Anna Sawai’sbest movies and television shows prove how talented of an actress she is, and her impressive string of recent roles has skyrocketed her career in the past few years. Sawai began acting in a Japanese stage production ofAnniewhen she was just 11 years old, eventually making her feature film debut in 2009 withNinja Assassin. After a decade away from acting, she returned to various fantastic roles, which includeGiri/Haji, the emotionally powerfulPachinko,Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the world-building series forthe Monsterverse franchise, and one ofthe best television shows of 2024,Shōgun.
Alongside her impressive acting resume, Sawai initially rose to fame in Japan as one of the lead vocalists of the girl pop group, Faky, from 2013 through 2018. That was when Sawai departed from the group to truly pursue her acting career. Though it was tough for fans of Faky to see her go, the decision proved to be the right one for her, as her recent efforts in television and film have been incredibly impressive to say the least.
Critically maligned at release,Ninja Assassinis a solid martial arts action flick revolving around a disillusioned assassin named Raizo who is looking for retribution against his former master. While the story might be convoluted and a bit lackluster overall,Ninja Assassinmakes up for it with some great combat sequences that highlight the martial arts talent involved in the movie.
Over a decade before she became a star withShōgun, Pachinko,andMonarch: Legacy of Monsters,Anna Sawai made her film debut inNinja Assassin. She plays the teenage version of Kiriko in the movie, and she does a fine job in the role, showing both strength and compassion. Kiriko develops a relationship with Raizo towards the beginning of the film, but her death, after abandoning the Ozuno Clan, is one of the biggest driving forces for Raizo going forward.
F9: The Fast Saga
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The Fast family reunites again for the ninth installment in the franchise, F9: The Fast Saga. Dominic Toretto must lead the team against the dangerous Cipher once more, as she has joined forces with an equally dangerous foe named Otto. This covert operative went rogue upon discovering a powerful weapon, Project Aries. Unfortunately for Dom, not all families are as loving and caring, as he’ll soon discover his estranged brother has returned, joining forces with the opposition.
The ninth entry in the long-running, high-octaneFast & Furiousfranchise,F9has shown the diminishing returns of the series, but it is still a good time at the movies. Each movie in the franchise has gotten bigger, bolder, and downright absurd, and the best thing aboutF9is its willingness to lean into everything silly about the franchise, crafting some truly baffling but remarkable set pieces in the process. It’s a testament to the strength of the series that the action still doesn’t feel dull after two decades of films.
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Anna Sawai joined the franchise forF9as she portrays Elle Lue,the adopted daughter of one of the most beloved characters in the entire series, Han Lue. Her biological parents were Japanese scientists involved in Project Aries, a weapons program that was capable of allowing the user to control the world’s weapon systems and computers. She doesn’t have a major role in the movie, but it is a delight to see Sawai join such a major franchise, given how talented she is.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
The Legendary MonsterVerse continues with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, a sci-fi action series created for Apple TV+. Set after the events of Godzilla vs. Kong, the series follows two siblings retracing their father’s footsteps to uncover the truth behind their family legacy. What they find sets up a story over three decades and explores the foundations of the mysterious company.
Exploring two different time periods in the Monsterverse franchise,Monarch: Legacy of Monstersis one of the best things to happen to the series, as the TV format gives it a chance to deepen the lore more than ever before. The main story takes place in 2015, just one year after the emergence of Godzilla, following half-siblings Cate and Kentaro Randa, who are investigating the connection between their missing father and Monarch.Monarch: Legacy of Monstersalso takes place in the 1950s, exploring two scientists involved in the early development of the titular organization.
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Anna Sawai is a welcomed addition to the Monsterverse as she plays Cate Randa, a schoolteacher from San Francisco dealing with PTSD from the Godzilla attack and searching for her missing father. One of the best parts aboutMonarch: Legacy of Monstersis how it is able to further explore the human side of the franchise, andSawai does a fantastic job of portraying the complex emotional and mental journey that Cate goes through over the course of the series.
Giri/Haji
Giri/Haji is a thriller series set in Tokyo and London, examining the consequences of a murder that connects the two cities. It explores themes of morality and redemption through the intertwining lives of its characters, blending suspense and dark humor within its narrative framework.
Taking place in both London and Tokyo,Giri/Hajiis a remarkable crime drama that revolves around a Tokyo detective journeying into the London underworld hoping to find his allegedly deceased brother. Smartly written and beautifully shot,Giri/Hajiis consistently suspenseful and engaging, with a twisting, intertwined narrative that is satisfying from start to finish. It’s a masterclass in how to create a suspenseful crime television series.
Caught in the middle of violent men on the precipice of a gang war, Anna Sawai as Eiko Fukuhara is unbelievable.Eiko Fukuhara is the daughter of yakuza boss Fukuhara, who strikes up a romantic relationship with Yōsuke Kubozuka’s Yuto Mori, a member of the yakuza and the younger brother of Kenzo Mori, who was once thought dead. The acting inGiri/Hajiis incredibly strong throughout, and Sawai holds her own against some of Japan’s best actors.
One of the most emotionally moving and profound television shows to come out in years,Pachinkois an incredible adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name by author Min Lee Jin. Set against the backdrop of Japan and Korea, the series spans four generations of a Korean family from 1915 through 1989, experiencing the Japanese occupation of Korea all the way through the bubble economy of Japan. Anna Sawai plays Ichizaki Naomi inPachinko, an original character created for the series.
One of the most emotionally moving and profound television shows to come out in years.
Ichizaki Naomi is the strong-willed co-worker of Jin Ha’s Baek Solomon, and the two eventually strike up a messy romantic relationship.Sawai is incredible as Ichizaki Naomi in Pachinko, who initially appears standoffish, but slowly lets her guard down as the show progresses, revealing the layers of her character. She is a mix of tender and strong, and even though she is an original character that wasn’t in the book, Ichizaki Naomi was an outstanding addition to the show.
Shogun
Shōgun, released in 2024, is set in Japan during 1600 at the onset of a significant civil war. It follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga as he battles political adversaries on the Council of Regents, while a European ship mysteriously appears in a nearby fishing village, complicating the tides of power.
Based on the incredible novel of the same name by James Clavell,Shōgunis one of the best television shows to come out in years.Shōgunset multiple awards recordsin the process, including the most Emmys for a single season of television ever. The series follows an English sailor named John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, only to find himself a political pawn in a blossoming civil war. There, he strikes up an unexpected romance with his translator, Toda Mariko, whose dark past keeps her from seeing a future for herself.
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Known primarily for his role in Shogun, Cosmo Jarvis is an underrated actor, appearing in a variety of movies and TV shows throughout his career.
Anna Sawai’s performance as Mariko is transcendent as she is able to give the character so much depth and complexity, both in her speaking parts and the facial expressions she uses throughout.It’s easily the best performance of her career so far, earning her multiple awards, including a Golden Globe, a Primetime Emmy, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Shōgunis a masterpiece of television through and through, andAnna Sawaiis a major reason for how incredible it turned out.
