SABU

Directing

SABU

Born 1964-11-18 · Wakayama, Japan

Sabu (サブ, Sabu, born November 18, 1964) is the pseudonym of Japanese actor and director Hiroyuki Tanaka. Born in Wakayama Prefecture, Sabu studied at an Osaka fashion school before deciding to go to Tokyo to become a professional musician. It was suggested he try acting and in 1986 he made his film debut in Sorobanzuku. He earned his first starring role in the 1991 World Apartment Horror, a live-action film directed by Katsuhiro Ōtomo of Akira fame. Working from a script he wrote himself, he made his directorial debut with the 1996 Dangan Runner, a film that set his early style of "quirky action-comedies propelled by characters who hurtle headlong though squirming narratives steered more by the forces of incidence and coincidence than the actions of the protagonists themselves." Shin'ichi Tsutsumi played the lead in Sabu's first five films. Blessing Bell, starring Susumu Terajima (who has played minor roles in nearly all of Sabu's films), was a turn away from his kinetic, parodic, and black comedy narratives, and earned the NETPAC Award at the 2003 Berlin Film Festival. Later films featured the J-pop band V6. In 2009, he directed The Crab Cannery Ship, a modern adaptation of a classic of Japanese proletarian literature written by Takiji Kobayashi. He has continued to work as an actor, such as in Takashi Miike's Ichi the Killer (2001). His film Chasuke's Journey was selected to be screened in the main competition section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.

Acting credits

Silence poster
7.1

In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor, who is rumored to have committed apostasy, and to propagate Catholicism.

Silence

2016

Ichi the Killer poster
7.0

As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of.

Ichi the Killer

2001

Sakuran poster
6.5

Kiyoha rises from the lowly courtesan ranks to the high class position of Oiran in the steamy red-light district of Yoshiwara. She is determined to stand on her own two feet and live life as she pleased.

Sakuran

2006

Dangan Runner poster
6.8

A would-be bank robber forgets his mask on his first big heist, and then botches an attempt to shoplift a replacement mask from a nearby convenience store. The store's clerk, a washed-up rock star, chases the thief and literally runs into a Yakuza to whom he owes money. Thus begins an all-night, three-way pursuit through the streets of Tokyo.

Dangan Runner

1996

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish poster
6.9

A part-time employee in a mahjong parlour runs across a young woman, who is unable to walk, in baby carriage. He becomes friends with the woman and begins to feel enamoured with her.

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

2003

Shinjuku Triad Society poster
6.2

Tatsuhito, a cop, pursues Chinese warlord Wang through the underworld of Shinjuku and over to Taiwan.

Shinjuku Triad Society

1995

Kiriko poster
6.5

1994 sequel to Satoru Kobayashi's "The Blind Cat". Yakuza drug dealers lure the blind Kiriko into town to take revenge on her. However, Kiriko is a master swordswoman and has plans of her own.

Kiriko

1994

800 Two Lap Runners poster
4.4

A coming-of-age story about two runners, Kenji and Ryuji, tangled in love, loss, and rivalry, as they navigate complex emotions and relationships.

800 Two Lap Runners

1994

Don't Look Up poster
6.4

A filmmaker and crew slowly go insane after being continually haunted by the ghost of a dead actress.

Don't Look Up

1996

Postman Blues poster
7.4

Sawaki is a postman who's not quite thrilled about his boring way of life. But his life is about to change when he delivers mail to his old schoolmate Noguchi, who's now a member of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia, and just finished cutting his little finger off.

Postman Blues

1997

A Legend of Turmoil poster
7.5

A story about the development of a bright and strong yakuza. Otaki is an old-fashioned respectful yakuza who tries to protect his small yakuza family. When his boss gets shot, he decides to go after the plotters.

A Legend of Turmoil

1992

Unlucky Monkey poster
6.7

A dark and strange comedy about a bank robber with bad luck. Bungling a bank robbery turns out to be a profitable mistake for Yamazaki, an amateur crook who ends up with 80 million yen after a string of improbable accidents. But having so much cash doesn't make his life is any easier. In fact, it gets much more complicated when Yamazaki stabs a hairdresser by mistake and instantly becomes a hunted fugitive. He's just one unlucky monkey but can he turn his luck around?

Unlucky Monkey

1998

Zëiram 2 poster
6.5

Intergalactic bounty hunters Iria and Bob return to track down an ancient mystical relic. When a second Zeiram unit shows up and goes berserk, it takes all of Iria's resources to survive a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with the fearsome space creature.

Zëiram 2

1994

Ichi the Killer - Behind the Scenes poster
NR

The behind the scenes of Ichi the Killer, included in its Bluray release.

Ichi the Killer - Behind the Scenes

2013

Ichi the Killer - Making Of poster
NR

The making of the most controversial scenes of Takashi Miike's cult film, Ichi the Killer.

Ichi the Killer - Making Of

2013

Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Gamble poster
6.0

Having lost everything to horse racing, Yûji accidentally gets 10 million yen. But this sum belongs to a Yakuza.

Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Gamble

1996

World Apartment Horror poster
5.8

A Yakuza underling is given the assignment to rid an apartment of its tenants within a week. He tries a variety of desperate tactics to no avail. Soon his problems get worse as an evil spirit makes its presence known.

World Apartment Horror

1991

Costume Club Wars - Angel of Sumata poster
NR

The ultimate sex appeal wars have begun between the two shop girls working opposite each other in this adult entertainment and image club! Dressed in various costumes, they torment men with their mind-blowing techniques!

Costume Club Wars - Angel of Sumata

1995

Kuma-chan poster
7.0

Kuma-chan, an alien who looks just like a stuffed bear, helps a middle-aged sculptor fall in love with a young actress from a theater company.

Kuma-chan

1993

New Book of the Waru 3: Passion poster
NR

Third movie of the series starring Hakuryu.

New Book of the Waru 3: Passion

1993

Savage City: Angel Whisper poster
6.5

A corrupt cop teams up with an unlikely partner to protect the city from a gang of ruthless drug addicts.

Savage City: Angel Whisper

1991

Warrior's Justice 2: Full Battle poster
NR

Takeshi Kojima, who once killed a corrupt economic yakuza boss, has been hiding out in the doya district to escape the gang and the police. Then he is approached by the local yakuza, the Kamata clan. However, the residents don't like the Kamata gang's outrageous tactics, and he refuses their offer...

Warrior's Justice 2: Full Battle

1994

(Ura) Tôsatsu nanpa-dô poster
NR

Although he graduated from the Department of Photography at a university, Tatsuya, who had been living a agonizing life without getting a job, accidentally ended up working as a photographer for a sex posting magazine. Pick-up, Aokan, SM, soap, but all the sex photos taken by Tatsuya are inked on the model's face, processed as amateur posts and incorporated into the magazine...

(Ura) Tôsatsu nanpa-dô

1996

Behind the camera

Arrested Memory poster
NR

Lee is a superstar police detective in Taipei. After losing his team during a crime investigation, he is haunted by guilt and transferred to a rural police station. Traumatized by the incident, Lee develops amnesia—but is determined to keep it a secret. Soon, he is assigned a new case: the kidnapping of the son of an influential Japanese businessman. As his memory continues to fade, Lee can only rely on his instincts—which, against all odds, lead him to the criminals.

Arrested Memory

2026

Arrested Memory poster
NR

Lee is a superstar police detective in Taipei. After losing his team during a crime investigation, he is haunted by guilt and transferred to a rural police station. Traumatized by the incident, Lee develops amnesia—but is determined to keep it a secret. Soon, he is assigned a new case: the kidnapping of the son of an influential Japanese businessman. As his memory continues to fade, Lee can only rely on his instincts—which, against all odds, lead him to the criminals.

Arrested Memory

2026

Bunny Drop poster
7.1

Daikichi learns that his recently deceased grandfather has an illegitimate daughter with an unknown mother. The girl's name is Rin and she is just 6 years old. Everybody in Daikichi's family looks at the girl as an embarrassment and wants no part of her. Disgusted by his family's attitude, Daikichi decides to raise Rin by himself, even though he has no experience raising a child and is still single.

Bunny Drop

2011

Bunny Drop poster
7.1

Daikichi learns that his recently deceased grandfather has an illegitimate daughter with an unknown mother. The girl's name is Rin and she is just 6 years old. Everybody in Daikichi's family looks at the girl as an embarrassment and wants no part of her. Disgusted by his family's attitude, Daikichi decides to raise Rin by himself, even though he has no experience raising a child and is still single.

Bunny Drop

2011

Mr. Long poster
7.3

Long is a Taiwanese killer known for his sword skills. After Long fails a Tokyo mission, he moves to a small town where no one knows about him.

Mr. Long

2017

Mr. Long poster
7.3

Long is a Taiwanese killer known for his sword skills. After Long fails a Tokyo mission, he moves to a small town where no one knows about him.

Mr. Long

2017

Miss ZOMBIE poster
5.6

A doctor and his family receive an unexpected delivery from an old friend at their remote country home - a large wooden crate containing a gun, a female zombie and an instruction sheet telling them not to feed her meat. The family is concerned, of course, but she seems harmless enough. Perhaps she can help clean up outside?

Miss ZOMBIE

2013

Miss ZOMBIE poster
5.6

A doctor and his family receive an unexpected delivery from an old friend at their remote country home - a large wooden crate containing a gun, a female zombie and an instruction sheet telling them not to feed her meat. The family is concerned, of course, but she seems harmless enough. Perhaps she can help clean up outside?

Miss ZOMBIE

2013

Dangan Runner poster
6.8

A would-be bank robber forgets his mask on his first big heist, and then botches an attempt to shoplift a replacement mask from a nearby convenience store. The store's clerk, a washed-up rock star, chases the thief and literally runs into a Yakuza to whom he owes money. Thus begins an all-night, three-way pursuit through the streets of Tokyo.

Dangan Runner

1996

Dangan Runner poster
6.8

A would-be bank robber forgets his mask on his first big heist, and then botches an attempt to shoplift a replacement mask from a nearby convenience store. The store's clerk, a washed-up rock star, chases the thief and literally runs into a Yakuza to whom he owes money. Thus begins an all-night, three-way pursuit through the streets of Tokyo.

Dangan Runner

1996

Under Your Bed poster
6.1

Ji-hoon comes alive only when he sees Ye-eun at college. After a long time, he desires to see her once more. Unfortunately, she has lost her vivacity after marrying her abusive husband, Hyung-oh. Ji-hoon hides under both their noses to rescue her from her suffering.

Under Your Bed

2023

Monday poster
7.0

A simple funeral turns a man's world Topsy turvy. He wakes up in a posh hotel room, totally clueless about how he got there. Slowly, he recalls what happened a day before.

Monday

2000

Monday poster
7.0

A simple funeral turns a man's world Topsy turvy. He wakes up in a posh hotel room, totally clueless about how he got there. Slowly, he recalls what happened a day before.

Monday

2000

Kanikôsen poster
6.2

On board at the boat Kanikosen, where fish and crabs preserves, forced workers to work under miserable conditions, with minimum wages. Some can not cope with conditions and even death from malnutrition, and is also the supervisor of the more vicious variety. Shinjo, one of the employees, trying to convince the others that they will get good luck and fortune in his next life, and persuades them because they commit suicide to get there faster. It ends, however, in a single major failure. Rather than flee Shinjo being picked up by a Russian ship. Once there, he is overwhelmed by the social conditions that are completely different from those he has just left and decided therefore to return to Kanikosen to save their employees.

Kanikôsen

2009

Kanikôsen poster
6.2

On board at the boat Kanikosen, where fish and crabs preserves, forced workers to work under miserable conditions, with minimum wages. Some can not cope with conditions and even death from malnutrition, and is also the supervisor of the more vicious variety. Shinjo, one of the employees, trying to convince the others that they will get good luck and fortune in his next life, and persuades them because they commit suicide to get there faster. It ends, however, in a single major failure. Rather than flee Shinjo being picked up by a Russian ship. Once there, he is overwhelmed by the social conditions that are completely different from those he has just left and decided therefore to return to Kanikosen to save their employees.

Kanikôsen

2009

My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy poster
7.6

Kiyosumi's affection for his schoolmate Hari grows after he saves her from bullying, but a dark secret she's unwilling to share threatens their bond.

My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

2021

My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy poster
7.6

Kiyosumi's affection for his schoolmate Hari grows after he saves her from bullying, but a dark secret she's unwilling to share threatens their bond.

My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

2021

Jam poster
6.5

A traditional ballad singer Hiroshi has enthusiastic middle-aged female fans. Takeru believes that by doing good things to others, he could cause a miracle to happen and cure his beloved girlfriend who is in coma. Tetsuo avenges himself on yakuza for putting him in a jail and now is chased by them. These three men's paths are somehow intertwined and drawing them toward a showdown.

Jam

2018

Jam poster
6.5

A traditional ballad singer Hiroshi has enthusiastic middle-aged female fans. Takeru believes that by doing good things to others, he could cause a miracle to happen and cure his beloved girlfriend who is in coma. Tetsuo avenges himself on yakuza for putting him in a jail and now is chased by them. These three men's paths are somehow intertwined and drawing them toward a showdown.

Jam

2018

Blessing Bell poster
6.9

Existential study on a misplaced workers and ex-prisoner who moves through the city and his influence on other characters' lives.

Blessing Bell

2002

Blessing Bell poster
6.9

Existential study on a misplaced workers and ex-prisoner who moves through the city and his influence on other characters' lives.

Blessing Bell

2002

Redder Than Yesterday, Bluer Than Tomorrow: Cinema Fighters Project poster
NR

The fourth instalment of LDH Pictures, Cinema Fighters project. This time with all the main characters of the six short stories being portrayed by the members of Generations from Exile Tribe.

Redder Than Yesterday, Bluer Than Tomorrow: Cinema Fighters Project

2021

Drive poster
6.9

Kenichi Asakura is an uptight, hyper-square salesman. One day, three bank robbers commandeer his van. They are in hot pursuit of their fellow robber who has snatched the money. Unfortunately for the bank robbers, Asakura never drives over 40 km/h speed limit even under the extreme situation.

Drive

2002

Drive poster
6.9

Kenichi Asakura is an uptight, hyper-square salesman. One day, three bank robbers commandeer his van. They are in hot pursuit of their fellow robber who has snatched the money. Unfortunately for the bank robbers, Asakura never drives over 40 km/h speed limit even under the extreme situation.

Drive

2002