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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Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

A submarine expedition to salvage the remains of Mechagodzilla is thwarted by a massive dinosaur named Titanosaurus. An Interpol investigation leads biologist Ichinose to uncover the work of Dr. Mafune and his mysterious daughter Katsura. Aligned with the Black ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Katsuhiko Sasaki  •  Tomoko Ai  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Katsumasa Uchida

A submarine expedition to salvage the remains of Mechagodzilla is thwarted by a massive dinosaur named Titanosaurus. An Interpol investigation leads biologist Ichinose to uncover the work of Dr. Mafune and his mysterious daughter Katsura. Aligned with the Black ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Katsuhiko Sasaki  •  Tomoko Ai  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Katsumasa Uchida

The H-Man (1958)

Nuclear tests create a radioactive man who can turn people into slime.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Koreya Senda

Nuclear tests create a radioactive man who can turn people into slime.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ishirō Honda
CAST:  Yumi Shirakawa  •  Kenji Sahara  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Koreya Senda

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

The War in Space (1977)

The year is 1988, and in the midst of recovering from a near-miss with a large comet, Earth finds that there are much worse matters at hand: the sudden arrival of a strange army of aliens and their fleet of unstoppable warships.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST: 

The year is 1988, and in the midst of recovering from a near-miss with a large comet, Earth finds that there are much worse matters at hand: the sudden arrival of a strange army of aliens and their fleet of unstoppable warships.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST: 

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 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

Tora-san Meets His Lordship (1977)

Tora-san befriends the descendant of a feudal lord. The man asks Tora to locate his deceased son's wife who resides somewhere in Tokyo.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Kiyoshi Atsumi  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Gin Maeda  •  Kanjūrō Arashi

Tora-san befriends the descendant of a feudal lord. The man asks Tora to locate his deceased son's wife who resides somewhere in Tokyo.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Kiyoshi Atsumi  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Gin Maeda  •  Kanjūrō Arashi

Nomugi Pass (1979)

The story of the silk industry and the young girls who worked as silk spinners in the early 1900s in Japan. The silk mills were located in Okaya which lies just beyond the Nomugi Pass. The women and girls worked in a hot, humid atmosphere without rest, and endured ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Satsuo Yamamoto
CAST:  Shinobu Otake  •  Mieko Harada  •  Chikako Yuri  •  Yuko Kotegawa

The story of the silk industry and the young girls who worked as silk spinners in the early 1900s in Japan. The silk mills were located in Okaya which lies just beyond the Nomugi Pass. The women and girls worked in a hot, humid atmosphere without rest, and endured ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Satsuo Yamamoto
CAST:  Shinobu Otake  •  Mieko Harada  •  Chikako Yuri  •  Yuko Kotegawa

The Lost Alibi (1960)

Suspense drama about a married salaryman whose affair with one of his co-workers is compromised when, returning from a clandestine meeting with his lover, he runs into a neighbor who is later accused of murder. Questioned by police about the neighbor, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiromichi Horikawa
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Chisako Hara  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Tatsuyoshi Ehara

Suspense drama about a married salaryman whose affair with one of his co-workers is compromised when, returning from a clandestine meeting with his lover, he runs into a neighbor who is later accused of murder. Questioned by police about the neighbor, and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiromichi Horikawa
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Chisako Hara  •  Akihiko Hirata  •  Tatsuyoshi Ehara

Big Shots Die at Dawn (1961)

An early Okamoto yakuza film, though it's not in the Underworld series (along with The Last Gunfight and The Big Boss) despite being alternatively known as "Death of the Boss." While Okamoto did not write this film and took on the project because he was assigned ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Yūzō Kayama  •  Jun Tazaki  •  Yukiko Shimazaki  •  Akihiko Hirata

An early Okamoto yakuza film, though it's not in the Underworld series (along with The Last Gunfight and The Big Boss) despite being alternatively known as "Death of the Boss." While Okamoto did not write this film and took on the project because he was assigned ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Yūzō Kayama  •  Jun Tazaki  •  Yukiko Shimazaki  •  Akihiko Hirata

The Imperial Navy (1981)

A lavish retelling of the true story of the final voyage and ultimate destruction and sinking of the battleship Yamato, Japan's greatest flagship during the Second World War.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shūe Matsubayashi
CAST:  Susumu Fujita  •  Toshiyuki Nagashima  •  Hiroshi Hasegawa  •  Kenichi Kaneda

A lavish retelling of the true story of the final voyage and ultimate destruction and sinking of the battleship Yamato, Japan's greatest flagship during the Second World War.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shūe Matsubayashi
CAST:  Susumu Fujita  •  Toshiyuki Nagashima  •  Hiroshi Hasegawa  •  Kenichi Kaneda

Stray Sheep (1955)

1955 Toho adaptation of Natsume's novel.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuo Nakagawa
CAST:  Shinji Yamada  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Chishū Ryū  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya

1955 Toho adaptation of Natsume's novel.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuo Nakagawa
CAST:  Shinji Yamada  •  Kaoru Yachigusa  •  Chishū Ryū  •  Yoshio Tsuchiya

Siege of Fort Bismarck (1963)

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DIRECTION:  Kengo Furusawa
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Tôru Ibuki

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DIRECTION:  Kengo Furusawa
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Tôru Ibuki

The Weed of Crime (1962)

Toho-produced crime drama involving the drug trade.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Tatsuya Mihashi  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Makoto Satō  •  Mie Hama

Toho-produced crime drama involving the drug trade.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Fukuda
CAST:  Tatsuya Mihashi  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Makoto Satō  •  Mie Hama

Operation Enemy Fort (1962)

Soldiers on the front lines in China during World War II are besieged by guerrilla attacks and attempt to destroy an enemy fort.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Senkichi Taniguchi
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Tôru Ibuki  •  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yuriko Hoshi

Soldiers on the front lines in China during World War II are besieged by guerrilla attacks and attempt to destroy an enemy fort.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Senkichi Taniguchi
CAST:  Makoto Satō  •  Tôru Ibuki  •  Yōsuke Natsuki  •  Yuriko Hoshi

Attack Squadron (1963)

Lt. Col. Senda resists the idea of sending Japanese fighter pilots on suicide missions. He believes that what is really necessary for Japan to regain momentum in the war is for the air force to gather its most brilliant pilots into an elite squadron and use the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shūe Matsubayashi
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Yōsuke Natsuki

Lt. Col. Senda resists the idea of sending Japanese fighter pilots on suicide missions. He believes that what is really necessary for Japan to regain momentum in the war is for the air force to gather its most brilliant pilots into an elite squadron and use the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shūe Matsubayashi
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Yūzō Kayama  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Yōsuke Natsuki

Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974)

Professor Nishiyama, after studying and interpreting the prophecies of Nostradamus, realizes that the end of the world is at hand. Unfortunately, nobody listens to him until it is too late. As the effects of mankind's tampering of the earth - radioactive smog ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshio Masuda
CAST:  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Toshio Kurosawa  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Katsuhiko Sasaki

Professor Nishiyama, after studying and interpreting the prophecies of Nostradamus, realizes that the end of the world is at hand. Unfortunately, nobody listens to him until it is too late. As the effects of mankind's tampering of the earth - radioactive smog ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshio Masuda
CAST:  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Toshio Kurosawa  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Katsuhiko Sasaki

Zero Fighter (1976)

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DIRECTION:  Seiji Maruyama
CAST:  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Tarō Shigaki  •  Hiroshi Fujioka  •  Naoko Ohtani

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DIRECTION:  Seiji Maruyama
CAST:  Tetsurō Tamba  •  Tarō Shigaki  •  Hiroshi Fujioka  •  Naoko Ohtani

The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman (1963)

A salaryman's drunken ravings in public attract the attention of journalists who coerce him into telling them his life's story.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Tatsuyoshi Ehara  •  Hiroshi Tachikawa

A salaryman's drunken ravings in public attract the attention of journalists who coerce him into telling them his life's story.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Keiju Kobayashi  •  Michiyo Aratama  •  Tatsuyoshi Ehara  •  Hiroshi Tachikawa

The Last Gunfight (1960)

Japanese police detective Saburo Fujioka is suspected of corruption, demoted, and sent to the city of Kojin. Kojin is the scene of fierce fighting between rival gangs. Fujioka is assigned to investigate the death of the wife of gangster Tetsuo Maruyama of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Yōsuke Natsuki

Japanese police detective Saburo Fujioka is suspected of corruption, demoted, and sent to the city of Kojin. Kojin is the scene of fierce fighting between rival gangs. Fujioka is assigned to investigate the death of the wife of gangster Tetsuo Maruyama of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kihachi Okamoto
CAST:  Toshirō Mifune  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Yōko Tsukasa  •  Yōsuke Natsuki
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