Tetsuro Tamba (1922 - 2006).

A full obituary is best left to those much more familiar with the man, but even the most regular of Japanese film fans will have seen a film featuring Tamba, not necessarily realising so - he had many appearances for Takashi Miike, Kinji Fukasaku and Teruo Ishii (all of which are very familiar these days) under his belt, as well as what totals to over two hunderd films to his name - one of my favourites includes Fukasaku's astonishing 1972 film 'Under the Flag of the Rising Sun'. One of the legendary action stars, and a very popular figure for several generations, Tamba passed away in the last couple of days - 85 years old, so a good, long, very productive life which gave immense pleasure to so many across the world.