Tatsuya Nakadai
Born December 13, 1932 (Age: 93)
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Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
Biography
Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya; born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932 – November 8, 2025) was a Japanese actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, he collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career, he appeared in more than 160 films, and received numerous accolades. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015. Discovered on the streets of Tokyo by director Masaki Kobayashi, Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Kobayashi's films, with his breakthrough being the protagonist of the epic anti-war trilogy The Human Condition (1959–1961). He won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for his performance as the vengeful ronin in Harakiri (1962), a role he considered his finest. Nakadai collaborated on eleven films with Kobayashi—including Kwaidan (1964) and Samurai Rebellion (1967)—and five with Akira Kurosawa, most notably as the tragic warlord in Ran (1985), a performance that earned global acclaim. His other notable credits included Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo (1961), The Sword of Doom (1966), The Face of Another (1966), Goyokin (1969), Kagemusha (1980), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). A lifelong stage actor, he founded the Gendai Nohgaku-kai troupe in 1975 and continued performing on stage into his nineties. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tatsuya Nakadai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya; born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932 – November 8, 2025) was a Japanese actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema, he collaborated extensively with many of Japan's best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career, he appeared in more than 160 films, and received numerous accolades. He was honored with a Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1996 and Japan's Order of Culture in 2015.
Discovered on the streets of Tokyo by director Masaki Kobayashi, Nakadai rose to prominence starring in Kobayashi's films, with his breakthrough being the protagonist of the epic anti-war trilogy The Human Condition (1959–1961). He won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for his performance as the vengeful ronin in Harakiri (1962), a role he considered his finest. Nakadai collaborated on eleven films with Kobayashi—including Kwaidan (1964) and Samurai Rebellion (1967)—and five with Akira Kurosawa, most notably as the tragic warlord in Ran (1985), a performance that earned global acclaim. His other notable credits included Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo (1961), The Sword of Doom (1966), The Face of Another (1966), Goyokin (1969), Kagemusha (1980), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013).
A lifelong stage actor, he founded the Gendai Nohgaku-kai troupe in 1975 and continued performing on stage into his nineties.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Tatsuya Nakadai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Filmography
Henkan kōshōjin: Itsuka, Okinawa o torimodosu
2018
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as Narrator
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Age: 85
Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor
2016
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as Yohei Tachibana
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Age: 83
NORINTEN 稲塚権次郎物語
2015
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as
•
Age: 82
ふたりの死刑囚
2015
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as Narrator
•
Age: 82
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
2013
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as Charcoal-maker Old Man (voice)
•
Age: 80
Gaku
2012
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as Kazama Shin-ichi
•
Age: 79
Tatsuya Nakadai on 'The Human Condition'
2009
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as Self
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Age: 76
Wish Upon a Star
2005
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as Takanori Wakamiya
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Age: 72
The Taika Reforms
2005
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as Minabuchi no Syôan
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Age: 72
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
2002
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as Self
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Age: 69
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
2002
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as Self
•
Age: 69
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
2002
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as Self
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Age: 69
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
2002
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as Self
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Age: 69
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
2002
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as Matsushita (Matsushita Denki Co.)
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Age: 69
To Dance with the White Dog
2002
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as Eisuke Nakamoto
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Age: 69
Vengeance for Sale
2002
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as Umetaro Katakura
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Age: 69
Kurosawa
2000
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as Self
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Age: 68
After the Rain
2000
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as Tsuji Gettan
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Age: 67
The Life and Love of Kenji Miyazawa
1996
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as Seijiro Miyazawa
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Age: 63
Summer of the Moonlight Sonata
1993
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as
•
Age: 60
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993
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as
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Age: 60
Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict
1993
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as Yagyu Retsudo
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Age: 60
Wicked City
1992
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as Daishu
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Age: 59
Basara: The Princess Goh
1992
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as Oribe Furuta
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Age: 59
Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell
1992
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as
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Age: 59
Heat Wave
1991
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as Tsunejiro Murai
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Age: 58
Florence My Love
1991
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as
•
Age: 58
13 Assassins
1990
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as
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Age: 57
Let Him Rest in Peace
1989
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as
•
Age: 56
Four Days of Snow and Blood
1989
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as Sugiyama
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Age: 56
Return from the River Kwai
1989
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as Major Harada
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Age: 56
Another Way: D-Kikan-Joho
1988
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as
•
Age: 55
Oración
1988
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as Heihachiro Wagu
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Age: 55
Trinacria: Porsche 959
1987
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as
•
Age: 54
Hachiko
1987
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as Shujiro Ueno
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Age: 54
Taikoki
1987
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as (Narrator)
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Age: 54
Michi
1986
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as Seiji Tajima
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Age: 53
The Empty Table
1985
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as Nobuyuki Kidoji
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Age: 52
Ran
1985
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as Lord Hidetora Ichimonji
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Age: 52
A. K.
1985
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as Self
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Age: 52
Making of Ran
1985
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as Self
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Age: 52
Shadow Hunters
1983
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as
•
Age: 50
The Law of Hell
1982
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as
•
Age: 49
Willful Murder
1981
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as Yashiro
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Age: 48
Magistrate of the Floating World
1981
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as
•
Age: 48
Port Arthur
1980
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as Maresuke Nogi
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Age: 47
Kagemusha
1980
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as Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
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Age: 47
Blood Type: Blue
1978
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as Minami
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Age: 45
The Phoenix
1978
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as Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
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Age: 45
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
1978
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as Kumokiri Nizaemon
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Age: 45
Queen Bee
1978
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as Ginzo Daidoji
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Age: 45
No Image
Sugata Sanshiro
1977
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as Yano
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Age: 44
Elegy
1976
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as Setsuo Katsuragi
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Age: 43
The Family
1974
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as Teppei Manpyo
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Age: 41
Rise, Fair Sun
1973
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as
•
Age: 40
The Human Revolution
1973
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as
•
Age: 40
Belladonna of Sadness
1973
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as The Devil (voice)
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Age: 40
The King
1973
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as Kinjiro Sekine
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Age: 40
Challenge at Dawn
1971
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as Tsukagoshi
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Age: 38
Portrait of Hell
1969
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as Yoshihide
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Age: 36
Blood End
1969
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as Sentaro
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Age: 36
Tenchu!
1969
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as Hanpeita Takechi
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Age: 36
Battle of the Japan Sea
1969
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as Major Genjiro Akashi
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Age: 36
Safari 5000
1969
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as
•
Age: 36
Goyokin
1969
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as Magobei Wakizaka
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Age: 36
Fort Graveyard
1965
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as Sakuma
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Age: 32
Illusion of Blood
1965
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as Iyemon Tamiya
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Age: 32
Three Yakuza
1965
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as
•
Age: 32
The Last Judgment
1965
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as
•
Age: 32
Kwaidan
1965
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as Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
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Age: 32
Ant Hell War
1964
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as
•
Age: 31
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
1964
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as
•
Age: 31
A Woman's Life
1963
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as
•
Age: 30
Miren
1963
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as Ryôta Kinoshita
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Age: 30
Legacy of the 500,000
1963
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as Mitsura Gunji
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Age: 30
High and Low
1963
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as Chief Detective Tokura
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Age: 30
Pressure of Guilt
1963
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as
•
Age: 30
Madame Aki
1963
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as Tatsumi
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Age: 30
Chibusa o daku musume tachi
1962
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as
•
Age: 29
Harakiri
1962
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as Hanshiro Tsugumo
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Age: 29
Love Under the Crucifix
1962
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as Ukon Takayama
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Age: 29
The Inheritance
1962
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as Kikuo Furukawa
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Age: 29
Sanjuro
1962
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as Hanbei Muroto
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Age: 29
Immortal Love
1961
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as Heibei
•
Age: 28
As the Clouds Scatter
1961
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as
•
Age: 28
The Other Woman
1961
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as Minami
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Age: 28
Yojimbo
1961
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as Unosuke, gunfighter
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Age: 28
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
1961
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as Kaji
•
Age: 28
Get 'em All
1960
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as Tsubota
•
Age: 27
The Blue Beast
1960
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as
•
Age: 27
Daughters, Wives and a Mother
1960
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as Kuroki Shingo
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Age: 27
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
1960
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as Kenichi Komatsu
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Age: 27
The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
1959
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as Kaji
•
Age: 26
Pilgrimage at Night
1959
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as
•
Age: 26
Three Dolls in Ginza
1959
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as
•
Age: 26
Odd Obsession
1959
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as Kimura
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Age: 26
The Beast Shall Die
1959
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as Kunihiko Date
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Age: 26
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
1959
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as Kaji
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Age: 26
The Naked Sun
1958
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as
•
Age: 25
Conflagration
1958
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as Tokari
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Age: 25
Diary of an Elegant Hot Spring
1958
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as Kazuo Shimada
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Age: 25
Oban kanketsu hen
1958
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as Shin Don
•
Age: 25
Go and Get It
1958
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as His assistant
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Age: 25
All About Marriage
1958
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as Akira Nakayama
•
Age: 25
A Boy and Three Mothers
1958
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as The Engineer
•
Age: 25
Kampai! Miai Kekkon
1958
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as Kunihiko Sasada
•
Age: 25
The Mandarin Room
1956
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as
•
Age: 24
Sazae-san
1956
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as Norisuke
•
Age: 23
The Thick-Walled Room
1956
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as (Uncredited)
•
Age: 23
Love on Rainbow Island
1956
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as Yûji Wada
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Age: 23
Phoenix
1956
•
as
•
Age: 23
Floating Weeds Diary
1955
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as
•
Age: 22
How the Bell of Liberty Rings
1954
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as (uncredited)
•
Age: 21
Seven Samurai
1954
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as Samurai Wandering through Town (uncredited)
•
Age: 21