--- name: "Ryo Ishibashi" canonical: "https://film.one/person/ryo-ishibashi" fi1m_id: "ryo-ishibashi" imdb_id: "nm0410903" tmdb_id: 4994 wikidata_id: "Q4412009" roles: ["Actor"] born: "20 July 1956" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-26T02:59:40.350121+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." --- # Ryo Ishibashi ## Identity Ryo Ishibashi - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ryo-ishibashi - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** ryo-ishibashi - **IMDb ID:** nm0410903 - **TMDB ID:** 4994 - **Wikidata ID:** Q4412009 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryo_Ishibashi, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4412009, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0410903/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4994 Actor. Born 20 July 1956 in Kurume, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 20 July 1956, Kurume, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan - **Also known as:** Hideki Ishibashi, Ryou Ishabashi, Ryo Ishabashi, Ryô Ishibashi, 石橋凌, 石桥凌 - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryo_Ishibashi, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4412009, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0410903/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4994 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Audition*](https://film.one/film/audition.md) (84) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Ryo Ishibashi > Ryo Ishibashi gives composed men a believable capacity to be hurt. We value the restraint that makes *Audition* work as an apparent romance, though his quieter performances can leave too much of a character out of reach. In *Audition* (2000), Ryo Ishibashi makes Shigeharu Aoyama's romantic hopes worth taking seriously. Takashi Miike's patient beginning needs that credibility; without it, we would simply be waiting for the horror to arrive. Ishibashi allows vulnerability to show without making Aoyama seem conspicuously fragile. Opposite him, Eihi Shiina makes Asami Yamazaki difficult to read without turning her performance into a string of clues. We were unnerved because Ishibashi kept us interested in the possibility of a romance while Shiina made it impossible to settle comfortably into watching one. His yakuza roles of the 1990s give that restraint a harder setting. In *Another Lonely Hitman* (1995), he plays Tachibana, a returning hitman facing a changed underworld, using contained movement and expression to convey internal conflict. There is a drawback here: the performance can feel impassive, and we can want more from him than the composed exterior supplies. Takeshi Kitano also found a place for him as the local yakuza chief in *Kids Return* (1996), then as Ishihara in *Brother* (2000). *Audition* brought wider international attention, followed by further horror roles including Detective Kuroda in *Suicide Club* (2001) and Detective Hideto Nakagawa in *The Grudge* (2004). These detectives extend a familiar casting pattern: men whose authority and quiet resolve can conceal vulnerability. His work makes sense across those genres because he can suggest a man under pressure without immediately showing how badly he is affected. We prefer that approach when there is enough expression to let us follow the strain. We would not mistake Ishibashi's success in *Audition* for an answer to its problems. The film's treatment of women is less assured than Miike's handling of tension, and a credible Aoyama does not remove that concern. What Ishibashi does give the opening is enough human interest to justify the time it takes. Start there if distressing violence is within your tolerance; the apparent romance deserves attention in its own right. ## Biography Ryo Ishibashi is a Japanese actor and singer. Born Hideki Ishibashi on 20 July 1956 in Kurume, Fukuoka, he began his career as the lead singer of the rock band ARB, which formed in 1977 and released over a dozen albums before disbanding in 1990. He made his film debut in 1986 in *A Homansu*. Ishibashi has since appeared in numerous films and is known internationally for roles including Shigeharu Aoyama in *Audition* (1999), Detective Kuroda in *Suicide Club* (2001), and Detective Hideto Nakagawa in *The Grudge* (2004) and *The Grudge 2* (2006). He has also worked in American productions such as *War* (2007). Ishibashi won the Best Actor award at the 11th Yokohama Film Festival for *A Sign Days* and at the 5th Japan Film Professional Awards for *Another Lonely Hitman*. He has been married to actress Mieko Harada since 1987; they have three children. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Audition* (2000), Fi1m 84, as Shigeharu Aoyama — [page](https://film.one/film/audition.md) ## Complete filmography (93) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Sasamakura* (2026), as Tatsugorō Horikawa - *A Moonlight Nights Passing* (2026), series, Actor - *Trillion Game* (2025), as Wolf Lee - *Yukiko a.k.a* (2025), Actor - *MONSTER* (2024), series, Actor - *Modern Love Tokyo* (2022), series, as Kosuke Hayami - *Involvement in Family Affairs* (2022), series, as Keiichi Miyama - *Parasite in Love* (2021), as Yuichi - *Masquerade Night* (2021), as Yasushi Fujiki - *The Cinderella Addiction* (2021), as Masaaki Fukuura - *心の傷を癒すということ 劇場版* (2021), Actor - *To Heal the Heart* (2020), series, as An Tekkei - *Dancing Mary* (2019), as Yakuza thug - *The Naked Director* (2019), series, as Ikezawa - *Masquerade Hotel* (2019), as Yasushi Fujiki - *Smoking* (2018), series, as Sabe - *The Price* (2016), series, Actor - *メガバンク最終決戦* (2016), series, Actor - *The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk* (2015), series, Actor - *Stock Price Crash* (2014), series, as Chiharu Zaizen - *Hanasaki Mai Speaks Out* (2014), series, as Shogo Dojima - *七つの会議* (2013), series, as 北川誠 - *神様のボート* (2013), series, as 모모이 - *Lady Joker* (2013), series, Actor - *Wonderful Single Life* (2012), series, as Toru Higuchi - *Foreign Affairs Police: Don't be fooled by that man* (2012), Actor - *Ace Attorney* (2012), as Gou Karuma (Manfred von Karma) - *Mitsuko Delivers* (2011), as Jiro - *Perfect Report* (2010), series, Actor - *Box: The Hakamada Case* (2010), as Police officer Tatematsu - *Sasori* (2009), as Jyono - *MW -ムウ-* (2009), as Kazuyuki Sawaki - *Rescue: Pride of Orange* (2009), series, as Serizawa Shinobu - *Inju: The Beast in the Shadow* (2008), as Ryuji Mogi - *The Most Beautiful Night In The World* (2008), as Kinichi Nihei - *Aoi Hitomi to Nuage* (2007), as Michihisa Suto - *The Investigation Game* (2007), as Yousuke Sone - *War* (2007), as Shiro - *Shamo* (2007), as Principal Saeki - *Dream Cruise* (2007), as Eiji Saito - *The Happiness* (2006), Actor - *The Grudge 2* (2006), as Det. Hideto Nakagawa - *Trapped Ashes* (2006), as Head Monk (segment "Jibaku") - *Waru: The End* (2006), Actor - *Waru* (2006), as Sakuragi - *Big Bang Love, Juvenile A* (2006), as Warden Tsuchiya - *Rondo* (2006), series, as Yoshihiko Isaki - *Kindachi Kosuke: The Queen Bee* (2006), as Kinzo Daidoji - *Haru and Natsu* (2005), series, as Unno Commander - *横山秀夫サスペンス「モノクロームの反転」* (2005), Actor - *The Superdry Films* (2005), Actor - *The Grudge* (2004), as Det. Hideto Nakagawa - *稲垣吾郎の金田一耕助シリーズ* (2004), series, as Kinzō Daidōji - *Last Love, First Love* (2003), Actor - *g@me.* (2003), Actor - *Beginner* (2003), series, as Hiroya Nozaki（野佐木 恍也） - *Moon Child* (2003), as Inspector Lorry - *Say Hello to Black Jack* (2003), series, Actor - *第三の時効* (2003), Actor - *Aiki* (2002), as Masatsugu Hiraishi - *AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo* (2002), series, as Norio Mikumo - *Psycho Doctor* (2002), series, as Kohei Kitamura - *Dog Star* (2002), Actor - *Suicide Club* (2001), as Detective Kuroda - *Jitsuroku Yozakura Ginji 2* (2001), Actor - *Brother* (2000), as Ishihara - *Film Noir* (2000), as Yuji Hamazaki - *Audition* (2000), as Shigeharu Aoyama — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/audition.md) - *The Central Quicksand* (1998), Actor - *An Obsession* (1997), as Detective Saga - *Ringo no usagi* (1997), Actor - *Pinocchio: A Man Without Nationality* (1997), Actor - *Two Punks* (1996), as Otani - *Back to Back* (1996), as Koji - *Kids Return* (1996), as Local Yakuza Chief - *Jinrai: The Boss's Ransom* (1996), Actor - *Yakuza Ladies: Dangerous Gamble* (1996), Actor - *Another Lonely Hitman* (1995), as Takashi Tachibana - *The Crossing Guard* (1995), as Jefferey - *Natural Woman* (1994), Actor - *Level* (1994), Actor - *Okane ga Nai!* (1994), series, Actor - *Blue Tiger* (1994), as Gan - *American Yakuza* (1993), as Shuji Sawamoto - *The Devil's Messenger DEATH MESSENGER* (1991), Actor - *あしたがあるから* (1991), series, Actor - *Harikomi* (1991), Actor - *Via Okinawa* (1989), as Sachio - *Oración* (1988), Actor - *Leave My Girl Alone* (1986), as Kashima - *A Homance* (1986), as Michio Yamazaki - *So Long, My Partner: Rock Is Sex* (1982), as Rachi - *Future War 198X* (1982), as Narrator (voice) / Richter (voice) ## Gallery - ![Ryo Ishibashi](https://film.one/media/person/3931402/gallery-e4c91dc59414.jpg) Ryo Ishibashi — 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/6/61/Ryo_Ishibashi_20190724.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Ryo Ishibashi](https://film.one/media/person/3931402/gallery-5c9c2cee69ef.jpg) Ryo Ishibashi — Image via TMDB - ![Ryo Ishibashi](https://film.one/media/person/3931402/gallery-6f5e1445918e.jpg) Ryo Ishibashi — 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/ryo-ishibashi