Takashi Shimura (志村 喬, Shimura Takashi, March 12, 1905 – February 11, 1982) was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1934 and 1981. He appeared in 21 of Akira Kurosawa 's 30 films (more than any other actor), including as a lead actor in Drunken Angel (1948), Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954). [3]

His greatest critical acclaim came in more than 20 roles for Kurosawa, though he is almost as well recognized outside Japan for his kindly doctor role in the original "Godzilla" (Godzilla (1954)). Shimura's triumph was his unforgettable performance as a dying bureaucrat in Kurosawa's Ikiru (1952).

Shimura received the Mainichi Concours Award for Actor for his work in Stray Dog (1949) and The Quiet Duel (1949). He was also twice nominated for the BAFTA Award for Foreign Actor for his roles in Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954).

He was most known for his role as Kanji Watanabe in Ikiru (1952), Kyohei Yamane in Godzilla (1954) and Kambei Shimada in Seven Samurai (1954). He is the actor most associated with esteemed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Shimura appeared in 21 of Kurosawa's 30 films.

Most famous for his roles as Kanji Watanabe in Ikiru (1952), Kyohei Yamane in Godzilla (1954) and Kambei Shimada in Seven Samurai (1954), Shimura started his film career in 1934.