In the Showa era, there was a man on television who was called the father of all Japan.
His name was Kunie Tanaka.
Who exactly was Kunie Tanaka?
He was a national actor who represented the Showa and Heisei eras, playing Goro Kuroita in "From the North Country" for 21 years.

This is the story of the little-known life of a great man who raced through the turbulent Showa era.

Born into a family of Mino ware potters in Gifu, he was a mischievous kid who ranked 194th out of 200 students.
He became a middle school teacher... He quit, failed the audition for the Haiyuza acting school twice, and finally passed on his third attempt.
From a two-tatami-mat room with an orange crate as a desk, he made his debut as a hitman in Akira Kurosawa's "The Bad Sleep Well."
He continued to play villainous roles, such as Aodaisho in "The Young General of the University," and in "Abashiri Prison" and "Battles Without Honor and Humanity."
There was a man who kept Tanaka by his side for half a century: Ken Takakura.
Since playing his subordinate Otsuki in "Abashiri Prison" in 1965, he was his lifelong older brother figure.
"Station" They worked together on "STATION," "Izakaya Choji," and "Yasha," and when one of them suggested they do stand-up comedy, the other remained silent.

However, behind that facade lay countless setbacks.
The reason he was chosen for the role of Kuroita Goro was simple: "Who is the most pathetic?" Scriptwriter So Kuramoto chose Tanaka without hesitation.
He continued to film in Furano in the dead of winter, in an abandoned house with no electricity or running water, at minus 20 degrees Celsius, for 21 years.
The man who always said he shouldn't overshadow the lead actor ended up playing the lead role for 21 years.

He was actually father and son with Yoshioka Hidetaka, who played Jun, and Nakajima Tomoko, who played Hotaru. Bound by such a bond, the farewell scene with the mud-stained 10,000 yen bill was chosen as the best scene in the series.
From winning a Japan Academy Prize for Yoji Yamada's "School" to his role in "Young General vs. Blue General" with Yuzo Kayama, he had countless successful roles.

Then in 2014, a weekly magazine received a phone call from Ken Takakura himself.
"Could you please not mention Kuni-chan's name?"
Ken Takakura passed away, keeping his long-held plan for the two to co-star in Paris a secret.

This video explores the light and darkness carried by the man known as the father of Japan,
and the life of an actor who remained a protégé, protected by his mentor. Here's a clear explanation of his life:

The mischievous leader of a Mino ware pottery family in Gifu, and his two failures at the Haiyuza Theatre Company
Aodaisho in Akira Kurosawa's "The Bad Sleep Well" and "The Young Boss of the University," the man who rose to fame as a villain
Otsuki, the underling in "Abashiri Prison," and his half-century with Ken Takakura
Makihara in "Battles Without Honor and Humanity," his days of being accosted by real yakuza on the streets
Kuroita Goro and his 21 years in Furano, chosen in "Who is the Most Pathetic?"
The bond with Hidetaka Yoshioka and Tomoko Nakajima, and the memorable scene with the mud-stained 10,000 yen bill
The name Ken Takakura protected, and the end of Japan's father

He was Japan's most beloved father. Or was he a clumsy man who lived his life trying not to steal the spotlight?
Why did Ken Takakura protect his name to the very end?
The true story of a legend still told today, the truth behind it.
Please watch until the end.
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~Welcome to Mio's Life Theater~

"Knowing, yet not knowing."

This channel is a documentary that clearly explains the background of well-known figures, companies, products, and events that lived through the turbulent Showa era,
along with historical testimonies.

Who was that person?

What was the truth behind that incident?

Stories of unknown people that don't appear in textbooks.

Success, desire, setbacks, betrayal, downfall, and comeback

We examine the life of a single person from both the light and dark sides,
unraveling why they became legends.

A record of life that cannot be told only in platitudes.

We deeply depict it as a single documentary, right up to the final moment.

"Life is always a series of memorable moments."

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#KunieTanaka #KenTakakura #Explanation

[Correction and Apology]
In the video, regarding the year Ken Takakura finished filming his starring movie "Anata e" (To You),
I mistakenly wrote "2002" instead of "2012."

The correct year is 2012. I apologize for the error and have corrected it.