Toshirō Mifune
Acting
Born: April 1, 1920 · Qingdao, China
Died: December 24, 1997 (aged 77)
Highest Rated
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
Seven Samurai
1954
Rashomon
1950
Yojimbo
1961
High and Low
1963
Throne of Blood
1957
Sanjuro
1962
The Hidden Fortress
1958
1941
1979
Red Beard
1965
Stray Dog
1949
Midway
1976
Red Sun
1971
Photos (6)
Movies (163)
Seven Samurai
Kikuchiyo
High and Low
Kingo Gondo
Red Beard
Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
Midway
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Throne of Blood
Taketoki Washizu
The Hidden Fortress
General Rokurota Makabe
Rashomon
Tajômaru
Drunken Angel
Matsunaga
Red Sun
Kuroda Jubei
Yojimbo
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
Stray Dog
Det. Murakami
1941
Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
Grand Prix
Izō Yamura
Battle of the Japan Sea
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Samurai Rebellion
Isaburo Sasahara
Sanjuro
Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
Hell in the Pacific
Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda
The Bad Sleep Well
Kôichi Nishi
Port Arthur
Emperor Meiji
The Life of Oharu
Katsunosuke
The Challenge
Toru Yoshida
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
(archive footage)
Death of a Tea Master
Rikyu Sen-no
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
The Sword of Doom
Toranosuke Shimada
Winter Kills
Keith
The Idiot
Denkichi Akama
The Rickshaw Man
Matsugorō Tomishima
I Live in Fear
Kiichi Nakajima
Adventure in Kigan Castle
Osami
The Bushido Blade
Shogun's Commander
The Storm of the Pacific
Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
Shadow of the Wolf
Kroomak
Theater Of Life
Hyōtarō Aonari
Samurai Assassin
Tsuruchiyo Niiro
Battle Anthem
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Japanese Godfather: Conclusion
Kosuke Oishi
Shogun
Lord Yoshi Toranaga
The Quiet Duel
Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki
Samurai Pirate
Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version]
Princess from the Moon
Taketori-no-Miyatsuko
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Yojimbo/Sasa
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye"
Scandal
Ichirô Aoye
Chûshingura
Genba Tawaraboshi
Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy
Yoshinao Tokugawa
The Three Treasures
Prince Yamato Takeru
The Important Man
Ánimas Trujano
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
The Fall of Ako Castle
Tsuchiya Michinao
Japan's Longest Day
War Minister General Korechika Anami
The Lower Depths
Sutekichi the Thief
Tora-san Goes North
Junkichi Ueno
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
Samurai Banners
Kansuke Yamamoto
Picture Bride
The Benshi
The Last Gunfight
Detective Saburo Fujioka
Proof of the Man
Yohei Kori
Love and Faith
Taiko Hideyoshi
Fort Graveyard
Sergeant Kosugi
Admiral Yamamoto
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
All About Marriage
Acting teacher
The Big Boss
Kashimura
Japanese Godfather: Ambition
Kosuke Oishi
The Militarists
Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto
Downtown
Yoshio Tsuruishi
The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai
Kyūbei Matsufuji
Vendetta of a Samurai
Mataemon Araki
Inchon
Saito-San
The Sands of Kurobe
Kitagawa
Wedding Ring
Takeshi Ema
Deep River
Tsukada
The Shatterer
Murai
The Retreat from Kiska
Omura
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
Isami Kondo
Sanshiro Sugata
Shogoro Yano
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 1
Tamon Umei
Journey of Honor
Ieyasu Tokugawa
The Underworld
Chief Inspector Kumada
The Eagle of the Pacific
1st Lieutenant Tomonaga
Beyond Love and Hate
Gorō Sakata
Attack Squadron
Lt. Colonel Senda
The Life of a Horse Trader
Yonetaro Katayama
Tokyo Sweetheart
Kurokawa
Whirlwind
Lord Akashi
Legacy of the 500,000
Takeichi Matsuo
A Wife's Heart
Kenkichi
A Dangerous Hero
Kawada
The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel
Fisherman
Daredevil in the Castle
Mohei
The Masterless 47 – Part II
1961
Incident at Blood Pass
Yojimbo
A Man in the Storm
Saburō Watari
Desperado Outpost
Battalion Commander
No Time for Tears
Mitsuo Yano
Yagyu Secret Scrolls
Tasaburō Kasumi
The Ambitious
Shojiro Goto
Holiday in Tokyo
Tenkai's nephew Jirō
The Walking Major
Kinugasa Tadao
The Mad Atlantic
Heihachirô Murakami
Shag
Captain Takeo Murata
Paper Tiger
Ambassador Kagoyama
Good Luck to These Two
Toshio Maruyama
The Masterless 47
Kazuo Momoi
Snow Trail
Eijima
Sasaki Kojiro
Miyamoto Musashi
Red Lion
Gonzo
Jakoman and Tetsu
Tetsu
Settlement of Love
Shuntarō Ōhira
Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
1952
Sunflower Girl
Ippei Hitachi
Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre
Kenji Kawakami
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 2
Tamon Umei
Man Against Man
Kaji
The Youth and His Amulet
Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King)
Saga of the Vagabonds
Rokuro Kai
Sword for Hire
Sasa Hayatenosuke
A Man Among Men
"Buick" Maki
These Foolish Times
Genzaburo Onō, Gang Boss
Foghorn
Chiyokichi
Rise Against the Sword
Abare Gōemon
Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode
Nagao Tamekage
Strawberry Road
Taoka
Samurai Saga
Heihachiro Komaki
Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell
Sanjuro Hinoki
No More God, No More Love
Kōzō Kanzaki
Tatsu
Tatsu
Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka
Teisaku Nagasawa
The Lowly Ronin 3: Duel at Dawn
1982
The Retired Samurai
Hikozaemon Ōkubo
Safari 5000
Yūichirō Takase
The Demon Comes in Spring
Kukkune no jî
The Gambling Samurai
Kunisada Chuji
The Man Who Came to Port
Gorō Niinuma
All is Well
Daikichi Risshun
Secret of the Forbidden Valley
1983
Elegy
Prosecutor Daisuke Toki
Yaji and Kita on the Road
Toshinoshin Taya
Rebels on the High Sea
Matsuo Tokuzō
The Surf
Skipper of the Utashima-maru
Rainy Night Duel
Masahiko Koseki
Okita Soji: Swordsman of Fire
Shūsai Kondō
Three Gentlemen Return from Hong Kong
Zhang Zhizhang
Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II
Tasaburo
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
Sadanobu Matsudaira
Swift Current
Shunsuke Kosugi
Lowly Ronin
Sanjuro Hinoki
Lord Mito
Sakuzaemon Okumura
My Wonderful Yellow Car
Matsumura
cf Girl
Shūichirō Hase
Theater of Life
1958
Escape from Prison
Shinkichi
Domineering
Masao Tadokoro
The Last Embrace
Shinkichi / Hayakawa
Who Knows a Woman's Heart
Mizuno
The Black Fury
Eiichi Tsuda
All is Well 2
Daikichi Risshun
The Women of Osaka Castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass
Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô
Pirates
Tora
Lowly Ronin 2: The Spray of Blood
Sanjuro Hinoki
Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl
Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô
Scoundrel
Kanji
TV Shows (9)
Shōgun
Lord Yoshi Toranaga · 5 eps
Burning Mountain River
Otsuichi Amo · 51 eps
Tuesday Suspense Theater
1 eps
Falcons of Edo
Kanbei Uchiyama · 38 eps
Epic Chushingura
Oishi Kuranosuke · 52 eps
Ronin of the Wastelands
Kujuro Toge · 13 eps
Sekigahara
Sakon Shima · 3 eps
Ronin in a Lawless Town
Mr. Danna · 11 eps
The Brave Man Says Little
4 eps
Self / Appearances (7)
Mifune: The Last Samurai
Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)
Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Seven Samurai'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
Self
Directing (1)
Producing (13)
Samurai Rebellion
Producer
Ronin of the Wastelands
Associate Producer
Adventure in Kigan Castle
Associate Producer
Samurai Banners
Producer
Fort Graveyard
Associate Producer
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
Producer
Legacy of the 500,000
Associate Producer
Incident at Blood Pass
Producer
The Mad Atlantic
Executive Producer
Shag
Executive Producer
Red Lion
Producer
Morning for Two
Producer
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
Associate Producer