Sho Kosugi
Sho Kosugi in 2018
Born
小杉 正一 (Shōichi Kosugi)

(1948-06-17) June 17, 1948 (age 75)
Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Occupation(s)Actor, martial artist, writer
Years active1974–present
Spouse
Shook Gim Chan
​
​
(m. 1973; div. 2009)​
[1]
ChildrenKane Kosugi, Shane Kosugi, Ayeesha Kosugi

Sho Kosugi (ショー・コスギ, Shō Kosugi, born Shōichi Kosugi (小杉 正一, Kosugi Shōichi) on June 17, 1948) is a Japanese actor, martial artist and writer with extensive training in Shindō jinen-ryū Karate, Kendo, Judo, Iaido, Kobudo, Aikido and Ninjutsu. A former All Japan Karate Champion,[2][3] he gained popularity as an actor during the 1980s, often playing ninjas. He starred in a trilogy of martial arts ninja films produced by Cannon Films (Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination), before starring in the primetime television series The Master.[4] His work helped establish ninjas in popular culture, leading to a "ninja boom" or "ninjamania" during the early-to-mid-1980s.[5][6]

Life and career

At the age of 19, Kosugi left Japan to study and reside in Los Angeles where he earned a bachelor's degree in Economics at CSULA. At the same time, he consistently improved his martial arts skills while learning a wide variety of styles, such as Chinese xingyiquan, Korean taekwondo and Japanese Shitō-ryū and Shotokan-ryū karate.[7]

He is the father of Kane Kosugi and Shane Kosugi, who are both actors and martial artists, and Ayeesha Kosugi, a former senior member of the women's golf team at the University of Las Vegas. After taking a hiatus from film, he started a taiko group in California. In Japan, he also ran an internationally oriented group of martial arts acting schools known as the Sho Kosugi Institute. He currently resides in Los Angeles. Films in which Kosugi's sons perform alongside their father include Revenge of the Ninja, Pray for Death, Black Eagle and Journey of Honor (A.K.A. Kabuto, Shogun Mayeda and Shogun Warrior).[8]

In 2009, Sho made a comeback to films playing the lead villain of Ozunu in the action thriller Ninja Assassin opposite K-pop star and actor Rain.

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1974 The Godfather: Part II Passerby Extra
1975 Six Killers
1976 Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave
(아메리카 訪問客 Visitor of America)		 Suzuki
1978 The Bad News Bears Go to Japan Kata demonstrator Extra
1981 Enter the Ninja Hasegawa
1983 Revenge of the Ninja Cho Osaki Fight choreographer
1984 Ninja III: The Domination Goro Yamada Fight choreographer
1985 9 Deaths of the Ninja Spike Shinobi Fight choreographer
Pray for Death Akira Saito Martial arts choreographer
1987 Rage of Honor Shiro Tanaka Martial arts choreographer
1988 Aloha Summer Yukinaga Konishi Special kendo choreographer
Black Eagle Ken Tani Fight choreographer
1989 Blind Fury The Assassin Sword duel choreographer
1991 Journey of Honor
(兜 KABUTO)		 Daigorō Mayeda Producer
Story
1993 Drug Connection
(極東黒社会)		 Larry Matsuda
1994 The Fighting King
(ザ・格闘王)		 Director
The Fighting King 2
(ザ・格闘王２)		 Director
2002 The Scorpion King Taiko choreographer
Writer of "Marching-In" theme
2009 Ninja Assassin Ozunu

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Richard Pryor Show Samurai Extra
1984 The Master Okasa 13 episodes
Also fight double, stunt coordinator, ninja choreographer and technical advisor
1986 Honda Hurricane Ninja TV commercial: "Hiding Ninja"[9]
1987 Wide Show 11 PM
(11PM)		 Himself Episode: "USA Latest Information! Ninja Boom, Landing in Japan! $1 Million Star Sho Kosugi Visit!!"[10]
1991 Subarashiki Nakama
(すばらしき仲間)		 Himself 1 episode
42nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
(第42回NHK紅白歌合戦)		 Himself TV special
1992 Super Jockey
(スーパージョッキー)		 Himself 1 episode [11]
1993 Dragon Spirit
(琉球の風)		 Shintenpū 10 episodes
Itsumitemo Haranbanjō
(いつみても波瀾万丈)		 Himself 1 episode
Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero
(ウルトラマンパワード)		 Ultraman (voice) Episode: "On a Mission from M78" (Japanese dub)
1994 Sanma no Nandemo Derby
(さんまのなんでもダービー)		 Himself 1 episode
Waratte Iitomo! Tokudaigō
(笑っていいとも!特大号)		 Himself 1 episode
Oltre i Cinquanta
(オルトレ・イ・チンクワンタ)		 Himself 1 episode
Tetsuko's Room
(徹子の部屋)		 Himself 1 episode
Ninja Sentai Kakuranger
(忍者戦隊カクレンジャー)		 Gali Episodes: "A Super Big Figure Coming to Japan!!", "History's First Super Battle"
1995 Friday Lively Time
(金曜いきいきタイム)		 Himself 1 episode
1996–1998 Sho Kosugi Self-Defense and Ninjaerobics Himself Producer
Instructor
1996 Bang! Bang! Bang!
(BANG! BANG! BANG!)		 Himself 1 episode
Legend of St. Dragon
(聖龍伝説)		 Shūsaku Sendō Episode: "Episode 7"
1997 Cooking Banzai!
(料理バンザイ!)		 Himself 1 episode
1999 Madamunmun
(マダムんむん)		 Himself 1 episode
2000 Pro Sportsman No.1
(スポーツマンNo.1決定戦)		 Himself TV special: "Celebrity Survival Battle XVI"
Muscle Elite
(筋肉精鋭)		 Himself 3 episodes
Tunnels no Namade Daradara ika sete!!
(とんねるずの生でダラダラいかせて!!)		 Himself 1 episode
2000–2003 Sōzetsu batoru! Hana no geinōkai
(壮絶バトル!花の芸能界)		 Himself 3 episodes
2000 Romihii
(ろみひー)		 Himself 1 episode
Still, I like Japan!
(土曜特集 それでも,ニッポンが好き!)		 Himself 1 episode
2001 Kagai Jugyō Yōkoso Senpai
(課外授業 ようこそ先輩)		 Himself Episode "Hollywood Star: The Way To Realize Your Dreams"
Tiger's Gate
(虎ノ門)		 Himself 1 episode
Kanbai Gekijō
(完売劇場)		 Himself 2 episodes
Channepu
(ちゃんネプ)		 Himself 1 episode
Warau Inu
(笑う犬の発見 Go with flow!)		 Himself 1 episode
2002 Muscle Battle Preview Special
(筋肉バトル直前特集)		 Himself 1 episode
Sunday Big Variety
(日曜ビッグバラエティ)		 Himself Episode "Famous Foreign Talent: Homecoming Trip"
Super Friday
(スーパーフライデー)		 Himself 2 episodes
2003 Aitai! Onegai Kamisama Mōichido Dake! Special
(逢いたい！お願い神様もう一度だけ！ＳＰ)		 Himself 1 episode
Quiz $ Millionaire
(クイズ＄ミリオネア)		 Himself 1 episode
Tokumitsu Kazuo no Jōhō Spirits
(徳光和夫の情報スピリッツ)		 Himself 1 episode
2005 Zenigata Kintaro
(銭形金太郎)		 Himself 1 episode
2005–2007 Seikatsu Hot Morning
(生活ほっとモーニング)		 Himself 2 episodes
2006 Barber Young
(バーばーヤング)		 Himself 1 episode
2006–2007 Anytime Anywhere! Sho Kosugi's Towel Exercise
(いつでもどこでも!ショー・コスギのタオルエクササイズ)		 Himself
2007 Zubari Iuwayo!
(ズバリ言うわよ！)		 Himself 3 episodes

Home videos

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Master Class Himself/Ninja Fight choreographer
1986 Ninja Theater Hosted by Sho Kosugi Himself/Ninja 13 segments
Fight choreographer
2000 SKI (Sho Kosugi Institute) Himself Producer
2008 Sho Kosugi's Let's Towelcise[a] Himself/Ninja
2017 The Art of Hollywood Ninja Action Film Making Himself/Ninja Director
Producer

Stage

Year Title Roles Notes
2001 The Ninjas From Hollywood Japan Tour 2001 Genbusui, God of War and Peace
Kojiro, NY Ninja Boss
Bird-masked Ninja		 Director
Producer
Writer
2002 The Ninjas From Hollywood Japan Tour 2002 Genbusui, God of War and Peace
Kojiro, NY Ninja Boss
Prior Generation Ninja Leader		 Director
Producer
Writer

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Tenchu: Stealth Assassins Rikimaru motion capture

Bibliography

Non-Fiction

Authors Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
Kosugi, Sho 1990 Sho Kosugi: American Dream o Jitsugen Shita Otoko
(ショー・コスギ アメリカンドリームを実現した男)		 Nittō Shoin Honsha 978-4-5280003-5-3 Autobiographical
Kosugi, Sho 1993 American Survival
(アメリカンサバイバル)		 Kodansha 978-4-0620627-7-0
Kosugi, Sho 1994 Sho Kosugi no Un o Tsukamu
(ショー・コスギの運を掴む)		 Kodansha 978-4-0620714-0-6
Hirao, Yukari
Nemoto, Tetsuya		 1996 Sho Kosugi: The Challenge of Hollywood
(ショー・コスギ ハリウッドの挑戦)		 Business-sha 978-4-8284067-6-3 Biographical manga
Kosugi, Sho 1996 Sho Kosugi no Ninja Shiki Jinsei Hissho Ho
(ショー・コスギのニンジャ式人生必勝法)		 Bungeisha 978-4-8873700-0-5
Kosugi, Sho 1997 Make Dreams Come True
(メイク・ドリームズ・カム・トゥルー)		 Uinet 978-4-8728450-0-6
Kosugi, Sho 1998 Boku no Eigo Musha Shugyo: Atama wa Iranai! Eikaiwa
(ぼくの英語武者修行 頭はいらない！英会話)		 Kodansha 978-4-0626369-3-3
Kosugi, Sho 2000 Saikyo no Otoko Kane Kosugi ni Naru 43 no Hisaku
(最強の男ケイン・コスギになる43の秘策)		 Kodansha 978-4-0621032-7-5
Kosugi, Sho 2000 Hollywood Cinema Eigo Dojo: Doryoku wa Iranai! Eikaiwa
(ハリウッド・シネマ英語道場 努力はいらない！英会話)		 Kodansha 978-4-0626480-5-9
Kosugi, Sho 2001 Kodomo o Takumashiku Sodateru Honmono no Shitsuke: How to raise a child
(子供をたくましく育てる本物の「躾」 How to raise a child)		 Business-sha 978-4-8284093-9-9
Kosugi, Sho 2006 NHK Marutoku Magazine: Anytime Anywhere! Sho Kosugi's Towel Exercise
(ＮＨＫまる得マガジン いつでもどこでも！ショ－・コスギのタオルエクササイズ)		 NHK Publishing 978-4-14-827154-6

Fiction

Authors Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
Chaney, Warren
Kosugi, Sho		 2017 Yin-Yang Code: The Drums of Tenkai-Bo[12] MindStir Media 978-0-9990698-5-1
Chaney, Warren
Kosugi, Sho		 2018 Yin-Yang Code: Shadow of Tenkai-Bo[13] MindStir Media 978-0-9995121-4-2

Notes

  1. ^ Sho Kosugi's Let's Towelcise is a follow-up to Anytime Anywhere! Sho Kosugi's Towel Exercise.

References

  1. ^ "Sho Kosugi Vs Shook Gim Kosugi - Marriage Dissolution/Divorce Case". Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  2. ^ "'Ninja' Knockin' 'Em Dead". Chicago Tribune. May 15, 1986. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  3. ^ Beale, Lewis (April 20, 1986). "Martial Arts Pics—packing A Hard Punch". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  4. ^ "'Ninja' Knockin' 'Em Dead". Chicago Tribune. May 15, 1986. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  5. ^ Vandehey, Tim (May 1989). "The Ninja Phenomenon". Black Belt. Vol. 27, no. 5. Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 36–40. ISSN 0277-3066.
  6. ^ Donovan, Barna William (September 17, 2014). The Asian Influence on Hollywood Action Films. McFarland & Company. pp. 133–4. ISBN 978-1-4766-0770-2.
  7. ^ "'Sho Kosugi Profile". Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  8. ^ "Interview with Sho Kosugi" ZigZag Asia, January 1, 2001
  9. ^ "Honda Hurricane - "Hiding Ninja"". YouTube. 1986. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  10. ^ "11 PM「USA最新情報・忍者ブーム」ショー・コスギ氏ゲスト出演 1987年". YouTube. March 17, 1987. Retrieved September 3, 2021.[dead YouTube link]
  11. ^ "スーパージョッキー ガンバルマン". nicovideo.jp. 1991. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Yin-Yang Code Novels". Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  13. ^ "Yin-Yang Code Novels". Retrieved May 2, 2019.

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