous les autres établissements : des loubards bouffeurs de crayons, des catcheurs reconvertis dans l’enseignement, des élèves-robots et même un gorille. Alors, forcément, quand Takashi élève studieux débarque avec son cartable tout neuf et sa trousse bien rangée, il fait un peu tache. Qu’à cela ne tienne, il s’est fixé comme objectif de transformer l’école en établissement modèle...
Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005)
, 1h37Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Action, Romance, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Yukie Nakama, Joe Odagiri, Erika Sawajiri, Takeshi Masu, Mitsuki Koga, Tak Sakaguchi
Roles Yasha-maru
Rating67%
Set immediately after the Japanese Sengoku period, Iga and Kouga, two mercenary clans that have been waging a vendetta against each other over hundreds of years. Around 1614, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruler of Japan and the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, perceives the threat posed by the two clans. Attempting to consolidate his reign, he deliberately stirs up their feud by inviting the clans to choose their five best warriors to fight to the death. Designated as the leaders of the two clans respectively, Kouga Gennosuke (Joe Odagiri) and Oboro (Yukie Nakama), who have secretly married, are unwillingly embroiled in the political plot. Hence, they have to make a difficult decision.
Death Trance (2005)
, 1h30Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Tak Sakaguchi, Ben Hiura
Roles Grave
Rating57%
In an unknown place at an unknown time, a swordsman named Grave (Sakaguchi) yearns for the ultimate battle. Legend tells of a black coffin kept at the Tougan Temple which has the power to grant any man's deepest desire. Hoping to utilize the coffin's ability to fulfill his wish, Grave infiltrates the temple and steals it. Accompanied by a mysterious young girl (Asada), Grave travels across the land towards a desert oasis, a place the tales indicate as being linked to the coffin's power.