Better late than never:

Japanese actors everyone should know

Go Kato aka Japanese Peter O'Toole (the cheekbones, honey!). The image is from the TV miniseries of Ningen no joken (The Human Condition) with Yukiko Fuji. Also check out "Men and War".

Ken Tanaka - check out "My Son! My Son!" and "Blood on the Tracks".

Toshiro Mifune - check out "Rashomon" and "Drunken Angel"...and basically everything else he ever did ever.

Everyone and their momma knows Ken Watanabe including my momma! Despite that - check out "Tampopo", "The Unbroken" and basically everything else (he was in Inception!).

Sonny Chiba - depending on what type of movies you like his fall into hardcore Kung Fu and Japanese countryside detective - check out "Man with the Funky Hat" or "The Street Fighter" or both

Show Aikawa - he has done many B-movies yet there are some gems - check out "The Eel", "Ley Lines" and "Sanada Maru". He also voiced a character in Yakuza 5.

Hiroshi Abe - check out "Still Walking" and "Legend of the Demon Cat". Honorable Mention: "Thermae Romae".

Going to keep adding to this so keep an eye out.

Daisuke Ban - well known for "Kikaida", "Kikaider" and the "Ringu" movies that the American version was based on as well as superhero tv shows. Check out - "Zatoichi" and "Blood of the Samurai"

Tsumasaburo Bando - considered one of the greatest Japanese actors of the 20th century - check out "Orochi", "Tange Sazen", "Five Men of Edo" and "Osho".

And for those who have asked via DM - yes, I am going to do a thread of Japanese actresses. I just have to finish the current thread.

Masayuki Mori - well known for his work with Kurosawa like Mifune. Check out "Rashomon", "The Idiot" and "Love Letter".

Susumu Fujita - was also in Kurosawa films. Check out the film version of "The Human Condition", "Ultraman", "The Hidden Fortress", "Yojimbo" and "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

Takashi Shimura - known for his work with Kurosawa and also for being in the very first Gozilla and Mothra films. Check out all of his work with Kurosawa including "Drunken Angel", "The Seven Samurai" and "Ikiru".

Yujiro Ishihara - known for acting as well as singing. Check out "Men and War", "Crazed Fruit", and "Hitokiri".

Tadanobu Asano - well known for playing Hogun in the Thor movies and soon to be playing Raiden in the Mortal Kombat reboot. Check out - "47 Ronin", "Villon's Wife" and "Zatoichi".

Takeshi Kitano (aka Beat Kitano) - known by many for Johnny Mnemonic and Battle Royale and by others for Takeshi's Castle. He is both an actor and director as well as comedian. Check out - "Taboo", "Sonatine", "Zatoichi", and "Kikujiro".

Will get back on this tomorrow. Been feeling bad the past 3 days. Expect way more in the thread.

Isao Kimura - known for his work with Kurosawa. Check out his Kurosawa films as well as "The Rice People", "Affair in the Snow" and "Bushido, Samurai Saga".

Eijiro Tono - a giant of Japanese entertainment. Over 250 films and 400 tv shows. Check out "Seven Samurai", "Tora! Tora! Tora!", and "Tokyo Story".

Joe Shishido - known for his Yakuza films...and cheek implants (which he didn't need to do he was handsome & talented before). Check out "Branded to Kill", "Youth of the Beast" and "Keisatsu Nikki".

Junzaburo Ban - actor and comedian. Check out "Dodes'ka-den"(Kurosawa's first film in color), "A Fugitive from the Past", "Proof of the Man", and "Watch Your Heart, Tamegoro".

Koji Yakusho - known by international audiences for Babel and Memoirs of a Geisha. Check out "The Emperor in August", "Tampopo", "Shall We Dance?", "Lost Paradise", and "The Eel".

I’m not done with this thread. There is just so much other stuff I have to do + self care is important when you have chronic illnesses.