Lightning Karate Blow (1956)
Ken Takakura's screen debut, following his admission into Toei ranks via the studio's annual New Faces program, came surprisingly enough in this pair of Okinawa karate films. The two-parter was released on Jan. 29, 1956 as two thirds of a triple feature. Both halves run just under one hour. The fighting is actually pretty good for the time, and it's fun to see Takakura as an impatient, bearded karate rascal.
Director:
Fujio Tsuda
Writer:
Taihei Kobayashi
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Ken Takakura as |
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Harumi Urazato as |
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Susumu Namishima as |
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Takashi Kanda as Higa Saburo (Gisen's Disciple) |
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Isao Yamagata as Nagoe Gisen |
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Toranosuke Ogawa as |
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Yoshi Katō as |
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Takamaru Sasaki as |
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Akikane Sawa as |
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Mayumi Fujisato as |
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Yuji Kitamine as |
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Rikiya Iwaki as |
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Tokio Kozuka as |
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Kentaro Taki as |
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Midori Yamamoto as |
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Teru Kobayashi as |
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筑波景子 as |
| Sound | Tokujirō Ōkubo | Music |
| Writing | Taihei Kobayashi | Screenplay |
| Directing | Fujio Tsuda | Director |
| Crew | Hiroshi Fukushima | Cinematography |
| Writing | Yoshiharu Makino | Novel |
| Production | 光川仁朗 | Executive Producer |
| Lighting | Yoshiaki Morisawa | Gaffer |
| Sound | Hisashi Kase | Sound |
| Art | Shuichiro Nakamura | Art Direction |
| Editing | Yoshiki Nagasawa | Editor |
| Art | 長北喜二次 | Set Designer |
| Sound | 城田孝子 | Sound Recordist |
| Crew | 片岡一 | Fight Choreographer |
| Directing | Fukuei Oki | Stage Director |
| Costume & Make-Up | 高木茂 | Makeup Artist |
| Costume & Make-Up | 伊奈モト | Makeup Artist |
| Camera | Isamu Yamamori | Still Photographer |
| Crew | Reiko Kawada and the Shurei-kai | Choreographer |
| Directing | Akira Kashima | Assistant Director |
| Sound | Shozo Hirogami | Sound |
