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Mr. Osato Appreciation Thread

OakvaleOakvale
in Actors Posts: 4
An underrated and overlooked character in You Only Live Twice, played by Teru Shimada, a great actor and one of the first consistent Japanese-Americans to have a presence in film and television in the 20th century.

Osato brought in the idea of a henchmen not necessarily being strong and a physical competitor to Bond, but rather an independently wealthy and well respected businessman who is in cahoots with Bond's enemies (SPECTRE, in this case).

In an alternate film, I always thought he would have made a good Blofeld himself, even if it wasn't necessarily in keeping with the literary works.

Comments

  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,479
    Interesting that you would call him the henchman of the picture. Too weak in character for me. He gets toyed with at the office by Bond and then runs scared from Blofeld. I do think the actor does a nice job with the part but I don't think I would like to see him as a main villain as he lacks the toughness to own it and give Bond a challenge.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Osato isn't too bad. It's clear to see that the intention of the character, along with Brandt, was to show people working for Blofeld in association that were scared of him to the bone, and Shimada brings that out well. His best work in the minor role is probably Bond's interview at the main offices, which is great for how the two men are consciously lying to each other through gritted teeth across the table. A very paranoid scene disguised with wide smiles, and I think he and Sean brought it off rather well.

    I couldn't see Osato in a role beyond what he had, but for the fear the character was supposed to elicit in the face of Blofeld, it comes off well and it's of course interesting to see how SPECTRE expands its power through private associates like those at Osato Chemicals. It grounds the fantastical story in some reality, as Fleming would've managed.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    edited August 2017 Posts: 1,984
    Yeah, I don't think Osato would've worked as the main villain, but the actor did a good job with the part he had. His expressions of satisfaction when he answers 'Walther PPK!" to Blofeld and horror when he sees Helga get devoured are pretty on-point. On the other hand, his death scene was poorly acted, in my opinion.
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,045
    He likes a healthy chest, and that's the main thing.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    vzok wrote: »
    He likes a healthy chest, and that's the main thing.

    With no hope of getting it for himself. That's the biggest tragedy of the character.
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,045
    I notice Mr Osato failed to make the "Sinister SPECTRE" game list. He must be feeling pretty sorry for himself now.
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