Gorō Kawabe

Acting

Gorō Kawabe

Born 1888-07-05 · Osaka, Japan

Acting credits

The Jumping Magistrate poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Jumping Magistrate

1952

Merciless Blade Part 2 poster
NR

The second film in the 1953 trilogy based on the long novel series The Great Bodhisattva Pass.

Merciless Blade Part 2

1953

Kurama Tengu poster
7.0

This is Kanjûrô Arashi's first film with Nikkatsu after his independent production company went bankrupt (many of these independent companies went bankrupt shortly after the transition to sound). As he is mostly famous for his portrait of Kurama tengu (and on the other hand, he's the definitive actor for Kurama Tengu as well), Nikkatsu made another version of Kurama tengu, co-directed by Masahiro Makino & Sadatsugu Matsuda who are both sons of Shozo Makino. Scripted by Yoshitake Hisa, a jidaigeki specialist who later scripted several Toei All-Star Jidaigeki.

Kurama Tengu

1938

The Kuroda Affair poster
9.0

This adaptation of a Hideji Hojo novel, about the historical uprising of the Kuroda clan in 1633, is told through the eyes of retainer, Daizen. As his clan’s new leader, Tadayuki, becomes increasingly militant in his opposition to the Tokugawa shogunate, Daizen is forced to reconcile his loyalty to the clan with his loyalty to Tadayuki, who seems dead set on entangling the clan in destructive conflict. The Kuroda Affair’s mise-en-scène is said to have influenced future Toei director Eiichi Kudo. The film also features two of the greatest stars of Japanese period cinema, Chiezo Kataoka and Ryutaro Otomo.

The Kuroda Affair

1956

No artwork available
NR

Early Japanese three-part samurai / fantasy serial.

Phantom Castle

1940

Fall of the Shogun's Militia poster
7.0

Kondo Isami, the “Devil” commander of the Shinsengumi was one of Japan’s greatest national heroes and a peerless swordsman who devoted his life to protecting the shogun and fighting on the side of the Tokugawa. This tells the story of the Shinsengumi starting at the moment of their greatest triumph through the final battles as the Tokugawa shogunate was brought down.

Fall of the Shogun's Militia

1954

Travels of Lord Mito: The Demon of Kagyuzaka poster
NR

Sixth film in the ‘Travels of Lord Mito’ franchise.

Travels of Lord Mito: The Demon of Kagyuzaka

1955

No artwork available
9.0

Based on the old tale of Jiraiya, this 1937 version is essentially a revenge story with fantastic visuals.

Jiraiya

1937

Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue poster
6.0

Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue is a 1927 black and white Japanese silent film directed by Tomiyasu Ikeda.[1] This comedy film showcases the comic talent of Denjiro Okochi, which contrasts markedly with his heroic performance in Oatsurae Jirokichi Koshi. The humorous exchanges with Goro Kawabe, his senior at Nikkatsu, can be priceless, with the expressions and movements of the two goofy characters making for pure, hilarious slapstick comedy. A 15-minute remnant of the film was released on DVD by Digital Meme with benshi accompaniment by Midori Sawato and Ryubi Kato.

Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue

1927

Taiko's Rising in the World poster
9.0

Taikoki is a legendary biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who rose to the office of taikō. And the story of this film is about the rise to power of Toyotomi Hideyoshi from a farmer's son.

Taiko's Rising in the World

1938

Minamoto Yoshitsune poster
NR

A historical scroll depicting the story of the tragic fate of the young samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune, based on the novel by Genzo Murakami. The action of the first part takes place in the late Heian period, when the Taira clan came to power, and Genji was oppressed. The great dream and ambitions of Genkuro Yoshitsune in his youth are depicted, he joins forces with his older brother Yoritomo to raise an army to defeat the Taira clan, and the second part depicts the fall of the clan, persecution and murder.

Minamoto Yoshitsune

1955

Maboroshijō daiichiwa Hida no uzushio poster
NR

Mt. Norikura's natural fortress, the phantom castle. A white-clad iron mask, offering prayers to the eerie triple-faced deity of the Sennjogadake Rocks - the lord of the phantom castle, scheming to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate that destroyed his lord. Sent by the shogunate to infiltrate Hida, Kigurumi Tsukinosuke's cover is blown... (Existing version. Please excuse any deterioration in image quality due to original conditions.)

Maboroshijō daiichiwa Hida no uzushio

1940

近藤勇 池田屋騒動 poster
NR

Kyoto in the third year of Bunkyu. --Serizawa Kamo, the head of the Shinsengumi, and the group around him spend their days and nights having fun in Gion and Shimabara, squandering precious military funds, and even robbing townspeople of money and valuables under the pretense of military funds. As a result, the citizens' voices of resentment towards the Shinsengumi grow louder. Kondo Isami, the deputy head, is concerned about this, but he wishes for peace within the group and suppresses the cries of spirited Okita Soji and others who call for them to be killed.

近藤勇 池田屋騒動

1953

Lord Mito poster
5.4

This most celebrated all-star movie version of the popular series features Tsukigata Ryunosuke as Mito Komon, the sage who wanders the countryside rectifying government corruption along with his faithful attendants Suke and Kaku.

Lord Mito

1957

Maboroshijō dainiwa shi no senpū poster
NR

The undercover agent Tsukinosuke Kigurumi successfully escapes with Kirisaku, who possesses the coveted Shinshu Mountain map targeted by the phantom gang, but loses the key to unlocking it. The one who picks up the key is Osumi, a female courier. (Existing version. Please excuse any deterioration in image quality due to original conditions.)

Maboroshijō dainiwa shi no senpū

1940

少年猿飛佐助 牢獄の姫君 poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

少年猿飛佐助 牢獄の姫君

1958

Souls in the Moonlight poster
7.0

First part of the famous Dai-bosatsu toge trilogy, based on Kaizan Nakazato’s unfinished long series of novels (41 books, written from 1913 to 1941). Set in the last period of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Daibosatsu Toge tells the story of Tsuke Ryunosuke, a nihilistic swordmaster who doesnt hesitate to kill anyone, bad or good. Despite the authors explicit refusal, the series were later made into plays and movies several times.

Souls in the Moonlight

1957

花吹雪男祭り  poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

花吹雪男祭り 

1952

Miyamoto Musashi - Dai-ichi-bu: Kusawake no hitobito - Dai-ni-bu: Eitatsu no mon poster
7.0

Second part of director Hiroshi Inagaki's 1940 adaptation of the story of Musashi Miyamoto.

Miyamoto Musashi - Dai-ichi-bu: Kusawake no hitobito - Dai-ni-bu: Eitatsu no mon

1940

Kid Magician Sasuke poster
NR

In this exciting story, Sasuke Sarutobi, known as the bravest child in the world, fulfills the will of his father, growing up strong and correct, and with great success using his ninjutsu skills becomes a servant of Yukimura Sanada.

Kid Magician Sasuke

1958

The Revenge of Yukinojo, Part 1: Revenge and Love poster
NR

The first part of an entertaining historical drama depicting the eventful story of the revenge of an actor with a strange fate, with a variety of characters and exciting developments.

The Revenge of Yukinojo, Part 1: Revenge and Love

1954

No artwork available
8.0

A classic wartime jidaigeki about the life of the famous samurai and first of the "Great Unifiers" of Japan, Oda Nobunaga, with Kataoka Chiezo and Shimura Takashi

Oda Nobunaga

1940

No artwork available
NR

Yaji and Kita: The Battle of Toba Fushimi is a 1928 Japanese film directed by Tomiyasu Ikeda.[1] This comedy film showcases the acting talent of Denjirō Ōkōchi and acts as a complementary film to Yaji and Kita: Yasuda's Rescue, which is part of the Yaji and Kita series. An 8-minute remnant of the film was released on DVD by Digital Meme with a benshi accompaniment by Midori Sawato. The version in the National Film Center is 23 minutes long.

Yaji and Kita: The Battle of Toba Fushimi

1928

Merciless Blade poster
NR

The first film in the 1953 trilogy based on the long novel series The Great Bodhisattva Pass.

Merciless Blade

1953