Kenji Sahara

Biography

Kenji Sahara was born Tadashi Ishihara on May 14, 1932 in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan. He came in second in the "Mr. Ordinary Contest" in 1953 and his cinema debut was as an extra in two small roles in Godzilla (1954), one as a ship passenger and one as a journalist. However, his break-through in Toho Studios' sci-fi films came when he portrayed the male lead Shigeru in Rodan (1956), where he changed his name to "Kenji Sahara." He would go on to become a familiar face in Toho's sci-fi films, playing a wide variety of heroes and villains. Appearing in films from all three of the Godzilla series, "Showa, "Heisei," and "Millennium," Sahara has appeared in Godzilla films more than any other actor. He is also a regular cast member in Japan's "Ultraman" television shows.

Movie Career

Films: 18
Career span: 48 years1956 to 2004

Genres

Action67%, 12 films
Adventure67%, 12 films
Fantasy39%, 7 films
Sci-Fi39%, 7 films
Horror28%, 5 films

First and latest

Kenji Sahara movies on Netflix

Godzilla: Final Wars2004IMDb rating 6.3as Paleontologist Hachirô Jingûji
Contract Killer1998IMDb rating 6.1as Mr. Tsukamoto
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II1993IMDb rating 6.5as Minister Takayuki Segawa
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah1991IMDb rating 6.5as Minister Takayuki Segawa
Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4as Makoto Obata
All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4as Commander Nishikawa
Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2as Morio
The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1as Dr. Yuzo Majida
Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5as Soldier
None But the Brave1965IMDb rating 6.4as Cpl. Fujimoto
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964IMDb rating 6.5as Editor in Chief Kanamaki
Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5as Jiro Torahata
Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8as Uto Omino
King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7as Kazuo Fujita
Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4as Senzô Koyama - Sailor
Mothra1961IMDb rating 6.6as Helicopter Pilot
Rodan1956IMDb rating 6.2as Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineer

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Rodan1956 Adventure, Drama, Horroras Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineer
IMDb rating 6.26.8K votes
All Monsters Attack1969 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
IMDb rating 3.96.5K votes
The War of the Gargantuas1966as Dr. Yuzo Majida
IMDb rating 6.14.1K votes
King Kong vs. Godzilla1963as Kazuo Fujita
IMDb rating 5.712K votes
Mothra vs. Godzilla1964as Jiro Torahata
IMDb rating 6.512K votes
Son of Godzilla1967as Morio
IMDb rating 5.27.0K votes
Matango1963as Senzô Koyama - Sailor
IMDb rating 6.44.0K votes
Destroy All Monsters1968as Commander Nishikawa
IMDb rating 6.49.0K votes

Most often with

Ishirô Honda directed twelve of these films, Jun Fukuda two. Three actors appear in eight of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Yoshibumi Tajima

Ikio Sawamura

Yoshifumi Tajima

Akihiko Hirata

Yoshio Tsuchiya

Jun TazakiIshirô HondaDirector, 12 films Jun FukudaDirector, 2 films

Films together

Yoshibumi Tajima8 films together, 1956 to 1969
Yoshibumi Tajima's page
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)Tajima as Detective
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander NishikawaTajima as General
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Sahara as Dr. Yuzo MajidaTajima as Officer Hirai
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as SoldierTajima as Murata, Japanese Imperial Navy submarine captain
- Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Jiro TorahataTajima as Kumayama
- Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8Sahara as Uto OminoTajima as Tome 'Amano' Amanoshome
- Mothra1961IMDb rating 6.6Sahara as Helicopter PilotTajima as Military Advisor
- Rodan1956IMDb rating 6.2Sahara as Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineerTajima as Izeki
Ikio Sawamura8 films together, 1963 to 1969
Ikio Sawamura's page
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)Sawamura as Bartender
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander NishikawaSawamura as Old Farmer
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Sahara as Dr. Yuzo MajidaSawamura as Fisherman #1
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as SoldierSawamura as Man Walking Dog
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Editor in Chief KanamakiSawamura as Honest Fisherman
- Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Jiro TorahataSawamura as Priest
- Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8Sahara as Uto OminoSawamura as Taxi Driver
- King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7Sahara as Kazuo FujitaSawamura as Witch Doctor
Yoshifumi Tajima8 films together, 1956 to 1969
Yoshifumi Tajima's page
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)Tajima as Detective
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander NishikawaTajima as General
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Sahara as Dr. Yuzo MajidaTajima as Police Officer
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as SoldierTajima as Submarine Commander
- Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Jiro TorahataTajima as Kumayama
- King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7Sahara as Kazuo FujitaTajima as Captain of Fujita's Ship - Japanese version only
- Mothra1961IMDb rating 6.6Sahara as Helicopter PilotTajima as Military Advisor
- Rodan1956IMDb rating 6.2Sahara as Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineerTajima as Izeki, reporter of Seibu Nippou
Akihiko Hirata6 films together, 1956 to 1967
Akihiko Hirata's page
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Sahara as MorioHirata as Fujisaki
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Editor in Chief KanamakiHirata as Chief Detective Okita
- Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8Sahara as Uto OminoHirata as Mu Agent #23
- King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7Sahara as Kazuo FujitaHirata as Dr. Shigezawa
- Mothra1961IMDb rating 6.6Sahara as Helicopter PilotHirata as Doctor
- Rodan1956IMDb rating 6.2Sahara as Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineerHirata as Professor Kyuichiro Kashiwagi (biology)
Yoshio Tsuchiya6 films together, 1963 to 1991
Yoshio Tsuchiya's page
- Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah1991IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Minister Takayuki SegawaTsuchiya as Businessman Yasuaki Shindo
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Sahara as Makoto ObataTsuchiya as Dr. Kyoichi Mida
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander NishikawaTsuchiya as Dr. Otani
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Sahara as MorioTsuchiya as Furukawa
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as SoldierTsuchiya as Mr. Kawai
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Senzô Koyama - SailorTsuchiya as Masafumi Kasai - Owner
Jun Tazaki6 films together, 1963 to 1968
Jun Tazaki's page
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander NishikawaTazaki as Dr. Yoshido
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Sahara as Dr. Yuzo MajidaTazaki as General
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as SoldierTazaki as Military Advisor
- Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Jiro TorahataTazaki as Murata, Newspaper Editor
- Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8Sahara as Uto OminoTazaki as Captain Hachiro Jinguji
- King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7Sahara as Kazuo FujitaTazaki as General Masami Shinzo
Ishirô HondaDirector, 12 films, 1956 to 1970
All films by Ishirô Honda
- Space Amoeba1970IMDb rating 5.4Sahara as Makoto Obata
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
- Destroy All Monsters1968IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Commander Nishikawa
- The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1Sahara as Dr. Yuzo Majida
- Frankenstein Conquers the World1965IMDb rating 5.5Sahara as Soldier
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Editor in Chief Kanamaki
- Mothra vs. Godzilla1964IMDb rating 6.5Sahara as Jiro Torahata
- Atragon1963IMDb rating 5.8Sahara as Uto Omino
- King Kong vs. Godzilla1963IMDb rating 5.7Sahara as Kazuo Fujita
- Matango1963IMDb rating 6.4Sahara as Senzô Koyama - Sailor
- Mothra1961IMDb rating 6.6Sahara as Helicopter Pilot
- Rodan1956IMDb rating 6.2Sahara as Shigeru Kawamura, colliery engineer
Jun FukudaDirector, 2 films, 1967 to 1969
- All Monsters Attack1969IMDb rating 3.9Sahara as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
- Son of Godzilla1967IMDb rating 5.2Sahara as Morio

Box office

What Kenji Sahara's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$69.9 million

12 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.

12Worldwide figure
6Figure not found

Top grosser

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II1993Minister Takayuki Segawa$18.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 89% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II1993as Minister Takayuki Segawa
$18M25.8% of the total
2
Godzilla: Final Wars2004as Paleontologist Hachirô Jingûji
$12M17.2% of the total
3
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah1991as Minister Takayuki Segawa
$11M15.7% of the total
4
Mothra vs. Godzilla1964as Jiro Torahata
$10M14.3% of the total
5
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964as Editor in Chief Kanamaki
$3.2M4.6% of the total
6
The War of the Gargantuas1966as Dr. Yuzo Majida
$3.0M4.3% of the total
7
King Kong vs. Godzilla1963as Kazuo Fujita
$2.7M3.9% of the total
8
All Monsters Attack1969as Kenkichi 'Tack' Miki (Ichiro's Father)
$2.4M3.4% of the total