Susumu Fujita Hawai Mare oki kaisen (1942)

Susumu Fujita () (8 January 1912 – 23 March 1991) was a Japanese film and television actor. He played the lead role in

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

's first feature, '' Sanshiro Sugata'', and appeared in other Kurosawa films including ''

The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail is a 1945 Japanese period drama film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa, based on the kabuki play ''Kanjinchō'', which is in turn based on the Noh play '' Ataka''. It depicts a famous 12th century incident in which Yoshitsune and a small ...

'' (as Togashi, commander of the border guards) and ''

The Hidden Fortress is a 1958 Japanese '' jidaigeki'' adventure film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of two peasants who agree to escort a man and a woman across enemy lines in return for gold without knowing that he is a general and the woman is a pr ...

'' (as General Tadokoro). Later, he was a supporting actor in

Ishirō Honda was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 44 feature films in a career spanning 59 years. The most internationally successful Japanese filmmaker prior to Hayao Miyazaki, his films have had a significant influence on the film industry. Honda enter ...

's '' Mothra vs. Godzilla'', among many other films. Before and during World War II Fujita was considered one of the great stars of Japanese cinema. In the post-war period he became known for supporting roles, often playing a soldier in

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

s, such as in

Masaki Kobayashi was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, best known for the epic trilogy ''The Human Condition'' (1959–1961), the samurai films '' Harakiri'' (1962) and '' Samurai Rebellion'' (1967), and the horror anthology ''Kwaidan'' (1964). ''Sens ...

's ''The Human Condition'' (film series). During the sixties and seventies he played minor roles in "special effects pictures" such as ''

Ultraman ''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with ''Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is one ...

'' and ''

Frankenstein vs. Baragon is a 1965 ''kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film stars Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno and Tadao Takashima, with Koji Furuhata as Frankenstein and Haruo Nakajima as Baragon. An international co-produc ...

''.

Life and career

Fujita was born in

Kurume, Fukuoka is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 303,579 and a population density of 1,320 persons per km². The total area is 229.96 km². On February 5, 2005, the town of Kitano (fr ...

in Japan. After graduating from high school in 1929 he moved to Tokyo, where he took entrance examinations for several universities, but failed to gain admission. Before returning to Fukuoka he stayed in

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

with Takuji Furumi, a film director from his home town. With assistance from Furumi, he secured employment with producer Utaemon Ishikawa as an extra. He was hired as an actor by Toa Cinema, but did not appear in any films that year. In 1932 he was drafted into military service and enlisted in the 12th Artillery Division. After being discharged from the army in 1934, Fujita went to work for Masahiro Makino's Kyoto Film Recording as an

audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction ...

. He returned to acting in 1939, when he moved to

Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer ...

studios. At first, Fujita was a contract player appearing in minor roles, but in 1940 he co-starred in with Takako Irie and Minoru Takada; he was praised as a sincere and genuine actor. Beginning in 1941 he played a succession of leading roles, including . In 1943 he appeared in ''Sanshiro Sugata'', the directorial debut of Akira Kurosawa, which brought him to wide popularity. Fujita's popularity as a manly action hero was further cemented with his performance in . He was in the midst of filming ''The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail'' when World War II ended. After the war, Fujita condemned his own portrayal of war heroes and considered leaving acting. However, unable to see himself in any other profession, he returned to the screen. In 1946 he appeared in Kurosawa's first post-war film, ''

No Regrets for Our Youth is a 1946 Japanese film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is based on the 1933 Takigawa incident. The film stars Setsuko Hara, Susumu Fujita, Takashi Shimura and Denjirō Ōkōchi. Fujita's character was inspired by the real-life Hotsumi ...

'', about a war-time liberal who was executed for treason. During a strike at Toho in 1948 Fujita, along with Denjiro Ōkochi, Kazuo Hasegawa and other members of the so-called "Flag ten" secession union broke away to form a new studio, Shintoho (New Toho). This reorganization ended Fujita's collaboration with Kurosawa. At Shintoho, he appeared in several

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exce ...

s and action films. After his contract with Shintoho ended in 1957, Fujita returned to Toho, where he appeared primarily in supporting roles. Fujita and Kurosawa worked together again on ''

'' in 1958. Although Fujita appeared in a supporting role, it was essential to the film. He appeared in three more Kurosawa films, including '' Yojimbo'', but only in minor roles.

Selected filmography

* ''Hataraku ikka'' (1939) - Genji's fellow worker (uncredited) * ''Shanhai rikusentai'' (1939) - Marine N.C.O. (uncredited) * ''Ribbon o musubu fujin'' (1939) * ''Byakuran no uta: zenpen: kōhen'' (1939) * ''Moyuru ōzora'' (1940) * ''Tsuma no baai'' (1940) * ''Kaigun bakugekitai'' (1940) * ''Okumura Ioko'' (1940) * ''Nessa no chikai'' (1940) - Chen Suyan * ''Shidō monogatari'' (1941) - Shintaro Sagawa * ''Seishun no kiryū'' (1942) - Murakami * ''Midori no daichi'' (1942) * ''Haha wa shinazu'' (1942) * ''Hawaii Mare okikaisen'' (1942) - Yamashita * '' Sanshiro Sugata'' (aka Judo Saga) (1943) - Sanshiro Sugata * ''Wakaki hi no yorokobi'' (1943) - Naotaro Fujita * ''Neppū'' (1943) * ''Himetaru kakugo'' (1943) - Navy officer * ''

Kato hayabusa sento-tai ''Colonel Tateo Katō's Flying Squadron'' (64th Sentai) and a.k.a. ''Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron'' is a 1944 black and white Cinema of Japan, Japanese film directed by Kajiro Yamamoto. A war film detailing the missions of a squadron in the ...

'' (1944) * ''Raigekitai Shutsudō'' (1944) * ''Raigekitai shutsudo'' (1944) * ''Nichijō no tatakai'' (1944) * ''Kanjōkai no bara'' (1945) * '' Sanshiro Sugata Part II'' (1945) - Sanshiro Sugata * ''Nihon kengō den'' (1945) - Yagyu Tajima-no-kami * ''Kita no san-nin'' (1945) - Kakuta * ''Koi no fuunjî'' (1945) * ''

'' (1945) - Togashi * ''Urashima Tarō no kōei'' (1946) - Goro Urashima * ''

Minshū no Teki is a 1946 Japanese drama film directed by Tadashi Imai. It was released on April 25, 1946. Cast *Susumu Fujita *Akitake Kōno *Kogiku Hanayagi * Ureo Egawa *Takashi Shimura *Ichiro Sugai Reception At the 1st Mainichi Film Award, Tadashi Imai won ...

'' (1946) * ''

Those Who Make Tomorrow is a 1946 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto (who was also co-writer). It was produced to illustrate the purpose of the workers' union at the Toho film studios, as the Allied Forces endorsed the format ...

'' (1946) - Fujita * ''Reijin'' (1946) - Shinichi Tazawa * ''

'' (1946) - Ruykichi Noge * ''

Aru yo no Tonosama is a 1946 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. Cast *Kazuo Hasegawa *Isuzu Yamada *Hideko Takamine * Chōko Iida * Mitsuko Yoshikawa *Ichiro Sugai *Tetsu Nakamura *Takashi Shimura *Eitarō Shindō *Susumu Fujita *Denjirō Ōkōchi Award ...

'' (1946) * ''

A Thousand and One Nights with Toho is a 1947 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Kon Ichikawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Plot Actress Yamane is chased by two suspicious men and escapes to the studio. As she escapes to the kimono, preview room, and stage, th ...

'' (1947) * ''Kâkedashî jidaî'' (1947) * ''Hana hiraku - Machiko yori'' (1948) - Teruhiko Kuwai * ''Issun-boshi'' (1948) * ''Ikiteiru gazō'' (1948) - Yutaka Nambara * ''Shirozukin arawaru'' (1949) - Senta * ''Kirare no Senta'' (1949) * ''Mori no Ishimatsu'' (1949) - Ishimatsu * ''Umi no G-men'' (1950) * ''Kai Jo G-Men'' (1950) * ''Sasameyuki'' (1950) - Minoru Mimaki * ''Hi no tori'' (1950) * ''Netsudeichi'' (1950) * ''Ginza Sanshiro'' (1950) * ''Jiyuu gakko'' (1951) - Hei-san * ''Bungawan soro'' (1951) * ''

Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and ea ...

'' (1952) - Kōsuke Kijima * ''Himeyuri no tō'' (1953) - Dr. Oka * ''Kenbei'' (1953) * ''Senkan Yamato'' (1953) - Jiro Nomura * ''Waga koi no lila no kokage ni'' (1953) * ''Hana to ryū - Dai-ichi-bu: Dōkai-wan no rantō'' (1954) - Kingorō Tamai * ''Hana to ryū - Dai-ni-bu: Aijō ruten'' (1954) - Kingorō Tamai * ''Horafuki tanji'' (1954) - Farmer Tanji * ''Sensuikan Rogō imada fujōsezu'' (1954) * ''Nihon yaburezu'' (1954) * ''Hana to ryu'' (1954) * ''

Non-chan kumo ni noru , is a 1955 Japanese film directed by Fumito Kurata. It was based on a best-seller by Momoko Ishii was a distinguished Japanese writer and translator of children's books. She was the first member of the Japanese Art Academy from the field of ch ...

'' (1955) - Nobuko's father * ''Ai no rekishi'' (1955) - Ichirō Kaibara * ''Hokkai no hanran'' (1956) - Atsuo Kuroda * ''Silver Snake Iwashiya'' (1956) * '' Revenge of the Pearl Queen'' (1956) - Kenji Asamura * ''Rōnin-gai'' (1957) - Gonbei Horo * ''Awa odori naruto no kaizoku'' (1957) * '' Escapade in Japan'' (1957) - Kei Tanaka * ''Jirochō gaiden: Ōabare jirochō ikka'' (1957) * ''

The Mysterians is a 1957 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film begins with a giant fissure destroying an entire village. This leads to an investigation whereby the source is disc ...

'' (1957) - Gen. Morita * '' Meiji tennō to Nichiro daisensō'' (1958) * ''Satsujinki: Kumo-otoko'' (1958) - Kogorō Akechi * ''

'' (1958) - General Hyoe Tadokoro * ''Kumo-otoko no gyakushū'' (1958) - Kogorō Akechi * ''Songokū'' (1959) * ''

Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender is a 1959 Japanese war film directed by Shūe Matsubayashi, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Plot During World War II, the commanding officer of a sub reluctantly takes on board two Western diplomats to take them to the Canaries and a ...

'' (1959) * ''

The Human Condition ''The Human Condition'', first published in 1958, is Hannah Arendt's account of how "human activities" should be and have been understood throughout Western history. Arendt is interested in the ''vita activa'' (active life) as contrasted with t ...

'' (1959) - Naruto Nitōhei * '' Watashi wa kai ni naritai'' (1959) * ''Kunisada Chūji'' (1960) - Magistrate Jubei Matsui * ''

Storm Over the Pacific (literally, ''Hawaii-Midway Battle of the Sea and Sky: Storm in the Pacific Ocean'') is a 1960 Eastmancolor Japanese war film directed by Shūe Matsubayashi. The story is an account of a young Japanese bombardier, Lt. Koji Kitami (Yosuke Natsuki ...

'' (1960) * ''

The Bad Sleep Well is a 1960 Japanese crime mystery film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It was the first film to be produced under Kurosawa's own independent production company. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival. The film stars Toshiro ...

'' (1960) - Detective * ''Yatarō gasa'' (1960) - Boss Daihachi * ''Shii no tsūisekishâ'' (1960) * ''

The Story of Osaka Castle is a 1961 Japanese drama film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film is based on historical events taking place in Japan during the beginning of the 17th century. Plot The plot is set about a decade aft ...

'' (1961) - Katsuyasu Sakakibara * '' Yojimbo'' (1961) - Homma - Instructor Who Skips Town * ''Ai to honoho to'' (1961) - Niimura * ''Dobunezumi sakusen'' (1962) * '' Chushingura: 47 Samurai'' (1962) - Yosobei Kajikawa * ''Attack Squadron!'' (1963) - Yamato Commander Ito * '' High and Low'' (aka ''The Ransom'') (1963) - Chief of First Investigating Section * ''Chintao yosai bakugeki meirei'' (aka ''Siege of Fort Bismarck'') (1963) * ''Hiken'' (1963) * ''

Atragon is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film produced and distributed by Toho. It is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō Oshikawa and ''The Undersea Kingdom'' by Shigeru Komatsuzaki. The film ...

'' (1963) - Defense Commander * ''Kokusai himitsu keisatsu'' (1964) - Meishi's Boss * ''Kyo mo ware ozora ni ari'' (1964) * '' Mothra vs. Godzilla'' (1964) - JSDF General * '' Dagora the Space Monster'' (1964) - General Iwasa * ''Horafuki taikoki'' (1964) - Yoshimoto Imagawa * ''

Samurai Assassin is a 1965 Japanese film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Toshiro Mifune, Koshiro Matsumoto, Yūnosuke Itō, and Michiyo Aratama. It is set in 1860, immediately before the Meiji Restoration changed Japanese society forever by doing awa ...

'' (1965) - Tatewaki Todo * '' Kiga Kaikyo'' (1965) - Police Chief * ''Zoku shachō ninpōchō'' (1965) * ''Fūrai ninpōchō'' (1965) * ''Taiheiyo kiseki no sakusen Kisuka'' (1965) - Akitani * ''

'' (1965) - Osaka Police Chief * ''Zero faita dai kūsen'' (1966) * ''Nippon ankokugai'' (1966) * ''Nihon ânkokugai'' (1966) * ''

Rampaging Dragon of the North , also known as ''North Sea Dragon'', is a 1966 Japanese yakuza action crime film directed by Kinji Fukasaku starring Tatsuo Umemiya and produced by Toei Tokyo. Plot Following a stint with the yakuza, a fisherman's son named Jiro returns home to ...

'' (1966) * ''Bosū wa ore no kenjū de'' (1966) * ''

Japan's Longest Day is a 1967 Japanese war film directed by Kihachi Okamoto. The subject of the majority of the movie is the period between noon on August 14, 1945 and noon on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito's decision to surrender to the Allies in World ...

'' (1967) - Colonel Toyojiro Haga - CO Imperial Guards 2nd Infantry Regiment * ''

'' (1967) * ''Rengo kantai shirei chōkan Yamamoto Isoroku'' (1968) -

Chūichi Nagumo Chūichi Nagumo (, ''Nagumo Chūichi''; 25 March 1887 – 6 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Nagumo led Japan's main carrier battle group, the '' Kido Butai'', in the attack on Pearl Harbor, ...

* ''Furesshuman wakadaishō'' (1969) * '' Battle of the Japan Sea'' (1969) - Kamimura Hikonojō * ''Hiko shonen: Wakamono no toride'' (1970) - Jiro Iwami - Boy * ''Nora-neko rokku: Onna banchō'' (1970) * '' The Militarists'' (1970) -

Osami Nagano was a Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy and one of the leaders of Japan's military during most of the Second World War. In April 1941, he became Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff. In this capacity, he served as the ...

* ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ( ja, トラ・トラ・トラ！) is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji ...

'' (1970) - Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi * ''Shiosai'' (1971) * ''Shin Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Dai-Dassou'' (1971) * ''Shin abashiri bangaichi: Arashi yobu shiretoko-misaki'' (1971) * ''Bokyo Komori-uta'' (1972) * ''Seishun no mon'' (1975) - Yabe Tora * ''Nihon no jingi'' (1977) * ''Fuyu no hana'' (1978) - Ryokichi Sakata * '' Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive Battle'' (1979) * ''

Shikake-nin Baian is a 1981 Japanese film directed by Yasuo Furuhata. The film was adapted from Shōtarō Ikenamis novel. Fujieda Baian is a doctor/assassin. Cast * Kinnosuke Yorozuya as Fujieda Baian * Katsuo Nakamura as Hikosan * Takayuki Godai as Kosugi * ...

'' (1981) - Hanemon Otowaya * ''

The Imperial Navy is a 1981 Japanese war film directed by Shue Matsubayashi. The film is a retelling of the downfall of Japan's Imperial Navy. Plot In 1940, despite the opposition of the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Keij ...

'' (1981) -

Koshirō Oikawa was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and Naval Minister during World War II. Biography Oikawa was born into a wealthy family in rural Koshi County, Niigata Prefecture, but was raised in Morioka city, Iwate prefecture in northern Ja ...

* ''Kaikyō'' (1982) * ''Namidabashi'' (1983) * ''

Detective Story Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as specu ...

'' (1983) - Gozo Kunizaki * ''Mori no mukougawa'' (1988) * ''Roppongi banana boys'' (1989) - Tayama (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fujita, Susumu Japanese male film actors People from Kurume 1912 births 1991 deaths Deaths from liver cancer Deaths from cancer in Japan 20th-century Japanese male actors