History Creator / ToshiroMifune

Mifune and Kurosawa had a falling out in the late 1960s after the filming of ''Film/RedBeard'',[[note]]Reportedly Kurosawa insisted on holding Mifune to a contract provision requiring him to grow a natural beard and prohibiting him from shaving it (in case he was needed for re-shoots) throughout the entire lengthy post-production process, effectively preventing Mifune from taking any other acting jobs for two whole years at the peak of his fame and nearly bankrupting him.[[/note]] and after that Mifune began popping up occasionally in Western film productions such as ''Film/GrandPrix'' and ''Film/HellInThePacific''. This eventually culminated in Mifune appearing in the American miniseries ''Literature/{{Shogun}}'' (as the resident MagnificentBastard, Toranaga), resulting in acclaim stateside but criticism in Japan due to the lack of historical accuracy. If Creator/GeorgeLucas would have had his way instead of [[ExecutiveMeddling being told by higher ups]] to hire [[Creator/AlecGuinness a well-known (to Western audiences) actor]] for the role [[note]]There are also claims that Fox was hesitant to use Mifune due to his English being difficult to understand, necessitating his lines to be dubbed; other claims say it was because he wasn't available. Mifune's daughter Mika [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/toshiro-mifune-turned-down-star-845721 says]] he himself turned down the role. [[/note]], Mifune would have [[WhatCouldHaveBeen played Obi-Wan Kenobi]] in ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]''.[[note]]The VideoGame/SoulSeries' Mitsurugi, an Expy of Mifune, ''was'' Kenobi. Or at least, his Japanese voice was.[[/note]] He was also offered the role of Darth Vader, but turned it down as his face would have been covered by a mask. Of course, he later regretted turning down the roles, which could have allowed him to define the nature of the Jedi in that landmark film franchise and cultural touchstone.

* MrFanservice: Liked to show off his strapping, muscular body in a good number of his movie roles. For instance, he strips down to a thong to catch a fish in ''Film/SevenSamurai''

* YourCheatingHeart: Had an affair with another woman during his marriage and had a daughter, Mika, by his mistress.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He was George Lucas' first choice to play Obi-Wan Kenobi, but rejected the offer because he wasn't confident with his English skills and thought such a film was [[SciFiGhetto beneath him]] (amusingly Alec Guinness felt the same way). He's said to have regretted this later in life, particularly since he could've made the now-iconic Jedi even more samurai-influenced than they already are.

Mifune and Kurosawa had a falling out in the late 1960s after the filming of ''Film/RedBeard'',[[note]]Reportedly Kurosawa insisted on holding Mifune to a contract provision requiring him to grow a natural beard and prohibiting him from shaving it (in case he was needed for re-shoots) throughout the entire lengthy post-production process, effectively preventing Mifune from taking any other acting jobs for two whole years at the peak of his fame and nearly bankrupting him.[[/note]] and after that Mifune began popping up occasionally in Western film productions such as ''Film/GrandPrix'' and ''Film/HellInThePacific''. This eventually culminated in Mifune appearing in the American miniseries ''Literature/{{Shogun}}'' (as the resident MagnificentBastard, Toranaga), resulting in acclaim stateside but criticism in Japan due to the lack of historical accuracy. If Creator/GeorgeLucas would have had his way instead of [[ExecutiveMeddling being told by higher ups]] to hire [[Creator/AlecGuinness a well-known (to Western audiences) actor]] for the role [[note]]There are also claims that Fox was hesitant to use Mifune due to his English being difficult to understand, necessitating his lines to be dubbed; other claims say it was because he wasn't available. Mifune's daughter Mika [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/toshiro-mifune-turned-down-star-845721 says]] he himself turned down the role. [[/note]], Mifune would have [[WhatCouldHaveBeen played Obi-Wan Kenobi]] in ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]''.[[note]]The VideoGame/SoulSeries' Mitsurugi, an Expy of Mifune, ''was'' Kenobi. Or at least, his Japanese voice was.[[/note]] He was also offered the role of Darth Vader, but turned it down as his face would have been covered by a mask.

* ''[[Film/{{Zatoicihi}} Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo]]'' (1970)

* ''[[Film/Zatoicihi Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo]]'' (1970)

* ''Film/ZatoicihiMeetsYojimbo'' (1970)

* LargeHam: Half his roles are this. The other half are a ColdHam. Toshiro was arguably a large ham in real life.

* ''Film/{{Midway}}'' (1976)

* ''Film/HighAndLow'' (1963)

* ''Film/{{Inchon}}'' (1972)

* ''Film/TheAdventureInKiganCastle'' (1966)

* RatedMForManly: Played straight with half of his roles and deconstructed in the other half.

* ''Film/{{The Idiot|1951}}''

* ''Film/TheLowerDepths1957''