Mifune Toshirō

Japanese actor

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: May 8, 2025 • Article History

Quick Facts

Born:: April 1, 1920, Qingdao, Shandong province, China

Died:: December 24, 1997, Mitaka, near Tokyo, Japan (aged 77)

Married To:: Sachiko Yoshimine (1950–1995 [her death])

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Saikaku ichidai onna" (1952); "Kabuto" (1991); "Gojuman-nin no isan" (1963); "Dai Chûshingura" (1971); "Kindaichi Kosuke no boken" (1979); "Abare Gôemon" (1966); "Tengoku to jigoku" (1963); "Sutoroberi rodo" (1991); "Himawari musume" (1953); "Onmitsu dôshin: Ôedo sôsamô" (1979); "Kin no tamago: Golden girl" (1952); "Sengoha obake taikai" (1951); "Tôkyô no koibito" (1952); "Nihon no ichiban nagai hi" (1967); "Muteki" (1952); "Bakurô ichidai" (1951); "Chi to suna" (1965); "Onnagokoro dare ka shiru" (1951); "Gekido no showashi 'Gunbatsu'" (1970); "Ishinaka sensei gyôjôki" (1950); "Muhomatsu no issho" (1958); "Tenka taihei" (1955); "Ginrei no hate" (1947); "Otoko arite" (1955); "Kaizoku-sen" (1951); "Nihon no don: kanketsuhen" (1978); "Fukai kawa" (1995); "Ôsaka-jô monogatari" (1961); "Aika" (1951); "Hawai Middowei daikaikûsen: Taiheiyô no arashi" (1960); "Nihonkai daikaisen: Umi yukaba" (1983); "Yôjinbô" (1961); "The Bushido Blade" (1981); "Nihonkai daikaisen" (1969); "Shin Kôya no surônin" (1974); "Rashômon" (1950); "Doburoku no Tatsu" (1962); "Gen to fudômyô-ô" (1961); "Nippon no don: Yabohen" (1977); "203 kochi" (1980); "Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru" (1960); "Otoko tai otoko" (1960); "Hakuchi" (1951); "Sengoku gunto-den" (1959); "Shichinin no samurai" (1954); "1941" (1979); "Araki Mataemon: Kettô kagiya no tsuji" (1952); "Fukeyo haru kaze" (1953); "Inchon" (1981); "Donzoko" (1957); "Sengoku burai" (1952); "Ai to nikushimi no kanata e" (1951); "Dansei No. 1" (1955); "Gonin no nobushi" (1968); "Akage" (1969); "Aru kengo no shogai" (1959); "The New Spartans" (1975); "Umitsubame Jyo no kiseki" (1984); "Shûbun" (1950); "Taketori monogatari" (1987); "Zoku sararîman Chûshingura" (1961); "Shizukanaru kettô" (1949); "The Challenge" (1982); "Shujinsen" (1956); "Ningen no shômei" (1977); "Nora inu" (1949); "Ánimas Trujano (El hombre importante)" (1961); "Jinsei gekijô" (1983); "Taiheiyô no washi" (1953); "Kono futari ni sachi are" (1957); "Jakoman to Tetsu" (1949); "Rengô kantai shirei chôkan: Yamamoto Isoroku" (1968); "Ikimono no kiroku" (1955); "Nippon tanjô" (1959); "Jôi-uchi: Hairyô tsuma shimatsu" (1967); "Hell in the Pacific" (1968); "Sen no Rikyu: Honkakubô ibun" (1989); "Mitsuyu-sen" (1954); "Seijo densetsu" (1985); "Paper Tiger" (1975); "Sanga moyu" (1984); "Kakushi-toride no san-akunin" (1958); "Kunisada Chûji" (1960); "Chûshingura" (1962); "Seiha" (1982); "Minato e kita otoko" (1952); "Aijô no kessan" (1956); "Machibuse" (1970); "Samurai" (1965); "Doto ichiman kairi" (1966); "Kiganjô no bôken" (1966); "Arashi no naka no otoko" (1957); "Tsuma no kokoro" (1956); "Yajikata dôchû sugoroku" (1958); "Taiheiyô kiseki no sakusen: Kisuka" (1965); "Haru kuru oni" (1989); "Sugata Sanshiro" (1965); "Konyaku yubiwa" (1950); "Ogin-sama" (1978); "Miyamoto Musashi kanketsuhen: kettô Ganryûjima" (1956); "Kiken na eiyu" (1957); "Ken to kaze to komoriuta" (1976); "Dai tozoku" (1963); "CF gâru" (1989); "Miyamoto Musashi" (1954); "Yusha ha katarazu" (1983); "Midway" (1976); "Sararîman Chûshingura" (1960); "Shikonmado - Dai tatsumaki" (1964); "Kanketsu Sasaki Kojirô: Ganryû-jima kettô" (1951); "Zoku shachô yôkôki" (1962); "Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijôji no kettô" (1955); "Jinsei gekijô - Seishun hen" (1958); "Zatôichi to Yôjinbô" (1970); "Tsubaki Sanjûrô" (1962); "Shinsengumi" (1969); "Shin baka jidadi: Zenpen" (1947); "Genkai tsurezure-bushi" (1986); "Zoku tenka taihei" (1955); "Tôkyô no kyûjitsu" (1958); "Shiosai" (1954); "Taiheiyo no tsubasa" (1963); "Edo no taka" (1978); "Shogun" (1980); "Fûrin kazan" (1969); "Winter Kills" (1979); "Surônin makaritôru" (1981–1983); "Bungo torimonocho" (1981); "Kôya no yôjinbô" (1973); "Otoko wa tsurai yo: Shiretoko bojô" (1987); "Shadow of the Wolf" (1992); "Muhogai no suronin" (1976); "Kumonosu-jô" (1957); "Ankokugai no kaoyaku" (1959); "Datsugoku" (1950); "Soleil rouge" (1971); "Hoyo" (1953); "Gion matsuri" (1968); "Ankokugai" (1956); "Gekiryu" (1952); "Ankokugai no taiketsu" (1960); "Tono Eijirô no Mito Kômon" (1978); "Kakushimetsuke sanjo" (1976); "Shin baka jidai: kôhen" (1947); "Yagyû bugeichô: Sôryû hiken" (1958); "Kuro-obi sangokushi" (1956); "Kakekomibiru nanagoshitsu" (1979); "Akô-jô danzetsu" (1978); "Picture Bride" (1994); "Shitamachi" (1957); "Yagyû ichizoku no inbô" (1978); "Grand Prix" (1966); "Dai-bosatsu tôge" (1966); "Bakumatsu" (1970); "Akahige" (1965); "Yagyû bugeichô" (1957); "Eiko e no 5,000 kiro" (1969); "Narazu-mono" (1956); "Otoko no shiken" (1977); "Kurobe no taiyo" (1968); "Inubue" (1978); "Yoidore tenshi" (1948); "Kôya no surônin" (1972); "Aru heishi no kake" (1970); "Dokuritsu gurentai" (1959); "Sicilian Connection" (1987)

Movies/Tv Shows (Directed):: "Gojuman-nin no isan" (1963)

Mifune Toshirō (born April 1, 1920, Qingdao, Shandong province, China—died December 24, 1997, Mitaka, near Tokyo, Japan) was a leading actor in the post-World War II Japanese cinema, known internationally for his energetic, flamboyant portrayals of samurai characters, especially in films directed by Kurosawa Akira.

*Seven Samurai*Shimura Takashi (left) and Mifune Toshirō (second from right) in *Seven Samurai* (1954), directed by Kurosawa Akira.

During World War II, Mifune served in the Japanese armed forces, studying aerial photographs. Going to Tokyo after the war, he was hired as a contract player by Toho Film Studios at Kurosawa’s urging. In 1946 Mifune had a small part in Shin baka jidai (1947; “These Foolish Times”), and in 1947 he achieved critical recognition and box-office success as the gangster in Kurosawa’s Yoidore tenshi (1948; Drunken Angel). Mifune first achieved international fame for his role as a boastful bandit in the classic film Rashomon (1950). He is best known for his popular portrayals of samurai in other period films by Kurosawa, including Shichinin no samurai (1954; Seven Samurai), Kakushitoride no san akunin (1958; The Hidden Fortress), Yojimbo (1961), and Tsubaki Sanjuro (1962). Mifune’s forceful gestures and vivid character portrayals linked him indelibly with the image of the complex and unpredictable samurai as developed by Kurosawa. A highly versatile actor, he also starred in Kurosawa’s adaptations of three Western literary classics: Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The Idiot, titled Hakuchi (1951); Shakespeare’s Macbeth, titled Kumonosu-jo (1957; Throne of Blood); and Maxim Gorky’s play The Lower Depths, titled Donzoko (1957). Mifune also appeared in Kurosawa’s Tengoku to jigoku (1963; High and Low), a detective thriller; and Akahige (1965; Red Beard), his last appearance in a film by that director.

Besides the 16 films he made with Kurosawa, Mifune starred in dozens of other Japanese motion pictures, among them Samurai 1: Musashi Miyamoto (1954) and Joi-uchi (1967; Rebellion). Among the international productions Mifune appeared in are Hell in the Pacific (1969), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1969), Soleil rouge (1971; Red Sun), and Midway (1976). He also performed in the American television production Shogun (1980). The documentary Mifune: The Last Samurai (2015) explored his life and career.

USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood

Britannica Quiz

Pop Culture Quiz

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.