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Setsuko Hara

Setsuko Hara

Actor · Died September 5, 2015, aged 95 · Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Setsuko Hara (June 17, 1920 – September 5, 2015) was a Japanese actress who appeared in six of Yasujirō Ozu's films, most notably as Noriko in the "Noriko Trilogy": Late Spring (1949), Early Summer (1951), and Tokyo Story (1953). Her other films for Ozu were Tokyo Twilight (1957), Late Autumn (1960), and finally The End of Summer in 1961. She was born  Masae Aida in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. She came to prominence as an actress at an early age, in the 1937 German-Japanese co-production Die Tochter des Samurai (Daughter of the Samurai), known in Japan as Atarashiki Tsuchi (The New Earth), directed by Arnold Fanck and Mansaku Itami. She also starred in films by Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, and other prominent directors. She was called "the Eternal Virgin" in Japan and is a symbol of the golden era of Japanese cinema of the 1950s. She suddenly quit acting in 1963 (the same year as Ozu's death), and led a secluded life in Kamakura, refusing all interviews and photographs. Her last major role was Riku, wife of Ōishi Yoshio, in the 1962 film Chushingura. She was the inspiration for the protagonist of the 2001 movie Millennium Actress. Description above from the Wikipedia article Setsuko Hara, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 17, 1920
Died
September 5, 2015 (aged 95)
From
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 90 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 38 days to Oct 27Down 38% in 30 days

What are Setsuko Hara's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy 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
Bonds
45%
Society
23%
Self
19%
Survival
6%
Power
4%
Morality
3%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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 7 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 10 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 10
Ally
3 of 10
Shapeshifter
1 of 10
Herald
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
8
Contemplative
6
Bittersweet
6
Warm
3
Tense
2
Other
2

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1

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 Setsuko Hara's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (9).

Subscription and free streaming for Setsuko Hara'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

90 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page.

  • Noriko Setsuko 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Noriko Setsuko

  • Noriko Setsuko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Noriko Setsuko

  • Untitled # 7 : Rare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Chushingura(1962)

    as Riku Oishi

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Musume to watashi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The End of Summer(1961)

    as Akiko

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Love and Fascination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • The Wayside Pebble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Oren Aikawa

  • Late Autumn(1960)

    as Akiko Miwa

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Life of a Country Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Daughters, Wives and a Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Sanae Soga

  • The Three Treasures(1959)

    as Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • A Woman's Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Oban kanketsu hen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Kanako Arishima

  • Holiday in Tokyo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

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

    Actor

  • Zokuzoku Ôban: Dotô hen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Kanako Arishima

  • The Last Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Tomiko

  • Zoku Ôban: Fûun hen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Kanako Arishima

  • The Chieko Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Chieko Takamura

  • Tokyo Twilight(1957)

    as Takako Numata

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

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

    as Kanako Mori

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

    as Akiko Mamiya

  • Women in Prison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Prison Officer

  • Three Youngmen and a Dream Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Designer Matsukawa

  • Settlement of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Katsuko

  • Sudden Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Fumiko Namiki

  • Image of Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Actor

  • Nobuko Rides on a Cloud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Mom

  • Sound of the Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Ogata Kikuko

  • Tokyo Story(1953)

    as Noriko Hirayama

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • White Fish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Sachiko

  • Toki no teizo: Sōshūban (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Actor

  • Tokyo Sweetheart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Yuki

  • Kin no tamago: Golden Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Actor

  • The Wind Blows Twice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Kanae Hisamatsu

  • Repast(1951)

    as Michiyo Okamoto

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Early Summer(1951)

    as Noriko Mamiya

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Idiot(1951)

    as Taeko Nasu

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Rainbow-Colored Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Teruko

  • Alps Story: The Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Actor

  • A Female Doctor's Examination Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Fumiko Tajima

  • Shirayuki sensei to kodomo tachi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Actor

  • Late Spring(1949)

    as Noriko Somiya

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Blue Mountains: Part II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Yukiko Shimazaki

  • The Blue Mountains: Part I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Yukiko Shimazaki

  • Here's to the Young Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Yasuko Ikeda

  • Kōfuku no genkai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Actor

  • A Woman in the Typhoon Area (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Kuriko Sato

  • Fujisancho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Actor

  • Temptation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Takako

  • Three-Fingered Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Actor

  • Onna dake no yoru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Actor

  • The Ball at the Anjo House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Atsuko Anjo

  • The Age of Beginnings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Miyako Tomoda

  • No Regrets for Our Youth(1946)

    as Yukie Yagihara

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Beauty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Keiko

  • Three Women of the North (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Actor

  • Until Victory Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Actor

  • The Cruel Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Actor

  • Searing Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Kumiko Takagi

  • Toward the Decisive Battle in the Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Actor

  • Suicide Troops of the Watchtower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Yoshiko

  • The Opium War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Actor

  • The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Kikuko

  • Green Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Actor

  • Young Teacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Tomiko Hirayama

  • Currents of Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Makiko Yuijima

  • Sky of Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Chizuko

  • Story of Leadership (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Kuniko

  • The Sisters' Agreement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Sachiko

  • A World of Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Actor

  • The Snake Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Koto Hime

  • Wedding Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Yoshiko

  • Travels to the East (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Showa Kinema Actress

  • Hikari to kage (Kōhen) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Actor

  • Hikari to kage (Zenpen) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Actor

  • Women in Tokyo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as 君塚節子

  • The Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Sonomi Kihara

  • Shanghai Landing Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Mingzhu - Chinese girl

  • Beautiful Departure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Actor

  • Winter Inn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Actor

  • Pastoral Symphony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Actor

  • The Giant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Actor

  • The Woman Aiming for the Shogun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Actor

  • Mother's Melody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Keiko

  • The Daughter of the Samurai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Misuko Yamato

  • The Crown of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Actor

  • Priest of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Onami

  • Throwing the Soul Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Student

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles from 1935 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Tokyo Story (1953)

$110K worldwide

Highest rated

Late Spring (1949)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout

Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles.

  • 1946Screen debut· No Regrets for Our Youth
  • 1946First top-billed film· No Regrets for Our Youth
  • 1951Breakout· Early Summer

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting90 of 90: 90 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score96th

By decade

1930s13 · acting1940s34 · acting1950s32 · acting1960s8 · acting2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 64% of 11 roles

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Setsuko Hara's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 96th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 94th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

95thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 11 titles divides audiences: 8 are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser3

Most loved · actor

Late Spring (1949)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 82/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 86, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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.

Who does Setsuko Hara work with?

People who share at least 2 of Setsuko Hara's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Haruko Sugimura shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers