Akira Inoue

Directing

Akira Inoue

Born — Died

1928-12-10 — 2022-01-09

Place of birth

Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Known for

Directing

Credits

40 titles

Akira Inoue was born on 10 December 1928 in Kyoto, Japan. He was a director and assistant director, known for Zatoichi's Revenge (1965), Showdown at Night's End (1964) and Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell 2 (1982). He died on 9 January 2022 in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.

Known for

Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess poster
6.6

The masked daughter of the Shogun wants to kill a samurai who has seen her scarred face. She sends waves of ninja warriors to kill the samurai and plots diabolical schemes / ambushes without much success.

Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess

1966

Zatoichi's Revenge poster
6.6

Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi's recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss's brothel. With help from Denroku's daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.

Zatoichi's Revenge

1965

The Fir Trees Remain poster
NR

The 21-year-old feudal on Sendai, Tsunamune Date, was prohibited to go out in the daytime for his misbehavior during his short stay in Edo. On the next day, his 4 attendants were killed one after another. Sakai Utanokamike, the Rozyu, is turned out to be involved in this scheme, and the aim is to destroy the Date family. Tsunamune's brother Munekatsu Date who is willing to take over the family doesn't know the real purpose of Utanokami and helps him. Munesuku Harada gets to know the whole picture of the incident and takes action alone for the sake of protecting the Date family, leaving his own family. His lonely fight continues for 10 years and he got in danger in Utanokamike's house, and...

The Fir Trees Remain

1983

Secret Assignment poster
10.0

In 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

森の石松 poster
NR

One day, Mori no Ishimatsu (Kankuro Nakamura

森の石松

1992

Onihei Crime Files: Unibrow poster
8.0

Heizo "The Demon" investigates the shop of Toshimaya the swordsmith, where 280 ryo was stolen and twelve people murdered. This particular group of theives are most dangerous because of the willingness to kill for money, but what about this mysterious unibrow, who is he? What is he up to?

Onihei Crime Files: Unibrow

2007

Behind the camera

Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess poster
6.6

The masked daughter of the Shogun wants to kill a samurai who has seen her scarred face. She sends waves of ninja warriors to kill the samurai and plots diabolical schemes / ambushes without much success.

Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess

1966

Zatoichi's Revenge poster
6.6

Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi's recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss's brothel. With help from Denroku's daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.

Zatoichi's Revenge

1965

The Fir Trees Remain poster
NR

The 21-year-old feudal on Sendai, Tsunamune Date, was prohibited to go out in the daytime for his misbehavior during his short stay in Edo. On the next day, his 4 attendants were killed one after another. Sakai Utanokamike, the Rozyu, is turned out to be involved in this scheme, and the aim is to destroy the Date family. Tsunamune's brother Munekatsu Date who is willing to take over the family doesn't know the real purpose of Utanokami and helps him. Munesuku Harada gets to know the whole picture of the incident and takes action alone for the sake of protecting the Date family, leaving his own family. His lonely fight continues for 10 years and he got in danger in Utanokamike's house, and...

The Fir Trees Remain

1983

Secret Assignment poster
10.0

In 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

森の石松 poster
NR

One day, Mori no Ishimatsu (Kankuro Nakamura

森の石松

1992

Onihei Crime Files: Unibrow poster
8.0

Heizo "The Demon" investigates the shop of Toshimaya the swordsmith, where 280 ryo was stolen and twelve people murdered. This particular group of theives are most dangerous because of the willingness to kill for money, but what about this mysterious unibrow, who is he? What is he up to?

Onihei Crime Files: Unibrow

2007

Hanzo, the Razor poster
NR

During Tenpo period, Bakuhu announced a law regulating expenditures in order to improve the financial situation. However, Doshin of a government office Itami Hanzo, called Kamisori Hanzo, challenged Bakuhu's oppressive way. Because of this, his father Magobei was told to kill himself by the Bakuhu and Hanzo himself was demoted. Five years later, Hanzo came back to the government office and implement a law regulating expenditures. He stands up for revenge Torii Kainokami who desires power as he likes.

Hanzo, the Razor

1993

Kanto Woman Fortitude poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Kanto Woman Fortitude

1969

Drunken Harbor poster
NR

Third film of the yoidore hakase series

Drunken Harbor

1966

A Samurai's Sorrow poster
NR

A rare grouping of the three Tamura brothers, Masakazu, Takahiro, and Ryu highlight this exciting tale of a series of attempts on the life of Shogun Yoshimune. The Owari have longed for the post of shogun, and are willing to do anything, including murder, in order to achieve their goal. Directed by master filmmaker Inoue Akira, this action packed movie, based on a manga by Koike Kazuo who created the Baby Cart (Lone Wolf) series, is loaded with splendid swordplay and an intelligent story line. It all starts when poison is discovered in the shogun’s food. Can the brilliant swordsman Mondo (Tamura Masakazu) manage to save Japan’s leader from certain death?!

A Samurai's Sorrow

1993

Korosuna poster
7.7

Kotani Zenzaemon, a ronin who has a side job making brushes in a tenement house in the back alley, is watching Omine, who lives with him, from Kichizo, a resident of the same tenement house and a boatman. is asked to Kichizo and Mine have eloped and got married, but she feels empty in her boring daily life, and she wants to take a break by crossing the bridge over the river. On the other hand, Kichizo forbids him from crossing the bridge, fearing that his whereabouts will be known to others. Zenzaemon superimposes the appearance of these two people on the appearance of his former self and his wife, whom he killed himself.

Korosuna

2022

One Day in January poster
8.0

Every year on the fourth of January, Shobei's soba restaurant serves "Sanada Soba"; soba noodles topped with grated spicy daikon radish. Even regulars refrain from coming to the restaurant because of the extra spicy soba. But on year, a stranger comes in and finishes the bowl, announcing that it tastes familiar. The man begins to visit every year on the 4th of January to eat Sanada Soba. Shobei develops a warm feeling towards the peculiar customer he interacts with once a year.

One Day in January

2012

The Night before Pearl Harbor poster
9.5

The last film in the series brings the tale to the doorstep of Pacific War, with the planning of the bombing of Pearl Harbor dominant in Nakano Spy School.

The Night before Pearl Harbor

1968

10 Years - A Wife's Betrayal poster
NR

Urushibara Kazuki heads to Kyoto to explore the secret of his wife, Saeko, who is hospitalized for terminal cancer.

10 Years - A Wife's Betrayal

2004

Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict poster
7.5

A noble samurai serving the Shogun as 'Kogi Kaishaku-nin' (Official Executioner) is the target of a plot by the evil Yagyu Clan to take away his position and replace him with a member of their own family. When his wife is murdered and evidence is produced that he was plotting against the Shogun the Code of Bushido calls for him and his son to commit sepuku. Instead he defies the Shogun's orders and takes up arms against his enemies, becoming an assassin for hire.

Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict

1993

Benkei poster
10.0

At the end of the Heian period, Musashibo Benkei, a warrior monk who hated the Heike clan, was humiliated by his fellow monks and left the mountain monastery. Soon, Benkei competes with the Heike warriors on the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto and takes away their swords. One night he tried to stop a young man who had a beautiful sword on his belt and fought him, but he could not win. Knowing that this young man Ushiwakamaru (Minamoto no Yoshitsune) is looking for an opportunity to overthrow the Heike clan, Benkei asks him to let him join him.

Benkei

1997

Kagerō 4 poster
NR

In the Tosa in the early Showa era, the fourth series of Tempo active series that depicts the activity of the woman trainer involved in the conflict of two pairs of confrontation yakuza.

Kagerō 4

1998

Black Weapon poster
NR

Industrial espionage gets in the way of love and marriage for factory worker Katayanagi.

Black Weapon

1964

Shadow Hunters poster
8.0

The government in Edo era is suffering from a financial crisis. It hires "Kage" to provoke the collapse of small hans (prefectures). "Kagekari" are people who were hired by Daimyos (mayors of local governments) to resist kage. The young mayor of Suwa Takashiwa, Tadamaru was assaulted by a kage on his way to Edo. Zyubei and Gennnosuke, the Kagekaris, try to carry injured Tadamaru to Edo.

Shadow Hunters

1983

Invitation to Jail poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Invitation to Jail

1967

Kanto Woman Yakuza poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Kanto Woman Yakuza

1968

Onihei Crime Files Special: Bandits poster
NR

An old thief, Kuhei Sagiwara, used to visit his hometown at the foot of the Kurikara Pass in Kaga Province. Hiding from the rain, he overheard a secret conversation between three men, just like him, hiding from the rain. These three conspired to kill Heizo Hasegawa, the head of the arson and robbery police squad, and the head of these three is the outrageous villain, thief and murderer Jingoro Amikiri...

Onihei Crime Files Special: Bandits

2006

Kasajiro: The Kappa Marriage poster
NR

Sakane, a police officer nicknamed "Kasajiro," remains single. He meets Shinko, the daughter of a condemned smuggler with a kappa tattoo, in a mysterious encounter.

Kasajiro: The Kappa Marriage

1981

Samurai Justice: Assistance in a Duel poster
NR

The samurai Akiyama Daijiro is asked to help a young boy who tries to bring the man who murdered his father to justice. In the course of their quest they uncover a plot by one of the clan officials that could change the course of history.

Samurai Justice: Assistance in a Duel

2004

Onihei Gaiden: The Night Rabbit poster
7.0

Bandit leader "Night Rabbit" Kakuemon has always kept the rule to "never kill, never rape, never steal from the poor", passed down to him by the gang's previous leader. He has never been arrested, and for that, he always thought he would have a peaceful death. But one day, after talking to a young one-armed homeless girl, he decides to break up his gang and turn himself in.

Onihei Gaiden: The Night Rabbit

2011

The Law of Hell poster
NR

During the Tokugawa Shogunate, a band of smugglers use a tavern on an isolated island in Edo's Fukagawa district as their base of operations. After the unexpected arrival of an injured man with a troubled past, the men find themselves in a life-or-death situation.

The Law of Hell

1982

The Law of Hell poster
NR

During the Tokugawa Shogunate, a band of smugglers use a tavern on an isolated island in Edo's Fukagawa district as their base of operations. After the unexpected arrival of an injured man with a troubled past, the men find themselves in a life-or-death situation.

The Law of Hell

1982

The love song of farewell later poster
NR

A suspense drama based on Osamu Takahashi's original work starring Shinobu Otake. The shooting location of Gunkanjima is a famous tourist attraction. When Mansako returns to her husband's parents' house, she noticed a young man named Shinji playing drums at a village festival. Shinji who felt her gaze also looked back at Mansako. Masako invites Shinji to her house to welcome her husband together, and is witnessed by a housewife who came to inform her husband of the accidental death while helping him change clothes. She is stigmatized for infidelity. They are separated, but they vow to meet again 12 years later.

The love song of farewell later

1991

Samurai Justice: A Duel at Takadanobara poster
NR

Edo is rocked by the news that a duel to the death is to be held at Takadanobaba, the famed site of a bloody revenge fought by Nakayama Yasubei, who late married into the Ako clan where he was one of the 47 ronin who took vengeance against the vile Lord Kira. This hallowed spot is to host a match between two of the finest swordsmen in Edo. Each is backed by a high ranking direct vassal of the shogun, who had bet their family heirlooms on the outcome. The loser was to commit seppuku and have his clan disbanded. Meanwhile a band of brigands are placing their bets on the fencer who had earlier killed their leader. Can retired master swordsman Akiyama Kohei keep this from becoming a major disaster?

Samurai Justice: A Duel at Takadanobara

2005

Pinwheel Hamakichi’s Spell 2 poster
NR

Hamakichi, who used to be a detective is now a toy merchant. His former boss has a grudge against the Yakuza family, which leads to the murder of a policeman in Edo. This places Hamakichi between the rock and a hard place.

Pinwheel Hamakichi’s Spell 2

1982

Pinwheel Hamakichi’s Spell 2 poster
NR

Hamakichi, who used to be a detective is now a toy merchant. His former boss has a grudge against the Yakuza family, which leads to the murder of a policeman in Edo. This places Hamakichi between the rock and a hard place.

Pinwheel Hamakichi’s Spell 2

1982

The Thief and the Expelled Master poster
NR

The original novel is by Shugoro Yamamoto. It depicts a friendship that transcends social status and age, featuring the captivating monologue by Kunie Tanaka and moving expressions of the soul. When the thief Denkuro (Tanaka Kunie) sneaks into a dilapidated mansion, he finds a young samurai (Furuoya Masato) sleeping there. Despite being threatened, the young samurai remains unfazed and helps Denkuro when he falls into a hole in the floor. Denkuro receives a pair of straw sandals from the young samurai who says he hasn't eaten anything for three days, and the next morning Denkuro goes out to buy food and prepare breakfast. From that day on, Denkuro takes care of the naive and helpless young samurai, nicknamed "Nobusan."

The Thief and the Expelled Master

1987

Straw hat of Itako poster
10.0

A film about young wandering Yakuza. Yukio Hashi's first film role.

Straw hat of Itako

1961

Hashi Monogatari: Konuka Ame poster
8.5

Having lost her parents at a young age, Osumi was taken in by her uncle, who ran a shoe shop, and grew up without ever experiencing happiness or a sense of joy. Against her will, she was betrothed to a rough-mannered clog maker named Katsuzo, and she lived a gloomy life. Then one night, a stranger named Shinshichi suddenly bursts into her home, where she lives alone, and begs her to hide him. As she reluctantly takes in this man with a mysterious past, Osumi gradually begins to feel a flutter in her heart.

Hashi Monogatari: Konuka Ame

2017

Women's Prison poster
10.0

A prostitute and her stepfather are falsely accused of murder, imprisoned, sexually abused and tortured. The real murderer will be discovered - and the girl will take revenge.

Women's Prison

1968

Chichi kara no tegami poster
NR

Inuzuka (Hirotaro Honda), who asked about Mamiko (Rei Dan)'s disappeared father, Shinkichi (Ren Osugi), and her lover, Keiichi (Tetta Sugimoto), was murdered. A "letter" from her disappeared father holds the key.

Chichi kara no tegami

2007

Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell poster
NR

Hamakichi was a former detective respected by everyone but he was arrested after he helped a criminal flee for money, which he needed for his child’s medical treatment. Five years later, he is allowed to enter Edo with a fresh start. He make ends meet by selling toys. One day, he meets Otoki, a woman who is a lookalike of his late wife and who is being pursued by a mysterious man.

Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell

1981

Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell poster
NR

Hamakichi was a former detective respected by everyone but he was arrested after he helped a criminal flee for money, which he needed for his child’s medical treatment. Five years later, he is allowed to enter Edo with a fresh start. He make ends meet by selling toys. One day, he meets Otoki, a woman who is a lookalike of his late wife and who is being pursued by a mysterious man.

Pinwheel Hamakichi's Spell

1981

Showdown at Night's End poster
NR

Set against the backdrop of a port city, this action-packed story follows a man who makes a living selling daily necessities to foreign ships entering the harbor. When he believes he’s been set up, he finds himself caught in a trap and forced to become an accomplice to smuggling.

Showdown at Night's End

1964

Mofuku no niau hitozuma futari poster
NR

Yuki Kimura, a company president's secretary, agrees to marry his son Yutaka on the president's recommendation. When Yutaka breaks up with his lover, a hostess, she implies she's going to commit suicide. In a panic to get to her quickly, Yutaka punches a man at a taxi stand. The next day, when Yutaka's lover hears the news about a man dying and realizes it was the man Yutaka punched, she demands money...

Mofuku no niau hitozuma futari

1986