Sanpei Taira
Known For & Full Filmography15 Titles
Movie - 1976, 2h 15m • as Manager
Action-comedy film featuring the adventures of an itinerant merchant (Hiroki Matsukata) that becomes an unlikely hero.
Movie - 1972, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Kiyohime, a daughter of Tokugawa Ienari is married-off to Tadateru Ogura, the lord of a Kyushu clan. However, the lord's sexual inexperience and Kiyohime's strict morals lead to significant crisis in their marriage. To improve his sexual prowess, the lord is introduced to Sandra, a French woman held captive by usurer-smuggler Hatakaya. This results in the lord's choosing Sandra as his mistress. Kiyohime's attendants see this move as an insult and have Sandra beaten and imprisoned. Nevertheless, Sandra escapes with the help of Morita, a retainer of the lord. Out of bitterness and as some sort of revenge, the lord imposes a sex ban on his subjects.
Movie - 1965, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi's recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss's brothel. With help from Denroku's daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.
Movie - 1967, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
The fourth "Tenamonya" feature. Adapted from the popular television comedy, Fujita stars in this film based on historical events.
Movie - 1966, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
The harrowing journey of Kinu Wada, a young woman who is sold into prostitution to pay her family's debts.
Movie - 1962, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Young lord investigates the mysterious death that takes place in the underworld.
Movie - 1963, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Ryujin Misaki, located at the edge of the Genkai Sea, is known as an isolation ward for leprosy patients. When Saotome, a sword master and guard of the Shogun, hears news of a doctor gone missing, he begins to suspect that things are not what they seem at Ryujin Misaki. Intent on discovering the truth, Saotome launches a private investigation.
Movie - 1967, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Two travelers (Makoto Fujita and Minoru Shiraki) have adventures along the road including strange supernatural happenings, ghosts, and monsters.
Movie - 1974, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Part 7 in a long running (8+1 films) action/comedy/melodrama series about a pair of short tempered, amoral, but not evil chinpira (Bunta Sugawara and Tamio Kawachi) thinking too big of themselves. Katsuji finds his long lost mother, who is a rich lady of a respectable family. Comedy and melodrama ensue. A thrilling spectacle with an overly violent ending, and a remarkable, Japan's only post-prison rape comedy, Masa is determined to have sex with the female guard, despite the fact that there is a bar between them. Michi Azuma (topless swordswoman from Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril) plays a tomboy who wants to join her brothers.
Movie - 1965, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
A good set-in-per-WW2 ninkyô type film with outstanding performances.
Movie - 1965, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
A poor rickshaw driver finds himself helping a young woman and her son after the woman's husband dies suddenly.
Movie - 1962, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Chuji and his family become the primary target of gangs in Nikko headed by Hasshu marshal Nakayama and boss Sukegoro Iioka. Chuji is then aided by boss Shigezo Sasagawa, Ishimatsu, and a few young yakuza.
Movie - 1963, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
An entertaining historical drama featuring popular comedians from the Kansai region of the time, such as Makoto Fujita, Minoru Shiraki, and Gannosuke Ashiya. Raizo Ichikawa as the famous yakuza boss Jirocho.
Movie - 1963, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
The Tokaido highway is crowded with people heading for Shimizu Port with the dream of defeating Jirocho of Shimizu and becoming the strongest in Japan. Tokijiro is a fallen yakuza who is trying to make his mark by heading for Shimizu Port with his partner, Chinen.
Movie - 1973, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.