15 Actresses Perfect for the Role of the Katana in the DCU
Katana brings a precise blend of disciplined sword work, sharp tactics, and grounded humanity to the page. As Tatsu Yamashiro she moves between grief and duty while carrying the Soultaker blade, which means any screen take on the character needs physical command as well as clear bilingual communication and cultural fluency. The role also benefits from experience with tight choreography and the ability to sell close quarters combat without losing clarity for the camera.
Below is a focused group of performers whose résumés already line up with those needs. They include actors with sword based action, grounded dramatic work, and multilingual capability, along with credits across superhero stories, prestige television, and large scale features. Each entry highlights concrete experience that speaks to the demands of bringing a modern DCU Katana to life.
Karen Fukuhara
Karen Fukuhara portrayed Tatsu Yamashiro in ‘Suicide Squad’ and trained in sword work and fight choreography for that production. She is Japanese American and bilingual in English and Japanese, and her screen credits include physical performances that rely on facial storytelling and precise movement.
She also plays Kimiko in ‘The Boys’, a role that uses hand to hand choreography and blade work in confined spaces. Her voice credits in animation include leading parts in ‘Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts’ and ‘She Ra and the Princesses of Power’, which demonstrates range across action and character driven performances.
Rila Fukushima
Rila Fukushima brought fast blade work and agile movement to the role of Yukio in ‘The Wolverine’, where she trained for sword based scenes and wire assisted action. She later appeared as Tatsu Yamashiro across multiple episodes of ‘Arrow’, which adds direct experience with the character’s demeanor and fighting style on television.
Her additional credits include a guest appearance in ‘Game of Thrones’ and a role in ‘Ghost in the Shell’. She works in both Japanese and English, which supports bilingual dialogue delivery and collaboration with international crews.
Kiki Sukezane
Kiki Sukezane starred in ‘Heroes Reborn’ as Miko Otomo, a part that featured katana handling and precise stunt choreography. Born in Kyoto, she trained for on camera sword use and sustained long take action beats that required timing with stunt teams.
She also appeared in ‘Westworld’, which added period costuming and stylized combat to her background. Her work spans Japanese and American productions, which reflects comfort with cross cultural sets and language switches during action heavy schedules.
Tao Okamoto
Tao Okamoto played Mariko in ‘The Wolverine’, where she worked on location in Japan and delivered dramatic scenes that connect to complex family dynamics. She later portrayed Mercy Graves in ‘Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice’, which adds DC universe experience and collaboration with large ensemble casts.
Her television credits include ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Westworld’, both of which required tightly controlled physicality and detailed character work. She works in English and Japanese and has extensive experience with multinational productions and press.
Rinko Kikuchi
Rinko Kikuchi earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘Babel’ and led large scale action in ‘Pacific Rim’ with military training beats and cockpit coordination that demanded precise movement under gear. She has also appeared in samurai era storytelling in ’47 Ronin’, which required sword friendly costuming and stunt collaboration.
Her roles in ‘Kumiko the Treasure Hunter’ and other character driven projects show strong internal work that reads clearly on camera. She performs in Japanese and English and has worked across North American and Japanese production systems.
Tao Tsuchiya
Tao Tsuchiya played Misao in the live action ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ films with extensive wire and blade choreography that emphasized speed and spatial awareness. She later headlined ‘Alice in Borderland’, which required sprint sequences, climbing, and stunt coordination across urban sets.
She trained as a dancer and brings controlled footwork and balance to close range fights. She works primarily in Japanese and has experience carrying an action narrative through silent beats, eye lines, and environmental movement.
Aya Ueto
Aya Ueto led the period action film ‘Azumi’ and its sequel with extended sword sequences and formation battles. She trained for sustained blade choreography and demonstrated endurance across multiple large scale set pieces in rural and village environments.
Her career includes a wide range of Japanese television and film roles that balance action with grounded character beats. She has recorded music and handled national level media duties, which supports franchise promotion and international press.
Jessica Henwick
Jessica Henwick played Colleen Wing across ‘Iron Fist’ and ‘The Defenders’ with a focus on katana and staff work in tight interiors. She trained for repeated fight days and worked closely with stunt teams on combination sequences that favor long takes and clean silhouettes.
Her feature credits include ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, ‘Underwater’, and ‘Glass Onion’, which show comfort with wire rigs, underwater filming, and ensemble work. She is British Chinese and works in international productions that rely on fast previsualization and rehearsal.
Sonoya Mizuno
Sonoya Mizuno trained as a dancer and brings precise body control and rhythm to movement based scenes. Her screen work in ‘Ex Machina’ and ‘Annihilation’ emphasized physical storytelling that plays in silence and tight framing.
She carried key roles in ‘Devs’ and ‘House of the Dragon’, which required consistency over long production windows and coordination with stunt departments. She is Japanese British and works smoothly in projects that combine practical action with character focus.
Haruka Abe
Haruka Abe played Akiko in ‘G I Joe Snake Eyes’, where she trained with weapons and delivered close quarters fights in interior sets and courtyards. She later appeared in ‘Gran Turismo’ and handled performance capture and technical staging around vehicles and rigs.
She is Japanese British and bilingual, with credits across British television and American features. Her background includes voice work and video game projects, which supports action timing with sound and visual effects teams.
Kiko Mizuhara
Kiko Mizuhara portrayed Mikasa in the live action ‘Attack on Titan’, which required dual blade handling and aerial movement in harnesses. She also starred in ‘Norwegian Wood’, adding literary drama and precise blocking to her résumé.
She works in Japanese and English and has experience with complex costumes and large ensemble coordination. Her modeling background contributes to posture and line control that reads clearly during fight choreography and still photography.
Fala Chen
Fala Chen appeared in ‘Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ with training in wushu based movement and weapon forms. She completed the Juilliard drama program, which adds stage combat fundamentals and vocal control for action dialogue.
Her television work includes ‘The Undoing’, which demonstrates range in contemporary drama. She works across Hong Kong and American productions and has experience with long unit days that combine wire work and emotional beats.
Lyrica Okano
Lyrica Okano played Nico Minoru in ‘Runaways’, working with staff techniques, spell casting gestures, and ensemble fight timing. She trained with stunt teams to integrate practical strikes with visual effects cues and maintained continuity for recurring action setups.
She is Japanese American and bilingual, with experience in both independent projects and studio television. Her background includes guest roles that required quick integration into existing action systems and rehearsal with new partners.
Miku Martineau
Miku Martineau appeared in ‘Kate’ as Ani and trained for reactive movement and weapons awareness on Tokyo sets. She worked closely with stunt coordination to match timing with handheld camera work and night shooting.
She is Japanese Canadian and bilingual, with experience balancing action scenes and dialogue in crowded urban locations. Her credits include voice and on camera projects, which supports flexibility in post production and loop group sessions.
Pom Klementieff
Pom Klementieff delivered standout action in ‘Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One’ with knife and sword adjacent choreography in compact locations and moving vehicles. She also performs in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ across multiple films, which involves fight beats that combine practical stunts and visual effects.
She trained in martial arts including taekwondo and boxing and works in French and English. Her background includes international press tours and collaboration with second unit teams on complex set pieces.
Share your own Katana picks in the comments so we can compare notes and keep the conversation going.
