How did Sonny Chiba die? Tributes pour in as Kill Bill's Hattori Hanzo passes away at 82 

Revered Japanese actor Sonny Chiba passed away today at the age of 82 from complications related to COVID-19. The legendary martial artist was admitted to a hospital in Kimitsu City, Chiba.

The actor had been infected by the virus in late July but was not hospitalized for treatment. This was followed by a drastic decline in health which included worsening coronary pneumonia.

Following this debilitating reveal, Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba was rushed to a hospital. According to Japan’s Oricon News, the actor had been in a state of continuous oxygen inhalation but unfortunately passed away without recovering.

He was a six-time black belt winner and was also considered an Olympic- contender athlete.

Sonny Chiba was married to Yoko Nogiwa, which ended with a divorce in 1994. The Kill Bill actor went on to tie the knot with Tamami Chiba. Their marriage ultimately ended in divorce as well in 2015.

He is survived by his children Juri Manase, Gordon Maeda and Mackenyu Arata, who followed in his footsteps and are active in the Japanese film industry.

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Tributes pour in for actor Sonny Chiba, who passed away today

Sonny Chiba, whose real name was Sadaho Maeda, was born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1939. The then-trained martial artist was an Olympic hopeful but his career got side-lined after sustaining a back injury.

Chiba started his acting career in the 1960s with a tokusatsu series called "Seven Color Mask." He was known to be a Kyokushin karate expert and became one of the first Japanese actors to achieve international Hollywood stardom. The actor entered mainstream cinema with his 1974 English-dubbed movie "The Street Fighter."

R.I.P Legendary action star Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba (1939-2021) pic.twitter.com/ciXsivoljM

— Japan Society Film (@js_film_nyc) August 19, 2021

I pray from the bottom of my heart that his soul may rest in peace.Sonny Chiba 1939ー2021 pic.twitter.com/JjTjhWVzLI

— cbom0902 (@cbom0902) August 19, 2021

RIP sonny chiba the 🐐. will never forget the first time i watched the street fighter (1978) which is the yakuza & martial arts film stripped to the purest essential of communication through blunt bodily harm. cut to x-ray of skull crack followed by gushing blood here is unreal pic.twitter.com/3rt3XCPKz6

— josh lewis (@thejoshl) August 19, 2021

We’ve lost the great Sonny Chiba to Covid. Many saw him in Kill Bill but fans probably know him best from his Street Fighter series. He did a comic book movie with the live action Golgo 13. He was only 82. pic.twitter.com/5RObbUkanv

— ComicTropes (@CTropes) August 19, 2021

Rest in peace, Sonny Chiba. He was the Seven Color Mask, Messenger of Allah, and Voicer, the father of Space Sheriff Gavan. He also formed Japan Action Club where many tokusatsu suit actors came from. #千葉真一 pic.twitter.com/c6Ft7STqDu

— Dito (@arditoAW) August 19, 2021

Sonny Chiba. Forever a legend. Forever a badass. pic.twitter.com/q92T31ZKOo

— Beyond Fest (@BeyondFest) August 19, 2021

R.I.P. to legendary actor Sonny Chiba, who has passed away. He once helped create a mascot named Jube, based on the samurai Yagyu Jubei, who Chiba played in various movies and TV shows. pic.twitter.com/nlAJcu5adg

— Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) August 19, 2021

RIP Sonny Chiba, the Street Fighter. A legend so larger-than-life, so ferocious, ao awesome that wolfman Chiba was just a meaner angrier Chiba. His skull-crushing bone-crunching bear-fighting legacy will not be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/58OpiSOeuZ

— GenreFilmAddict (@GenreFilmAddict) August 19, 2021

I can't fucking believe it.Why Sonny Chiba? I understand he was in his 80s but seriously, why!?One of the last living big action stars and there he goes.Gone forever. But I hope he's never forgotten. Rest in peace legend.

— Bat🌟🦇 (@zetaesper) August 19, 2021

In THE STREET FIGHTER, Sonny Chiba tells the audience when he’s going to beat the everloving shit out of someone simply by breathing. RIP to a real one.

— Brian Holt (@VeraCruzTX) August 19, 2021

Western audiences know the actor well for his performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volume 1 as Hanzo and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Sonny Chiba had also starred in over 100 Japanese films and became known for founding the Japan Action Club also known as the Kapan Action Enterprise (JAE). It is a talent agency which specializes in training actors to perform stunts and martial arts. One of JAE's notable alumni is Hiroyuki Sanada, who starred in Westworld and Mortal Kombat.