History Creator / ToshiroMifune

* "Film/GrandPrix" (1966)

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

* 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 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. This notably would have prevented Ewan {{MacGregor}} from playing the younger Kenobi in the prequels.

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[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mifune_3201.jpg]]

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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 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, an actress in her own right, [[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.

* 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 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. This notably would have prevented Ewan MacGregor from playing the younger Kenobi in the prequels.

* 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 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, an actress in her own right, [[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.

* RatedMForManly: Played straight with half of his roles and deconstructed in the other half. His best-known roles show how self-destructive society's ideas of masculinity can be.

-->-- [[http://www.badassoftheweek.com/mifune.html Badass of the Week]]'s entry on Toshiro Mifune

* BadassBaritone: He was known for this, although his natural voice wasn't particularly deep and he did have an impressive vocal range.

!!Filmography:

* ''Film/SnowTrail'' (1947)

* ''Film/TheQuietDuel'' (1949)

* ''[[Film/{{Scandal1950}} Scandal]]'' (1950)

* ''Film/SamuraiAssassin'' (1965)

* ''Film/AdventureInKiganCastle'' (1966)

* ''Film/ShadowOfTheWolf'' (1992)

* EnforcedMethodActing: Was on the giving and receiving end of this. In ''Film/ThroneOfBlood'', the arrows that were supposed to miss him were shot by real archers; Mifune's reaction was a genuinely frightened one. While filming ''Film/NineteenFortyOne1979'', he was disgusted at the lack of discipline among the actors playing the submarine crew, so, having served in the Japanese military in World War II, he got into character and stayed in character until the others realised he was being serious and began acting more authentic.

* 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''.

!! Tropes associated with Toshiro:

* TheAce: An all-round superb athlete and horseman. He later became a BrokenAce.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In his younger years, his part was usually that of a LargeHam. In later movies, his characters are generally TheStoic, or at least a ColdHam. Exceptions in later years included Gonzo in ''Film/RedLion''.

* UsefulNotes/JapaneseChristian: A professed Methodist throughout his life.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He had an explosive temper, which was part of the rebellious streak he gained from his World War II TrainingFromHell, but he was a very kind, courteous, generous man who would always help around the set of a movie.

* ParentalNeglect: Paid no attention to his illegitimate daughter Mika while she was growing up.

* RatedMForManly: Played straight with half of his roles and deconstructed in the other half. Many of his best known roles show how self-destructive society's ideas of masculinity can be.
* SmokingIsCool: Subverted. He was a chain smoker for a long time and looked cool doing it, but it seriously deteriorated his health along with heavy drinking.
* TeethFlying: Recalled in a 1980s interview that when he was a recruit in World War II, he was beaten around the face so much that he's had teeth knocked out.
* TomHanksSyndrome: Downplayed. His early roles were a mixture of comedic and dramatic, sometimes at the same time. Later in his career his roles were almost exclusively dramatic.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Kamatari Fujiwara. One time while drinking with Fujiwara, he became so rude that Fujiwara had to knock him to the ground. Mifune just laughed it off. Arguably he was vitriolic best buds with Kurosawa as well.

* {{Workaholic}}: He worked insanely hard during his lifetime.

* EnforcedMethodActing: Was on the giving and receiving end of this. In ''Film/ThroneOfBlood'', the arrows that were supposed to miss him were shot by real archers; Mifune's reaction was a genuinely frightened one. While filming ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'', he was disgusted at the lack of discipline among the actors playing the submarine crew, so, having served in the Japanese military in World War II, he got into character and stayed in character until the others realised he was being serious and began acting more authentic.

* ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'' (1978)

* TheAlcoholic: Part of what caused his health to deteriorate.

* DeathByDespair: Supposedly how poor Toshiro met his end.