Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

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octavia
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Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by octavia » May 30th, '20, 07:42

Who do you think is the biggest iconic Japanese actor ever? Is there a Japanese Alain Delon in your opinion? I really love Japanese actors but when it comes to iconic status, I am curious about your opinions! I feel like Kimura Takuya is very A-list. He has always had huge star power.

burnerboy
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by burnerboy » May 30th, '20, 20:40

Toshiro Mifune IMHO
He could do anything. Serious - Red Beard, High and Low
Serious and comedy in one - Sanjuro
Serious stunt-man skills - See the scene where he fights on horseback in The Hidden Fortress. He always insisted on doing his own scenes.

gerald_koonce
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by gerald_koonce » Jun 5th, '22, 13:34

I watched the film "Death of a Tea Master" by chance and was simply amazed by the performance of Toshiro Mifune, who became famous for his roles in films directed by Kurosawa Akira, including "Seven Samurai," was awarded a star with his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was opened on November 14, 2016. There are now 2,594 stars on the Walk of Fame. So far, Japan-related actors whose work has taken place in Hollywood, such as Hayakawa Sesshu and George Takei, have been immortalized there, but Toshiro Mifune is truly the first Japanese actor to gain fame first in his own country.

Now a little bit about the movie itself and why I like it--it tells the story of several 16th century Japanese tea ceremony masters, their philosophy, their experiences, and their relationship with the Shogun.

Everything here is imbued with the very spirit of Zen Buddhism, peace and humility. Of course, for a European viewer the film will be very incomprehensible in everything, starting with the details (what is the Way of Tea? Why would a whole day sit and look at a poem posted on the wall?) and ending with the meaning - why do the students want to leave after the master? What is the meaning of seppuku (more commonly known as hara-kiri), which means silence, meditative tea brewing according to a specific ritual? What did the filmmaker want to say?

I would like to note the impeccable work of Toshiro Mifune, who was a brilliant actor, able to play everything and everyone. The old master Senno Rikyu and his difficult fate was understood, felt and played above all praise. For anyone who doubts this I simply suggest check this out on examples of his other equally famous films.

The film is a meditation, which flows unhurriedly, in which everything is organic and there is nothing unnecessary. The most important thing, as Buddhism teaches, is the inner light and intonation, and not the outer story. Certainly, the film immerses you in the atmosphere of medieval Japan with its houses, costumes, rituals, with ikebana, which the masters of tea admire for hours...

Although of course the film is not a masterpiece and the same Kurosawa has much more historical and interesting films about Japan. Just a good, thoughtful, atmospheric movie with decent acting and beautiful scenery, which I'm ready to watch many more times

Cyrano
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by Cyrano » Nov 6th, '22, 01:24

Oh, yes, Toshiro Mifune without a doubt. Not that there aren't others who are also excellent or even better, but in the world Mifune-san will always spring to mind whenever one says "great Japanese actor".
As for women actresses, the one who always springs to MY mind is Yuko Tanaka, the one from "Oshin", the NHK dorama from the '80's. She is unforgettable once you've seen her.

burnerboy
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by burnerboy » Dec 7th, '22, 02:00

I agree about Yuko Tanaka. In fact all three of the actresses who played this role were excellent.

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Steel_Lord
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by Steel_Lord » Dec 14th, '22, 23:23

I don't know many of them, so for me it is Hiroyuki Sanada.

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abderrahmantbs
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by abderrahmantbs » Jul 29th, '23, 21:45

no doubt I think Toshiro Mifune is the best actor of all time in Japan

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AkiiiToshi
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by AkiiiToshi » Aug 10th, '23, 08:09

It definitely has to be Takehito Koyasu for me. He has a lot of characters in his belt and that’s really just impressive to behold. Not to mention how his voice is so iconic as Dio Brando. It’s really a hard competition.

fufu7755
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Re: Who is the legendary Japanese actor of all times?

Post by fufu7755 » Feb 28th, '24, 01:15

木村拓哉 -- Takuya Kimura

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