Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the actor famous for his work in films like Mortal Kombat and Memoirs of a Geisha, has died at the age of 75.
According to Deadline, the actor passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025, due to complications from a stroke. He was with his family at the time of his death.
Most people will remember Tagawa for playing Shang Tsung, the villainous sorcerer, in various Mortal Kombat movies, TV shows, and video games. He first appeared as the character in the 1995 film and reprised the role two years later in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
I was thrilled to see the actor return to this character a few times over the years! He popped up in the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy back in 2013, and then made an appearance in a 2015 episode of Mortal Kombat X: Generations. More recently, he actually voiced Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), which was fantastic, and even let them use his appearance in the Mortal Kombat: Onslaught game in 2023. It’s great to see him still involved with the franchise!
The original Mortal Kombat movie was a big success, making over $100 million despite only costing $20 million to produce. Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa explained that the film benefited from perfect timing. The Mortal Kombat video games were already popular and growing in popularity when the movie came out, which likely contributed to its success.
The timing for the Mortal Kombat movie was ideal. The video game was already quite popular, ranking around fourth or fifth, and the film definitely helped boost the game’s success even further.
The actor also complimented director Paul W.S. Anderson, noting his impact on the film’s look and sound. Tagawa said the music was a perfect fit for the action sequences.
He pioneered the use of high-energy metal music in martial arts demonstrations – something no one had done before. The music was incredibly lively and made you want to move, perfectly complementing the fast-paced action.
Tagawa also played the villain Heihachi Mishima in the video game adaptation of Tekken. However, unlike Mortal Kombat, the 1991 Tekken movie wasn’t a big success at the box office, especially when compared to the popular game series.
Tagawa first gained widespread recognition for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci’s acclaimed 1987 film, The Last Emperor. He played Chang, the emperor’s driver, and although it wasn’t a leading part, his performance was significant to the story.
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2025-12-05 05:48