Takeshi Kitano
Born: 1947-01-18 in Tokyo, Japan
Known For: Directing
Biography
Takeshi Kitano (北野 武, Kitano Takeshi, born January 18, 1947), also known in Japan as Beat Takeshi (ビートたけし, Bīto Takeshi), is a Japanese comedian, actor, and filmmaker. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. Kitano rose to prominence in the 1970s as one half of the comedy duo Two Beat, before going solo and becoming one of the three biggest comedians in the country. After several small acting roles, he made his directorial debut with 1989's Violent Cop and garnered international acclaim for Sonatine (1993). He was not widely accepted as an accomplished director in Japan until Hana-bi won the Golden Lion in 1997. In October 2017, Kitano completed his Outrage crime trilogy with the release of Outrage Coda. He is also known internationally for hosting the game show Takeshi's Castle (1986–1990) and starring in the film Battle Royale (2000).
Filmography
2025
- AUM: The Cult at the End of the World as Self (archive footage)
2024
- Broken Rage as Nezumi
2023
- Kubi as Hashiba Hideyoshi
- Takeshi's Castle Japan
- Analog ... (Novel)
2021
- Asakusa Kid ... (Novel)
2020
- Citizen Kitano as Self
- たけしのその時カメラは回っていた
2019
- Idaten: Tokyo Olympics Story as 古今亭志生
2018
- Why Are We Creative? as Self
- Kiseki taiken! Unbelievable as Storyteller
2017
- Ghost in the Shell as Aramaki
- Outrage Coda as Otomo
- Prison Break as Urata
- Plankton Salesmen as Self (archive footage)
- Ghost in the Shell: Hard-Wired Humanity - Making Ghost in the Shell as self
2016
- While the Women Are Sleeping as Sahara
- A Living Promise as Detective Koichiro Iwase
- Doctor X: Gekai Daimon Michiko Special
2015
- Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen as Detective Murakami
- Aka Medaka as Tatekawa Danshi
- Mozu The Movie as Daruma
- たけしのこれがホントのニッポン芸能史
2014
- Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel as Rokuro Fujisawa
- In Between Mountains and Oceans as Himself
- Morning
- オモクリ監督～O－Creator's TV Show～
- The 8th Floor as Self
2013
- Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea ... (Assistant Editor)
- Kids Return: The Reunion ... (Original Story)
- Trespassing Bergman as Self
- Miwa: A Japanese Icon as Himself
2012
- Beyond Outrage as Otomo
- Dearest as Teruo Sugino
- A Special Day as Self
- 日曜ゴールデンで何やってんだテレビ
2008
- Achilles and the Tortoise as Machisu
- What the War Meant as Hideki Tojo
- The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit as Take-Majin (voice)
- Yayoi Kusama: I Love Me
2007
- Glory to the Filmmaker! as Takeshi / Yakuza / Father / Ninja / Detective / Astronomer
- To Each His Own Cinema as The projectionist (segment "Rencontre unique")
- Dots and Lines as Jutaro Torikai
2005
- Takeshis' as Beat Takeshi / Mr. Kitano
2004
- Blood and Bones as Joon-pyong Kim
- Izo as Chancellor
- Arakimentari as Self
- Electric Yakuza, Go to Hell! as Self
- The Golden Cups: One More Time as Himself
2003
- Zatoichi as Zatoichi / Ichi
- Musashi as Munisai Shinmen
- MXC
- Battle Royale II: Requiem as Kitano
- The Final Battleground — Making of Battle Royale II as Self
2002
- Takeshi's Castle
- Dolls ... (Director)
- Kogoro Akechi vs Kaijin Nijyuu Menso as Niju Menso
- Kichiku
- Asakusa Kid ... (Original Story)
2000
- Battle Royale as Kitano
- Brother as Aniki Yamamoto
- The Story of One Century
- Making of 'Battle Royale' as Self
- The 300 million yen robbery
- Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano as Self
1999
1998
- Tokyo Eyes as Yakusa
- 加ト・けん・たけしの世紀末スペシャル!!
1997
- Fireworks as Yoshitaka Nishi
- Hana-bi (1997) – Behind-the-scenes Footage as Self - Himself
1996
- Kids Return ... (Director)
- Making-of Kids Return as Himself
1995
- Johnny Mnemonic as Takahashi
- Getting Any? as Scientist
- Gonin as Ichiro Kyoya
1993
- Sonatine as Aniki Murakawa
- Today's Close-Up as 出演
- Many Happy Returns as Daisuke Shiba
1992
- Erotic Liaisons as Okuyama
- A Legend of Turmoil as Kiichirou Yashiro
- Dioxin from Fish! as Azuma
- 北野ファンクラブ
- Kitano fan kurabu as Self
1991
- A Scene at the Sea ... (Director)
- Kim's War as Kim Hyi-ro
- Shoko Asahara with Takeshi as Self
1990
- Boiling Point as Uehara
- Hoshi wo tsugu mono as Yama no hito
- KILL THEM ALL
- The Yagyu Code: Secret Scrolls
1989
- Violent Cop as Azuma Ryosuke
- Beat Takeshi Presents TV Tackle
1988
- The Boss' Wife as Shoji Sugimoto, Hitman
1986
- No More Comics! as Police
- Takeshi's Castle as Count Takeshi
- 雨の降る駅 as 演员
1985
- Demon as Yajima
- Jesus' Ark as Takeyoshi Sengoku
- Joke with a Sorrowful Heart as Hiroshi Igarashi
- Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto as Hara (archive footage)
1983
- The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor as Man at Racetrack
- Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence as Hara
- The Crimes of Kiyoshi Ōkubo as Kiyoshi Ôkubo
1982
- Summer Secrets as Ramen shop owner
1981
1980
1969
- Go, Go Second Time Virgin as Gang Member
1962
- Golden Horse Awards as Self