Japanese actors
Celebrities from the rising sun
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- Mie Hama was born in Tokyo, Japan on November 20, 1943 in a blue-collar Tokyo family whose small cardboard factory burned down in World War II. She grew up poor. She first started out working as a bus fare collector. While working, she was spotted by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka when she was only sixteen years old, and was soon employed at Toho Studios. She appeared in a bevy of drama and sci-fi films, including King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963), where she became the Giant Ape's "Damsel in Distress." She is probably best known in Western Cinema as Bond girl Kissy Suzuki, starring alongside actor Sean Connery in the 007 film You Only Live Twice (1967). That same year, King Kong Escapes (1967) was released, thus, she portrayed the spellbinding "Bond-girlish" villainess Madamn Piranha. Her extended wardrobe and enchanted bed chambers contributed to the film's "James Bond-ish" atmosphere. In addition, Hama would sometimes be referred to as "Funny Face," due to her appearances in Japan's "Crazy Cats" movies.
She became one of the most popular actresses in Japan's "Golden Age" of Cinema, but has done little acting when Japan's cinema world experienced severe financial problems. However, she did return to appear in a few films in the 1970s and 1980s, and she is seen, most recently, working as an active environmentalist, radio and television talk show host. She also married a television executive with whom she has four children. - Megumi Odaka was born on May 9, 1972 in Kanagawa, Japan. When she was 12 years-old, she jump-started her film career as a voice actress for children's TV shows in Japan. In addition, with also being a singer, she released several singles and albums throughout the late 1980s. After participating in the "Toho Cinderella Contest" in 1989 with actress Yasuko Sawaguchi, she was cast as psychic girl Miki Saegusa in the Godzilla film Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Impressed with her portrayal of Miki Saegusa, Toho studios had her return in the remaining 5 Godzilla sequels, thus becoming the first actor to portray the same character in a Godzilla film for more than 2 times. To this date, she is the one actor with the most reoccurring role in the Godzilla film trilogy.
After the Godzilla "Heisei" series ended in 1995, Megumi has pretty much retired from films. However, she has made appearances on stage, including "Peter Pan," "Anne's Love," and "Fiddler on the Roof," and occasionally can be seen participating at Godzilla conventions. - Actor
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Akira Takarada was born on April 29, 1934, in Chongjin, North Korea. He rose from the Toho New Face program to become 1 of the most recognizable men associated with the original Godzilla series, though he appeared in only 6 installments. He began in 1949 w/ a small role in When the Liberty Bell Rang and several other small roles. His big break came as navy diver Hideto Ogata in Godzilla (1954). He soon became recognizable for his persona as the cocky, slightly cynical urban male & making him a very successful actor. Throughout his life, he was a celebrity in Japan through his appearances in TV dramas, quiz shows & commercials.- Kumi Mizuno was born on New Years Day of 1937 as Maya Igarashi in Nigata, Japan. After she graduated from acting school in 1957, her screen debut was in the Minoru Shibuya film Crazy Society. By the time her second film Futari dake no hashi (1958) came out, she changed her name to "Kumi Mizuno." Her attractive looks and pleasant demeanor made her a favorite of director Ishirô Honda. Thus, she was cast in a host of drama, comedy and sci-fi films from Toho Studios. She became one of Japan's most popular actresses in their "Golden Age" of cinema, appearing with actor Nick Adams in Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965) and Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965). They were claimed to be romantically linked during the filming of these two films, but they denied the claims as gossip. Kumi's role as Daiyo in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) was one of her most memorable performances. This film was originally written to star King Kong, hence the love relationship between Godzilla and Kumi--a love relationship more associated with King Kong.
Even though she has few specific memories of her work on sci-fi films during the 1960s, she does reminisce those films fondly. Evidently, she became a Godzilla legend, as she returned to appear in two of the six Godzilla films from the "Millennium" series in 2002 and 2004. - Kae Araki was born on 6 November 1966 in Osaka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Sailor Moon R: The Movie: The Promise of the Rose (1993), Digimon Adventure 02 (2000) and Digimon Adventure (2013).
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Aya Hisakawa was born on 12 November 1968 in Kaizuka, Japan. She is an actress, known for Fruits Basket (2001), Ressha Sentai ToQger (2014) and Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018).- Actress
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Michie Tomizawa was born on 20 October 1961 in Nagano, Japan. She is an actress, known for Vampire Hunter D (1985), Sailor Moon R: The Movie: The Promise of the Rose (1993) and Sailor Moon (1992).- Actress
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Kotono Mitsuishi was born on 8 December 1967 in Tokyo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997), Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) and Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time (2021).- Actor
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Tôru Furuya was born on 31 July 1953 in Isogo-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. He is an actor, known for Paprika (2006), Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013) and Sailor Moon (1992). He has been married to Satomi Majima since March 1985. They have one child. He was previously married to Mami Koyama.- 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.