Raizo Ichikawa
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Ichikawa Raizō (市川雷蔵 b. 29 August 1931 in Kyoto, Japan, died 17 July 1969 in Tokyo, Japan) was a Japanese film and kabuki actor.
Ichikawa Raizo appeared mostly in period dramas. He is best known for the Shinobi no Mono series which run from 1962 to 1966. Another famous role of him was as the lone samurai Nemuri Kyoshiro aka Son of the Black Mass or Sleepy Eyes of Death. Ichikawa worked many times with director Kenji Misumi. Their collaboration includes Ken Ki (Sword Devil), Ken (from a book from Mishima Yukio) and Kiru (Destinys Son). He also co-starred with Shintaro Katsu in the first Zataichi movie.
Other great works are Yukinojo henge (An Actors Revenge) and Enjo (again from a novel from Mishima Yukio)
During his career he worked exclusively for the Daiei Studio. He died in 1969 because of rectal cancer leaving a shocked Japan. Also two years after his death Daiei Studio went bankrupt.
