Akira Takarada

Akira Takarada Born April 29, 1934 Chongjin, Korea Notable role(s) Hideo Ogata, Takeshi Iijima, Ichirō Sakai, K. Fuji, Yoshimura, Jirō Nomura, Jōji Minamino, Natarō Daigo First work Godzilla (1954) Notable work Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

“	Being a newcomer, I formally introduced myself on the set: 'My name is Akira Takarada. I'll be playing the lead. Pleased to meet you all,' in a very loud voice. The head lighting technician at the studio said, 'Idiot! You're not the lead. The lead actor is Godzilla.' I said, 'Yes, of course.' He'd put me in my place.	„
	— Akira Takarada, recalling the filming of Godzilla (1954)

Akira Takarada (宝田明,   Takarada Akira) is a Japanese actor best-known among kaiju fans for playing Hideo Ogata in Godzilla (1954). He is one of three actors to appear in Godzilla films from the Showa, Heisei, and Millennium eras, along with Kenji Sahara and Hiroshi Koizumi. He was also the first actor from the Toho Godzilla series to be cast in an American Godzilla film, portraying a Japanese immigration official in one of the first scenes shot for Godzilla (2014), although his scene was ultimately cut from the film. In recent years, he has become a frequent guest at American science-fiction conventions.

Kaiju Filmography

• Godzilla (1954) as Hideo Ogata
• Half Human (1955) as Takeshi Iijima
• The Birth of Japan (1959) as Prince Wakatarashi
• The Last War (1961) as Takano
• Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) as Ichiro Sakai
• Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965) as Astronaut Kazuo Fuji
• Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) as Yoshimura
• King Kong Escapes (1967) as Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura
• Latitude Zero (1969) as Dr. Ken Tashiro
• Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) as Environmental Planning Board Chief Jyoji Minamino
• Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) as Hideo Ogata [stock footage from Godzilla]
• Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) as UN Secretary-General Naotarô Daigo
• Godzilla (2014) as Japanese Immigration Agent [deleted scene]

Gallery

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  Akira Takarada and Momoko Kochi pose with the original Godzilla suit

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  Akira Takarada and Gareth Edwards on the set of Godzilla (2014)

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Videos

Takarada performing "Prince Ali (Reprise)" from the Japanese dub of Aladdin (1992) as Jafar Takarada introduces Godzilla (1954) at the Pickwick Theater during G-Fest XVII in 2010 Takarada publicly requesting a role in Godzilla (2014) at G-Fest XVII in 2010 Dallas Comic Con panel (2014) Anime Boston panel with Haruo Nakajima (2015) G-FEST XIX panel with Bin Furuya (2016)

External Links

• Toho Kingdom interview (October 2013)
• Interview by Kim Song-ho (February 2016)