Skip to content
MovieCove
Jim Ishida

Jim Ishida

Actor · Born July 29, 1943 (83) · Stockton, CA, USA

Jim Ishida was born on 29 July 1943 in Tokyo, Japan. He is an actor, known for Back to the Future Part II (1989), Predator 2 (1990) and Armageddon (1998). He is married to Margaret.

Biography from IMDb.

Born
July 29, 1943 (83)
From
Stockton, CA, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 48 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 28Down 15% in 30 days

What are Jim Ishida's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
47%
Survival
47%
Bonds
7%
Redemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 0 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

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

Steady 1 · 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 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · 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 1 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
3
Bittersweet
2
Hopeful
1
Melancholic
1
Triumphant
1

How their films linger

Bittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 Jim Ishida's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jim Ishida'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

48 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Reading Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Resident

  • The Terminal(2004)

    as Yoshinoya Manager

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Arrested Development(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Administrator

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Real Women Have Curves(2002)

    as Landlord

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • According to Jim(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Salesman

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Stanley's Gig (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Byron Fujisaki

  • Late Last Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Japanese Man

  • L.A. Heat(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Rude Awakening (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Hamaguchi

  • Armageddon(1998)

    as Client #3

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Tetsuo Ichiho

  • Just Shoot Me!(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Man

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Countdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Koji Sato

  • The Silencers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Senator Furiya

  • Dunston Checks In(1996)

    as Bali Majestic Guest

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Strange Days(1995)

    as Mr. Fumitsu

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Showgirls(1995)

    as Mr. Okida

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Next Karate Kid(1994)

    as Tall Monk

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Babylon 5(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Tasaki

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • CIA Code Name: Alexa(1992)

    as Guest

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Bob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cold Heaven(1991)

    as Dr. Tanaki

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Ricochet(1991)

    as Reporter (as James Ishida)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Showdown in Little Tokyo(1991)

    Stunts · as Asian Cop #2

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Strawberry Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Pete

  • Chernobyl: The Final Warning(1991)

    as Dr. Terasaki

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Predator 2(1990)

    as Reporter

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • K-9000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Rocky Araki

  • Back to the Future Part II(1989)

    as Fujitsu

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Mancuso, F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Black Rain(1989)

    as Escort Officer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Baywatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sheriff Chen

  • Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects(1989)

    as Nakata

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Iron Triangle(1989)

    as Khoi

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Jake and the Fatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • 21 Jump Street(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Shaolin Priest

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Deadly Friend(1986)

    as Coroner

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • This Child Is Mine(1985)

    as Dr. Ying

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Crazy like a Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Goto

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Inspector Ota

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Deal of the Century(1983)

    as Masaggi's Aide #1

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Hansel and Gretel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Father

  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The A-Team(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Chang

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Knots Landing(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Ishida

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Pham Vam Vinh

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as George · as Salesman · as Sec. Guard

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1969 to 2005; peak year 1994.

Biggest box office

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Midcredits 7th

Film career

19692005

Peak 1994 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1983Screen debut· Hansel and Gretel

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 48: 47 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thOther crew1 of 48: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s2 · acting1980s17 · acting1990s22 · 22 acting · 1 crew2000s6 · acting

Billing

usually 17th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles
8393

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jim Ishida's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 20; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Cold Heaven (1991)

71st percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 55/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 28. 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 Jim Ishida work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jim Ishida's MovieCove titles; Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad shares the most, 2.