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1-50 of 276
- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Satoshi Kon was born in 1963. He studied at the Musashino College of the Arts. He began his career as a Manga artist. He then moved to animation and worked as a background artist on many films (including Roujin Z (1991) by 'Katsuhiro Otomo'). Then, in 1995, he wrote an episode of the anthology film Memories (1995) (this Episode was "Magnetic Rose"). In 1997, he directed his first feature film: the excellent Perfect Blue (1997). In 2001, he finished work on his second feature film, Millennium Actress (2001) (aka Millennium Actress).- Actress
- Additional Crew
Tura Satana started exotic dancing when she was only 13 years old. She integrated acrobatics, humor, and sensual beauty to her dancing art form. As a dancer, she started doing guest appearances in films such as Our Man Flint (1966) and Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963) and made several films with low-budget auteur Ted V. Mikels. Her skills as a martial artist landed her small roles in TV shows such as Hawaiian Eye (1959), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964), The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966), The Greatest Show on Earth (1963) and Burke's Law (1963).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Masaki Kobayashi was born on 14 February 1916 in Hokkaido, Japan. He was a director and writer, known for Harakiri (1962), Samurai Rebellion (1967) and The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961). He died on 4 October 1996 in Tokyo, Japan.- Eita Okuno was born on 10 February 1986 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for The Outsider (2018), Alice in Borderland (2020) and Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part II - The Beginning (2021).
- Nobuko Miyamoto was born on 27 March 1945 in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for A Taxing Woman (1987), Tampopo (1985) and A Taxing Woman's Return (1988). She was previously married to Jûzô Itami.
- Japanese character actor equally adept at comic or seriously unsavory roles. Chiaki graduated from the University of Chuo with degrees in economics and commerce, but almost immediately found that his interest lay more with the theatre. In 1937, he began to study with the Shin-Tsukiji Gekidan ("The New Tsukiji Theatre Troupe"). During the Second World War, he served as director of the Bara-Za theatre company. Director Akira Kurosawa saw Chiaki in a stage production of the play "Dataii" (from which Kurosawa would later adapt for: The Quiet Duel (1949) ) and advised him to enter films. Chiaki became a favorite of the great director, who cast him in Stray Dog (1949) and nearly a dozen other films. Chiaki was notable as the good-natured Heihachi in Seven Samurai (1954) and as the comic deserter Tahei in _Kakushi toride no san akunin (1958)_. In 1975, Chiaki suffered a stroke. He recovered and in 1985 won Japan Academy Award for Best Actor in Hana ichimonme (1985). The last survivor of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai title players, Chiaki died of coronary and pulmonary failure in 1999.
- Actress
- Art Director
- Soundtrack
Tôko Miura was born on 20 October 1996 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress and art director, known for Drive My Car (2021), Weathering with You (2019) and Ooku (2023).- Fusako Shiotani was born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, and grew up in Nagoya. She made her debut as a commercial voice-over artist in Nagoya when she was a teenager. After voicing on many commercials as well as appearing on TV as a reporter and on radio as a personality, she came to the U.S. as a broadcaster. Since she arrived in L.A., she has been expanding her activities to actress, singer, voice-over artist and voice-over director. Fusako is also a third-rank black belt martial artist, and a certified kimono stylist.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Masayuki Mori was born on 13 January 1911 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor, known for Rashomon (1950), The Bad Sleep Well (1960) and The Idiot (1951). He died on 7 October 1973.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kana Ichinose was born on 20 December 1996 in Obihiro, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Darling in the Franxx (2018), Weathering with You (2019) and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (2022).- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Hiromi Tsuru was born on 29 March 1960 in Chitose, Hokkaidô, Japan. She was an actress, known for Trigun (1998), Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013) and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015). She was married to Keiichi Nanba. She died on 16 November 2017 in Chûô-ku, Tokyo, Japan.- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Kazuya Shiraishi was born on 17 December 1974 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. He is a director and assistant director, known for The Devil's Path (2013), Sea of Revival (2019) and Dawn of the Felines (2017).- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Along with Hara Setsuko and Tanaka Kinuyo, Takamine Hideko remains one of Japan's most admired and prolific film actresses. Born as Hirayama Hideko in Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in 1924, she became a child actress for Shochiku Studio at age five appearing in the film Haha. She would go on to work with directors like Kinoshita, Ozu, and arguably most notably Naruse Mikio. Mid-career she had switched to P.C.L. Film Studio (later Toho Studios) and then become independent yet she would work for notable directors nonetheless. By the time she married director Matsuyama Zenzo in 1955 she had acquired a reputation as depicting feminist roles where women seek their independence or are oppressed. She died in 2010 of lung cancer, but had recorded songs and written biographies before her death.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Ken Yasuda was born on 8 December 1973 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor and director, known for Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Spirited Away (2001) and Itoshi no Irene (2018).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Yôtarô Katsumi was born on 11 September 1893 in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor and director, known for Chushingura: The Truth (1928), Sâkasakî dewanokamî (I) (1925) and Aka to shiro (1925). He died on 1 September 1962.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Ai Matsubara was born on 9 December 1955 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for House (1977), The Visitor in the Eye (1977) and School in the Crosshairs (1981).- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Masaru Konuma was born on 30 December 1937 in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. He was a director and assistant director, known for Beach (2000). He died on 22 January 2023.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Yô Ôizumi was born on 3 April 1973 in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor and writer, known for When Marnie Was There (2014), Spirited Away (2001) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004). He has been married to Kumiko Nakajima since 2 May 2009.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Miho Nikaido was born on 3 April 1966 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress and producer, known for Fay Grim (2006), Henry Fool (1997) and Tokyo Decadence (1992).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Shô Miyake was born on 18 July 1984 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He is a director and writer, known for Small, Slow But Steady (2022), And Your Bird Can Sing (2018) and All the Long Nights (2024).- Fumiyo Kohinata was born on 23 January 1954 in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Beyond Outrage (2012), Fullmetal Alchemist (2017) and Outrage (2010).
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Akira Ifukube was born on May 31, 1914 in Hokkaido, Japan. He was the third son of a chief constable (his grandfather was a priest of Shin-to) and spent a majority of his childhood in areas with a mixed Japanese and Ainu population. Therefore, Ifukube was strongly influenced by their musical traditions and styles. As a result, he studied the violin. Later, he attended secondary school in Sapporo, and decided to become a composer at the age of 14 after hearing a radio performance of Igor Stravinsky's the Rite of Spring.
Ifukube studied forestry at Hokkaido University and composed music in his spare time. His first piece was the piano solo "Piano Suite" and his big break came in 1935, when his first orchestral piece, "Japanese Rhapsody," won first prize in an international contest for young composers promoted by Alexander Tcherepnin. In 1936, Ifukube studied modern Western composition while Tcherepnin was visiting Japan, and in 1938, Ifukube's piano suite obtained an honorable mention at the I.C.S.M. Festival in Venice, Italy. In the late 1930s his music, including "Japanese Rhapsody," was performed in areas throughout Europe.
After completing his studies, Ifukube worked as a forestry officer and lumber processor. Towards the end of World War II, he was appointed by the Japanese Imperial Army to study the elasticity and vibratory strength of wood. He suffered radiation exposure after carrying out x-rays without protection. As a result, Ifukube left forestry work and ultimately became a full-time professional music composer and teacher. From 1946 to 1953, he taught at the Nihon University College of Art. In 1947, after encouragement from a friend, Ifukube came to the Big Screen, and composed the music score for Toho Studio's Snow Trail (1947). Ifukube continued to compose music scores for many drama and comedy movies, many of them produced by Toho. However, classical music remained Ifukube's greatest passion. But yet, the world would probably remember him mostly as the man who brought music and soul to the King of the Monsters: Godzilla.
When producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, director Ishirô Honda and special effects man Eiji Tsuburaya of Toho Studios decided to make a movie about a gigantic monster brought to life by nuclear bomb testing, Godzilla was born. Having placed together all the elements for the intriguing and haunting monster film, Godzilla (1954), only one element was left: the music score. Thus, Akira Ifukube came into the picture. He created a somber and masterful score to match the on-screen drama. He went on to score eight Godzilla films in Toho's "Showa" Godzilla series. In addition to Godzilla, Ifukube also scored a number of other sci-fi films produced by Toho including "Rodan," "The Mysterians," "Atragon" and "Frankenstein Conquers the World."
A number of the Godzilla films contains the "Godzilla Theme," which will forever etch in fans' minds that this is Godzilla's musical cue, and the "Monster Battle Theme," which occur in several Godzilla films whenever monster attacks and battles erupt. Probably Ifukube's most memorable work in these sci-fi films is his "monster marches," which are militaristic and rousing. The film Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) (Godzilla vs. Monster Zero) was once screened in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, and the audience was stomping to its feet and clapping their hands to the rhythm - most of these were children who have not seen a Godzilla film in their lives.
Ifukube returned to teaching at the Tokyo College of Music in 1974, becoming president in 1976. In 1978, Ifukube retired from film work and in 1985, he became president of the college's ethnomusicology department. He trained younger generation composers such as Toshiro Mayuzumi, Yasushi Akutagawa and Kaoru Wada. He also published "Orchestration," a 1,000-page book on theory. The Japanese government awarded him the Order of Culture and the Order of the Sacred Treasures.
In 1984, after a nine-year hiatus, Toho revived the Godzilla series, and released Godzilla 1985 (1985), thus marked the beginning of the Godzilla "Heisei" series. Five years later, Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) was released. The composer of the film, Kôichi Sugiyama asked Ifukube if he could use some of his Godzilla themes. He said yes, as long as he doesn't change it into "pop music," which Ifukube dislikes. So, his themes were used, but unfortunately, to the contrary of what Ifukube wished. His daughter told him that no matter how much he stays away from scoring another Godzilla film, his themes will always be heard. So, she suggested that he score the next Godzilla film. Taking his daughter's suggestion into consideration, and after Toho came knocking on his door again, Ifukube came out of retirement; he scored the next three Godzilla films. He brought his classic Godzilla themes with him, utilizing the recognizable "Godzilla Theme" and "Monster Battle Theme" where appropriate, and backed with larger orchestras and enhanced with modern-day digital recording techniques.
Ifukube was usually only given a short amount of time to score a movie. He was given only three days to score Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993). After that film was completed, Ifukube said that he couldn't possibly score any more Godzilla films, especially at his advanced age. Therefore, fellow composer Takayuki Hattori scored the next film, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). He was going to take over the reins, but producer Tanaka decided to make one last Godzilla movie. And, what would be more appropriate than to have Akira Ifukube provide Godzilla's final musical bow? Ifukube agreed, and scored Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). The score for this film is a blending of haunting music, rousing marches and a heartbreaking requiem. Ifukube stated that he regarded this film score as his best work. The rushed job that Ifukube experienced while writing these monster film scores became his magnum opus. Godzilla was a huge part of his life, and Ifukube stated that writing music for the monster was like writing music for his own. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) was not only the last Godzilla film of the "Heisei" series and the last Godzilla film Tanaka produced, but was Ifukube's last musical work in films. After the film was completed, Ifukube resumed retirement, this time for good.
Ifukube was known as the "John Williams" of Japan, and became one of cinema's finest composers. He passed away in Tokyo on February 8, 2006 at age 91.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Eiichi Kudô was born on 17 July 1929 in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan. He was a director and writer, known for Yaju-deka (1982), Maboroshi toro no onna (1961) and Sangyô supai (1968). He died on 23 September 2000 in Kyoto, Japan.- Shô Aoyagi was born on 12 April 1985 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Alice in Borderland (2020), Mr. Long (2017) and Yakuza Apocalypse (2015).
- Director
- Writer
- Art Department
Tomomi Mochizuki was born on 31 December 1958 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is a director and writer, known for Seraphim Call (1999), Dirty Pair Flash (1995) and Urusei yatsura (1981).- Aino Kishi was born on 1 February 1988 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for Samurai Princess (2009), Mask the Kekkou: Reborn (2012) and Chin-jeol-han ga-jeong-boo (2015).
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
Kazushige Nojima was born on 20 January 1964 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005), Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and Final Fantasy VIII (1999).- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Satoru Iwata was born on 6 December 1959 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He was a producer and actor, known for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006), Metroid Prime (2002) and Metroid: Zero Mission (2004). He was married to Kayoko Iwata. He died on 11 July 2015 in Kyoto, Japan.- Gorô Ibuki was born on 2 January 1946 in Kumaishi-cho, Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (2009), Kamen Rider Decade (2009) and Samurai Sentai Shinkenger vs. Go-onger Ginmaku Bang! (2010).
- Yukie Kawamura was born on 23 January 1986 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultraseven X (2007), Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007) and Kyûketsu Shôjo tai Shôjo Furanken (2009).
- Myra Meadows known professionally as Myra Arai is a Canadian-Japanese actress and model. She was born in Nayoro, Hokkaido to a Canadian father and a Japanese mother.
While still a high-school student, she was scouted by Twin Planet Entertainment in Tokyo. In 2018, she appeared on the "Fall in Love Weekend Homestay" reality show broadcast on video streaming website, AbemaTV. That same year, she won the grand prize in a beauty contest run by VoCE Magazine (Kodansha Publishing) and became an exclusive model for said magazine. In February 2019, she was made an official Tourism Ambassador of her hometown, Nayoro in Hokkaido.
In May 2021, she joined the Ken-On talent agency, taking the stage name Myra Arai. - Takeshi Aono was born on 19 June 1936 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor, known for Ninja Scroll (1993), Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) and Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love (1978). He died on 9 April 2012 in Hachiôji, Tokyo, Japan.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Gorô Naya was born on 17 November 1929 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor, known for Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Lupin the 3rd: Crisis in Tokyo (1998). He was married to Kachiko Hino. He died on 5 March 2013 in Chiba, Chiba, Japan.- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Keiko Nobumoto was born on 13 March 1964 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. She was a writer and producer, known for Akira (1988), Tokyo Godfathers (2003) and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001). She died on 1 December 2021.- Daichi Kaneko was born on 26 September 1996 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Missions of Love (2018), Pure Japanese (2022) and School-Live! (2019).
- Writer
- Animation Department
- Additional Crew
Monkey Punch was born on 26 May 1937 in Hamanaka, Hokkaido, Japan. He was a writer, known for Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), Lupin III: Farewell to Nostradamus (1995) and Lupin III: Dead or Alive (1996). He died on 11 April 2019 in Sakura, Chiba, Japan.- Shinichiro Kamio was born on 13 January 1982 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for The Promised Neverland (2019), Zenless Zone Zero (2024) and Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle - Rhyme Anima (2020).
- Kôji Moritsugu was born on 15 March 1943 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Ultraseven (1967), Ultraman Leo (1974) and Ultraman Taro (1973). He is married to Emi Kanako.
- Music Artist
- Actor
- Director
Takahiro Nishijima was born on 30 September 1986 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is a music artist and actor, known for Love Exposure (2008), Nissy: OK? ~ Kimi ni okuru 24-jikan (2017) and Taira no Kiyomori (2012).- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
The youngest of six brothers, all of them music lovers, Masaru Sato decided early in life that he wanted to be a composer. His models were two other composers born, as he was, on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido: Akira Ifukube and Fumio Hayasaka. "To me", Sato said, "they were like gods". After hearing Hayasaka's score for Rashomon (1950), Sato decided Hayasaka was the only one he wanted for his teacher. He absorbed much of Hayasaka's modernist leanings, and grew to know Hayasaka's best friend Akira Kurosawa during this period. The year 1955 was a vast turning point for Sato: after scoring numerous insignificant pictures for various studios in Tokyo, Sato won the assignment for Gojira no Gyakushu (1955). Then his teacher Fumio Hayasaka died tragically young, while finishing the score for Kurosawa's Ikimono no Kiroku (1955). Sato stepped in to complete the score, uncredited. Kurosawa was sufficiently pleased with Sato to use him for all his pictures for the following ten years. Though the two had a falling-out after Akahige (1965), Sato remained one of Japan's most in-demand film composers, returning to the Gojira series several times and remaining a favorite of many other directors such as Kihachi Okamoto and June Fukuda. After scoring Dun-Huang in 1987, Sato had to call a brief halt to his career in order to tend to family interests in real estate in his native Hokkaido; but within a few years, the problems were wrapped up, and Sato was able to go back to film composing full time, at last reaching and surpassing his 300th movie score. Sato is almost unique among Japan's prolific film composers in that he has written extensively for his chosen field, but has never written for the concert stage.- Actor
- Director
Shin Saburi was born on 12 February 1909 in Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor and director, known for Shikkô yûyo (1950), The Fossil (1974) and The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952). He died on 22 September 1982 in Japan.- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shûji Kataoka was born on 23 November 1950 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Sakasa tsurushi shibari nawa (1985).- Mahito Ôba was born on 4 March 1961 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for One Piece (1999), Star Fox: Assault (2005) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008).
- Actress
- Manager
- Publicist
Noriko Honma was born on 29 November 1911 in Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan. She was an actress and manager, known for Rashomon (1950), Yojimbo (1961) and Seven Samurai (1954). She died on 12 April 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.- Omasa Aya was born in Takikawa in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. She came to audiences' attention on BS-i network's 2007 serial Keitai Deka Zenigata Kai. Her first movie was Topless where she played a lesbophobe. She has been busy ever since in both serials and feature films and also found time to appear in photo books and tried her hand at modelling. She was pranked on TV as the subject of a supposed 4d television technology and, as is typical, done commercial work endorsing products. She has created her own line of bridal dresses called Musee De Aya ('Aya's museum') and managed to showcase it. Aya is signed to the Stardust agency.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Naoko Matsui was born on 4 April 1961 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for Detective Conan (1996), Silent Möbius (1991) and Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (2003).- Animation Department
- Director
- Art Department
Toshiyuki Kubooka was born on 19 December 1963 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is a director, known for Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent (2013), Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey (2012) and Lunar: The Silver Star (1992).- Actress
- Additional Crew
Cay Izumi was born on 30 December 1986 in Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress, known for Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Mutant Girls Squad (2010) and RoboGeisha (2009).- Reiya Masaki was born on 24 March 1995 in Hokkaido, Japan. He is an actor, known for Denei Shojo: Video Girl Mai 2019 (2019), Back Street Girls: Gokudols (2019) and Jitenshya-san no Takahashi-kun (2022).
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Leona Hirota was born on 7 March 1963 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. She is an actress and director, known for Endless Waltz (1995), Yumeji (1991) and Ôte (1991). She has been married to Mitsuru Fukikoshi since 2012. She was previously married to Mitsuru Fukikoshi.