Akira Inoue (井上昭, Inoue Akira, 10 December 1928 – 9 January 2022) was a Japanese film director.^[1][2][3]

Biography

He is known for directing many jidaigeki television dramas.^[4] In 1950, he joined the Daiei studio and started working as an assistant director. He made his director debut with Yureikoban in 1960.^[5] He directed a lot of jidaigeki television dramas from 1970s to 1980s.

In 1993, he directed Lone Wolf and Cub series film Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict, it was for the first time in 23 years he directed in the film.^[6]

Inoue died from a cerebral infarction and pneumonia on 9 January 2022, at the age of 93.^[7]

Selected filmography

Film

• Yurei Koban (1960) ) (First film Inoue directed.^[8])
• Zatoichi's Revenge (1965)
• Dr.Strong-arm (1966)
• Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess (1966)
• The Whimsy of Cupid (1967)
• An Invitation to Jail (1967)
• Rikugun Nakano gakko: Mitsumei (1967)
• Rikugun Nakano gakkô: Kaisen zen'ya (1968)
• Woman's Prison'7 (1968)
• Duel at the Quay aka Kanto onna yakuza (1968)
• Kanto onna do konjo (1969)
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict (1993)
• Konuka Ame (2017)
• Korosuna (2022)

Television

• Nemuri Kyōshirō (TV series) (1972) Episode 1, 6, 10, 12, 17, 18, 24, 26
• Unmeitōge (1974)
• Zatoichi Monogatari (1974-78)
• Tokyo Megure Keishi (1978)
• Nemuri Kyoshiro: Conspiracy at Edo Castle (1993)
• Kawaite sōrō Hahawa Ikiteita? (1993)
• Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Woman Who Loved Kyoshiro (1998)
• Kenkaku Shobai Sukedachi (2004)