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

General Rokurota Makabe

隠し砦の三悪人

Tajômaru

羅生門

Taketoki Washizu

蜘蛛巣城

Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")

赤ひげ

Izō Yamura

Grand Prix

Yojimbo

待ち伏せ

Det. Murakami

野良犬

Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura

1941

Kiichi Nakajima

生きものの記録

Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo

続宮本武蔵 一乗寺の決闘

Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo

宮本武蔵

Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo

宮本武蔵完結編 決闘巌流島

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Midway

Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin

椿三十郎

Kôichi Nishi

悪い奴ほどよく眠る

Kuroda Jubei

Soleil Rouge

Denkichi Akama

白痴

Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda

Hell in the Pacific

Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai

用心棒

Sutekichi the Thief

どん底

Matsunaga

酔いどれ天使

Ichirô Aoye

醜聞

Isaburo Sasahara

上意討ち 拝領妻始末

Rikyu Sen-no

千利休 本覺坊遺文

Kingo Gondo

天国と地獄

Keith

Winter Kills

Yojimbo/Sasa

座頭市と用心棒

Matsugorō Tomishima

無法松の一生

Katsunosuke

西鶴一代女

Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki

静かなる決闘

Genba Tawaraboshi

忠臣蔵 花の巻・雪の巻

Isami Kondo

新選組

War Minister General Korechika Anami

日本のいちばん長い日

Toru Yoshida

The Challenge

Kroomak

Shadow of the Wolf

Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version]

大盗賊

Kansuke Yamamoto

風林火山

Tatsu

どぶろくの辰

Toranosuke Shimada

大菩薩峠

Tsuchiya Michinao

赤穂城断絶

Lt. Colonel Senda

太平洋の翼

Taketori-no-Miyatsuko

竹取物語

Osami

奇巌城の冒険

Tsuruchiyo Niiro

Toshinoshin Taya

弥次喜多道中記

Mataemon Araki

荒木又右衛門 決闘鍵屋の辻

Shūichirō Hase

cfガール

Gonzo

赤毛

Battalion Commander

独立愚連隊

Ambassador Kagoyama

Paper Tiger

Admiral Heihachiro Togo

日本海大海戦

Eijima

銀嶺の果て

Tasaburō Kasumi

柳生武芸帳

Ánimas Trujano

Ánimas Trujano

Shogun's Commander

The Bushido Blade

Saito-San

Inchon

Tasaburo

柳生武芸帳 双龍秘剣

Sergeant Kosugi

血と砂

Kitagawa

黒部の太陽

Detective Saburo Fujioka

暗黒街の対決

Self (archive footage)

The Making of '1941'

Heihachiro Komaki

或る剣豪の生涯

Lord Akashi

士魂魔道 大龍巻

Sanjuro Hinoki

素浪人罷り通る

Sanjuro Hinoki

素浪人罷り通る 暁の死闘

Prince Yamato Takeru

日本誕生

Takeshi Ema

婚約指輪

Mohei

大阪城物語

Acting teacher

結婚のすべて

Taiko Hideyoshi

お吟さま

Shojiro Goto

幕末

Self

Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions

Matsuo Tokuzō

囚人船

Heihachirô Murakami

怒涛一万浬

Kawada

危険な英雄

Saburō Watari

嵐の中の男

Shuntarō Ōhira

愛情の決算

Kazuo Momoi

サラリーマン忠臣蔵

Daikichi Risshun

続天下泰平

Daikichi Risshun

天下泰平

Zhang Zhizhang

続社長洋行記

Yohei Kori

人間の証明

Tenkai's nephew Jirō

東京の休日

Ieyasu Tokugawa

Journey of Honor

Yoshinao Tokugawa

柳生一族の陰謀

Shinkichi

脱獄

Yūichirō Takase

栄光への5000キロ

Miyamoto Musashi

佐々木小次郎

魔境 殺生谷の秘密

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

連合艦隊司令長官 山本五十六

Kenkichi

妻の心

Abare Gōemon

暴れ豪右衛門

Hikozaemon Ōkubo

傑作時代劇 天下の御意見番罷り通る!彦左衛門外記

Tsukada

深い河

The Benshi

Picture Bride

Kukkune no jî

春来る鬼

Emperor Meiji

二百三高地

Captain Takeo Murata

犬笛

Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi

ハワイ・ミッドウェイ大海空戦 太平洋の嵐

Kumaza

祇園祭

Sanjuro Hinoki

Suronin Makari Toru 4 Sarumo Jigoku Nokorumo Jigoku

1st Lieutenant Tomonaga

太平洋の鷲

Admiral Heihachiro Togo

日本海大海戦 海ゆかば

Kashimura

暗黒街の顔役

Kōzō Kanzaki

聖女伝説

Kyūbei Matsufuji

玄海つれづれ節

Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto

激動の昭和史 軍閥

Teisaku Nagasawa

石中先生行状記

Kunisada Chuji

国定忠治

Masao Tadokoro

制覇

Rokuro Kai

戦国群盗傳

Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)

Mifune: The Last Samurai

Junkichi Ueno

男はつらいよ 知床慕情

Tokugawa Ieyasu

女たちの大坂城

Shūsai Kondō

燃えて、散る 炎の剣士 沖田総司

Yonetaro Katayama

馬喰一代

Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô

素浪人罷り通る 涙に消えた三日極楽

Murai

The Shatterer

Gorō Sakata

愛と憎しみの彼方へ

Shinkichi / Hayakawa

抱擁

Mitsuo Yano

男ありて

Chiyokichi

霧笛

Chief Inspector Kumada

暗黒街

Kaji

男対男

Omura

太平洋奇跡の作戦 キスカ

Sasa Hayatenosuke

戦国無頼

Self (archive footage)

Kurosawa

Hyōtarō Aonari

人生劇場

Self

黒澤明~創ると云う事は素晴らしい~隠し砦の三悪人

Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King)

ゲンと不動明王

Fisherman

海燕ジョーの奇跡

Sakuzaemon Okumura

水戸黄門

Kosuke Oishi

日本の首領 完結篇

Kurokawa

東京の恋人

Takeichi Matsuo

五十万人の遺産

Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye"

金田一耕助の冒険

Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô

素浪人罷り通る 矢立峠に裏切りを見た

Sadanobu Matsudaira

隠密同心・大江戸捜査網

素浪人罷り通る 血煙りの宿

Taoka

ストロベリーロード

Yoshio Tsuruishi

下町

続 サラリーマン忠臣蔵

Gorō Niinuma

港へ来た男

Toshio Maruyama

この二人に幸あれ

Kosuke Oishi

日本の首領 野望篇

Kikuchiyo

七人の侍

Kanji

ならず者

人生劇場 青春篇

Shunsuke Kosugi

激流

Matsumura

吹けよ春風

Ippei Hitachi

ひまわり娘

Nagao Tamekage

天と地と〜黎明編

"Buick" Maki

男性NO.1

Shogoro Yano

姿三四郎

Genzaburo Onō, Gang Boss

新馬鹿時代

Self (archive footage)

Charles Bronson, le génie du mâle

Kinugasa Tadao

ある兵士の賭け

Self (archive footage)

Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman

Tamon Umei

新吾十番勝負1

Tamon Umei

新吾十番勝負2

Tetsu

ジャコ萬と鉄

Tora

海賊船

Kenji Kawakami

戦後派お化け大会

Mizuno

女ごころ誰が知る

Eiichi Tsuda

密輸船

Masahiko Koseki

黒帯三国志

Skipper of the Utashima-maru

潮騒

Prosecutor Daisuke Toki

悲歌

金の卵

Lord Yoshi Toranaga

Shogun

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

170

Gender

Male

Birthday

1920-04-01

Place of Birth

Qingdao, China

Also Known As

Toshiroh Mifune