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Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura

Actor · Died November 10, 2014, aged 83 · Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan

Ken Takakura (高倉 健, Takakura Ken), born Gouichi Oda (February 16, 1931, in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan), was a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles. Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka. This subject was covered in one of his most famous movies, Showa Zankyo-den (Remnants of Chivalry in the Showa Era), in which he played an honorable old-school yakuza among the violent post-war gurentai. A graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo Takakura happened by an audition in 1955 at the Toei Film Company, and decided to look in. Toei found a natural in Takakura as he debuted with Denko Karate Uchi (Lightning Karate Blow) in 1956. Japan experienced a boom in gangster films in the 1960s as the Japanese people struggled with the generational differences between those raised in pre-war and post-war Japan and these were Takakura's stock and trade. His breakout role would be in the 1965 film Abashiri Prison, and its sequel Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (Abashiri Prison: Longing for Home, also 1965), in which he played an ex-con antihero. By the time Takakura would leave Toei in 1976, he had appeared in over 180 films. Takakura gained international recognition after starring in the 1970 war film Too Late the Hero as the cunning Imperial Japanese Major Yamaguchi, the 1975 Sydney Pollack sleeper hit The Yakuza with Robert Mitchum and is probably best known in the West for his role in Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989) where he surprises American cops played by Michael Douglas and Andy García with the line, "I do speak fucking English". He again proved himself bankable to Western audiences with the 1992 Fred Schepisi comedy Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck. While he has slowed down a bit in his older years, he is still active. His most recent film was the 2005 Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ken Takakura, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 16, 1931
Died
November 10, 2014 (aged 83)
From
Nakama, Fukuoka, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 197 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 37 days to Oct 26

What are Ken Takakura's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: 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
Morality
43%
Bonds
20%
Survival
12%
Self
12%
Ideas
7%
Society
5%
Power
2%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 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 4 · Dark 9

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 7

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

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

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 6 · Heavy 7

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 9 of 14 analyzed roles.

Hero
9 of 14
Mentor
2 of 14
Shadow
1 of 14
Ally
1 of 14
Threshold guardian
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
8
Hopeful
4
Contemplative
4
Thrilling
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Ken Takakura's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ken Takakura'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

197 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Dearest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Eiji Shimakura

  • Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles(2005)

    as Gou-ichi Takata

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Firefly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Yamaoka Shuji

  • The Railroad Man(1999)

    as Otomatsu Sato

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • SMAP×SMAP (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Bistro Guest

  • The detective whose path was crossed by a snake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • 47 Ronin(1994)

    as Kuranosuke Oishi

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mr. Baseball(1992)

    as Uchiyama

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • An Elegy of Tyrole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tateishi Jiro

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

    as Kadokura

  • Black Rain(1989)

    as Masahiro

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Umi e, See You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Eiji Honma

  • Demon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Shuji

  • Choji Snack Bar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Eiji

  • Antarctica(1983)

    as Ushioda

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Kaikyô(1982)

    as Go Akutsu

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Karate Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Detective Mikami

  • Station(1981)

    as Eiji Mikami

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • A Distant Cry from Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Kosaku Tajima

  • The Revolt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Keisuke Miyagi

  • Never Give Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Takeshi Ajisawa

  • Winter's Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Hidetsugu Kano

  • Older brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 13 episodes · as Eiji

  • The Yellow Handkerchief(1977)

    as Yusaku Shima

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Mount Hakkoda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Captain Tokushima

  • Manhunt(1976)

    as Morioka

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The International Gang of Kobe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Masato Dan

  • Bullet Train(1975)

    as Tetsuo Okita

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Great Jailbreak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Ichiro Kozue

  • Path of Japanese Chivalry: Story of All-Out Attack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Actor

  • The Yakuza(1974)

    as Tanaka Ken

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Homeless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Jokichi Anabuki

  • Third Generation Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Golgo 13(1973)

    as Duke Togo / Golgo 13

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Yakuza of the Present (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Ryoichi Shimaya

  • Japan's Top Gangster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Kazuo Taoka

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Traitor Shall Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • New Abashiri Prison Story: Honor and Humanity, Ammunition That Attracts the Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Pledge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Lullaby for a Tough Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Kuramoto

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Snowbound Deserter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • The Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Hidejiro Hanada

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stormy Cape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • Patience Has An End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Isamu Tekada

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

    Actor

  • Bloodiest Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • The Path of the King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Ryutaro Fudo

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • The Domain: Rising Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • The Last Kamikaze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Koji Yashiro

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7: Hell Is a Man's Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: High Stakes at Abashiri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Yukyo-retsuden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Too Late the Hero(1970)

    as Major Yamaguchi

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Japan Derby Race (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • A Hoodlum At The Risk Of His Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • House of Gamblers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Brave Red Flower of the North (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Gambler's Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Tsukuda Ginjiro

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri: The Vagrant Comes to a Port Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Memoir of Japanese Assassinations (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Saburo Aizawa

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Samurai Geisha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Shimada Seikichi

  • The Domain: Flower and Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Kingoro Tamai

  • Brothers Serving Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • The Biggest Gamble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Shuzo Honjo

  • Red Peony Gambler: Second Generation Ceremony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Koji Yashiro

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man With The Karajishi Tattoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Hanada Hidejiro

  • Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Shogo Hanaoka

  • Gambler Biography (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • New Prison Walls of Abashiri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Katsuji Suehiro

  • The Day the Sun Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Rogue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Isamu Oba

  • The Valiant Red Peony(1968)

    as Naoki Katagiri

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Histories of the Chivalrous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • The Drifting Avenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Ken Kato

  • Prison Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • The Domain: Severed Relations (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • A Story from Abashiri Prison—Duel in Snow Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Shin-ichi Tachibana

  • Code of Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • The Domain: Where The Blade Enters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Abashiri Prison: Challenge to the Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Shin-ichi Tachibana

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Classmates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as First Lieutenant Kenmochi

  • The Chivalrous Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Ryuma Ibuki

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in Hokkaido (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • The Domain: White Blade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the Snow Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Glorious Fights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Ichiro Takita

  • The Domain: Duel at Thunder Gate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Abashiri Prison: Duel in the South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: The Lone Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Showdown of Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • The Kamikaze Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Fumio Kuroki

  • The Bullet and the Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • The Domain: Kanda Festival Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Contemporary Tales of Chivalry 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Shin'ichi Tachibana

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Shinichi Tachibana

  • Brutal Tales of Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Seiji Terajima

  • Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Sasaki Kojiro

  • The Domain: Kanto Legends of Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Shinichi Tachibana

  • Abashiri Prison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Shinichi Tachibana

  • Tokyo Untouchable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Yoshio Harada

  • The Domain: The Naniwa Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • A Fugitive from the Past(1965)

    as Ajimura

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • Storm Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Wolves, Pigs & Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Jiro Kuroki, the second brother

  • The Domain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Main Street in the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • An Outlaw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Minami

  • Jakoman and Tetsu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Tetsu

  • Miyamoto Musashi IV: The Duel at Ichijo-ji Temple (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Sasaki Kojiro

  • Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Gang Loyalty and Vengeance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Asano

  • Blackmail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Miyamoto Musashi III: Birth of Two Sword Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Sasaki Kojiro

  • Duel of the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Defeat the Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • The Big Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Life of Hishakaku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Tokyo Untouchable: Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Yoshio Harada

  • Violent Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Eleven Gangsters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Sawagami

  • Uragirimono wa jigoku daze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Operation Diamond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Hell's Kitchen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • 365 Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Tokyo's Business District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Song of Kagoshima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Shuhei Tategami

  • Tales of President Mito (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Sukesaburo Sasa

  • Lady Sen and Hideyori (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Naomori

  • All Rascals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha and the Girl of Osaka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • South Pacific Waves Are High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Devil's Nursery Rhyme (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Kosuke Kindaichi

  • Feisty Edo Girl Nakanori-san (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Kenichi Oka

  • Mannen Taro and His Feminine Colleagues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Tarô Mannen

  • The Prickly-Mouthed Geisha Goes to Sado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • Flower, Storm and Gangster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as 'Smiley' Ken

  • A Fishwife's Tale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Whirlwind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Tarō Senpū

  • I Am The Magician From Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Actor

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Kenichi Hanamura

  • If You're Man Enough (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Storming Squadron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The Sand City in Manchuria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Hari

  • The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Rush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Outlaw Under a Blue Canopy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Delinquent Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The Great Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

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

    Actor

  • 続べらんめぇ芸者 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The Second Bullet is Marked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The World's Most Noble Guy: Taro's Eternity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • The Counterfeiters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Four Hours of Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Captain Yamamoto

  • The Silent Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Night of the Suspicions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as 久里 / 島

  • Hell's Companion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • A Dead Drifter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • A Man's Dark Finger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • The Bastards of Lawless Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Fumio Sone

  • The Happy Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Actor

  • Sister with Sister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Hiroshi Ishioka

  • The Outsiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Ichitaro Kazamori

  • With Songs in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Midair Circus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Detective Duel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • His Pistol is Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Beyond the Seasonal Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Romance Freestyle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Monsoon Son Pt.2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Monsoon Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Man of Thirteen Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • No Advice Taken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Actor

  • Jet Air Base 101 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Jiro Nakata

  • Showdown in Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Actor

  • The Deep Blue Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Actor

  • Men Fighting Whales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Yosuke Yamagami

  • Employee Full of Fight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Tani

  • 恐怖の空中殺人 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as 島田寿夫

  • Mother Peacock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • Manchurian Sunset (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Shintaro

  • G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • The Chop Professor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • Lightning Karate Blow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • Meteor Karate Strike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 197 titles from 1956 to 2012; peak year 1976.

Biggest box office

Black Rain (1989)

$134M worldwide

Highest rated

Antarctica (1983)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Black Rain (1989)

Film career

19562012

Peak 1976 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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.

  • 1965Screen debut· A Fugitive from the Past
  • 1975First top-billed film· The Bullet Train
  • 2005Career best· Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting197 of 197: 197 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score75th

By decade

1950s33 · acting1960s103 · acting1970s40 · acting1980s11 · acting1990s7 · acting2000s2 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 55% of 11 roles
6580

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 Ken Takakura's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 73rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

None of their 16 titles divides audiences: 11 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most loved · actor

A Fugitive from the Past (1965)

Midcredits 96th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 84, 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 Ken Takakura work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ken Takakura's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jun'ya Satō shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers