Overview
- Tagawa died on Dec. 4 in Santa Barbara at age 75, with his family and publicist confirming he passed from complications of a stroke while surrounded by his children.
- He became an international cult figure as Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film and later returned to the role in TV adaptations and video games, including Mortal Kombat 11 and 2023’s Mortal Kombat: Onslaught.
- Across roughly 150 credits over four decades, his notable work ranged from Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor to Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, along with roles in Pearl Harbor, Planet of the Apes and Memoirs of a Geisha.
- Public tributes followed quickly, including a remembrance from Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon praising Tagawa’s defining portrayal and statements from his longtime manager honoring his character and craft.
- He lived on Kauai and is survived by his three children, Calen, Brynne and Cana, as well as two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.