Eiji Bandō

Eiji Bandō is a Japanese television entertainer, former baseball player and actor. Eiji Bandō professionally played for the Chunicihi Dragons until his retirement in 1970 when he became a baseball commentator for Chubu Nippon Broadcasting Corporation. He made a break-out in Television in 1985 in To Kinyobi no Tsumatachi on Tokyo Broadcasting System Television. From there he had roles in several films, including Buddies, 47 Ronin, and Poppoya, all co-starring Ken Takakura.

Madadayo (1993)

Based on the life of Hyakken Uchida, a Japanese author and academic. The film opens with Uchida resigning his job as a German professor at the onset of WWII. The story is told mostly in vignettes as he is cared for by former students in his old age.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Tatsuo Matsumura  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Hisashi Igawa  •  George Tokoro

Based on the life of Hyakken Uchida, a Japanese author and academic. The film opens with Uchida resigning his job as a German professor at the onset of WWII. The story is told mostly in vignettes as he is cared for by former students in his old age.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Tatsuo Matsumura  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Hisashi Igawa  •  George Tokoro

Stormy Night (2005)

A goat named Mei and a wolf named Gabu pledge to be secret friends after meeting on a stormy night, despite the fact that they are supposed to be natural enemies. The two must overcome hardships as they journey far in hopes to find an "Emerald Forest", free from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gisaburō Sugii
CAST:  Shido Nakamura  •  Hiroki Narimiya  •  Riki Takeuchi  •  Koichi Yamadera

A goat named Mei and a wolf named Gabu pledge to be secret friends after meeting on a stormy night, despite the fact that they are supposed to be natural enemies. The two must overcome hardships as they journey far in hopes to find an "Emerald Forest", free from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gisaburō Sugii
CAST:  Shido Nakamura  •  Hiroki Narimiya  •  Riki Takeuchi  •  Koichi Yamadera

Buddies (1989)

Based on a celebrated book by Kuniko Mukoda, this film directed by Yasuo Furuhata tells of a close friendship undone by love.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Eiji Bandō  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Yasuko Tomita

Based on a celebrated book by Kuniko Mukoda, this film directed by Yasuo Furuhata tells of a close friendship undone by love.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Eiji Bandō  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Yasuko Tomita

Father (1988)

A middle-aged man's family loses patience with him as he struggles with his seemingly directionless life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keisuke Kinoshita
CAST:  Eiji Bandō  •  Makoto Nonomura  •  Kin Sugai  •  Kogan Ashiya

A middle-aged man's family loses patience with him as he struggles with his seemingly directionless life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keisuke Kinoshita
CAST:  Eiji Bandō  •  Makoto Nonomura  •  Kin Sugai  •  Kogan Ashiya

Hutch the Honeybee (2010)

Hutch the Honey Bee and friends set on an adventure to find Hutch's missing Queen Bee Mother, whom he lost during a surprise attack by a group of Hornets. In the process Hutch makes friends with various other animals. At a town called Sepiatown he even befriends ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuro Amino
CAST:  Ayaka Saito  •  Ayaka Wilson  •  Naoki Tanaka  •  Kon Arimura

Hutch the Honey Bee and friends set on an adventure to find Hutch's missing Queen Bee Mother, whom he lost during a surprise attack by a group of Hornets. In the process Hutch makes friends with various other animals. At a town called Sepiatown he even befriends ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuro Amino
CAST:  Ayaka Saito  •  Ayaka Wilson  •  Naoki Tanaka  •  Kon Arimura

47 Ronin (1994)

Kon Ichikawa's retelling of the classic true story of Samurai honor. When a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), his loyal followers (now Ronin, masterless Samurai) dedicate their lives to avenging his death.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kon Ichikawa
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Kiichi Nakai  •  Rie Miyazawa  •  Koji Ishizaka

Kon Ichikawa's retelling of the classic true story of Samurai honor. When a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), his loyal followers (now Ronin, masterless Samurai) dedicate their lives to avenging his death.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kon Ichikawa
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Kiichi Nakai  •  Rie Miyazawa  •  Koji Ishizaka

Railroad Man (1999)

A railway stationmaster at a dying end-of-the-line village in Hokkaido is haunted by memories of his dead wife and daughter. When the railroad line is scheduled to be closed, he is offered a job at a hotel, but he is emotionally unable to part with his career as a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Hidetaka Yoshioka  •  Masanobu Ando  •  Ken Shimura

A railway stationmaster at a dying end-of-the-line village in Hokkaido is haunted by memories of his dead wife and daughter. When the railroad line is scheduled to be closed, he is offered a job at a hotel, but he is emotionally unable to part with his career as a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Hidetaka Yoshioka  •  Masanobu Ando  •  Ken Shimura

Faraway Heaven (2008)

Chizuru, a typical Japanese young female office worker, is socially clumsy, poor at romance and unhappy with her job. Being weary from a busy and stressful city life, she seriously desires to end her life somewhere faraway from the city and leaves for deep in the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masahiko Nagasawa
CAST:  Rosa Kato  •  Yoshimi Tokui  •  Sabu Kawahara  •  Kaku Tomohiro

Chizuru, a typical Japanese young female office worker, is socially clumsy, poor at romance and unhappy with her job. Being weary from a busy and stressful city life, she seriously desires to end her life somewhere faraway from the city and leaves for deep in the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masahiko Nagasawa
CAST:  Rosa Kato  •  Yoshimi Tokui  •  Sabu Kawahara  •  Kaku Tomohiro

Neck (2010)

Tomokazu Shudo has his first ever crush on Sugina Mayama, a senior student. Tomokazu has troubles confessing his feelings to the popular student, but one day, he is invited to the research lab where Sugina Mayama works. Tomokazu hopes to use this meeting to express ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Shirakawa
CAST:  Saki Aibu  •  Junpei Mizobata  •  Chiaki Kuriyama  •  Yuta Hiraoka

Tomokazu Shudo has his first ever crush on Sugina Mayama, a senior student. Tomokazu has troubles confessing his feelings to the popular student, but one day, he is invited to the research lab where Sugina Mayama works. Tomokazu hopes to use this meeting to express ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Shirakawa
CAST:  Saki Aibu  •  Junpei Mizobata  •  Chiaki Kuriyama  •  Yuta Hiraoka

Yukon (1998)

Takayuki Iwabuchi (Koji Yakusho), a former yakuza member with a tattoo of Kisshoten on his back. Although he has a criminal record, he is currently working as a driver at a hearse transportation company. One day, a young man visits the company and asks Takayuki to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keizo Yamamoto
CAST:  Koji Yakusho  •  Shinobu Terajima  •  Eiji Bandō  •  Takashi Morimiya

Takayuki Iwabuchi (Koji Yakusho), a former yakuza member with a tattoo of Kisshoten on his back. Although he has a criminal record, he is currently working as a driver at a hearse transportation company. One day, a young man visits the company and asks Takayuki to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Keizo Yamamoto
CAST:  Koji Yakusho  •  Shinobu Terajima  •  Eiji Bandō  •  Takashi Morimiya