Akihiko Hirata
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies (including Hiroshi Inagaki
's Samurai trilogy), he is most well known for his work in the kaiju
genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla
, The Mysterians
, and his most famous role of Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the brilliant but disturbed young scientist in the original Godzilla
, released in 1954. Hirata died after a long battle with lung cancer
in 1984, at age 56.
, in 1927, and was born into a wealthy family and educated at the prestigious Tokyo University's School of Interior Design. Before joining Shintoho
as an assistant director (under his older brother, Yoshiki Onoda
), Hirata moved into still photography, and eventually joined Toho
in 1953, under the studio's "New Face" program, which would lead to his casting in Godzilla
(although Hirata was originally intended for the part of Ogata, eventually played by another genre regular, Akira Takarada
).
, with The Last Embrace
. Hirata would go on to play everything from snarling villains to government officials, his long face and intense features have earned the actor a cult following. Although Hirata earned lasting fame with his part in Godzilla
, the role also typecast him, and the actor would go on to star in over 20 other sci-fi fantasy films for Toho (among them The H-Man
, Gorath
, and Prophecies of Nostradamus
, as well as an important recurring role in the original Ultraman
series. It is fitting that in both his first and final appearances in a Godzilla film, Hirata would play mysterious and disturbed scientists, as Hirata took on the role of the tragic Dr. Mafune in 1975's Terror of Mechagodzilla
.
at a Tokyo press conference, but unfortunately Hirata was too ill to appear in the film, and the part would eventually go to Yosuke Natsuki, who had appeared alongside Hirata in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
in 1964. Hirata died on the 25th of July, 1984, after a long battle with lung cancer.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies (including Hiroshi Inagaki
Hiroshi Inagaki
was a Japanese filmmaker most known for the Academy Award-winning Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, which he directed in 1954.-Career:Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining the Nikkatsu studio as an actor in 1922...
's Samurai trilogy), he is most well known for his work in the kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla
King Kong vs. Godzilla
is a 1962 Japanese science fiction kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. Directed by Ishirō Honda with visual effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, the film starred Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, and Mie Hama. It was the third installment in the Japanese series of films featuring the monster Godzilla...
, The Mysterians
The Mysterians
The Mysterians, released in Japan as , is a tokusatsu science fiction film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1957. It was directed by the "Golden Duo" of Ishirō Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya . It is notable for being the first tokusatsu filmed in TohoScope and the first Toho film to use...
, and his most famous role of Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the brilliant but disturbed young scientist in the original Godzilla
Godzilla (1954 film)
is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
, released in 1954. Hirata died after a long battle with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in 1984, at age 56.
Early life
Hirata was born in Keijo, JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, in 1927, and was born into a wealthy family and educated at the prestigious Tokyo University's School of Interior Design. Before joining Shintoho
Shintoho
was a Japanese movie studio. It was one of the big-6 film studios during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. It was founded by defectors from the original Tōhō Company...
as an assistant director (under his older brother, Yoshiki Onoda
Yoshiki Onoda
is a Japanese film director and writer.- Biography :Born in Tokyo, the family then moved to Korea. In 1947, he moved back to Japan to work as an assistant director to Akira Kurosawa at the Toho studios...
), Hirata moved into still photography, and eventually joined Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
in 1953, under the studio's "New Face" program, which would lead to his casting in Godzilla
Godzilla (1954 film)
is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
(although Hirata was originally intended for the part of Ogata, eventually played by another genre regular, Akira Takarada
Akira Takarada
is a Japanese film actor who is most known in the west for his roles in the Godzilla film series.-Overview:Takarada was born in Japan-occupied Korea, and lived for a time in Harbin, China. His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway...
).
Career
Hirata's film debut came in 19531953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
, with The Last Embrace
The Last Embrace
The Last Embrace is the final release by Spirit Caravan. It was released on 2xCD and 2xLP in 2003 by Meteor City Records. It contains 19 songs from their two albums, Jug Fulla Sun and Elusive Truth, the three songs that appeared on their debut 7" , the two songs from their final 7", Spirit Caravan,...
. Hirata would go on to play everything from snarling villains to government officials, his long face and intense features have earned the actor a cult following. Although Hirata earned lasting fame with his part in Godzilla
Godzilla (1954 film)
is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
, the role also typecast him, and the actor would go on to star in over 20 other sci-fi fantasy films for Toho (among them The H-Man
The H-Man
The H-Man, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1958. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka, and is considered part of Toho's "mutant trilogy," along...
, Gorath
Gorath
Gorath, released in Japan as , is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu film produced by Toho in 1962. The story for Gorath was by Jojiro Okami.-Synopsis:...
, and Prophecies of Nostradamus
Prophecies of Nostradamus
also known as The Last Days of Planet Earth or Catastrophe: 1999 is an experimental 1974 feature film by Toshio Masuda, inspired by the prophecies of Nostradamus. The film credits Toshio Yasumi as principal screenwriter, though Yasumi did not actually work on the film...
, as well as an important recurring role in the original Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
series. It is fitting that in both his first and final appearances in a Godzilla film, Hirata would play mysterious and disturbed scientists, as Hirata took on the role of the tragic Dr. Mafune in 1975's Terror of Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1975 science fiction kaiju film. The film was titled The Terror of Godzilla in its original American theatrical release. The 15th film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano...
.
Death
Hirata died in 1984. The actor's association with the kaiju genre continued right until his death, as he helped announce the production of The Return of GodzillaThe Return of Godzilla
The Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla (released as in Japan and as Godzilla 1985 in North America, is a 1984 Science Fiction Kaiju film. The sixteenth film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka and directed by Koji Hashimoto with special...
at a Tokyo press conference, but unfortunately Hirata was too ill to appear in the film, and the part would eventually go to Yosuke Natsuki, who had appeared alongside Hirata in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, released in Japan as and originally released in the US as Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster, is a 1964 science fiction kaiju film, and is the 5th film in Toho's Godzilla series...
in 1964. Hirata died on the 25th of July, 1984, after a long battle with lung cancer.
Selected filmography
- The Last Embrace (1953)
- Girls Amongst the Flowers (1953)
- Even the Mighty Shed Tears (1953)
- Samurai I: Musashi MiyamotoSamurai I: Musashi Miyamotois a 1954 color Japanese film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the first film of Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy of historical adventures. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. The novel is loosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi...
(1954) - GodzillaGodzilla (1954 film)is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
(1954) - The Lone JourneyThe Lone Journey, also known as The Road, is a 1955 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki.Production design was by Takeo Kita and Makoto Sono and sound recording was by Choshichiro Mikami...
(1955) - Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji TempleSamurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Templeis a color 1955 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the second film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1955) - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu IslandSamurai III: Duel at Ganryu Islandis a 1956 color Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the third film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1956) - RodanRodanis a fictional Japanese mutated pterosaur introduced in Rodan, a 1956 release from Toho Studios, the company responsible for the Godzilla series. Like Godzilla and Anguirus, he is designed after a type of prehistoric reptile...
(1956) - The MysteriansThe MysteriansThe Mysterians, released in Japan as , is a tokusatsu science fiction film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1957. It was directed by the "Golden Duo" of Ishirō Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya . It is notable for being the first tokusatsu filmed in TohoScope and the first Toho film to use...
(1957) - The H-ManThe H-ManThe H-Man, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1958. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka, and is considered part of Toho's "mutant trilogy," along...
(1958) - Varan the UnbelievableVaran the UnbelievableVaran the Unbelievable, released in Japan as , is a 1958 Kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya , and their last black-and-white monster film. The title character Varan is one of Toho Studios' least-famed creations. Although shown in Japanese-language theaters in the USA, the film...
(1958) - Submarine I-57 Will Not SurrenderSubmarine I-57 Will Not Surrenderis a 1959 Japanese war film directed by Shūe Matsubayashi.Special effects were made by Eiji Tsuburaya.-Cast:* Ryō Ikebe* Tatsuya Mihashi* Akihiko Hirata* Akira Kubo* Susumu Fujita* Minoru Takada* Maria Laurenti* Andrew Hughes* Hisaya Ito- See also :...
(1959) - The Secret of the Telegian (1960)
- Storm Over the PacificStorm Over the Pacificis a 1960 color Japanese film directed by Shūe Matsubayashi.It is the first color widescreen war film from Toho Studios...
(1960) - MothraMothrais a kaiju, a type of fictional monster who first appeared in the serialized novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Takehiko Fukunaga, Shinichiro Nakamura, and Yoshie Hotta...
(1961) - GorathGorathGorath, released in Japan as , is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu film produced by Toho in 1962. The story for Gorath was by Jojiro Okami.-Synopsis:...
(1962) - King Kong vs. GodzillaKing Kong vs. Godzillais a 1962 Japanese science fiction kaiju film produced by Toho Studios. Directed by Ishirō Honda with visual effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, the film starred Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, and Mie Hama. It was the third installment in the Japanese series of films featuring the monster Godzilla...
(1962) - AtragonAtragonAtragon, released in Japan as , is a 1963 Toho tokusatsu film based on a series of juvenile adventure novels under the banner Kaitei Gunkan by Shunrō Oshikawa and the illustrated story Kaitei Okoku by illustrator Shigeru Komatsuzaki, serialized in a monthly magazine for boys...
(1963) - Ghidorah, the Three-Headed MonsterGhidorah, the Three-Headed MonsterGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, released in Japan as and originally released in the US as Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster, is a 1964 science fiction kaiju film, and is the 5th film in Toho's Godzilla series...
(1964) - 100 Shot, 100 Killed (1965)
- UltramanUltramanis Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
(TV Series) (1966) as Doctor Iwamoto - Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
- The Killing Bottles (1967)
- Son of GodzillaSon of GodzillaSon of Godzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1967 science fiction kaiju film. The eighth part of the Toho studio's Godzilla series, it was directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa It is the first film to feature Kamacuras, Kumonga, and Minilla.-Plot:A team of scientists are...
(1967) - Latitude ZeroLatitude Zero, is a 1969 tokusatsu film. It was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya . The story was written by Ted Sherdeman, writer on the 1954 science-fiction film, Them! , and starred Joseph Cotten, Cesar Romero, Akira Takarada, Masumi Okada, Richard Jaeckel,...
(1969) - Godzilla vs. MechagodzillaGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, originally known in the United States as Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster and subsequently Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster, is a 1974 science fiction kaiju film. This was the 14th of the Toho studio's Godzilla series , it was directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano and the...
(1974) - Prophecies of NostradamusProphecies of Nostradamusalso known as The Last Days of Planet Earth or Catastrophe: 1999 is an experimental 1974 feature film by Toshio Masuda, inspired by the prophecies of Nostradamus. The film credits Toshio Yasumi as principal screenwriter, though Yasumi did not actually work on the film...
(1974) - Terror of MechagodzillaTerror of MechagodzillaTerror of Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1975 science fiction kaiju film. The film was titled The Terror of Godzilla in its original American theatrical release. The 15th film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano...
(1975) - The War in SpaceThe War in SpaceThe War in Space, released in Japan as , is a tokusatsu science fiction film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1977.-Background:While the concept and production of The War in Space was spurred by the explosive international success of Star Wars, the film is actually an outer space redressing...
(1977) - Sayonara JupiterSayonara Jupiteris a novel by Sakyo Komatsu, released as two volumes. Komatsu adapted the story into the script for the 1984 film of the same name, directed by Koji Hashimoto.-Film, TV or theatrical adaptations:...
(1984)