Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the veteran actor known for his commanding screen presence in films and television — most famously as Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie — died on December 4, 2025, at the age of 75 after suffering complications from a stroke. His passing was confirmed by family and representatives. ([people.com](https://people.com/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-mortal-kombat-actor-dead-at-75-11862680?utm_source=openai))

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  A versatile performer whose career stretched across more than four decades, Tagawa appeared in an array of high-profile films including The Last Emperor, Licence to Kill, Rising Sun, Memoirs of a Geisha, Planet of the Apes (2001), and Kubo and the Two Strings. On television he delivered memorable turns in series such as MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Amazon Prime’s The Man in the High Castle. <span class="citation">([latimes.com](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-12-04/mortal-kombat-star-martial-artist-cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-dies-at-75?utm_source=openai))</span>
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    <source srcset="https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/12/05/08e5f860/mortal-kombat-1995-it-has-begun.jpg.webp 1x" media="all and (min-width: 851px)" type="image/webp" width="800" height="450">
    <img loading="lazy" width="800" height="450" src="https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2025/12/05/08e5f860/mortal-kombat-1995-it-has-begun.jpg.webp" alt="Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat (1995)">
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  <figcaption>Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat (1995).</figcaption>
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  For gamers and genre fans, Tagawa’s performance as the sinister sorcerer Shang Tsung became defining: his delivery of lines such as "Your soul is mine!" and "It has begun!" remains iconic. He later revisited the character across different media — including the Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series and lending his voice and likeness to Mortal Kombat 11 and the mobile title Mortal Kombat: Onslaught. <span class="citation">([gamespot.com](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-movie-and-game-star-cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-has-died/1100-6536716/?utm_source=openai))</span>
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<blockquote class="tribute-quote">
  <p>“We lost a legend today… Cary was one of a kind. He combined danger, swagger and athleticism to his roles and will always be remembered as the man who first brought Shang Tsung to life on film. Rest in Peace. Your soul is eternal.”</p>
  <footer>— Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat</footer>
</blockquote>
<p class="citation">([gamespot.com](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-movie-and-game-star-cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-has-died/1100-6536716/?utm_source=openai))</p>

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  Beyond Mortal Kombat, Tagawa also portrayed Heihachi Mishima in the live-action Tekken films and contributed voice work to a number of games and animated projects. One of his final screen roles was Master Eiji in the 2023 Netflix animated series Blue Eye Samurai. <span class="citation">([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary-Hiroyuki_Tagawa?utm_source=openai))</span>
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<p>
  Representatives and family say Tagawa died at his Santa Barbara home, surrounded by his children. He leaves behind a long legacy as a performer who helped shape how Asian characters were depicted in mainstream action cinema. <span class="citation">([people.com](https://people.com/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-mortal-kombat-actor-dead-at-75-11862680?utm_source=openai))</span>
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