, born , 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.
Life Takakura was born in Nakama, Fukuoka in 1931. He was the second of four siblings, two of whom were sons and two of whom were daughters. His father, Toshiro Oda, was a former Imperial Japanese Navy officer, serving on the battleship Hiei during World War II, and mother, Takano was a teacher. As child he suffered from disease, encouraged by his father, Tadahi joined sports when He attended Tochiku High School in nearby Yahata City, where he was a member of the boxing team and English society. It was around this time that he gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza movies. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gangs. After graduating from Meiji University in Tokyo, Takakura attended an audition on impulse in 1955 at the Toei Film Company while applying for a managerial position.
Career
Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. 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.
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: in May 2001, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, by Chinese director Zhang Yimou, in late December 2005, and Yasuo Furuhata's Anata e (Dearest) in late August 2012, after a six-year hiatus. 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.
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.
Filmography Year Title RoleNotes1956Inner Journey Pt.2Yusaku ShinobuLead roleInner JourneyYusaku ShinobuLead roleThe Chop ProfessorNippon G-Men Pt.3Yūhi to KenjūShintarō YamaokaMother PeacockGet Rid of the GunLead role1957Daigaku no IshimatsuLead roleTajobushinNisshin senso fuun hiwa: Kiri no machiAoi unabaraKenji HamadaJet Air Base 101Jiro Nakata1958No Advice TakenTarao Bannai: Jusan no maoRomance, FreestyleKisetsufu no kanataniHideo SekigawaHell's CompanionMikio IkariDetective DuelWith Songs in My HeartFestival of Forest And LakeIchitaro KazamoriLead roleSister within SisterHiroshi IshiokaGuns of Purgatory1959Tornado FamilyGoro TamuraMen in a Rough TownBlack FingerShinkichi MitaLead roleFour Hours of TerrorLead roleThe Road That Beasts TakeLead roleHyoryū shitaî1960Zoku beran me-e geishaŌinaru tabijiKozo's Second SonZubekō tenshiTenka no Kaidanji Tosshin TarōTarō TosshinLead roleZoku zoku beran me-e geishaOtoko nara yattemiroLead roleSabaku o wataru taiyoŌzora no muhōmonoLead roleThe Second Bullet Is Marked1961Tenka no Kaidanji Senpū TarōTarô SenpūLead roleHana to arashi to gyanguHibari minyo no tabi beran me e geisha Sado heikuMannen Tarô to anego shainTarô MannenLead roleBeranme Chunori-sanAkuma no temari-utaKindaichi KōsukeLead roleSaigo no kaoyakuKashi no onna IshimatsuBoku wa jigoku no tehinshi daBeran me-e geisha makari tōru1962Minami taiheiyō nami takashiBeran me-e geisha to Osaka musumeNi-nirokushiken DaisshutsuKoi to Taiyo to GangLead roleKomon shacho manyukiMinyo no tabi: Sakurajima OtemoyanSanbyakurokujugoyaAnkoku-gai saigo no hiTokyo UntouchableYoshio HaradaLead roleYumin-gai no JudanUragiri mono wa jigoku dazeSen-hime to HideyoriNaomori1963Ankokugai no kaoyaku: juichinin no gyanguSawagamiTokyo Untouchable: Prison BreakersYoshio HaradaAnkokugai saidai no kettôShimpei MatsuokaMiyamoto Musashi: Nitôryû kaigenSasaki KojirōGyangu ChûshinguraTakumi AsanoKyôkatsuTeruo YabukiLead roleTheater of Life: HishakakuMiyagawaOverthrow the BossYoshiokaLead roleViolent QuarterShunsukeLead role1964Tōkyō gyangu tai Honkon gyanguMiyamoto Musashi: Ichijôji no kettôSasaki KojirōJakoman and TetsuTetsuLead roleNarazumonoMinamiLead roleIrezumi totsugekitaiAnkokugai Main StreetTetsuya ShinobuLead roleNihon kyôkaku-denChokichiLead roleWolves, Pigs and MenJirō1965KaoyakuKyōichi HayamiA Fugitive from the PastDetective AjimuraNihon Kyokaku-den: naniwa-henLead roleAbashiri PrisonShinichi TachibanaLead roleNihon Kyokaku-den: kanto-hen Miyamoto Musashi: Ganryū-jima no kettôSasaki KojirōShōwa zankyō-denSeiji TerajimaLead roleAbashiri bangaichi: Bōkyō henShinichi TachibanaLead roleAbashiri bangaichi: Hokkai henShinichi TachibanaLead role1966Shōwa zankyō-den: Karajishi botanLead roleNihon Kyokaku-den: Ketto Kanda-matsuriShinsanLead roleKamikaze Man: Duel at NoonFumio KurokiOtoko no shōbuKotaro SenjuNihon Kyokaku-den: Kaminari-mon no KettoShintaro HiramatsuLead roleJigoku no okite ni asu wa naiIchiro TakitaLead roleShowa zankyo-den: Ippiki okamiLead roleAbashiri Bangaichi: Nangoku no TaiketsuShinichi TachibanaLead roleAbashiri Bangaichi: Koya no taiketsuShinichi TachibanaLead roleAbashiri bangaichi: Dai setsugen no taiktsuShinichi Tachibana1967Abashiri bangaichi: Kettō reika 30 doShinichi TachibanaLead roleShōwa zankyō-den: Chizome no karajishiHidejirô HanadaLead roleAbashiri bangaichi: Fubuki no tōsōShinichi TachibanaLead roleNihon Kyokaku-den: Shira-ha no SakazukiLead roleNihon kyokaku-den: kirikomiLead roleKyokotsu ichidaiKyokakū no okitêSpecial appearance Abashiri Bangaichi: Aku eno ChôsenShinichi TachibanaLead roleÂa dōki no sakuraFirst Lieutenant Kenmochi1968Nihon Kyokaku-den: ZetsuenjōLead roleThe Drifting AvengerKen KatoLead roleRed Peony GamblerShogo HanaokaGorotsukiLead roleJinsei-gekijō: Hishakaku to kiratsuneMiyagawaGion matsuriBakuto retsudenLead roleShin Abashiri BangaichiKatsuji SuematsuLead roleKyokaku RetsudenGokuchu no kaoyaku1969Hibotan bakuto: Hanafuda shōbuShogo HanaokaShōwa zankyō-den: Karajishi jingiLead roleHibotan bakuto: Nidaime shūmeiNihon kyokaku-den: hana to ryuTamai KingoroLead roleNihon ansatsu hirokuSaburō AizawaTosei-nin RetsudenShowa zankyo-den: Hito-kiri karajishiLead roleShin Abashiri Bangaichi: Saihate no Nagare-monoShinichi TachibanaLead roleShin Abashiri Bangaichi: Runin-masaki no kettoShinichi TachibanaLead roleSengo Saidai no TobaLead roleNihon jokyo-den: kyokaku geishaBrothers Serving TimeLead role1970House of GamblersThe Japan Derby RaceLead roleToo Late the HeroMajor YamaguchiAnglo-American filmShôwa zankyô-den: Shinde moraimasuLead roleSaigo no tokkôtaiLead roleNihon kyokaku-den: Nobori RyuLead roleYukyo-retsudenLead roleSutemi no Narazu-monoYajimaLead roleShin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Hagure OkamiLead roleShin Abashiri Bangaichi: Dai Shinrin no KettoLead roleNihon jokyo-den: makka na dokyo-bana1971Nihon yakuza-den: Sôchiyô e no michiRyutaro FudoLead roleGorotsuki mushukuIsamu TekadaLead roleThe ManLead roleShin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Dai-DassouShinichi TachibanaLead roleShowa zankyo-den: hoero karajishiLead roleShin abashiri bangaichi: Arashi yobu shiretoko-misakiShinichi TachibanaLead roleNihon kyokaku-den: DosuLead roleNihon jokyo-den: ketto midare-banaYoshioka1972The Kanto Scarlet Cherry GangKuramotoNew Prison Walls of Abashiri: Temple CodeShinichi TachibanaLead roleContemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall DieLead roleLullaby for a Tough GuyLead roleThe Pledge1973Yakuza of the PresentRyoichi ShimayaLead roleGolgo 13Golgo 13Lead roleJapan's Top GangsterKazuo TaokaLead role1974Sister Street FighterKazuo TaokaLead roleThe HomelessJoukichiThe YakuzaKen TanakaAmerican film1975Roads for HonorIchizo RyuzakiLead roleGreat JailbreakIchiro KozueLead roleThe Bullet TrainTetsuo OkitaLead roleThe International Gang of KobeMasato DanLead role1976ManhuntFuyuto MoriokaLead role1977Mount HakkodaCaptain Tokushima Lead roleThe Yellow HandkerchiefYusaku Shima Lead role1978Flower of WinterHidetsugu Kano Lead roleNever Give UpTakeshi AjisawaLead role1980DōranKeisuke MiyagiLead roleA Distant Cry from SpringKōsaku TajimaLead role1981StationEiji MikamiLead role1982Detective StoryDetective MikamiCameoThe Longest TunnelGo AkutsuLead role1983AntarcticaAkira UshiodaLead roleIzakaya ChōjiChōjiLead role1985YashaShūjiLead role1988Umi e, See YouEiji HonmaLead role1989Black RainAssistant Inspector Masahiro "Mas" MatsumotoAmerican filmBuddiesShūzō KadokuraLead role1992Mr. BaseballUchiyamaAmerican film199447 RoninŌishi KuranosukeLead role1999Railroad ManOtomatsu SatōLead role2001The FireflyYamaoka ShûjiLead role2005Riding Alone for Thousands of MilesGou-Ichi TakataLead role; Chinese film2012DearestEiji KurashimaLead role
Honours
Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1978 – as Yusaku Shima, in The Yellow Handkerchief 1981 – as Kōsaku Tajima, in A Distant Cry from Spring 1982 – as Eiji Mikami, in Station 1999 – as Otomatsu Satō, in Poppoya Japan Academy Prize for Special Award of Honour from the Association 2013 Blue Ribbon Awards 1977 – as Yusaku Shima, in The Yellow Handkerchief 1999 – as Otomatsu Satō, in Poppoya Japanese Medal of Honor (Purple Ribbon) (1998) Person of Cultural Merit (2006) Order of Culture (2013) Junior Third Rank (2014; posthumous)
References
External links