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Toshiya Fujita was born on January 16, 1932 in Pyongyang, Korea. Following graduation from Tokyo University Fujita joined the Nikkatsu studio in 1955. Toshiya initially worked at Nikkatsu as a publicist, screenwriter, and assistant director prior to directing his first film in 1967. His debut feature won Fujita the 1967 New Directors Award from the Directors Guild of Japan. Toshiya's films for Nikkatsu alternated primarily between youth dramas and Japanese soft-core Roman porno pink movies, with the acclaimed drama The Days of No Return (1978) in particular rating as a notable success that won Toshiya a Kinema Jumpo Award for Best Director in 1979. However, Fujita achieved his greatest cult cinema popularity outside Japan with the classic action thriller Lady Snowblood (1973) and its sequel Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974), which were two highly atypical departures for Fujita that were produced by an independent company while on hiatus from Nikkatsu. Toshiya continued directing films on a regular basis well into the late 1980's. In addition, Fujita also acted in a handful of movies. He died at age 65 from liver failure on August 30, 1997 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Chikao Ôtsuka was born on 5 July 1929 in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Sonic X (2003), Fist of the North Star (1986) and Lupin the Third (1971). He died on 15 January 2015 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Born in August of 1937, Japanese actor from Kitakyushu, Kenji Utsumi, is affiliated with the independent animation studio Ken Production. He is married to fellow voice actress Michiko Nomura and has received a lifetime achievement award at the third Seiyu Awards.

He is best known for his roles in Buronson's Fist of the North Star (as Raoh), Dr. Slump Arale-chan (as Senbei Norimaki), Zodd The Immortal in Kentarou Miura's Berserk, the Dragon Ball series (as Shenron, Commander Red, Recoome and the Tenkaichi Budakai announcer) as well as co-starring in Fullmetal Alchemist (as Alex Louis Armstrong).

Kaneto Shiozawa was born on 28 January 1954 in Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Vampire Hunter D (1985), Metal Gear Solid (1998) and Fist of the North Star (1986). He was married to Harumi Baba. He died on 10 May 2000 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Kazuo Kitamura was born on 11 March 1927 in Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), High and Low (1963) and Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005). He died on 6 May 2007 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Kei Tomiyama was born on 31 October 1938 in Anshan, Fengtian, Manchukuo [now Anshan, Liaoning, China]. He was an actor, known for Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988), Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love (1978) and Arcadia of My Youth (1982). He died on 25 September 1995 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Noboru Shinoda was born on 2 February 1952 in Saitama, Japan. He was a cinematographer, known for Love Letter (1995), Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004) and Love Hotel (1985). He died on 22 June 2004 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Kentarô Haneda was born on 12 January 1949 in Tokyo, Japan. He was a composer, known for Virus (1980), I Want To (1979) and Space Adventure Cobra (1982). He died on 2 June 2007 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Hideo Murota was born on 7 October 1937 in Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor, known for Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980), Original Sin (1992) and Endless Waltz (1995). He died on 15 June 2002 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Katsumi Ôyama was an actor, known for Musashi (2003) and Kenpô wa mada ka (1996). He died on 9 October 2012 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Chiyonosuke Azuma was born on 19 August 1926 in Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Kisaragi musô ken (1962), Zipang (1990) and Yukinojô henge - Fukushû no koi (1954). He died on 9 November 2000 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Shinchô Kokontei was born on 10 March 1938 in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Pom Poko (1994), Nani wa naku tomo zen'in shûgô!! (1967) and Hadaka de dakko (1970). He died on 1 October 2001 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Keizô Kanie was born on 28 October 1944 in Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Jukyusai no chizu (1979), Ware ni utsu yoi ari (1990) and Angel Guts: Red Classroom (1979). He died on 30 March 2014 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Hideaki Nitani was born on 28 January 1930 in Maizuru, Kyoto, Japan. He was an actor and director, known for Aoi sanmyaku (1963), Submersion of Japan (1973) and Special Investigation Unit (1977). He was married to Yumi Shirakawa. He died on 7 January 2012 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Teiichi Hori was born in 1967 in Tatsuno, Hyôgo, Japan. Teiichi was an assistant director and director, known for Shikijô danchizuma: Double shisshin (2006), Natsu no musumetachi: Himegoto (2017) and Furin danchi: Kanashii iroyanen (2005). Teiichi died on 18 July 2017 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

A prolific writer for both film and television, equally well known for his collaborations with Nagisa Oshima on pictures like Death by Hanging (1968), and for his long association with Tsuburaya Productions' fantasy series Urutoraman (1966), Urutora Sebun (1967) and other science fiction-oriented television. In all media and genres in which he worked, Sasaki was reknowned for his great imagination and skewed sense of humor. Other than Oshima, Mamoru Sasaki worked most often with award-winning film and television director Akio Jissoji.

Tatsumi Hijikata was born on 3 March 1928 in Akita, Japan. He was an actor, known for Meiji · Taishô · Shôwa: Ryôki onna hanzai-shi (1969), Blind Woman's Curse (1970) and Nippon no akuryo (1970). He died on 21 January 1986 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Jinzô Toriumi was born on 1 February 1929 in Takikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. Jinzô was a writer and producer, known for Gatchaman The Movie (1978), Gatchaman (1972) and Kurenai Sanshiro (1969). Jinzô died on 17 January 2008 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Ken was born June 14, 1971 in Tokyo, Japan. At the age of 19 he moved to Manhattan, New York for a four year stay studying music and dance at the Broadway Dance Center. As well as the English in which he is fluent. In 1994 Ken returned back to Japan and created and starred in a television show titled Monomane Battle where he dressed as a woman and imitated celebrities such as Watanabe Machiko and Matsuura Aya.

After becoming a regular on the 2004 TV show Ganbai Gekijou on TV Asahi, he created the Maeken Trance Project. Koi no Buchiage Tengoku, the group's first single was released in August of 2005. It remained in the top 12 of the Oricon music charts for quite a long time.

In November of that same year after the release of his book, Maeda Ken no Koi Kyara Shindan, Ken came out by announcing that he is gay. Thankfully his coming out didn't affect his career one bit.

When not singing Ken took up voice acting for the Anime Digimon Savers. Then in 2006 the Maeken Trance project released their second single, Tokyo Charance.

Tatsuya Jô was born on 13 December 1931 in Oita, Japan. He was an actor, known for Barefoot Gen (1983), Ninpuu Kamui Gaiden: Tsukihigai no Maki (1971) and Musen-sha no aiyoku (1973). He died on 25 February 1995 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Akio Miyabe was born on 26 February 1931 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an actor, known for The Sword of Doom (1966), Kwaidan (1964) and A Colt Is My Passport (1967). He died on 17 June 2006 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Hiroshi Kobayashi was a producer and production manager, known for Crazy Thunder Road (1980), Burst City (1982) and All Night Long (1992). He died on 22 March 2008 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Kinshirô Kuzui was a producer and production designer, known for Ecstasy of the Angels (1972), The Wanderers (1973) and The Assassination of Ryoma (1974). He died on 30 April 2014 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Eiko Oshima was a producer and actress, known for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983), In the Realm of the Senses (1976) and Taboo (1999). She died on 8 July 2010 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Jun Negami was born on 20 September 1923 in Tokyo, Japan. He was an actor, known for Afraid to Die (1960), Return of Ultraman (1971) and Lightning (1952). He was married to Peggy Hayama. He died on 24 October 2005 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.