Japanese movie stars born in 1963
Here are 18 famous actors from Japan were born in 1963:
Susumu Terajima
Susumu Terajima (November 12, 1963 Koto, Tokyo-) also known as Sabu, Susumu Terashima or Terajima Susumu is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
Terajima started his acting career in the mid-1990s with small roles in TV dramas and films. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s with his role in the cult horror film "Drive". He became known for his quick-paced, quirky and highly comedic acting style, earning him the nickname "Sabu" after the famous Japanese comedian Saburo Kitajima. Since then, he has appeared in a number of highly acclaimed films such as "Monday" and "Postman Blues". Terajima is also a highly successful voice actor, lending his voice to a number of popular anime series such as "Jungle Emperor Leo" and "Naruto". Despite being in the entertainment industry for over two decades, Terajima continues to be highly active and is considered one of the most versatile actors in Japan.
Read more about Susumu Terajima on Wikipedia »
Konishiki Yasokichi
Konishiki Yasokichi (December 31, 1963 Oahu-) also known as 塩田 八十吉, こにしき やそきち, 小錦 八十吉, さのやま やそきち, 佐ノ山 八十吉, Salevaa Atisanoe, コニちゃん, KONISHIKI, Yasokichi Konishiki, Sanoyama Yasokichi, Yasokichi Sanoyama, The Dump Truck, Yasokichi Shioda, しおだ やそきち, Shioda Yasokichi or Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e is a Japanese actor, sumo wrestler and musician.
Konishiki Yasokichi was born in Hawaii and is of Samoan descent. He started his sumo wrestling career in Japan in 1982, and quickly rose through the ranks to become the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach the rank of Ozeki in 1987. His imposing size and power earned him the nickname "The Dump Truck".
After retiring from sumo in 1997, Konishiki pursued various ventures, including acting in Japanese dramas and movies. He also became a musician and recorded several albums featuring his vocals and playing the ukulele. He is known for his friendly and outgoing personality, and has participated in charity events to give back to the community. Konishiki remains a popular figure in both Japan and Hawaii.
Read more about Konishiki Yasokichi on Wikipedia »
Hiroaki Hirata
Hiroaki Hirata (August 7, 1963 Tokyo-) otherwise known as Hirata Hiroaki is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He is affiliated with Hirata Office. Some of his notable roles in anime include Sanji in One Piece, Sha Gojyo in Saiyuki, Mutta Nanba in Space Brothers, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi in Tiger & Bunny, and Klein in Sword Art Online. He has also voiced characters in video games such as Kingdom Hearts (as Goofy for the Japanese version), Final Fantasy X (as Auron), and Shenmue II (as Ren of Heavens). In addition to his voice acting work, Hirata has also appeared in live-action television dramas, stage productions, and films. His accolades include the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 8th Seiyu Awards.
Read more about Hiroaki Hirata on Wikipedia »
Yūrei Yanagi
Yūrei Yanagi (April 8, 1963 Fuchu-) also known as Masahiko Ono, Yuurei Yanagi, Yanagi Yūrei, Yourei Yanagi or Yûrei Yanagi is a Japanese actor.
He started out as a stage actor, performing with the theater groups Tokyo Kid Brothers and Gekidan Shinkansen. Yanagi made his film debut in 1982 in a supporting role in the movie "Nankyoku Monogatari" and went on to appear in numerous films and television dramas. He gained widespread recognition for his role as Masaru Kato in the sci-fi action movie "Gantz" in 2011. Yanagi has also lent his voice to various animated films and television series, including "Dragon Ball Z" and "One Piece". In addition to acting, he is also known for his work as a narrator and radio personality. Yanagi has won numerous awards for his performances, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2015 film "Ryuzo and His Seven Henchmen".
Read more about Yūrei Yanagi on Wikipedia »
Kōji Kitao
Kōji Kitao (August 12, 1963 Tsu-) a.k.a. きたお こうじ, 双羽黒 光司, ふたはぐろ こうじ, 北尾 光覇, Koji Futahaguro, Kitao Koji, Futahaguro Koji, Kita Mitsuharu or Mitsuharu Kitao is a Japanese sumo wrestler, wrestler, mixed martial artist and actor.
He is best known for his successful sumo career in the 1980s and early 1990s, during which he reached the second highest rank of ozeki. Kitao was also known for his large size, standing at 6'8" and weighing over 500 pounds at his heaviest.
After retiring from sumo in 1992, Kitao pursued a career in professional wrestling in both Japan and the United States. He also tried his hand at mixed martial arts, competing in the early days of the sport. In addition, Kitao has appeared in numerous movies and television shows as an actor.
Despite his success in these ventures, Kitao has also seen controversy throughout his career. He was famously disqualified from the Nagoya Grand Tournament in 1986 for refusing to continue a match after a perceived bad call by the judges. In his professional wrestling career, he has been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs and has had a strained relationship with some of his fellow wrestlers.
Read more about Kōji Kitao on Wikipedia »
Natsuhiko Kyogoku
Natsuhiko Kyogoku (March 26, 1963 Otaru-) also known as Natsuhiko Kyôgoku, 京極 夏彦 or Katsuhiko Ôe is a Japanese screenwriter, writer and actor.
He is best known for his historical and supernatural novels and is considered to be one of the pioneers of the "mystery-horror" genre in Japanese literature. His most famous work is the "Kyogokudo" series which follows the adventures of a detective who specializes in paranormal cases.
Kyogoku began his career in the entertainment industry as a screenwriter for Japanese television dramas, but soon turned his attention to writing novels. He has been awarded several prestigious literary prizes for his work, including the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize and the Mystery Writers of Japan Award.
In addition to his writing, Kyogoku has also appeared in a number of Japanese films and television shows, often portraying characters based on his own novels. Despite his success, he has remained relatively private and little is known about his personal life.
Read more about Natsuhiko Kyogoku on Wikipedia »
Toshiaki Karasawa
Toshiaki Karasawa (June 3, 1963 Taitō-) also known as Karasawa Toshiaki, Karasawa Kisyoshi or Kiyoshi Karasawa is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He has appeared in numerous Japanese films and television dramas throughout his career, which spans over three decades. Some of his notable roles include Shinichi Chiaki in the drama series "Nodame Cantabile" and Asahina in "Love Generation." Karasawa has also lent his voice to various anime characters, such as Arima Kousei in "Your Lie in April" and Shiro Fujimoto in "Blue Exorcist." In addition to his acting work, Karasawa has also participated in various stage productions and has won multiple awards for his performances. Outside of his professional work, he is known for his interest in jazz music and has even released an album as a jazz vocalist.
Read more about Toshiaki Karasawa on Wikipedia »
Rikiya Koyama
Rikiya Koyama (December 18, 1963 Kyoto-) a.k.a. Koyama Rikiya, Rikki or Riki-chan is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He graduated from Kyoto Sangyo University in 1986 and began his career in the entertainment industry as a stage actor. Koyama made his voice acting debut as Yamato Akitsuki in "Martian Successor Nadesico" in 1996 and has since appeared in numerous anime, video games, and drama CDs. He is known for his deep, smooth voice and has played a diverse range of characters, from villains to heroic leads. Some of his notable roles include Kiritsugu Emiya in "Fate/Zero," Mamoru Takamura in "Hajime no Ippo," and Kogoro Mori in "Detective Conan." In addition to his voice acting work, Koyama has also appeared in live-action dramas and films, including "April Fools" and "The Last Knights." He has received several awards for his voice acting, including the Best Supporting Actor award at the 3rd Seiyu Awards.
Read more about Rikiya Koyama on Wikipedia »
Tomoyuki Shimura
Tomoyuki Shimura (December 12, 1963 Hitachi-) also known as Shimura Tomoyuki or Kazuyuki Shimura is a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He is affiliated with Aoni Production and has voiced notable characters in anime and video games such as Lupin III in "Lupin III: Part IV," Nyanta in "Log Horizon," and Dracule Mihawk in "One Piece." In addition to his voice acting work, Shimura has also acted in various TV dramas and movies, often playing supporting roles. He has also lent his voice to dubbing for foreign films and TV shows. Shimura is known for his smooth deep voice and versatile range which allows him to portray characters from serious to comedic.
Read more about Tomoyuki Shimura on Wikipedia »
Hiro Kanagawa
Hiro Kanagawa (October 13, 1963 Sapporo-) a.k.a. Hiro Kangawa, Hironobu Kanagawa or Kanagawa Hironobu is a Japanese actor, playwright, screenwriter and voice actor.
He grew up in Canada and studied at the University of British Columbia where he earned a degree in Fine Arts. He has written numerous plays that have been produced across Canada and the United States. As an actor, he has appeared in many film and television productions including "The X-Files", "Smallville", "Supernatural" and "Legends of Tomorrow". He is also a prolific voice actor in both anime and video games, lending his voice to characters such as Gihren Zabi in "Mobile Suit Gundam" and Ryu in "Street Fighter". In addition to his acting and writing career, he also teaches playwriting at the University of British Columbia.
Read more about Hiro Kanagawa on Wikipedia »
Yutaka Matsushige
Yutaka Matsushige (January 19, 1963 Fukuoka Prefecture-) also known as Matsushige Yutaka is a Japanese actor.
He began his acting career in 1983 in the stage production of "The Taming of the Shrew". Matsushige has appeared in numerous films, television dramas and stage productions throughout his career. He is known for his versatile range of roles portraying characters ranging from comedic to dramatic. Matsushige has won several awards for his acting including the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Japan Academy Prize in 2013 for his role in the film "The Kirishima Thing". In addition to his acting career, he also works as a radio personality and has written several books. Matsushige is considered one of Japan's most respected actors and has a large fan base both in Japan and internationally.
Read more about Yutaka Matsushige on Wikipedia »
Tsuyoshi Ihara
Tsuyoshi Ihara (November 6, 1963 Kitakyushu-) a.k.a. Ihara Tsuyoshi is a Japanese actor.
He graduated from The University of Tokyo in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree before pursuing his acting career. Ihara's breakthrough role came in the 1999 film "Violent Cop" directed by Takeshi Kitano, which won him several award nominations. He has since appeared in numerous films, television dramas, and stage productions, often playing tough and intense characters.
Ihara is also known for his international roles, such as Private Shimizu in "Letters from Iwo Jima" directed by Clint Eastwood, and Yashida in "The Wolverine" directed by James Mangold. He has also lent his voice to several animated shows and films, including "One Piece" and "Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital."
In addition to his acting career, Ihara is a trained sword fighter and has studied various martial arts. He has also served as a cultural ambassador for Japan, promoting Japanese culture around the world.
Read more about Tsuyoshi Ihara on Wikipedia »
Tomoyuki Dan
Tomoyuki Dan (August 6, 1963 Osaka Prefecture-October 10, 2013 Japan) also known as Dan Tomoyuki was a Japanese actor and voice actor.
Dan Tomoyuki started his acting career in the 1980s as a member of the theatrical company Gekidan Shinkansen before transitioning to voice acting. He was best known for his roles as Kisame Hoshigaki in the anime series Naruto and Envy in Fullmetal Alchemist. He was also recognized for his work as the Japanese voice dubbing artist for several Hollywood movies, including Brad Pitt's character in the Ocean's Eleven franchise and Mickey Rourke's character in The Wrestler. In addition to his voice acting work, Dan Tomoyuki appeared in several live-action films and TV dramas. His sudden death in 2013 from a heart attack shocked and saddened the Japanese entertainment industry.
Read more about Tomoyuki Dan on Wikipedia »
Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto (September 8, 1963 Amagasaki-) also known as Downtown, Matchan, Matsumoto Hitoshi or The Tetrist is a Japanese comedian, actor, film producer, film director, screenwriter and musician.
He is best known as one half of the comedy duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada. Matsumoto began his career in entertainment in the 1980s as part of the owarai boom, a period of time where Japanese comedy shows became particularly popular. In addition to his comedic work, he has also directed and produced a number of films, such as "Symbol" and "R100." Matsumoto has won numerous awards for his work, including the Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year in 2010. Additionally, he is a talented musician and has released several albums, both as a solo artist and with Downtown. With his unique blend of humor and creativity, Matsumoto has become one of the most beloved figures in Japanese entertainment.
Read more about Hitoshi Matsumoto on Wikipedia »
Masatoshi Hamada
Masatoshi Hamada (May 11, 1963 Naniwa-ku, Osaka-) also known as Downtown or Hamada Masatoshi is a Japanese comedian, actor and musician. He has one child, Hama Okamoto.
Hamada is best known as one half of the popular Japanese comedy duo Downtown, alongside partner Hitoshi Matsumoto. He and Matsumoto host a variety of television shows in Japan, including the popular show "Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!" which has been on air for over 30 years. In addition to comedy, Hamada has also appeared in several Japanese dramas, movies and plays throughout his career. Hamada is also a talented musician, having released several singles and albums both as a solo artist and as part of Downtown. He has won many awards and accolades for his contributions to Japanese entertainment, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2018, awarded by Emperor Akihito for his cultural achievements.
Read more about Masatoshi Hamada on Wikipedia »
Itsuji Itao
Itsuji Itao (July 18, 1963 Tondabayashi-) otherwise known as Itao Itsuji is a Japanese comedian and actor.
He rose to fame in the late 1980s as part of the comedy duo "Tenshin" with Masashi Tashiro. Aside from his successful career in comedy, Itao has also gained recognition as a talented actor, with appearances in numerous films and TV dramas. Some of his notable works include the films "Survive Style 5+" and "Fish Story," as well as the TV dramas "Death Note" and "Umizaru." In recent years, Itao has also begun directing and producing his own projects, such as the film "The Knot" and the TV drama "Mother Fukushima." Despite his diverse career, Itao remains a beloved figure in the world of comedy, and continues to perform regularly on stage and screen.
Read more about Itsuji Itao on Wikipedia »
Masaya Kato
Masaya Kato (April 27, 1963 Nara-) also known as Massaya Kato, Masaya Katô, Katō Masaya or Kato Masaya is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He has one child, Marina Kato.
Masaya Kato made his acting debut in 1986 in the film "The Hater". He rose to fame in the 90s with roles in popular Japanese dramas such as "Tokyo Love Story" and "Long Vacation". He has also appeared in a number of international films, including "Brother" directed by Takeshi Kitano and "2046" directed by Wong Kar-wai. In addition to his acting work, Kato has also lent his voice to a number of anime and video game projects, including the popular series "Death Note" and "Metal Gear Solid". He has won several awards for his performances, including Best Supporting Actor at the Japanese Academy Awards in 2000 for his role in "Poppoya". Kato has been actively involved in the entertainment industry for over three decades and continues to be a prominent figure in Japanese film and television.
Read more about Masaya Kato on Wikipedia »
Rolly Teranishi
Rolly Teranishi (September 6, 1963 Takatsuki-) also known as Rōrī Teranishi, Kazuo Teranishi or ROLLY is a Japanese musician, actor and music producer.
He is best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Scanch, which he started in 1988. Teranishi has also released several solo albums and collaborated with other artists throughout his career. In addition to his musical work, Teranishi has appeared in a number of Japanese television dramas and films, including "Ningen Shikkaku" and "Gokusen". As a music producer, he has worked with various artists and has been involved in the production of several popular anime theme songs, including "Butterfly" from Digimon Adventure. Despite his success, Teranishi has also faced personal struggles, including a battle with leukemia and a controversial incident in 2015 when he was arrested for drug possession. However, he has since turned his life around and continues to be an influential figure in the Japanese entertainment industry.
Read more about Rolly Teranishi on Wikipedia »