Toshirō Mifune (April 2, 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. Some of his notable collaborations with Kurosawa include "Rashomon" (1950), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Yojimbo" (1961), and "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), which inspired George Lucas's "Star Wars."
Apart from his work with Kurosawa, Mifune appeared in numerous other films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He played roles in various genres, including dramas, comedies, and war films. Some of his other notable films include "The Throne of Blood" (1957), "High and Low" (1963), and "Red Beard" (1965).
Mifune's charismatic presence, powerful performances, and ability to convey complex emotions made him an iconic figure in Japanese cinema. He received international recognition and awards for his contributions to the film industry, including several honors at the Venice Film Festival and a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Known For
Seven Samurai
(1954)
Kikuchiyo
Red Sun
(1971)
Kuroda Jubei
Stray Dog
(1949)
Det. Murakami
Midway
(1976)
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Yojimbo
(1961)
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
Drunken Angel
(1948)
Matsunaga
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Taketori Washizu
Rashomon
(1950)
Tajômaru
Sanjuro
(1962)
Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
1941
(1979)
Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
High and Low
(1963)
Kingo Gondo
The Hidden Fortress
(1958)
General Rokurota Makabe
Samurai Rebellion
(1967)
Isaburo Sasahara
Red Beard
(1965)
Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
Grand Prix
(1966)
Izo Yamura
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
(1956)
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
Full Filmography
Acting
Snow Trail
(1947)
Eijima
These Foolish Times
(1947)
Genzaburo Ohno, Gang Boss
Drunken Angel
(1948)
Matsunaga
The Quiet Duel
(1949)
Dr. Kyoji Fujisaki
Stray Dog
(1949)
Det. Murakami
Jakoman and Tetsu
(1949)
Tetsu
Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka
(1950)
Teisaku Nagasawa
Escape from Prison
(1950)
Shinkichi
Rashomon
(1950)
Tajômaru
Scandal
(1950)
Ichirô Aoye
Sasaki Kojiro
(1950)
Miyamoto Musashi
Wedding Ring
(1950)
Takeshi Ema
Who Knows a Woman's Heart
(1951)
Mizuno
Elegy
(1951)
Daisuke Toki
The Life of a Horse Trader
(1951)
Yonetaro Katayama
Beyond Love and Hate
(1951)
Pirates
(1951)
Tora
Meeting of the Ghost of Apres-Guerre
(1951)
Kenji Kawakami
The Idiot
(1951)
Denkichi Akama
Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
(1952)
Tokyo Sweetheart
(1952)
Kurokawa
Swift Current
(1952)
Sword for Hire
(1952)
Sasa Hayatenosuke
The Life of Oharu
(1952)
Katsunosuke
Foghorn
(1952)
Chiyokichi
The Man Who Came to Port
(1952)
Goro Niinuma
Vendetta of a Samurai
(1952)
Mataemon Araki
Eagle of the Pacific
(1953)
1st Lieutenant Tomonaga
The Last Embrace
(1953)
My Wonderful Yellow Car
(1953)
Matsumura
Sunflower Girl
(1953)
Ippei Hitachi
The Black Fury
(1954)
Eiichi Tsuda
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
(1954)
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
The Surf
(1954)
Skipper of the Utashima-maru
Seven Samurai
(1954)
Kikuchiyo
All is Well
(1955)
Taichi Daikichi
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
(1955)
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
A Man Among Men
(1955)
Maki
All is Well 2
(1955)
Taichi Daikichi
No Time for Tears
(1955)
I Live in Fear
(1955)
Kiichi Nakajima
Rebels on the High Sea
(1956)
Matsuo Tokuzô
Scoundrel
(1956)
The Underworld
(1956)
Rainy Night Duel
(1956)
Masahiko Koseki
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
(1956)
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
Settlement of Love
(1956)
Shuntaro Ohira
A Wife's Heart
(1956)
Kenkichi
Down Town
(1957)
A Man in the Storm
(1957)
Saburô Watari
The Lower Depths
(1957)
Sutekichi the Thief
Throne of Blood
(1957)
Taketori Washizu
Yagyu Secret Scrolls
(1957)
Tasaburo
Good Luck to These Two
(1957)
Toshio Maruyama
A Dangerous Hero
(1957)
The Hidden Fortress
(1958)
General Rokurota Makabe
A Holiday in Tokyo
(1958)
Jinsei Gekijo
(1958)
The Rickshaw Man
(1958)
Matsugoro
Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II
(1958)
Tasaburo
Yaji and Kita on the Road
(1958)
Toshinoshin Taya
All About Marriage
(1958)
Acting teacher
Desperado Outpost
(1959)
Battalion Commander
Samurai Saga
(1959)
Heihachiro Komaki
The Three Treasures
(1959)
Prince Yamato Takeru
Saga of the Vagabonds
(1959)
Rokuro Kai
The Big Boss
(1959)
Kashimura
The Last Gunfight
(1960)
Detective Saburo Fujioka
The Gambling Samurai
(1960)
Kunisada Chuji
Man Against Man
(1960)
Kaji
The Bad Sleep Well
(1960)
Kôichi Nishi
The Masterless 47
(1960)
Kazuo Momoi
The Storm of the Pacific
(1960)
Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
Daredevil in the Castle
(1961)
Mohei
The Important Man
(1961)
Ánimas Trujano
The Masterless 47 – Part II
(1961)
Yojimbo
(1961)
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
The Youth and His Amulet
(1961)
Fudo-Myo (Immovable Bright King)
47 Ronin
(1962)
Genba Tawaraboshi
Doburoku no Tatsu
(1962)
Tatsu
Sanjuro
(1962)
Sanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
Three Gentlemen Return from Hong Kong
(1962)
Zhang Zhizhang
Attack Squadron
(1963)
Lt. Colonel Senda
Samurai Pirate
(1963)
Sukezaemon Naya, aka 'Luzon' [Sinbad, in US version]
High and Low
(1963)
Kingo Gondo
Legacy of the 500,000
(1963)
Takeichi Matsuo
Whirlwind
(1964)
Lord Akashi
Fort Graveyard
(1965)
Sergeant Kosugi
The Retreat from Kiska
(1965)
Omura
Samurai Assassin
(1965)
Tsuruchiyo Niiro
Sanshiro Sugata
(1965)
Shogoro Yano
Red Beard
(1965)
Dr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
The Sword of Doom
(1966)
Toranosuke Shimada
Adventure in Kigan Castle
(1966)
Osami
The Mad Atlantic
(1966)
Heihachirô Murakami
Grand Prix
(1966)
Izo Yamura
Grand Prix: Challenge of the Champions
(1966)
Self
Rise Against the Sword
(1966)
Abare Gōemon
Japan's Longest Day
(1967)
War Minister General Korechika Anami
Samurai Rebellion
(1967)
Isaburo Sasahara
The Sands of Kurobe
(1968)
Kitagawa
The Day the Sun Rose
(1968)
Hell in the Pacific
(1968)
Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda
Admiral Yamamoto
(1968)
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Red Lion
(1969)
Gonzo
Battle of the Japan Sea
(1969)
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Samurai Banners
(1969)
Kansuke Yamamoto
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
(1969)
Isami Kondo
Safari 5000
(1969)
The Militarists
(1970)
Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto
The Ambitious
(1970)
Shojiro Goto
The Walking Major
(1970)
Kinugasa Tadao
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
(1970)
Yojimbo/Sasa
Incident at Blood Pass
(1970)
Yojimbo
Red Sun
(1971)
Kuroda Jubei
Paper Tiger
(1975)
Ambassador Kagoyama
Midway
(1976)
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Japanese Godfather: Ambition
(1977)
Kosuke Oishi
Proof of the Man
(1977)
Yohei Kori
Dog Whistle
(1978)
Love and Faith
(1978)
Taiko Hideyoshi
Shogun's Samurai
(1978)
Lord of Owari
The Fall of Ako Castle
(1978)
Tsuchiya Michinao
Japanese Godfather: Conclusion
(1978)
Kosuke Oishi
Lord Mito
(1978)
Sakuzaemon Okumura
Winter Kills
(1979)
Keith
1941
(1979)
Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
(1979)
Kindaichi of 11th Generation in "The Woman in the Eye"
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
(1979)
Port Arthur
(1980)
Emperor Meiji
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 1
(1981)
Lowly Ronin
(1981)
Sanjuro Hinoki
The Bushido Blade
(1981)
Shogun's Commander
Inchon
(1981)
Saito-San
Ten Duels of Young Shingo: Chapter 2
(1982)
Domineering
(1982)
Masao Tadokoro
Lowly Ronin 2: The Spray of Blood
(1982)
Sanjuro Hinoki
The Challenge
(1982)
Toru Yoshida
The Lowly Ronin 3: Duel at Dawn
(1982)
Theater Of Life
(1983)
Battle Anthem
(1983)
Admiral Heihachiro Togo
Lowly Ronin 4: Living Hell
(1983)
Sanjuro Hinoki
Lowly Ronin 6: Betrayal at Yatate Pass
(1983)
Sûrônin Hinoki Sajûrô
Lowly Ronin 5: The Teenage Orphan Girl
(1983)
Sûrônin Rakuyôjûrô
Secret of the Forbidden Valley
(1983)
The Miracle of Joe, the Petrel
(1984)
Fisherman
No More God, No More Love
(1985)
The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai
(1986)
The Shatterer
(1987)
Murai
Tora-san Goes North
(1987)
Junkichi Ueno
Shogun's Advisor
(1987)
Princess from the Moon
(1987)
Taketori-no-Miyatsuko
Death of a Tea Master
(1989)
Rikyu Sen-no
cf Girl
(1989)
The Demon Comes in Spring
(1989)
Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode
(1990)
Journey of Honor
(1991)
Lord Ieyasu
Strawberry Road
(1991)
Taoka
Shadow of the Wolf
(1992)
Kroomak
Deep River
(1995)
Tsukada
Picture Bride
(1995)
The Benshi
The Making of '1941'
(1996)
(archive)
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
(1998)
Self (archive footage)
Kurosawa
(2000)
Self (archive footage)
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
(2002)
Self
Mifune: The Last Samurai
(2016)
Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)
Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Production
Legacy of the 500,000
(1963)
Associate Producer
Fort Graveyard
(1965)
Associate Producer
Adventure in Kigan Castle
(1966)
Associate Producer
The Mad Atlantic
(1966)
Executive Producer
Samurai Rebellion
(1967)
Producer
Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
(1969)
Producer
Samurai Banners
(1969)
Producer
Red Lion
(1969)
Producer
Incident at Blood Pass
(1970)
Producer
Morning for Two
(1971)
Producer
Dog Whistle
(1978)
Executive Producer
Onmitsu Doshin: The Edo Secret Police
(1979)
Associate Producer
Directing