RIP Shin'Ichi "Sonny" Chiba

 

Sonny Chiba in The Golden Bat

Sonny passed away on 8-19-2021 at the age of 82.  He was best known for this Streetfighter series of movies, and for some flick he made with Bill.  I appreciate all those movies he has made, but more so his early movies, like The Golden Bat (1966) and that he formed the Japan Action Club.  The JAC was responsible for the great stunts and fight scenes for many of Toei Studios superhero output, like Kamen Rider, Kikaida and the Gorrangers.  It's pretty safe to say without Chiba-san there was have been no Power Rangers phenomenon. I don't blame him for that, though.  RIP Chiba-san, thanks for all the memories!

He was a prolific actor, and worked steadily his entire life.  He never got to be the big star over here in the States that he should have been, but that isn't a bad thing, really.