6 Best Tatsuya Nakadai Movies

By Vlad Zakh · February 3, 2026

Tatsuya Nakadai became one of Japanese cinema’s most versatile leading men, bringing commanding intensity to samurai epics and searing postwar dramas alike. Harakiri reveals a shocking history behind a ronin’s ritual suicide request, High and Low weighs a ransom after a chauffeur’s son is kidnapped, Kwaidan collects four eerie ghost stories, and Ran splits an ageing warlord’s kingdom into civil war. Yojimbo and The Human Condition: No Greater Love round out the list.

Ran (1985)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 96% Metacritic 97

An ageing warlord's decision to divide his kingdom among his sons ignites a catastrophic war.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 2h 40m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar30 wins & 23 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, BFI Player Amazon Channel

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kwaidan (1964)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 91%

Four traditional Japanese ghost stories told with a meticulous, painterly visual style.

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi · 3h 03m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar5 wins & 3 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

High and Low (1963)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 97% Metacritic 90

A wealthy executive must decide whether to pay a ransom demanded for the wrong kidnapped child.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 2h 22m · Rated NR

3 wins & 3 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Harakiri (1962)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 100% Metacritic 85

A ronin's request to commit ritual suicide at a feudal estate unravels a tale of institutional cruelty.

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi · 2h 15m · Rated NR

9 wins & 3 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Yojimbo (1961)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 96% Metacritic 93

A wandering samurai plays two rival gangs against each other to liberate a terrorised town.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 1h 50m · Rated NR

Nominated for 1 Oscar5 wins & 2 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Human Condition: No Greater Love (1959)

TMDB ★ 8.0

Tatsuya Nakadai plays an idealistic Japanese pacifist who is forced to compromise his beliefs.

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi · 3h 24m

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Tatsuya Nakadai Movies

Ran (1985)

Kwaidan (1964)

High and Low (1963)

Harakiri (1962)

Yojimbo (1961)

The Human Condition: No Greater Love (1959)

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