Here are 7 famous actors from Japan died before 40:
Ichikawa Raizō VIII (August 29, 1931 Kyoto-July 17, 1969 Tokyo) also known as Yoshiya Ota, Yoshio Takeuchi, 八代目 市川 雷蔵 Hachidaime Ichikawa Raizō, Yoshiya Ōta, Ichikawa Raizō or Raizô Ichikawa was a Japanese actor.
He died as a result of rectal carcinoma.
He was a kabuki actor and also appeared in films and television shows. Ichikawa Raizō VIII was the son of famed kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō XI and started his acting career at age four. He took on the stage name Ichikawa Raizō VIII after his father's death in 1938. He was known for his dynamic performances and his ability to portray a wide range of characters. Some of his notable film appearances include "The Sands of Kurobe", "Samurai Assassin", "Nihon Kyokakuden", and "Hunter in the Dark". He was also a recipient of the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Tragically, he was diagnosed with rectal carcinoma in 1966 and passed away three years later at the age of 37. Despite his short life, Ichikawa Raizō VIII left a lasting impact on Japanese entertainment and is remembered as one of Japan's greatest actors.
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Keiji Sada (December 9, 1926 Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto-August 17, 1964 Nirasaki) also known as Kanichi Nakai, Sada Keiji or Nakai Kanichi was a Japanese actor. His children are called Kiichi Nakai and Kie Nakai.
He died caused by traffic collision.
Keiji Sada was known for his extremely versatile acting skills, and worked in a wide range of genres including dramas, comedies, and action films. He is best known for his roles in films such as "The Human Condition" and "Tokyo Twilight". Sada was also a trained classical pianist, and his passion for music led him to incorporate musical performances into some of his acting work. Despite his relatively short career, Sada left a lasting impact on the Japanese film industry and remains a beloved figure to this day.
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Hiroshi Tsuburaya (March 8, 1964 Setagaya-July 24, 2001 Sagamihara) also known as 円谷 浩 or 円谷 寛 was a Japanese actor.
He died as a result of liver failure.
Hiroshi Tsuburaya was the grandson of Eiji Tsuburaya, a pioneering figure in the Japanese film industry and the co-creator of Godzilla. Like his grandfather, Hiroshi was also involved in the film industry and worked on several special effects heavy movies. He began his career as a stuntman before transitioning to acting, and he appeared in a number of popular Japanese TV dramas and movies throughout the 80s and 90s. His most notable roles include "J" in the kaiju film "Gamera vs. Jiger" and "Akira Shinohara" in the TV drama "Futari". Despite his relatively short career, Hiroshi left a lasting impression on Japanese cinema and is remembered fondly by fans of his work.
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Arihiro Hase (April 22, 1965 Tokyo-July 30, 1996 Tokyo) was a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He died in suicide.
Despite his short career in the entertainment industry, Arihiro Hase had contributed significantly and left a lasting impression on his fans. He began his acting career in 1988 and appeared in various TV dramas, such as "Tokyo Love Story" and "Rokudenashi Blues." Hase was also recognized for his voice acting talent, lending his voice to anime characters in "Dragon Ball Z" and "Saint Seiya."
His acting skills and good looks quickly gained him a large fan following in Japan. However, at the height of his success, Hase was struggling with depression and personal issues. On July 30, 1996, he tragically took his own life at the age of 31.
Hase's legacy continues to live on through his body of work, and he remains a beloved figure in the Japanese entertainment industry, with fans remembering him for his talent, charisma, and unique charm.
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Rikidōzan (November 14, 1924 Hongwon County-December 15, 1963 Tokyo) a.k.a. ももた みつひろ, キム・シルラク, 力道山, りきどうざん, 역도산, Father of Puroresu, 金 信洛, Yeokdosan, Momota Mitsuhiro, Mitsuhiro Momota, 百田 光浩 or Kim Sin-rak was a Japanese sumo wrestler, actor and wrestler. His children are called Mitsuo Momota and Yoshihiro Momota.
He died caused by murder.
Rikidōzan was born as Kim Sin-rak in what is now North Korea, and later became a Japanese national. He was the first non-Japanese wrestler to achieve the rank of yokozuna in Japan's national sumo wrestling. He retired from sumo in 1950 and transitioned to professional wrestling in Japan, eventually becoming known as the father of Japanese wrestling or Puroresu. Rikidōzan became a cultural icon in Japan and South Korea, and his involvement in the development of wrestling in Japan is widely celebrated. However, he was tragically murdered in 1963 by a gangster in Tokyo, which caused a media sensation at the time. Despite his untimely death, Rikidōzan's legacy lives on as an important figure in the history of combat sports in Japan and around the world.
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Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII (October 5, 1823 Edo-August 6, 1854 Osaka) also known as はちだいめ いちかわ だんじゅうろう, 八代目 市川 團十郎, いちかわ だんじゅうろう, 二代目 市川新之助, Ichikawa Danjūrō, 市川團十郎 (8代目), 六代目 市川海老蔵, 白猿, Ichikawa Danjuro VIII, Ichikawa Danjuro IV, Ichikawa Danjuro, 柏莚, 市川 團十郎, 海丸, 四代目 市川 團十郎, 五粒, 初代 松本七蔵, 市川團十郎 (4代目), 三代目 市川海老蔵, 三升, よだいめ いちかわ だんじゅうろう, 徳蔵 or 二代目 松本幸四郎 was a Japanese actor. He had one child, Ichikawa Danjūrō V.
He died in suicide.
Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII was a prominent kabuki actor in Japan during the Edo period. He was born in Edo (now known as Tokyo) and trained under his father, Ichikawa Danjūrō VII, before making his debut on stage as a child actor at the age of four.
Throughout his career, he was known for his striking looks, dynamic acting style, and versatility in playing a wide range of characters. He also had a knack for incorporating innovative stage techniques and special effects into his performances, which helped him gain a reputation as one of the most innovative actors of his time.
In addition to his work as an actor, Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII was also a skilled calligrapher, painter, and musician, and he used these talents to further enhance his performances. He made several successful tours abroad, including performances in Russia and Europe, and he became renowned as one of the greatest kabuki actors of all time.
Unfortunately, his life was cut short when he died by suicide in Osaka in 1854 at the young age of 31. Despite his early death, his legacy continued through his son, Ichikawa Danjūrō V, who went on to become a celebrated kabuki actor in his own right.
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Tokihiko Okada (February 18, 1903 Tokyo-January 16, 1934) a.k.a. Kurao Nora or Eiichi Takahashi was a Japanese actor. He had one child, Mariko Okada.
Okada made his acting debut in 1924, and went on to star in many popular films throughout his career. He was best known for his roles in Yasujiro Ozu's films, including "I Was Born, But..." (1932) and "Passing Fancy" (1933). Okada's career was tragically cut short when he died at the young age of 30 from tuberculosis. Despite his short career, he left a lasting impact on Japanese cinema and is remembered as one of the greatest actors of his time.
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