was a Japanese actor, writer, singer and former

yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ...

. He is known for utilizing his experiences as a criminal in his many roles in

yakuza films is a popular film genre in Japanese cinema which focuses on the lives and dealings of ''yakuza'', Japanese organized crime syndicates. In the silent film era, depictions of ''bakuto'' (precursors to modern yakuza) as sympathetic Robin Hood-li ...

. He had a large knife scar on his left cheek, the result of a brawl with a Korean gangster as a young man.

Life and career

Noboru Ando was born in Higashi, Ōkubo, Tokyo, the oldest of four children to a father of

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

descent. After going to primary school in

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...

he entered junior high in

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...

, where his father was working, but returned to Tokyo to live with relatives when he was expelled. He was expelled from another school after only three months and began running with other delinquents, before being sent to a

reformatory school A reformatory or reformatory school is a youth detention center or an adult correctional facility popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Western countries. In the United Kingdom and United States, they came out of social concerns ...

for theft. He entered the military for pilot training in December 1943 and in June 1945 volunteered for a suicide

frogman A frogman is someone who is trained in scuba diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity that includes military, and in some European countries, police work. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver, comb ...

unit, though the war ended before he saw action. When he returned to Tokyo, he entered

Hosei University is a private university based in Tokyo, Japan. The university originated in a school of law, Tōkyō Hōgakusha (, i.e. Tokyo association of law), established in 1880, and the following year renamed Tōkyō Hōgakkō (, i.e. Tokyo school of law ...

, although he continued his gangster behavior and dropped out in May 1948. Ando formed his own yakuza family in 1952, the , that was mainly composed of bad-boy former college kids. With more than 300 members at its peak, the group operated in the

Shibuya Shibuya ( 渋谷区 ''Shibuya-ku'') is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. As a major commercial and finance center, it houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station. As of April 1 ...

district. Operating under the name , they had legitimate real estate and entertainment companies such as night clubs. In June 1958, a hitman sent by Ando shot businessman Hideki Yokoi. Yokoi had insulted Ando when his gang were hired to collect a debt Yokoi owed. Sought by the police, Ando was hidden by his mistress

Yoko Yamaguchi was a Japanese lyricist and novelist. In 1985, Yamaguchi won the Naoki Prize for her novels, ''Enka no Mushi'' ("Japanese Ballad Lover") and ''Robai'' ("Old Japanese Plum"). Life and career Yamaguchi was born in Nagoya as the illegitimate child o ...

in her

Yoyogi is a neighbourhood in the northern part of Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Geography The area encompassed by Yoyogi is typically defined two ways: * Only the five Yoyogi . * The former , corresponding roughly to the area south of National Route 20 (K� ...

apartment. Ando was arrested in

Hayama 260px, Morito Beach is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, on central Honshū, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 32,961 and a population density of 1900 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Since 1894, the Japan ...

after 35 days on the run and served six years in prison. When he was released in December 1964, he formally dissolved his yakuza family citing the death of one of his men and talking to that man's mother. Author

George Abe , known by his pen name , was a Japanese author and former yakuza. Outside Japan he is best known for writing the manga series '' Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin'' in collaboration with artist Masasumi Kakizaki. As a teenager Abe became a me ...

was a former member of the Ando-gumi. Soon after disbanding his gang, Ando was approached by a producer from

Shochiku () is a Japanese film and kabuki production and distribution company. It also produces and distributes anime films, in particular those produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks (which has a long-time partnership—the company released most, if not all ...

. He had his first acting role in 1965's ''Blood and Rules'', a film about himself. Following its success, he demanded, and received, a ¥20 million contract to work exclusively for the studio. According to Ando, acting came easily to him as a result of his underworld life: "In Japanese, the only difference between ''yakuza'' and ''yakusha'' (actor) is one

hiragana is a Japanese syllabary, part of the Japanese writing system, along with ''katakana'' as well as ''kanji''. It is a phonetic lettering system. The word ''hiragana'' literally means "flowing" or "simple" kana ("simple" originally as contrast ...

character," he has been quoted as saying. "All yakuza have to be actors to survive." He starred in three films by

Tai Kato was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was best known for making yakuza films at the Toei Company in 1960s. Biography Born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Kato was the nephew of the film director Sadao Yamanaka. He entered the Toho studio i ...

; ''A Man's Face Shows His Personal History'', ''Opium Heights: Hell Squad Attack'' (both 1966), and 1967's ''Sentence: Eighteen Years''. In 1967, Koji Shundo, a producer at Toei and former yakuza himself, lured Ando to Toei. This violated the

Five-Company Agreement The was an agreement signed 10 September 1953 between five major Japanese entertainment companies: Shochiku, Toho, Daiei, Shin-Toho, and Toei. Although nominally it prohibited hiring away a cosignatory company's actors and directors, in realit ...

and an automatic extension in his contract with Shochiku, but was ultimately allowed given Ando's unfamiliarity with the workings of the film industry. He appeared in a total of 51 Toei films including

Teruo Ishii was a Japanese film director best known in the West for his early films in the ''Super Giant'' series, and for his films in the ''ero guro'' ("erotic-grotesque") subgenre of ''pinku eiga'' such as ''Shogun's Joy of Torture'' ( 1968). He also dire ...

's ''Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Toso'' (1967) and ''Gendai Ninkyoshi'' (1973) as well as

Kinji Fukasaku was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Known for his "broad range and innovative filmmaking," Fukasaku worked in many different genres and styles, but was best known for his gritty yakuza films, typified by the ''Battles Without Honor ...

's ''

Japan Organized Crime Boss is a 1969 Japanese yakuza film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Plot The Danno Organization, Japan's largest yakuza clan, expands outward from its base in Osaka during the post-war period under the leadership of Boss Danno and Chief Executive Tsubaki ...

'' (1969), '' Sympathy for the Underdog'' (1971), '' Street Mobster'' (1972), '' New Battles Without Honor and Humanity'' (1974) and '' Graveyard of Honor'' (1975). In the 1970s, Ando was also a singer signed to

Canyon Records Canyon Records of Phoenix, Arizona is a record label that has produced and distributed Native American music for 56 years. History Canyon was founded in 1951 by Ray and Mary Boley, who had opened the first recording studio in Phoenix, Arizona ...

. Through the years he starred in several more films detailing his and his yakuza family's history, including ''Ando Noboru no Waga Tobou to Sex no Kiroku'' (1976), which depicted his sexual escapades while on the run from police. After appearing in

Sadao Nakajima is a Japanese film director and screenwriter (born 8 August, 1934) known for his work in yakuza films and jidaigeki. Career Born in Chiba Prefecture, he attended Hibiya High School and then the University of Tokyo before joining the Tōei studi ...

's ''The Big Boss's Head'' in 1979, Ando largely retired from acting. He occasionally served as producer, such as on 1988's ''Bruise'' by

Shunichi Kajima is a Japanese film director. He won the award for Best Director at the 9th Yokohama Film Festival for '' Chōchin''. Filmography * '' Chōchin'' (1987) References External links * 1944 births Living people Japanese film directors ...

, and wrote novels. He resumed acting in 1997, this time in straight to video films. In 2002, he served as supervisor on

Takashi Miike is a Japanese film director, film producer and screenwriter. He has directed over one hundred theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. His films run through a variety of different genres, and range from violent an ...

's '' Deadly Outlaw: Rekka'', which is loosely based on the actor's experiences. On 16 December 2015, Ando died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

in a Tokyo hospital at the age of 89. A farewell service was held on 28 February 2016 at Aoyama Funeral Home in

Aoyama, Tokyo is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Tokyo, located in the northwest portion of Minato Ward. The area is well known for its international fashion houses, cafes and restaurants. or "North Aoyama" refers to the area on the north side of Ao ...

. It was attended by an estimated 700 people, including Nakajima,

Junya Sato was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His son is a fellow film director . Career Born in Tokyo, Satō graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1956 with a degree in French literature. He joined the Toei studio and worked as an assist ...

Yasuo Furuhata was a Japanese film director. He was a director of Toei film company and he often worked with Ken Takakura in such films as '' Eki'' and ''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi''. He won the 2000 Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year and 31st Internat ...

Tatsuo Umemiya was a Japanese actor, ''tarento'', and businessman. He was represented by the agency Pickles. His daughter is model and ''tarento'' Anna Umemiya. The son of a doctor, Umemiya gave up a medical career to debut as a Toei New Face at the Toei Stu ...

, and

Yoshiko Mita (born October 8, 1941) is a Japanese actress. Born in the city of Osaka, she graduated from Joshibi High School of Art and Design in Suginami, Tokyo. In 1960, she was hired by Toei and made her acting debut. She remained with Toei until 1967, ...

Filmography

* (1965) *''Yasagure no Okite'' (1965) *''Tobo to Okite'' (1965) *''Honoo to Okite'' (1966) - Shin Nanjô * (1966) *''Ahendaichi Jigokubutai Totsugekseyo'' (1966) *''Ôtoko no Kao wa Kuri Fûda'' (1966) *''Bokyô to Okito'' (1966) *''Kyôkaku-dô'' (19676) *''Gyangu no Teiô'' (1967) *''Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Toso'' (1967) - Todoroki *'' Zoku Soshiki Bōryoku'' (1967) - Kenji Kunisaki *''Nihon ânkokushi: Chî no Koso'' (1967) *''Hakuchû no Zansatsû'' (1967) *''Choueki Juhachi-nen: Kari Shutsugoku'' (1967) *''Choueki Juhachi-nen'' (1967) *''Nippon Ankokushi: Nasake Muyô'' (1968) *''Tarekomi'' (1969) - Mamoru Sagara *''Yakuza Hijoshi - mushyo kyodai'' (1969) *''Yakuza Hijoshi-chi no Sakazuki'' (1969) *''Soshiki Boryoku: Kyodai Sakazuki'' (1969) *''Showa Yakuza Keizu - Nagasaki no Kao'' (1969) *''

'' (1969) - Ooba *''Yakuza Hijoshi-chi no Kechaku'' (1970) *'' Sympathy for the Underdog'' (1971) - Shark *'' The Wolves'' (1971) - Gunjiro Ozeki *''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Dai-Dassou'' (1971) *''Shin abashiri bangaichi: Arashi Yobu Shiretoko-misaki'' (1971) *''Mamushi no Kyôdai: Orei Mairi'' (1971) *''Chôeki Tarô: Mamushi no Kyôdai'' (1971) *''Gyangu tai Gyangu: Aka to Kuro no Burûsu'' (1972) *'' Street Mobster'' (1972) - Boss Yato *''Yakuza to Kôsô'' (1972) - Ando *''Yakuza to Kôsô: Jitsuroku Andô-gumi'' (1972) *''Showa Zankyo-den: Yabure-gasa'' (1972) *''Jitsuroku Ando-gumi Shugekihen'' ("The True Story of the Ando Gang: Attack") (1973) *''Jitsuroku: Shisetsu Ginza Keisatsu'' (1973) *''Gendai Ninkyô-shi'' (1973) - Mitsuo Kurata *''Jitsuroku Andô-gumi: Shûgeki-hen'' (1973) *''Bôryoku Gai'' (1974) - Egawa *''Karajishi Keisatsu'' (1974) *''San-daime Shumei'' (1974) *''

The Homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

'' (1974) *''Ando-gumi Gaiden Hitokiri Shatei'' ("The Untold Story of the Ando Gang: The Killer Brother") (1974) *'' New Battles Without Honor and Humanity'' (1974) - Unokichi Kaizu *''Hijo Gakuen Waru - Nerikan Dokisei'' (1974) *''Â Kessen Kôkûtai'' (1974) *'' Graveyard of Honor'' (1975) - Ryunosuke Nozu *''Ando Noboru no Waga Tobou to Sex no Kiroku'' (1976) - Himself *''Genkai-nada'' (1976) - Kondo *''Sochô no Kubi'' (1979) - Shozo Hanamori *''The True Face of Shinjuku: The Story of the Shinjuku Delinquent Gangs'' (1997) *''Yakuza Tosei no Sutekina Menmen'' (1998) *''The True History of the Ando Gang: Rules of the Starving Wolf'' (2002) - Himself in the present day / Narrator *''Shibuya Monogatari'' (2005) - (final film role)

Bibliography

Books

*''Gekidō Chi Nura Reta Hansei'' (1968) *''Andō Noboru Gokudō Ichi-dai Yakuza to Kōsō (Garō-hen)'' (1972) *''Andō Noboru Gokudō Ichi-dai Yakuza to Kōsō (Hayate-hen)'' (1972) *''Andō Noboru Gokudō Ichi-dai Yakuza to Kōsō (Kanketsu-hen)'' (1972) *''Yakuza no Fu (Fūun-hen)'' (1973) *''Yakuza no Fu (Gekijō-hen)'' (1973) *''Yakuza no Shiro'' (1976) *''Ryōdo Gōdatsu Dokyumento Hokkai no Bakuto-tachi'' (1978) *''Tōkai no Setsuninken'' (1982) *''Gun Ōkami no Keifu'' (1983) *''On'na ni Motetakya Otoko o Migake - Ore no Otoko Shūgyō On'na Shūgyō Jinsei Shūgyō'' (1988) *''Ageman Nyūmon - Kon'na On'na to wa, Sugu Wakarero!'' (1990) *''Fashionable Tosei - Hoero! Otoko-tachi yo!'' (1991) *''Sakura Sakukoro ni... - Andō-gumi Gaiden Gekiryū ni Ikiru Otoko Takahashi Masayuki no Han'nama'' (1993) *''Kumon On'na Sōjutsu - Asoko de Minuku, Tsuki o Yobu On'na, Ubau On'na'' (1993) *''Andō-ryū Gorin-sho'' (1995) *''Otoko no Iroke ― Kakugo o Kimeta TokiKara, Otoko wa Ī Kao ni Naru'' (1997) *''Ura Shakai no Okite'' (1998) *''Jiden Andō Noboru'' (2001) *''Furachi Zanmai - Waga Kahanshin no Shōwa-shi'' (2001) *''Movie Star Ando Noboru'' (2002) *''Zaregoto - Jinsei no Lost Time ni Omou'' (2006) *''Andō Noboru Ōja no Non'nō'' (2008) *''Jinsei o Kaeru Kumon 'Kasō' Jutsu'' (2009) *''Otoko no Kakugo'' (2009) *''Irogoto no Hinkaku - Otona no Otoko no Ikina Asobikata'' (2010) *''Andō Noboru no Sengo Yakuza-shi Shōwa Fūun-roku'' (2012) *''Otoko no Shimai Shitaku'' (2012) *''Otoko Sanka'' (2014) *''Otoko no Hin'i'' (2015) *''Otona no Otome no Shikiyoku Shugyō'' (2022)

Manga

*''Garō Ichi-dai Jitsuroku Andō Noboru Ichidaiki'' (1984–1987) - Illustrated by Ken Nakajo *''Buya Jitsuroku Andō-gumi'' (1992–1994) - Composed by Tadashi Mukaidani, illustrated by Takeshi Kanda *''Garō no Keifu - Jitsuroku Andō-gumi'' (2001–2002) - Composed by Tadashi Mukaidani, illustrated by Takeshi Kanda

Discography

*''Otoko no Aika'' (1970) *''Sasurai Higanbana'' (1971) *''Tabikasa Dōchū - Kage wo Shitaite'' (1972) *''Sakariba Ni Jū-nen Andō Noboru no Sekai'' (1973) *''Sendōko Uta'' (1974) *''Gunka de Tsudzuru Taiheiyō Senshi'' (1976) *''Otoko no Hitori-goto'' (1977)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ando, Noboru 1926 births 2015 deaths 20th-century Japanese male actors 20th-century Japanese male singers 20th-century Japanese male writers Deaths from pneumonia in Japan Hosei University alumni Japanese crime bosses Japanese male film actors Male actors from Tokyo Writers from Tokyo Yakuza members