
Acting
Isao Yamagata
Born — Died
1915-07-25 — 1996-06-28
Place of birth
London, England, UK
Known for
Acting
Credits
64 titles
Known for
8.5A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
Seven Samurai
1954
7.0The story chronicles the life of Ii Naosuke.
Life of a Flower
1963
8.2The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped by the lord. Her husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to rescue her.
Samurai Rebellion
1967
10.0Kohei Akiyama, a popular master swordsman, and his son Daijiro live in the town of Edo in good faith. While running a dojo, Daijiro and his father find themselves wrapped up in a series of events with the town's people.
Kenkaku Shōbai
1973
7.7A married Japanese forester during WWII is sent to Indochina to manage forests. He meets a young Japanese typist and promises to leave his wife. He doesn't and after the war, she turns up and the affair resumes.
Floating Clouds
1955
6.7In 8th-century China, the Emperor grieves the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their court influence. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen, whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets.
Princess Yang Kwei-fei
1955
Film credits
1970s · 3 titles
7.1Ogami Itto volunteers to be tortured by Yakuza in order to save a prostitute and is hired by their leader to kill an evil chamberlain.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades
1972
NRSet against the dramatic backdrop of the downfall of an old aristocratic family, this is the story of its last representant: Lady Yuki.
A Picture of Madame Yuki
1975
6.0A detective is charged with investigating a bank corruption scandal.
Kaoyaku
1971
1960s · 18 titles
8.2The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped by the lord. Her husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to rescue her.
Samurai Rebellion
1967
7.1Zatoichi's trek through 88 temples to atone for his violent past is interrupted as he stumbles into a village terrorized by a violent yakuza boss.
Zatoichi's Pilgrimage
1966
10.0In the fourth film of series, Secret Assignment, Raizo again plays the Jiro Shiina. This time he's out to discover who is spying for the British in the Foreign Ministry, under the code name “Cat's Eye”.
Secret Assignment
1967
7.1In the fourth installment, Musashi's potentially greatest opponent Kojiro jumps in and out of the story at the oddest and most coincidental moments. As his great love Otsu has succumbed to madness. Musashi then sets off to beat the functionaries of a treacherous clan in an arranged duel. 73 against one. Boastful Kojiro watches, secure in the knowledge that only he is a worthy opponent.
Miyamoto Musashi IV: The Duel at Ichijo-ji Temple
1964
6.3G-men challenge a jewelry smuggling ring. The chase starts in Kyushu and continues to Kobe to Yokohama.
G-Men in the Pacific
1962
7.5Because of trickery, the Jinya Group has only seven days to complete a mountain road project or it will forfeit a major dam construction job to the scheming Ojika Group.
Code of Ruffians
1965
10.0Newly out of prison after killing his boss' rival, Akio Maki is eager to move on and start a new life with the boss' daughter. However, the chains of the past are not so easily broken and Maki is soon ordered to kill again.
Black Strait
1964
6.0Kurando is a retired samurai. Granted a last-second reprieve from the obligation to commit harakiri, he decides to settle down and marry one of the two kabuki actresses who helped him enjoy what he thought would be his final days.
The Master Spearman
1960
7.0No synopsis available yet.
Knightly Advice
1962
NRWhile on his journey through the countryside of Japan, Shingo encounters many people whose lives have been affected by his actions. Though the many duels he fought were intended to bring justice to those who sought to do evil, he is faced with the knowledge that his victories have also caused suffering amont the family members of his victims-leading him to question his life's philosophy. This superb film is the final chapter in this part of Shingo's story. A fitting tribute to his quest to be the supreme swordsman.
20 Duels of Young Shingo: Conclusion
1963
7.8A Tokugawa Daimyo rebels against an his lord after the battle of Sekigahara. Samurai Matabei, a famous spear fighter and warrior, is a vassal of lord Honjo. One of Honjo's most trusted under-lords is Sanzaemon. He has designs on Matabei's fief, and he plots to kill Matabei. He finally convinces Lord Honjo of Matabei's guilt. Now Matabei must fight to survive.
Lord of Steel Heart
1961
8.5Playhouse employees Okimi and Otoshi become involved in an undercover officer’s investigation of a gang when they accidentally walk in on a drug deal taking place at their theater.
Travels of Hibari and Chiemi: The Tumultuous Journey
1962
9.0A family is brutally murdered in their own home and the official government's sake dealer is framed as a rebel by a corrupt member of the Shogun's Council of Elders. Young Lord decides to take on the Shogun's vile chief attendant.
Case of a Young Lord 8
1960
6.5Fishmonger Tasuke and Shogun Iemitsu swap their identities in pretence for the protection of Iemitsu.
The Shogun and the Fishmonger
1961
6.3[Period covered: 1637-1651] This is one of the most complicated plots of any of the Shinobi no Mono films! This film tells the story of Saizo’s son, Kirigakure Saisuke, who after seeing his father die at the Battle Of Shimabara, grows up to be an expert ninja. Before he dies, “Mist” Saizo tells his children Saisuke, and Yuri that they are not really brother and sister. She, in fact, is the daughter of the late lord Sanada Yukimura, and must be saved from the shogun’s forces. In the chess match of spy versus spy, can Saisuke defeat the shogun’s chief strategist, Matsudaira Izunokami at his own game? Showing many exciting ninja tactics, it is not to be missed.
Shinobi No Mono 6: The Last Iga Spy
1965
6.0The legendary one-eyed one-armed swordsman Tange Sazen is back to aid a Magistrate in his efforts to steal bribe money on its way to Edo for the benefit to poor farmers.
Return of the One-Armed Swordsman
1960
6.0Three young yakuza, Fujitaro, Matsugoro and Kanjuro, travel the country fighting evil.
Mark of Blood
1962
7.0His skill and courage were the best in Japan! The life story of Jirocho, a man who protected people on the Tokaido Road. The fearless Kinnosuke Nakamura enthusiastically plays the young Jirocho from Shimizu in this chivalrous story.
Jirocho’s Days of Youth: Boss of the Tokai Region
1960
1950s · 38 titles
8.5A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
Seven Samurai
1954
7.7A married Japanese forester during WWII is sent to Indochina to manage forests. He meets a young Japanese typist and promises to leave his wife. He doesn't and after the war, she turns up and the affair resumes.
Floating Clouds
1955
6.7In 8th-century China, the Emperor grieves the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their court influence. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen, whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets.
Princess Yang Kwei-fei
1955
9.0No synopsis available yet.
The Unleashed Lord
1959
NRA passionate young man who risks his life for love and judo and the innocent young woman who adores him face off against an evil judoka at Chidorigafuchi.
The Big Four of the Kodokan
1955
7.1Japan, 1159. Moritō, a brave samurai, performs a heroic act by rescuing the lovely Kesa during a violent uprising. Moritō falls in love with her, but becomes distraught when he finds out that she is married.
Gate of Hell
1953
NRA lighthearted comedy featuring city dwellers flocking to a remote mountain hot spring inn, all entangled in the mystery of hidden gold bars.
The Buried Treasure
1956
6.7Shozo is plagued by the needs of his ex-wife and his current one, but prefers the company of his cat.
Shozo, a Cat and Two Women
1956
8.2After settling the matter of shogunal succession, the retired Old Lord of Mito finds himself in a sea of trouble when he gets involved in the succession of the Takamatsu clan. The usurpers try by every means to effect their takeover, even if it leads to blood being spilled. Along with Kaku and Suke, the elder must face the most dangerous time of his life, in a battle against those corrupt individuals who would use any means to further their dastardly conspiracy, regardless of how many lives might be destroyed. The great Misora Hibari gives a bravura performance, as does the rest of this all-star cast. This is another outstanding effort on the part of the Toei Films, blending fact and fiction to bright back Japan’s golden era of the Genroku period.
Lord Mito 2: The Nation's Vice Shogun
1959
NRA passionate singer who’s rough around the edges but has a warm heart; a kind-hearted, impoverished painter who devotes himself wholeheartedly; and a beautiful opera singer loved by both of them—the joys and sorrows of Asakusa during the golden age of opera.
Asakusa Lights
1956
NRNo synopsis available yet.
Bara no kōdōkan
1956
7.0Wandering swordsman Kanbei, parading through town with a sign that reads "Seeking fights, selling my life cheap." One day, he receives a request from the star of the daughter's kabuki, Nakamura Tsurukichi. However, unable to bear seeing a face reminiscent of his first love, he disappears as soon as the task is completed. But later, Tsurukichi returns to ask Kanbei for help once again...
Kanbei's Bargain Sale
1958
NRGombei is Nameless, a wanderer who is skilled with a sword and has a great sense of humor, who tries to save the good people of the Kiso Valley, he gets into a fight with local bad bosses who behave badly on the Tokaido road in the Kiso Valley.
Goblin's Highway
1957
5.0During the Warring States era of early 17th century Japan, teenage princess Sen is besieged with other members of her family in Osaka Castle, by a rival force led by her grandfather.
The Princess Sen
1954
NRA swordsman must foil a minister's sinister plan to assassinate the shogun.
The Mansion of Intrigue
1957
5.6Ryukichi, the pampered heir to a cosmetics wholesaler, abandons his wife and child to pursue a scandalous affair with a famous geisha named Choko. This betrayal leads his father to disown him, leaving the unskilled Ryukichi with no way to earn a living. To keep them afloat, Choko is forced to continue working as a geisha while secretly scraping together a nest egg to start their own business. However, Ryukichi remains trapped in his hedonistic lifestyle, eventually squandering Choko’s hard-earned savings on his own self-indulgence.
Marital Relations
1955
8.0An all-star cast highlights this Jidai-Geki classic. Set in the samurai era, this is the tale of period Yakuza. One of the real classics in this genre. In this dramatic portrayal of the real-life gambling boss Jirocho, a good-hearted and honest boss sets out to take revenge for a fellow boss. At the same time, the other local bosses, in a bid to increase their own power, plot to dispose of Jirocho. Starring Kataoka Chiezo in one of his signature roles, this is an excellent portrayal of a figure who is not well known outside of Japan. Co-starring Nakamura Kinnosuke, this exciting tale of period yakuza brings history to life.
Shimizu Port of Chivalry
1957
7.8Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a brilliant tactician, is a loyal subject of the emperor, despite his grave misgivings about leading Japan's navy into war with the United States. He opposes the attack on Pearl Harbor, but, overruled, he leads his forces to the best of his ability.
The Eagle of the Pacific
1953
NRPeriod drama directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
Lords of Oppression 2
1957
7.0A man’s wife dies in a swamp. Her ghost returns to haunt him.
The Swamp
1956
5.0When Katsukawa, a low ranking vassal, learns that his greedy superior, Tatewaki, has hatched a plan to expand his territory, he and his comrades decide to take matters into their own hands. Lots of action in this all-star production from Toei Films, the foremost studio during that era. As with so many of their films, this is highly entertaining, with lots of plot twists and exciting swordplay
Seven from Edo
1958
6.0This historical film depicts the life of a man who was at the mercy of the waves during transition from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji Restoration, and therefore, shows audience the dynamic change from Edo to Meiji. Before the war, the director, Eisuke Takizawa, together with the writers, formed a scenario writer group "Narutaki-gumi and they shot many historical masterpieces.
The Samurai of Edo
1955
NRDuring the seventh-year memorial service for Katsugoro and Genji, Ikari Genji himself emerged from the coffin brought in by the hearse seeking revenge
Hell's Companion
1959
6.8A touching story depicting the harsh lives of farmers in Kasumigaura. An attempt to start a fishery business to revive an ailing farming community creates friction amongst the proud residents.
Rice
1957
6.6When Boss Juzo's Shinmachi Yakuza family struck fear into the hearts of his adversaries, Boss Shohei's Okabe Yakuza family with a merciless gang of raiders, Itaro of Asama was missing. With the courage of a lion he had gone off to face the enemy and settle the score all by himself. As a result he had to take the blame in place of Boss Shohei, and went off to adventures on his own.
Roughneck From Asama
1958
NRNo synopsis available yet.
The Black Hooded Man Rides Again
1959
7.0First 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
NRAn adaptation of the famous novel by Jiromasa Gunji about the difficult story of Niiro Tsuruchiyo, the illegitimate son of the great elder of the Bakumatsu era, Ii Naosuke. This masterpiece depicts the suffering and love of Tsuruchiyo, who never knew his father until the end of his life. Niiro Tsuruchiyo, the illegitimate son of Elder Ii Naosuke, grew up with his mother, a former geisha. However, he was refused an engagement to Yae, the daughter of Samanosuke Yoshimura from the Maeda domain of Kaga Province, to whom she tied her future. After this refusal, Tsuruchiyo begins to be interested in the mystery of his birth…
Japan Samurai: Niiro Tsuruchiyo
1955
NRThe 39th "Tengu Kurama" feature starring Arashi.
Kurama Tengu: Goyō tō ihen
1956
7.0A film adaptation of Rikuo Honjo's novel "Ishikari River".
Samurai of the Great Earth
1956
5.3Large star-shaped aliens travel to earth in hopes of warning them about an oncoming catastrophe. To prevent panic about their appearance, one alien takes the form of a popular singer.
Warning from Space
1956
Second film in the Boy Detectives Club series.
The Boy Detectives Club – The Devil with Twenty Faces
1956
NRAdaptation of the novel by Kan Shimozawa.
Virtue in Spades
1956
NRNo synopsis available yet.
Akuma no kao
1957
NRTatsuo Torigoe, the president of Torigoe Industries, attempts suicide but survives and reveals his motives for suicide to his only daughter, Akiko.
Night of the Suspicions
1959
6.5A math teacher loses his job while falling in love with a local girl.
Mr. Pu
1953
7.0A young, struggling couple are making every sacrifice so they will one day in the not-too-distant-future, have enough money to get married. As they have agreed on this procedure, it comes as a shock to the young woman to find out from her husband-to-be that he just loaned all the money they had saved to a friend. She is understandably miffed, and a big disagreement results. But after some time goes by, she discovers why the friend needed the money so badly, and the couple are back on solid footing again.
The Naked Sun
1958
8.0A young samurai learns that he is the illegitimate son of the Shogun. Hoping to reunite with his birth father, he travels to Edo to find Shogun Yoshimune.
Shingo's Original Challenge, Part 1 and 2
1959
Series credits
7.0The story chronicles the life of Ii Naosuke.
Life of a Flower
1963
10.0Kohei Akiyama, a popular master swordsman, and his son Daijiro live in the town of Edo in good faith. While running a dojo, Daijiro and his father find themselves wrapped up in a series of events with the town's people.
Kenkaku Shōbai
1973
NRKanbei Hamidashi aka Tsukada Kambei was originally a direct retainer and head of a large group but could not fit into the organization and spent his days drinking and fighting. Such a Kambei receives an appointment as a secret inspector from Ometsuke Doi Masatoshi and sets out on a journey around various countries. A town girl Okon (accompanies him as a money watcher while Yoriki Ariga Tozaburo disguises himself as Senda to accompany him as an alcohol watcher. In addition to them, a "poverty god" disguised as a monk follows them as their watcher. Kambei punishes evil wherever he goes on his journey with his troublesome watchers.
Kanbei's Wandering Adventures
1973
No synopsis available yet.
危険な誘拐
1982

