Kenji Tanigaki

Kenji Tanigaki (also credited as Tanagaki Kenji; 谷坦健治; 谷桓健治) is a Japanese screen artist and action specialist born on October 13, 1970, in Nara, Japan. Best known as a behind-the-camera force in action filmmaking, he has built a reputation for staging kinetic, story-driven fights that travel well across cultures and languages.

Tanigaki rose to prominence through Hong Kong action cinema, where his choreography and on-set craft helped shape the modern rhythm of martial-arts and stunt-heavy productions. Over time, his work expanded beyond Hong Kong, branching into Japanese projects and international collaborations that brought his style to wider audiences.

His filmography includes notable credits such as Sakra, Once Upon a Time in China V, Goodbye, Mr. Cool, and Legend of the Wolf. He has also appeared in front of the camera in roles like “Xiao Ge Zi” in Dragon, along with parts in Always Be the Winners and Legendary Couple.

Hollywood viewers may recognize his uncredited on-screen work in Blade II as a Moscow vampire attacking Blade—another snapshot of a career defined by physical precision, inventive choreography, and an enduring influence on contemporary action cinema.