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Kaoru Kobayashi

Kaoru Kobayashi

Actor · Born September 4, 1951 (75) · Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Kaoru Kobayashi is a Japanese actor born in Kyoto. A multi-award winning thespian, he won best actor at the 30th Yokohama Film Festival and best-supporting actor at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for Sorobanzuku.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 4, 1951 (75)
From
Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 127 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Up 73% in 30 days

What are Kaoru Kobayashi's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Animation4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 93rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Action 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
31%
Self
18%
Society
18%
Survival
15%
Morality
9%
Power
6%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 2 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 5

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 4 of 13 analyzed roles.

Mentor
4 of 13
Shadow
3 of 13
Ally
3 of 13
Herald
1 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Hero
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
12
Melancholic
15
Tense
8
Contemplative
6
Hopeful
6
Other
11

How their films linger

Bittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

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 Kaoru Kobayashi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kaoru Kobayashi'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

127 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • 深夜食堂 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Master

  • 1972 Fireflies on the Shore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · as Taiei Tamashiro

  • The Last Blossom(2025)

    as Akutsu (1986) (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • 憶えのない殺人 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · as 佐治英雄

  • Sham(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Oboe no Nai Satsujin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Shrink: Psychiatrist Yowai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Tsuruichi Senkawa

  • Promised Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • The Yin Yang Master Zero(2024)

    as Fujiwara Yosuke

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Tiger and Her Wings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 130 episodes · as Hodaka Shigechika

  • Kubi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Tokugawa Ieyasu

  • Tsugaru Lacquer Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Worry Not, She's the Boss(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · as Yamagami Tatsuo

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Boy and the Heron(2023)

    as Noble Pelican (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Days(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · as Furuya

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Fixer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 15 episodes · as Ichiro Suzaki

  • Baian the Assassin, M.D.: Part 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Trapped Balloon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Shigezo Kojima

  • Dr. Coto's Clinic(2022)

    as Shoichi Hoshino

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Yes, I Can't Swim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Professor Kamoshita

  • Winter Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Giichi Wataguchi

  • Solomon's Perjury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as Masao Tsuzaki

  • Arc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Rihito

  • Reach Beyond the Blue Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 41 episodes · as Shibusawa Ichiroemon [Eiichi's father]

  • We Made a Beautiful Bouquet(2021)

    as Hirotaro Yamane

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Independence of Japan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Kotaki Brothers and Shikuhakku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Kotaki Reiji

  • Shiranakuteii Koto(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · as Noto Toru

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Top League (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • The Great White Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 5 episodes · as Mataichi Zaizen

  • The Island of Cats(2019)

    as Iwao

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • His Lost Name (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Tetsuro

  • Miracles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Shun Samejima

  • The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Mamoru Fujita

  • Hagetaka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as Ryosuke Iijima

  • The Miracles of the Namiya General Store(2017)

    as Takeo Matsuoka

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Lear on the Shore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • Mukoku(2017)

    as Shozo Yatabe

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Kiseki: Sobito of That Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Seiichi Morita

  • Grade A Reversal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

  • Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Doizaki Gen

  • An Emblem Dedicated To You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Nakagawa Akiko

  • Fueled: The Man They Called "Pirate" (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Jisaku Koka

  • Midnight Diner 2(2016)

    as Master

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 20 episodes · as Master

  • Natsumi's Firefly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Sakakiyama

  • Hibana(2016)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Botchan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Madonna’s father

  • Godan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Takao Anjo

  • Koinaka(2015)

    Show 9 episodes · as Hirotoshi Serizawa

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Emperor's Cook (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 12 episodes · Actor

  • Midnight Diner(2014)

    as Master

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Climbing to Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Isao Nagamine

  • Hello Life from 55 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Villiany Ganbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 11 episodes · as Gen Koshimizu

  • The End of Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Shingo Kosugi

  • Woman(2013)

    Show 11 episodes · as Uesugi Kentaro

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Trembling Cow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Leaving on the 15th Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Toshiharu Nakazato

  • The Great Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Kohei Araki

  • Kyokuhoku Rhapsody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Masashi Sera

  • Kyokuhoku Rhapsody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Carnation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 151 episodes · as Zensaku Ohara

  • The Castle of Sand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Egoists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kazuyuki Ninomiya

  • The Marriage Counselor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 11 episodes · Creator · as Syogo Yanagisawa

  • Sketches of Kaitan City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Ryuzo Higa

  • Abraxas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • A Crowd of Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • Haru's Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Kinoshita

  • Boys on the Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Suzuki san

  • News Sokuho wa Nagareta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 11 episodes · Actor

  • Midnight Diner(2009)

    Show 30 episodes · as Master

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Kamui Gaiden(2009)

    as Hanbei

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Sun in Kurobe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kunpei Takiyama

  • Then Summer Came (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Toru Hirai

  • Double Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad(2007)

    as Oton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Blossoming of Etsuko Kamiya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Yasutada Kamiya

  • Tales from Earthsea(2006)

    as The King (voice)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • A Melody for My Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Female (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Old man

  • Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog(2004)

    as Mitsuru Watanabe

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Like Asura (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Takao Satomi

  • Dr. Coto's Clinic(2003)

    Show 11 episodes · as 星野正一

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Ten Dark Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Ghiblies: Episode 2(2002)

    as Toshi-chan (Voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Private Detective Mike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Le Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as 杉田平介

  • The Black House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Actor

  • Himitsu(1999)

    as Heisuke Sugita

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Washing Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Taiji Ogami

  • Coquille (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Tatsuya Urayama

  • Ten urara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 156 episodes · as 松尾良治

  • Princess Mononoke(1997)

    as Jikobo (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Way of Osaka Financing 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Actor

  • ナニワ金融道 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 6 episodes · as 桑田 澄男

  • Uneasy Encounters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Actor

  • Chibusa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • The Tomb & the Divorce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Yoshinori Ishino

  • Sunflower on the Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 12 episodes · as Yuzuhara Kohei

  • The Last U-Boat(1993)

    as Tatsumi - Fregattenkapitän

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Shimanto River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Hong Kong Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Hachirou Ooishi

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

    as Giru

  • Love and Action in Osaka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Bakayaro! I'm Plenty Mad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Shigeru Kosaka (Episode 4)

  • Twilight of the Cockroaches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Saitô (voice)

  • Iki no Iiyatsu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 23 episodes · Actor

  • For Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Miyabi Sakuramiya

  • And Then (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Tsunejiro Hiraoka

  • Love Letter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Tetsushi Kamiya

  • Paradise View (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Reishu Goya

  • The Funeral(1984)

    as Inose

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Wangan Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Nakamura

  • Gubijinsô: Maboroshi no ai ni hateta murasaki no onna! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • ふぞろいの林檎たち (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 13 episodes · as 仲手川 耕一

  • The Second Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Hideo Hyuga

  • The Dropout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Miura

  • Nikutai no shokei (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Magazine reporter

  • Toge no Gunzo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 50 episodes · Actor

  • Hear the Wind Sing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Me

  • Call from Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Tatsuo Tamura

  • Jûhassai, umi e(1979)

    as Eisuke Morimoto

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ballad of Orin(1977)

    as Torazo

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Sea of Genkai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 127 titles from 1976 to 2026; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Tales from Earthsea (2006)

$69M worldwide

Highest rated

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19762026

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting127 of 127: 126 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndOther crew1 of 127: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s16 · acting2000s18 · acting2010s43 · 43 acting · 1 crew2020s28 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 23% of 13 roles
8409

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 Kaoru Kobayashi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 81st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

The Island of Cats (2019)

65th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 48. 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 Kaoru Kobayashi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kaoru Kobayashi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Yûko Tanaka shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles