Chieko Matsubara

Acting

Chieko Matsubara

Born 1945-01-06 · Ikeda, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Chieko Matsubara (born 6 January 1945) is a Japanese actress. She is best known for her roles in Tokyo Drifter (1966) and the Outlaw series. Spotted at a beauty contest sponsored by the Nikkatsu studio, Matsubara made her debut in 1961 at age 16 in Yoru no chōsensha. Matsubara won popularity and became one of the representative actresses of the Nikkatsu. She appeared in over 100 films at Nikkatsu.

Acting credits

Sento: The Bathhouse poster
NR

A schoolboy has a crush on his pretty class-mate Keiko on the inland island of Awaji. He figures her routine of taking baths at the public one is a good way to get to know her, but he first has to overcome his sensitivity to hot water, the presence of other school-mates and of course his shyness. He has never mustered the courage to speak to her in class after all.

Sento: The Bathhouse

2016

Dolls poster
7.5

Dolls takes puppeteering as its overriding motif, which relates thematically to the action provided by the live characters. Chief among those tales is the story of Matsumoto and Sawako, a young couple whose relationship is about to be broken apart by the former's parents, who have insisted their son take part in an arranged marriage to his boss' daughter.

Dolls

2002

The Scarred Angel poster
NR

A musical film based on the original work of Saigo Teruhiko. After leaving the juvenile detention center and returning to his hometown of Ibusuki, Hachiro begins to investigate the cause of his older sister Sumiko's suicide. While Hachiro was in juvenile detention, Sumiko committed suicide, but there are too many mysteries surrounding this suicide...

The Scarred Angel

1966

Tokyo Drifter poster
7.1

After yakuza boss Kurata dissolves his own criminal empire, a rival kingpin offers a position to Kurata's top operative, Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo. When the fiercely loyal Tetsu declines, Otsuka taps unstoppable Tatsuzo the "Viper", a ruthless gun-for-hire, to assassinate him. As the Viper trails his target through the countryside, the agile Phoenix Tetsu grows concerned that one of his former associates has betrayed him.

Tokyo Drifter

1966

Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari poster
2.0

A couple flees Tokyo, their family and friends. The girlfriend is a member of a rock band. She is dating the man, but friends and family are against it compelling her to move away. They stay at an inn in an area in which they know no one. One inn employee finds out about their dilemma and introduces them to a local farmer who offers them work and a home.

Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari

2004

My Sweetheart poster
NR

It had been a year and four months since Mitsuo was last on a movie set. Welcomed back by director Ishizaki and his film crew, Mitsuo is excited to star as the lead in "My Sweetheart". One day, half way through production, he meets his friends from a popular rock group, "The Spiders". Through their discussion regarding the climax scene, they criticize that the script is too grim. In a notion to protect their friend's career, they decide to pay the scriptwriter a little visit.

My Sweetheart

1967

Outlaw: Gangster VIP poster
6.7

Goro had grown up in the yakuza world. As an active member of the Mizuhara family crime syndicate, he expressed his loyalty by always putting himself in the forefront of every battle. Violence never bothered him. However, after being sentenced to three years in prison for stabbing a rival gang’s hit man, he becomes disenchanted with the Yakuza life style. Goro is determined to start anew, but karma catches up. His two closest friends are murdered by his ex-boss. He is left with two options: to kill or be killed.

Outlaw: Gangster VIP

1968

Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love poster
NR

Sequel to Tokyo Drifter

Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love

1966

Merdeka 17805 poster
NR

True story of a number of Imperial Japanese Army officers and soldiers who remained in Indonesia to fight off European colonists trying to retake the country after Japan's surrender.

Merdeka 17805

2001

Lost Love poster
7.0

Shimamura is a young man whose family went broke and lost their house. One day, as he returns to his former house to get a camellia blooming from the garden, he sees a beautiful schoolgirl who lives there. After they coincidentally meet again they fall for each other, but she is already engaged.

Lost Love

1967

Top Swords Couple poster
NR

During a fierce battle in Japan's Warring States era, a young swordswoman named Yui is suddenly transported 500 years into the future by the mysterious blade Muramasa. Lost in modern-day Japan, Yui finds refuge at a traditional brewery in Usuki, Oita. While struggling to understand this unfamiliar world, she discovers something she has never seen before: KENDO, the modern martial art descended from the swordsmanship she devoted her life to mastering. The brewery's KENDO club, once proud and successful, is on the verge of collapse. Determined to protect what she believes is worth preserving, Yui helps revive the team alongside Masato Fujii, the brewery's young president and a former national champion who abandoned KENDO after inheriting the family business. As the team prepares for an impossible challenge against their long-time rivals, Yui and Masato grow closer. Yet the possibility that Yui may someday return to her own time threatens the future they are beginning to imagine together.

Top Swords Couple

2024

The School Cap poster
NR

A Tokyo student transfers to a rural school and finds it difficult to adjust himself to its customs and traditions. One of the customs is the wearing of an old school cap by a senior. It is a symbol of courage and bravery and is handed down to a new senior each year.

The School Cap

1963

Cruel Gun Story poster
6.7

Businessmen arrange the early release from prison of Togawa, serving time for taking revenge on the truck driver whose carelessness confined Togawa's sister, Rie, to a wheelchair. They want Togawa to hijack an armored truck loaded with 120 million yen; their leverage is to promise him money for surgery for Rie. Togawa consents and plans the heist with three others. The plan is solid, but it doesn't go smoothly. Togawa must improvise, there are traitors somewhere, and double-crosses mount. Can Togawa escape with enough money to help his sister and ensure a passage out of Japan?

Cruel Gun Story

1964

Natchan's Little Secret poster
6.5

When three drag queens, Virgin, Moririn, and Zubuko, learn that their mentor and former drag queen, Natchan, has died suddenly, they take it upon themselves to keep the secret of her sexuality from her bereaved family.

Natchan's Little Secret

2023

The Dragon of Macao poster
8.0

Ryu (Akira Kobayashi) sets foot on the Yokohama port with a suitcase filled with 300 thousand dollars. He was sent by a jewelry company in Hong Kong to retrieve a certain diamond that was stolen from them. The "Himalayan Star" is worth couple hundred million yen and unbeknown to Ryu, it now lays in the hands of Aizu (Jo Shishido), the infamous ”Pirate of the Tokyo Bay."

The Dragon of Macao

1965

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love poster
7.5

The story of a lone wolf struggling with human compassion and duty.

Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love

1971

A Long Goodbye poster
7.0

Mari and Humi learn from their mother that their father has dementia on his 70th birthday. They help prepare their mother for his farewell and prepare themselves for the emotions to follow.

A Long Goodbye

2019

New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 3: Last Days of the Boss poster
7.1

The eighth sequel of the series by the successful “Fukasaku and Bunta” collaboration revolves around the men of a lesser organization that are constantly bullied by the upper organization and “bleed in vain” in gang wars.

New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 3: Last Days of the Boss

1976

Ashita ni Mukatte Tsuppashire poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Ashita ni Mukatte Tsuppashire

1961

Our Meal for Tomorrow poster
6.0

A 7 year love story between Ryota Hayama and Koharu Uemura from their first date to eventual marriage. Ryota and Koharu are high school students. Ryota is indifferent to people and says very little. Koharu is not afraid of to speak her mind and she has a bright personality. Since a game of rice bag jump, they begin to date. They date at a fast-food restaurant, realize they love each other at a family restaurant and finally swear their love on a dining table with white rice.

Our Meal for Tomorrow

2017

Dear Tomorrow poster
NR

Youth drama

Dear Tomorrow

1969

Pursuit poster
NR

Tsuiseki is a 1961 crime film.

Pursuit

1961

Yellow Tears poster
5.0

The movie is centered around five friends as they end up spending the summer of 1962 shackled up together in a tiny studio apartment in Tokyo. The five friends are Eisuke - the manga artist, Shoichi - the singer, Ryuzo - the novelist, Kei - the painter and Yuji – the 5th wheel (?). The friends spend the summer in pursuit of their own ideals of personal freedom - being able to do what they want. In the process of pursuing their dream they learn firsthand that however ideal it may seem, its not as easy as they think.

Yellow Tears

2007

Outlaw: Goro the Assassin poster
6.6

On a cold winter day, Goro Fujikawa (Tetsuya Watari) and Masahiko murder the mob boss of Meishin-Kai. The deed costs them time in prison, but Goro had no shred of regret. When Goro is released 2 years later, Masahiko is dying in prison hospital and entrusts his last wish; "find my sister and take care of her." Goro leaves as a free man with a mission, but soon finds that he might have been better off in jail.

Outlaw: Goro the Assassin

1968