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Akihiro Miwa

Akihiro Miwa

Actor · Died June 20, 2026, aged 91 · Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan

Akihiro Maruyama (May 15, 1935 - June 20, 2026), better known by his stage name Akihiro Miwa, was a Japanese singer, actor, author and drag queen. As an actor he is known for voicing characters in Hayao Miyazaki films Princess Mononoke (1997) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 15, 1935
Died
June 20, 2026 (aged 91)
From
Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
5 on MovieCove · 32 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What are Akihiro Miwa's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Society
22%
Bonds
17%
Ideas
17%
Survival
10%
Power
8%
Identity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 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 2 · Serious 0 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 1 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · 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 1

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 1

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

A split, not a type: Casual 1 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 2

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
2
Tense
2
Absurd
1
Hopeful
2
Romantic
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 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 Akihiro Miwa's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 5 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Akihiro Miwa'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

32 credits, 5 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Hanako & Anne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 156 episodes · as Narrator

  • Taro no Tō (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · Theme Song Performance

  • Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life(2009)

    as Arceus (voice)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Ariehen ∞ Sekai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

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

    Show 49 episodes · as KI-ichi Hougen (Yoshitune's tutor)

  • Howl's Moving Castle(2004)

    as Witch of the Waste (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Toy Reanimator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Princess Mononoke(1997)

    as Mrs. Moro (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Harmagedon(1983)

    as Froy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • La Marie-vison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • The Hunchback of Aomori (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 26 episodes · as Queen of the Night (voice)

  • The Japanese Belly Button (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Business man / Yakuza / Assistant professor

  • The Three Ginza Rascals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Actor

  • Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets(1971)

    as Maya at the Hell

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Woman Gambling Expert: Stakes of a Game of Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Black Rose Mansion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Ryuko

  • Black Lizard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Black Lizard (Mrs. Midorikawa)

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

    as Singer

  • Invitation to the Enchanted Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • Ginza Tomboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Jirō Ōsawa (Chanson Singer)

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Brutal Battle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Unmarried (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Ai no Noutan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Maria of the Ant Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

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

    Actor

  • City Boys, City Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

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

    as Singer

  • Warm Current (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Singer

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

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 32 titles from 1957 to 2025; peak year 2003.

Biggest box office

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

$244M worldwide

Highest rated

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

19572025

Peak 2003 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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.

  • 1968Screen debut· Black Lizard
  • 1968First top-billed film· Black Lizard

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting31 of 32: 31 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score93rdOther crew1 of 32: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s9 · acting1960s6 · acting1970s4 · acting1980s4 · acting1990s1 · acting2000s5 · acting2010s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 17% of 6 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 Akihiro Miwa's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 93rd percentile, the median of all 5; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 96th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 5 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 5 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

Harmagedon (1983)

54th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 55. 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.

Is Akihiro Miwa's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 13 · minimalMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Akihiro Miwa work with?

People who share at least 2 of Akihiro Miwa's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hayao Miyazaki shares the most, 2.

Directors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers