Bunta Sugawara

was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 200 feature films. Dropping out of Waseda University, he worked as a model before entering the film industry in 1956. After years of work, Sugawara finally established himself as a famous actor at the age of 39, with the lead role of Shozo Hirono in the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series (1973–1976) of yakuza films. He quickly found additional success starring as the truck driver Momojiro Hoshi in the comedic Torakku Yarō series (1975–1979). His father was a newspaper reporter. He had minor roles in the Shiki Theatre Company.

His first film role was in the 1956 Toho film Aishu no Machi ni Kiri ga Furu. Sugawara appeared in Teruo Ishii's 1958 White Line after being scouted by the Shintoho studio. However, when Shintoho filed for bankruptcy in 1961, Sugawara moved to the Shochiku studio where he was cast in Masahiro Shinoda's Shamisen and Motorcycle, but was fired from the role for coming to set late after a night drinking. He gave a notable performance in Keisuke Kinoshita's Legend of a Duel to the Death (1963), but it did not fare well at the box office.

His son Kaoru died in a railroad crossing accident in October 2001 at the age of 31. In 2007, Sugawara was diagnosed and treated with radiation for bladder cancer.

On February 23, 2012, Sugawara announced his retirement from acting. He came to the decision after the Great East Japan earthquake and being hospitalized in the winter of 2011, although he said he might consider future roles. Late in life, he took up farming in Yamanashi Prefecture.

On November 13, 2014, Sugawara was checked into a Tokyo hospital after having a routine checkup. A funeral for family was held on November 30 at Dazaifu Tenmangū, and his death was publicly announced by Toei on December 1. Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o (1963) - Miwa Iroboke Yokuboke Monogatari (1963) Kō ni Kieta Aitsu (1963) Kawachi no Kaze Yōri-abare Daikō (1963) The Scent of Incense (1964) - Sugiura Kodoku (1964) Nippon Paradise (1964) Yoru no Henrin (1964) - Tamura Kuchikukan Yukikaze (1964) Chi to Okite (1965) Blood and Rules (1965) Highway no Ohsama (1965) Zokū Seiun Yakuza - Ikarî no Otoko (1965) Seiun Yakuza (1965) Kao o Kase (1966) Honō to Okite (1966) - Ōtsu By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him (1966) Sora Ippai no Namida (1966) - Sakaki Kinokawa (1966) - School principal Ahendaichi Jigokubutai Totsugekseyo (1966) Shinka 101: Koroshi no Yojinbo (1966) Otoko no Kon (1966) Dōsu-dokyō no Hanamichi (1966) Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Toso (1967) - Mamushi Utage (1967) - Lieutenant Kuruihara Zenka Mono (1968) Gorotsuki (1968) Hibotan Bakuto: Isshuku Ippan (1968) - Shiraishi Bakuto Retsuden (1968) - Masakichi Kyōdai Jingi Gyakuen no Sakazuki (1968) Kaibyō Nori no Numa (1968) - Ukon Shibayama Heitai Gokudo (1968) Gokudo (1968) - Sasaki Toshiya Gokuaku Bōzu (1968) - Ryotatsu Furyō Banchō: Inoshika Ochō (1969) Tabi ni Deta Gokudo (1969) Gendai Yakuza: Yotamono Jingi (1969) - Goro Yakuza Law (1969) Japan Organized Crime Boss (1969) Kantō Tekiya Ikka (1969) Soshiki Bōryoku Kyodaisakazuki (1969) Nihon Boryoku-dan: Kumicho (1969) - Kazama Gorotsuki Butai (1969) Gokuaku Bōzu: Nenbutsu Hitokiri Tabi (1969) Gendai Yakuza: Yotamono no Okite (1969) Furyo Bancho Okuri Ookami (1969) Chōeki san Kyōdai (1969) Bloodstained Clan Honor (1970) Kantō Tekiya Ikka: Goromen Jingi (1970) Hibotan Bakuto: Oryū Sanjō (1970) - Tsunejioro Furyō Banchō: Ikkaku Senkin (1970) Kantō Tekiya Ikka: Tennōji no Kettō (1970) Nippon Dabi Katsukyu (1970) Saigo no Tokkōtai (1970) Gokuaku Bozu Hitokiri Kazoe Uta (1970) - Ryutatsu Hitokiri Kannon-uta (1970) - Blind Priest Ryotatsu Gendai Yakuza: Shinjuku no Yotamono (1970) - Big Brother Katsumata Shin Kyōdai Jingi (1970) Sengo Hiwa, Hoseki Ryakudatsu (1970) Nihon Jokyo-den: Tekka Geisha (1970) - Yukichi Gokudo Kyojo Tabi (1970) - Izumi Tatsuya Gokuaku Bozu Nenbutsu Sandangiri (1970) Gendai Ninkyō Kyōdai-bun (1970) Furyo Bancho Kuchi Kara Demakase (1970) Bākuto Jingi: Sākazukî (1970) Kantō Tekiya Ikka: Goromen Himatsuri (1971) Gokuaku Bozu - Nomu Utsu kau (1971) Kigeki Toruko-buro Osho-sen (1971) Kantō Kyōdai Jingi Ninkyō (1971) - Takazaki Taichiro Nippon Jokyō-den: Gekitō Himeyuri-misaki (1971) Gendai Yakuza: Chizakura san Kyodai (1971) Onna Toseinin: Ota no Mushimasu (1971) Mamushi no Kyōdai: Orei Mairi (1971) Gendai Yakuza: Sakazuki Kaeshimasu (1971) Furyo Bancho Yarazu Buttakuri (1971) Chōeki Tarō: Mamushi no Kyōdai (1971) Akū Oyabūn tai Daigashî (1971) Hibotan Bakuto: Jingi Tooshimasu (1972) Mamushi no Kyōdai: Chōeki Jūsankai (1972) Junko Intai Kinen Eiga: Kantō Hizakura Ikka (1972) - Yuijiro Street Mobster (1972) - Isamu Okita Gokudo Makari Touru (1972) - Ishido Tsuneo Mamushi no Kyōdai: Shōgai Kyōkatsu Jūhappan (1972) Kogarashi Monjirō: Kakawari Gozansen (1972) - Monjirō Kogarashi Outlaw Killers: Three Mad Dog Brothers (1972) Hijirimen Bakuto (1972) Yakuza to Kōsō: Jitsuroku Andō-gumi (1972) Kogarashi Monjirō (1972) - Monjirō Furyo Gai (1972) Bakuchi-uchi Gaiden (1972) Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1973) - Shozo Hirono Mamushi no Kyōdai: Musho Gurashi Yonen-han (1973) Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima (1973) - Shozo Hirono Yakuza tai G-men (1973) - Lee Chung Shun, Narcotics Group Boss Mamushi no Kyōdai: Kyōkatsu San-oku-en (1973) Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok (1973) Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War (1973) - Shozo Hirono Yokosuka Navy Prison (1973) Yamaguchi-gumi San-daime (1973) - Big Boss Hachiro Kāigun o Shu ga Kēimushyō (1973) Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics (1974) - Shozo Hirono Gakusei Yakuza (1974) Violent Streets (1974) - Tatsu Lubang Tō no Kiseki: Rikugun Nakano Gakkō (1974) Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Final Episode (1974) - Shozo Hirono Gokudo VS Mamushi (1974) Andō-gumi Gaiden: Hitokiri Shatei (1974) New Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1974) - Miyoshi Makio Mamushi no Kyōdai: Futari Awasete Sanjuppan (1974) - Masataro of Mamushi's Jitsuroku Hishyakaku Ōkami Domo no Jingi (1974) - Ishikuro Hikoichi  Kessen Kōkūtai (1974) Mamushi to Aodaishō (1975) - Goromasa Dai Dâtsu Gokū (1975) Daidatsugoku (1975) - Kunizo Kuniiwa Cops vs. Thugs (1975) - Detective Kuno Torakku Yarō: Goiken Muyō (1975) - Momojirō Hoshi - Ichibanboshi Kobe Kokusai Gang (1975) - Kenzo Otaki New Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Boss's Head (1975) - Shuji Kuroda Torakku Yarō: Bakusō Ichibanboshi (1975) New Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Last Days of the Boss (1976) - Shuichi Nozaki Torakku Yarō: Bōkyō Ichibanboshi (1976) Baka Masa Hora Masa Toppa Masa (1976) - Bakamasa Torakku Yarō: Tenka Gomen (1976) Yamaguchi-gumi Gaiden: Kyushu Shinko-sakusen (1977) - Yozakura Yakuza Senso: Nihon no Don (1977) - Eizo Iwami Nihon no Jingi (1977) Torakku Yarō: Dokyō Ichibanboshi (1977) The Boxer (1977) - Hayato Nippon no Don: Yabohen (1977) - Shinsuke Tembo Torakku Yarō: Otoko Ippiki Momojirō (1977) Shinjuku Yoidore Banchi: Hitokiri Tetsu (1977) Inubue (1978) - Shiro Akitsu Torakku Yarō: Totsugeki Ichiban Hoshi (1978) - Hoshi Momojiro Dynamite Dondon (1978) - Kasuke Nihon no Don: Kanketsuhen (1978) - Akira Kawanishi Yokohama Ankokugai Mashingan no Ryu (1978) - Ryuta Yabuki Torakku Yarō: Ichiban Hoshi Kita e Kaeru (1978) - Hoshi Momojiro Sochō no Kubi (1979) - Hachiyo Shunji Ogon no Inu (1979) - Lorry driver Torakku Yarō: Neppū 5000 Kiro (1979) - Hoshi Momojiro Taiyō o Nusunda Otoko (1979) - Inspector Yamashita Dabide no Hoshi: Bishōjo-gari (1979) - Momojirō Hoshi Torakku Yarō: Furusato Tokkyūbin (1979) - Hoshi Momojiro Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga (1980) - Shozo Hirono The Gate of Youth (1981) - Shigezo Ibuki Honō no Gotoku (1981) - Senkichi Kotetsu Yūkai Hōdō (1982) - Pilot Seiha (1982) - Koji Kawakami Shura no Mure (1984) The Burmese Harp (1985) - Platoon Commander Rokumeikan (1986) - Count Kageyama Eiga Joyū (1987) - Kenji Mizoguchi Kuroi Doresu no Onna (1987) - Shoji Za Samurai (1987) - Samurai Tsuru (1988) - Rich man Yawara! (1989) - Kojiro Inokuma My Phoenix (1989) Yellow Fangs (1990) - Kasuke Tekken (1990) - Seiji Nakamoto Distant Justice (1992) - Rio Yuki The Man Who Shot the Don (1994) Kizu Darake no Tenshi (1997) - Joji Kurai Dora-heita (2000) - Nadanamiya Hachirobe, aka Daikashi no Nadahachi Watashi no Grandpa (2003) - Godai Kenzo The Great Yokai War (2005) - Shuntaro Ino The Battery (2007) - Yozo Ioka Chikyū de Tatta Futari (2008)

Anime Spirited Away (2001) - Kamajî The Snow Queen (2005–2006) Tales from Earthsea (2006) - Ged/Sparrowhawk Wolf Children (2012) - Nirasaki (final film role)

Television Shishi no Jidai (1980) - Hiranuma Senji Musashibō Benkei (1986) - Minamoto no Yoritomo Takeda Shingen (1988) - Itagaki Nobukata Furuhata Ninzaburō (1994) - Otojiro Kogure Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1998) - Tokugawa Nariaki Toshiie and Matsu (2002) - Maeda Toshimasa

Video games Dissidia: Final Fantasy (2008) - Cid / Narrator Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy (2011) - Cid / Narrator Stranger Than Heaven (2027) - Genzo Iwaki (likeness)

Dubbing Samurai Jack - Aku