Japanese actor Sonny Chiba passed away on Thursday, aged 82. The legendary martial artist is said to have succumbed to complications related COVID-19. He was admitted to a hospital in Kimitsu City, Chiba. Tributes poured in for the late actor with his fans expressing grief and shock at his death. 

Sonny Chiba had earlier in July got infected with the virus but wasn’t hospitalised. However, over time his health deteriorated due to worsening coronary pneumonia.

Following this debilitating revelation, 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 is survived by his children Juri Manase, Gordon Maeda and Mackenyu Arata. Tributes poured in for the late actor. Japanese Society film tweeted, “R.I.P Legendary action star Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba (1939-2021)”, while another user wrote, 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.”

A twitter user reminisced about his role in a comic book movie and wrote, “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.” And of them expresses his disbelief at the news of Sonny’s demise, “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.”

Sonny Chiba is popularly known for his performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volume 1 as Hanzo and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

He has 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 that trains actors to perform stunts and martial arts.