---
name: "Kenji Tanigaki"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/kenji-tanigaki"
fi1m_id: "kenji-tanigaki"
imdb_id: "nm0849459"
tmdb_id: 1113443
wikidata_id: "Q11632790"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "13 October 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "director"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T22:35:59.114183+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Kenji Tanigaki

## Identity

Kenji Tanigaki

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/kenji-tanigaki
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** kenji-tanigaki
- **IMDb ID:** nm0849459
- **TMDB ID:** 1113443
- **Wikidata ID:** Q11632790
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Tanigaki, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11632790, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0849459/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1113443

Director. Born 13 October 1970 in Nara, Japan.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 13 October 1970, Nara, Japan
- **Also known as:** Tanagaki Kenji, 谷坦健治, 谷桓健治, 谷桓健二, 谷恆健治
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Tanigaki, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11632790, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0849459/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1113443

## Fi1m on Kenji Tanigaki

> Kenji Tanigaki’s fights are inventive, punishing and clear enough for us to appreciate the skill involved. We rate his action direction highly; *The Furious* gives us rather less reason to look forward to the dialogue.

A motorcycle becomes a weapon in *The Furious* (2026), and Kenji Tanigaki makes its weight part of the fight. We laughed, then winced, because swinging it at another person looks both ridiculous and painfully difficult. The pleasure comes from being able to follow the choreography, including how an object changes what the fighters can do. Tanigaki keeps finding fresh problems for his performers rather than merely asking them to hit harder. Even this absurd choice of weapon demands convincing physical work.

Years spent working with Donnie Yen help explain that confidence in performers, with *SPL: Sha Po Lang* (2005) and *Flash Point* (2007) among their collaborations. Wider recognition came through his action direction on the *Rurouni Kenshin* series (2012–2021). He had begun directing features with *Legend of Seven Monks* (2006), later co-directing *Enter the Fat Dragon* (2020) with Aman Chang. The move is welcome, though the ability to organise a fight does not automatically settle what should happen between fights.

In the Bill Kong-produced *The Furious*, Xie Miao and Joe Taslim are given a kidnapping and a trafficking network as their reason to join forces. The performers are allowed to hold our attention through the physical difficulty of the work, and both are persuasive in motion. Tanigaki understands the particular pleasure of watching people coordinate a brawl so precisely that it can look uncontrolled. Across 113 minutes, that skill and the variety of the fights are enough to keep the familiar set-up from spoiling the evening.

The awkward dialogue is the limitation we would most like him to overcome. Between bouts, *The Furious* can leave us waiting for the actors to stop talking, and that is a weakness in a film we otherwise recommend strongly. It also keeps us from assuming that his gift for choreography will solve every problem when he directs a whole feature. Give him a sharper script next time; the fights need little assistance.

## Biography

Kenji Tanigaki (谷垣 健治) is a Japanese action choreographer, stunt performer and film director. Born on 13 October 1970 in Nara Prefecture, he trained in Shorinji Kempo and at the Kurata Action school before moving to Hong Kong in 1993, where he joined the Hong Kong Stuntmen Association and worked extensively with Donnie Yen.

He served as stunt coordinator or action director on films including *Bodyguards and Assassins* (2009), the *Rurouni Kenshin* series (2012–2021), *Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins* (2021) and *Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In* (2024). Tanigaki has also directed features such as *Enter the Fat Dragon* (2020) and *The Furious* (2025). He won the Golden Horse Award for Best Action Choreography for *Hidden Man* (2018).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, variety.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *The Furious* (2026), Fi1m 82, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-furious.md)

## Complete filmography (85)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Living Dragon* (2026), Director, Screenplay
- *The Furious* (2026), Director — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-furious.md)
- *The Prosecutor* (2024), Choreographer
- *Hong Kong Classics Reimagined* (2024), Director
- *Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In* (2024), Action Director, Choreographer
- *Sakra* (2023), Action Director
- *Fierce Cop* (2022), Choreographer
- *Raging Fire* (2021), Fight Choreographer
- *Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins* (2021), as Yakuza with Eye Patch · Second Unit Director, Fight Choreographer
- *Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning* (2021), Stunts
- *Rurouni Kenshin: The Final* (2021), Stunts
- *Enter the Fat Dragon* (2020), Fight Choreographer, Director
- *Big Brother* (2018), Action Director, Martial Arts Choreographer
- *Hidden Man* (2018), Fight Choreographer
- *Monster Hunt 2* (2018), Choreographer
- *The Liquidator* (2017), Choreographer
- *God of War* (2017), Choreographer
- *Shinjuku Swan II* (2017), Choreographer
- *See You Tomorrow* (2016), Stunts
- *Finding Mr. Right 2* (2016), Martial Arts Choreographer
- *The Vanished Murderer* (2015), Choreographer
- *Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends* (2014), Action Director, Stunt Coordinator
- *Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno* (2014), Action Director, Stunt Coordinator
- *Miyamoto Musashi* (2014), series, Stunts
- *The Monkey King* (2014), Choreographer
- *Special ID* (2013), Choreographer
- *Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins* (2012), Stunt Coordinator, Action Director
- *Dragon* (2011), as Xiao Ge Zi · Martial Arts Choreographer
- *The Lost Bladesman* (2011), Choreographer
- *Nanase futatabi* (2010), Choreographer
- *Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen* (2010), Actor
- *Bodyguards and Assassins* (2009), Choreographer
- *Kamui* (2009), Stunts
- *Shinjuku Incident* (2009), Stunts
- *Fighting Express Vol 3: End of the World* (2008), Stunts Coordinator
- *Fighting Express Vol 1: Battle Run* (2008), Stunts Coordinator
- *Persona* (2008), Stunt Coordinator
- *Flash Point* (2007), as Tony's Underling #1 · Stunt Coordinator
- *Kung Fu Kid* (2007), Choreographer
- *Fatal Contact* (2006), Actor
- *Arch Angels* (2006), Choreographer
- *Legend of Seven Monks* (2006), Director
- *SPL: Kill Zone* (2005), as Wong Po's Bodyguard · Stunts
- *Always - Sunset on Third Street* (2005), Stunt Coordinator
- *飛龍紅雲山 女ドラゴン軍団VSくの一五人衆* (2005), Director
- *Amazons Dragon Woman vs. Kunoichi* (2005), Director
- *Silver Hawk* (2004), Choreographer
- *Oh! My Zombie Mermaid* (2004), Action Director, Choreographer
- *Shinobi 4: A Way Out* (2003), Director
- *Shinobi 3: Hidden Techniques* (2003), Director
- *The Twins Effect* (2003), Stunts
- *Shinobi 2: Runaway* (2002), Director
- *Shinobi: The Law of Shinobi* (2002), Director
- *So Close* (2002), as Hitman
- *Blade II* (2002), as Moscow Vampire Attacking Blade (uncredited)
- *The Princess Blade* (2001), Action Director, Stunts
- *Battle of Race Queen* (2001), Director
- *Fulltime Killer* (2001), Choreographer
- *Glass Tears* (2001), Action Director, Choreographer
- *Goodbye, Mr. Cool* (2001), as Lok
- *Time and Tide* (2000), as Little Rat
- *Tokyo Raiders* (2000), Stunts
- *Der Puma - Kämpfer mit Herz* (1999), Stunts
- *Heaven of Hope* (1999), Actor
- *Gen-X Cops* (1999), Actor
- *Moonlight Express* (1999), Stunts
- *Shanghai Affairs* (1998), as Axe Gang member
- *Ballistic Kiss* (1998), Actor
- *Mortal Kombat: Annihilation* (1997), Stunt Double
- *Legend of the Wolf* (1997), as Forest fighter
- *The Peeping Tom* (1997), Choreographer
- *The Wild Couple* (1996), Actor
- *Once Upon a Time in Triad Society 2* (1996), Stunts
- *Man Wanted 2: Those Were the Days* (1996), as Thug
- *Once Upon a Time in Triad Society* (1996), Actor
- *Legendary Couple* (1995), as Policeman (uncredited)
- *Fist of Legend* (1994), as Japanese Fighter
- *Modern Romance* (1994), Actor
- *Once Upon a Time in China V* (1994), Actor
- *Always Be the Winners* (1994), as Photographer
- *Ghost Lantern* (1993), Actor
- *Royal Destiny* (1990), Stunts
- *Twilight of the Warriors: The Final Chapter*, Action Director, Choreographer
- *The Man from Nowhere*, Director
- *The Reckoner*, Director

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/kenji-tanigaki