Yasuaki Kurata
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1946-03-20 (79 years old)
Place of Birth
Niihari, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Yasuaki Kurata
Biography
Yasuaki Kurata (born March 20, 1946), a.k.a David Kurata, is a Japanese actor specializing in action movies. An accomplished martial artist, he has dan ranks in karate (5th degree), judo (3rd degree), and aikido (2nd degree). He is perhaps best known for his extended battle against Jet Li in Fist of Legend and for his villainous role in So Close. He is fluent in Cantonese.
Kurata's home town is Sakura-mura, Niihari District, Ibaraki (now part of Tsukuba). Having studied performing arts at Nihon University and Toei Theater School, he began to work as an actor in the late 1960s. In 1971, Kurata made his Hong Kong debut in the Shaw Brothers Studio kung-fu movie Angry Guest . Since then he has appeared in numerous other films and TV series within the genre. In addition to his work as an actor, Kurata runs the stunt agency Kurata Promotion (established 1976 under the name Kurata Action Club), teaches at a private college (the University of Creation, Art, Music & Social Work), is chief advisor to the All Japan Nunchaku League, and in 2004 published a book, Hong Kong Action Star Kōyūroku.
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Known For
Acting
Fight! Dragon (TV Pilot) - Dragon Flies to Hong Kong.
as Ryuma Shiranui (Dragon)
(2023)
Enter the Clones of Bruce
as Self
(2019)
Black Fox: Age of the Ninja
as Hyoe Isurugi
(2018)
Golden Job
as Morimoto
(2018)
Iceman: The Time Traveler
as Bei Tiao
(2018)
(2017)
God of War
as Kumasawa
(2017)
Manhunt
as Hideo Sakaguchi
(2017)
The Brink
as Chen Ding-Kui
(2017)
The One
as 新右卫门大师
(2017)
The Empty Hands
as Akira Hirakawa
(2015)
KIRI – Profession: Assassin
as Saburi
(2013)
The Wrath of Vajra
as Amano Kawao
(2012)
(2011)
Sword of Blood
as Genjiro Mishima
(2010)
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
as Chikaraishis Vater
(2009)
Shinjuku Incident
as Taro Watagawa
(2009)
Blood: The Last Vampire
as Kato Takatora
(2006)
GoGo Sentai Boukenger The Movie: The Greatest Precious
as Kouichi Akashi
(2006)
(2005)
(2003)
Anna in Kungfu-land
as Sword Shek
(2003)
Yellow Dragon
as Gouzaburo "Go" Azuma
(2002)
So Close
as Master
(2002)
Samouraïs
as Fujiwara Morio
(2001)
Dark War
as Chang
(2000)
Conman in Tokyo
as Tetsuo
(2000)
(2000)
(2000)
(1996)
(1996)
(1996)
(1995)
(1994)
Fist of Legend
as Fuimo Funakoshi
(1994)
(1993)
(1993)
(1992)
(1992)
(1992)
(1991)
Zodiac Killers
as Ishikawa (cameo)
(1991)
(1989)
Bloodfight
as Masahiko Kai
(1989)
Above the War
as Cook
(1988)
Seven Days War
as Sakai
(1988)
Carry on Hotel
as Tomohara
(1987)
Eastern Condors
as Vietnamese Captain
(1986)
Millionaires' Express
as Japanese Ninja
(1986)
The Seventh Curse
as Captain Ho
(1986)
A Book of Heroes
as Yamashita sensei
(1985)
Police Story
as Passerby (uncredited)
(1985)
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars
as Parachute Assassin
(1985)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
as Takei (segment "Kyoko's House")
(1984)
(1984)
(1983)
Aces Go Places II
as Bull
(1983)
(1983)
Deadly Life of a Ninja
as Iga Ninja Leader
(1983)
(1983)
Crisis
as Chairman Sun Shao Hung
(1982)
Legend of a Fighter
as Teacher Kong Ho San
(1981)
Ninja In The Deadly Trap
as Shi Ping-Wei, the Ninja Leader
(1981)
Why Not?
as Hanjiro
(1981)
Shaolin Fighters vs. Ninja
as Lonely Winner
(1981)
(1981)
(1980)
The Magnificent 3
as Japanese tourist
(1978)
Heroes of the East
as Takeno
(1978)
Edge of Fury
as Mr King
(1977)
Secret of the Shaolin Poles
as Tiger Lei (as Shoji Kurada)
(1977)
(1976)
Dragon Princess
as Masahiko Okizaki
(1976)
(1976)
Which Is Stronger, Karate or the Tiger?
as Ryuzaki Tetsuji
(1975)
The Return of Sister Street Fighter
as Go Kurosaki
(1975)
Fighting Dragon
as Lung Yen Fei (Dragon)
(1975)
(1975)
(1974)
Call Me Dragon
as Panther / Leopard Head
(1974)
Sister Street Fighter: Hanging by a Thread
as Shunsuke Tsubaki
(1974)
The Executioner
as Karate teacher
(1974)
Little Godfather from Hong Kong
as Sakada (Chong)
(1974)
(1974)
The Fists of Vengeance
as Kiro-san
(1973)
Rage of Wind
as Taka
(1973)
Fist of Unicorn
as Sun
(1973)
A Girl Called Tigress
as Chiau Kung
(1973)
Seven to One
as Nightclub Singer / Killer
(1973)
Knight Errant
as Tetsuro
(1973)
Kung Fu Powerhouse
as Tiger
(1973)
(1973)
Win Them All
as Iron Fingers
(1973)
Black Panther
as Chang Hui-Feng
(1973)
(1973)
Kung Fu Inferno
as Chiang Hung
(1973)
(1973)
Ferocious to Ferocious
as Yamada
(1972)
The Prodigal Boxer
as Iron Hand Tan
(1972)
Four Riders
as Lei Tai
(1972)
The Angry Guest
as Katsu
(1972)
The King of Boxers
as Tu Pien
(1972)
Kung Fu: The Invisible Fist
as Cpt. Jai Tai
(1972)
Tiger
as Tze Chiang
Crew
(2006)
Origin: Spirits of the Past
Producer
(2003)
Yellow Dragon
Writer, Executive Producer