Akira Nagoya

Akira Nagoya was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator who specialized in playing comical roles. He's well know for playing Yūtarō Asahina in the Tokusatsu superhero series Ultraman Taro. After graduating from junior high school in 1949, he entered the Tokyo Broadcasting Company (NHK) training school as a third-year student. His classmates included Hisashi Katsuta and Kazue Takahashi, who later became active as voice actors. In 1959, he joined the Bungakuza theatre company; in 1963, he participated in the founding of the theatre company Kumo. When Kumo disbanded in 1975, he moved on to work as a freelance theatre artist, appearing on stages such as Jijinkai and Komatsuza.

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Princess Mononoke (1997)

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Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hayao Miyazaki
CAST:  Youji Matsuda  •  Yuriko Ishida  •  Yûko Tanaka  •  Kaoru Kobayashi

Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hayao Miyazaki
CAST:  Youji Matsuda  •  Yuriko Ishida  •  Yûko Tanaka  •  Kaoru Kobayashi

High and Low (1963)

A shoe company executive who has mortgaged everything he has becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped and is conflicted over whether he should pay the ransom.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Tatsuya Mihashi

A shoe company executive who has mortgaged everything he has becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped and is conflicted over whether he should pay the ransom.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Tatsuya Mihashi

A Portrait of Shunkin (1976)

Okoto is blind since childhood. Her young servant Sasuke is in love of her. One day Koto is badly scarred on her face. In order to preserve the memory of her once beautiful face, Sasuke takes away his own sight.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsumi Nishikawa
CAST:  Momoe Yamaguchi  •  Tomokazu Miura  •  Ikue Sakakibara  •  Ryūji Shinagawa

Okoto is blind since childhood. Her young servant Sasuke is in love of her. One day Koto is badly scarred on her face. In order to preserve the memory of her once beautiful face, Sasuke takes away his own sight.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsumi Nishikawa
CAST:  Momoe Yamaguchi  •  Tomokazu Miura  •  Ikue Sakakibara  •  Ryūji Shinagawa

Woman in Witness Protection (1997)

Biwako is a vain, middle-aged actress who witnesses a brutal murder. Realizing that the very public life of the woman makes their sole witness vulnerable to the killers, the police assign two officers to safeguard her until the trial. In the interim, the lives of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jūzō Itami
CAST:  Nobuko Miyamoto  •  Masahiko Nishimura  •  Kazuya Takahashi  •  Masahiko Tsugawa

Biwako is a vain, middle-aged actress who witnesses a brutal murder. Realizing that the very public life of the woman makes their sole witness vulnerable to the killers, the police assign two officers to safeguard her until the trial. In the interim, the lives of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jūzō Itami
CAST:  Nobuko Miyamoto  •  Masahiko Nishimura  •  Kazuya Takahashi  •  Masahiko Tsugawa

Mahjong Horoki (1984)

A mahjong neophyte loses everything to game master only to hone his skills, take on all challenges and plan for an ultimate revenge match.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Takeshi Kaga  •  Mariko Kaga  •  Kaku Takashina

A mahjong neophyte loses everything to game master only to hone his skills, take on all challenges and plan for an ultimate revenge match.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Takeshi Kaga  •  Mariko Kaga  •  Kaku Takashina

Suspicion (1982)

A car going at 25 mph plunges into the sea at Shinko Harbour, Toyama prefecture. Inside is the local business magnate Fukutaro Shirakawa, who perishes. Riding alongside him and surviving unhurt is his second wife, Kumako. It soon comes to light that Kumako’s ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshitaro Nomura
CAST:  Kaori Momoi  •  Shima Iwashita  •  Takeshi Kaga  •  Noboru Nakaya

A car going at 25 mph plunges into the sea at Shinko Harbour, Toyama prefecture. Inside is the local business magnate Fukutaro Shirakawa, who perishes. Riding alongside him and surviving unhurt is his second wife, Kumako. It soon comes to light that Kumako’s ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshitaro Nomura
CAST:  Kaori Momoi  •  Shima Iwashita  •  Takeshi Kaga  •  Noboru Nakaya

Kaito Ruby (1988)

Toru Hayashi is an unremarkable bachelor who lives with his mother, until one day a young woman named Rumi moves in in the apartment upstairs. Rumi is a self-proclaimed master thief, but she needs socially awkward Toru's help to actually kickstart her so-called career.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Kyoko Koizumi  •  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Taisaku Akino  •  Manami Fuji

Toru Hayashi is an unremarkable bachelor who lives with his mother, until one day a young woman named Rumi moves in in the apartment upstairs. Rumi is a self-proclaimed master thief, but she needs socially awkward Toru's help to actually kickstart her so-called career.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Kyoko Koizumi  •  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Taisaku Akino  •  Manami Fuji

Akitsu Springs (1962)

Yoshida’s first big-budget production and colour film is a haunting tale of unrequited love and postwar disillusion. The story of the fatal attraction between a spineless intellectual and a strong woman is conventional, but its enactment is radically new.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshishige Yoshida
CAST:  Mariko Okada  •  Hiroyuki Nagato  •  Sō Yamamura  •  Jūkichi Uno

Yoshida’s first big-budget production and colour film is a haunting tale of unrequited love and postwar disillusion. The story of the fatal attraction between a spineless intellectual and a strong woman is conventional, but its enactment is radically new.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshishige Yoshida
CAST:  Mariko Okada  •  Hiroyuki Nagato  •  Sō Yamamura  •  Jūkichi Uno

Follow the Girls (1971)

Comedy of an entertainment agent and strip-teasers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Azuma Morisaki
CAST:  Hisaya Morishige  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Mako Midori  •  Chōichirō Kawarasaki

Comedy of an entertainment agent and strip-teasers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Azuma Morisaki
CAST:  Hisaya Morishige  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Mako Midori  •  Chōichirō Kawarasaki

Fort Graveyard (1965)

Charged with insubordination for punching a superior, Sergeant Kosugi is shipped to China in the last desperate days of the Second World War. His commander, Captain Sakuma, is vicious and dictatorial. Sakuma places Kosugi in charge of training for combat what once ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Makoto Satō  •  Reiko Dan  •  Yūnosuke Itō

Charged with insubordination for punching a superior, Sergeant Kosugi is shipped to China in the last desperate days of the Second World War. His commander, Captain Sakuma, is vicious and dictatorial. Sakuma places Kosugi in charge of training for combat what once ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Makoto Satō  •  Reiko Dan  •  Yūnosuke Itō

Lullaby of Death (1982)

Following her mother’s suicide, Maya seeks out her father, who deserted them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuzō Masumura
CAST:  Shima Iwashita  •  Jinpachi Nezu  •  Kyôko Kishida  •  Naoki Sugiura

Following her mother’s suicide, Maya seeks out her father, who deserted them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuzō Masumura
CAST:  Shima Iwashita  •  Jinpachi Nezu  •  Kyôko Kishida  •  Naoki Sugiura

Mister, Missus, Miss Lonely (1980)

Two men and a woman plan to steal 1.5 Billion yen.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tatsumi Kumashiro
CAST:  Mieko Harada  •  Ryudo Uzaki  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Yoshio Harada

Two men and a woman plan to steal 1.5 Billion yen.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tatsumi Kumashiro
CAST:  Mieko Harada  •  Ryudo Uzaki  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Yoshio Harada

Basara: Princess Goh (1992)

Furuta Oribe is ordered to become tea master under Toyotomi Hideyoshi after his teacher Sen no Rikyū, the former tea master, was ordered to commit suicide. Princess Goh, daughter of the lord but adopted by Hideyoshi, is outraged when Rikyū's severed head is thrown ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Teshigahara
CAST:  Rie Miyazawa  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Toshiya Nagasawa  •  Matsumoto Hakuō II

Furuta Oribe is ordered to become tea master under Toyotomi Hideyoshi after his teacher Sen no Rikyū, the former tea master, was ordered to commit suicide. Princess Goh, daughter of the lord but adopted by Hideyoshi, is outraged when Rikyū's severed head is thrown ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Teshigahara
CAST:  Rie Miyazawa  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Toshiya Nagasawa  •  Matsumoto Hakuō II

Free and Easy (1988)

Densuke Hamazaki is an office worker at Suzuki Construction and gets transferred to the main Tokyo office. After settling in to his surrounding along with his wife Eri, Densuke befriends an elderly man named Ichinosuke Suzuki. Ichinosuke is a lonely and old man who ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomio Kuriyama
CAST:  Toshiyuki Nishida  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Eri Ishida  •  Nekohachi Edoya

Densuke Hamazaki is an office worker at Suzuki Construction and gets transferred to the main Tokyo office. After settling in to his surrounding along with his wife Eri, Densuke befriends an elderly man named Ichinosuke Suzuki. Ichinosuke is a lonely and old man who ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomio Kuriyama
CAST:  Toshiyuki Nishida  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Eri Ishida  •  Nekohachi Edoya

A Wanderer's Notebook (1962)

Considered one of the finest late Naruses and a model of film biography, A Wanderer’s Notebook features remarkable performances by Hideko Takamine – Phillip Lopate calls it “probably her greatest performance” – and Kinuyo Tanaka as mother and daughter living from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mikio Naruse
CAST:  Kinuyo Tanaka  •  Hideko Takamine  •  Akira Takarada  •  Daisuke Katō

Considered one of the finest late Naruses and a model of film biography, A Wanderer’s Notebook features remarkable performances by Hideko Takamine – Phillip Lopate calls it “probably her greatest performance” – and Kinuyo Tanaka as mother and daughter living from ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mikio Naruse
CAST:  Kinuyo Tanaka  •  Hideko Takamine  •  Akira Takarada  •  Daisuke Katō

Station (1981)

A detective goes out of his way to crack the case of a serial killer who specialises in murdering police officers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Ayumi Ishida  •  Setsuko Karasuma

A detective goes out of his way to crack the case of a serial killer who specialises in murdering police officers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuo Furuhata
CAST:  Ken Takakura  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Ayumi Ishida  •  Setsuko Karasuma

Flying Phantom Ship (1969)

Hayato's home city is under attack from a gigantic robot. His parents are lying dead in the rubble and the only remaining friend is his dog. His only thought now is revenge against the owner of the Phantom Ship (from where the robot said he was sent). He ends up in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Ikeda
CAST:  Masako Nozawa  •  Akio Tanaka  •  Akira Nagoya  •  Gorō Naya

Hayato's home city is under attack from a gigantic robot. His parents are lying dead in the rubble and the only remaining friend is his dog. His only thought now is revenge against the owner of the Phantom Ship (from where the robot said he was sent). He ends up in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Ikeda
CAST:  Masako Nozawa  •  Akio Tanaka  •  Akira Nagoya  •  Gorō Naya

Yakuza Ladies: Decision (1998)

Kasuga’s husband gets arrested for a murder of his beloved protégé. She and her family investigate and find out he was trapped by greedy Nagoshi, the boss of their rival yakuza family. She has to make a decision to revenge Nagoshi.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Shima Iwashita  •  Rino Katase  •  Kin'ya Aikawa  •  Kiyoshi Nakajo

Kasuga’s husband gets arrested for a murder of his beloved protégé. She and her family investigate and find out he was trapped by greedy Nagoshi, the boss of their rival yakuza family. She has to make a decision to revenge Nagoshi.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Shima Iwashita  •  Rino Katase  •  Kin'ya Aikawa  •  Kiyoshi Nakajo

Round About Midnight (1999)

Koji, a jazz musician, takes a cigarette break in between sets at a Tokyo nightclub. He witnesses a murder and runs into a girl, Linda, who is being pursued by the killers. For the next two hours, Koji and Linda are running from both the hitmen and the police. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Michelle Reis  •  Akira Emoto  •  Jun'ichi Haruta

Koji, a jazz musician, takes a cigarette break in between sets at a Tokyo nightclub. He witnesses a murder and runs into a girl, Linda, who is being pursued by the killers. For the next two hours, Koji and Linda are running from both the hitmen and the police. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Makoto Wada
CAST:  Hiroyuki Sanada  •  Michelle Reis  •  Akira Emoto  •  Jun'ichi Haruta

The Twilight Story (1960)

In this Japanese drama, a village girl goes to Tokyo and becomes a hooker to support her ailing mother. While there she meets an unmarried teacher (at least he says he's unmarried) and falls in love. When she learns that he lied and is married to a woman whose ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shirō Toyoda
CAST:  Fujiko Yamamoto  •  Hiroshi Akutagawa  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Nobuko Otowa

In this Japanese drama, a village girl goes to Tokyo and becomes a hooker to support her ailing mother. While there she meets an unmarried teacher (at least he says he's unmarried) and falls in love. When she learns that he lied and is married to a woman whose ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shirō Toyoda
CAST:  Fujiko Yamamoto  •  Hiroshi Akutagawa  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Nobuko Otowa
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