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Toshirō Mayuzumi

Toshirō Mayuzumi

Composer · Died April 10, 1997, aged 68 · Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Toshirō Mayuzumi (Japanese: 黛敏郎) (20 February 1929, Yokohama – 10 April 1997, Kawasaki) was a Japanese composer known for his implementation of avant-garde instrumentation alongside traditional Japanese musical techniques. His works drew inspiration from a variety of sources ranging from jazz to Balinese music, and he was considered a pioneer in the realm of musique concrète and electronic music (Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica n.d.; Kozinn 1997), being the first artist in his country to explore these techniques (Layne n.d.). In the span of his career, his works included symphonies, ballets, operas, and film scores (Kennedy and Kennedy 2007), and was the recipient of an Otaka prize by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Purple Medal of Merit (Kirkup 1997).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 20, 1929
Died
April 10, 1997 (aged 68)
From
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Works as
Composer
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 168 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28

What are Toshirō Mayuzumi's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Power.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
25%
Power
19%
Society
19%
Survival
14%
Bonds
13%
Ideas
5%
Morality
4%
Obsession3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 11

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 2

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 7

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 6 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
9
Tense
7
Contemplative
7
Warm
4
Absurd
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Toshirō Mayuzumi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Toshirō Mayuzumi's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

168 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Convent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • The Last Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Composer

  • Appassionata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • Tokugawa Ichizoku no Houkai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Composer

  • Japanese Godfather: Conclusion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Japanese Godfather: Ambition(1977)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Japan's Don(1977)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Evil Spirits in the Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Composer · as Narrator

  • Noon and Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • Tiger Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • The Summit of Mt. Fuji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • The Kremlin Letter(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Girl I Abandoned (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Composer

  • Safari 5000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Composer

  • Profound Desires of the Gods(1968)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Neon Taiheiki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer · Actor

  • Good-bye Moscow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • The Sands of Kurobe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • Reflections in a Golden Eye(1967)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • A Man Vanishes(1967)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Juvenile Delinquent: Shout of the Rising Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Thirst for Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • The Black Sheep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Asiapol Secret Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • The Daphne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • The Bible in the Beginning...(1966)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Heart of Hiroshima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • Watashi, chigatteiru kashira (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • The Pornographers(1966)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Tokyo Olympics (International Version) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • Tokyo Olympiad(1965)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Taking the Castle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • The Radish and the Carrot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • The Flame of Devotion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • The Eternal Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Whirlpool of Flesh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Flora on the Sand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Intentions of Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • You Can Succeed, Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Brand of Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Black Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • The Hunter's Diary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Only on Mondays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Monrō no yōna onna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • Bright Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • The Insect Woman(1963)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Gambling Monk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Miren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Tale of Scarlet Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Bushido(1963)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Futari dake no toride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Bad Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • I Fly for Kicks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Sensation Seekers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • The Mud-Spattered Pure Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Composer

  • Born in Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Rainbow Over Kinmon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Glass-Hearted Johnny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • The Lucky General (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • I Hate But Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer · as TV Panelist

  • Foundry Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Black Lizard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Drunkard's Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • The Storm over Arabia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • A Cat and Dried Bonito Flakes: The Story of a Swindler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • The End of Summer(1961)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • That Guy and I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • A Good Man, A Good Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • The Estuary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • The Big Wave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • Pigs and Battleships(1961)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Wait for Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • The False Student (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • The Warped Ones(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Dangerous Kiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • A Woman’s Uphill Slope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Jungle Block (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Irohanihoheto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Banana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • The Day of Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • The Hidden Himalayas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Students and Daughters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Yakuza Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • When a Woman Ascends the Stairs(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Pineapple Butai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • A Secret Rendezvous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Kiri aru jyoji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • My Second Brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • The Aristocrat's Stairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Young Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Akatsuki no chiheisen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Yujiro in Europe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • The Beast Shall Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Good Morning(1959)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Talented Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Temptation on Glamour Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • Immoral Lecture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • The Days of Evil Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Endless Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Zoku fûfu hyakkei (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • The Naked General (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Yurakucho 0 Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Conflagration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Nishi Ginza Station (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • The Young Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • The Seasons of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Gendai Mushuku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Stolen Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Hibi no haishin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Stakeout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • Woman Unveiled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • The Unbalanced Wheel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • But the Flesh is Weak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • Shūkin ryokō (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • Temptation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • The Eye of Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • The Face (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Composer

  • A Brother and His Sister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Composer

  • Karakoram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Composer

  • The Lady Was Pawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Composer

  • Street of Shame(1956)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Balloon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Composer

  • Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • Christ in Bronze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • The Mask and Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • Till We Meet Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • Ghost Story of Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • Burden of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • A Woman's Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • Silver Wheel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Composer

  • The Cock Crows Twice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • 12 Chapters About Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Women's House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • The Surf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • The Pleasures of Vice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Mother's First Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Edo no yubae (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • The Woman in the Rumor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Between Yesterday and Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Youth’s Romance Seat: Sitting on the Green Grass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • Love and Duty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • The Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • 沖縄健児隊 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Brilliant! The First Detective: Zenigata Heiji in His Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • The Blue Revolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Street Fight at Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Ganpeki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Mr. Pu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer · Actor

  • Sunflower Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Yassamossa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • Natsuko’s Adventure in Hokkaido (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Composer

  • This Way, That Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • Carmen's Innocent Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • The Woman Who Touched the Legs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • The Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • Pure White Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Wakôdo no uta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • The Love Letter Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Ah, Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Weeping Doll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Carmen Comes Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Home Sweet Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Homecoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Composer

  • A Glimpse of a Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 168 titles from 1950 to 1995.

Biggest box office

Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)

$65K worldwide

Highest rated

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Bible in the Beginning... (1966)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 168: 0 only acting, 4 with another roleMusic168 of 168: 164 only music, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score88th

168 titles, 4 with more than one role — music and acting overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1950s82 · 1 acting · 82 crew1960s73 · 2 acting · 73 crew1970s9 · 1 acting · 9 crew1980s2 · crew1990s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Toshirō Mayuzumi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 88th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 90th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th4

Shape of the crowd

None of their 17 titles divides audiences: 11 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser11

Most loved · composer

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 63/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Toshirō Mayuzumi's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 39 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Toshirō Mayuzumi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Toshirō Mayuzumi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Shōhei Imamura shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles