Akihiko Hirata

Akihiko Hirata ( Hirata Akihiko ) (26 December 1927–25 July 1984) was a Japanese film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies (including Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai trilogy), he is most well known for his work in the kaiju genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla, The Mysterians, and his most famous role of Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the brilliant but disturbed young scientist in the original Godzilla, released in 1954. Hirata died after a long battle with lung cancer in 1984, at age 56. Description above from the Wikipedia article Akihiko Hirata, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

FunnyFunGoofyWeird

An Okinawan prophecy that foretells the destruction of the Earth is seeming fulfilled when Godzilla emerges to return to his destructive roots. But not all is what it seems after Godzilla breaks his ally Anguirus's jaw. Matters are further complicated when a second ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Masaaki Daimon  •  Kazuya Aoyama  •  Reiko Tajima  •  Akihiko Hirata

An Okinawan prophecy that foretells the destruction of the Earth is seeming fulfilled when Godzilla emerges to return to his destructive roots. But not all is what it seems after Godzilla breaks his ally Anguirus's jaw. Matters are further complicated when a second ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Masaaki Daimon  •  Kazuya Aoyama  •  Reiko Tajima  •  Akihiko Hirata

Atragon (1963)

The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu reappears to threaten the world with domination. While countries unite to resist, an isolated World War II Captain has created the greatest warship ever seen, and possibly the surface world's only defense.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Yōko Fujiyama  •  Yū Fujiki  •  Ken Uehara

The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu reappears to threaten the world with domination. While countries unite to resist, an isolated World War II Captain has created the greatest warship ever seen, and possibly the surface world's only defense.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Yōko Fujiyama  •  Yū Fujiki  •  Ken Uehara

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

A meteor lands in Kurobe Valley as detective Shindo is assigned to protect Princess Salno from assassination. She emerges under the guise of a Venusian prophetess and catches the attention of journalist Naoko and Mothra's fairies by predicting a powerful space ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Akiko Wakabayashi  •  Yuriko Hoshi  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Emi Ito

A meteor lands in Kurobe Valley as detective Shindo is assigned to protect Princess Salno from assassination. She emerges under the guise of a Venusian prophetess and catches the attention of journalist Naoko and Mothra's fairies by predicting a powerful space ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Akiko Wakabayashi  •  Yuriko Hoshi  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Emi Ito

Godzilla (1954)

Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships are sunk near Odo Island. An expedition to the island led by Dr. Yemani soon discover something far more devastating than imagined in the form of a 50 meter tall monster whom the natives call Gojira. Now the monster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Takashi Shimura  •  Momoko Kôchi  •  Akira Takarada  •  Akihiko Hirata

Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships are sunk near Odo Island. An expedition to the island led by Dr. Yemani soon discover something far more devastating than imagined in the form of a 50 meter tall monster whom the natives call Gojira. Now the monster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Takashi Shimura  •  Momoko Kôchi  •  Akira Takarada  •  Akihiko Hirata

Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002)

JSDF pilot Akane has a fateful encounter when a new Godzilla emerges in Tateyama. As a countermeasure, a cyborg named Kiryu is constructed from the remains of the original. The machine is discovered to harbor the restless soul of the original monster as Akane must ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masaaki Tezuka
CAST:  Yumiko Shaku  •  Shin Takuma  •  Kana Onodera  •  Koh Takasugi

JSDF pilot Akane has a fateful encounter when a new Godzilla emerges in Tateyama. As a countermeasure, a cyborg named Kiryu is constructed from the remains of the original. The machine is discovered to harbor the restless soul of the original monster as Akane must ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masaaki Tezuka
CAST:  Yumiko Shaku  •  Shin Takuma  •  Kana Onodera  •  Koh Takasugi

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

A burning Godzilla, on the verge of meltdown, emerges to lay siege to Hong Kong. At the same time horrifying new organisms are discovered in Japan. These crustacean-like beings are seemingly born of the Oxygen Destroyer, the weapon that killed the original Godzilla.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takao Okawara
CAST:  Takuro Tatsumi  •  Yoko Ishino  •  Yasufumi Hayashi  •  Megumi Odaka

A burning Godzilla, on the verge of meltdown, emerges to lay siege to Hong Kong. At the same time horrifying new organisms are discovered in Japan. These crustacean-like beings are seemingly born of the Oxygen Destroyer, the weapon that killed the original Godzilla.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takao Okawara
CAST:  Takuro Tatsumi  •  Yoko Ishino  •  Yasufumi Hayashi  •  Megumi Odaka

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

Searching for his brother, Ryota stows away on a boat belonging to a criminal alongside two other teenagers. The group shipwrecks on Letchi island and discover the Infant Island natives have been enslaved by a terrorist organization controlling a crustacean monster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Akira Takarada  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Chōtarō Tōgin  •  Hideo Sunazuka

Searching for his brother, Ryota stows away on a boat belonging to a criminal alongside two other teenagers. The group shipwrecks on Letchi island and discover the Infant Island natives have been enslaved by a terrorist organization controlling a crustacean monster ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Akira Takarada  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Chōtarō Tōgin  •  Hideo Sunazuka

Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956)

During an assignment, foreign correspondent Steve Martin spends a layover in Tokyo and is caught amid the rampage of an unstoppable prehistoric monster the Japanese call 'Godzilla'. The only hope for both Japan and the world lies on a secret weapon, which may prove ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda  •  Terry O. Morse
CAST:  Raymond Burr  •  Frank Iwanaga  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Momoko Kôchi

During an assignment, foreign correspondent Steve Martin spends a layover in Tokyo and is caught amid the rampage of an unstoppable prehistoric monster the Japanese call 'Godzilla'. The only hope for both Japan and the world lies on a secret weapon, which may prove ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda  •  Terry O. Morse
CAST:  Raymond Burr  •  Frank Iwanaga  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Momoko Kôchi

Gorath (1962)

In 1976, a drifting star named Gorath is discovered to be on a collision course with Earth. Although it is smaller than Earth, its enormous mass is enough to destroy the planet totally. A mission sent to observe Gorath is destroyed after the ship is drawn into the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Ryō Ikebe  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Akira Kubo  •  Kumi Mizuno

In 1976, a drifting star named Gorath is discovered to be on a collision course with Earth. Although it is smaller than Earth, its enormous mass is enough to destroy the planet totally. A mission sent to observe Gorath is destroyed after the ship is drawn into the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Ryō Ikebe  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Akira Kubo  •  Kumi Mizuno

King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Yū Fujiki  •  Ichirō Arishima

The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Yū Fujiki  •  Ichirō Arishima

Latitude Zero (1969)

A massive underwater volcano erupts and puts a group of investigative scientists in danger. They are rescued by an atomic super submarine named The Alpha under the command of Captain McKenzie. The group is quickly taken to a vast underwater city known as Latitude ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Joseph Cotten  •  Cesar Romero  •  Akira Takarada  •  Patricia Medina

A massive underwater volcano erupts and puts a group of investigative scientists in danger. They are rescued by an atomic super submarine named The Alpha under the command of Captain McKenzie. The group is quickly taken to a vast underwater city known as Latitude ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Joseph Cotten  •  Cesar Romero  •  Akira Takarada  •  Patricia Medina

Mothra (1961)

Shipwreck survivors found on the presumably uninhabited Infant Island leads to a scientific expedition that discovers a surviving native population along with the Shobijin, tiny twin fairy priestesses of the island's mythical deity called Mothra. After the fairies ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Frankie Sakai  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Ken Uehara

Shipwreck survivors found on the presumably uninhabited Infant Island leads to a scientific expedition that discovers a surviving native population along with the Shobijin, tiny twin fairy priestesses of the island's mythical deity called Mothra. After the fairies ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Frankie Sakai  •  Hiroshi Koizumi  •  Kyōko Kagawa  •  Ken Uehara

Rodan (1956)

Mining engineer Shigeru investigates the disappearance and death of his fellow coworkers when prehistoric nymphs are discovered emerging from the mines. After an attack on the local village, Shigeru heads deeper into the mines only to make a more horrifying ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Kenji Sahara  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Akio Kobori

Mining engineer Shigeru investigates the disappearance and death of his fellow coworkers when prehistoric nymphs are discovered emerging from the mines. After an attack on the local village, Shigeru heads deeper into the mines only to make a more horrifying ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Kenji Sahara  •  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Akio Kobori

Samurai Assassin (1965)

Japan, 1860. The men of the Mito clan, victims of the Ansei purge, anxiously prowl around the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle with the intention of assassinating Naosuke Ii of Hikone, tairō of the Tokugawa shogunate and responsible for their misfortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Yūnosuke Itō  •  Toshirō Mifune

Japan, 1860. The men of the Mito clan, victims of the Ansei purge, anxiously prowl around the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle with the intention of assassinating Naosuke Ii of Hikone, tairō of the Tokugawa shogunate and responsible for their misfortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Yūnosuke Itō  •  Toshirō Mifune

Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)

Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Mariko Okada  •  Kurôemon Onoe

Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Mariko Okada  •  Kurôemon Onoe

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)

After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest fencer, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school of fencing. To prove his valor and skill, he walks ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Mariko Okada

After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest fencer, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school of fencing. To prove his valor and skill, he walks ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Mariko Okada

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956)

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Mariko Okada

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Inagaki
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Mariko Okada

Sanjuro (1962)

Toshiro Mifune swaggers and snarls to brilliant comic effect in Kurosawa's tightly paced, beautifully composed "Sanjuro." In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Yūzō Kayama

Toshiro Mifune swaggers and snarls to brilliant comic effect in Kurosawa's tightly paced, beautifully composed "Sanjuro." In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akira Kurosawa
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Tatsuya Nakadai  •  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Yūzō Kayama

The Secret of the Telegian (1960)

Fast paced

Men are being murdered by a psycho called "The Telegian," who uses a matter-transmitting device to locate his victims.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Koji Tsuruta  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya  •  Tadao Nakamaru

Men are being murdered by a psycho called "The Telegian," who uses a matter-transmitting device to locate his victims.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Koji Tsuruta  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya  •  Tadao Nakamaru

Son of Godzilla (1967)

Reporter Goro Maki stumbles upon scientists conducting weather experiments on Sollgel Island in the South Seas. He discovers the island is inhabited by giant mantis and a woman named Saeko who's been cast away since the death of her father. The pair soon find a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Akira Kubo  •  Bibari Maeda  •  Akihiko Hirata

Reporter Goro Maki stumbles upon scientists conducting weather experiments on Sollgel Island in the South Seas. He discovers the island is inhabited by giant mantis and a woman named Saeko who's been cast away since the death of her father. The pair soon find a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Tadao Takashima  •  Akira Kubo  •  Bibari Maeda  •  Akihiko Hirata
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