Japanese movie stars died in 2014
Here are 8 famous actors from Japan died in 2014:
Ken Takakura
Ken Takakura (February 16, 1931 Kitakyushu-November 10, 2014) also known as Gouichi Oda, Goichi Oda, Takakura Ken, The Japanese Clint Eastwood or Oda Gōichi was a Japanese actor.
Takakura was a prolific actor who appeared in over 200 films throughout his career. He was best known for his tough-guy roles in yakuza films, such as Street Mobster (1972) and The Yakuza (1974), as well as in cop dramas like The Bullet Train (1975) and Black Rain (1989). He also starred in several international films, including Mr. Baseball (1992) and Rush Hour 2 (2001). In addition to his work in film, Takakura also appeared in television dramas and lent his voice to numerous anime films. He was known for his stoic presence on screen and was regarded as one of the most important actors in Japanese cinema history.
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Rokurō Naya
Rokurō Naya (October 20, 1932 Tokyo-November 17, 2014) also known as Naya Rokurō or Rokurou Naya was a Japanese voice actor, actor and theatre director. He had one child, Ryosuke Naya.
Rokurō Naya was known for his deep voice, which lent itself well to villainous roles in anime and video games. He voiced a number of well-known characters in Japanese media, including Doctor Eggman from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Captain Hook from the Kingdom Hearts series, and Kuzuki Souichirou from Fate/stay night. He was also known for his work in dubbing foreign films, including voicing James Bond in several films.
In addition to his voice acting work, Naya was also a prominent stage actor and director. He was a member of the Seinenza Theater Company and appeared in a number of their productions. He also directed several plays, including a production of Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard."
Naya passed away in 2014 from pneumonia, at the age of 82. His contributions to the world of Japanese voice acting and theater continue to be celebrated by his fans and colleagues.
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Seizō Katō
Seizō Katō (February 14, 1927 Tokyo Prefecture-January 17, 2014 Itabashi) a.k.a. Katou Seizo or Katō Seizō was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He started his career in the entertainment industry in 1950, and throughout his career, he lent his voice to various famous anime characters, such as Saazbaum in Aldnoah.Zero, Admiral Kizaru in One Piece, and Dr. Tofu in Ranma ½. Some of his live-action work includes appearances in TV dramas and movies such as Shinsengumi! and Shogun's Shadow. In 2003, he received the Merit award at the 7th Seiyu Awards for his contributions to the industry. Despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2013, he continued to work in the industry until his passing the following year.
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Ryūko Seihō
Ryūko Seihō (January 9, 1941 Ōta, Tokyo-August 29, 2014 Kakegawa) also known as 龍虎 勢朋, Kazukiyo Suzuki, りゅうこ せいほう, 龍虎 孝宗, Suzuki Kazukiyo, すずき かずきよ, 龍虎, 放駒 清一, Hanamusasi, Suzukiyama, はなむさし, 龍虎 昇, 若神山, 鈴木山, 花武蔵, すずきやま, 鈴木 忠清, Tadakiyo Suzuki, Suzuki Tadakiyo, すずき ただきよ, Ryūko, はなれごま かずきよ, Kazukiyo Hanaregoma or Hanaregoma Kazukiyo was a Japanese sumo wrestler and actor.
Ryūko Seihō, born as Kazukiyo Suzuki, was an accomplished sumo wrestler who reached the rank of ōzeki, the second highest rank in the sport. He made his professional debut in 1957 and was promoted to the top makuuchi division in 1963. During his sumo career, he won three special prizes and was a runner-up in four tournaments. After retiring from sumo in 1973, he pursued a career in acting, appearing in various films, TV dramas, and stage productions. He also served as a sumo commentator and a member of the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors. Ryūko Seihō passed away in 2014 at the age of 73.
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Masaaki Tsukada
Masaaki Tsukada (December 16, 1938 Kawasaki-January 27, 2014 Yokohama) a.k.a. Tsukada Masaaki or Masa'aki Tsukada was a Japanese actor and voice acting in japan.
He started his career in the entertainment industry in the 1960s, where he appeared in numerous television dramas, films, and stage productions. In the 1970s, Tsukada began his voice acting career and became one of the most prominent voice actors in Japan.
Tsukada was known for his distinctive deep voice, which he used to great effect in his roles. He voiced many popular characters in anime, including Admiral Okita in "Space Battleship Yamato," Monkey D. Garp in "One Piece," and Dr. Hell in "Mazinger Z," among others.
Aside from his voice acting work, Tsukada was also a prolific narrator, lending his voice to many documentaries and educational programs. He was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards in 2008 for his role in "Shion no Ō."
Tsukada's contributions to the Japanese entertainment industry were recognized posthumously when he was awarded the Merit Award at the 8th Seiyu Awards in 2014.
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Shūsei Nakamura
Shūsei Nakamura (March 9, 1935 Tokyo Prefecture-November 27, 2014) also known as Shuusei Nakamura, Hideo Nakamura, Shunsuke Hongô, Nakamura Hideo or Shûsei Nakamura was a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He began his career in the entertainment industry in the 1950s as a stage actor before making his way into voice acting in the 1960s. Nakamura was well known for his dynamic vocal range and versatility, taking on a variety of roles throughout his career in anime, video games, and live-action films.
Some of his notable roles in anime include Captain Hook in "Peter Pan no Bōken", Colonel Gatt in "Super Dimension Century Orguss", and General Bat in "Space Warrior Baldios". He also provided the Japanese voice for characters such as Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, Jafar in "Aladdin", and Hades in "Hercules".
In addition to his voice work, Nakamura also appeared in several live-action films and television dramas, including Ishirō Honda's "Matango" and Kon Ichikawa's "Kuroi Gashū: Aru sarariman no shōgen." Over the course of his career, he earned critical acclaim and numerous accolades for his contributions to the entertainment industry in Japan.
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Keizo Kanie
Keizo Kanie (October 28, 1944 Edogawa, Tokyo-March 30, 2014 Shinjuku) also known as Keizô Kani'e, Keizou Kanie, Keizô Kanie or Keizō Kanie was a Japanese actor and narrator. He had two children, Ippei Kanie and Momoko Kurita.
Kanie began his acting career in 1967 and gained popularity for his role as Captain Harlock in the live-action film adaptation of the popular manga series in 1978. He also appeared in numerous television dramas and films, showcasing his range and versatility as an actor.
Apart from acting, Kanie was also well-known for his voice-over work, lending his voice to various anime series and films. His most notable voice-over roles include the villain Black Ghost in the popular anime series "Cyborg 009" and Anubis, the God of Death in the "Saint Seiya" series.
Kanie received several awards in his career, including the Best Actor award at the 33rd Kinema Junpo Awards for his role in the film "The Deserted City." He was also recognized for his contribution to the entertainment industry, receiving the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government in 2013.
Throughout his career, Kanie was known for his professionalism, dedication to his craft, and his unwavering commitment to his roles. His legacy in Japanese entertainment continues to inspire and influence future generations of actors and performers.
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Ken Utsui
Ken Utsui (October 24, 1931 Koto, Tokyo-March 14, 2014 Nagoya) was a Japanese actor. He had one child, .
Ken Utsui was a well-known actor in Japan, best known for his roles in the popular superhero film franchise, "Super Giant." He played the title character in the films, which were produced by Shintoho from 1957 to 1959. Utsui also appeared in numerous other films and television dramas throughout his career. He was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1994 for his contributions to Japanese culture. In addition to his acting work, Utsui was also known for his philanthropy, particularly his efforts to support people with disabilities. He founded the "Ken Utsui Smile Safari" program in 1987, which took children with disabilities on trips to various locations around Japan. He continued to work as an actor until his death in 2014 at the age of 82.
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