[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Shinichi Chiba,born 1939 Fukuoka Japan earned his first black belt in karate after studying under Masutatsu Oyama,a Grand Master in the arts.Discovered on a talent show at the dawn of the sixties,this led to his affiliation with kung fu action epics.Taking TV roles and adverts during the rest of the decade,the seventies saw him starting up his own martial arts academy.After the international breakthrough of ENTER THE DRAGON,Chiba,(Now using the name 'Sonny') had his first real hit with THE STREET FIGHTER.This led to numerous action roles,and he was probably the premier action icon in the seventies and eighties in Japan.
Chiba starred in over 125 movies for Toei Studios,and in the nineties had roles in such films as BATTLE ROYALE II,and was somewhat brought back to westerner's attention,when Tarrantino made him a hero of Clarence (Christian Slater) in TRUE ROMANCE.Remember the triple bill he goes to watch on his birthday?
An excellent choice to play Hanzo the sword maker in his KILL BILL opus,Tarrantino knows talent when he sees it.
Oh and btw,the banana-chinned genius also used one of Chiba's lines and adopted it for Samuel L Jackson's Jules in PULP FICTION....'And you will know my name is.....'
What prompted me to start this thread?Well I've just recently watched the STREET FIGHTER and RETURN OF THE STREET FIGHTER,which in turn convinced me to buy his two box sets,containing the excellent BULLET TRAIN and GOLGO 13.Optimum have done an incredible job of the transfers.
Any other Chiba fans on these boards?