Shōichi Hirose

Shōichi Hirose was a Japanese actor. Sometimes credited as Solomon Hirose, he is probably best known for playing Godzilla's archenemy King Ghidorah and for being the actor inside the King Kong suit in King Kong vs. Godzilla, along with several tough guy roles.

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The Mysterians (1957)

In Japan, scientifically advanced invaders from the war-destroyed planet Mysteroid cause an entire village to vanish, then send a giant robot out to storm the city by night, after which they request a small patch of land on Earth and the right to marry earthling ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Kenji Sahara  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Momoko Kôchi  •  Akihiko Hirata

In Japan, scientifically advanced invaders from the war-destroyed planet Mysteroid cause an entire village to vanish, then send a giant robot out to storm the city by night, after which they request a small patch of land on Earth and the right to marry earthling ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Kenji Sahara  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Momoko Kôchi  •  Akihiko Hirata

Seven Samurai (1954)

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Yoshio Inaba  •  Seiji Miyaguchi

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Yoshio Inaba  •  Seiji Miyaguchi

Dogora (1964)

A floating amorphous life-form descends from the atmosphere to consume carbon in the form of diamonds.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yōko Fujiyama  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Nobuo Nakamura

A floating amorphous life-form descends from the atmosphere to consume carbon in the form of diamonds.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yōko Fujiyama  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Nobuo Nakamura

Varan the Unbelievable (1962)

In an effort to find an economic means of purifying salt water, a joint U.S.-Japanese military command is set up on an isolated Japanese island where an unusual salt water lake is situated. However, their purifying experiments arouse the prehistoric monster Obaki ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda  •  Jerry A. Baerwitz
CAST:  Kōzō Nomura  •  Ayumi Sonoda  •  Fumito Matsuo  •  Clifford Kawada

In an effort to find an economic means of purifying salt water, a joint U.S.-Japanese military command is set up on an isolated Japanese island where an unusual salt water lake is situated. However, their purifying experiments arouse the prehistoric monster Obaki ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda  •  Jerry A. Baerwitz
CAST:  Kōzō Nomura  •  Ayumi Sonoda  •  Fumito Matsuo  •  Clifford Kawada

The War of the Gargantuas (1966)

Gaira, a humanoid sea beast spawned from the discarded cells of Frankenstein's monster, attacks the shores of Tokyo. While the Japanese military prepares to take action, Gaira's Gargantua brother, Sanda, descends from the mountains to defend his kin. A battle ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Russ Tamblyn  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Nobuo Nakamura

Gaira, a humanoid sea beast spawned from the discarded cells of Frankenstein's monster, attacks the shores of Tokyo. While the Japanese military prepares to take action, Gaira's Gargantua brother, Sanda, descends from the mountains to defend his kin. A battle ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Russ Tamblyn  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Nobuo Nakamura

Yojimbo (1961)

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Isuzu Yamada

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Isuzu Yamada

The Three Treasures (1959)

The legend of the birth of Shintoism. In Fourth Century Japan, the Emperor's son Ouso expects to succeed his father on the throne, but Otomo, the Emperor's vassal, prefers Ouso's stepbrother, and conspires to have Ouso die on a dangerous mission he has contrived. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Setsuko Hara  •  Kinuyo Tanaka

The legend of the birth of Shintoism. In Fourth Century Japan, the Emperor's son Ouso expects to succeed his father on the throne, but Otomo, the Emperor's vassal, prefers Ouso's stepbrother, and conspires to have Ouso die on a dangerous mission he has contrived. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Setsuko Hara  •  Kinuyo Tanaka

Tokyo Sweetheart (1952)

Following the Second World War, the lives of various people in a poverty-stricken area of Tokyo are entertwined. Pachinko parlor girls, shoeshine boys, a maker of costume jewelry, and a streetcorner artist all struggle to make their livings and to find happiness in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuki Chiba
CAST:  Setsuko Hara  •  Toshirō Mifune  •  Yōko Sugi  •  Hisaya Morishige

Following the Second World War, the lives of various people in a poverty-stricken area of Tokyo are entertwined. Pachinko parlor girls, shoeshine boys, a maker of costume jewelry, and a streetcorner artist all struggle to make their livings and to find happiness in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuki Chiba
CAST:  Setsuko Hara  •  Toshirō Mifune  •  Yōko Sugi  •  Hisaya Morishige

Golden Eyes (1968)

A killer-for-hire gets mixed up with a cast of wacky characters involved in a gold smuggling route from Beirut to Tokyo.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Akira Takarada  •  Bibari Maeda  •  Andrew Hughes  •  Tomomi Sawa

A killer-for-hire gets mixed up with a cast of wacky characters involved in a gold smuggling route from Beirut to Tokyo.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Akira Takarada  •  Bibari Maeda  •  Andrew Hughes  •  Tomomi Sawa

Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974)

Lady Snowblood is caught by the police and sentenced to death for her crimes. As she is sent to the gallows she is rescued by the secret police who offer her a deal to assassinate some revolutionaries.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiya Fujita
CAST:  Meiko Kaji  •  Jūzō Itami  •  Kazuko Yoshiyuki  •  Yoshio Harada

Lady Snowblood is caught by the police and sentenced to death for her crimes. As she is sent to the gallows she is rescued by the secret police who offer her a deal to assassinate some revolutionaries.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiya Fujita
CAST:  Meiko Kaji  •  Jūzō Itami  •  Kazuko Yoshiyuki  •  Yoshio Harada

Marital Relations (1955)

The story of a couple, a spoiled son and a down-to-earth girl, in Osaka in the early Showa era. The film won the prestigious Blue Ribbon awards for best director, best actor (Morishige) and best actress (Awashima), and the Mainichi Concours award for best actor and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shirō Toyoda
CAST:  Hisaya Morishige  •  Chikage Awashima  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Haruo Tanaka

The story of a couple, a spoiled son and a down-to-earth girl, in Osaka in the early Showa era. The film won the prestigious Blue Ribbon awards for best director, best actor (Morishige) and best actress (Awashima), and the Mainichi Concours award for best actor and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shirō Toyoda
CAST:  Hisaya Morishige  •  Chikage Awashima  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Haruo Tanaka

The Battle of Okinawa (1971)

The Americans are swiftly closing on Okinawa, an island just south of the Japanese mainland. The Imperial command sends top generals and several army divisions to defend it at all costs. The mission quickly degenerates as vital resources and troops are diverted to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Tatsuya Nakadai

The Americans are swiftly closing on Okinawa, an island just south of the Japanese mainland. The Imperial command sends top generals and several army divisions to defend it at all costs. The mission quickly degenerates as vital resources and troops are diverted to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Tatsuya Nakadai

Eagle of the Pacific (1953)

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a brilliant tactician, is a loyal subject of the emperor, despite his grave misgivings about leading Japan's navy into war with the United States. He opposes the attack on Pearl Harbor, but, overruled, he leads his forces to the best of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Denjirō Ōkōchi  •  Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi  •  Masao Shimizu  •  Eijirō Yanagi

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a brilliant tactician, is a loyal subject of the emperor, despite his grave misgivings about leading Japan's navy into war with the United States. He opposes the attack on Pearl Harbor, but, overruled, he leads his forces to the best of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Denjirō Ōkōchi  •  Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi  •  Masao Shimizu  •  Eijirō Yanagi

Invisible Man (1954)

When an invisible man is run down by a car it’s up to an eager young reporter and a strange clown to bring a dangerous gang to justice.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Motoyoshi Oda
CAST:  Seizaburō Kawazu  •  Miki Sanjō  •  Minoru Takada  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya

When an invisible man is run down by a car it’s up to an eager young reporter and a strange clown to bring a dangerous gang to justice.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Motoyoshi Oda
CAST:  Seizaburō Kawazu  •  Miki Sanjō  •  Minoru Takada  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya

Lady Snowblood (1973)

Yuki's family is nearly wiped out before she is born due to the machinations of a band of criminals. These criminals kidnap and brutalize her mother but leave her alive. Later her mother ends up in prison with only revenge to keep her alive. She creates an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiya Fujita
CAST:  Meiko Kaji  •  Kō Nishimura  •  Toshio Kurosawa  •  Masaaki Daimon

Yuki's family is nearly wiped out before she is born due to the machinations of a band of criminals. These criminals kidnap and brutalize her mother but leave her alive. Later her mother ends up in prison with only revenge to keep her alive. She creates an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiya Fujita
CAST:  Meiko Kaji  •  Kō Nishimura  •  Toshio Kurosawa  •  Masaaki Daimon

The Lonely Swordsman (Part 1) (1956)

Historical drama about a sleepy-eyed ronin.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigeaki Hidaka
CAST:  Seizaburō Kawazu  •  Keiko Tsushima  •  Kyoko Aoyama  •  Machiko Kitagawa

Historical drama about a sleepy-eyed ronin.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigeaki Hidaka
CAST:  Seizaburō Kawazu  •  Keiko Tsushima  •  Kyoko Aoyama  •  Machiko Kitagawa

The Merciless Trap (1961)

Taut thriller about a too-perfect criminal case against an ex-convict that makes a nosy detective suspicious.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Ichirō Nakatani

Taut thriller about a too-perfect criminal case against an ex-convict that makes a nosy detective suspicious.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Ichirō Nakatani

The Retreat from Kiska (1965)

In 1943, the Aleutian island of Kiska was fortified by a small contingent of Japanese soldiers. When word arrived of an impending attack by an overwhelming force of Americans, the Japanese Navy attempted one of the most daring and unlikely evacuations in military ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Seiji Maruyama
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Sō Yamamura  •  Katsumi Tezuka  •  Shōichi Hirose

In 1943, the Aleutian island of Kiska was fortified by a small contingent of Japanese soldiers. When word arrived of an impending attack by an overwhelming force of Americans, the Japanese Navy attempted one of the most daring and unlikely evacuations in military ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Seiji Maruyama
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Sō Yamamura  •  Katsumi Tezuka  •  Shōichi Hirose

The Man Who Came to Port (1952)

An Ishiro Honda film.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Asami Kuji

An Ishiro Honda film.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Asami Kuji

Mother and Son (1955)

An Ishiro Honda film.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yaeko Mizutani  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Chieko Nakakita

An Ishiro Honda film.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yaeko Mizutani  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Chieko Nakakita
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