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Isao Tamagawa

Isao Tamagawa

Actor · Died January 1, 2004, aged 81 · Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Isao Tamagawa was born on 11 January 1922. He was an actor, known for Branded to Kill (1967), Shirubâ kamen (1971) and Tokyo Drifter (1966). He died on 1 January 2004.

Biography from IMDb.

Born
January 11, 1922
Died
January 1, 2004 (aged 81)
From
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 65 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What are Isao Tamagawa's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
45%
Bonds
19%
Survival
19%
Society
9%
Morality
5%
Power
3%
Coming of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 1 · Earnest 3

Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 6

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 0 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 0 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 2

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 3

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Absurd
3
Melancholic
3
Dread
2
Contemplative
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Haunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Isao Tamagawa's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (6).

Subscription and free streaming for Isao Tamagawa's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

65 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page.

  • A Tale of Youth at Hirosaki High School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • Onihei Hankachō (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Nezumi Kozō kaitō den (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Kagero-za(1981)

    as Clerk

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Battle of Port Arthur(1980)

    as Kanemoto Matsumura

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Zigeunerweisen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Doctor Amaki

  • The Fierce Battles of Edo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Teenage Years: Keiko’s Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Take Me Away! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Shintaro Ishiguro

  • Sweet Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Detective Oka

  • Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Detective Geta

  • Utamaro's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • Mount Hakkoda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Captain Okitsu

  • A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Mori

  • Cobra 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Tomoda

  • Graveyard of Honor(1975)

    as Okabe

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Super Robot Red Baron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 39 episodes · as Inspector Ippei Kumano

  • Cross-Currents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Shadow Hunters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Battle of Okinawa(1971)

    as Kamai

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Men and War II: Land of Love and Sorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Saburo Aizawa

  • Hazardous Graduation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Chiba Shusaku: Kendo Masshigura (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as 榊優一郎

  • The Militarists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Tsukamoto

  • The Summit of Mt. Fuji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Penitentiary Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Safari 5000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • The Rough One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • 若い川の流れ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Outlaw: Heartless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Gohara

  • The Sands of Kurobe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Sayama

  • 対決 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Japan's Longest Day(1967)

    as Colonel Okitsugu Arao - Chief of Military Affairs Section

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Branded to Kill(1967)

    as Michihiko Yabuhara

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Barren Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Ryōsuke, Iwasa

  • Fighting Elegy(1966)

    as Principal

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Zero Fighter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Blood Shed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Tokyo Drifter(1966)

    as Umetani

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Kokoro no sanmyaku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Actor

  • Invasion of Kanto Government (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • The Stars and I Decided... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Iwakichi Mori

  • House of Terrors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • The Black Gambler: The Gambling Syndicate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Takakura (casino owner)

  • Seishun no Sabaki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • Gambling is My Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Nobuoka (President of Nobuoka Kogyo; owner of Club Seaside)

  • Story of a Prostitute(1965)

    as Narita

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Kwaidan(1964)

    as (segment "In a Cup of Tea") (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Taikouki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 52 episodes · as Matsubara Takumi

  • Profit from Killing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • The Flower and the Sword (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Call My Black Dice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Yoda (Boss of the Yoda-gumi in Uyama City)

  • Homecoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Gate of Flesh(1964)

    as Horidome

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Dear Mr. Prime Minister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • Pale Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Police Officer

  • The Flower and the Angry Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • At the Side of the Bridge 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Tale of Army Brutality (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • To Your Majesty, The Emperor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Actor

  • Tokyo Bay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Ryohei Inoue

  • Actress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • Twice on a Certain Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

  • The Street Without Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Moriyama

  • Birth of a Jazz Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 65 titles from 1954 to 1992; peak year 1966.

Biggest box office

Tokyo Drifter (1966)

$1.6K worldwide

Highest rated

Branded to Kill (1967)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

19541992

Peak 1966 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1964Screen debut· Pale Flower
  • 1967Career best· Branded to Kill

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting65 of 65: 65 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score86th

By decade

1950s4 · acting1960s36 · acting1970s19 · acting1980s5 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Isao Tamagawa's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 86th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 84th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th1

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser8

Most divisive · actor

The Battle of Port Arthur (1980)

50th percentile spread · 12% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Kwaidan (1964)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Isao Tamagawa work with?

People who share at least 2 of Isao Tamagawa's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Seijun Suzuki shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers