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Asakazu Nakai

Asakazu Nakai

Cinematographer · Died February 28, 1988, aged 86 · Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan

Asakazu Nakai (Japanese: 中井朝一; August 29, 1901 – February 28, 1988) was a Japanese cinematographer, born in Kobe. He worked on a dozen films with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work in the film Ran (1985). In 1950 he won the award for Best Cinematography at the Mainichi Film Concours for Stray Dog.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 29, 1901
Died
February 28, 1988 (aged 86)
From
Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 71 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 5% in 30 days

What are Asakazu Nakai's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Power.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 99th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 98th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime 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
Morality
33%
Power
15%
Self
15%
Survival
15%
Bonds
11%
Society
8%
Ideas
3%
Purpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 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 1 · Dark 10

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 7 · Intense 5

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 0 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 3

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

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 10

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
11
Tense
6
Dread
2
Contemplative
4
Hopeful
3
Other
7

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous1

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 Asakazu Nakai's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Asakazu Nakai'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

71 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Ran(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Love and Separation in Sri Lanka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Cinematographer

  • Dersu Uzala(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Origin of Twenty Years Old (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • First Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Cinematographer

  • Shiosai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Cinematographer

  • Wakare no uta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Cinematographer

  • Take Care, Red Riding Hood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Cinematographer

  • L'Essayage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • When Love Awakens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • Konto 55: The Weaknesses of the Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • Judge and Jeopardy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • Great Incidents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • We Will Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Cinematographer

  • Red Beard(1965)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers(1964)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Apple Blossom Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Cinematographer

  • High and Low(1963)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

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

    Cinematographer

  • The End of Summer(1961)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Girls of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Cinematographer

  • Eternity of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Cinematographer

  • The Blue Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • The Lost Alibi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Cinematographer

  • New Third Class Executive: Travel, Women and Drinking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Cinematographer

  • The Enchanting Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Cinematographer

  • I Love You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Cinematographer

  • I Want to Be a Shellfish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Cinematographer

  • The Big Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • All About Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • A Bridge for Two Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • The Oil-Hell Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Cinematographer

  • A Dangerous Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Throne of Blood(1957)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • I Live in Fear(1955)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Tears of Geisha Konatsu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Cinematographer

  • School Girls in Costume (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Cinematographer

  • The Road to the Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Camera Operator

  • Seven Samurai(1954)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

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

    Cinematographer

  • Husband and Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Cinematographer

  • Oka wa hanazakari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Cinematographer

  • Ikiru(1952)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Who Knows a Woman's Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Cinematographer

  • Dancing Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Cinematographer

  • Freedom School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Cinematographer

  • Elegy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Cinematographer

  • Clothes of Deception (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Cinematographer

  • The End of the War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Cinematographer

  • Escape from Prison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Cinematographer

  • Stray Dog(1949)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

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

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Suiren fujin to bara musume (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Cinematographer

  • Actress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Cinematographer

  • One Wonderful Sunday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Cinematographer

  • No Regrets for Our Youth(1946)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Brick Factory Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Cinematographer

  • Yoki na onna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Battle Troop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • Nichijô no tatakai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • The Song Lantern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Cinematographer

  • Banzuiin Chōbei (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Hideko the Cheerleader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Otomebashi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Cinematographer

  • The Scent of Pheasant’s Eye: An Episode from the Tales of Flowers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 71 titles from 1935 to 1985.

Biggest box office

Ran (1985)

$4.4M worldwide

Highest rated

Seven Samurai (1954)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Ikiru (1952)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography70 of 71: 70 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score98thOther crew1 of 71: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1930s2 · crew1940s15 · crew1950s27 · crew1960s19 · crew1970s7 · crew1980s1 · 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 Asakazu Nakai's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 98th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 98th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

98thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 12 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · cinematographer

The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers (1964)

50th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Seven Samurai (1954)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 85/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 87, detractors 67. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

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 Asakazu Nakai's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles14–69 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles5–35 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles0–30 · median 13 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles16–50 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles31–65 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Asakazu Nakai work with?

People who share at least 2 of Asakazu Nakai's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Akira Kurosawa shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers