Kenji Tanigaki

Kenji Tanigaki (谷垣 健治) is a Japanese action choreographer and film director best known for his works in Hong Kong action cinema, and has expanded his career in Japanese cinema and Hollywood.

Inspired by Jackie Chan's action films, Tanigaki migrated to Hong Kong in 1993 and began his career in action choreography by collaborating with Donnie Yen in the ATV martial arts drama series Fist of Fury (1995). Since then, Tanigaki has participated in numerous Hong Kong action films, serving as a stunt coordinator in SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005), Flash Point (2007), Bodyguards and Assassins (2009), Wu Xia (2011), Raging Fire (2021), and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024), and as an action director in See You Tomorrow (2016), Monster Hunt 2, and Hidden Man (both 2018). Tanigaki won Best Action Choreography in the 55th Golden Horse Awards for Hidden Man and Best Action Choreography in the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards for Raging Fire.

In addition to his work in Hong Kong, Tanigaki has developed careers in Japan and the United States. He participated in the American superhero film Blade II (2002), the Japanese drama film Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005), and the Japanese action film Kamui Gaiden (2009). He gained international recognition for his work as the action director of the Japanese jidaigeki action film Rurouni Kenshin (2012), and its sequels Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (both 2014), and Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021). Tanigaki's international action directing credits also include the Japanese comedy film Shinjuku Swan II, the Chinese crime film The Liquidator (both 2017), and the American superhero film Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021).

Early life and education
Tanigaki was born on 13 October 1970 in Nara Prefecture, Japan. He had seizures at a young age and was physically weak, but since he enjoyed playing in the wild, Tanigaki recognized that it developed the physique that would benefit him in his future career as a stuntman. When he was in primary school, he watched Hong Kong action film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Project A starring Jackie Chan and became fond of Chan's action stunts and Chinese kung fu. He joined a shorinji kempo coaching school and began martial arts training while in high school, winning in a prefectural tournament. He went on a graduation trip to Hong Kong in his third year of high school, and visited Chan's filmmaking company to witness the production of the action film Miracles, sparking his interest in joining the action film industry. He returned to Japan to continue his studies and later graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University with a Bachelor of Laws. Tanigaki joined a martial arts club formed by Hong Kong-based Japanese choreographer Yasuaki Kurata to learn karate while studying in university in 1989. He moved to Hong Kong alone to pursue a career in filmmaking in 1993, starting off as a cast extra and volunteered in police identity parades.

Early ventures (1994-2001)
Tanigaki was initially rejected by most filmmaking companies when he first came to Hong Kong since he could not speak Cantonese. He was approached by a talent scout in McDonald's, who offered him to play small parts in a television series. In 1994, Tanigaki was invited to become a stunt actor by action choreographer Stephen Tung, which included a minor role as an unnamed fighter knocked out by Chen Zhen (portrayed by Jet Li) in the martial arts film Fist of Legend, and joined the Hong Kong Stuntman Association in June. In 1995, ATV began production of the martial arts series Fist of Fury. Due to a shortage of stunt actors, Donnie Yen, the lead actor of the series, invited Tanigaki to join the production and the two became acquainted. Since then, Tanigaki became a recurring member of the Donnie Yen Stunt Team and appeared in several films starring Yen. Tanigaki took up the role of stunt coordinator in the 1996 action film Once Upon a Time in Triad Society, a spin-off of the Young and Dangerous film series. He also joined Yen's newly founded production company in the same year, serving as the stunt coordinator for the action films Legend of the Wolf and Ballistic Kiss, both directed by and starring Yen.

In 1997, he received an invitation from an action director to work as a stunt coordinator in the American sci-fi film The Matrix in Los Angeles. However, due to lead actor Keanu Reeves' injury and the subsequent rescheduling of filming, both the action director and Tanigaki had to withdraw from the project before Yuen Woo-ping substituted. In 1998, Yen advised Tanigaki to return to Japan and pursue a parallel career in both Hong Kong and Japanese cinema due to limited opportunities for foreigners in Hong Kong. Tanigaki followed the advice, and later coordinated the Hong Kong-Japanese co-produced romance film Moonlight Express and action film Tokyo Raiders. In 1999, RTL Television in Germany produced the action series The Puma, with Yen serving as the action director and Tanigaki was brought on board as part of the crew. While working on The Puma, RTL was also filming the mystery series SK Kölsch, which had an opening for a Japanese character. Tanigaki was invited to take up the acting role and was also given the position of action director, marking his action directorial debut. In 2001, he joined his first Japanese-produced film project after receiving an invitation from Ichiese Taka, the producer of Moonlight Express, and served as a stunt actor in the horror film Gore from Outer Space. He also took part in Goodbye Mr. Cool, another spin-off film from the Young and Dangerous film series, and the Japanese action film The Princess Blade, in the same year.

Rising with Donnie Yen Stunt Team (2002-2011)
In 2002, Donnie Yen served as the action choreographer for the American superhero film Blade II, with Tanigaki once again joining the production as part of Donnie Yen Stunt Team. He reprised his position as a stunt coordinator in Donnie Yen's 2003 comedy horror film The Twins Effect and 2005 action film SPL: Sha Po Lang. Individually, Tanigaki took part in several V-Cinema and low-budget Japanese films, which he himself described as "forgettable" due to their lackluster or unknown nature. In 2005, he assumed the role of action director in the Japanese drama film Always: Sunset on Third Street, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, which won the Picture of the Year in the 29th Japan Academy Film Prize. The following year, he made his directorial debut in Japan with the action film Legend of Seven Monks, featuring Sonny Chiba and Yasuaki Kurata in lead roles.

In 2007, Tanigaki joined the production of the Hong Kong action film Flash Point, which was produced by and starred Yen. Yen specifically selected a crew of stunt coordinators with martial arts backgrounds, including Yan Hua, Yuji Shimomura, John Salvitti, and Tanigaki. He once again served as an action director in the Japanese action film Kung Fu Kid (2007 film) and horror film The Chasing Worlds. In 2009, Tanigaki participated in the Hong Kong historical action film Bodyguards and Assassins and the Hong Kong action thriller film Shinjuku Incident. He also worked on the Japanese action film Kamui Gaiden adapted from the manga series of the same title, which he described as his first large-scale Japanese project. Mark Schilling of The Japan Times acknowledged the action scenes galore choreographed by Tanigaki, and while Andrew Skeates of Far East Films criticized on the film's plot and CGI, he pointed out that the action scenes are fluid and well staged with climax. From 2010 to 2011, Tanigaki was involved in the Hong Kong martial art film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, a sequel to the television series Fist of Fury, as well as action films The Lost Bladesman and Wu Xia, all of which starred Yen.

Breakthrough with Rurouni Kenshin (2012-2019)
In 2012, Tanigaki served as the action director of the jidaigeki action film Rurouni Kenshin, based on the manga of the same title. Keishi Ōtomo, the film's director, was impressed by Tanigaki's stunt coordination work in Legend of the Wolf and handpicked him to join the project. Maggie Lee of Variety described the action scenes as "expertly handled" and choreographed in a "balletic, kinetic style characteristic of Hong Kong action films", owing to Tanigaki's experience in the Hong Kong action cinema, while Cinema Today lauded the action sequences as being of the highest quality in Japanese cinema. Tanigaki also won Best Stunt Coordinator in the Japan Action Awards for his work. South China Morning Post described Rurouni Kenshin as Tanigaki's most popular project, and Tanigaki himself acknowledged that the film generated the most response among all his projects. Tanigaki later returned as the action director for the 2014 back-to-back sequels Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends, which earned him Best Action Director in the 3rd Japan Action Awards.

From 2012 to 2014, Tanigaki served as an action director in Donnie Yen's action films Special ID and The Monkey King, as well as the Japanese television series SIII and historical drama series Miyamoto Musashi (2014 TV series). In 2015, he participated in the Chinese action thriller film The Vanished Murderer, and choreographed the music video for Japanese girl group AKB48's single "Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai". In 2016, Tanigaki served as the action director for the Chinese-Hong Kong romance films Finding Mr. Right 2 and See You Tomorrow. He continued in the same role for the Japanese crime comedy film Shinjuku Swan II and the Chinese crime film The Liquidator in the following year. In 2018, Tanigaki took on the role of action director for the Chinese-Hong Kong fantasy adventure film Monster Hunter 2 and the Chinese action comedy film Hidden Man. Both films garnered nominations for Best Action Choreography in the 55th Golden Horse Awards, and Tanigaki emerged as the winner with Hidden Man. Tanigaki collaborated with Yen as the action director for the action drama film Big Brother later in the same year.

Broadening opportunities (2020-present)
In 2020, Tanigaki co-directed the action comedy film Enter the Fat Dragon with Wong Jing, which starred Donnie Yen, alongside Niki Chow and Teresa Mo. Isaac Chambers of Far East Films praised the action scenes but criticized the clichéd plot and lame jokes, while Edmund Lee of South China Morning Post described the film as a Frankenstein monster that combines elements from classic Hong Kong movies. In 2021, Tanigaki once again assumed the role of action director for the action film Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, the fourth installment of the Rurouni Kenshin film series. Alex Rallo of Polygon acknowledged Tanigaki for bringing his "A-game to the Rurouni Kenshin saga" and delivering new cinematic kinetics that utilized camera movements to enhance the choreography. Mark Schilling of The Japan Times praised the film's battle sequences and referred to Tanigaki as the person who "brings panache and impact to these scenes that lift them above the Japanese action norm".

Tanigaki assumed the roles as action director, stunt coordinator and second unit director in the 2021 American superhero film Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. He was recommended to the film's producers by American director Chad Stahelski, who kept in contact with him after a trip to Japan and their meeting. Initially joining the crew as the stunt coordinator, Stahelski proposed that he also serve as the second unit director. Scott Mendelson of Forbes praised the action scenes as "hugely impressive staging, courtesy of Kenji Tanigaki", and Susan Hornick of South China Morning Post credited Tanigaki for the "truly stellar" sword work. The same year, Tanigaki choreographed for the Hong Kong action film Raging Fire, which earned him Best Action Choreography in the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards.

Tanigaki collaborated once again with Donnie Yen in the 2022 action drama film Big Rescue and the 2023 martial arts film Sakra as the action director. The latter earned Tanigaki a nomination for Best Action Choreography in the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards. Tanigaki took on the role as stunt coordinator in the 2024 martial arts film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Keith Ho, writing for HK01, noted Tanigaki's effort in choreographing with considerations of the different sets within the Kowloon Walled City, describing it as "the best Hong Kong close combat film in recent years", while Alan Chu of United Daily News, complimented him for crafting distinctive and stylish combat moves for each character. Tanigaki is set to direct the upcoming action thriller film The Furious, a Hong Kong-funded English-language project set in Thailand.

Personal life
Tanigaki got married in the late 1990s and held his wedding in Japan. He has resided in Hong Kong for 26 years. He has learnt to speak Cantonese fluently over the years and has a basic proficiency in Mandarin.