Tak Sakaguchi
Born	(1975-03-15) March 15, 1975 (age 37) Ishikawa, Japan
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2000 - present

Tak Sakaguchi (坂口 拓, Sakaguchi Taku^?, born March 15, 1975) is a Japanese actor, director, fight choreorapher, and stuntman. He is best known for his lead role in Ryuhei Kitamura's cult film, Versus. Sakaguchi is a talented martial artist, and as such, stars in films featuring copious fight scenes and performs all of his own stunts. He is known to be skilled in Bājíquán, Shaolin Kenpo, boxing, kick boxing, and mixed martial arts. Sakaguchi is a Christian.^[1][2]

Biography[link]

Before entering into the film industry, Sakaguchi was an underground street fighter who was well known for his skill in the martial arts. He was discovered by then-unknown director Ryuhei Kitamura, who recruited Sakaguchi for a lead role in Versus. Since then, Sakaguchi has appeared in several films directed by Kitamura; in particular the Azumi films, Kitamura's short in the Jam Films titled The Messenger and minor roles in Aragami and Alive. He played a larger role in the quirky, yet successful Battlefield Baseball (produced by Kitamura), but has yet to acquire the same success he did with Versus.

2006 saw Sakaguchi in more mainstream roles, such as Yashamaru in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, and "Grave" in Death Trance. He also guest-starred in the Japanese tokusatsu show, Kamen Rider Kabuto, as the villain Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm.

More recently, Sakaguchi made his directorial debut with Sakigake!! Otokojuku (a.k.a. "Samurai School"), in which he also starred, wrote the screenplay, and choreographed the action sequences. He made a cameo appearance in Yoshihiro Nishimura's 2008 exploitation film, Tokyo Gore Police, as well as directed/starred in Yoroi: Samurai Zombie, based on a story by Ryuhei Kitamura.

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

• Versus (2000) Prisoner KSC2-303
• Alive (2002) Zeros
• Battlefield Baseball (2003) Yakyû Jubei (a pun on "Yagyu Jubei." "Yakyû" means "baseball.")
• The Messenger (2003, Jam Films segment) Man
• Aragami (2003) Future Challenger
• Azumi (2003) Sanzo Sajiki
• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) X-Seijin
• Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005) Tsuchigumo
• Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005) Yashamaru
• Cromartie High - The Movie (2005) Ichiro Yamamoto
• Death Trance (2006) Grave
• Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006) Enola Gay gang member
• The Red Army (2007, directed by Koji Wakamatsu) Takaya Shiomi
• Sakigake!! Otokojuku (2008) Momotaro Tsurugi
• Tokyo Gore Police (2008) (cameo)
• Elite Yankee Saburo The Movie(2009) as hammerhead boss leader
• Mutant Girls Squad (2010) Kisaragi
• Deadball (2011)
• Yakuza Weapon (2011)

Director[link]

• Sakigake!! Otokojuku (2008)
• Yoroi: Samurai Zombie (2008)
• Mutant Girls Squad (First segment) (2010)

Writer[link]

• Sakigake!! Otokojuku (2008) (screenplay)

Fight choreographer[link]

• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
• Death Trance (2006)
• Akihabara@DEEP (2006)
• Sakigake!! Otokojuku (2008)

TV drama[link]

• Be-Bop High School Series (2005-2005) Toshimitsu Yamada (fight director)
• Kamen Rider Kabuto (2006) Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Tak Sakaguchi Fansite and Fanlisting
• Midnight Interview with Ryuhei Kitamura

External links[link]

• Tak Sakaguchi on Myspace
• Tak Sakaguchi at the Internet Movie Database
• Tak Sakaguchi in English - A fan-run blog dedicated to translating a variety of Tak-related resources found only in Japanese