Sho Kosugi

{{Short description|Japanese actor (born 1948)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Sho Kosugi

| image = Sho Kosugi.png

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption = Sho Kosugi in 2018

| birth_name = 小杉 正一 (Shōichi Kosugi)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|06|17|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Minato, Tokyo, Japan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actor, martial artist, writer

| yearsactive = 1974–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Shook Gim Chan
|1973|2009|end=divorced}}{{cite news|title=Sho Kosugi Vs Shook Gim Kosugi - Marriage Dissolution/Divorce Case|url=https://unicourt.com/case/ca-la2-sho-kosugi-vs-shook-gim-kosugi-728113|access-date=May 30, 2018}}

| children = Kane Kosugi, Shane Kosugi, Ayeesha Kosugi

| website =

}}

{{nihongo|Sho Kosugi|ショー・コスギ|Shō Kosugi|born Shōichi Kosugi (小杉 正一, Kosugi Shōichi) on June 17, 1948}} is a Japanese actor, martial artist and writer with extensive training in Shindō jinen-ryū Karate, Kendo, Judo, Iaido, Kobudo, Aikido and Ninjutsu. A former All Japan Karate Champion,{{cite news|title='Ninja' Knockin' 'Em Dead|work=Chicago Tribune|date=May 15, 1986|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/05/15/ninja-knockin-em-dead/|access-date=March 23, 2011}}{{cite news|title= Martial Arts Pics—packing A Hard Punch|work= Los Angeles Times|date=April 20, 1986|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-20-ca-1348-story.html|access-date=August 27, 2010|first=Lewis|last=Beale}} he gained popularity as an actor during the 1980s, often playing ninjas. He starred in a trilogy of martial arts ninja films produced by Cannon Films (Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination), before starring in the primetime television series The Master.{{cite news|title='Ninja' Knockin' 'Em Dead|work=Chicago Tribune|date=May 15, 1986|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/05/15/ninja-knockin-em-dead/|access-date=March 23, 2011}} His work helped establish ninjas in popular culture, leading to a "ninja boom" or "ninjamania" during the early-to-mid-1980s.{{cite magazine |last1=Vandehey |first1=Tim |title=The Ninja Phenomenon |magazine=Black Belt |date=May 1989 |volume=27 |issue=5 |pages=36–40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=19oDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36 |publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc. |issn=0277-3066}}{{cite book |last1=Donovan |first1=Barna William |title=The Asian Influence on Hollywood Action Films |date=September 17, 2014 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-1-4766-0770-2 |pages=133–4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZE9fBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA133}}