Takeshi Kitano

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).

Known For

Golden Horse Awards

Idaten: Tokyo Olympics Story

Musashi

Ghost in the Shell

Battle Royale

Takeshi's Castle

Zatoichi

Today's Close-Up

All Movies (93)

• AUM: The Cult at the End of the World2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• Broken Rage2024 · as Nezumi
• Kubi2023 · as Hashiba Hideyoshi
• Citizen Kitano2020 · as Self
• Why Are We Creative?2018 · as Self
• Plankton Salesmen2017 · as Self (archive footage)
• Outrage Coda2017 · as Otomo
• Prison Break2017 · as Urata
• Ghost in the Shell2017 · as Aramaki
• Doctor X: Gekai Daimon Michiko Special2016
• While the Women Are Sleeping2016 · as Sahara
• A Living Promise2016 · as Detective Koichiro Iwase
• Aka Medaka2015 · as Tatekawa Danshi
• Mozu The Movie2015 · as Daruma
• Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen2015 · as Detective Murakami
• Morning2014
• The 8th Floor2014 · as Self
• In Between Mountains and Oceans2014 · as Himself
• Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel2014 · as Rokuro Fujisawa
• Miwa: A Japanese Icon2013 · as Himself
• Trespassing Bergman2013 · as Self
• Beyond Outrage2012 · as Otomo
• Dearest2012 · as Teruo Sugino
• A Special Day2012 · as Self
• Kikoku2010 · as Private First Class Oomiya
• Outrage2010 · as Otomo
• Takeshi's Castle Vol. 12009
• What the War Meant2008 · as Hideki Tojo
• The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit2008 · as Take-Majin (voice)
• Achilles and the Tortoise2008 · as Machisu
• Yayoi Kusama: I Love Me2008
• To Each His Own Cinema2007 · as The projectionist (segment "Rencontre unique")
• Glory to the Filmmaker!2007 · as Takeshi / Yakuza / Father / Ninja / Detective / Astronomer
• Takeshis'2005 · as Beat Takeshi / Mr. Kitano
• The Golden Cups: One More Time2004 · as Himself
• Blood and Bones2004 · as Joon-pyong Kim
• Izo2004 · as Chancellor
• Electric Yakuza, Go to Hell!2004 · as Self
• Arakimentari2004 · as Self
• Zatoichi2003 · as Zatoichi / Ichi
• The Final Battleground — Making of Battle Royale II2003 · as Self
• Battle Royale II: Requiem2003 · as Kitano
• Kichiku2002
• Kogoro Akechi vs Kaijin Nijyuu Menso2002 · as Niju Menso
• Shooting Film is Battleground: Making of BATTLE ROYALE2001 · as Self
• The 300 million yen robbery2000
• Battle Royale2000 · as Kitano
• Brother2000 · as Aniki Yamamoto
• Making of 'Battle Royale'2000 · as Self
• Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano2000 · as Self
• Taboo1999 · as Toshizo Hijikata
• The Unpredictable Takeshi Kitano1999 · as Self
• Kikujiro1999 · as Kikujiro
• Kiseki Taiken! Anbiribabō: Kyōfu Eizō Kaiki Shashin Korekushon1999
• Kiseki Taiken! Anbiribabō: 1999 Nostradamus Senritsu no Daiyogen Mysterious Unbelievable1999
• Jam Session (The Official Bootleg of Kikujiro)1999
• Zankyo1999
• Tokyo Eyes1998 · as Yakusa
• Fireworks1997 · as Yoshitaka Nishi
• Hana-bi (1997) – Behind-the-scenes Footage1997 · as Self - Himself
• Making-of Kids Return1996 · as Himself
• Gonin1995 · as Ichiro Kyoya
• Johnny Mnemonic1995 · as Takahashi
• Getting Any?1995 · as Scientist
• Many Happy Returns1993 · as Daisuke Shiba
• Sonatine1993 · as Aniki Murakawa
• Erotic Liaisons1992 · as Okuyama
• Dioxin from Fish!1992 · as Azuma
• A Legend of Turmoil1992 · as Kiichirou Yashiro
• Shoko Asahara with Takeshi1991 · as Self
• Kim's War1991 · as Kim Hyi-ro
• KILL THEM ALL1990
• Boiling Point1990 · as Uehara
• Hoshi wo tsugu mono1990 · as Yama no hito
• The Yagyu Code: Secret Scrolls1990
• Violent Cop1989 · as Azuma Ryosuke
• The Boss' Wife1988 · as Shoji Sugimoto, Hitman
• 雨の降る駅1986 · as 演员
• No More Comics!1986 · as Police
• Jesus' Ark1985 · as Takeyoshi Sengoku
• Demon1985 · as Yajima
• Joke with a Sorrowful Heart1985 · as Hiroshi Igarashi
• Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto1985 · as Hara (archive footage)
• The Crimes of Kiyoshi Ōkubo1983 · as Kiyoshi Ôkubo
• The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor1983 · as Man at Racetrack
• Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence1983 · as Hara
• Summer Secrets1982 · as Ramen shop owner
• Completely... With That Air!1981
• Manon1981 · as Shinobu
• The Dump Truck Rascal1981
• Makoto-chan1980
• Go, Go Second Time Virgin1969 · as Gang Member
• In Your Blood: Hoki Naiden—

All TV Shows (20)

• Takeshi's Castle Japan2023
• たけしのその時カメラは回っていた2020
• Idaten: Tokyo Olympics Story2019 · as 古今亭志生
• Kiseki taiken! Unbelievable2018 · as Storyteller
• たけしのこれがホントのニッポン芸能史2015
• オモクリ監督～O－Creator's TV Show～2014
• 日曜ゴールデンで何やってんだテレビ2012
• Dots and Lines2007 · as Jutaro Torikai
• MXC2003
• Musashi2003 · as Munisai Shinmen
• Takeshi's Castle2002
• The Story of One Century2000
• 加ト・けん・たけしの世紀末スペシャル!!1998
• Today's Close-Up1993 · as 出演
• 北野ファンクラブ1992
• Kitano fan kurabu1992 · as Self
• Beat Takeshi Presents TV Tackle1989
• Takeshi's Castle1986 · as Count Takeshi
• Golden Horse Awards1962 · as Self
• Kodai bunmei Misuterī Takeshi no shin sekai nana fushigi dai hyakka—