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).
Acting (91 movies)
Zatoichi
2003
Brother
2000
Battle Royale II: Requiem
2003
Battle Royale
2000
Kikujiro
1999
Takeshis'
2005
Taboo
1999
Blood and Bones
2004
Glory to the Filmmaker!
2007
Sonatine
1993
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
1983
Achilles and the Tortoise
2008
Boiling Point
1990
Violent Cop
1989
Gonin
1995
Johnny Mnemonic
1995
Outrage
2010
Kubi
2023
Getting Any?
1995
Tokyo Eyes
1998
Morning
2014
No More Comics!
1986
Jesus' Ark
1985
Arakimentari
2004
The Crimes of Kiyoshi Ōkubo
1983
Beyond Outrage
2012
The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor
1983
Dearest
2012
Demon
1985
Doctor X: Gekai Daimon Michiko Special
2016
Shooting Film is Battleground: Making of BATTLE ROYALE
2001
The Final Battleground — Making of Battle Royale II
2003
Kikoku
2010
Izo
2004
Zankyo
1999
Erotic Liaisons
1992
The 300 million yen robbery
2000
Kiseki Taiken! Anbiribabō: 1999 Nostradamus Senritsu no Daiyogen Mysterious Unbelievable
1999
Kiseki Taiken! Anbiribabō: Kyōfu Eizō Kaiki Shashin Korekushon
1999
Hoshi wo tsugu mono
1990
Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen
2015
Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel
2014
Mozu The Movie
2015
The Boss' Wife
1988
Aka Medaka
2015
Miwa: A Japanese Icon
2013
While the Women Are Sleeping
2016
Ghost in the Shell
2017
The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit
2008
Ghost in the Shell: Hard-Wired Humanity - Making Ghost in the Shell
2017
Many Happy Returns
1993
A Legend of Turmoil
1992
Broken Rage
2024
Outrage Coda
2017
The Dump Truck Rascal
1981
Completely... With That Air!
1981
Joke with a Sorrowful Heart
1985
Makoto-chan
1980
Manon
1981
Dioxin from Fish!
1992
Kim's War
1991
Kichiku
2002
Prison Break
2017
What the War Meant
2008
A Living Promise
2016
Go, Go Second Time Virgin
1969
Trespassing Bergman
2013
A Special Day
2012
The Golden Cups: One More Time
2004
To Each His Own Cinema
2007
The 8th Floor
2014
Electric Yakuza, Go to Hell!
2004
Making-of Kids Return
1996
Kogoro Akechi vs Kaijin Nijyuu Menso
2002
Making of 'Battle Royale'
2000
In Between Mountains and Oceans
2014
Shoko Asahara with Takeshi
1991
KILL THEM ALL
1990
Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto
1985
Fireworks
1997
Citizen Kitano
2020
Dots and Lines
2007
Takeshi's Castle Vol. 1
2009
Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano
2000
Summer Secrets
1982
School in the Crosshairs
1982
Why Are We Creative?
2018
AUM: The Cult at the End of the World
2025
Johnny Mnemonic: In Black & White
2022
雨の降る駅
1986
Plankton Salesmen
2017
Directing (23 movies)
Zatoichi
2003
Brother
2000
Dolls
2002
Kikujiro
1999
Glory to the Filmmaker!
2007
Takeshis'
2005
A Scene at the Sea
1991
Sonatine
1993
Achilles and the Tortoise
2008
Boiling Point
1990
Kids Return
1996
Violent Cop
1989
To Each His Own Cinema
2007
Outrage
2010
Getting Any?
1995
Beyond Outrage
2012
Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen
2015
Takeshi's Castle Vol. 1
2009
Morning
2014
Fireworks
1997
Outrage Coda
2017
Broken Rage
2024
Kubi
2023
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Cop | 1989 | Writer |
| Boiling Point | 1990 | Screenplay |
| A Scene at the Sea | 1991 | Screenplay |
| Sonatine | 1993 | Screenplay |
| Getting Any? | 1995 | Writer |
| Kids Return | 1996 | Writer |
| Fireworks | 1997 | Screenplay |
| Kikujiro | 1999 | Screenplay |
| Brother | 2000 | Writer |
| Dolls | 2002 | Screenplay |
| Zatoichi | 2003 | Screenplay |
| Takeshis' | 2005 | Writer |
| Glory to the Filmmaker! | 2007 | Writer |
| To Each His Own Cinema | 2007 | Screenplay |
| To Each His Own Cinema | 2007 | Producer |
| Achilles and the Tortoise | 2008 | Screenplay |
| Outrage | 2010 | Screenplay |
| Beyond Outrage | 2012 | Writer |
| Morning | 2014 | Screenplay |
| Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen | 2015 | Writer |
| Outrage Coda | 2017 | Screenplay |
| Kubi | 2023 | Screenplay |
| Broken Rage | 2024 | Writer |