Thanks man! Actually, as I explained in my "community post", doing this retrospective made me toy with the idea of writing a proper biography dedicated to him as, as far as I know, it has never been done in the west yet. So I was thinking "once Covid is over and we can travel again, I should try to get in touch with him, go to Japan and set up several long interview session for such project". I thought it was especially important given his increasing age and the so many stories he could tell, covering so many different eras of Japanese cinema. Obviously, this project is now dead and buried :-(
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 I wouldn't call it dead and buried. It's possible to write biographies about people long dead, from eras long gone - so why not about one who just recently died? As you say: It hasn't been done in the west, so someone should fill this gap, and you already seem to know more about his movies than others here in the west - the Japanese would appreciate your knowledge and talk to you. Of course it would have been great to hear Sonny Chibas own stories. But there have to be thousands of stories about him, Chiba seen through the eyes of others, like a myth. (And by the way: Meiko Kaji is still alive and working again... You could combine the travels for two projects... ;-))
Indeed, it can still be done. But his passing is a hit to my motivation on such project. I think, selfishly, I was also hoping this project would give me the opportunity to meet him in person! But maybe after I have digested the news, the drive will be back. In any case, it has to be done, be it by my or anybody else! And you are right for Meiko Kaji. Funnily enough, she has actually been interview for a French cinema magasine 2 months ago!
I always loved his movies. Especially for two reasons. One he always showed traditional martial arts and the training of them. Two, his fighting was always rough and came across as a little more realistic versus some that make everything so smooth,
this was a man who clearly didn't like punks. sonny chiba was one of a kind. thank you for the great movies and memorable Saturday afternoons in my youth. thank you.
Yeh I am Very Grateful🙏🏼, I didn't even know this untill now i herd the News. What happened to Sonny Chiba, I still remember the scene where he says you're such a shy 😿little 🇯🇵thing😔, they were good time memories, I love all old school movie 🎥 films🍿from the 80's.
I love your channel. You have great content . I am also a huge Sonny Chiba fan. Do you think you could ever talk about the film's of Meiko Kaji and Yusaku Matsuda ? They are also two of my favorites.
Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoy the channel's content! You're the second person to ask for a Meiko Kaji retrospective so I'll have to follow through ;-) I already have several retro planned though so I'll finish them first. Meiko will be the next once they are done !
Sonny Chiba is a a LEGEND. Portraying DOSHIN SO, another real legend and founder of Shorinji Kempo was truly EPIC. I'm proud to say that I studied this unique Chinese and Japanese martial art many years ago. Nowadays one of his sons (Machenyu Arata) is following his steps as an actor and as a martial artist.
Yes, Shorinji Kempo is without a doubt one of his very best films. I didn't know one of Doshin So's son was an actor. I'll have to check what he did. Thanks for the insight!
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 not Doshin So. He passed away in 1980. I meant one of Chiba's son is Machenyu Arata who is now becoming a rising star following Sonny's footsteps as actor and martial artist. He appeared in two of Ruroni Kenshin movies. He is Kenshin's main and last opponent in The Final movie.
@@nephrenqayin254 My mistake! Even better then :-p I realise I've seen him in a few films already (Let's Go Jets!, 12 Suicidal Teens) but I never realised his filiation to Sonny Chiba. I'll pay extra attention to his part in the new Kenshin. Thanks again!
i have a mutual friend who introduced me to him like 15 yrs ago. He was a heluva nice guy. One day like 10 yrs ago (he was past 70 by that time for sure) we were meeting him at the dojo u see in many US movies. It was for example where Jackie chan and chris tucker met and fought the really tall chinese guy), anyway so my buddy is pitching something and then Chiba san looks around the room that had a bunch of gym equipment there during that time and decided to get up on the "hanging leg raise machine" (i had to google it ) and the whole fucking time we were talking he kept his legs in a horizontal position . it was def way past 5 minutes! probably closer to 10. he just held up his legs like nothing while talking to us it was a display of insane core strength... then he was nice enough to do a part for an other friend's movie called Sushi Girl. I was sad to hear we lost an other living legend!
Thanks for sharing this story! So great you got to meet him and interact with him! I was a bit disappointed by his cameo in Sushi Girl... because it was just a cameo and I'm always eager for more Chiba! But still very nice of him to have participated in the film.
My personal favorite Sonny Chiba is not in this list: "Champion of Death" the first film about the founder of Kyokushin Kai Karate, Masutatsu Oyama. Also The Return of the Street Fighter was even better than the first.
Actually, I talk quite extensively about Champion of Death/Karate Bullfighter in my retrospective (ua-cam.com/video/ExCqA2cbLiw/v-deo.html at 2:18:00) and I explain why I think the film, despite some good intentions and a great subject to work on, has too many shortcomings to be considered a classic (IMHO of course). That's why I chose Shorinji Kempo instead. I think as a biographie of an authentic martial art master, it's more consistent and express the martial arts values better. I think a good biography of Mas Oyama is still to be done. Agree with you on Return of the Street Fighter being better as the first one. But the original is so iconic I thought it had to be the one present in this video.
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 He would of made a Great Shin Garuda , I wish I could find a movie on ex plus alpha Shin☯️Garuda 🇯🇵 he has like a Shin Akuma 👊 fist.
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 In one interview I saw, Sonny Chiba was supposed to meet with Bruce Lee in Hong Kong but only arrived there 2 days after Bruce Lee died. Chiba only got the news 48 hours since Lee’s passing.
Not really forgotten, I just think the film is not one of his very best. Even if it does have some qualities. If you are curious about what I think of the film, you can check my opinion in the second part of the retrospective here (at 55:31): ua-cam.com/video/as78cXGCIq4/v-deo.html
Rest easy, Sonny. You will be loved and missed for years to come. Viva Chiba!!!
RIP the original streetfighter, Sonny Chiba. There'll never be another like you Sensei.
His badassness and "take no shit" attitude is unmatched on screen, even to this day!!!
Rest in peace!
It's nice that you made this feature while he was still alive. He died yesterday, the undefeated champion of japanese action-movies. RIP Sonny Chiba!
Thanks man!
Actually, as I explained in my "community post", doing this retrospective made me toy with the idea of writing a proper biography dedicated to him as, as far as I know, it has never been done in the west yet. So I was thinking "once Covid is over and we can travel again, I should try to get in touch with him, go to Japan and set up several long interview session for such project". I thought it was especially important given his increasing age and the so many stories he could tell, covering so many different eras of Japanese cinema.
Obviously, this project is now dead and buried :-(
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 I wouldn't call it dead and buried. It's possible to write biographies about people long dead, from eras long gone - so why not about one who just recently died? As you say: It hasn't been done in the west, so someone should fill this gap, and you already seem to know more about his movies than others here in the west - the Japanese would appreciate your knowledge and talk to you. Of course it would have been great to hear Sonny Chibas own stories. But there have to be thousands of stories about him, Chiba seen through the eyes of others, like a myth. (And by the way: Meiko Kaji is still alive and working again... You could combine the travels for two projects... ;-))
Indeed, it can still be done. But his passing is a hit to my motivation on such project. I think, selfishly, I was also hoping this project would give me the opportunity to meet him in person!
But maybe after I have digested the news, the drive will be back.
In any case, it has to be done, be it by my or anybody else!
And you are right for Meiko Kaji. Funnily enough, she has actually been interview for a French cinema magasine 2 months ago!
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 dang. He's my favorite guy as well and I'm sorry to hear that. We have all suffered a loss
I always loved his movies. Especially for two reasons. One he always showed traditional martial arts and the training of them. Two, his fighting was always rough and came across as a little more realistic versus some that make everything so smooth,
RIP Legend. You will be greatly missed. Enjoy paradise sir. We love you and thank you for what you have left behind for us to enjoy. Respect
He's one of the greatest martial artist of all time one of my favorite and should always be remembered.
R.I.P Sonny Chiba. One of the best, you will be missed.
Thanks to Sonny Chiba for making history of martial arts and his best action films! May you R.I.P in our hearts and minds!🥋☯️🙏🏿
No human could kill him. It took a global pandemic. Unlike his contemporaries, he could also act. Rest in peace.
Great video!! Chiba forever!!!
Rest in peace Sonny Chiba legends never die
this was a man who clearly didn't like punks. sonny chiba was one of a kind. thank you for the great movies and memorable Saturday afternoons in my youth. thank you.
He will be missed. Great guy. I enjoy watching his films.
Chiba Forever, RIP .
Yeh I am Very Grateful🙏🏼, I didn't even know this untill now i herd the News. What happened to Sonny Chiba, I still remember the scene where he says you're such a shy 😿little 🇯🇵thing😔, they were good time memories, I love all old school movie 🎥 films🍿from the 80's.
My family is sad. We loved him. Be well Sonny! 🙏🏽😌🙏🏽
My favourite actor ever Shinchi Chiba RIP my favourite movie is killing machine
Good choice! Killing Machine (even if I hate this American retitle) is a great film!
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 i been watching his movies since 1984
今の日本の俳優にはこの迫力は出せる人はいない。みんな細くて優しい顔でたちまわりもできない。
RIP Sonny and thank you for giving us Mackenyu and Gordon.
First video of yours ive seen and it's great. Feels very professional.
Thanks man! Really appreciate it!
Great martial artist and actor God bless you forever and ever !!
One of the top toel martial artist along with kurata,shiomi,sanada,during the classic 70's of toel films
Honorable mentions go to "Karate Warriors", " Champion of Death", "Karate For Life", "The Soul of Chiba".
RIP Sonny Chiba.
Sifu will be Greatly Missed “GI Samurai.” 🙏
I love your channel. You have great content . I am also a huge Sonny Chiba fan. Do you think you could ever talk about the film's of Meiko Kaji and Yusaku Matsuda ? They are also two of my favorites.
Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoy the channel's content!
You're the second person to ask for a Meiko Kaji retrospective so I'll have to follow through ;-) I already have several retro planned though so I'll finish them first. Meiko will be the next once they are done !
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 👍
Sonny Chiba is a a LEGEND. Portraying DOSHIN SO, another real legend and founder of Shorinji Kempo was truly EPIC. I'm proud to say that I studied this unique Chinese and Japanese martial art many years ago. Nowadays one of his sons (Machenyu Arata) is following his steps as an actor and as a martial artist.
Yes, Shorinji Kempo is without a doubt one of his very best films.
I didn't know one of Doshin So's son was an actor. I'll have to check what he did. Thanks for the insight!
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 not Doshin So. He passed away in 1980.
I meant one of Chiba's son is Machenyu Arata who is now becoming a rising star following Sonny's footsteps as actor and martial artist. He appeared in two of Ruroni Kenshin movies. He is Kenshin's main and last opponent in The Final movie.
@@nephrenqayin254 My mistake! Even better then :-p
I realise I've seen him in a few films already (Let's Go Jets!, 12 Suicidal Teens) but I never realised his filiation to Sonny Chiba. I'll pay extra attention to his part in the new Kenshin.
Thanks again!
i have a mutual friend who introduced me to him like 15 yrs ago. He was a heluva nice guy. One day like 10 yrs ago (he was past 70 by that time for sure) we were meeting him at the dojo u see in many US movies. It was for example where Jackie chan and chris tucker met and fought the really tall chinese guy), anyway so my buddy is pitching something and then Chiba san looks around the room that had a bunch of gym equipment there during that time and decided to get up on the "hanging leg raise machine" (i had to google it ) and the whole fucking time we were talking he kept his legs in a horizontal position . it was def way past 5 minutes! probably closer to 10. he just held up his legs like nothing while talking to us it was a display of insane core strength... then he was nice enough to do a part for an other friend's movie called Sushi Girl. I was sad to hear we lost an other living legend!
Thanks for sharing this story! So great you got to meet him and interact with him!
I was a bit disappointed by his cameo in Sushi Girl... because it was just a cameo and I'm always eager for more Chiba! But still very nice of him to have participated in the film.
This is fantastic.
魔界転生 十兵衛 vs 但馬守
Makaitensho Samurai Reincarnation Jubei vs Tajimanokami - played by Great Tomisaburo Wakayama
Great video.
Thanks!
Sonny Chiba is the G.O.A.T! I hope to also meet him inperson despite how things are currently.
Can't agree more with you and good luck in meeting him face to face one day!
Sadly he passed away recently from Covid
I liked your list. 'Karate Warriors' and 'The Bodyguard' are also great.
Thanks. Karate Warriors is enjoyable yeah. I'm a bit less sold on The Bodyguard but to each its own ;-)
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516how about the second Yakuza Wolf? I thought that movie was alot of fun. I just watched it today.
I didn't know him, but I still miss him.
Loved the show shadow warriors
RIP to the King 👑
Legend of the 8 Samurai was a good movie too, even of Sonny was a support actor and not lead.
He was also a supporting character in Message From Space as Prince Hahn, Leader of the Gavannas. He still had the Best Action Scene in the movie.
And he got seriously wounded filming it.
Yeah, I really enjoy both films as well!
Forever in OUR HEARTS AND MINDS, Domo Arigato SENSEI.
R.I.P. Sonny Shinichi Chiba!
Doberman cop is by far his funniest . Wolfman is strange horror. action,lycanthopy cool editing best soundtrack
G I Samurai never heard of that one until today October 3 /20/23 thanks 🙏 👍
Glad I helped with that. I'm sure you'll have a blast watching it!
RIP Senpai Chiba ✌️❤️
My personal favorite Sonny Chiba is not in this list: "Champion of Death" the first film about the founder of Kyokushin Kai Karate, Masutatsu Oyama. Also The Return of the Street Fighter was even better than the first.
Actually, I talk quite extensively about Champion of Death/Karate Bullfighter in my retrospective (ua-cam.com/video/ExCqA2cbLiw/v-deo.html at 2:18:00) and I explain why I think the film, despite some good intentions and a great subject to work on, has too many shortcomings to be considered a classic (IMHO of course). That's why I chose Shorinji Kempo instead. I think as a biographie of an authentic martial art master, it's more consistent and express the martial arts values better. I think a good biography of Mas Oyama is still to be done.
Agree with you on Return of the Street Fighter being better as the first one. But the original is so iconic I thought it had to be the one present in this video.
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 He would of made a Great Shin Garuda , I wish I could find a movie on ex plus alpha Shin☯️Garuda 🇯🇵 he has like a Shin Akuma 👊 fist.
THE MAN. RIP
R.I.P.
Love his movies. RIP
Viva Chiba-san! a man's man
Imagine if Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba did a film together. That would have been cosmic-level epic.
There were talks between Golden Harvest and Toei. Of course, Bruce death put an end to it. But yeah, it would have been amazing!
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 In one interview I saw, Sonny Chiba was supposed to meet with Bruce Lee in Hong Kong but only arrived there 2 days after Bruce Lee died. Chiba only got the news 48 hours since Lee’s passing.
What about the golgo 13 movie he played in i thank you forgot that
Not really forgotten, I just think the film is not one of his very best. Even if it does have some qualities.
If you are curious about what I think of the film, you can check my opinion in the second part of the retrospective here (at 55:31): ua-cam.com/video/as78cXGCIq4/v-deo.html
Bruce Lee and Sonny China should've did a movie together it would've awesome. 🍿🍿🍿
There was such a project but, obviously, it didn't survive the death of Bruce Lee. Would have been fun for sure!
RIP Sonny JJ Chiba
Who’s here after his passing
He was the best!
What's the name of the movie starting at 10:08?
Sure Death Revenge
letterboxd.com/film/sure-death-4/
Thanks for this! Met him years ago ( still have poster he signed for me).
Lucky you! I'm still hoping I will one day but chances are getting slimmer with time passing I'm affraid...
@@lamaisonducinemaasiatique4516 my Older⚰️Sister Renata already beat me to it. I miss her like crazy but she is with 😿Sony♍ 😿Chiba😿 now🙏🏼✌🏼...
rip chiba
Golgo-13 !
合掌。
He was the last Japanese actor.
All hail Sonny Chiba!
Rip
Sonny Chiba = Japanese Bruce Lee. R.I.P.
Ton anglais sort tout droit de Saint Cyr lol ...
Damn he really look like his son
Sonny could beat Batman .
Rip sensei sonny chiba
Sony chiba japans jackie chan
Кекусинкай рулит!!!!!
Sadly missed
My fave!
Dommage qu' il soit tombé chiba.
RIP Sonny
R.I.P...