Toshiro Mifune was Japan’s biggest international star, who with a
strong, imposing screen presence, appeared in 130 films and TV dramas,
including Midway (1976) and the miniseries, Shogun (1980). A fearless
action hero to be feared, Mifune has been frequently referred to as
“Japan’s John Wayne.”
Mifune worked in 16 films with Japan’s reputable director, Akira Kurosawa,
including the classics, Rashomon, (1950), and The Seven Samurai (1954)–the
forerunner of the American version, The Magnificent Seven (1960). He also
worked in the Shogun-type western, Red Sun (1972), with Charles Bronson
and Ursula Andress. On screen, he was quick and deadly; off, a man with
dignity and honor. He was 77.