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).
Series | Kodai bunmei Misuterī Takeshi no shin sekai nana fushigi dai hyakka | 2025 | |
Movie | In Your Blood: Hoki Naiden | Unknown | 2025 |
Series | Takeshi's Castle Japan | 2023-04-21 | |
Series | Takeshi's Castle India | 2023-11-01 | |
Movie | Kubi | Hashiba Hideyoshi | 2023-11-23 |
Movie | Citizen Kitano | Self | 2020-10-16 |
Series | たけしのその時カメラは回っていた | 2020-07-24 | |
Series | Idaten: Tokyo Olympics Story | 古今亭志生 | 2019-01-06 |
Series | Kiseki taiken! Unbelievable | Storyteller | 2018-04-05 |
Movie | Outrage Coda | Otomo | 2017-10-07 |
Movie | Ghost in the Shell | Chief Daisuke Aramaki | 2017-03-29 |
Movie | Prison Break | Urata | 2017-04-12 |
Movie | A Living Promise | Detective Koichiro Iwase | 2016-01-09 |
Movie | While the Women Are Sleeping | 2016-02-27 | |
Movie | Doctor X: Gekai Daimon Michiko Special | 2016-07-03 | |
Movie | The Wailing | Rumoured as Japanese visitor | 2016-05-12 |
Series | たけしのこれがホントのニッポン芸能史 | 2015-03-21 | |
Movie | Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen | Detective Murakami | 2015-04-25 |
Movie | Aka Medaka | Tatekawa Danshi | 2015-12-28 |
Movie | Mozu The Movie | Daruma | 2015-11-07 |
Movie | Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel | Rokuro Fujisawa | 2014-01-19 |
Movie | The 8th Floor | Self | 2014-05-10 |
Movie | Morning | 2014-09-01 | |
Movie | In Between Mountains And Oceans | Himself | 2014-04-11 |
Movie | Trespassing Bergman | Self | 2013-08-28 |
Movie | Miwa: A Japanese Icon | Himself | 2013-08-31 |
Movie | A Special Day | Self | 2012-05-16 |
Movie | Bergmans video | Self | 2012-08-22 |
Movie | Beyond Outrage | Otomo | 2012-09-03 |
Series | Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon | 黑须贯太郎 | 2012-10-18 |
Movie | Dearest | Teruo Sugino | 2012-08-25 |
Movie | Outrage | Otomo | 2010-05-17 |
Movie | Kikoku | Private First Class Oomiya | 2010-08-12 |
Movie | Takeshi's Castle Vol. 1 | 2009-11-20 | |
Movie | Achilles and the Tortoise | Machisu | 2008-09-20 |
Movie | What the War Meant | Hideki Tojo | 2008-12-24 |
Movie | The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit | Take-Majin | 2008-10-26 |
Movie | One Fine Day | Unknown | 2007-05-01 |
Movie | Dots and Lines | Jutaro Torikai | 2007-11-24 |
Movie | Glory to the Filmmaker! | Takeshi / Yakuza / Father / Ninja / Detective / Astronomer | 2007-06-02 |
Movie | To Each His Own Cinema | The projectionist (segment "Rencontre unique") | 2007-10-31 |
Movie | Takeshis' | Beat Takeshi / Mr. Kitano | 2005-09-02 |
Movie | Arakimentari | Self | 2004-01-18 |
Movie | Electric Yakuza, Go to Hell! | Self | 2004-02-22 |
Movie | The Golden Cups: One More Time | Himself | 2004-11-20 |
Movie | Izo | Chancellor | 2004-09-07 |
Movie | Blood and Bones | Joon-pyong Kim | 2004-11-06 |
Movie | JAPANARAMA! Psycho TV From Japan Vol. 1 | 2003-04-12 | |
Series | Musashi | Munisai Shinmen | 2003-01-05 |
Series | MXC | 2003-04-13 | |
Movie | Zatoichi | Zatoichi / Ichi | 2003-09-06 |
Movie | The Final Battleground — Making of Battle Royale II | Self | 2003-07-10 |
Movie | Battle Royale II: Requiem | Kitano | 2003-07-05 |
Movie | Kogoro Akechi vs Kaijin Nijyuu Menso | Niju Menso | 2002-08-27 |
Series | Takeshi's Castle | 2002-11-01 | |
Movie | Kichiku | 2002-10-15 | |
Series | Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex | Daisuke Aramaki | 2002-10-01 |
Movie | Shooting Film is Battleground: Making of BATTLE ROYALE | Self | 2001-01-13 |
Movie | Making of 'Battle Royale' | Self | 2000-12-01 |
Movie | Scenes by the Sea: Takeshi Kitano | 2000-05-05 | |
Movie | Brother | Aniki Yamamoto | 2000-12-13 |
Movie | Battle Royale | Kitano | 2000-12-16 |
Movie | Jam Session (The Official Bootleg of Kikujiro) | 1999-02-28 | |
Movie | Zankyo | 1999-02-13 | |
Movie | The Unpredictable Takeshi Kitano | Self | 1999-03-05 |
Movie | Taboo | Toshizo Hijikata | 1999-12-18 |
Movie | Kikujiro | Kikujiro | 1999-06-05 |
Movie | TOKYO EYES | Yakusa | 1998-09-09 |
Series | 加ト・けん・たけしの世紀末スペシャル!! | 1998-12-19 | |
Movie | Fireworks | Yoshitaka Nishi | 1997-10-30 |
Movie | Making-of Kids Return | Himself | 1996-12-31 |
Movie | Getting Any? | Scientist | 1995-02-11 |
Movie | Gonin | Ichiro Kyoya | 1995-09-23 |
Movie | Johnny Mnemonic | Takahashi | 1995-05-26 |
Movie | Sonatine | Aniki Murakawa | 1993-04-10 |
Movie | Many Happy Returns | Daisuke Shiba | 1993-11-20 |
Movie | A Legend of Turmoil | Kiichirou Yashiro | 1992-01-15 |
Series | Kitano fan kurabu | Self | 1992-02-12 |
Series | 北野ファンクラブ | 1992-02-13 | |
Movie | Dioxin from Fish! | 1992-02-22 | |
Movie | Erotic Liaisons | Okuyama | 1992-10-17 |
Movie | Shoko Asahara with Takeshi | 1991-12-30 | |
Movie | Kim's War | Kim Hyi-ro | 1991-04-05 |
Movie | KILL THEM ALL | 1990-11-23 | |
Movie | Boiling Point | Uehara | 1990-09-15 |
Movie | Hoshi wo tsugu mono | Yama no hito | 1990-02-03 |
Series | Beat Takeshi Presents TV Tackle | 1989-07-03 | |
Movie | Violent Cop | Azuma Ryosuke | 1989-08-12 |
Movie | The Boss' Wife | Shoji Sugimoto, Hitman | 1988-11-19 |
Movie | No More Comics! | Police | 1986-03-24 |
Series | Takeshi's Castle | Count Takeshi | 1986-05-02 |
Movie | Joke with a Sorrowful Heart | Hiroshi Igarashi | 1985-04-26 |
Movie | Tokyo Melody: A Film about Ryuichi Sakamoto | Hara (archive footage) | 1985-04-09 |
Movie | Jesus' Ark | Takeyoshi Sengoku | 1985-12-09 |
Movie | Demon | Yajima | 1985-08-31 |
Movie | Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | Hara | 1983-05-28 |
Movie | The Crimes of Kiyoshi Ōkubo | Kiyoshi Ôkubo | 1983-08-29 |
Movie | The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor | Man at Racetrack | 1983-07-02 |
Movie | Summer Secrets | 1982-09-18 | |
Movie | School in the Crosshairs | Unknown | 1982-10-11 |
Movie | The Dump Truck Rascal | 1981-04-29 | |
Movie | Completely... With That Air! | 1981-12-20 | |
Movie | Manon | Shinobu | 1981-09-26 |
Movie | Makoto-chan | 1980-07-26 | |
Movie | Go, Go Second Time Virgin | Gang Member | 1969-01-01 |
Series | Golden Horse Awards | Self | 1962-10-31 |