Akira Emoto
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Roles are weighted by involvement: director 1.0, screenwriter 0.7, lead 0.8, supporting 0.4, crew 0.1.
Old good "Emo-chan" of modern Japanese cinema. Emo's father was a close friend of legendary episode player Taji Tonoyama in elementary school days. His mother's grandfather ran a shamisen store in Ginza, Tokyo. Both parents like movies and theaters. After graduating from Machinery Department of Tokyo Industrial High School, Emoto got a job at a trading company. However, he became an actor and became a student of the acting classes of the theater company "Marui", which is headed by Nobuo Kaneko, and met Yusaku Matsuda who was in the same class. In 1999, he won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Dr. Akagi. He also won the award for best supporting actor at the 7th Hochi Film Award for Dotonbori River and Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san.
Known for
Credits
Rental Family (2025)
as Kikuo Hasegawa
Shin Godzilla (2016)
as Ryuta Azuma : Chief Cabinet Secretary
Zatoichi (2003)
as Pub Owner
Shoplifters (2018)
as Yoritsugu Kawado
ICHI (2008)
Actor
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
as Major Akira Yuki
It Feels So Good (2019)
as Kenji's Father (voice)
The Eel (1997)
as Tamotsu Takasaki
Nagisa (2000)
as Priest Shinto
Shall We Dance? (1996)
as Detective Miwa
Umami (2023)
as Salaryman
Doppelgänger (2003)
as Murakami
Lu Over the Wall (2017)
as Ashimoto's Grandfather (voice)
The Great Yokai War (2005)
Actor
Memories of Matsuko (2006)
as Tsunehiro Kawajiri
Kaizokuban Bootleg Film (1999)
as Tatsuo
Maborosi (1995)
as Yoshihiro
Waterboys (2001)
as Mama
Samurai Fury (2025)
Actor
Hard Days (2023)
as Yutaka Senba
Tokyo Towers: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad (2007)
as Doctor from Sasazuka Clinic
A Man (2022)
as Norio Komiura
September 11 (2002)
as Sakichi Furuhashi (segment "Japan")
Journey to the Shore (2015)
as Hoshitani
September 1923 (2023)
as Teiji Igusa
The Lightning Tree (2010)
as Kakunoshi Enokido
Villain (2010)
as Yoshio Ishibashi
April Bride (2009)
as Teishi Nagashima
Iwane: Sword of Serenity (2019)
as Urakusai
The Friends (1994)
as Nagatomo
Survival Family (2017)
as Sasaki Shigeomi
Wood Job! (2014)
as Toshiro Yamane
Worst by Chance (2003)
as Shigeharu Kaneshiro
The War and a Woman (2013)
as client of woman
The Great Yokai War: Guardians (2021)
as old man
Ace Attorney (2012)
as Saibancho (Judge)
Yamazaki Riverside - Over an Actor's Shoulder - (2026)
as Self
Banana, Gloves and Whale Shark (2013)
as Lawyer
Egoist (2023)
as Yoshio Saito
Do Unto Others (2023)
as Shosaku Shiba
The Hunter and the Hunted (2004)
as Neko
あじさい色のレディ (1988)
Actor
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981)
as Detective Kuroki
Hutch the Honeybee (2010)
Actor
Happy Flight (2008)
as Saito
Golden Slumber (2010)
as Hodogaya Yasushi
Drugstore Girl (2004)
as Koji Nabeshima
Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet (2011)
as Yoneuchi
John Rabe (2009)
as Matsui Iwane
As the River Flows (2000)
Actor
Unforgiven (2013)
as Kingo Baba
The Promised Land (2019)
as Goro Fujiki
Boku to Mama No Kiiroi Jitensha (2009)
as Shotaro
The Key (1997)
as Soichiro Anzai
The Life of Budori Gusuko (2012)
as Narrator / Dr. Kūbō (voice)
Amagi Pass (1983)
Actor
Heaven's Story (2010)
as Souichi
Recall (2018)
as Seiji Nomura
Dr. Akagi (1998)
as Dr. Fuu Akagi
The Mohican Comes Home (2016)
as Osamu Tamura
Time Trip App (2014)
as Ryuzo Yanagita
Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai (2021)
as Shop Owner
The Silk Road (1988)
Actor
Double Bed (1983)
as Tôru Yamazaki
Angel Guts: Red Vertigo (1988)
as Yakuza
Manhattan Kiss (1992)
Actor
The Go Master (2007)
as Kensaku Segoe
Lovers Lost (1982)
as Ishizuka
Chicken Is Barefoot (2004)
Actor
Show Me the Way to the Station (2019)
Actor
Japan Sinks (2006)
as Professor Fukuhara
KT (2002)
as Hiroshi Uchiyama
Zebraman (2004)
as Kitahara the Crab Man
Capone Cries a Lot (1985)
as Ushiemon
Yudo (2023)
as regular customer
Color Me True (2018)
as Tadashi Honda
Rain Fall (2009)
as Tatsu Ishikura
Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit (2008)
as Counselor
Private Lessons II (1993)
as Oba
The Wandering Moon (2022)
as Agata
Shylock's Children (2023)
as Hajime Sawazaki
Random Lives (2017)
as Hanamura
Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies (1986)
Actor
Karate-Robo Zaborgar (2011)
as Dr. Akunomiya
Owl (2003)
Actor
The Lakeside Murder Case (2005)
as Tomoharu Fujima
Yona Yona Penguin (2009)
as Jii (voice)
All Around Us (2008)
as kunimasa Yasuda
The City of Lost Souls (2000)
as Kuwata
Ekeb of Dekye (2010)
as Soichi Yanagimachi
Sumo Do, Sumo Don't (1992)
as Professor Tokichi Anayama
BON-UTA, A Song from Home (2019)
as (voice)
あなたの息子ひき出します！ (2026)
Actor
Underdog: Part One (2020)
as Sakuro
Casting Blossoms to the Sky (2012)
as Seijiro Nose
I Want To Live Once More: Shinjuku Bus Fire Incident (1985)
as Hirofumi Maruyama
They Say Nothing Stays the Same (2019)
as Toichi
Noise (2022)
as Shoji
Another Heaven (2000)
as Doctor Akagi
Suspicion (1982)
as Shigekazu Akitani
River of First Love (2004)
as Hidejiro Tasaki
The Final Piece (2025)
as Motoji Kanesaki
The Dog Bridegroom (2017)
as Kenkichi Okumura
Yellow Elephant (2013)
as Arechi
0.5 mm (2014)
as Takeshi Sasaki
Ask This of Rikyu (2013)
Actor
Maru (2024)
as Teacher
Sakurada Gate Incident (2010)
as Magojiro Kaneko
Ripples (2023)
as Taro Kadokura
Beijing Watermelon (1989)
as Mr. Teramoto
The Boy and the Dog (2025)
as Yaichi Katano
The Whispered City (2000)
as Toyohashi, sculptor
Girls, Guns and Gangsters: Shinji Somai & Sailor Suit & Machine Gun (2021)
Actor
The Suspect: Muroi Shinji (2005)
as Seigo Tsuda
Underdog: Part Two (2020)
as Sakuro
The Chasing World (2008)
as Doctor
Ninja Kids!!! (2011)
Actor
After the Flowers (2010)
as Soan Nagai
I Never Shot Anyone (2020)
as Takashi Renjo
A Living Promise (2016)
as Zenzo Takeda
Farewell, Kuro (2003)
as Shuzo Hanazono
The Innocent Game (2023)
Actor
Rotting (2024)
Actor
The Yen Family (1988)
as Shinichi Amemiya
Evil and The Mask (2018)
as Detective Aida
Yamai wa kikara: Byôin e ikô 2 (1992)
Actor
The Rainbow Seeker (1996)
Actor
Fancy Dance (1989)
as Masoho's boss
Kaza-hana (2001)
as Hot Spring Inn Owner
Haru's Journey (2010)
as Michio Nakai
Goodbye Mama (1991)
Actor
Bedtime Eyes (1987)
Actor
A Crowd of Three (2010)
Actor
Teacher and Three Children (2008)
as Yoshio Ichikawa
Life Can Be So Wonderful (2007)
as Haeo
Fujio Akatsuka's Gag Porno: In the Mood Once Again (1979)
as Daigorô Hatayama
The Big Bee (2015)
as Murofushi
The Second Is a Christian (1985)
as Kumashiro
Legend of the Cat Monster (1983)
as Ryohei Shimura / Joji Tamura
The Master Plan (2021)
as Kawabata
Mukoku (2017)
as Seppo Mitsumura
Scrap Heaven (2005)
as Detective Yabuta
In His Chart (2011)
as Doctor
No Place to Go (2022)
as Bomber
Round About Midnight (1999)
as Totsuka
Abduction (1997)
as Chief Superintendent Tachibana
Oz Land (2018)
as Boss
A Honeymoon in Hell: Mr. & Mrs. Oki's Fabulous Trip (2011)
as wet guy
Location (1984)
as Konno
Sleeping Forest (2014)
as Daisuke Ota
Black Widow Business (2016)
as Jun Sakurada
Asahiyama Zoo Story: Penguins in the Sky (2009)
as Itsuro Usui
Life Back Then (2011)
as Masashi Inoue
Vampire in Love (2015)
as Sojiro
Living in the Sky (2020)
as Concierge Kondo
Goal of the Sky (2023)
Actor
Samurai Resurrection (2003)
as Nobutsuna Matsudaira
The Way of The Prison Guard (2025)
Actor
The Pearls of the Stone Man (2015)
as Kumaji Ueda
Will to Live (1999)
as Doctor
When Cinema Reflects the Times: Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang (1993)
as Narrator (voice)
The Motive (2004)
as Yoshifumi Katakura
Love Is Five Seven Five (2005)
as Grandfather
Don't Lose Your Head! (2024)
as Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu
The Most Beautiful Night In The World (2008)
as Journalist
The Heartbreak Yakuza (1987)
Actor
Postcard (2010)
as Yukichi Morikawa, the Father-in-Law
Winning Pass (2004)
Actor
Masked Crusader, Mr. Jirenman (1979)
as Kantarô Iwata
A Lone Scalpel (2010)
as Matsuo Okawa
A Tale of Young Elopement (1987)
as Matsuda
Neko Ninja (2017)
as Kariyazaki
Congratulatory Speech (1985)
as Yasuhei Higashida
The Shadow Spirit (2007)
as mimasaka koushirou
A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Era (1991)
as Kogoro Katsura
Shippu Rondo (2016)
as Masaomi Togo
Fly, Dakota, Fly! (2013)
Actor
Sniper (2016)
as Tatsuyuki Miyata
The Nagaharu Yodogawa Story: A Cineaste's Life in Kobe (1999)
as Matashichi
Mottomo Abunai Deka (1989)
as Maeo
Castle of Sand (2019)
as Chiyokichi
Tetsujin 28: The Movie (2005)
as Yunosuke Otsuka
Godot of the Emotos (2019)
Actor
Disciples of Hippocrates (1980)
Actor
Body and Soul (1997)
as Sekiya/Reiko's lover-Aya's ex
Tora-san Goes to Vienna (1989)
as 坂口兵马
Prodigy (2007)
as Hisashi Kikuna
It's Only Talk (2006)
Actor
For the coming day (2005)
Actor
Turn (2001)
as Matsubara
Make-Up (1984)
as Kikuo Tsutano
The Cycling Genius Is Coming! (2008)
Actor
A Grain of Wheat (2016)
as Honda
Living Rights (2015)
Actor
Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san (1982)
as 近藤
One Last Throw (2025)
as Kawato Kozo
Free and Easy 8 (1996)
as Yukawa
Shikei Kijun (2011)
as Kyusaku Tsushima
The Setting Sun (2022)
as Dr. Miyake
Moon & Cherry (2004)
as Sakamoto
Shimo-ochiai Yakitori Movie (1979)
Actor
The Great Department Store Robbery (1987)
Actor
Love Letter (1998)
Actor
Dance till Tomorrow (1991)
Actor
The Taste of Fish (2008)
as Shojiro Sanada
Your Friend (2008)
Actor
Humanoid Monster, Bem (2012)
as Kao no nai otoko
The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat (2026)
Actor
Harimao (1989)
as Army Major
The God of Curling (2024)
as Susumu Komiyama
Nosari: Impermanent Eternity (2020)
Actor
Battle Heater (1989)
as Riichi Hama
A House on a Hill (2014)
as Yoshitarō Terashima
Touken Ranbu: The Movie -Dawn- (2023)
as Fujiwara no Michinaga
Utsusemi no mori (2021)
as Police Inspector Kariya Shinichi
Oh! Father (2014)
as Hayashi Tomita
Solitary Gourmet New Year's Eve Special ~Final Meal! Setouchi Business Trip~ (2017)
Actor
One Day in January (2012)
Actor
A Sower of Seeds (2012)
as Shuzo Morikawa
Maria's Stomach (1990)
Actor
Revolver (1988)
as Keisuke Mineya
Stardust over the Town (2020)
as Kumabe Rokuzo
Barber's Sorrow (2002)
as Sakaguchi
The Man from Shimizu (1982)
Actor
Cast Me If You Can (2010)
as Homeless guy
Finding Light at the Darkness Festival (2019)
Actor
Takada Wataru Teki (2004)
as Self
Teacher's suitcase (2003)
as Sensei/Matsumoto Harutsuna
祈り ―幻に長崎を想う刻― (2021)
Actor
The Happiness (2006)
Actor
Three for the Road (2007)
Actor
Cold (2014)
as Jin Ichinose
Barber Shop with a View of the Sea (2022)
as 老店主
Universal Laws (1990)
Actor
Roar of the Crowd (1990)
Actor
GARO: Gold Storm Flight (2015)
as Priest Soutatsu
Starfish Hotel (2007)
as Mr. Trickster
Hana (2003)
as Hiroshi Torigoe
Wonderful Paradise (2020)
as Homeless
Kyoto Hippocrates (2026)
Actor
Present for You (2015)
Actor
The Partner (2013)
as Ōkuma Shigenobu
The Summer of Stickleback (2006)
Actor
Betrayal Tomorrow (1990)
Actor
The Last Frankenstein (1991)
as Prof. Sarusawa
I Can Hear the Duck Singing (1993)
Actor