Overview
- Tagawa died Thursday, Dec. 4, in Santa Barbara due to complications from a stroke, with his family confirming he was surrounded by his children.
- He was widely recognized for originating Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film and reprising the role across sequels, TV adaptations and video games, including Mortal Kombat 11.
- A breakout turn in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor launched a prolific run that amassed more than 100–150 screen and game credits.
- He earned later acclaim as Nobusuke Tagomi in Prime Video’s The Man in the High Castle, reflecting themes he often discussed from his Japanese-American upbringing and martial-arts training.
- Survivors include his children Calen, Brynne and Cana, and grandchildren River and Thea Clayton, as industry tributes arrived quickly, including a remembrance from Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon.