--- name: "Jun Kunimura" canonical: "https://film.one/person/jun-kunimura" fi1m_id: "jun-kunimura" imdb_id: "nm0475165" tmdb_id: 2541 wikidata_id: "Q11422725" roles: ["Actor"] born: "16 November 1955" reviewed_on_fi1m: 9 average_fi1m_score: 74 average_as: "actor" average_over: 9 updated: "2026-10-22T04:20:12.168311+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jun Kunimura ## Identity Jun Kunimura - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jun-kunimura - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** jun-kunimura - **IMDb ID:** nm0475165 - **TMDB ID:** 2541 - **Wikidata ID:** Q11422725 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun_Kunimura, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11422725, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0475165/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2541 Actor. Born 16 November 1955 in Kumamoto, Japan. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 16 November 1955, Kumamoto, Japan - **Active:** 1989–present - **Also known as:** Kunimura Jun - **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 9 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 62 (1), 1990s 86 (1), 2000s 72 (4), 2010s 76 (2), 2020s 81 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 75 across 7 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 5 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Action 6, Drama 4, Thriller 4, Crime 3, Animation 2, Fantasy 2 - **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $972m across 9 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun_Kunimura, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11422725, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0475165/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2541 ## Coming up - *Godzilla Minus Zero* (2026-11-03) — [page](https://film.one/film/godzilla-minus-zero.md) ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Audition*](https://film.one/film/audition.md) (84), [*Godzilla: Final Wars*](https://film.one/film/godzilla-final-wars.md) (54) - **HBO Max:** [*The Boy and the Heron*](https://film.one/film/the-boy-and-the-heron.md) (81), [*The Wind Rises*](https://film.one/film/the-wind-rises.md) (77) - **The Criterion Channel:** [*Hard Boiled*](https://film.one/film/hard-boiled.md) (86) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Jun Kunimura > Jun Kunimura makes us pay attention to men who say little. We value the authority and restraint he brings to supporting roles, though the international films that made him widely recognisable have not always given him much to do. In *The Boy and the Heron* (2023), Jun Kunimura voices a Parakeet King with an enormous opinion of himself. His subjects are human-sized birds in aprons, carrying knives and forks. It is an apt part for an actor frequently cast as bosses, bureaucrats and other men accustomed to being obeyed. Here, a familiar casting choice helps the joke without needing the actor's face. His first starring role was in *Gaki Teikoku* (1981), before work in Hong Kong productions and his first American film, *Black Rain* (1989). In John Woo's *Hard Boiled* (1992), he plays a machine gunman in the teahouse. Our enthusiasm for that film comes from Woo's precise staging, reckless humour and the chemistry between the leads. It is worth distinguishing the pleasure of finding Kunimura in a good film from the pleasure of seeing him given substantial work. Takashi Miike's *Audition* (1999) gives him a key supporting part as Yasuhisa Yoshikawa; *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003) made him more widely known as Boss Tanaka. Hollywood has often given him supporting parts or cameos. For a better sense of what he can do with little dialogue, there is the Stranger in *The Wailing* (2016). Expression and physical presence do much of the work there. We value that restraint, though repeated casting as officials, gangsters and mysterious outsiders risks making the type more familiar than the individual performance. Hayao Miyazaki surrounds the Parakeet King with more creatures and explanations than the film can comfortably hold. That overcrowding is the caveat in our warm recommendation for *The Boy and the Heron*, not a complaint about Kunimura. His part is well chosen, even when the speeches slow the film down. For a fuller introduction to the actor, start with *The Wailing*. ## Biography Jun Kunimura (also credited as Kunimura Jun) is a Japanese actor. Born Yoshihiro Yonemura on 16 November 1955 in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, he has appeared in films and television in Japan, the United States, Hong Kong and South Korea since the late 1970s. He is known for roles including Boss Tanaka in *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003) and *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), Yasuhisa Yoshikawa in *Audition* (2000), the Stranger in *The Wailing* (2016) — for which he received Best Supporting Actor and Popular Star awards at the Blue Dragon Film Awards — Masao Zaizen in *Shin Godzilla* (2016), and The Parakeet King (voice) in *The Boy and the Heron* (2023). He has also worked with directors including Quentin Tarantino, Takashi Miike and Na Hong-jin. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (9) - *The Boy and the Heron* (2023), Fi1m 81, as The Parakeet King (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-boy-and-the-heron.md) - *Shin Godzilla* (2016), Fi1m 74, as Masao Zaizen : JSDF Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Office — [page](https://film.one/film/shin-godzilla.md) - *The Wind Rises* (2013), Fi1m 77, as Hattori (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-wind-rises.md) - *Godzilla: Final Wars* (2004), Fi1m 54, as Major Kumoro — [page](https://film.one/film/godzilla-final-wars.md) - *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), Fi1m 77, as Boss Tanaka — [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-2.md) - *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), Fi1m 72, as Boss Tanaka — [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md) - *Audition* (2000), Fi1m 84, as Yasuhisa Yoshikawa — [page](https://film.one/film/audition.md) - *Hard Boiled* (1992), Fi1m 86, as Machine Gunman in Teahouse — [page](https://film.one/film/hard-boiled.md) - *Black Rain* (1989), Fi1m 62, as Yashimoto — [page](https://film.one/film/black-rain.md) ## Complete filmography (244) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Godzilla Minus Zero* (2026), Actor — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/godzilla-minus-zero.md) - *Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo* (2026), Actor - *The Secret Battlefield* (2026), Actor - *Maison Prison* (2026), series, as Natori Kotaro - *BLOOD & SWEAT* (2026), series, as Tokuro Suzumiya - *Guilty, the AI Said* (2026), Actor - *Debussy ga Hikeru Made* (2025), Actor - *The Laughing Salesman* (2025), series, as Kaode Kataru - *I Want to Die Alone* (2025), series, as Kazuo Yamaguchi - *Trillion Game* (2025), as Kazuma Kokuryu - *Himitsu ~ The Top Secret ~* (2025), series, as Kiyotaka Kainuma - *Asura* (2025), series, as Kōtarō Takezawa - *The Diamond Sleeping in the Sea* (2024), series, as Ippei - *Sunny* (2024), series, as Yuki Tanaka, Hiromasa Matsumoto (uncredited) — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/sunny.md) - *Tokyo Cowboy* (2024), as Wada - *Bushido* (2024), as Genbei Yorozuya - *The Yin Yang Master Zero* (2024), as Kamo no Tadayuki - *The Boy and the Heron* (2023), as The Parakeet King (voice) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-boy-and-the-heron.md) - *Trillion Game* (2023), series, as Kokuryu Kazuma - *The Roundup: No Way Out* (2023), as President Ichizo - *Manzoku Manzoku* (2022), Actor - *I Am Makimoto* (2022), as Utsuda - *Kichijoji Losers* (2022), series, as Ryuji Ikegami - *Pachinko* (2022), series, as Kato — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/pachinko.md) - *Just Remembering* (2022), as Nakaido - *Blue and White* (2022), Actor - *London no Yamamoto Isoroku* (2021), Actor - *Bullets, Bones and Blocked Noses* (2021), series, as Katyo(課長) - *Kate* (2021), as Kijima - *Gift of Fire* (2021), Actor - *The Hovering Blade* (2021), series, as Kutsuka Kozo - *How to be Likable in a Crisis* (2021), series, Actor - *Living, Dying, Father, etc.* (2021), series, as Kanbara Tetsuya - *ZOKKI* (2021), Actor - *Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction* (2021), as Daisaku Nikaido - *Tracing Her Shadow* (2021), Actor - *Peperoncino* (2021), as Sasaki Harubumi - *Suicide Forest Village* (2021), as Yuji Nojiri - *Poupelle of Chimney Town* (2020), as Dan (voice) - *Step* (2020), as Akira Muramatsu - *Goldfish Princess* (2020), as Nagasaka Tsunejiro - *Minamata* (2020), as Junichi Nojima - *Beneath the Shadow* (2019), as Hiasa Seigo - *Midway* (2019), as Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo - *Yatsuhakamura* (2019), as 野村荘吉 - *The Witness* (2019), as Takashi Hirayama - *Taro the Fool* (2019), as Oda - *The Naked Director* (2019), series, as Iori Furuya - *The Great War of Archimedes* (2019), as Osami Nagano - *Our Departures* (2018), as Setsuo Okuzono - *Ten Years Japan* (2018), as Shigeta - *Suits* (2018), series, as Shinji Yanagi - *The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan* (2018), as Toshio Segawa - *Punk Samurai Slash Down* (2018), as Shuzen Oura - *Detective Story* (2018), Actor - *Chihayafuru: Part III* (2018), as Hideo Harada - *Chihayafuru: Connect* (2018), series, as Hideo Harada - *Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura* (2017), as Chief Daibutsu - *Fullmetal Alchemist* (2017), as Tim Marcoh - *Manhunt* (2017), as Yoshihiro Sakai - *BORDER Redemption* (2017), Actor - *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable – Chapter 1* (2017), as Ryohei Higashikata - *Hello, Detective Hedgehog* (2017), series, as Seiji Kurita - *Premium Stage "Hamlet"* (2017), Actor - *Mumon: The Land of Stealth* (2017), as Tomonori Kitabatake - *And Then There Were None* (2017), series, as Kenkichi Kumabe - *Hamon: Yakuza Boogie* (2017), as Katsuji Shimada - *Fueled: The Man They Called "Pirate"* (2016), as Takumi Ukawa - *石川五右衛門* (2016), series, as 도요토미 히데요시 - *Infinite Challenge - Muhan Company* (2016), Actor - *Shin Godzilla* (2016), as Masao Zaizen : JSDF Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Office — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/shin-godzilla.md) - *The Wailing* (2016), as The Stranger - *The Unbroken* (2016), series, as Nobusuke Domoto - *Chihayafuru: Part II* (2016), as Hideo Harada - *Good Partner* (2016), series, as Kazuhiko Jinguji - *Stop the Old Fox* (2016), Actor - *Kokoro* (2016), as Daisuke - *Chihayafuru: Part I* (2016), as Hideo Harada - *ジャングル・フィーバー* (2016), as 星野国义 - *The Man of the Political Economy* (2015), Actor - *Onmyōji* (2015), Actor - *The Big Bee* (2015), as Nakatsuka - *Attack on Titan II: End of the World* (2015), as Kubal - *At Home* (2015), as Genji - *Keisei Saimin no Otoko* (2015), series, as Takashi Miki - *Wife of a Kamikaze* (2015), as Fujita Hideo - *Attack on Titan* (2015), as Kubal - *Parasyte: Part 2* (2015), as Detective Hirama - *Parasyte: Part 1* (2014), as Detective Hirama - *Kenkaku Shōbai: Onikuma Izakaya* (2014), Actor - *Snow Jack* (2014), as Junichiro Kakei - *Back of Father* (2014), series, as Yoshizaki Norihisa - *The World of Kanako* (2014), as Dr. Tsujimura - *The Thorns of Alice* (2014), series, as Tsuyoshi Arima - *I Just Wanna Hug You* (2014), as Takeo Koyanagi (Masaki's dad) - *Seicho Matsumoto's Black Gospel* (2014), Actor - *A Woman from Ashio* (2014), series, Actor - *Dr. DMAT* (2014), series, as Matsuichi Isezaki - *Olympic Ransom* (2013), series, Actor - *あさひるばん* (2013), Actor - *Clock Store's Girl* (2013), as Akiyama Morikazu - *Like Father, Like Son* (2013), as Kazushi Kamiyama - *Song of the Beginning* (2013), Actor - *Why Don't You Play in Hell?* (2013), as Muto - *Unforgiven* (2013), as Masaharu Kitaoji - *A Boy Called H* (2013), Actor - *The Wind Rises* (2013), as Hattori (voice) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-wind-rises.md) - *Starman: A Love Story* (2013), series, as Shinjo Shigeta - *The Incredible Truth* (2013), as Sato Tsuyoshi - *Kumokiri Nizaemon* (2013), series, Actor - *A Story of Yonosuke* (2013), as Hiro Yosano - *Reunion* (2013), Actor - *Strawberry Night: After the Invisible Rain* (2013), Actor - *Made in Japan* (2013), series, as Nishiyama Keigo - *Onihei Gaiden - Promise in the Shadows* (2013), as Matsuzou - *Legal High* (2012), series, as Moto Mayuzumi - *Presumed Guilty* (2012), series, as Shinozuka - *Taira no Kiyomori* (2012), series, Actor - *Monsters Club* (2011), as Ryoichi's Father - *Scabbard Samurai* (2011), as Feudal Lord - *Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair* (2011), as Boss Tanaka - *Moonlight Mask* (2011), as Owner of Show Place - *Synchronicity* (2011), Actor - *AIBOU: The Movie II* (2010), Actor - *Veterinarian Dolittle* (2010), series, as Taizo Domon（土門 大蔵） - *Hebi no Hito* (2010), Actor - *Here Comes the Bride, My Mom!* (2010), as Akira Murakami - *Kaidan Horror Classics* (2010), Actor - *Kaidan Horror Classics* (2010), series, Actor - *Outrage* (2010), as Ikemoto - *Two Portraits of MIYAGINO* (2010), as A Man like Toshusai Sharaku - *Box: The Hakamada Case* (2010), as Death row inmate - *Sunshine Ahead* (2010), as Tappei Hiki - *My Darling Is a Foreigner* (2010), as Saori's dad - *Consecration Of The Great Buddha* (2010), series, Actor - *After the Flowers* (2010), as Jinzaemon Terat - *Saru Lock: The Movie* (2010), as Ogasawara - *The King of Jail Breakers* (2010), as Seiji Kanamura - *Clouds Over the Hill* (2009), series, as 川上操六 - *行列48時間* (2009), series, Actor - *Onihei Crime Files: Bungoro Amabiki* (2009), as Bungoro Amabiki - *The Summit: A Chronicle Of Stones to Serenity* (2009), as Seiichiro Yaguchi - *The Triumphant Return of General Rouge* (2009), as Gonta Takashina - *K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces* (2008), as Genji - *Paco and the Magical Book* (2008), as Kinomoto - *Ando Natsu* (2008), series, as Yasuda Umekichi - *God's Puzzle* (2008), as Murakami - *The Last Princess* (2008), as Elder Nagakura - *Pandora* (2008), series, as Otaguro Shigeyuki - *Cellphone Investigator 7* (2008), series, as Company President - *Cell Phone Investigator 7: Pilot* (2008), as Company President - *The Glorious Team Batista* (2008), as Gonta Takashina - *The Silver Season* (2008), as Masayuki Seto - *Silk* (2007), as Umon - *CHiLDREN* (2006), as Shiro's father - *Imo Tako Nankin* (2006), series, as 徳永健次郎 - *Japan Sinks* (2006), as Acting Prime Minister Kyosuke Nozaki - *The Ode to Joy* (2006), as Takagi - *Hana* (2006), as Isekan - *Miracle Zoo ~ The Asahiyama Zoo Story ~* (2006), series, as 黒川仁良 - *A Melody for My Father* (2005), Actor - *Hanging Garden* (2005), as Eriko's Brother - *Negotiator* (2005), Actor - *Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean* (2005), Actor - *Bluestockings* (2005), Actor - *Affectionate Time* (2005), series, as Tateishi - *Winter Game* (2005), Actor - *Vital* (2004), as Mr. Ooyama - *Lady Joker* (2004), as Satoru Hirase - *OLDK* (2004), Actor - *Godzilla: Final Wars* (2004), as Major Kumoro — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/godzilla-final-wars.md) - *Blood and Bones* (2004), as Yong-sang Jo - *Tales of the Bizarre: 2004 Fall Special* (2004), Actor - *69* (2004), as Sasaki - *Sea Monkey* (2004), as Admiral Masaki Igarashi - *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), as Boss Tanaka — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-2.md) - *Half a Confession* (2004), as Manabu Uemura - *Dead End Run* (2003), Actor - *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), as Boss Tanaka — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md) - *Free and Easy 14* (2003), Actor - *IKKA* (2003), Actor - *9 Souls* (2003), as Yamamoto - *Alive* (2003), as Kojima - *Samurai Resurrection* (2003), Actor - *Night of the Shooting Stars* (2003), as Jin Kirishima - *Tales of the Bizarre: 2003 Spring Special* (2003), Actor - *Beauty or Beast* (2003), series, Actor - *Sorry* (2002), as Sei's Father - *AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo* (2002), series, as Muneo Hasegawa - *Psycho Doctor* (2002), series, Actor - *HR* (2002), series, as Shunichi Yagita - *The Laughing Frog* (2002), as Yoshizumi - *The Private Detective Mike* (2002), series, Actor - *Tomie: Forbidden Fruit* (2002), as Kazuhiko Hashimoto - *Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS* (2002), as Koide - *Mr. Rookie* (2002), Actor - *The Life of Bangaku* (2002), series, Actor - *Nurseman* (2002), series, Actor - *Color of Pain* (2002), Actor - *Ichi the Killer* (2001), as Funaki - *Prince Shotoku* (2001), series, as Hatano kawakatsu - *Prince Shōtoku* (2001), as Hata no Kawakatsu - *Gojoe: Spirit War Chronicle* (2001), as Suzaku-hougan - *Desert Moon* (2001), as Nonomiya - *Boy's Choir* (2000), as Michio's Father - *Audrey* (2000), series, as 黒田茂光 - *Face* (2000), as Kenta Kariyama - *Chaos* (2000), as Inspector Hamaguchi - *Audition* (2000), as Yasuhisa Yoshikawa — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/audition.md) - *New Gokudo: Legend Three Dragons 2* (2000), Actor - *Le Secret* (1999), as 藤崎 - *Round About Midnight* (1999), as Oba - *Keiho* (1999), as Shibata Toshimitsu - *Shooting Star* (1999), as Kirishima - *Emergency Room 24 Hours* (1999), series, Actor - *New Gokudo Legend: Three Dragons* (1999), Actor - *Dog Race* (1998), as Nagata - *Begging for Love* (1998), as Saburo Wachi - *The Story of PuPu* (1998), as Kijima - *Suzaku* (1997), as Kozo Tahara - *The Human Chair* (1997), as Shoichiro Shimizu - *Wild Life* (1997), as Ijima - *Billiken* (1996), Actor - *Known As! Pissken* (1996), Actor - *Somebody Up There Likes Me* (1996), as Japanese Trainer - *Seraphim Night* (1996), as Gold (Akira Kanemura) - *Boxer Joe* (1995), Actor - *Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Heist* (1995), as Kondô - *Heisei Irresponsible Family: Tokyo de Luxe* (1995), as Yoichi, Takashi's uncle - *King of Bargain: Heaven-Reaching Horn* (1995), Actor - *Tokarev* (1994), as Detective Takahashi - *Treasure Hunt* (1994), as Yakuza Boss - *All Under the Moon* (1993), as Tada - *Hard Boiled* (1992), as Machine Gunman in Teahouse — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/hard-boiled.md) - *Check* (1991), as First Bodyguard - *The Blue Jean Monster* (1991), as Robber Gang Chief - *Au Revoir, Mon Amour* (1991), Actor - *Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen* (1990), series, Actor - *Black Rain* (1989), as Yashimoto — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/black-rain.md) - *追う男* (1986), series, Actor - *The Second Is a Christian* (1985), Actor - *Empire of Kids* (1981), as Choi - *Wish on a Cocktail*, Actor - *Victory*, series, Actor ## Gallery - ![Jun Kunimura](https://film.one/media/person/14898/gallery-dcdceba65d1b.jpg) Jun Kunimura — マイナビニュース【エンタメ・ホビー】, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Jun_Kunimura_20190724.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Jun Kunimura and Etsushi Toyokawa's costumes from the film Punk Samurai Slash Down (Panku-zamurai, kirarete sôrô) (2018) directed by Gakuryû Ishii.](https://film.one/media/person/14898/gallery-6e4878ebb30b.jpg) Jun Kunimura and Etsushi Toyokawa's costumes from the film Punk Samurai Slash Down (Panku-zamurai, kirarete sôrô) (2018) directed by Gakuryû Ishii. — Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/The_clothes_which_Jun_KUNIMURA_and_Etsushi_TOYOKAWA_wore_in_%22Punk_Samurai%22.jpg/1280px-The_clothes_which_Jun_KUNIMURA_and_Etsushi_TOYOKAWA_wore_in_%22Punk_Samurai%22.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Jun Kunimura](https://film.one/media/person/14898/gallery-4840f2021b2d.jpg) Jun Kunimura — Image via TMDB - ![Jun Kunimura](https://film.one/media/person/14898/gallery-50e7eafc100f.jpg) Jun Kunimura — Image via TMDB --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jun-kunimura