Godzilla Icon Akira Takarada Dies at 87

By Megan Peters

The film community is coming together today to mourn the loss of one of Japan's finest. Reports from Japan have confirmed Akira Takarada, an iconic face from the Godzilla franchise, has passed away. The actor was 86 years old.    

A statement was released by Takarada's estate confirming he passed on March 14th in Japan. Fans will know the actor best for his work in Godzilla as his big break came in the original 1954 movie. He played Hideto Ogata in the movie, and he returned to the franchise several more times.

In fact, after appearing in the 1954 classic, Takarada appeared in Mothra vs Godzilla in 1964. He went on to play roles in Invasion of Astro-Monster and Godzilla vs the Sea Monster before taking a break from the series. He returned to Godzilla in 1992 with the remake of Godzilla vs Mothra and then Godzilla: Final War in 2004.

After his 2004 appearance, Takarada went on to tackle a few more projects as his career winded down. He did make a cameo in the 2014 Godzilla movie overseen by Legendary Entertainment. Takarada played a Japanese immigration agent which fans can see now as a deleted scene. 

May Takarada rest in peace. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. 

Trending Now: