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Takeshi Kaneshiro

Takeshi Kaneshiro

Actor · Born October 11, 1973 (53) · Taipei, Taiwan

Takeshi Kaneshiro, born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwanese and Japanese actor of mixed heritage – his father is Ryukyuan and his mother is Taiwanese. He speaks Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese Hokkien and English. Known for his versatile roles in Taiwanese, Hong Kong and Japanese cinema, he gained international recognition for his performances in films like "Chungking Express" (1994), "Fallen Angels" (1995), and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004). In addition to his acting career, Kaneshiro has also released several music albums and has been involved in numerous commercial endorsements. Despite maintaining a relatively private personal life, his talent and enduring popularity have made him a prominent figure in Asian entertainment.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 11, 1973 (53)
From
Taipei, Taiwan
Works as
Actor
Titles
25 on MovieCove · 52 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 5% in 30 days

What are Takeshi Kaneshiro's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
26%
Self
19%
Morality
17%
Survival
15%
Power
9%
Ideas
8%
Society
5%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 4 · Dark 14

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 12

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 10 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 10

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 7

Roles they play

20 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 20 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 20
Ally
5 of 20
Mentor
2 of 20
Shapeshifter
1 of 20
Show the 20 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
19
Tense
14
Romantic
9
Contemplative
5
Thrilling
5
Other
17

How their films linger

Bittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Takeshi Kaneshiro's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 25 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Takeshi Kaneshiro's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

52 credits, 25 with a MovieCove page.

  • Sons of the Neon Night(2025)

    as Moreton Li

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • This Is Not What I Expected (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Lu Jin

  • See You Tomorrow(2016)

    as Guan Chun

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Crossing 2(2015)

    as Yan Zenkun

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Crossing(2014)

    as Yan Shikun

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Where Love Blooms in the Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Dragon(2011)

    as Xu Baijiu

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Red Cliff II(2009)

    as Zhu Ge Liang

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Heikichi Endo

  • Red Cliff(2008)

    as Zhu Ge Liang

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Sweet Rain: Accuracy of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Chiba

  • The Warlords(2007)

    as Jiang Wu-Yang

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Bokura no Jidai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Confession of Pain(2006)

    as Yau Kin-Bong

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Perhaps Love(2005)

    Songs · as Lin Jian-Dong

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • House of Flying Daggers(2004)

    as Jin

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Turn Left, Turn Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as John Liu

  • Returner(2002)

    as Miyamoto

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Golden Bowl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 11 episodes · as Shu Akutagawa

  • Takeshi Kaneshiro's Antarctic Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • 裸にしたい男 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lavender(2000)

    as Angel

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Space Travelers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Nishiyama

  • Love 2000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 11 episodes · as Nogami / Yuri Maroev

  • Tempting Heart(1999)

    as Ho-jun

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Too Tired to Die(1998)

    as Kenji

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Precious Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 12 episodes · as Keigo Ishikawa

  • Sleepless Town(1998)

    as Kenichi Ryuu

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Anna Magdalena(1998)

    as Chan Kar-Fu

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • First Love: Litter on the Breeze(1997)

    as Lam Kar Tung

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Downtown Torpedoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Jackal

  • Hero(1997)

    as Ma Wing Jing

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Odd One Dies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Mo

  • Misty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Takehiro

  • Jail in Burning Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Yeung Chung

  • Lost and Found(1996)

    as That Worm

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Feeling of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Songs · as Hing

  • Dr. Wai in the Scripture with No Words(1996)

    as Yvonne / Yan Yan

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Miracle on a Christmas Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • Young Policemen in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Gimmick

  • Fallen Angels(1995)

    as He Zhiwu

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Forever Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Private Li Ta-Wei

  • Fuji Colours of Amours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Kim

  • School Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Songs · as 戴冠英

  • Trouble Maker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Songs · as A Miu

  • Don't Give a Damn(1995)

    as Inspector Tang Chuen-Shek

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • China Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Kok Tong Miu

  • Mermaid Got Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Kenji / Mark Kim

  • The Wrath of Silence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Patrick Ko

  • Chungking Express(1994)

    as He Zhiwu / Cop 223

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • No Sir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Chin Tieh-Sheng

  • Heroic Trio 2: Executioners(1993)

    as Chung Hon

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1993 to 2025; peak year 2008.

Biggest box office

Red Cliff (2008)

$130M worldwide

Highest rated

Chungking Express (1994)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19932025

Peak 2008 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 8 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1993Screen debut· Heroic Trio 2: Executioners
  • 1996First top-billed film· Lost and Found
  • 2004Career best· House of Flying Daggers

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting52 of 52: 48 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thOther crew4 of 52: 0 only other crew, 4 with another role

52 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and other crew overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1990s28 · 28 acting · 3 crew2000s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew2010s6 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 48% of 21 roles
939808

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Takeshi Kaneshiro's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Too Tired to Die (1998)

66th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Chungking Express (1994)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Takeshi Kaneshiro's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 61 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles32–52 · median 43 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 14 · minimalMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 49 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Takeshi Kaneshiro work with?

People who share at least 2 of Takeshi Kaneshiro's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tony Leung Chiu-wai shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles