6 Underrated Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Action Movies

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Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa recently passed away, leaving behind a memorable body of work. He’s best known for playing the villainous Shang Tsung in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat, and many will also remember him as the antagonist in 1991’s Showdown in Little Tokyo.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was more than just the villain in a video game movie and a buddy cop film. He starred in many other action movies that didn’t get enough attention. Let’s remember him by watching some of his lesser-known, but great, performances.

6
‘The Phantom’


Paramount Pictures

In the 1990s, when superhero movies were gaining popularity, a film adaptation of Lee Falk’s The Phantom was released. Billy Zane starred as the hero, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played the villain, The Great Kabai Sengh. Kabai Sengh, a pirate with one of several ancient skulls, fights The Phantom in a thrilling battle involving swords, hand-to-hand combat, and even sharks.

The 1990 film The Phantom gained a dedicated following, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s performance was a key part of its appeal. His pirate character fit well with the movie’s goal of bringing back the adventurous spirit of classic comic book heroes. Although it doesn’t reach the same level as Tim Burton’s Batman, the film is worth seeing for the exciting sword fight between the masked hero Zane and Tagawa, who sports a memorable mustache.

5
‘Danger Zone’


Nu Image Films

If you enjoyed Billy Zane and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in The Phantom, you might like Danger Zone, which came out the same year. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa plays a major villain, Mr. Chang, while Billy Zane stars as Rick Morgan, a miner wrongly accused of a mercenary attack. He joins forces with Robert Downey Jr., playing a former CIA agent, to prove his innocence and get revenge in this exciting action film.

Danger Zone is a surprisingly good action movie featuring Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Robert Downey Jr., and Billy Zane. Tagawa’s portrayal of a scheming rebel leader – a departure from his usual martial arts roles – was a welcome change. The film delivers explosive action with exciting fight scenes involving helicopters, trains, and various rebel factions, as Tagawa clashes with Zane and Downey Jr.

4
‘Tekken’


Anchor Bay Entertainment

The movie Tekken is based on the popular fighting game series and stars Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Heihachi Mishima, the main villain. Jin Kazama, played by Jon Foo, seeks revenge against Heihachi, who runs the powerful Tekken Corporation. However, when Heihachi’s son, Kazuya (Ian Anthony Dale), takes over the company, Heihachi and Jin must team up in the battles to come.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was perfectly cast as Heihachi, even sporting one of the character’s most outlandish hairstyles from the Tekken games. The movie is just as over-the-top as you’d expect from similar 90s video game adaptations like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. It felt right to have Tagawa back for another silly fighting game film. He’s one of the few actors who has played a memorable villain in two different video game franchises.

3
‘The Man with the Iron Fists 2’


Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Even as he got older, Tagawa remained capable of action, appearing in The Man with the Iron Fists 2. In the sequel, he plays the villainous Lord Pi, who steals life energy (‘chi’) while searching for the legendary Golden Nectar. As both an evil lord and the sinister mayor of the town, he becomes a formidable enemy to the heroes Thaddeus Henry Smith (played by RZA) and Li Kung (Dustin Nguyen).

Okay, let’s be real, The Man with the Iron Fists 2 doesn’t have the same star power as the first movie. This one went straight to video and definitely feels like it was made on a smaller budget. But if you’re a fan of the original’s action, you’ll still find some satisfyingly brutal fights here – including a surprisingly cool one underwater. Honestly, the best part for me was seeing RZA and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa go toe-to-toe in a seriously bloody brawl. That alone is worth a watch for fans of the first film.

2
‘Kickboxer 2’


Trimark Pictures

While the second Kickboxer movie didn’t feature Jean-Claude Van Damme, it introduced Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as a memorable villain. He plays Sanga, the manager of the previously defeated Tong Po, and he’ll do anything to win, even resorting to dirty tricks like arson and bringing a weapon to a fight.

The beginning of Kickboxer 2 immediately portrays Tagawa as a ruthless villain by showing him kill Kurt, the hero from the first film, right after Kurt’s win. While this neatly removes Van Damme from the sequel, it effectively establishes Tagawa as a dangerous opponent. Though Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa doesn’t participate in the intense fights between Sasha Mitchell and Michel Qissi, he convincingly plays a ruthless and greedy businessman who will do anything to succeed.

1
‘Kubo and the Two Strings’


Focus Features

Laika’s Kubo and the Two Strings is their most thrilling adventure yet. The story takes place in ancient Japan and centers on Kubo, a young boy who sets out to get revenge for his parents and overcome the villainous Moon King. Along the way, he teams up with a mischievous monkey and a brave stag beetle to find powerful, magical weapons that will help him succeed.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa plays a small but appropriate role as a villager in Kubo and the Two Strings. While most of the voice actors in this film, set in Japan, weren’t of Japanese descent, a few authentic Japanese voices were included, and Tagawa blended in well with actors like George Takei in the village scenes.

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2025-12-08 23:05