“30 Years After His Death”: Why Kiyoshi Atsumi Overcame Setbacks to Achieve Success as the Actor Who Played “Tora-san”

Unable to perform in slapstick comedies

it has been exactly 30 years since the one-of-a-kind national treasure, Kiyoshi Atsumi (aged 68), passed away in 1996.On August 13 of that year, a “Farewell Ceremony for Kiyoshi Atsumi” was held at Stage 9 of the Shochiku Ofuna Studios—a location deeply memorable for the “Tora-san” films.

A long line of fans who had rushed in from all over the country continued unbroken until late at night. That hot summer has come around again this year.

The Shochiku film series *It’s Tough Being a Man* first saw the light of day in August 1969.Since then, a total of 48 films were produced as Obon and New Year’s releases, earning a place in the Guinness World Records as “the longest-running film series starring a single actor.” While the “Tora-san” films have come to be known as a “Japanese cultural tradition,” who could have imagined back when they first began that they would be loved for so long?

“Originally, *It’s Tough Being a Man* debuted as a TV drama in 1968.It struggled with ratings at first, but its popularity grew steadily, and when the final episode ended with Tora-san being bitten by a habu snake and dying on Amami Ōshima, the network was flooded with protests from viewers. Due to its immense popularity, the decision was made to adapt it into a film series,” said a film studio representative.

However, the decision to adapt “Tora-san” into a film was not made without a struggle.

“I suppose the pride of filmmakers at the time wouldn’t allow them to adapt a TV drama that was derided as ‘electric picture-story theater.’ Since there was opposition from the Shochiku side, Director Yoji Yamada negotiated directly with then-President Shiro Kido to finally get the production off the ground,” (ibid.)

When discussing the appeal of *It’s Tough Being a Man*, the presence of Kiyoshi Atsumi, who plays the protagonist Torajirō Kuruma, is indispensable.

“After the war, Atsumi—who had honed his skills at strip theaters while aspiring to become a comedian—quickly rose to prominence after becoming an exclusive performer at the Asakusa France-za in 1953.When he succeeded Mutsushi Yatsuhama—who would later form the “Derailment Trio”—as the second-generation troupe leader, his popularity skyrocketed. It’s said that whenever he appeared on stage, even the dancers and backstage crew would gather in the wings, and the show was such a hit that everyone, including the audience, would be rolling with laughter” (Production Company Producer)

However, a sudden trial befell Kiyoshi Atsumi, whose future looked so bright. In ’54, Atsumi contracted tuberculosis and underwent surgery to have his right lung removed.

“Mr. Atsumi, who had previously run around the stage with boundless energy, could no longer perform slapstick comedy. Furthermore, in ’56, he suffered from a gastrointestinal illness and was hospitalized for three months. It is said that it was around this time that he stopped drinking not only alcohol and smoking but even coffee,” (ibid.)

It was truly the greatest crisis of his career as a comedian. Wasn’t it the presence of Hisaya Morishige, a senior figure in the world of comedy, that served as a source of comfort for Kiyoshi Atsumi during that time?

“Mr. Morishige rose to fame in 1952 with the office worker comedy film *Third-Class Executive*, and after gaining popularity as Ishimatsu Mori in the *Jirocho Sangokushi* film series, he gave a passionate performance in 1955’s *Fufu Zenzai* as the spoiled son of a wealthy Osaka family.He wasn’t just a slapstick comedian who made people laugh with comical gestures and boisterous antics; rather, he displayed a profound acting style that elicited laughter through the subtle expression of delicate emotions. It seems Atsumi was greatly influenced by Morishige’s performances, which transcended the boundaries of a typical comedy actor.

The two of them co-starred in the sixth installment of the “Tora-san” series, *It’s Tough Being a Man: The Pure-Hearted Edition*. Moved by compassion, Tora-san travels with Kinuyo (Nobuko Miyamoto), who is carrying a baby, to Fukue Island in the Goto Islands, where her father, Senzo (Morishige), lives.“The thrilling, back-and-forth exchanges between Senzo, who runs an inn, and Tora-san are still etched in my memory,” said a director at the production company.

Kiyoshi Atsumi, who gave up the stage to make a career shift into film, enjoyed a truly remarkable rise to fame.

Newcomer director Yoji Yamada

made his television debut in 1956 in the serial drama *Mrs. Suiren and the Rose Girl* (Nippon TV).In 1958, he made his film debut in *O-Tora-san’s Great Success*, and from 1961 onward, he appeared in the blockbuster TV series *Let’s Meet in a Dream* and *The Season of Youth* (both on NHK), cementing his status as a beloved comedian.

Furthermore, in ’63, he starred in the film *Dear His Majesty the Emperor* by master director Yoshitaro Nomura, establishing his reputation as an actor.In 1966, the TV series *Kiyoshi Atsumi’s I Won’t Cry* (TBS) was directed by a succession of master filmmakers, including Tadashi Imai, Kinji Fukasaku, and Jun’ya Sato.

Coincidentally, the screenplay for the series finale was written by Yoji Yamada. It is also an interesting anecdote that the episode was titled “It’s Tough Being a Man.”

“During the planning stages for the TV drama *It’s Tough Being a Man*, it was Mr. Atsumi who recommended the rookie director Mr. Yamada to the show’s producer.While speaking with Mr. Yamada, who was writing at a ryokan, Mr. Atsumi described the charm of the street vendors he had admired as a child, weaving in their catchphrases and using vivid gestures—which sparked great enthusiasm, leading to the birth of Torajiro Kuruma, known as ‘Tora the Drifter.’

In fact, after being displaced by the Great Tokyo Air Raid, Atsumi had actually joined a group of street vendors. It’s no wonder that ‘Tora-san’ became Atsumi’s signature role,” said the director mentioned earlier.

For Kiyoshi Atsumi, who was posthumously awarded the National Honor Award, “Tora-san” became the defining role of his life. Even now, 30 years later, its luster has not faded in the slightest—