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Sho Kosugi Movies

Japanese lead actor of martial arts films, onscreen from the late '70s.He is also a karate champion. ~ Rovi
2009  
R  
Add Ninja Assassin to Queue Add Ninja Assassin to top of Queue  
V for Vendetta director James McTeigue re-teams with that film's producers Larry and Andy Wachowski for this action-packed tale of a skilled assassin who was trained by a mythical secret society, and patiently awaits the day he will avenge the death of his best friend. Swept off the streets as a young boy, Raizo (Korean pop star Rain) is transformed into an unstoppable killing machine by a secret society known as the Ozunu Clan. The Ozunu Clan is so proficient at keeping their existence a secret that most people think they are only a myth, but the moment Ozuno assassins kill Raizo's friend, their days in the shadows are numbered. In the aftermath of that killing, Raizo stages a daring escape, subsequently biding his time until the day he can take the entire Ozunu Clan down.

Later, in Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail connecting multiple political murders to a mysterious network of elusive assassins from the Far East. While her superior Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles) orders Mika to back down and stop asking questions, she stealthily begins searching through classified agency files on a relentless mission to discover the truth about the murders. Singled out as a target as a direct result of her investigation, Mika is marked for death by lethal Ozunu assassin Takeshi (Rick Yune). Just as Mika is about to be silenced forever, Raizo saves her from certain death. But Raizo knows that Takeshi and the rest of the Ozuno Clan won't stop until he and Mika are both dead. Now, as Raizo and Mika are hunted through the winding streets of Europe, their only hope for survival is to trust one another and stay alive long enough to bring the Ozunu empire crumbling to the ground. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
RainNaomie Harris, (more)
 
2009  
R  
V for Vendetta director James McTeigue re-teams with that film's producers Larry and Andy Wachowski for this action-packed tale of a skilled assassin who was trained by a mythical secret society, and patiently awaits the day he will avenge the death of his best friend. Swept off the streets as a young boy, Raizo (Korean pop star Rain) is transformed into an unstoppable killing machine by a secret society known as the Ozunu Clan. The Ozunu Clan is so proficient at keeping their existence a secret that most people think they are only a myth, but the moment Ozuno assassins kill Raizo's friend, their days in the shadows are numbered. In the aftermath of that killing, Raizo stages a daring escape, subsequently biding his time until the day he can take the entire Ozunu Clan down. Later, in Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail connecting multiple political murders to a mysterious network of elusive assassins from the Far East. While her superior Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles) orders Mika to back down and stop asking questions, she stealthily begins searching through classified agency files on a relentless mission to discover the truth about the murders. Singled out as a target as a direct result of her investigation, Mika is marked for death by lethal Ozunu assassin Takeshi (Rick Yune). Just as Mika is about to be silenced forever, Raizo saves her from certain death. But Raizo knows that Takeshi and the rest of the Ozuno Clan won't stop until he and Mika are both dead. Now, as Raizo and Mika are hunted through the winding streets of Europe, their only hope for survival is to trust one another and stay alive long enough to bring the Ozunu empire crumbling to the ground. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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Starring:
RainNaomie Harris, (more)
 
1992  
PG  
Sho Kosugi stars (as well as produced) this picturesque and exciting swashbuckler, directed by Gordon Hessler. Kosugi plays Mayeda, a 17th-century Japanese samurai whose clan, headed by Lord Ieyasu (Toshiro Mifune), is waging a bloody battle with a rival clan. The rival clan has the advantage of using punk-burning muskets, which work fine unless it rains, rendering the firearms useless. Ieyasu sends Mayeda to Spain to one-up the rival clan by arranging the purchase of flintlock rifles, which are immune to rain. Mayeda is accompanied on his journey by Ieyasu's young heir Yorimune (Kane Kosugi), along with a traitor -- the clan's Catholic spiritual advisory Father Vasco (Norman Lloyd), who has made a deal with the rival clan to kill Mayeda and Yorimune and to make sure that the flintlock rifles never reach their destination. However, the plot fails. In the process, the gold to pay for the rifles falls overboard, and Mayeda arrives in Spain penniless at the court of King Philip (Christopher Lee). King Philip refuses to give Mayeda the rifles, until Mayeda saves his life during an attack of rebels. But even though Mayeda now has the king on his side, he has earned the wrath of his advisor Don Pedro (David Essex) by falling in love with his fiancee Cecilia (Polly Walker). Mayeda and Don Pedro eventually tangle in mortal combat. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Starring:
Sho KosugiDavid Essex, (more)
 
1990  
 
Piecing together exciting film footage of martial arts performances, Deadliest Art demonstrates the reasons for the popularity of martial arts combat in visual entertainment. The history of the art, including basics of the Eastern philosophies that govern it, provides insight along with the demonstration of various types of martial arts fighting. Touching on the skills and frame of mind necessary to perform feats of this kind, this film showcases the beauty of defense without weapons, as well as special techniques required to incorporate the use of weapons, and the ways in which the martial arts have been showcased in the film industry. ~ Sarah Sloboda, Rovi

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1990  
R  
Add Blind Fury to Queue Add Blind Fury to top of Queue  
Rutger Hauer plays a blinded Vietnam vet who also happens to be an expert swordsman. Twenty years after the war, Hauer finds himself waist-deep in gangsters when he tries to help the son (Brandon Call) of an old army buddy. Along the way, he reforms an ex-comrade in arms (Terrance O'Quinn) who was responsible for the accident that blinded him. Based on a series of Japanese films about a blind samurai (released under the blanket title of Zatoichi). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Rutger HauerBrandon Call, (more)
 
1988  
 
Aloha Summer is set in 1959 Hawaii. The six teenaged protagonists are drawn from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, resulting in the expected prejudices, hostilities and misunderstandings. The story's focus is on Chris Makepeace, an Italian-American lad who learns by means both soft and hard how to get along with, and understand, those different from himself. A few Kung-Fu scenes are thrown in whenever the action threatens to flag. While bereft of surprises, Aloha Summer is a magnificently photographed delight for surf-movie aficionados. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Chris MakepeaceYuji Okumoto, (more)
 
1988  
R  
Add Black Eagle to Queue Add Black Eagle to top of Queue  
Black Eagle takes as its inspiration Reagan-era cold war paranoia. After a renegade scientist goes AWOL, a top secret device is up for grabs. International intrigue ensues, with CIA agent Ken Tani aka Black Eagle and KGB operative Andrei, played by Jon Claude van Damme at the center. The picture builds towards their inevitable showdown where American interests are preserved. Black Eagle was van Damme's second picture.

~ Brian Whitener, Rovi

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Starring:
Jean-Claude Van DammeDoran Clark, (more)
 
1987  
R  
Add Rage of Honor to Queue Add Rage of Honor to top of Queue  
Shiro Tanaka (kick-boxer star, Sho Kosugi) stars as a drug agent who seeks revenge against the drug-world bad guys who've murdered his partner. He's off to Buenos Aires to catch up with the no-good murderers and set the record straight. ~ Rovi

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Starring:
Sho KosugiLewis van Bergen, (more)
 
1985  
 
Sho Kosugi narrates this look at the staging of stunts for martial-arts films: how they are prepared, staged and attempted. ~ John Bush, Rovi

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1985  
 
Add Ninja Terminator to Queue Add Ninja Terminator to top of Queue  
Mob kingpin Qua Tom assassinates the wife of the man who leads the Black List, a powerful association of ninja warriors. Qua Tom even managed to get his victim's husband imprisoned on false charges. However, the leader of the Black List possesses unusually impressive martial-artistry that allows him to take the mantle of Ninja Terminator. With these skills he sets out to get his revenge. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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1985  
R  
Add 9 Deaths of the Ninja to Queue Add 9 Deaths of the Ninja to top of Queue  
Meant to be a parody of the martial arts genre, this weakly plotted story centers around a kidnapping in Manila engineered by two terrorists to obtain the release of a political prisoner in the Middle East. In order to save the busload of tourists that are being held hostage, the U.S. Embassy summons three international agents: Spike Shinobi (Sho Kasugi) who, inspired by Kojak (Telly Savalas' TV detective), puts a lollipop in his mouth in-between fights, Steven Gordon (Brent Huff), and Jennifer Barnes (Emilia Lesniak). The trio are up against the deranged German Alby the Cruel (Blackie Dammett) and the sadistic lesbian Honey Hump (Regina Richardson), the terrorists holding the tourists. Wild exaggeration in-between the karate action is meant to bring humor to the proceedings. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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Starring:
Brent HuffEmilia Lesniak, (more)
 
1985  
R  
In this martial-arts actioner, a gentle Japanese immigrant endeavors to quietly run a business in America. Unfortunately, gangsters refuse to leave them alone. Finally the quiet storekeeper has enough and reveals that he is in reality, a highly skilled Ninja master. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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Starring:
Sho KosugiDonna Kei Benz, (more)
 
1984  
 
In this slick exploitation, martial arts fantasy from schlockmeisters Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, an evil ninja is killed off in a sandtrap on a golf course in Phoenix -- the police riddle him with bullets, foolishly thinking that is the end of it. But as he is dying, the ninja throws a smoke bomb and, hidden by the dark cloud, he crawls into a phone-company van driven by the acrobatic Christie (Lucinda Dickey of Breakin'). As he dies there, his soul possesses her body, much to the consternation of her boyfriend, Secord (Jordan Bennett). Christie periodically uses exotic Eastern skills to slaughter the evil ninja's foes until good ninja Yamada (Sho Kosugi) comes to her rescue. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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Starring:
Lucinda DickeyJordan Bennett, (more)
 
1983  
 
In this martial arts movie, an American art dealer, who doubles as a Ninja, must use his fighting skill, to save a group of scientists being held hostage by terrorists in Dallas. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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1983  
R  
Add Revenge of the Ninja to Queue Add Revenge of the Ninja to top of Queue  
Sam Firstenberg directs Sho Kosugi in the martial arts action film Revenge of the Ninja. Kosugi plays a former ninja assassin whose family is killed by other ninjas. He begins life anew in America, but unexpectedly comes to work for drug traffickers who he must face off against. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Starring:
Sho KosugiKeith Vitali, (more)
 
1983  
 
Add Matching Escort to Queue Add Matching Escort to top of Queue  
Pearl Cheung essays the title role in Venus the Ninja. In this "female-martial-arts-fighter" film (a genre unto itself) Venus uses her chop-socky skills against an all-powerful warlord. Meng Fe also stars. Venus the Ninja made it to American shores via local TV syndication in the late 1980s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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1981  
R  
Cannon Productions' first foray into the martial arts milieu, Enter the Ninja stars Franco Nero. While visiting old pal Frank Landers (Alex Courtney) in the Philippines, master ninja Cole (Nero) is approached by villain Charles Venarius (Christopher George). Coveting Lander's plantation, Venarius tries to strong-arm Cole into turning against his friend. Our Hero refuses, whereupon Venarius brings in his own ninja Hasegawa (Sho Kosugi), the first step towards the battle-royal climax. The stunt choreography by Mike Stone is enough to make one completely forget the film's lapses in taste and logic. Enter the Ninja was followed in short order by Revenge of the Ninja. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Franco NeroSusan George, (more)
 
1973  
R  
Add Return of the Dragon to Queue 
Bruce Lee's pre-Enter the Dragon outing is a surprising change of pace from his usual hard-hitting action fare because it favors humor as much as it does kung-fu. It's also notable because it represents Lee's only venture as a director. For the most part, Return of the Dragon works thanks to its charismatic star. Lee shows great comic timing in the humorous set pieces in addition to the usual physical prowess he displays during the action scenes. He also manages to utilize both skills at once on occasion, the best example being a scene where he squares off with a group of mobster goons at a restaurant. It also benefits from its picturesque Italian setting (a novel location for a kung-fu film) and an impressive fight finale between Lee and Chuck Norris (making his film debut). On the down side, the film's low-budget shows and the other performers all pretty much pale in comparison to Lee. However, the real flaw with Return of the Dragon lies in its ending, which features a last-minute twist that doesn't work because it is too unexpectedly tragic for a film that had previously been so lighthearted. Despite this misstep, it remains a likeable blend of kung-fu and comedy that is likely to bring a smile to the face of Bruce Lee fans. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

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Starring:
Bruce LeeNora Miao, (more)