For many Americans, their introduction to Sonny Chiba was through the 1993 movie True Romance. Chiba did not appear in the movie, but it was penned by Chiba fan Quentin Tarantino, and therefore the hero, Clarence, played by Christian Slater, was also a huge fan.
Quentin Tarantino was not content in simply having Chiba mentioned in one film, he later cast the martial arts legend in Kill Bill, Vol. 1 & 2.
The “bar none greatest actor working in martial arts movies today” passed away August 19th due to complications from COVID.