--- name: "Ken Tanaka" canonical: "https://film.one/person/ken-tanaka" fi1m_id: "ken-tanaka" imdb_id: "nm0849006" tmdb_id: 72398 wikidata_id: "Q11575288" roles: ["Actor"] born: "6 March 1951" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-28T20:49:36.681097+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." --- # Ken Tanaka ## Identity Ken Tanaka - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ken-tanaka - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** ken-tanaka - **IMDb ID:** nm0849006 - **TMDB ID:** 72398 - **Wikidata ID:** Q11575288 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Tanaka_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11575288, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0849006/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/72398 Actor. Born 6 March 1951 in Chikugo, Fukuoka, Japan. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 6 March 1951, Chikugo, Fukuoka, Japan - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Tanaka_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11575288, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0849006/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/72398 ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*The Return of Godzilla*](https://film.one/film/the-return-of-godzilla.md) (55) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography Ken Tanaka is a Japanese actor. Born on 6 March 1951 in Chikugo, Fukuoka, he began his career as a singer under the name Aoi in 1972 before moving into acting. He gained attention for his leading role in the 1975 film *The Gate of Youth*. Tanaka is best known for playing reporter Goro Maki in *The Return of Godzilla* (1984) and its international version *Godzilla 1985* (1985). He has appeared in numerous films, television dramas and stage productions. For his performance in *Bokyo* (also known as *Nostalgia*, 1993) he received the Japan Film Critics Award. *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, mykaiju.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *The Return of Godzilla* (1984), Fi1m 55, as Goro Maki — [page](https://film.one/film/the-return-of-godzilla.md) ## Complete filmography (67) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Kenzo Kitakata: SUIKODEN* (2026), series, as Shirei - *五十年目の俺たちの旅* (2026), as オメダ - *One Last Throw* (2025), as Numata Toru - *Silence of the Sea* (2024), Actor - *Sunday Horror Series Best Selection 3* (2024), Actor - *Toyama Shōgawa kai satsujin jiken* (2024), Actor - *Tomorrow in the Finder* (2024), Actor - *The Setting Sun* (2022), as Wada - *THE LAST GOZE* (2020), Actor - *America ni Makenakatta Otoko - Bakayaro Souri Yoshida Shigeru* (2020), as Takeshi Yamazaki - *Mentai Piriri* (2019), as Yoshikawa - *Godzilla Resurrection* (2018), as Goro Maki - *Cold Case: Door of Truth* (2016), series, as Minamoto Naoto - *Great evil does not go to sleep: The counterattack of the special investigation unit prosecutor* (2016), as Ippei Komatsu - *Tax Inspector Madogiwa Taro: Case File 29* (2015), Actor - *Taxi Driver's Mystery Diary 37 - Mystery of Double Homicides from Tokyo to Hamamatsu* (2015), Actor - *Blood on the Tracks* (2014), series, as Kazuto Uchida - *Itsukaichi Story* (2011), Actor - *In the City of Dawn* (2011), as Manager - *Mission To Kill* (2009), series, Actor - *The Road to Sirius* (2008), as Tomoyuki Hanzawa - *Hanaikusa* (2007), Actor - *Nogaremono Orin* (2006), series, as Morikawa Tosanokuni - *Toshiie and Matsu* (2002), series, as Nobumori Sakuma - *The Goblin of Mt. Kurama* (2001), Actor - *Yakuza Ladies: Revenge* (2000), Actor - *The Woman of S.R.I.* (1999), series, as Makoto Sakuma - *The Last Song* (1998), series, Actor - *Bonds* (1998), as Haga - *Hotel Rose* (1996), Actor - *The Fangs of the Beast* (1995), Actor - *Blood Stained Crest* (1994), Actor - *Bokyo* (1993), as Kunimitsu - *What a Wonderful Life* (1993), series, as Kunio Nagasawa - *Shinsengumi, Ikedaya's blood fight* (1992), series, Actor - *Saito Dosan: Rage of Power* (1991), as Yoriaki Toki - *ママ母戦争* (1990), Actor - *Heaven and Earth: Dawn Episode* (1990), Actor - *13 Assassins* (1990), Actor - *There Goes Benio, the Smart Girl* (1987), Actor - *Kaibyō Koi-ga-fuchi* (1987), Actor - *Hissatsu Kengekinin* (1987), series, Actor - *A Tale of Young Elopement* (1987), as Saotome - *Final Take: The Golden Age of Movies* (1986), Actor - *Godzilla 1985* (1985), as Goro Maki - *Tokimeki no Gogo* (1985), Actor - *ときめきの午後* (1985), series, Actor - *The Return of Godzilla* (1984), as Goro Maki — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/the-return-of-godzilla.md) - *F2 Grand Prix* (1984), as Imoto - *The King and His Vassal 2 - The Great Riot of Edo* (1982), Actor - *The King and His Vassal* (1981), Actor - *Violent Fighters* (1979), Actor - *Oh, My Son!* (1979), as Takeshi Kawase - *蝶たちは今・・・冥土からの手紙 死者からの電話* (1979), series, Actor - *Pink Lady's Motion Picture* (1978), Actor - *Monument to Holy Service* (1978), Actor - *The Phoenix* (1978), as Takeru - *Falcons of Edo* (1978), series, as Shinnosuke Wakasugi - *Aspiration* (1977), Actor - *The Gate of Youth Part 2* (1977), Actor - *遺書 白い少女* (1976), Actor - *Elegy* (1976), as Mikio Hisada - *Oretachi no Tabi* (1975), series, Actor - *Aoi sanmyaku* (1975), as Yasukichi Tominaga - *Oh Seagull, Have You Seen the Sparkling Ocean? An Encounter* (1975), Actor - *The Gate of Youth* (1975), Actor - *Sandakan No. 8* (1974), as Hideo Takeuchi ## Awards ### Other awards — 1 won - Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year 1976: Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © 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/ken-tanaka