Tak Sakaguchi
It seems that right at birth, Tak Sakaguchi was bound to be a force to be reckoned with. From an early age, he exhibited excellent motor skills and cat-like reflexes; putting these skills to use and excelling in martial arts such as Judo and boxing. Surprisingly, even with his stunning looks and charisma, Sakaguchi wasn't seeking a career in acting - it sought him. Working as a street fighter, he was chosen by a then unknown director, Ryuhei Kitamura. Kitamura was still accumulating funds and financial resources for his independent film, Versus, and not knowing any established actors, he chose Sakaguchi due to his natural fighting skills and physical prowess. Kitamura felt that Sakaguchi shouldn't have to go to waste fighting in the streets, so why not bring his skills to film instead? Sakaguchi pushed himself physically to the extreme for the film, breaking ribs, bruising and cutting himself, even losing a tooth! Instead of halting production, he had it glued back in! The film proved to be quite a gamble for both star and director, but it also pay off in ways that neither would have expected. Upon its release, Versus was a hit in its native Japan, even with the novice director, reluctant actor, and extremely low-budget. Once released over-seas, the film became a cult hit. Seemingly overnight, both Sakaguchi and Kitamura launched their careers and continued to work together in films such as the Azumi series, Alive, Aragami and Battlefield Baseball. While all film ventures were successful, Sakaguchi had yet to acquire the same success he did with Versus. 2005 would prove to be a bigger year, taking on more mainstream film roles in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade. Then there was Death Trance, with a role similar to that of Versus; it was also in Death Watch that Sakaguchi directed the action scenes. 2007, however, proved to be even busier, acting in both films and television. Sakaguchi has also taken to working behind the camera, writing and directing his first film, Sakigake!! Otako juku (Be a Man! Samurai School). With such a strong dedication to his craft, be it actor, writer, or director, Sakaguchi is unstoppable.
