SABU

SABU

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.

  • Title: SABU
  • Popularity: 4.189
  • Known For: Directing
  • Birthday: 1964-11-18
  • Place of Birth: Wakayama, Japan
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Hiroki Tanaka, 田中博行, サブ, Hiroyuki Tanaka, 田中博樹
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SABU Movies

  • 2001
    imgMovies

    Ichi the Killer

    Ichi the Killer

    7 2001 HD

    As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to...

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  • 1994
    imgMovies

    Zëiram 2

    Zëiram 2

    6.3 1994 HD

    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...

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  • 1991
    imgMovies

    World Apartment Horror

    World Apartment Horror

    5.8 1991 HD

    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....

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  • 1996
    imgMovies

    Dangan Runner

    Dangan Runner

    6.8 1996 HD

    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...

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  • 1993
    imgMovies

    Kuma-chan

    Kuma-chan

    1 1993 HD

    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.

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  • 1994
    imgMovies

    800 Two Lap Runners

    800 Two Lap Runners

    4.3 1994 HD

    This coming-of-age story revolves around two young long distance runners, Kenji Hirose and Ryuji Nakazawa. Kenji, haunted by memories of his dead...

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  • 1995
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    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Heist

    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Heist

    8 1995 HD

    Two petty gangsters get ransomed by a group of Yakuza members, fortunately they are rescued by a kindly Kindergarten teacher.

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  • 1997
    imgMovies

    Postman Blues

    Postman Blues

    7.3 1997 HD

    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...

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  • 1994
    imgMovies

    Kiriko

    Kiriko

    3 1994 HD

    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...

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  • 2016
    imgMovies

    Silence

    Silence

    7.13 2016 HD

    Two Jesuit priests travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact.

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  • 2003
    imgMovies

    Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

    Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

    6.9 2003 HD

    Tsuneo is a university student working part-time in a mah-jong parlour. Lately the customers have been talking about an old lady who pushes a baby...

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  • 1996
    imgMovies

    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Gamble

    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Gamble

    6 1996 HD

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

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  • 1995
    imgMovies

    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Escape

    Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Escape

    6.7 1995 HD

    Hapless gangsters are hired by the yakuza to tail his daughter. Once the identity of the boy she's dating has been unveiled, the boss offers a reward...

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  • 1995
    imgMovies

    Shinjuku Triad Society

    Shinjuku Triad Society

    6.3 1995 HD

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

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  • 2006
    imgMovies

    Sakuran

    Sakuran

    6.4 2006 HD

    Anna Tsuchiya blasts back in time playing an oiran, a top-notched geisha of the Edo period’s Yoshiwara District, navigating brothel politics...

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  • 1991
    imgMovies

    Savage City: Angel Whisper

    Savage City: Angel Whisper

    5 1991 HD

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

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  • 1998
    imgMovies

    Unlucky Monkey

    Unlucky Monkey

    6.5 1998 HD

    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...

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  • 1996
    imgMovies

    Don't Look Up

    Don't Look Up

    6.7 1996 HD

    On the set of a dark war time drama at an old movie studio, a young director, Toshio Murai, is trying to complete his debut film. The two starring...

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  • 1992
    imgMovies

    A Legend of Turmoil

    A Legend of Turmoil

    7.5 1992 HD

    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...

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  • 1994
    imgMovies

    Warrior's Justice 2: Full Battle

    Warrior's Justice 2: Full Battle

    1 1994 HD

    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...

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  • 2000
    imgMovies

    Monday

    Monday

    6.9 2000 HD

    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...

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  • 1997
    imgMovies

    Postman Blues

    Postman Blues

    7.3 1997 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2000
    imgMovies

    Monday

    Monday

    6.9 2000 HD

    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...

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  • 2002
    imgMovies

    Drive

    Drive

    6.5 2002 HD

    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...

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  • 2002
    imgMovies

    Drive

    Drive

    6.5 2002 HD

    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...

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  • 2015
    imgMovies

    Chasuke's Journey

    Chasuke's Journey

    6.2 2015 HD

    Things are hectic in heaven. Dozens of scribes sit before a long scroll incessantly scribbling away. They are composing the biographies of...

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  • 2005
    imgMovies

    Hold Up Down

    Hold Up Down

    6.9 2005 HD

    A bank robbery goes completely to pot, a pair of shoplifters get both an old man and a cop behind them. It is the beginning of this zany comedy,...

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  • 2002
    imgMovies

    Blessing Bell

    Blessing Bell

    6.7 2002 HD

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

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  • 1998
    imgMovies

    Unlucky Monkey

    Unlucky Monkey

    6.5 1998 HD

    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...

    img
  • 1998
    imgMovies

    Unlucky Monkey

    Unlucky Monkey

    6.5 1998 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2011
    imgMovies

    Bunny Drop

    Bunny Drop

    7 2011 HD

    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...

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  • 2009
    imgMovies

    Kanikôsen

    Kanikôsen

    6.2 2009 HD

    On board at the boat Kanikosen, where fish and crabs preserves, forced workers to work under miserable conditions, with minimum wages. Some can not...

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  • 1996
    imgMovies

    Dangan Runner

    Dangan Runner

    6.8 1996 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2003
    imgMovies

    Hard Luck Hero

    Hard Luck Hero

    6.3 2003 HD

    The story of three pairs of characters involved one way or the other with the yakuza and a rigged boxing match and fleeing the thugs one way or the...

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  • 2003
    imgMovies

    A1012K

    A1012K

    5 2003 HD

    A robot with human intelligence escapes from a military testing unit and wreaks havoc in a shopping mall

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  • 2005
    imgMovies

    Dead Run

    Dead Run

    5.2 2005 HD

    Classmates Shuji and Eri becomes friends, both young people have family problems. When Eri is taken away to Tokyo by her relatives, Shuji becomes...

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  • 2013
    imgMovies

    Miss ZOMBIE

    Miss ZOMBIE

    5.8 2013 HD

    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...

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  • 2013
    imgMovies

    Miss ZOMBIE

    Miss ZOMBIE

    5.8 2013 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2002
    imgMovies

    Blessing Bell

    Blessing Bell

    6.7 2002 HD

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

    img
  • 2021
    imgMovies

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    7.5 2021 HD

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

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  • 2021
    imgMovies

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    7.5 2021 HD

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

    img
  • 2015
    imgMovies

    Chasuke's Journey

    Chasuke's Journey

    6.2 2015 HD

    Things are hectic in heaven. Dozens of scribes sit before a long scroll incessantly scribbling away. They are composing the biographies of...

    img
  • 2023
    imgMovies

    Under Your Bed

    Under Your Bed

    5.667 2023 HD

    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...

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  • 2018
    imgMovies

    Jam

    Jam

    6.5 2018 HD

    A traditional ballad singer Hiroshi has enthusiastic middle-aged female fans. Takeru believes that by doing good things to others, he could cause a...

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  • 2019
    imgMovies

    Dancing Mary

    Dancing Mary

    6.8 2019 HD

    Kenji is the youngest member of a team in charge of building a large shopping center. But, to create the new complex, an old dance floor must be...

    img
  • 2017
    imgMovies

    Mr. Long

    Mr. Long

    7.2 2017 HD

    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.

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  • 2017
    imgMovies

    Happiness

    Happiness

    6.3 2017 HD

    Kanjaki, a middle-aged man, goes to a quiet countryside village. He puts his helmet on a shrunken old woman whom he meets by chance in a shop. As...

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  • 2017
    imgMovies

    Happiness

    Happiness

    6.3 2017 HD

    Kanjaki, a middle-aged man, goes to a quiet countryside village. He puts his helmet on a shrunken old woman whom he meets by chance in a shop. As...

    img
  • 1997
    imgMovies

    Postman Blues

    Postman Blues

    7.3 1997 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2009
    imgMovies

    Kanikôsen

    Kanikôsen

    6.2 2009 HD

    On board at the boat Kanikosen, where fish and crabs preserves, forced workers to work under miserable conditions, with minimum wages. Some can not...

    img
  • 2003
    imgMovies

    Hard Luck Hero

    Hard Luck Hero

    6.3 2003 HD

    The story of three pairs of characters involved one way or the other with the yakuza and a rigged boxing match and fleeing the thugs one way or the...

    img
  • 2005
    imgMovies

    Dead Run

    Dead Run

    5.2 2005 HD

    Classmates Shuji and Eri becomes friends, both young people have family problems. When Eri is taken away to Tokyo by her relatives, Shuji becomes...

    img
  • 1970
    imgMovies

    Redder Than Yesterday, Bluer Than Tomorrow: Cinema Fighters Project

    Redder Than Yesterday, Bluer Than Tomorrow: Cinema Fighters Project

    1 1970 HD

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

    img
  • 2011
    imgMovies

    Bunny Drop

    Bunny Drop

    7 2011 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2005
    imgMovies

    Hold Up Down

    Hold Up Down

    6.9 2005 HD

    A bank robbery goes completely to pot, a pair of shoplifters get both an old man and a cop behind them. It is the beginning of this zany comedy,...

    img
  • 2018
    imgMovies

    Jam

    Jam

    6.5 2018 HD

    A traditional ballad singer Hiroshi has enthusiastic middle-aged female fans. Takeru believes that by doing good things to others, he could cause a...

    img
  • 2018
    imgMovies

    Jam

    Jam

    6.5 2018 HD

    A traditional ballad singer Hiroshi has enthusiastic middle-aged female fans. Takeru believes that by doing good things to others, he could cause a...

    img
  • 1996
    imgMovies

    Dangan Runner

    Dangan Runner

    6.8 1996 HD

    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...

    img
  • 2019
    imgMovies

    Dancing Mary

    Dancing Mary

    6.8 2019 HD

    Kenji is the youngest member of a team in charge of building a large shopping center. But, to create the new complex, an old dance floor must be...

    img
  • 2019
    imgMovies

    Dancing Mary

    Dancing Mary

    6.8 2019 HD

    Kenji is the youngest member of a team in charge of building a large shopping center. But, to create the new complex, an old dance floor must be...

    img
  • 2021
    imgMovies

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    My Blood and Bones in a Flowing Galaxy

    7.5 2021 HD

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

    img
  • 2017
    imgMovies

    Mr. Long

    Mr. Long

    7.2 2017 HD

    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.

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E12

    1 1970 HD

    One day all of a sudden, a trouble befalls one man. That trouble snowballs into bigger troubles, one by one, pulling everyone around him in. A yakuza...

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E12

    1 1970 HD

    One day all of a sudden, a trouble befalls one man. That trouble snowballs into bigger troubles, one by one, pulling everyone around him in. A yakuza...

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E8

    7.5 1970 HD

    Hiroshi, Takeru, and Tetsuo all live in the same city. Hiroshi is an unpopular idol singer and he feels a void in his life. He is placed under...

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E8

    7.5 1970 HD

    Hiroshi, Takeru, and Tetsuo all live in the same city. Hiroshi is an unpopular idol singer and he feels a void in his life. He is placed under...

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E8

    7.5 1970 HD

    Hiroshi, Takeru, and Tetsuo all live in the same city. Hiroshi is an unpopular idol singer and he feels a void in his life. He is placed under...

    img
  • 1970
    imgS1 E12

    1 1970 HD

    One day all of a sudden, a trouble befalls one man. That trouble snowballs into bigger troubles, one by one, pulling everyone around him in. A yakuza...

    img