
Acting
Shigeru Kōyama
Born — Died
1929-01-16 — 2017-01-03
Place of birth
Kure, Hiroshima, Japan
Known for
Acting
Credits
79 titles
Known for
6.6American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.
American Playhouse
1982
7.0No synopsis available yet.
Furuya Ikkou's Great Detective Kindaichi Kousuke Series
1983
7.9Former delinquent turned unconventional prosecutor Kohei Kuryu shakes up the legal world with his street-smart instincts and unorthodox style, clashing with ambitious colleague Maiko Amamiya while his relentless pursuit of justice gradually transforms those around him.
Hero
2001
7.0Continuation of the popular series of films about the assassins in Edo. This show marks the return of the jidaigeki series "Hissatsu Shigotonin," which has had several seasons between the 1970s and the 1990s. The franchise came back in 2007 with a one-shot special, but this is its first full season since 1992. Makoto Fujita returns as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo, one of the "shigotonin," a team of hired assassins.
Mission To Kill
2009
NRLuzon Sukezaemon is a merchant who imports vases from the Philippines. The vases are highly valued as tea utensils and he makes a huge profit. This was the first taiga drama to concentrate on the lives of commoners and the reviled merchant class of the Tokugawa period. It documents the rise and fall of the merchant city of Sakai, as seen by its most famous resident, the semilegendary Luzon.
Ōgon no Hibi
1978
6.6Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.
Black Rain
1989
Film credits
2000s · 5 titles
6.7Young assassins Azumi and Nagara continue their mission to prevent a civil war. In their hunt for Masayuki Sanada, who is protected by both an army and a dangerous clan, they meet Ginkaku, a person who shows a remarking resemblance with former friend Nachi.
Azumi 2: Death or Love
2005
6.1The movie takes place again in the fictional Wangan Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department the once empty space within Wangan's jurisdiction has become a popular tourist attraction. When a string of murders of company execs begins taking place, Aoshima jumps at the opportunity to pursue something other than his current case, which he finds less than inspiring. However the powers that be have other ideas, and Wangan again plays host to a special investigation team from headquarters. Aoshima's friend Superintendent Shinji Muroi, assigned by headquarters to assist Okita, is again powerless to help the local officers as decisions are made by the higher ups.
Bayside Shakedown 2
2003
6.7Onchi was exiled to posts around Asia and Africa due to his work as head of a labor union for National Air Line. He is ordered to return to head office after ten years, and continues to struggle. When a National Air Line plane is involved in the worst air disaster in Japanese history, he is assigned to console and provide restitution to the families of the victims.
The Unbroken
2009
5.4A new magistrate in the town of Horisoto—widely reputed to be the most lawless township in Japan, uses guile and his opponents' own misperceptions and prejudices to defeat his enemies and uproot corruption.
Dora-heita
2000
6.0A rowdy, young yakuza takes revenge against a gang of thousands for the death of his boss.
The Man in White Part 2: Requiem for the Lion
2003
1990s · 15 titles
6.5Aoshima, a police detective working in the Bayside Precinct, is continually frustrated by the hierarchy and red tape that plague the system. His friend Muroi is climbing the ladder of the police bureaucracy. Muroi has made a pact with Aoshima that while Aoshima looks after the streets, Muroi would make life easier for the cops on the beat. One day in Bayside, a series of events turns the small station upside down.
Bayside Shakedown
1998
7.4Kon Ichikawa's retelling of the classic true story of Samurai honor. When a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), his loyal followers (now Ronin, masterless Samurai) dedicate their lives to avenging his death.
47 Ronin
1994
5.9Rin Jyoshima lost her father to death-by-gambling; years later, she's grown up in the Kosugi household and has fallen victim to gambling herself.
Heat Wave
1991
7.7Kounosuke Mibu and Tae Horikawa are unable to forget each other, even though they met and fell in love 20 years ago. They had promised each other that they would build a retreat in Shiguretei, but Ushio was hospitalized after a stroke a few days later, and when his wife, Takako, rushed to the hospital, she discovered their love affair, which in reality had not gone beyond kissing. Now, 20 years later, against the advice of her ikebana mentor, Tae rushes to meet Ushio at Shiguretei, only to see him clutching his chest in pain. Eventually, the design and plans for the dream retreat are seen by Tae, but she has to visit Kyoto alone... or maybe she's heading for somewhere else.
Diary of Early Winter Shower
1998
7.0In the midst of a bad economy, Yokoyama, the vice president of Taiyo Real Estate, launches a plan to cut back on his labor force. Fifty employees are segregated into a special assignment division and given an ultimatum: meet a sales goal of 1.5 billion yen within three months or be fired. Spiteful of their unjust treatment, two men, Shinoda and Takigawa, take up the battle against the ruthless Yokoyama.
Lifetime Insecurity
1994
6.7A wealthy matriarch is kidnapped by a gang of three. She is insulted by the amount of money they propose to demand as ransom, and a strange interchange of roles takes place.
Rainbow Kids
1991
NRIn a maelstrom of evil, can a new magistrate, samurai Mochizuki Koheita, with a reputation like an alley cat, bring order to the town of Horisoto, or is he, too a corrupt villain looking to gain wealth from the oppressed people? From the pen of famed samurai author Yamamoto Shugoro, this exciting tale turns the tables on the standard samurai story with a unique lead character previously portrayed in Ichikawa Kon’s “Dora Heita.”
Chronicle of the Town Magistrate
1992
6.5During the age of warring clans (Sengoku Jidai), many samurai lords sought to unite the country under their banners by becoming the supreme leader. One of the first to vie for power in this way was Saito Dosan, the 'Viper'. His son-in-law, Oda Nobunaga, did in fact unite the nation after subduing all of his enemies, yet falling at last to the treachery of one of his most trusted generals. This story is a pre-cursor to those later events as the brilliant military strategist Saito Dosan rises to power and notoriety as a great lord in his own right. Directed by Kudo Eiichi and with a tremendous supporting cast that includes Nakamura Toru as Oda Nobunaga and Chiba Shinichi as Akechi Mitsutsugu, battle scenes of awesome power and a unique view of Japanese history, this is a marvelous production highlighted by the action scenes done by the Japan Action Club (JAC).
Saito Dosan: Rage of Power
1991
6.5A dying pianist composes one final song for his childhood friend.
Bloom in the Moonlight “The Story of Rentaro Taki”
1993
6.8The early days of the Tokugawa shogunate are brought to light in this exciting historical tale of broken vows and violent swordplay. In an ambush the heir to the shogun’s seat is brutally cut down by those who hope to install the emperor’s 5th son as military leader of the nation.
The Great Shogunate Battle
1991
10.0The Girls' Division of Okinawa Normal School and the First Okinawa Prefectural High School for Girls were also known as "Himeyuri no Gakuen". In July 1944, the students, who were supposed to spend their summer vacations at home, were called back to school to prepare for the coming war and to fulfill their duties as subjects of the Imperial State. The fate of the girls and teachers awaited them as the American army attacked.
Himeyuri no To
1995
6.8A band of samurai warriors places a curse on a family fortune thus frustrating the heir 4 centuries later.
The 8-Tomb Village
1996
7.0Yasuo Furuhata directs this romantic yakuza flick based on a book by popular romance novelist Tomiko Miyao. Set in 1932, the film centers on Peony (Yoko Minamino), a geisha who was forced into the business at a young age by her dissipated father.
Midwinter Camellia
1992
9.0A criminal syndicate wants detective Onihei dead, but the resolute hero proves to be hard to kill.
Onihei's Detective Records
1995
When Nizaemon Kumogiri, a major thief quits his job as a thief, he has two more big jobs planned in order to obtain a huge sum of money to enable his many subordinates scattered all over the country to live out the rest of their lives. First, he targets Matsuya, a medicine wholesaler in Nagoya and seduces the master of the shop by using his female subordinate, Nanakake. He then calls upon Sanji, a skilled locksmith to Nagoya, but the bandit Yagura no Fukuemon who is plotting to intercept the thief plots to extract Sanji for a large sum of money. Furthermore, Abe Shikibu, the chief of the firebrand bandit reformatory who is obsessed with Nizaemon's arrest, sends his men to Nagoya.
Kumokiri Nizaemon: The Great Bandit
1991
1980s · 12 titles
6.6Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.
Black Rain
1989
7.4Depicts the bloody siege of the fortress of Port Arthur, one of the most strongly fortified positions in the world, during the Russo-Japanese War of (1904 - 1905). In the story dominated the character Lt Takeshi Kogyo (Teruhiko Aoi), teachers, and a reserve officer who became commander of the platoon and later company. At the same time monitors the conduct of the army commander general Nogi (Tatsuya Nakadai), which was commissioned of the emperor Matsuhito (Toshirô Mifune) to the conquest of the fort.
Port Arthur
1980
7.2Two Japanese scientists, Ushioda and Ochi, develop a bond with their sled dogs while on an expedition in Antarctica.
Antarctica
1983
6.6A lavish retelling of the true story of the final voyage and ultimate destruction and sinking of the battleship Yamato, Japan's greatest flagship during the Second World War.
The Imperial Navy
1981
8.0The president of the Japanese National Railways is found dead during a period in which train service is plagued by numerous layoffs, strikes and shutdowns. The government says that the president was murdered; the police claim it was a suicide. A quizzical reporter follows the case for years, but the basic question remains unanswered: was the victim killed by members of the burgeoning Communist movement in Japan, or was the death stage-managed by the authorities in hopes of discrediting the Communists?
Willful Murder
1981
7.8Yuki, the wife of a leading member of the Domoto family, must assume her husband’s role as a yakuza boss while he serves out a prison sentence. As she grows into her new role, she manages to assert control and increase the influence of her organization. But when her husband is released from prison, she finds him a changed man, lacking the character necessary to be a powerful yakuza leader. Conflict ensues and their marriage is challenged by a desire for power.
Yakuza Ladies 2
1987
5.3Filled with guilt over his forbidden desires, a young man leaves home and his studies. He finds a new smaller place to stay, a low-paying but satisfying job and a girlfriend. Then his mother, unable to fight her forbidden desires, shows up.
Moment of Demon
1985
7.0Two interns and a nurse are interrogated by American MPs for their involvement in an atrocity during the war: the vivisections of a downed American air crew.
The Sea and Poison
1986
6.2Grandfather Fuyukichi Takano, a former university professor, gets fired from his museum job when he is affected by Alzheimer's disease, but his affliction serves to deepen family ties. Japan's submission to the 58th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Gray Sunset
1985
7.0A run-in with the police once again puts three former reformatory inmates on the wrong side of the law. Their situation becomes increasingly desperate as events spin out of control, culminating in an audacious hijack at sea...
The Shootout
1982
6.2Also known as: For My Daughter's 7th Birthday. Many years following her mother’s suicide, Maya seeks out her father, who deserted them, for revenge. All intertwined with the investigation of journalists into local murders, the manipulations of a palmist known as the “blue moth”, and political corruption.
Lullaby of Death
1982
8.0In a factory that prioritizes profits amid economic downturns, a female worker criticized for her poor performance commits suicide, prompting her colleagues to strike and demand improved working conditions.
Ah! Nomugi Pass — Fresh Green Edition
1982
1970s · 16 titles
7.4A high school science teacher is the butt of all his students' jokes, until their bus is hijacked on a school trip. But something more sinister lurks beneath the surface: he's building an atomic bomb in his apartment.
The Man Who Stole the Sun
1979
6.3In feudal Japan, when any commerce with the rest of the world is strictly prohibited, an idealist appears at an isolated inn, headquarters of smugglers with stolen money intended to ransom his loved one forced to work in a brothel.
Inn of Evil
1971
6.6Two infantry regiments of the Imperial Japanese Army—210 men overall—tackled Mt. Hakkoda in the winter of 1902 to prepare for war with Russia.
Mount Hakkoda
1977
6.8Zatoichi treks to a village that has always been a favorite spot of his, only to discover that it’s become a living hell, plagued by feuding father and son yakuza as well as the younger crime boss’s bodyguard, scruffy, smart-mouthed, cash-hungry Yojimbo of legend.
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
1970
6.6Convicted of murder, Masayuki Ueda is sent to Hiroshima Prison along with his accomplice. But for a man like him, breaking out of prison is easy.
The Rapacious Jailbreaker
1974
6.9When bribe money from a rigged election funnels into a dam construction project, collusion, lust, greed and even murder are on the ballot.
Solar Eclipse
1975
6.1UFOs appear on Earth, and people who actually see them suddenly find that their blood has turned blue. Soon panic and hysteria result in the new "blue-bloods" being persecuted by the rest of mankind, and eventually certain all-too-familiar measures begin to be taken against them.
Blood Type: Blue
1978
7.2An industrialist is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is abroad in Europe at the time, and a glimpse of a Japanese woman in that setting causes him to imagine her as the personification of his impending fate. As his dialogue with his imagined mortality continues, he meets the living woman, the template for his fantasy, and together, they tour rural churches. Gradually, he comes to some kind of peace about the diagnosis. When he returns to Japan, he is met with a series of challenges that profoundly test the lessons he has learned.
The Fossil
1975
7.8The Americans are swiftly closing on Okinawa, an island just south of the Japanese mainland. The Imperial command sends top generals and several army divisions to defend it at all costs. The mission quickly degenerates as vital resources and troops are diverted to other islands. After a civilian evacuation ends in tragedy most of non-combatants are forced to remain on the island. Many convert to soldier status. Tokyo sends mixed messages that squander time and resources, as when they order the defenders to build an airstrip for aircraft that never come. The truth soon becomes obvious: the high command decides that the island cannot be held and effectively abandons the Okinawan defenders. When the Americans land many troops are deployed in the wrong places. As the slaughter mounts, a suicidal attitude takes hold. Okinawa becomes a death trap, for civilian volunteers and non-combatants as well.
The Battle of Okinawa
1971
6.8Masao is falsely accused and jailed for the murder of a loanshark to whom he owed a lot of money. His sister Kiriko makes the long trip to Tokyo, specifically to accost Otsuka, Japan's top criminal defence lawyer, and plead with him to take her brother's case. They live in Kitakyushu which, though a city, she contends that the local lawyers are not up to the job. Otsuka contemptuously brushes her off. A year passes. Masao has suicided in jail, his appeal having failed due to the lack of interest and competence of the local defence lawyer. Kiriko returns to Tokyo, planning revenge on Otsuka for refusing the case and causing her brother's death.
Sweet Revenge
1977
7.2Taking the Chilean coup as an example, a group of young officers plan to overthrow the Japanese government on V-J Day. They aim to abolish the post-war constitution, restore the national army and revive the traditional spirit of Japan. As the conspiracy is exposed, the coup squadrons are wiped out one by one. The remaining squadron takes over a night train bound for Tokyo.
August Without Emperor
1978
4.0Nakadai is an English teacher at a local school. He’s put-upon like the patron figure of dozens of films and televisions shows. Viewers who are especially fans of Nakadai will appreciate how the actor comically rants about here. His home life is almost disastrous, with a ditzy (but attractive) wife, three young children, a loud school nearby that’s controlled by a corrupt businessman he loathes, and frequent visits from layabout friends. And the grey-furred, green-eyed cat!
I Am a Cat
1975
7.5The second film in Toho's series on the military history of the Showa era, Hiromichi Horikawa's war drama offers a look at the career of controversial politician Hideki Tojo and the strained relationships between Japan's government, military, and the media.
The Militarists
1970
7.6To solve the mystery of a murder of an old governess which takes place at a wealthy Daidoji family's country estate, family secrets and lies dating back several generations must be sorted out once and for all.
Queen Bee
1978
7.5A top police-guard, charged with protecting a visiting politician and ruthless dictator, contends with an assassin set to kill the man.
The Creature Called Man
1970
4.8Tadashi Iki returns to Japan from a Soviet gulag 11 years after being captured during the invasion of Manchuria. He is offered a position in the expansive Kinki Corporation, but rival corporations are competing for a government contract to produce fighter planes.
The Corporation
1976
1960s · 9 titles
7.7Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.
Kwaidan
1965
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
7.0A pair of down-on-their-luck swordsmen arrive in a dusty, windblown town, where they become involved in a local clan dispute. One, previously a farmer, longs to become a noble samurai. The other, a former samurai haunted by his past, prefers living anonymously with gangsters. But when both men discover the wrongdoings of the nefarious clan leader, they side with a band of rebels who are under siege at a remote mountain cabin.
Kill!
1968
7.3A dramatisation of the 24-hour period in which the Japanese government was deadlocked over the decision to accept or reject the Allies' demand for an unconditional surrender following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Japan's Longest Day
1967
7.0On a small island, inhabited by only fourteen hundred people, a young fisherman's son, Shinji falls in love with Hatsue, the daughter of the richest and most difficult man on the island. Despite their differences in class, they begin to meet and rumors spread of them having an illicit affair. Soon after, Shinji jumps into a stormy sea to help a ship in distress. The vessel turns out to be owned by Hatsue's arrogant father, who now becomes an understanding and sympathetic parent and allows the two lovers to marry.
The Sound of Waves
1964
6.8Yoshie Nogami, a factory worker by day, works as a bar hostess at night. She begins a passionate affair with one of her regulars, but his changing demeanor and constant demands for money lead Yoshie down a dark path.
The Shape of Night
1964
6.6After a businessman is murdered, an investigation identifies a suspect who is then put on trial for that crime.
Black Report
1963
7.6An innocuous comment during a weapon inspection wounds the pride of low-ranking samurai Shinpachi, leading to an argument with his superior. The situation snowballs out of control, leading to a deadly duel and political fallout which threatens the entire clan. Declared mentally unstable by the corrupt authority, Shinpachi begins his descent into true insanity…
Revenge
1964
NR1962 Japanese movie
At the Side of the Bridge
1962
Series credits
6.6American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.
American Playhouse
1982
7.0No synopsis available yet.
Furuya Ikkou's Great Detective Kindaichi Kousuke Series
1983
7.0No synopsis available yet.
Furuya Ikkou's Great Detective Kindaichi Kousuke Series
1983
7.0No synopsis available yet.
Furuya Ikkou's Great Detective Kindaichi Kousuke Series
1983
7.9Former delinquent turned unconventional prosecutor Kohei Kuryu shakes up the legal world with his street-smart instincts and unorthodox style, clashing with ambitious colleague Maiko Amamiya while his relentless pursuit of justice gradually transforms those around him.
Hero
2001
7.0Continuation of the popular series of films about the assassins in Edo. This show marks the return of the jidaigeki series "Hissatsu Shigotonin," which has had several seasons between the 1970s and the 1990s. The franchise came back in 2007 with a one-shot special, but this is its first full season since 1992. Makoto Fujita returns as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo, one of the "shigotonin," a team of hired assassins.
Mission To Kill
2009
NRLuzon Sukezaemon is a merchant who imports vases from the Philippines. The vases are highly valued as tea utensils and he makes a huge profit. This was the first taiga drama to concentrate on the lives of commoners and the reviled merchant class of the Tokugawa period. It documents the rise and fall of the merchant city of Sakai, as seen by its most famous resident, the semilegendary Luzon.
Ōgon no Hibi
1978
7.7No synopsis available yet.
Psycho Doctor
2002
8.8CHANGE is a Japanese television drama which aired on Fuji TV starting May 12, 2008.
CHANGE
2008
NRThe life of Katsu Kaishū and his father.
Father and Son Hawk
1994
7.8Yukiko (Wakui Emi) has been living in Tokyo for three years. Inside her heart, she believes that this beautiful city will certainly bring her happiness. This belief starts to realise one day when she has a chance encounter with Masashi (Karasawa Toshiaki) while welcoming her brother, Kikuo (Kishitani Goro), at a railway station. As Masashi is the son of a very rich businessman, and Yukiko is only an ordinary girl from the countryside, their together is highly obstructed by lots of barriers. However, Yukiko's kind-hearted personality finally wins Masashi's love, and he takes out his courage to turn down marrying his rich fiancee. --Snowflakes
Tokyo Cinderella Story
1994
NRYoko always seems to say and do the right thing and has forever been the center of attention. Her younger sister, Tsukiko, having been compared to her sister since birth cannot help but feel inferior. Yoko has benefited from this situation for so long that she expects it to last forever. However, when Tsukiko's career takes a turn for the better and she gets engaged, Yoko feels that she must somehow sabotage her sister's success since her own career and marriage are not faring well. Tsukiko decides to defend herself, and the resultant feud threatens to ensnare their family and loved ones.
Weekend Marriage
1999
6.0"Big Money!" is a human drama with a suspense twist about a young man who learns the tricks of the trade about stock exchange from a well-experienced investor. The backdrop of this story is the elaborate world of banking and the stock market.
Big Money
2002
NRKawashima Toshio (Utsui Ken), an assistant professor at a university medical school and an excellent surgeon, becomes mayor after his father-in-law falls ill. The evil hand of organized crime, cleverly disguised, has begun to take hold in the city. Toshio, who has risen up to protect the citizens, is beset with family problems, including the mysterious departure of his beloved wife Yukiko (Hama Mie) from home and the resulting delinquency of his beloved daughter Mayumi (Saito Tomoko). Carrying this heavy burden, Toshio fights with the help of Nagai Masayuki (Kanda Masateru), a young newspaper reporter with whom he has a deep connection. However, in the midst of this struggle, an eerie truth about his missing wife's scandalous past and the shadow of a certain man begin to appear like a mirage...
Strait of Roses
1978
NRThrough the lives of people aging in a seaside retirement home, the drama depicts the aging process that comes to everyone.
Korekara: Umibe no Tabibitotachi
1993
NRNo synopsis available yet.
突然の明日
1980
NRShogun Iemitsu Shinobi Tabi was a pair of television jidaigeki series on TV Asahi in Japan. The first aired in 1990–1991 and the sequel in 1992–1993. Kunihiko Mitamura portrayed Tokugawa Iemitsu in both series. The show premiered on October 13, 1990, as an off-season replacement for the popular Abarenbo Shogun. It shared several cast members with Abarenbo Shogun, including Reiko Takashima, Ayako Tanaka and some minor guest actors. The final episode aired on March 30, 1991. The sequel ran during the same months of 1992–1993.
Shogun Iemitsu Secret Journey
1990
NRDetective Ryouta Udagawa searches for former colleague and rival Kazuhiko Soga who went missing after suddenly being dismissed from the police force. Kazuhiko Soga then became the prime suspect in a murder case. Ryouta Udagawa, already worried over the well being of Kazuhiko Soga, begins to have doubts about the murder case and the integrity of the police department itself.
Dōki
2011
NRNo synopsis available yet.
雪の華-建礼門院徳子の生涯
1982



