Eiji Minakata

Acting

Eiji Minakata

Born 1932-11-21 · Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Acting credits

Sonatine poster
7.5

Murakawa, an aging Tokyo yakuza tiring of gangster life, is sent by his boss to Okinawa along with a few of his henchmen to help end a gang war, supposedly as mediators between two warring clans. He finds that the dispute between the clans is insignificant and whilst wondering why he was sent to Okinawa at all, his group is attacked in an ambush. The survivors flee and make a decision to lay low at the beach while they await further instructions.

Sonatine

1993

Hana poster
6.6

In a poor district of Edo lives a young samurai named Soza. He has been sent by his clan to avenge the death of his father. He isn't an accomplished swordsman however, and he prefers sharing the life of the residents, teaching the kids how to write etc. When he finally finds the man he is looking for, he will have to decide whether he follows the way of the samurai or chooses peace and reconciliation.

Hana

2006

A Yakuza in Love poster
7.0

When an innocent young country girl falls for a low level yakuza, she enters a completely different world in which the line between good and evil are quickly blurred. Through great ups and downs their love will be tested, but the ultimate test lies in whether or not they will survive the downward pull of the lifestyle they have chosen.

A Yakuza in Love

1997

Getting Any? poster
5.7

While pursuing his dream of having car sex, a goofy middle-aged man makes all the wrong moves and ends up enrolling in a number of crazy escapades.

Getting Any?

1995

In Search of Mother poster
6.6

Period piece about a young man who, because of his hard life alone in the world, has become a yakuza. When he hears that his mother may be living in Edo (Tokyo), he travels there, intent on finding her and leaving the swordsman's life behind. But a team of rival gangsters is hot on his heels.

In Search of Mother

1962

Big Magnum Kuroiwa poster
NR

Kuroiwa, a high school teacher who carries a “Big Magnum 44” gun is sent to a school that is full of violence. Can Kuroiwa reform the students with the gun?

Big Magnum Kuroiwa

1985

Sword of Destiny poster
6.0

When master swordsman Mikogami Genshiro of the Ono fencing school returns to find that his ailing sensei has been murdered in the dead of night, he must find the culprit and exact revenge. His return sets off a series of violent incidents and incites a high ranked female skilled in sword to test his mettle after he unwittingly offends her. The ever delightful Misora Hibari co-stars with the great Tsuruta Koji in this exciting tale set in the earliest days of the Tokugawa shogunate. Lots of exciting swordfights highlight this entertaining motion picture!

Sword of Destiny

1960

The Princess and the Bearded Lord poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Princess and the Bearded Lord

1962

An Edo Magistrate poster
6.6

When a former artisan is tricked into putting his sister up as collateral for a loan by a gangster boss in a crooked gambling casino it sets in motion the story of Ooka Echizen, the famed magistrate of Edo during the reign of Shogun Tsuneyoshi. In a world where humans bow down to dogs and are beheaded for harming them, it's a wonder people can survive at all. Nakamura Kinnosuke is a former samurai who has left the fold to live freely and must put his life on the line to save the girl he loves, and rescue her from the yakuza who duped her brother. When the truth comes out about his background, he is forced to take on the role of Edo Magistrate, a decision that brings him unimaginable heartache and danger!

An Edo Magistrate

1961

Shimmering Sword poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Shimmering Sword

1962

Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist poster
5.5

Kiku Nakakawa, the only daughter of an old kimono shop owner in Kyoto, is enthusiastic about karate. To help her friend Michi avenge her brother, she sneaks into a movie studio in Kyoto where a drug dealing syndicate is based.

Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist

1976

Miyamoto Musashi: Showdown at Hannyazaka Heights poster
7.5

The remake of Yoshikawa's novel continues with the second installment in which Takezo, soon to be Miyamoto Musashi, emerges from the Himeji Castle after three years of intense contemplation and philosophical study and starting on his epic quest to complete his skill in the Way.

Miyamoto Musashi: Showdown at Hannyazaka Heights

1962

Faraway Heaven poster
6.0

Chizuru, a typical Japanese young female office worker, is socially clumsy, poor at romance and unhappy with her job. Being weary from a busy and stressful city life, she seriously desires to end her life somewhere faraway from the city and leaves for deep in the mountains, where she finds one lonely house. Then she attempts to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills in the guest house but she fails.... This is the beginning of her new life.

Faraway Heaven

2008

A Revengeful Raid poster
5.8

In this tale of bravery and honor among the roving gamblers of old Japan, the heroic Jirocho, Boss of the Tokaido is called upon to help a young yakuza named Eijiro after he runs afoul of the new samurai officials who have taken over his hometown. Expertly portrayed by Kitaoji Kinya (son of the all-time great star Ichikawa Utaemon), this young man stands up for the townspeople and puts his life on the line. Jirocho, played by superstar Nakamura Kinnosuke, a boss known for his honor and valor soon finds himself involved in the feud which will only end in a brutal showdown.

A Revengeful Raid

1962

Restoration Fire poster
7.0

Megastar Kataoka Chiezo is Vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo of the Shinsengumi in this realistic tale of Japan’s inner battles that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. Excellent performances and extremely good swordplay highlight this glimpse into the heart and soul of Japanese history. Although known as “Razor Blade” Hijikata, the vice-commander is a man of deep conviction with a little-known sense of humanity. Starting after the famed Ikedaya Incident, in which they saved Kyoto from Choshu’s plot to burn the city to ashes, they work hard to change the public’s view of them as merciless killers to their true mission of protecting the shogun. This is an extraordinary tale of blood and guts! From the pen of award winning author Shotaro Ikenami (Bandit Vs. Samurai, Hunter in the Dark, Misumi's The Last Samurai)

Restoration Fire

1961

Red peonies on the skin poster
NR

Genjiro was a samurai in the past, but he became a Yakuza, a dandy with a tattoo of red peonies, he helps his younger brother who is caught up in a conflict with Hatamoto.

Red peonies on the skin

1957

Jirocho' s Days of Youth: Whirlwind on the Tokaido poster
NR

Adventures of famous yakuza boss Jirocho and his disciples who settle in Kofu.

Jirocho' s Days of Youth: Whirlwind on the Tokaido

1962

A Madcap Corporation poster
NR

A yakuza family goes into show business.

A Madcap Corporation

1983

The Kingdom of Jirocho 1 poster
6.5

The tale of real-life Yakuza boss Shimizu Jirocho is told from his earliest beginnings as a gambler on the road as he forms his gang and sets out on the path to fame and fortune. One of the smartest and strongest of all the gang bosses, he went on to survive the end of the samurai era and become a successful businessman. But first, he must survive against all odds in order to build his reputation and develop his strength. Powerful portrayals of the group are led by the great Tsuruta Koji with help from the likes of Matsukata Hiroki.

The Kingdom of Jirocho 1

1963

Dad's Backdrop poster
10.0

Middle-aged pro wrestler Ushinosuke's wife passes away, and he and his son, Kazuo, move in with his father. His fellow wrestlers help them shift house and celebrate their new home, but in the midst of their revelry sits Kazuo with a pained look on his face. He hates pro wrestling with a passion and is embarrassed by his father who has made a heel turn in order to save the ailing wrestling organization he belongs to. He even keeps his dad's profession a secret from his new classmates. When Ushinosuke finds out how his son feels, he sets up an unusual death match with a karate champion in a bid for acceptance. He is knocked down several times, but each time manages to rise to his feet and inch towards the championship. Finally he manages to unleash his finishing move, a devastating backdrop, and achieves a miraculous upset victory with Kazuo watching on proudly.

Dad's Backdrop

2004

Ninja Assassins poster
6.0

Saotome Mondonosuke pursues the culprit who placed a malicious curse upon Shogun Tsunekichi.

Ninja Assassins

1960

The Yagyu Military Art: The Buried Conspiracy poster
6.0

Yagyu Jubei must protect the Yagyu scroll that holds the secret of the infamous assassination plotted by the Tokugawa government 30 years ago.

The Yagyu Military Art: The Buried Conspiracy

1963

Shabu poster
8.0

Makabe is a yakuza who is addicted to 'shabu' (a slang refers to stimulant drug). He lives as if he wants to destroy himself. He steals a mistress of the boss of a big yakuza syndicate by force. He takes over the yakuza group he belongs to, by killing the old boss. When he tries to use 'shabu' as the main financial resource of his group, it leads to the serious confrontation with another big yakuza syndicate.

Shabu

1996

Bloody Record of the Shinsengumi poster
10.0

No synopsis available yet.

Bloody Record of the Shinsengumi

1963