Japanese movie stars born in 1959
Here are 10 famous actors from Japan were born in 1959:
Ken Watanabe
Ken Watanabe (October 21, 1959 Koide-) also known as Watanabe Ken, Kensaku Watanabe, Ken or Watanabe Kensaku is a Japanese actor. His children are called Dai Watanabe and Anne Watanabe.
Ken Watanabe began his career as a stage actor in Tokyo, Japan, in 1982. He later made his television debut in the drama "Seibu Keisatsu" in 1983. His breakout role in Japan was in the TV series "Dokuganryu Masamune" where he played the historical figure Date Masamune. He gained international recognition for his performance in the award-winning film "The Last Samurai" alongside Tom Cruise in 2003. He has since starred in numerous Hollywood films, including "Godzilla," "Inception," and "Batman Begins." In addition to his acting career, Watanabe has also done voice acting, notably as Dr. Akio Katsuragi in the Japanese animated series "Neon Genesis Evangelion." Watanabe has been recognized for his work in the entertainment industry, winning awards such as the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor and a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the Broadway revival of "The King and I."
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Akio Ōtsuka
Akio Ōtsuka (November 24, 1959 Tokyo-) also known as Ohtsuka Akio, Akio Otuka, Akio Ōtsuka, Ōtsuka Akio, Akio Otsuka, Akio Ootsuka, Ootsuka, Akio, Akio Ôtsuka or Akio Ohtsuka is a Japanese voice actor, actor and voice acting in japan.
He is best known for his deep, gravelly voice and has been dubbed as the "King of Voice Actors" in Japan. Ōtsuka has provided the voice for a wide range of characters, from heroic protagonists to villainous antagonists. Some of his notable roles include Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid video game series, Black Jack in the anime of the same name, Anavel Gato in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, and Rudolf von Stroheim in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In addition to his voice acting work, Ōtsuka has also appeared in live-action films and television dramas. He comes from a family of actors, including his father and sister who are both actors in Japan. Ōtsuka is a graduate of Waseda University, where he majored in Spanish.
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Nobuo Tobita
Nobuo Tobita (November 6, 1959 Mito-) otherwise known as Tobita Nobuo or Tobita, Nobuo is a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He is best known for his roles in popular anime series such as Kamille Bidan in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Albert Heinrich in Mobile Suit Gundam 00. He has also lent his voice to other notable characters in anime such as Kotaro Nanbara in Touch, Kouichi Zenigata in Lupin III, and Sorcerer of Dark Magic in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. In addition to his voice work, Tobita has also appeared in various dramas and stage plays. He remains a highly respected and talented figure in the Japanese voice acting industry.
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Dai Matsumoto
Dai Matsumoto (June 1, 1959 Tokyo-) also known as Matsumoto Dai is a Japanese voice actor and actor.
Matsumoto Dai began his career as a voice actor in the 1980s, lending his voice to various anime and video games. Some of his notable voice roles include playing Yoshiaki Mogami in the anime series "Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo" (or "Kochikame" for short) and Ganondorf in the video game "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Matsumoto Dai has also worked as an actor in live-action dramas and films. In recent years, he has become a popular narrator, providing voice-overs for documentaries and television programs. Apart from his work as a voice actor and actor, Matsumoto Dai is also a skilled calligrapher, and has exhibited his works in solo shows.
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Mitsuaki Hoshino
Mitsuaki Hoshino (February 19, 1959 Shizuoka Prefecture-) also known as Hoshino Mitsuaki or Mituaki Hosino is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
Mitsuaki Hoshino started his career as an actor in 1979. He gained fame for his performances in films such as "Gonin" and "Another Heaven". In addition to his acting career, Hoshino is also known for his voice acting work in anime and video games. He has played prominent roles in popular anime shows such as "One Piece", "Naruto", and "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure". Moreover, he has voiced characters in video games such as "Dragon Quest XI", "Yakuza 6", and "Final Fantasy XIV". In recent years, he has also worked as a narrator for various TV programs and documentaries. Hoshino is a versatile performer who has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry in Japan.
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Jun'ichi Sugawara
Jun'ichi Sugawara (March 27, 1959 Miyagi Prefecture-) also known as Sugawara Jun'ichi is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He initially started his career as a stage actor before moving on to television dramas and films. Sugawara rose to international fame with his voice acting roles as Victor Nikiforov in the anime series Yuri on Ice and as Toshiro Hijikata in the anime adaptation of the manga series Gintama. He has also lent his voice to several video games such as Kingdom Hearts II, Final Fantasy XIII and Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness. In addition to his voice acting career, Sugawara has also appeared in several popular Japanese TV dramas including The Queen's Classroom and Kasouken no Onna.
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Kazuki Yao
Kazuki Yao (June 17, 1959 Kanazawa-) also known as Yao Kazuki is a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He began his career in voice acting in the early 80s with his first major role being Sabo in the popular anime series "One Piece". He is also known for his roles as Judau Ashta in "Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ", Franky in "One Piece", and as Koichiro Iketani in "Initial D". In addition to his voice acting career, he has also acted in live-action films and dramas, including "Ikebukuro West Gate Park" and "Battle Royale II: Requiem". Yao has been nominated for and won several awards for his voice acting work, including the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards in 2008.
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Masaki Kyomoto
Masaki Kyomoto (January 21, 1959 Suita-) otherwise known as Masaki Kyômoto or Kyōmoto Masaki is a Japanese actor, singer, tarento, guitarist and musician. His child is called Taiga Kyomoto.
Masaki Kyomoto gained popularity in the 1980s as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band The Checkers, which was one of the most successful Japanese bands of the era. After the band disbanded in 1993, Kyomoto continued his career in the entertainment industry as a solo artist and actor. He has appeared in numerous TV dramas and films, including the popular drama series "Ultraman Gaia" and the film "The Uchoten Hotel". In addition to his acting and singing career, Kyomoto has also worked as a radio and TV host, and is known for his lively and humorous on-screen persona. He is also an avid golfer and has competed in several celebrity golf tournaments.
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Yuji Okumoto
Yuji Okumoto (April 20, 1959 Los Angeles-) otherwise known as Yuji Don Okumoto or Yujii Okumoto is a Japanese actor, restaurateur and voice actor.
He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to Japanese immigrant parents. Okumoto first gained recognition for his role as Chozen Toguchi, the villain in the 1986 film "The Karate Kid Part II". Since then, he has appeared in many popular TV shows and movies, such as "Inception", "True Blood", "The Mentalist", and "Hawaii Five-0". Apart from acting, Okumoto is also a successful restaurateur, owning several popular restaurants in Los Angeles. He has also lent his voice to several video games, including "Battlefield Hardline" and "Sleeping Dogs".
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Atsuki Tani
Atsuki Tani (January 22, 1959 Tokyo-) also known as Tani Atsuki is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He is known for his roles in popular anime series such as "Dragon Ball Z" (as Nappa), "One Piece" (as Captain Kuro), and "Fist of the North Star" (as Jagi). In addition to his voice acting work, Tani has also appeared in TV dramas and movies in Japan, including "The Last Samurai" (2003) and "Always: Sunset on Third Street" (2005). Throughout his career, Tani has been recognized for his talent and dedication to the industry, receiving awards such as the Best Supporting Actor award at the 7th Seiyu Awards in 2013. He continues to work as a voice actor today and is loved by fans around the world for his contributions to the anime industry.
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