Toshirō Mifune

Personal Info

Birthday

April 1, 1920

Day of Death

1997-12-24

(77 years old)

Place of Birth

Qingdao, China

Also Known As

Toshiroh Mifune

Mifune Toshirō

Toshirō Mifune

Biography

Toshirō Mifune (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Japanese cinema. He was born in Qingdao, China, but was raised in Japan.

Mifune's career spanned over 50 years, during which he collaborated extensively with renowned director Akira Kurosawa, creating some of the most iconic films in Japanese cinema. Mifune gained international recognition for his performances in Kurosawa's films, particularly in samurai films. He portrayed strong, dynamic, and often rebellious characters, bringing a raw intensity to his roles.

Known For

Seven Samurai

Shōgun

Rashomon

Midway

High and Low

Yojimbo

Drunken Angel

Epic Chushingura

Filmography

2020
Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity
as Self (archive footage)
2016
Mifune: The Last Samurai
as Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)
2002
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
as Self
2000
Kurosawa
as Self (archive footage)
1998
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
as Self (archive footage)
1996
The Making of '1941'
as Self (archive footage)
1995
Picture Bride
as The Benshi
Deep River
as Tsukada
1992
Shadow of the Wolf
as Kroomak
1991
Journey of Honor
as Ieyasu Tokugawa
Strawberry Road
as Taoka
1990
Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode
as Nagao Tamekage
1989
Death of a Tea Master
as Rikyu Sen-no
cf Girl
as Shūichirō Hase
The Demon Comes in Spring
as Kukkune no jî
1987
Princess from the Moon
as Taketori-no-Miyatsuko
The Retired Samurai
as Hikozaemon Ōkubo
Tora-san Goes North
as Junkichi Ueno
The Shatterer
as Murai
1986
The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai
as Kyūbei Matsufuji
1985
No More God, No More Love
as Kōzō Kanzaki
1984
The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel
as Fisherman
Okita Soji: Swordsman of Fire
as Shūsai Kondō
1983
The Women of Osaka Castle
as Tokugawa Ieyasu
Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass
as Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô
Battle Anthem
as Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl
as Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô
Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell
as Sanjuro Hinoki
Theater Of Life
as Hyōtarō Aonari
1982
Domineering
as Masao Tadokoro
Lowly Ronin 2: The Spray of Blood
as Sanjuro Hinoki
The Challenge
as Toru Yoshida
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 2
as Tamon Umei
1981
Lowly Ronin
as Sanjuro Hinoki
The Bushido Blade
as Shogun's Commander
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 1
as Tamon Umei
Inchon
as Saito-San
1980
Shogun
as Lord Yoshi Toranaga
Port Arthur
as Emperor Meiji
1979
1941
as Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
as Sadanobu Matsudaira
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
as Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye"
Winter Kills
as Keith
1978
Lord Mito
as Sakuzaemon Okumura
The Fall of Ako Castle
as Tsuchiya Michinao
Japanese Godfather: Conclusion
as Kosuke Oishi
Love and Faith
as Taiko Hideyoshi
Shag
as Captain Takeo Murata
Shogun's Samurai
as Yoshinao Tokugawa
1977
Japanese Godfather: Ambition
as Kosuke Oishi
Proof of the Man
as Yohei Kori
1976
Midway
as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
1975
Paper Tiger
as Ambassador Kagoyama
1971
Red Sun
as Kuroda Jubei
1970
The Militarists
as Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto
The Walking Major
as Kinugasa Tadao
Incident at Blood Pass
as Yojimbo
The Ambitious
as Shojiro Goto
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
as Yojimbo/Sasa
1969
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
as Isami Kondo
Red Lion
as Gonzo
Battle of the Japan Sea
as Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Safari 5000
as Yūichirō Takase
Samurai Banners
as Kansuke Yamamoto
1968
Hell in the Pacific
as Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda
The Day the Sun Rose
as Kumaza
Admiral Yamamoto
as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
The Sands of Kurobe
as Kitagawa
1967
Japan's Longest Day
as War Minister General Korechika Anami
Samurai Rebellion
as Isaburo Sasahara
1966
Grand Prix
as Izō Yamura
Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions
as Self
Rise Against the Sword
as Abare Gōemon
The Mad Atlantic
as Heihachirô Murakami
Adventure in Kigan Castle
as Osami
The Sword of Doom
as Toranosuke Shimada
1965
Fort Graveyard
as Sergeant Kosugi
The Retreat from Kiska
as Omura
Sanshiro Sugata
as Shogoro Yano
Red Beard
as Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
Samurai Assassin
as Tsuruchiyo Niiro
1964
Whirlwind
as Lord Akashi
1963
Samurai Pirate
as Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version]
Legacy of the 500,000
as Takeichi Matsuo
High and Low
as Kingo Gondo
Attack Squadron
as Lt. Colonel Senda
1962
Chûshingura
as Genba Tawaraboshi
Three Gentlemen Return from Hong Kong
as Zhang Zhizhang
Home-Brewed Tatsu
as Tatsu
Sanjuro
as Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
1961
The Important Man
as Ánimas Trujano
The Youth and His Amulet
as Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King)
Yojimbo
as Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
Daredevil in the Castle
as Mohei
1960
The Masterless 47
as Kazuo Momoi
The Bad Sleep Well
as Kôichi Nishi
Man Against Man
as Kaji
The Storm of the Pacific
as Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
The Gambling Samurai
as Kunisada Chuji
The Last Gunfight
as Detective Saburo Fujioka
1959
The Three Treasures
as Prince Yamato Takeru
Desperado Outpost
as Battalion Commander
Saga of the Vagabonds
as Rokuro Kai
Samurai Saga
as Heihachiro Komaki
The Big Boss
as Kashimura
1958
The Hidden Fortress
as General Rokurota Makabe
All About Marriage
as Acting teacher
Yaji and Kita on the Road
as Toshinoshin Taya
The Rickshaw Man
as Matsugorō Tomishima
A Holiday in Tokyo
as Tenkai's nephew Jirō
Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II
as Tasaburo
1957
Down Town
as Yoshio Tsuruishi
The Lower Depths
as Sutekichi the Thief
A Dangerous Hero
as Kawada
Yagyu Secret Scrolls
as Tasaburō Kasumi
Good Luck to These Two
as Toshio Maruyama
A Man in the Storm
as Saburō Watari
Throne of Blood
as Taketoki Washizu
1956
Rebels on the High Sea
as Matsuo Tokuzō
Scoundrel
as Kanji
A Wife's Heart
as Kenkichi
Settlement of Love
as Shuntarō Ōhira
The Underworld
as Chief Inspector Kumada
Rainy Night Duel
as Masahiko Koseki
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
as Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
1955
I Live in Fear
as Kiichi Nakajima
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
as Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
No Time for Tears
as Mitsuo Yano
All is Well 2
as Daikichi Risshun
All is Well
as Daikichi Risshun
A Man Among Men
as "Buick" Maki
1954
The Black Fury
as Eiichi Tsuda
The Surf
as Skipper of the Utashima-maru
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
as Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
Seven Samurai
as Kikuchiyo
1953
The Eagle of the Pacific
as 1st Lieutenant Tomonaga
Sunflower Girl
as Ippei Hitachi
The Last Embrace
as Shinkichi / Hayakawa
My Wonderful Yellow Car
as Matsumura
1952
The Man Who Came to Port
as Gorō Niinuma
Swift Current
as Shunsuke Kosugi
Tokyo Sweetheart
as Kurokawa
Sword for Hire
as Sasa Hayatenosuke
The Life of Oharu
as Katsunosuke
Foghorn
as Chiyokichi
Vendetta of a Samurai
as Mataemon Araki
1951
Who Knows a Woman's Heart
as Mizuno
The Life of a Horse Trader
as Yonetaro Katayama
Sasaki Kojiro
as Miyamoto Musashi
Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre
as Kenji Kawakami
Pirates
as Tora
The Idiot
as Denkichi Akama
Elegy
as Prosecutor Daisuke Toki
Beyond Love and Hate
as Gorō Sakata
1950
Rashomon
as Tajômaru
Wedding Ring
as Takeshi Ema
Scandal
as Ichirô Aoye
Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka
as Teisaku Nagasawa
Escape from Prison
as Shinkichi
1949
Stray Dog
as Det. Murakami
Jakoman and Tetsu
as Tetsu
The Quiet Duel
as Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki
1948
Drunken Angel
as Matsunaga
1947
These Foolish Times
as Genzaburo Onō, Gang Boss
Snow Trail
as Eijima