Japanese movie stars died in 2007
Here are 8 famous actors from Japan died in 2007:
Kōichi Kitamura
Kōichi Kitamura (December 18, 1931 Osaka Prefecture-October 2, 2007 Shinjuku) a.k.a. Koichi Kitamura, Kôichi Kitamura, 木村 一, Hajimu Kimura, 北村 弘一, Kimura Hajimu, Kitamura Kōichi or Kouichi Kitamura was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
Kōichi Kitamura started his career as an actor in the 1950s and starred in numerous Japanese films and television dramas. He began lending his voice to animated characters in the 1960s and became a prominent voice actor, voicing characters such as Doctor Eggman in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and Doraemon in the anime series of the same name. Kitamura was also a prolific narrator and lent his voice to various documentary films and television shows. In addition to his voice acting and acting work, Kitamura was also a published author and wrote several novels and essays throughout his career. He passed away on October 2, 2007 due to liver cancer at the age of 75.
Read more about Kōichi Kitamura on Wikipedia »
Shinji Nakae
Shinji Nakae (April 20, 1935 Koto, Tokyo-June 28, 2007 Koganei) otherwise known as Yoshitaka Satō was a Japanese voice actor, actor and narrator.
In his early career, Shinji Nakae worked under the name Yoshitaka Satō. He changed his name in the late 70s to avoid confusion with another actor with a similar name. Nakae was famous for his deep voice which he used for many roles, including in the popular anime series "Fist of the North Star" and "Dragon Ball." He also lent his voice to foreign films that were dubbed in Japanese such as "The Godfather" and "The Terminator." In addition to his voice acting work, Nakae also appeared in several films and TV dramas throughout his career. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 72 due to heart failure.
Read more about Shinji Nakae on Wikipedia »
Kazumi Tanaka
Kazumi Tanaka (August 11, 1951 Suginami-December 20, 2007 Tama) also known as Tanaka Kazumi was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He was best known for his roles in anime such as Lupin III: Part II, Dragon Ball Z, and Yu Yu Hakusho. In addition to his voice acting work, Tanaka also appeared in numerous live-action films and television dramas. He received the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 16th Japan Academy Prize for his role in the 1992 film "Shiko funjatta" (I Just Didn't Do It). Tanaka was also a talented singer and released several albums throughout his career. He passed away at the age of 56 due to heart failure. His contributions to the entertainment industry in Japan are still remembered and celebrated to this day.
Read more about Kazumi Tanaka on Wikipedia »
Kōjirō Kusanagi
Kōjirō Kusanagi (September 19, 1929 Kita, Tokyo-November 11, 2007 Mitaka) also known as Kusanagi Kōjirō, 草薙幸二郎, Kôjirô Kusanagi, 草薙 幸次郎 or くさなぎ こうじろう was a Japanese actor. He had one child, Jin Kusanagi.
Kusanagi began his acting career in 1950 and appeared in over 175 films throughout his career. He was known for his roles in Akira Kurosawa's films, including "The Seven Samurai" and "Yojimbo". Kusanagi also played the role of Kirei in the television series "Kamen Rider" in the 1970s. In addition to his acting career, Kusanagi was also a vocal coach and mentor to many Japanese singers and actors. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 78.
Read more about Kōjirō Kusanagi on Wikipedia »
Ichirō Murakoshi
Ichirō Murakoshi (December 2, 1930 Tokyo Prefecture-May 23, 2007) a.k.a. Yoshikazu Murakoshi, Murakoshi Ichirō or Murakoshi Yoshikazu was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He made his debut as a voice actor in 1962. Some of his notable roles include Professor Peabody in the Japanese dub of "Peabody's Improbable History", the Japanese dub of the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin" and the narrator in the popular television series "Dragon Ball". In addition to his voice acting work, Murakoshi also appeared in films and television dramas throughout his career. He was known for his smooth and versatile voice, and was highly respected within the industry. Murakoshi passed away in 2007 at the age of 76 due to heart failure.
Read more about Ichirō Murakoshi on Wikipedia »
Eiji Funakoshi
Eiji Funakoshi (March 17, 1923 Tokyo-March 17, 2007 Shizuoka) a.k.a. Eijiro Funakoshi, Funakoshi Eiji or Eijirō Funakoshi was a Japanese actor. He had one child, Eiichiro Funakoshi.
Eiji Funakoshi began his acting career in 1942 with the movie "Gokuraku zakura" and went on to appear in over 100 films throughout his career. He was known for his roles in samurai films such as "Chushingura" and "The Tale of Zatoichi." He also appeared in international films such as "The Yakuza" and "Black Rain." Funakoshi was a dedicated actor, often performing his own stunts and continually honing his craft. In addition to his work in film, he also appeared in several television dramas and stage productions. Eiji Funakoshi was a beloved figure in the Japanese acting community, and his contributions to the industry will not be forgotten.
Read more about Eiji Funakoshi on Wikipedia »
Hideo Kanze
Hideo Kanze (August 3, 1927 Tokyo-June 8, 2007 Tokyo) also known as 観世榮夫, Kanze Hideo, 観世 栄夫 or かんぜ ひでお was a Japanese actor and theatre director.
He was born into the Kanze family, a prominent family of Noh actors, and began his acting career at a young age. Kanze later became the head of the Kanze school of Noh, one of the oldest and most prestigious schools of Noh in Japan. He worked to promote Noh internationally and was recognized for his contributions to Japanese culture, receiving the Order of Culture from the Japanese government in 1995. Kanze was also involved in film and television, and appeared in several movies and TV dramas throughout his career. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 79.
Read more about Hideo Kanze on Wikipedia »
Hitoshi Ueki
Hitoshi Ueki (December 25, 1926 Nagoya-March 27, 2007 Tokyo) also known as Ueki Hitoshi, 植木やん, 植木屋, うえき ひとし or 植木 等 was a Japanese singer, comedian and actor. He had two children, Koichi Hiro and Yuko Ueki.
Ueki was best known for his contribution to the manzai style of Japanese comedy. He formed a duo with his partner, Kiyoshi Nishikawa, in the mid-1950s, and they quickly rose to fame as "Mecha-Mecha Ike" (lit. "Absolutely Go"), a comedic act that involved lively banter and physical comedy.
In addition to his work in comedy, Ueki had a successful music career, releasing several hit singles and albums throughout the 1960s and 70s.
Ueki was also an accomplished actor and appeared in numerous films and TV dramas throughout his career. His notable works include the films "Miyamoto Musashi" (1954) and "Shibuya de Aimashou" (1962), as well as the TV dramas "Oshin" (1983-1984) and "Futarikko" (1996).
Ueki received several awards throughout his career, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1990 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2006.
Read more about Hitoshi Ueki on Wikipedia »