15 Hiroyuki Sanada Movies Ranked and Where to Watch Them Online

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Hiroyuki Sanada is a celebrated actor known for his versatile performances across a wide range of genres throughout Hollywood and the Japanese film industry. The Tokyo native began his acting career in the late 1970s and quickly rose to prominence as a leading actor in Japanese cinema. He has since become a familiar face to audiences around the world which is credited to his roles in numerous Hollywood films and TV shows. Check out our guide on his best movies to date and find out where to stream them on services in the United States like Netflix, Prime Video and more!

Hiroyuki Sanada made his film debut at just six years old in the 1966 film Game of Chance. As he matured into his professional career, he starred in a number of martial arts films including Roaring Fire and Ninja in the Dragon's Den in 1981 and 1982 respectively, and appearing alongside Michelle Yeoh in Royal Warriors in 1986. He experienced success on stage during the early 2000s when he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) on their production of King Lear which ultimately earned him an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2002. 

As the years progressed, his filmography highlights include his performances in acclaimed films such as The Twilight Samurai in 2002, The Last Samurai the following year, and Sunshine. The Last Samurai was his breakthrough role in Hollywood as he has appeared in numerous productions every year following his portrayal of master swordsman Ujio opposite Tom Cruise. Sanada is known for his ability to convey depth and emotion in his roles regardless if he is portraying a stoic samurai, a ruthless villain or a sympathetic hero. In addition to his impressive filmography, Sanada has also appeared in popular TV series such as Lost and Westworld, showcasing his range as an actor across different mediums. His portrayal of Lord Yoshii Toranaga in FX's Shōgun remains one of the biggest standout performances of that series.

Despite his success in Hollywood, Hiroyuki Sanada remains committed to his roots in Japanese cinema and has continued to work on Japanese films throughout his career.

Where to watch the best Hiroyuki Sanada movies online

With a career spanning more than four decades, Hiroyuki Sanada has established himself as a respected and admired actor in both Japanese and international cinema. Here are 15 Hiroyuki Sanada movies ranked and where to find them online.

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  1. The Twilight Samurai

    The Twilight Samurai

    2002

    IMDB 8.1 (25k)

    #1

    Seibei Iguchi leads a difficult life as a low ranking samurai at the turn of the nineteenth century. A widower with a meager income, Seibei struggles to take care of his two daughters and senile mother. New prospects seem to open up when the beautiful Tomoe, a childhood friend, comes back into he and his daughters' life, but as the Japanese feudal system unravels, Seibei is still bound by the code of honor of the samurai and by his own sense of social precedence. How can he find a way to do what is best for those he loves?

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  2. The Last Samurai

    The Last Samurai

    2003

    IMDB 7.8 (474k)

    #2

    Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.

  3. Mr. Holmes

    Mr. Holmes

    2015

    IMDB 6.9 (63k)

    #3

    In 1947, long-retired and near the end of his life, Sherlock Holmes grapples with an unreliable memory and must rely on his housekeeper's son as he revisits the still-unsolved case that led to his retirement.

  4. Sunshine

    Sunshine

    2007

    IMDB 7.2 (268k)

    #4

    Fifty years into the future, the sun is dying, and Earth is threatened by arctic temperatures. A team of astronauts is sent to revive the Sun — but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team is sent to finish the mission as mankind’s last hope.

  5. Ring

    Ring

    1998

    IMDB 7.2 (77k)

    #5

    A mysterious video has been linked to a number of deaths, and when an inquisitive journalist finds the tape and views it herself, she sets in motion a chain of events that puts her own life in danger.

  6. Bullet Train

    Bullet Train

    2022

    IMDB 7.3 (445k)

    #6

    Unlucky assassin Ladybug is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug's latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world's fastest train.

  7. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

    #7

    After seeking to live a normal life, Logan sets out to avenge the death of his girlfriend by undergoing the mutant Weapon X program and becoming Wolverine.

  8. The Promise

    The Promise

    2005

    IMDB 5.6 (9k)

    #8

    An orphaned girl, driven by poverty at such a young age, makes a promise with an enchantress. In return for beauty and the admiration of every man, she will never be with the man she loves. This spell cannot be broken unless the impossible happens: snow falling in spring and the dead coming back to life. Now a grown and beautiful princess, she regrets her promise, for all of the men she's loved has always been met with tragedy.

  9. The White Countess

    The White Countess

    2005

    IMDB 6.5 (6k)

    #9

    In 1930s Shanghai, 'The White Countess' is both Sofia—a fallen member of the Russian aristocracy—and a nightclub created by a blind American diplomat, who asks Sofia to be the centerpiece of the world he wants to create.

  10. Royal Warriors

    Royal Warriors

    1986

    IMDB 7.0 (2k)

    #10

    When a tough policewoman learns about a group of violent terrorists, she, along with her partner and a Japanese detective, does everything it takes to take them down.

  11. Mortal Kombat

    Mortal Kombat

    1995

    IMDB 5.8 (125k)

    #11

    For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes in this action/adventure movie based on one of the most popular video games of all time.

  12. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven

    1992

    IMDB 8.2 (438k)

    #12

    William Munny is a retired, once-ruthless killer turned gentle widower and hog farmer. To help support his two motherless children, he accepts one last bounty-hunter mission to find the men who brutalized a prostitute. Joined by his former partner and a cocky greenhorn, he takes on a corrupt sheriff.

  13. Avengers: Endgame

    Avengers: Endgame

    2019

    IMDB 8.4 (1m)

    #13

    After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

  14. Rush Hour 3

    Rush Hour 3

    2007

    IMDB 6.2 (184k)

    #14

    After a botched assassination attempt, the mismatched duo finds themselves in Paris, struggling to retrieve a precious list of names, as the murderous crime syndicate's henchmen try their best to stop them. Once more, Lee and Carter must fight their way through dangerous gangsters; however, this time, the past has come back to haunt Lee. Will the boys get the job done once and for all?

  15. Legend of the Eight Samurai

    #15

    The evil Hikita clan rises from the dead to fulfill a curse on the Satomi clan by restoring the face of their warlord by using the skin of Princess Shizu. In the process of trying to capture her, the clan murders her entire family, but Princess Shizu escapes their clutches. She enlists the aid of eight samurai warriors, possessors of powerful magic crystal, led by Dosetsu (Sonny Chiba!) to help rescue the remaining members of her court and revenge her family. Along the way, they must fight undead warriors, evil spirits, poisonous beauties and a giant centipede.