Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
April 1, 1920
Place of Birth:
Qingdao, China
Social Media
Toshirō Mifune
Biography
Toshirō Mifune (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema. He was born in Qingdao, China, but was raised in Japan. Mifune's career spanned over 50 years, during which he collaborated extensively with renowned director Akira Kurosawa, creating some of the most iconic films in Japanese cinema.
Mifune gained international recognition for his performances in Kurosawa's films, particularly in samurai films. He portrayed strong, dynamic, and often rebellious characters, bringing a raw intensity to his roles. Some of his notable collaborations with Kurosawa include "Rashomon" (1950), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Yojimbo" (1961), and "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), which inspired George Lucas's "Star Wars."
Apart from his work with Kurosawa, Mifune appeared in numerous other films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He played roles in various genres, including dramas, comedies, and war films. Some of his other notable films include "The Throne of Blood" (1957), "High and Low" (1963), and "Red Beard" (1965).
Mifune's charismatic presence, powerful performances, and ability to convey complex emotions made him an iconic figure in Japanese cinema. He received international recognition and awards for his contributions to the film industry, including several honors at the Venice Film Festival and a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity | Self (archive footage) |
| 2016 | Mifune: The Last Samurai | Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage) |
| 2002 | Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress' | Self |
| 2000 | Kurosawa | Self (archive footage) |
| 1998 | Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman | Self (archive footage) |
| 1996 | The Making of '1941' | Self (archive footage) |
| 1995 | Deep River | Tsukada |
| 1995 | Picture Bride | The Benshi |
| 1992 | Shadow of the Wolf | Kroomak |
| 1991 | Journey of Honor | Ieyasu Tokugawa |
| 1991 | Strawberry Road | Taoka |
| 1990 | Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode | Nagao Tamekage |
| 1989 | Death of a Tea Master | Rikyu Sen-no |
| 1989 | cf Girl | Shūichirō Hase |
| 1989 | The Demon Comes in Spring | Kukkune no jî |
| 1987 | Princess from the Moon | Taketori-no-Miyatsuko |
| 1987 | The Retired Samurai | Hikozaemon Ōkubo |
| 1987 | Tora-san Goes North | Junkichi Ueno |
| 1987 | The Shatterer | Murai |
| 1986 | The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai | Kyūbei Matsufuji |
| 1985 | No More God, No More Love | Kōzō Kanzaki |
| 1984 | Okita Soji: Swordsman of Fire | Shūsai Kondō |
| 1984 | The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel | Fisherman |
| 1983 | Secret of the Forbidden Valley | |
| 1983 | Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell | Sanjuro Hinoki |
| 1983 | Battle Anthem | Admiral Heihachiro Togo |
| 1983 | The Women of Osaka Castle | Tokugawa Ieyasu |
| 1983 | Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl | Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô |
| 1983 | Theater Of Life | Hyōtarō Aonari |
| 1983 | Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass | Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô |
| 1982 | The Challenge | Toru Yoshida |
| 1982 | Lowly Ronin 2: The Spray of Blood | Sanjuro Hinoki |
| 1982 | Domineering | Masao Tadokoro |
| 1982 | The Lowly Ronin 3: Duel at Dawn | |
| 1982 | Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 2 | Tamon Umei |
| 1981 | The Bushido Blade | Shogun's Commander |
| 1981 | Inchon | Saito-San |
| 1981 | Lowly Ronin | Sanjuro Hinoki |
| 1981 | Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 1 | Tamon Umei |
| 1980 | Port Arthur | Emperor Meiji |
| 1980 | Shogun | Lord Yoshi Toranaga |
| 1979 | 1941 | Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura |
| 1979 | Winter Kills | Keith |
| 1979 | The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi | Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye" |
| 1979 | Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police | Sadanobu Matsudaira |
| 1978 | The Fall of Ako Castle | Tsuchiya Michinao |
| 1978 | Love and Faith | Taiko Hideyoshi |
| 1978 | Shogun's Samurai | Yoshinao Tokugawa |
| 1978 | Shag | Captain Takeo Murata |
| 1978 | Lord Mito | Sakuzaemon Okumura |
| 1978 | Japanese Godfather: Conclusion | Kosuke Oishi |
| 1977 | Proof of the Man | Yohei Kori |
| 1977 | Japanese Godfather: Ambition | Kosuke Oishi |
| 1976 | Midway | Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto |
| 1975 | Paper Tiger | Ambassador Kagoyama |
| 1971 | Red Sun | Kuroda Jubei |
| 1970 | Incident at Blood Pass | Yojimbo |
| 1970 | Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo | Yojimbo/Sasa |
| 1970 | The Ambitious | Shojiro Goto |
| 1970 | The Militarists | Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto |
| 1970 | The Walking Major | Kinugasa Tadao |
| 1969 | Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor | Isami Kondo |
| 1969 | Samurai Banners | Kansuke Yamamoto |
| 1969 | Red Lion | Gonzo |
| 1969 | Battle of the Japan Sea | Admiral Heihachiro Togo |
| 1969 | Safari 5000 | Yūichirō Takase |
| 1968 | Hell in the Pacific | Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda |
| 1968 | The Sands of Kurobe | Kitagawa |
| 1968 | Admiral Yamamoto | Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto |
| 1968 | The Day the Sun Rose | Kumaza |
| 1967 | Samurai Rebellion | Isaburo Sasahara |
| 1967 | Japan's Longest Day | War Minister General Korechika Anami |
| 1966 | Grand Prix | Izō Yamura |
| 1966 | The Sword of Doom | Toranosuke Shimada |
| 1966 | Adventure in Kigan Castle | Osami |
| 1966 | Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions | Self |
| 1966 | The Mad Atlantic | Heihachirô Murakami |
| 1966 | Rise Against the Sword | Abare Gōemon |
| 1965 | Red Beard | Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard") |
| 1965 | Samurai Assassin | Tsuruchiyo Niiro |
| 1965 | Fort Graveyard | Sergeant Kosugi |
| 1965 | The Retreat from Kiska | Omura |
| 1965 | Sanshiro Sugata | Shogoro Yano |
| 1964 | Whirlwind | Lord Akashi |
| 1963 | High and Low | Kingo Gondo |
| 1963 | Samurai Pirate | Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version] |
| 1963 | Attack Squadron | Lt. Colonel Senda |
| 1963 | Legacy of the 500,000 | Takeichi Matsuo |
| 1962 | Sanjuro | Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin |
| 1962 | Chûshingura | Genba Tawaraboshi |
| 1962 | Home-Brewed Tatsu | Tatsu |
| 1962 | Three Gentlemen Return from Hong Kong | Zhang Zhizhang |
| 1961 | Yojimbo | Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai |
| 1961 | The Important Man | Ánimas Trujano |
| 1961 | Daredevil in the Castle | Mohei |
| 1961 | The Youth and His Amulet | Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King) |
| 1961 | The Masterless 47 – Part II | |
| 1960 | The Bad Sleep Well | Kôichi Nishi |
| 1960 | The Last Gunfight | Detective Saburo Fujioka |
| 1960 | The Masterless 47 | Kazuo Momoi |
| 1960 | The Storm of the Pacific | Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi |
| 1960 | The Gambling Samurai | Kunisada Chuji |
| 1960 | Man Against Man | Kaji |
| 1959 | Desperado Outpost | Battalion Commander |
| 1959 | Samurai Saga | Heihachiro Komaki |
| 1959 | The Three Treasures | Prince Yamato Takeru |
| 1959 | The Big Boss | Kashimura |
| 1959 | Saga of the Vagabonds | Rokuro Kai |
| 1958 | The Hidden Fortress | General Rokurota Makabe |
| 1958 | The Rickshaw Man | Matsugorō Tomishima |
| 1958 | Yaji and Kita on the Road | Toshinoshin Taya |
| 1958 | Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II | Tasaburo |
| 1958 | All About Marriage | Acting teacher |
| 1958 | A Holiday in Tokyo | Tenkai's nephew Jirō |
| 1958 | Theater of Life | |
| 1957 | Throne of Blood | Taketoki Washizu |
| 1957 | The Lower Depths | Sutekichi the Thief |
| 1957 | Yagyu Secret Scrolls | Tasaburō Kasumi |
| 1957 | A Man in the Storm | Saburō Watari |
| 1957 | A Dangerous Hero | Kawada |
| 1957 | Down Town | Yoshio Tsuruishi |
| 1957 | Good Luck to These Two | Toshio Maruyama |
| 1956 | Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island | Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo |
| 1956 | Rebels on the High Sea | Matsuo Tokuzō |
| 1956 | Settlement of Love | Shuntarō Ōhira |
| 1956 | A Wife's Heart | Kenkichi |
| 1956 | The Underworld | Chief Inspector Kumada |
| 1956 | Scoundrel | Kanji |
| 1956 | Rainy Night Duel | Masahiko Koseki |
| 1955 | I Live in Fear | Kiichi Nakajima |
| 1955 | Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple | Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo |
| 1955 | All is Well | Daikichi Risshun |
| 1955 | All is Well 2 | Daikichi Risshun |
| 1955 | No Time for Tears | Mitsuo Yano |
| 1955 | A Man Among Men | "Buick" Maki |
| 1954 | Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto | Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo |
| 1954 | Seven Samurai | Kikuchiyo |
| 1954 | The Black Fury | Eiichi Tsuda |
| 1954 | The Surf | Skipper of the Utashima-maru |
| 1953 | The Eagle of the Pacific | 1st Lieutenant Tomonaga |
| 1953 | The Last Embrace | Shinkichi / Hayakawa |
| 1953 | My Wonderful Yellow Car | Matsumura |
| 1953 | Sunflower Girl | Ippei Hitachi |
| 1952 | The Life of Oharu | Katsunosuke |
| 1952 | Vendetta of a Samurai | Mataemon Araki |
| 1952 | Foghorn | Chiyokichi |
| 1952 | Sword for Hire | Sasa Hayatenosuke |
| 1952 | Tokyo Sweetheart | Kurokawa |
| 1952 | The Man Who Came to Port | Gorō Niinuma |
| 1952 | Swift Current | Shunsuke Kosugi |
| 1952 | Kin no tamago: Golden Girl | |
| 1951 | The Idiot | Denkichi Akama |
| 1951 | Sasaki Kojiro | Miyamoto Musashi |
| 1951 | The Life of a Horse Trader | Yonetaro Katayama |
| 1951 | Beyond Love and Hate | Gorō Sakata |
| 1951 | Pirates | Tora |
| 1951 | Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre | Kenji Kawakami |
| 1951 | Who Knows a Woman's Heart | Mizuno |
| 1951 | Elegy | Prosecutor Daisuke Toki |
| 1950 | Rashomon | Tajômaru |
| 1950 | Scandal | Ichirô Aoye |
| 1950 | Wedding Ring | Takeshi Ema |
| 1950 | Escape from Prison | Shinkichi |
| 1950 | Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka | Teisaku Nagasawa |
| 1949 | Stray Dog | Det. Murakami |
| 1949 | The Quiet Duel | Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki |
| 1949 | Jakoman and Tetsu | Tetsu |
| 1948 | Drunken Angel | Matsunaga |
| 1947 | Snow Trail | Eijima |
| 1947 | These Foolish Times | Genzaburo Onō, Gang Boss |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Burning Mountain River | Otsuichi Amo |
| 1981 | Sekigahara | Sakon Shima |
| 1981 | Tuesday Suspense Theater | |
| 1980 | Shōgun | Lord Yoshi Toranaga |
| 1979 | The 47 Ronins of Ako | Tachibana Sakon |
| 1978 | Falcons of Edo | Kanbei Uchiyama |
| 1976 | Ronin in a Lawless Town | Mr. Danna |
| 1972 | Ronin of the Wastelands | Kujuro Toge |
| 1971 | V.I.P. Schaukel | Self |
| 1971 | Epic Chushingura | Oishi Kuranosuke |