- Known For
- Directing
- Born
- March 23, 1910
- Place of Birth
- Shinagawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
- Died
- September 6, 1998
Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明) was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. He displayed a bold, dynamic style, strongly influenced by Western cinema yet distinct from it; he was involved with all aspects of film production. Kurosawa entered the Japanese film industry in 1936, following a brief stint as a painter. After years of working on numerous films as an assistant director and scriptwriter, he made his debut as a director during World War II with the popular action film Sanshiro Sugata (1943). After the war, the critically acclaimed Drunken Angel (1948), in which Kurosawa cast the then little-known actor Toshiro Mifune in a starring role, cemented the director's reputation as one of the most important young filmmakers in Japan. The …
Filmography
movieHighest 2 Lowest
2025 · Original Film Writer
movieSearching For Kurosawa
2025
movieThe Draft!
2023 · Thanks
movieLiving
2022 · Original Film Writer
movieMorceaux de Cannes
2021
movieBabenco: Tell Me When I Die
2020 · Self (archive footage)
movieThe Magnificent Seven
2016 · Original Film Writer
movieWhat Is Cinema?
2013 · Self
The World of Kazuo Miyagawa
movieThe World of Kazuo Miyagawa
2012 · Self
movieAt the Gate of the Ghost
2011 · Original Story
movieKurosawa's Way
2011 · Self (archive footage)
movieThe Last Princess
2008 · Original Story
movieTsubaki Sanjuro
2007 · Writer
movieIkiru
2007 · Screenplay
movieHigh and Low
2007 · Original Film Writer
Image: Kurosawa's Continuity
movieImage: Kurosawa's Continuity
2005 · Concept Artist, Original Story
tvSamurai 7
2004 · Original Concept, Original Film Writer
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Throne of Blood'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Lower Depths'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Seven Samurai'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Dodes'ka-den'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Stray Dog'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Bad Sleep Well'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Drunken Angel'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ikiru'
2002 · Self
movieAkira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Red Beard'
2002 · Self
movieThe Sea Is Watching
2002 · Screenplay
movieKurosawa
2000 · Self
movieDora-heita
2000 · Screenplay
movieA Message from Akira Kurosawa: For Beautiful Movies
2000 · Self
movieAfter the Rain
2000 · Title Designer, Screenplay
movieGhost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
1999 · Thanks
movieKurosawa: The Last Emperor
1999
movieLast Man Standing
1996 · Original Film Writer
movieIn Love With and Living Within Movies - Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki
1993 · Self
movieMadadayo
1993 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
movieAkira Kurosawa: My Life in Cinema
1993 · Self
movieRhapsody in August
1991 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
movieMaking of 'Dreams'
1990 · Self
movieDreams
1990 · Director, Storyboard Artist, Writer
movieRunaway Train
1985 · Original Film Writer, Story
movieRan
1985 · Screenplay, Director, Editor, Storyboard Artist
movieA. K.
1985 · Self
movieMaking of Ran
1985 · Self
movieBattle Beyond the Stars
1980 · Original Story
movieKagemusha
1980 · Director, Screenplay, Producer, Storyboard Artist, Editor
movieDersu Uzala
1975 · Director, Screenplay
tvSpécial cinéma
1974 · Self
movieStray Dog
1973 · Original Story
movieThe Magnificent Seven Ride!
1972 · Original Concept
movieDodes'ka-den
1970 · Screenplay, Director, Executive Producer
movieSong of the Horse
1970 · Director, Writer
movieZatoichi Meets Yojimbo
1970 · Original Concept
movieGuns of the Magnificent Seven
1969 · Original Concept
movieThe Last Day of Hsianyang
1968 · Original Film Writer
movieReturn of the Seven
1966 · Original Concept
movieSanshiro Sugata
1965 · Writer, Producer
movieRed Beard
1965 · Director, Screenplay, Editor
movieThe Outrage
1964 · Original Story
movieA Fistful of Dollars
1964 · Original Story
movieJakoman and Tetsu
1964 · Screenplay
movieLegacy of the 500,000
1963 · Editor
movieHigh and Low
1963 · Screenplay, Director, Associate Producer, Editor
movieThe Fencing Master
1962 · Screenplay
movieSanjuro
1962 · Screenplay, Director, Editor
movieYojimbo
1961 · Director, Editor, Screenplay, Producer
moviePlay of the Week: Rashomon
1960 · Original Film Writer
movieThe Magnificent Seven
1960 · Original Film Writer
movieThe Bad Sleep Well
1960 · Producer, Editor, Director, Writer
movieSaga of the Vagabonds
1959 · Writer, Script
movieThe Hidden Fortress
1958 · Editor, Screenplay, Producer, Director
movieAdvance Patrol
1957 · Screenplay
movieThe Lower Depths
1957 · Producer, Editor, Director, Screenplay
movieThrone of Blood
1957 · Editor, Director, Producer, Screenplay
movieI Live in Fear
1955 · Story, Director
movieTomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree
1955 · Screenplay, Editor
movieVanished Enlisted Man
1955 · Screenplay
movieSeven Samurai
1954 · Director, Screenplay, Editor
movieMy Wonderful Yellow Car
1953 · Screenplay
movieIkiru
1952 · Director, Screenplay, Editor
movieSword for Hire
1952 · Screenplay
movieThe Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
1952 · Director, Writer, Screenplay
movieVendetta of a Samurai
1952 · Writer
movieThe Den of Beasts
1951 · Screenplay
movieThe Idiot
1951 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
movieBeyond Love and Hate
1951 · Screenplay
movieRashomon
1950 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
movieFencing Master
1950 · Adaptation
movieJiruba no Tetsu
1950 · Screenplay
movieScandal
1950 · Director, Screenplay
movieEscape at Dawn
1950 · Screenplay
movieStray Dog
1949 · Writer, Director, Associate Producer
movieJakoman and Tetsu
1949 · Writer
movieFlirtation in Spring
1949 · Producer
movieThe Quiet Duel
1949 · Writer, Director
movieLady From Hell
1949 · Writer
movieThe Portrait
1948 · Screenplay
movieDrunken Angel
1948 · Director, Writer
movieSnow Trail
1947 · Screenplay
movieOne Wonderful Sunday
1947 · Director, Screenplay
movieFour Love Stories
1947 · Screenplay
movieNo Regrets for Our Youth
1946 · Editor, Writer, Director
movieThose Who Make Tomorrow
1946 · Director
movieSanshiro Sugata, Part Two
1945 · Director, Screenplay
movieThe Admirable Isshin Tasuke!
1945 · Screenplay
movieThe Most Beautiful
1944 · Director, Writer
movieWrestling-Ring Festival
1944 · Writer
movieWorld of Love
1943 · Writer
movieSanshiro Sugata
1943 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
movieWings of Victory
1942 · Writer
movieCurrents of Youth
1942 · Story
movieHorse
1941 · Assistant Director, Writer
movieThe Monkey King
1940 · Assistant Director
Enoken's Cropped Hair
movieEnoken's Cropped Hair
1940 · Assistant Director
movieRoppa's Honeymoon
1940 · Assistant Director
movieEasy Alley
1939 · Assistant Director
movieEnoken’s Shrewd Period
1939 · Assistant Director
movieEnoken's Surprising Life
1938 · Assistant Director
movieComposition Class
1938 · Assistant Director
movieTojuro's Love
1938 · Assistant Director
movieSubterranean Heat
1938 · Assistant Director
movieThe Beautiful Hawk
1937 · Assistant Director
movieEnoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 2 – Returning Is Scary, but the Weather Will Clear If You Wait
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieEnoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 1 – Momma, the Hat: The Nice Way
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieAvalanche
1937 · Second Unit, Assistant Director
movieJapanese Women's Textbook
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieA Husband's Chastity: Fall Again
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieA Husband's Chastity: If Spring Comes & Fall Once Again
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieA Husband's Chastity: If Spring Comes
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieSaga of the Vagabonds, Part Two: Forward at Dawn
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieSaga of the Vagabonds, Part One: Tiger and Wolf
1937 · Third Assistant Director
movieTokyo Rhapsody
1936 · Third Assistant Director
movieEnoken’s Ten Millions Sequel
1936 · Third Assistant Director
movieEnoken’s Ten Millions
1936 · Third Assistant Director
movieParadise of the Virgin Flowers
1936 · Assistant Director
A Fistful of Dollars Remake
movieA Fistful of Dollars Remake
— · Original Film Writer