SABU

Japanese director/writer/actor whose often kinetic, cyberpunk style is much imitated. He expressed appreciation over the similarity of the international hit German film "Run Lola Run" (1998) to his first film as a director/writer, "Dangan Runner" (1996). When asked at the Chicago International Film Festival to recommend a film school, the black leather-jacketed Tanaka replied (via translator) "I've written and directed 5 award-winning movies and I didn't go to film school - so you shouldn't have to either !" At international film festivals, enjoys having his picture taken with audience members.Acted in at least 5 films, before his first as director/writer. Acted in 1 movie each by cult auteurs 'Kiyoshi Kurosawa' (qv) (_Kairo (2001)_ (qv), aka Pulse) and Takashi Miike (Dead or Alive trilogy, Ishi the Killer). Has mostly used his birth name Hiroyuki Tanaka as an actor, often portraying cold-blooded gangsters, while mostly uses the name Sabu as director/writer.His own films often involve yakuza and black comedy, but recent films are more stylistically diverse. Also wrote and directed "A1012K," a short science-fiction film (2002), about a robot gone berserk in a shopping mall. Older members of Japanese superstar pop/boy band V6 have appeared in several of Tanaka's movies.::David Stevens