Biography
This big strong guy has appeared in a few films, usually playing as a Wrestler of some sort. Actually, he was the Japanese "World Champion in Judo" in the late 60's and early 70's. As with most fighters/competitors who grew up just loving what they did, he got into acting by chance, and enjoyed it while he could. He appeared in some Japanese productions in the early 60's such as Crimson Bat: Wanted Dead or Alive, but his popularity in the ring followed him into the movies.
He appeared in Japan's version of the "Planet of the Apes" entitled The Apes Corps (Saru No Gudan), which was a series on Japanese television in the early 70's. In Hong Kong, he appeared in Shaw Bros' Kung Fu Hellcats, before starring in the television version of the popular film The Water Margin. A few years later, he would be approached by Liu Chia-Liang to star in a film he was about to shoot that also dealt with both Chinese and Japanese martial-arts.
He appeared in Japan's version of the "Planet of the Apes" entitled The Apes Corps (Saru No Gudan), which was a series on Japanese television in the early 70's. In Hong Kong, he appeared in Shaw Bros' Kung Fu Hellcats, before starring in the television version of the popular film The Water Margin. A few years later, he would be approached by Liu Chia-Liang to star in a film he was about to shoot that also dealt with both Chinese and Japanese martial-arts.
This film would give him the type of exposure he never knew outside the ring. Many may remember him from that Shaw classic, Shaolin Challenges Ninja. Playing the Judoka who fight with Gordon Liu a minute past midnight (If you haven't seen it, I don't want to give it away). In the storyline, he actually would have won, if it weren't for the trick he pulled. He probably could've had a successful career in kung-fu films like fellow Judoka Cheng Fu-Hung, who has appeared in somewhere around (100) films.