Sonny Chiba, Japanese 'Kill Bill' Actor and Martial Arts Legend, Dead at 82

Actor and martial arts legend Sonny Chiba has died at the age of 82.

According to Oricon News, the screen star had been battling the novel coronavirus, which led to him being admitted into the Kimitsu hospital in Japan's Chiba Prefecture.

Per the website, Chiba also developed pneumonia as he battled the virus, and ultimately didn't recover, passing away on Thursday.

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The beloved star, born Sadaho Maeda in Fukuoka, Japan, became one of the first stars to rise to international fame for appearing in martial arts movies.

He became endeared to global audiences for his broad range of films, which also included a role in Quentin Tarantino's 2003 revenge epic Kill Bill as swordsmith Hattori Hanzo.

According to Oricon News, he leaves behind three children, who are all actors—daughter Juri Manase and sons Mackenyu Nitta and Atsushi Maeda.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Sonny Chiba arrives at the World Premiere of "Take A Chance" at ArcLight Hollywood on October 10, 2018 in Hollywood, California. The actor passed away at the age of 82, it has been reported. Gregg DeGuire/WireImage