Toshishiro Obata

Toshishiro Obata is the founder of Shinkendo. He is well known in Japan as a tameshigiri champion for several years in a row and is an authorized shitoka. He studied aikido under Gozo Shioda in the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo, and studied the sword arts of Nakamura-ryu, Ioriken Battojutsu, Toyama-ryu, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, Kashima Shin-ryu, Ryukyu Kobudo, and others. He moved to America in 1980 to start teaching and to develop his own sword art, based on his extensive experience. In 1990, the International Shinkendo Federation was officially established. The federation has grown to 80 branches internationally, and continues to expand. Obata, as the founder of the school, is referred to as Obata Kaiso by his students, and continues to travel across the globe to hold seminars for his students around the world. Since 1986, Obata has appeared in several Hollywood films.

Black Rain (1989)

Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ridley Scott
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Andy García  •  Kate Capshaw  •  Shigeru Kōyama

Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ridley Scott
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Andy García  •  Kate Capshaw  •  Shigeru Kōyama

China O'Brien (1990)

China O'Brien; big city police woman; martial arts trainer, is forced to hand in her badge and head home to her father and the small town where she grew up. The peaceful town she knew is now struggling against the clutches of organized crime. When her father, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Clouse
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Keith Cooke  •  Doug Wright

China O'Brien; big city police woman; martial arts trainer, is forced to hand in her badge and head home to her father and the small town where she grew up. The peaceful town she knew is now struggling against the clutches of organized crime. When her father, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Clouse
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Keith Cooke  •  Doug Wright

Demolition Man (1993)

FunnyViolentFuturisticGoofy

Simon Phoenix, a violent criminal cryogenically frozen in 1996, escapes during a parole hearing in 2032 in the utopia of San Angeles. Police are incapable of dealing with his violent ways and turn to his captor, who had also been cryogenically frozen after being ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Marco Brambilla
CAST:  Sylvester Stallone  •  Wesley Snipes  •  Sandra Bullock  •  Nigel Hawthorne

Simon Phoenix, a violent criminal cryogenically frozen in 1996, escapes during a parole hearing in 2032 in the utopia of San Angeles. Police are incapable of dealing with his violent ways and turn to his captor, who had also been cryogenically frozen after being ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Marco Brambilla
CAST:  Sylvester Stallone  •  Wesley Snipes  •  Sandra Bullock  •  Nigel Hawthorne

Rising Sun (1993)

When a prostitute is found dead in a Los Angeles skyscraper occupied by a large Japanese corporation, detectives John Connor and Web Smith are called in to investigate. Although Connor has previous experience working in Japan, cultural differences make their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philip Kaufman
CAST:  Sean Connery  •  Wesley Snipes  •  Harvey Keitel  •  Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

When a prostitute is found dead in a Los Angeles skyscraper occupied by a large Japanese corporation, detectives John Connor and Web Smith are called in to investigate. Although Connor has previous experience working in Japan, cultural differences make their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philip Kaufman
CAST:  Sean Connery  •  Wesley Snipes  •  Harvey Keitel  •  Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

The Turtles and the Shredder battle once again, this time for the last cannister of the ooze that created the Turtles, which Shredder wants to create an army of new mutants.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Pressman
CAST:  Vanilla Ice  •  Paige Turco  •  Michelan Sisti  •  Mark Caso

The Turtles and the Shredder battle once again, this time for the last cannister of the ooze that created the Turtles, which Shredder wants to create an army of new mutants.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Pressman
CAST:  Vanilla Ice  •  Paige Turco  •  Michelan Sisti  •  Mark Caso

The Shadow (1994)

Based on the 1930's comic strip, puts the hero up against his arch enemy, Shiwan Khan, who plans to take over the world by holding a city to ransom using an atom bomb. Using his powers of invisibility and "The power to cloud men's minds", the Shadow comes blazing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Russell Mulcahy
CAST:  Alec Baldwin  •  John Lone  •  Penelope Ann Miller  •  Peter Boyle

Based on the 1930's comic strip, puts the hero up against his arch enemy, Shiwan Khan, who plans to take over the world by holding a city to ransom using an atom bomb. Using his powers of invisibility and "The power to cloud men's minds", the Shadow comes blazing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Russell Mulcahy
CAST:  Alec Baldwin  •  John Lone  •  Penelope Ann Miller  •  Peter Boyle

Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991)

An American with a Japanese upbringing, Chris Kenner is a police officer assigned to the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles. Kenner is partnered with Johnny Murata, a Japanese-American who isn't in touch with his roots. Despite their differences, both men excel at ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark L. Lester
CAST:  Dolph Lundgren  •  Brandon Lee  •  Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa  •  Tia Carrere

An American with a Japanese upbringing, Chris Kenner is a police officer assigned to the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles. Kenner is partnered with Johnny Murata, a Japanese-American who isn't in touch with his roots. Despite their differences, both men excel at ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark L. Lester
CAST:  Dolph Lundgren  •  Brandon Lee  •  Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa  •  Tia Carrere

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

A quartet of humanoid turtles, trained by their mentor in ninjitsu, must learn to work together to face the menace of Shredder and the Foot Clan.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steve Barron
CAST:  Judith Hoag  •  Elias Koteas  •  Josh Pais  •  Michelan Sisti

A quartet of humanoid turtles, trained by their mentor in ninjitsu, must learn to work together to face the menace of Shredder and the Foot Clan.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Steve Barron
CAST:  Judith Hoag  •  Elias Koteas  •  Josh Pais  •  Michelan Sisti

Ghost Warrior (1986)

When skiers in Japan come across the frozen body of centuries-old samurai warrior Yoshimita, scientists secretly whisk the corpse to a high-tech laboratory in California, where they bring him back to life. But when Yoshimita escapes onto the mean streets of 1980s ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  J. Larry Carroll
CAST:  Hiroshi Fujioka  •  Frank Schuller  •  Robert Kino  •  Janet Julian

When skiers in Japan come across the frozen body of centuries-old samurai warrior Yoshimita, scientists secretly whisk the corpse to a high-tech laboratory in California, where they bring him back to life. But when Yoshimita escapes onto the mean streets of 1980s ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  J. Larry Carroll
CAST:  Hiroshi Fujioka  •  Frank Schuller  •  Robert Kino  •  Janet Julian

Ulterior Motives (1993)

A private eye becomes the bodyguard of a beautiful reporter being pursued by a Japanese mob.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Becket
CAST:  Thomas Ian Griffith  •  Mary Page Keller  •  Jeff Imada  •  James Lew

A private eye becomes the bodyguard of a beautiful reporter being pursued by a Japanese mob.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Becket
CAST:  Thomas Ian Griffith  •  Mary Page Keller  •  Jeff Imada  •  James Lew

Rage and Honor (1992)

Witnessing a drug deal involving local gang members and cops, an Australian police officer feels he can no longer be just an observer. He joins forces with a local teacher who just happens to be a karate expert and together they try to take back the streets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Terence H. Winkless
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Brian Thompson  •  Catherine Bach

Witnessing a drug deal involving local gang members and cops, an Australian police officer feels he can no longer be just an observer. He joins forces with a local teacher who just happens to be a karate expert and together they try to take back the streets.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Terence H. Winkless
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Brian Thompson  •  Catherine Bach

China O'Brien II (1990)

This time China O'Brien has trouble with a dealer who puts a prize on her head because she had spoiled an important drug deal of his. But all the world's criminals will not be enough to catch up with China O'Brian, one of the masters of the martial arts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Clouse
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Keith Cooke  •  Frank Magner

This time China O'Brien has trouble with a dealer who puts a prize on her head because she had spoiled an important drug deal of his. But all the world's criminals will not be enough to catch up with China O'Brian, one of the masters of the martial arts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Clouse
CAST:  Cynthia Rothrock  •  Richard Norton  •  Keith Cooke  •  Frank Magner

Blue Tiger (1994)

Gena is a sweet and dedicated mother to her little son. One day, whilst shopping with him for a halloween mask, her son is accidently shot through the chest by a Japanese Gunman, trying to kill an opposing gang of bus operators. Gena notices that the gunman has a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norberto Barba
CAST:  Virginia Madsen  •  Toru Nakamura  •  Ryo Ishibashi  •  Dean Hallo

Gena is a sweet and dedicated mother to her little son. One day, whilst shopping with him for a halloween mask, her son is accidently shot through the chest by a Japanese Gunman, trying to kill an opposing gang of bus operators. Gena notices that the gunman has a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norberto Barba
CAST:  Virginia Madsen  •  Toru Nakamura  •  Ryo Ishibashi  •  Dean Hallo

The Hunted (1995)

Paul Racine, a high-powered American business executive in Japan, is catapulted into a maze of danger and intrigue after he and his sexy companion are the targets of assassins hired by the ruthless Kinjo. To survive, Racine must join forces with a powerful samurai ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  J.F. Lawton
CAST:  Christophe Lambert  •  John Lone  •  Joan Chen  •  Yoshio Harada

Paul Racine, a high-powered American business executive in Japan, is catapulted into a maze of danger and intrigue after he and his sexy companion are the targets of assassins hired by the ruthless Kinjo. To survive, Racine must join forces with a powerful samurai ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  J.F. Lawton
CAST:  Christophe Lambert  •  John Lone  •  Joan Chen  •  Yoshio Harada

Red Sun Rising (1994)

Thomas Hoshino (Willson) is a tough Japanese detective, who lost his partner by a deadly Yakuza killer Jaho (Lew). He tracks down the killer and his master to Los Angeles, where he teams up with Det. Karen Ryder (Farrell). Soon they discover that Yakuza prepares a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Francis Megahy
CAST:  Don Wilson  •  Terry Farrell  •  Mako  •  Michael Ironside

Thomas Hoshino (Willson) is a tough Japanese detective, who lost his partner by a deadly Yakuza killer Jaho (Lew). He tracks down the killer and his master to Los Angeles, where he teams up with Det. Karen Ryder (Farrell). Soon they discover that Yakuza prepares a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Francis Megahy
CAST:  Don Wilson  •  Terry Farrell  •  Mako  •  Michael Ironside

The Sword of Bushido (1990)

The Sword of Bushido tells the story of ex-Navy SEAL Zac Connors and his journey to learn the fate of his grandfather, who mysteriously disappeared days after the end of World War 2, with a legendary stolen Japanese sword in his possession. With the help of a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Adrian Carr
CAST:  Richard Norton  •  Rochelle Ashana  •  Toshishiro Obata  •  Mirren Lee

The Sword of Bushido tells the story of ex-Navy SEAL Zac Connors and his journey to learn the fate of his grandfather, who mysteriously disappeared days after the end of World War 2, with a legendary stolen Japanese sword in his possession. With the help of a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Adrian Carr
CAST:  Richard Norton  •  Rochelle Ashana  •  Toshishiro Obata  •  Mirren Lee

The Samurai (2003)

They were the knights of medieval Japan, an elite warrior class that held the reins of power and the fascination of the people for more than 700 years. Masters of sword and bow, driven by an unforgiving code of ethics, they proved ferocious in combat. They beat ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tony Long
CAST:  Edward Herrmann  •  Toshishiro Obata  •  Michael Shu  •  James Wong

They were the knights of medieval Japan, an elite warrior class that held the reins of power and the fascination of the people for more than 700 years. Masters of sword and bow, driven by an unforgiving code of ethics, they proved ferocious in combat. They beat ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tony Long
CAST:  Edward Herrmann  •  Toshishiro Obata  •  Michael Shu  •  James Wong