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1-50 of 218
- Japanese character actor Takashi Shimura was one of the finest film actors of the 20th century and a leading member of the "stock company" of master director Akira Kurosawa. A native of southern Japan, Shimura was a descendant of the samurai warrior class. Following university training, he founded a theatre company, Shichigatsu-za ("July Theatre"). In 1930 he joined a professional company, Kindai-za ("Modern Theatre"). Four years later he signed with the Kinema Shinko film studio. He found a niche playing samurai roles for various studios, then signed a long-term contract with Toho Studios in 1943. He appeared in an average of six films a year for Toho over the next four decades. His greatest critical acclaim came in more than 20 roles for Kurosawa, though he is almost as well recognized outside Japan for his kindly doctor role in the original "Godzilla" (Godzilla (1954)). Shimura's triumph was his unforgettable performance as a dying bureaucrat in Kurosawa's Ikiru (1952). He continued to act steadily, in good films and bad, almost until his death, culminating with Kurosawa's Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980). He is often described as filling the spot for Kurosawa that Ward Bond filled for John Ford--an ever-present and reliable character player who consistently supplied a solidity and strength to whatever film he appeared in. Shimura was definitely a finer actor than Bond, of the most versatile "chameleons" in the world cinema, a great artist with enormous range in sublime interpretations, from Ikiru (1952)'s diffident clerk to the leader of the Seven Samurai in Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954). He died in 1982, a reluctant icon of Japanese cinema.
- Actor
- Music Department
Show Hayami was born on 2 August 1958 in Takasago, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Trigun (1998), Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) and Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984). He is married to Rei Igarashi.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Hitoshi Matsumoto and his childhood friend Masatoshi Hamada teamed up as comedy duo Downtown. When they had their own TV shows in late 80s, they became phenomenal pop culture among young Japanese people. Unlike other comedy duos in Japan, they are still together, and they dominate prime time TV shows in Japan. They are most notably famous for their yearly "batsu" TV special aired on New Years Eve from 18:30 - 00:00 that has been running for 10 consecutive years which gained a large following internationally via YouTube.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nobushige Suematsu was born on 30 January 1983 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor and director, known for Babel (2006), Old days (2019) and Haru and Low (2015).- Seina Nakata was born on 6 January 2000 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Meet Me After School (2018), My Hot Sexless Lover (2022) and Passion for Punchlines (2023).
- Arata Furuta was born on 3 December 1965 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for 13 Assassins (2010), Harlock: Space Pirate (2013) and Shin Godzilla (2016). He is married to Yayoi Nishihaa. They have one child.
- Tarô Yamamoto was born on 24 November 1974 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Battle Royale (2000), Moon Child (2003) and Get Up! (2003). He was previously married to Julie Warisaya.
- Actor
- Executive
- Soundtrack
Tetsuya Watari was born on 28 December 1941 in Hyogo, Japan. He was an actor and executive, known for Yakuza Graveyard (1976), Waga kokoro no ginga tetsudo: Miyazawa Kenji monogatari (1996) and Yukai (1997). He died on 10 August 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Non (born: Rena Nounen) was born in Kamikawa town in Hyogo, Japan and raised in this beautiful rural town. She won the prize of Nicola Model Audition when she's the 7th grade, and started the modeling carrier. On graduating her junior high school, she moved to Tokyo to pursue her dream to be an actress. She is best known for Amachan (2013), Hot Road (2014) , Kurage-Hime(Princess Jellyfish) (1995) and Kono Sekai No Katasumi Ni (In This Corner Of The World) (2016).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Shinobu Hashimoto was born on 18 April 1918 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He was a writer and director, known for The Hidden Fortress (1958), Harakiri (1962) and Ikiru (1952). He died on 19 July 2018 in Tokyo, Japan.- Kokuten Kôdô was born on 29 January 1887 in Takasago, Hyogo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Seven Samurai (1954), Godzilla (1954) and The Hidden Fortress (1958). He died on 22 January 1960.
- Ryôta Takeuchi was born on 22 September 1982 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015), Overwatch (2016) and The Ancient Magus' Bride (2017).
- Jun Amaki was born on 16 October 1995 in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Flower and the Beast (2017), Iron Girl: Final Wars (2019) and Hop Step Jump! (2018).
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Born in Japan in 1930, Shogoro Nishimura joined Nikkatsu Studios in 1954, and was first promoted to director in 1963 with the well-received Keirinshô ningyô jôki. He spent the rest of that decade directing Nikkatsu programmers of varying quality. With the 1970s came the studio's shift to making exclusively soft-core "Roman porno" films (usually more story-driven and elaborate than their Western counterparts). Rather than look for work elsewhere, Nishimura found this to be a genre which agreed with him: by the time of his retirement, he had completed fully 83 films in that.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Kohei Higuchi was born on 30 November 2000 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He is an actor, known for Avataro Sentai Donbrothers (2022), Avataro Sentai Donbrothers vs. Zenkaiger (2023) and Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger vs. Donbrothers (2024).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Minako Kotobuki was born on 17 September 1991 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger (2016), Gekijôban Dôbutsu Sentai Jûôjâ Tai Ninninjâ Mirai kara no Messêji Furomu Sûpâ Sentai (2017) and Guilty Crown (2011).- Mari Hamada was born on 27 December 1968 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Shomuni (1998), The Cat Returns (2002) and Inuyashiki (2018). She was previously married to Maki Fujii.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Sound Department
Yôko Shimomura was born on 19 October 1967 in Hyogo, Japan. She is a composer, known for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018), Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (2022) and Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Noriko Eguchi was born on 28 April 1980 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Stigmatized Properties (2020), Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1998) and Erased (2017).- Shûhei Nomura was born on 14 November 1993 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Memoirs of a Murderer (2017), The Youngsters (2014) and Secret Unrequited Love (2019).
- Katsuhisa Namase was born on 13 October 1960 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Yattâman (2009), Trick (2000) and Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018).
- Chihiro Yamamoto was born on 29 August 1996 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Ultraman Geed (2017), Kamen Rider Heisei Generations: Dr. Pac-Man vs. Ex-Aid & Ghost with Legend Rider (2016) and Alice in Borderland (2020).
- Masaki Terasoma was born on 8 May 1962 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Kamen Rider Black (1987), Kamen Rider Den-O (2007) and Kamen Rider × Super Sentai: Super Hero Taisen (2012).
- Hirofumi Araki was born on 14 June 1983 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Juken Sentai Gekiranger (2007), Engine Sentai Go-onger VS Gekiranger (2009) and Tennis no oujisama (2006).
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Kichijirô Ueda was born on 10 March 1904 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He was an actor, known for Rashomon (1950), The Hidden Fortress (1958) and Seven Samurai (1954). He died on 3 November 1972 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan.- Nao Asuka was born on 18 September 1961 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Lost in Translation (2003), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983) and Lonely Heart (1985).
- Takeshi Sakamoto was born on 21 September 1899 in Hyogo, Japan. He was an actor, known for A Story of Floating Weeds (1934), Passing Fancy (1933) and An Inn in Tokyo (1935). He died on 10 May 1974 in Hyogo-ken, Japan.
- Kosuke Takaguchi was born on 15 December 1978 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He is an actor, known for Guilty Crown (2011), Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010) and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie (2012).
- Fumika was born in 1994 in Hyogo prefecture, Japan. She is an actress, known for Umibe no koibito (2023) and Kataomoi (2023).
- Kento Handa was born on 4 June 1984 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Kamen Rider 555 (2003), Kamen Rider 555: Paradise Lost (2003) and Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3 (2015).
- Jun Hashimoto was born on 25 February 1964 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Alice in Borderland (2020) and Library Wars (2013).
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Yasuaki Uegaki was born on 26 September 1948 in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He is an assistant director and director, known for Pink Curtain 2 (1982), Pink Curtain (1982) and Shin pinku no kaaten (1991).- Director
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Morio Asaka was born on 11 March 1967 in Hyogo, Japan. He is a director, known for Sword Art Online (2012), Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl (1989) and Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990).- Ryutaro Okada was born on 27 December 1993 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Kamen Rider Zero-One (2019), Kamen Rider Zero-One Others: Kamen Rider Vulcan & Valkyrie (2021) and Kamen Rider Zero-One: Real×Time (2020).
- Yôko Ishino was born on 20 February 1968 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), Nanba kin'yû-den, Minami no teiô: Supesharu gekijô-ban (1995) and Shuto shôshitsu (1987).
- Akira Tozawa was born on 22 July 1985 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for WWE: 205 Live (2016), WWE Smackdown! (1999) and WWE NXT (2010).
- Homare Suguro was born on 1 June 1940 in Ashiya, Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Monkey (1978), Our Happiness Alone (1964) and The King of Highway (1965).
- Tsunehiko Watase was born on 28 July 1944 in Hyogo, Japan. He was an actor, known for The Incident (1978), Heaven and Earth (1990) and Furueru shita (1980). He was married to Iho and Reiko Ôhara. He died on 14 March 2017 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Director
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Yasuhiro Takemoto was born on 5 April 1972 in Hyogo, Japan. He was a director, known for Full Metal Panic! (2002), Clannad (2007) and Tokyo Underground (2002). He died on 18 July 2019 in Kyoto, Japan.- Son of doctors, his first intention was to be a doctor, too, but during his attendance at the Tokyo Medical College in 1947, one novel he wrote was awarded a prize by a detective novel magazine, and after graduation in 1950, he decided to be a novelist. His favourite genres were the detective story and the ninja, "Koga Ninpocho" being the most famous. In 1956, two of his detective novels were converted into films, but from 1963 on, almost all of his 16 large screen adaptations were ninja novels. The success of the first movie, "Edo Ninpocho: Nanatsu no Kage" ("Record of Edo Ninjas: Seven Shadows") followed by "Tsukikage Ninpocho: Nijuichi no Manako" ("Account of Moon Shadow Ninjas: 21 Eyes" the same year, encouraged Toei Film Production into doing an entire film series about Yamada novels until 1969, firstly in B/W and CinemaScope.
In 1964, Toei started the "Kunoichi" film series, with female ninjas, and this was be the key to its success. At the beginning of the 1980s, Toei produced two films more Samurai Reincarnation (1981) ("Samurai Reincarnation") and Death of a Ninja (1982) ("Iga Magic Story"), which centered on the fantastic side of Yamada ninja novels. Yamada wrote his last novel, "The Death of Jûbei Yagyu" in 1991, but his popularity did not weaken. From 1991 to 1998 "Kunoichi" and "Makai Tensho" were converted into two original video series. And again, two films were produced based on these stories in 1998 and 2003, respectively. - Director
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Hideo Nishimaki was born on 25 July 1940 in Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan. Hideo is a director, known for Jetter Mars (1977), Gatchaman (1972) and Astro Boy (1963).- Actor
- Executive
Kon Ômura was born on 1 November 1931 in Hyogo, Japan. He is an actor and executive, known for Gamera vs. Guiron (1969), Red Dead Wagon 1 (1992) and Gamera vs. Jiger (1970).- Actress
- Composer
- Music Department
Nao Matsushita was born on 8 February 1985 in Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress and composer, known for XX (ekusu kurosu): makyô densetsu (2007), Mampuku (2018) and Mirai yosouzu (2007).- Animation Department
- Writer
Imigimuru was born in Hyogo, Japan. He is known for Lycoris Recoil (2022), This Art Club Has a Problem! (2016) and Too Many Losing Heroines! (2024).- Saki Aibu was born on 20 June 1985 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld (2007), Golden Slumber (2010) and Ricchiman Puauman (2012).
- Moeko Ezawa was born on 28 March 1939 in Hyogo, Japan. She was an actress, known for Great Edo: Secret Story of a Female Doctor in Trouble (1975) and I Want To (1979). She died on 26 December 2022 in Osaka, Osaka, Japan.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Yui Sakakibara was born on 13 October 1980 in Hyogo, Japan. She is an actress, known for Steins;Gate (2011), ChäoS;HEAd (2008) and Steins;Gate Elite (2018).- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Ziyoou-vachi, otherwise internationally known as Queen Bee (stylized as QUEEN BEE) is a Japanese four-piece band formed in 2009 at Kobe by Avu-chan (Vo), YASHI (Ba), RURI (Dr) and HIBARI (Gt) under record labels Ziyoou Record (2011-) and Sony Music Associated Records (2011-). The band first made headlines when they were chosen to play on the extremely selective "ROOKIE A GO-GO" stage at Japan's largest outdoor music festival, FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL. Singing in both low and high pitch, the extremely unique main vocal along with the band's creative and eccentric performance made them the talk of the music scene before they were even debuted.
The band signed with the major record label, Sony Music Associated Records in 2011 by releasing their first debut album "Peacock." They successfully drew attention to the music industry when their song "DESCO" was used as the theme song for Love Strikes! (2011), a highly rated movie in Japan. The band was also cast in the movie and had made their first appearance on the big screen. In 2012, the band released their 2nd album "Snake Princess." Since then they have become active regulars at Japan's major festivals, including repeated appearances at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, Summer Sonic and many more.
In 2013 the band went into a brief hiatus due to the departure of the guitarist because of health issue. The band came back in 2014 and released a full new album "Kirei." In 2016, main vocal AVU started a side project Gokumontoikka and released a smash hit split single "Kinsei/Shibou Yugi." Summer of 2016, the band performed overseas for the first time at "World Music Day" Festival in Paris.
After releasing their 5th album "Q" in April 2017, the band kicked off to a sold-out national tour that included 15 shows. Later that year, the band performed in the musical production of "ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Jap ver.)" featuring AVU as one of the main cast. In 2018, QUEEN BEE released a new single "HALF" which is the theme song of the highly anticipated anime Tokyo Ghoul: re (2018) that was premiered in Spring 2018.
In 2019, they released a new single "Fire" which is the theme song for the anime Dororo (2019) (created by Osamu Tezuka) that was premiered in January 2019. In March, the band made their first appearance at one of the most famous music festival in Taiwan, "MEGAPORT FESTVIAL 2019." It was full house despite their first performance in Taiwan.
In May, the band released a brand new full album "Ten." The lead track of the album "Holy war" is the theme song for the move "Sadako," and "Introduction" is the theme song for the live-action movie Tokyo Ghoul: 'S' (2019).
Celebrating the band's 10 year anniversary, QUEEN BEE will be kicking off a national tour with approximately 20,000 fans. In August, main vocal AVU was cast in the Japanese Broadway Musical "HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH" as Yitzhak.- Additional Crew
Akira Tonomura was born on 25 April 1942 in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Akira is known for A Night with the Stars (2011). Akira died on 2 May 2012 in Japan.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Daikei Shimizu was born in 1948 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He is an actor and director, known for Hentai rape: Kyôshi susuri-naku (1998), Tandem (1994) and Chikan bus: Back mo alright (1987).