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lead=yes, born February 16, 1931 – November 10, 2014, was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in over 200 films. Affectionately referred to as "Ken-san" by audiences, he was best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brought to his roles. He won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role four times, tied with Koji Yakusho for the most ever. Takakura additionally received the Japanese Medal of Honor with purple ribbon in 1998, the Person of Cultural Merit award in 2006, and the Order of Culture in 2013.
Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi ( Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956.
He gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1974 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum, and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989). He again appeared to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck.
Takakura was one of the few Japanese actors who experienced popularity in China, due to his appearance in Junya Satō's 1976 crime drama Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare (known in some territories as Manhunt), the first foreign film shown after the Cultural Revolution. He also starred as the titular assassin in Junya Satō's Golgo 13 (1973), a Japanese–Iranian production and the first live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga series Golgo 13.
He appeared in three films since 2000: The Firefly in May 2001, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, by China director Zhang Yimou, in late December 2005, and Yasuo Furuhata's Anata e ( Dearest) in late August 2012, after a six-year hiatus.
A documentary based on Takakura's life entitled Ken San premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was released in Japanese theaters on August 20, 2016. It was directed by photographer Yuichi Hibi and features interviews with filmmakers and actors such as Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Michael Douglas, John Woo, and Yoji Yamada.
(2025). 9780810867697, Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810867697 In 1959 he married singer Chiemi Eri, but divorced in 1971. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen ( Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura left Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films.
(2025). 9780810875418, Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810875418 He died of lymphoma on November 10, 2014. Shintaro Ishihara described him as "the last big star (in Japan)." A huge number of Chinese internet users expressed their sympathies and condolences, including many celebrities in the Chinese movie industry. The spokesman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hong Lei said that Takakura made significant contributions to the cultural exchange between China and Japan.
Filmography
1956 Denkô ryûsei karate uchi Yusaku Shinobu Fujio Tsuda Denkô karate uchi Choppu sensei Unknown Eiichi Koishi Nippon G-men Shintarô Yamaoka Haha kikaku Unknown Masamitsu Igayama Kenjû o suterû Eiichi Koishi 1957 Daigaku no Ishimatsu Tajobushin Shigehiro Ozawa Nisshin senso fuun hiwa: Kiri no machi Yasushi Sasaki Aoi unabara Kenji Hamada Tsuneo Kobayashi Jetto-ki shutsudo: Daihyakuichi kokukichi Jirô Nakata 1958 Musume jûhachi goikenmuyô Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Tarao Bannai: Jusan no mao Sadatsugu Matsuda Ren'ai jiyûgata Kiyoshi Saeki Kisetsufu no kanatani Hideo Sekigawa Hibari no hanagata tantei kassen Yasushi Sasaki Kibô no otome Mori to mizuumi no matsuri Ichitaro Kazamori Tomu Uchida Musume no naka no musume Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Do no hâjiki wa jigokû dazê Sadatsugu Matsuda 1959 Senpukazuku Eiichi Koishi Muhô gai no yarô domo Shigehiro Ozawa Kuroi yubi no otoko Masuichi Iizuka Kôdo nanasen metoru: kyôfu no yojikan Tsuneo Kobayashi Kêdamonô no torû michi Hideo Sekigawa Jigokû no sokô made tsuki auzê Shigehiro Ozawa Hyoryû shitaî Hideo Sekigawa 1960 Zoku beran me-e geisha Eiichi Koishi Ôinaru tabiji Kozo's Second Son Hideo Sekigawa Zubekô tenshi Unknown Shigehiro Ozawa Tenka no Kaidanji Tosshin Tarô Tarô Tosshin Tsuneo Kobayashi Zoku zoku beran me-e geisha Unknown Eiichi Koishi Otoko nara yattemiro Kiyoshi Saeki Sabaku o wataru taiyo Ôzora no muhômono Shoichi Shimazu Nippatsume wa jigoku-iki daze Shigehiro Ozawa 1961 Tenka no Kaidanji Senpû Tarô Tarô Senpû Eijirô Wakabayashi Hana to arashi to gyangu Unknown Teruo Ishii Hibari minyo no tabi beran me e geisha Sado heiku Kunio Watanabe Mannen Tarô to anego shain Tarô Mannen Tsuneo Kobayashi Beranme Chunori-san Unknown Masamitsu Igayama Akuma no temari-uta Kindaichi Kōsuke Kunio Watanabe Saigo no kaoyaku Unknown Yasushi Sasaki Kashi no onna Ishimatsu Eiichi Kudô Boku wa jigoku no tehinshi da Shigehiro Ozawa Beran me-e geisha makari tôru Eiichi Koishi 1962 Minami taiheiyô nami takashi Kunio Watanabe Beran me-e geisha to Osaka musume Ni-nirokushiken Daisshutsu Tsuneo Kobayashi Koi to Taiyo to Gang Teruo Ishii Komon shacho manyuki Eiichi Koishi Minyo no tabi: Sakurajima Otemoyan Kunio Watanabe Sanbyakurokujugoya Ankoku-gai saigo no hi Umetsugu Inoue Tôkyô antatchaburu Yoshio Harada Shinji Murayama Yumin-gai no Judan Unknown Masuichi Iizuka Uragiri mono wa jigoku daze Shigehiro Ozawa Sen-hime to Hideyori Naomori Masahiro Makino 1963 Ankokugai no kaoyaku: juichinin no gyangu Sawagami Teruo Ishii Tokyo aantachibiru: dasso Yoshio Harada Hideo Sekigawa Ankokugai saidai no kettô Shimpei Matsuoka Umetsugu Inoue Miyamoto Musashi: Nitôryû kaigen Sasaki Kojirō Tomu Uchida Gyangu Chûshingura Unknown Shigehiro Ozawa Kyôkatsu Yûsuke Watanabe Theater of Life: Hishakaku Tadashi Sawashima Bôsu o tosê Teruo Ishii Bôryoku gai Tsuneo Kobayashi 1964 Tôkyô gyangu tai Honkon gyangu Teruo Ishii Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijôji no kettô Sasaki Kojirō Tomu Uchida Jakoman and Tetsu Tetsu Kinji Fukasaku Narazumono Minami Teruo Ishii Irezumi totsugekitai Unknown Ankokugai Main Street Tetsuya Shinobu Umetsugu Inoue Nihon kyôkaku-den Chokichi Masahiro Makino Wolves, Pigs and Men Jirō Kinji Fukasaku 1965 Kaoyaku Kyôichi Hayami Teruo Ishii A Fugitive from the Past Detective Ajimura Tomu Uchida Nihon Kyokaku-den: naniwa-hen Unknown Masahiro Makino Abashiri Prison Shinichi Tachibana Teruo Ishii Nihon Kyokaku-den: kanto-hen Unknown Masahiro Makino Miyamoto Musashi: Ganryû-jima no kettô Sasaki Kojirō Tomu Uchida Shôwa zankyô-den Seiji Terajima Kiyoshi Saeki Abashiri bangaichi: Bôkyô hen Shinichi Tachibana Teruo Ishii Abashiri bangaichi: Hokkai hen 1966 Shôwa zankyô-den: Karajishi botan Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Nihon Kyokaku-den: Ketto Kanda-matsuri Shinsan Masahiro Makino Fumio Kuroki Kinji Fukasaku Otoko no shôbu Unknown Sadao Nakajima Nihon Kyokaku-den: Kaminari-mon no Ketto Masahiro Makino Jigoku no okite ni asu wa nai Ichiro Takita Yasuo Furuhata Showa zankyo-den: Ippiki okami Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Abashiri Bangaichi: Nangoku no Taiketsu Shinichi Tachibana Teruo Ishii Abashiri Bangaichi: Koya no taiketsu Abashiri bangaichi: Dai setsugen no taiktsu 1967 Abashiri bangaichi: Kettô reika 30 do Shôwa zankyô-den: Chizome no karajishi Hidejirô Hanada Masahiro Makino Abashiri bangaichi: Fubuki no tôsô Shinichi Tachibana Teruo Ishii Nihon Kyokaku-den: Shira-ha no Sakazuki Unknown Masahiro Makino Nihon kyokaku-den: kirikomi Kyokotsu ichidai Kyokakû no okitê Motohiro Torii Abashiri Bangaichi: Aku eno Chôsen Shinichi Tachibana Teruo Ishii Âa dôki no sakura First Lieutenant Kenmochi Sadao Nakajima 1968 Nihon Kyokaku-den: Zetsuenjô Unknown Masahiro Makino The Drifting Avenger Ken Kato Junya Sato The Valiant Red Peony Shogo Hanaoka Kōsaku Yamashita Gorotsuki Unknown Masahiro Makino Jinsei-gekijô: Hishakaku to kiratsune Miyagawa Tomu Uchida Gion matsuri Unknown Daisuke Itô and Tetsuya Yamanouchi Bakuto retsuden Shigehiro Ozawa Shin Abashiri Bangaichi Katsuji Suematsu Yasuo Furuhata Kyokaku Retsuden Unknown Masahiro Makino Gokuchu no kaoyaku Yasuo Furuhata 1969 Hibotan bakuto: Hanafuda shôbu Shogo Hanaoka Tai Katô Shôwa zankyô-den: Karajishi jingi Unknown Masahiro Makino Hibotan bakuto: Nidaime shûmei Shigehiro Ozawa Nihon kyokaku-den: hana to ryu Tamai Kingoro Masahiro Makino Nihon ansatsu hiroku Unknown Sadao Nakajima Tosei-nin Retsuden Shigehiro Ozawa Showa zankyo-den: Hito-kiri karajishi Kôsaku Yamashita Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Saihate no Nagare-mono Shinichi Tachibana Kiyoshi Saeki Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Runin-masaki no ketto Yasuo Furuhata Sengo Saidai no Toba Unknown Kôsaku Yamashita Nihon jokyo-den: kyokaku geisha Chôeki san kyôdai Kiyoshi Saeki Bakuto mujô Buichi Saitô 1970 Bakuto ikka Shigehiro Ozawa Nippon dabi katsukyu Jun'ya Satô Too Late the Hero Major Yamaguchi Robert Aldrich Anglo-American film Shôwa zankyô-den: Shinde moraimasu Unknown Masahiro Makino Saigo no tokkôtai Jun'ya Satô Nihon kyokaku-den: Nobori Ryu Kôsaku Yamashita Yukyo-retsuden Sutemi no Narazu-mono Yasuo Furuhata Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Hagure Okami Shinichi Tachibana Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Dai Shinrin no Ketto Nihon jokyo-den: makka na dokyo-bana Unknown 1971 Nihon yakuza-den: Sôchiyô e no michi Ryutaro Fudo Masahiro Makino Gorotsuki mushuku Isamu Tekada Yasuo Furuhata The Man Unknown Kōsaku Yamashita Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Dai-Dassou Shinichi Tachibana Yasuo Furuhata Showa zankyo-den: hoero karajishi Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Shin abashiri bangaichi: Arashi yobu shiretoko-misaki Shinichi Tachibana Yasuo Furuhata Nihon kyokaku-den: Dosu Unknown Shigehiro Ozawa Nihon jokyo-den: ketto midare-bana Kôsaku Yamashita 1972 Junko intai kinen eiga: Kantô hizakura ikka Kuramoto Masahiro Makino Shin abashiri bangaichi: arashi yobu danpu jingi Shinichi Tachibana Yasuo Furuhata Showa zankyo-den: Yabure-gasa Unknown Kiyoshi Saeki Bokyo Komori-uta Shigehiro Ozawa Bakuchi-uchi Gaiden Kôsaku Yamashita 1973 Gendai ninkyô-shi Ryoichi Shimaya Teruo Ishii Golgo 13 Golgo 13 Junya Sato Yamaguchi-gumi Sandaime Kazuo Taoka Kōichi Saitō 1974 San-daime Shumei Unknown Shigehiro Ozawa The Homeless Joukichi Kōichi Saitō The Yakuza Ken Tanaka Sydney Pollack American film 1975 Nihon ninkyo-do: gekitotsu-hen Ichizo Ryuzaki Kôsaku Yamashita Daidatsugoku Ichiro Kozue Teruo Ishii The Bullet Train Tetsuo Okita Junya Sato Kobe Kokusai Gang Masato Dan Noboru Tanaka 1976 Yasagure Keiji Unknown Yûsuke Watanabe Manhunt Junya Sato 1977 Mount Hakkoda Captain Tokushima Shirō Moritani The Yellow Handkerchief Yusaku Shima Yoji Yamada 1978 Fuyu no hana Hidetsugu Kano Yasuo Furuhata Never Give Up Takeshi Ajisawa Junya Sato 1980 Dōran Keisuke Miyagi Shirō Moritani A Distant Cry from Spring Kōsaku Tajima Yoji Yamada 1981 Station Eiji Mikami Yasuo Furuhata 1982 Keiji monogatari Detective Mikami Yûsuke Watanabe Kaikyô Go Akutsu Shirô Moritani 1983 Antarctica Akira Ushioda Koreyoshi Kurahara Izakaya Chōji Chōji Yasuo Furuhata 1985 Yasha Shūji 1988 Umi e, See You Eiji Honma Koreyoshi Kurahara 1989 Black Rain Assistant Inspector Masahiro "Mas" Matsumoto Ridley Scott American film Aun Shūzō Kadokura Yasuo Furuhata 1992 Mr. Baseball Uchiyama Fred Schepisi American film 1994 47 Ronin Ōishi Kuranosuke Kon Ichikawa 1999 Poppoya Otomatsu Satō Yasuo Furuhata 2001 The Firefly Yamaoka Shûji 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles Gou-Ichi Takata Zhang Yimou Chinese film 2012 Anata e Eiji Kurashima Yasuo Furuhata His final film role
Honours
External links
Categories: 1931 Births, 2014 Deaths, People From Nakama, Fukuoka, Japanese Male Film Actors, Male Actors From Fukuoka Prefecture, Recipients Of The Medal With Purple Ribbon, Persons Of Cultural Merit, Recipients Of The Order Of Culture, Meiji University Alumni, Singers From Fukuoka Prefecture, Deaths From Lymphoma In Japan
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