I was watching Hirokazu Koreeda‘s new Netflix series Asura (which is excellent so far, by the way) when a familiar face came across the screen. I know this guy!
Where have I seen him before? I feel like he’s in everything! Why don’t I know his name? I grabbed my phone and did a quick search. This unknowing ends now.
Glancing down his IMDB page I quickly realized why he was so familiar! Godzilla movies!
Not only did he play Major Komuro in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) but he was also Masao Zaizen, Integrated Chief of Staff in Shin Godzilla (2016) and has appeared in countless other films I’ve watched over the years. “Oh he’s THAT guy!”
Time for a Jun Kunimura Appreciation Post
Jun Kunimura was born on November 16, 1955 in Yatsushiro, Japan and he is awesome.
He began his career in the late 1970s and built a strong working reputation by playing smaller roles in a variety of Japanese films to showcase his acting abilities. He also has a strong background in theater acting and a long list of voice acting roles too.
Looking down his resume of work here are just a handful of the movies I’ve loved with him over the years.
Yashimoto in Black Rain (1989). This character freaked me out as a kid. Tough guy.
Teahouse gun-man in Hard Boiled (1992). This is likely the first role I ever saw him in and honestly didn’t know it was him until I started this article. How many times have I seen him shot in the head and didn’t even know it? Poor guy.
Yasuhisa Yoshikawa in Audition (1999). Takashi Miike film doing his thing.
Funaki in Ichi The Killer (2001). This was one of the fist Japanese films I obsessed over in college. Kunimura has worked with director Takashi Miike several times.
Boss Tanaka in Kill Bill (2003). We all know this one.
Muto in Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (2013). I have not seen it yet but I am adding it to my list today. It looks like a classic.
Detective Hirama in Parasyte (2014). Another film by Takashi Yamazaki. Didn’t rock my world but enjoyed both parts. I hear the anime is better.
Japanese Man in The Wailing (2016). He won Best Supporting Actor and the Popular Star Award for this role. I watched this one during Covid lockdown. Holy crap is was good and scary. How can this be his character’s name? Hilarious.
Osami Nagano in The Great War of Archimedes (2019). A very interesting, cool movie by Takashi Yamazaki.
Chuichi Nagumo in Midway (2019). Say what you will about this movie, the flying scenes were pretty great and Kunimura stole the show.
Kijima in Kate (2021). I honestly really enjoyed this little Netflix movie. Solid.
Yuki Tanaka in Sunny (2024). AppleTV+ series that’s on my watch list. Looks excellent.
With over 227 credits to his name, these are not the highlights by a long shot. Just a quick walk down memory lane. I won’t forget your name now, sir.
Jun Kunimura you are a legend.
What’s your favorite Jun Kunimura film?
Cinematic Point Of View 
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