I Heart T-Points: An Ode to Terajima Susumu, the Kevin Bacon of Japan

Are you a director? Is the female lead in your upcoming film in need of a shady older brother with connections to the “right” people? Does your period drama call for an actor willing to play a character that dies after delivering a single line of dialogue? Do you want a recognizable face to market Okinawa-themed pachinko in your next commercial? Happen to be looking for any of the following: soldier, medieval carpenter, samurai, playboy, gangster, sports coach, sushi delivery boy, or social worker to the recently deceased? Good news; Terajima Susumu is your man.

Terajima has appeared in over one hundred movies in myriad roles. During a career that has spanned three decades, he has also been in television dramas, promotional (music) videos, and commercials. His relationship with many top Japanese directors is such that he is virtually guaranteed some role in every film they make. His Kevin Bacon number is two, but I am confident that he does not care about that, because in Japan, he is Kevin Bacon. You have probably seen his face before; the man is literally ubiquitous in the Japanese film industry. And yet, he is rarely the star. This month, I would like to pay homage to one of Japan’s greatest and most prolific supporting actors.

The number of times Terajima has played a lead role is less than the number of fingers most people have on one hand, and less even than on the hand of an unlucky yakuza. Instead, he typically makes small cameos or plays supporting roles; his appearances run the gamut from bit parts to characters that are as critical to the narrative as those played by actors such as Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman (albeit less fatherly). However, whether he has screen time equal to the main characters or is dead before the credits roll, Terajima Susumu has a knack for making every line memorable (especially when it is his only line).

Yakuza roles are his specialty, thanks in no small part to the working relationship Terajima has with director Kitano Takeshi. Even in films that are not specifically about yakuza, he often portrays a gangster or tough guy. For example, Terajima has played a debt collector for the mob in a film otherwise about hula, and the inexplicably wiseguy brother in a serious drama about love and relationships. In a way, it is disappointing to see him pigeonholed into these roles so often, because he is not merely a character actor. However, that very sentiment goes against what I believe motivates his career.

Terajima has proven that he can play a wide range of characters effectively; amongst his most memorable performances is a polite social worker in a way station for the recently dead. He can also carry a film as the lead; his performance in The Blessing Bell (幸福の鐘) is outstanding despite not having a single line of dialogue until right before the credits roll. The skill with which he can and does perform any role does not suggest an actor that is desperate for any work that comes his way. The reason he accepts being typecast as yakuza or will take small parts, on the other hand, is that Terajima Susumu simply loves acting. Therefore, he takes every opportunity to act and consistently gives stellar, convincing performances.

I have been studying Japanese film since college and writing this column for about a year now. Therefore, I typically rent five or more movies a month. In films released since his big screen debut in 1986, Terajima Susumu has probably appeared in nearly half that I have seen (and most of the good ones). Although his performances in HANA-BI, After Life, and The Magic Hour are particularly superb, it is not necessarily worth recommending a single film. The soldier he plays in Casshern is etched in my memory. His single line in Taboo left me wishing the character had lived a while longer. The list goes on and on, so if you like Japanese movies just go out and see some. Terajima Susumu will find you. And move you.

Thanks for watching!