When people talk about the neon-soaked, high-octane madness of David Leitch’s 2022 hit, they usually start with Brad Pitt’s bucket hat. Or maybe the bickering "twins," Lemon and Tangerine. But honestly, if you look past the snarky one-liners and the Thomas the Tank Engine metaphors, the whole engine of the movie is actually Andrew Koji in Bullet Train.
Koji plays Yuichi Kimura, a man who spends a good chunk of the movie looking like he’s having the worst day of his life. Because he is. While everyone else is there for a briefcase or a paycheck, Kimura is there for his son.
It’s a heavy role.
The Emotional Anchor in a Sea of Chaos
Let's be real: Bullet Train is a cartoon. It’s loud, it’s violent, and it’s frequently absurd. Amidst all that, Andrew Koji has to play the straight man. He’s the "Father," a yakuza member driven by a very grounded, very human desperation. His son, Wataru, was pushed off a roof, and Kimura is on that train to kill the person responsible.
You’ve probably seen Koji in Warrior on Max. In that show, he’s a whirlwind of Bruce Lee-inspired kinetic energy. But in Bullet Train, he’s suppressed. He’s bottled up.
There’s a specific kind of internal tension Koji brings to Kimura. He isn't a superhero. He gets outsmarted pretty early on by "The Prince" (Joey King) and spends a lot of the runtime under her thumb. Some fans were actually a bit bummed out by this. They wanted the Warrior version of Koji to show up and kick everyone through a window.
But that would have broken the movie.
Kimura represents the "bad luck" that Brad Pitt’s Ladybug is so obsessed with. He’s the victim of fate, a guy who feels like the universe is constantly trying to crush him. Without Koji’s grounded, brooding performance, the movie would just be a series of disconnected jokes. He’s the stakes.
Why Andrew Koji in Bullet Train Almost Didn't Happen
Koji has talked openly about his struggles in the industry before landing his breakout roles. As a British-Japanese actor, he spent years feeling like he didn't quite fit into the "Western" or "Eastern" boxes. He actually almost quit acting entirely before Warrior changed his life.
By the time he was cast as Kimura, he was already a rising star in the martial arts world, but Bullet Train was his first massive, big-budget Hollywood ensemble.
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Working with Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays his father (The Elder), was a huge deal for him. Sanada is a legend. Koji has mentioned in interviews how he’s looked up to Sanada since The Last Samurai. That on-screen chemistry isn't just acting; there’s a genuine "passing of the torch" energy between them. When the two of them finally team up in the final act, it feels earned because they’ve spent the whole movie building that weight.
The Problem With the Action (or Lack Thereof)
If you’re a fan of Koji’s stunt work, you might find his role in the first two acts a little frustrating. He’s mostly stuck in a seat, looking worried.
The movie saves his "big moment" for the end.
Even then, it’s less about flashy kicks and more about the emotional resolution of his family line. Director David Leitch, who was Brad Pitt's stunt double once upon a time, knows how to choreograph a fight, but he chose to use Koji for his face rather than his fists for the majority of the film.
It was a gamble.
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Critics were split. Some felt Kimura was "paper-thin" compared to the louder characters. Others realized that if you take Kimura out, the movie has no soul. He’s the only one with a motivation that isn't purely selfish or professional.
Beyond the Tracks: Koji’s Post-Train Career
So, where is he now?
Since 2022, Koji’s stock has only gone up. While Snake Eyes didn't exactly set the world on fire, his performance as Storm Shadow was widely considered the best part of the movie.
As we look toward 2026, Koji is moving into even bigger territory. He’s been linked to some massive projects, including the highly anticipated Street Fighter reboot, where he’s slated to play Ryu. It’s a massive jump from the quiet, vengeful father on a train to the most iconic face in fighting games.
He’s also been busy with Black Doves, a spy thriller series, and a few indie projects that allow him to flex those dramatic muscles he used in Bullet Train.
What You Should Take Away
If you’re going back for a rewatch, keep an eye on Kimura’s eyes.
Ignore the flashy suit and the briefcase for a second. Andrew Koji in Bullet Train is a masterclass in how to hold space in a movie that is trying its hardest to be distracting. He’s the "heart" of the film, even if that heart is bruised and beating a little too fast.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Actors:
- Watch the dynamic between Koji and Sanada. It’s a perfect example of "acting through listening." Their silence says more than the dialogue.
- Look for the contrast. Compare Kimura to Koji’s character Ah Sahm in Warrior. It shows his range—moving from a confident brawler to a man broken by circumstance.
- Appreciate the "Straight Man" role. Every chaotic comedy needs an anchor. Koji proves you don't need the most lines to be the most necessary person in the room.
Koji didn't need a katana for the first 90 minutes to make an impression. He just needed to stay on the train.
Now that he’s officially one of Hollywood’s go-to actors for complex, physical roles, it’s clear that his time in the "quiet seat" was just the beginning of a much faster journey. Keep an eye on his 2026 slate; the guy is just getting started.
Next Steps for the Reader:
To see the full range of Andrew Koji's physicality, head over to Max and binge the first season of Warrior. If you’re more interested in his future projects, keep an eye out for the first Street Fighter trailers dropping later this year—his take on Ryu is expected to be much more grounded and gritty than previous iterations.