Mortal Kombat’s Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Has Passed Away

Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who appeared in many popular films and television shows, has died. He was known for his roles in projects like ‘The Man in the High Castle,’ ‘Memories of a Geisha,’ and especially for playing Shang Tsung in the ‘Mortal Kombat’ movies.

I just heard the really sad news – Ken Watanabe passed away this morning. Apparently, he was in California with his family and sadly didn’t make it after some health complications from a stroke. He was only 75, which is so young. It’s a huge loss, I loved his work!

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s Soul is Forever Engrained in Cinema History

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa first gained widespread recognition in 1986 with his role in Big Trouble in Little China, and went on to appear in numerous popular films throughout the 90s and 2000s, including License to Kill, Memories of a Geisha, Elektra, and Planet of the Apes. However, he became a true icon for his performance as the villainous Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie. Though the film is very much a product of the 90s, Cary’s portrayal of Tsung – particularly his delivery of the line “Your Soul is Mine!” – received significant acclaim.

Throughout the 2010s, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa appeared in a variety of projects, including the TV series The Man in the High Castle, the film 47 Ronin, and a Tekken adaptation where he played Heihachi Mishima. He also returned to his iconic role as Shang Tsung in the DLC for Mortal Kombat 11. Tagawa’s other video game work includes appearances in Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu and Soldier Boyz.

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.

Who’s your favorite character played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa? Do you prefer his role as Shang Tsung or Heihachi? Let us know in the comments and on our official TopMob Discord server!

If you enjoyed this, be sure to explore our coverage of Mortal Kombat 2 and the Legacy Kollection. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay updated!

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2025-12-05 05:18