Yuji Okumoto
Yuji Okumoto | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 2010 press photo | |
| Born | Donald Yujiro Okumoto April 20, 1959 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | California State University, Fullerton |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Notable credit(s) | Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid |
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Spouse | Angela Mar |
| Children | 3 |
Donald Yujiro Okumoto (born April 20, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Chozen Toguchi in the film The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and its sequel television series Cobra Kai (2021–25).
He has also appeared in the films Better Off Dead, Real Genius (both 1985), True Believer (1989), American Yakuza (1993), Contact (1997), The Truman Show (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Only the Brave (2006), Inception (2010) and Driven (2018).
Early life
Donald Yujiro Okumoto (ドナルド・奥本裕次郎, Donald Yūjiro Okumoto; born April 20, 1959) was born to Japanese parents Yoshiharu and Yemiko Okumoto in Los Angeles on April 20, 1959. His father was a Japanese immigrant who worked as a short-order cook and later a gardener in Los Angeles after World War II, and his mother was born in America, making Okumoto both a Nisei and a Sansei.[1]
He began karate at age 13, studying under various sensei. By the time of The Karate Kid Part II, the 27-year-old Okumoto held a brown belt in Karate, and had learned basic skills in other martial arts, including Taekwondo and Judo. His Judo Instructor was Hayward Nishioka, his Chitō-ryū Karate Sensei was Yukinori Kugimiya, his Kajukenbo Instructor was Sensei Ron Takaragawa, and his Yau Kung Moon Sifu was Kevin Quock.[2][3]
He graduated from Hollywood High School and Cal State Fullerton, where he studied acting.[1]
Career
His performance in the play Indians led to being signed by an agent, and eventually a role on The Young and the Restless. His first roles were in The Check is in the Mail, Real Genius, and Better Off Dead.[4] Perhaps his most well-known role is as Daniel's rival, Chozen Toguchi in the 1986 film, The Karate Kid Part II.[4] Other credits include his role as Shu Kai Kim, a character based on Chol Soo Lee, in the 1989 film True Believer, Pete Kapahala in the 1999 Disney Channel original movie Johnny Tsunami, Japanese navy lieutenant (海軍大尉, Kaigun-Daii) Zenji Abe in Pearl Harbor, and Bruce Takedo in the television series, Bones.[4]
In 2005, he was Yukio Nakajo in Lane Nishikawa's film Only the Brave about the Japanese American segregated fighting unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of World War II. This film also included two other Karate Kid stars, Tamlyn Tomita and Pat Morita.[4] He is a producer for the 2020 independent film The Paper Tigers, in which he has a small role as well.[5]
In 2021, Okumoto reprised his Karate Kid II role as Chozen Toguchi, who, beginning with Season 3 of Cobra Kai, is now a friend and ally of Daniel.[6][7][8][9]
Restauranter
In 2002, Okumoto, together with his wife and mother-in-law, opened a Hawaiian restaurant called Kona Kitchen in Maple Leaf, Seattle.[10] A second location opened in Lynnwood, Washington in 2019.[11]
Personal life
Okumoto lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife Angela Okumoto (née Mar) and their three daughters.[12]
Okumoto said he believes "Perfectionism is the death of good acting."[13]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Crime Killer | Vietnam Soldier | |
| Real Genius | Fenton | ||
| Better Off Dead | Yee Sook Ree | ||
| 1986 | The Check Is in the Mail... | Bellboy | |
| The Karate Kid Part II | Chozen Toguchi | ||
| 1988 | Aloha Summer | Kenzo Konishi | |
| 1989 | True Believer | Shu Kai Kim | |
| 1991 | 3×3 Eyes | Chou / Transvestite #2 (voice) | English dub |
| 1992 | Nemesis | Yoshiro Han | |
| 1993 | Silent Cries | Mickey | Uncredited |
| Robot Wars | Chou-Sing | ||
| Brainsmasher... A Love Story | Wu | ||
| American Yakuza | Kazuo | ||
| 1994 | Bloodfist V: Human Target | Tommy | |
| Blue Tiger | Lieutenant Sakagami | ||
| Red Sun Rising | Yuji | ||
| 1995 | Hard Justice | Jimmy Wong | |
| 1995 | 3×3 Eyes: Legend of the Divine Demon | Naparva (voice) | English dub |
| 1997 | Blast | FBI Agent | |
| Mean Guns | Hoss | ||
| Contact | Electrical | ||
| The Game | Nikko Hotel Manager | ||
| 1998 | The Truman Show | Japanese Family Man | |
| Sorcerers | Secretary | ||
| 2000 | Fortress 2: Re-Entry | Sato | |
| I'll Remember April | Matsuo Yomma | ||
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor | Zenji Abe | |
| Ticker | Embassy Consul | ||
| 2005 | The Crow: Wicked Prayer | 'Pestilence' | |
| 2006 | Big Momma's House 2 | Parsons | |
| Only the Brave | Sergeant Yukio 'Yuk' Nakajo | ||
| End Game | Dr. Lee | ||
| 2007 | Cookies for Sale | Grumpy Man | Short |
| 2008 | Mask of the Ninja | Nikano | |
| 2008 | Touch | Ken | Short |
| 2009 | Black Coffee | David | |
| Anatomy of a Fly | Politician | ||
| 2010 | Inception | Saito's Attendant | |
| 2014 | Awesome Asian Bad Guys | Yuji | |
| 2015 | Beta Test | The Surgeon | |
| 2017 | Unspoken: Diary of an Assassin | Unknown | |
| 2018 | Driven | Judge Takasugi | |
| Ultra Low | Yuji | ||
| 2020 | The Paper Tigers | Wing | Also producer |
| 2025 | The Cobra Kai Movie Part II | Himself | Short |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | T. J. Hooker | Howie Kalanuma | Episode: "Blood Sport" |
| 1987 | Simon & Simon | Masaki | Episode: "Desperately Seeking Dacody" |
| 1988 | Hunter | Jimmy | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Murder in Paradise | Unknown | Television film |
| Only One Survived | Peter Fujko | Television film | |
| Midnight Caller | Lee Minh | Episode: "Home to Roost" | |
| 1991 | American Playhouse | Teruo Kuroda | Episode: "Hot Summer Winds" |
| 1991–95 | 3×3 Eyes | Naparva, Chou, Yakumo's Coworker (voices) | English dub[14] |
| 1991–93 | Knots Landing | Art Nam | 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills | Lester Kuriyama | Television film |
| 1995 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Chen Chow | Episode: "Chi of Steel" |
| Vanishing Son | Nguyen | Episode: "Holy Ghosts" | |
| Murder, She Wrote | Kim Huan | Episode: "Murder a la Mode" | |
| 1996 | Kindred: The Embraced | Lieutenant Kwan | 2 episodes |
| Superman: The Animated Series | Security Guard | Voice, episode: "A Little Piece of Home"[14] | |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | Chang | Episode: "Higher Power" | |
| 1997 | Players | Mr. Hayashi | Episode: "Rashocon" |
| 1998 | The Sentinel | Lo | Episode: "Love Kills" |
| JAG | Jiro Kitamura | Episode: "Innocence" | |
| 1999 | Just Shoot Me! | Kevin Tanaka | Uncredited, episode: "Miss Pretty" |
| Johnny Tsunami | Pete | Television film | |
| 2000 | Martial Law | Mr. Strinc | Episode: "Scorpio Rising" |
| Max Steel | Unknown | Voice, episode: "Seraphim" | |
| Guilty as Charged | Davis | Television film | |
| 2001 | The District | Officer | Episode: "A Southern Town" |
| A Kitty Bobo Show | Graffiti | Voice, pilot | |
| V.I.P. | Morton Zhou | Episode: "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Val" | |
| 2003 | Partners | One Eye | Television film |
| 2007 | The Unit | Mr. Michael | Episode: "The Broom Cupboard" |
| Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board | Pete | Television film | |
| 2008 | Heroes and Villains | Naomasa Ii | Documentary, episode: "Shogun" |
| Mask of the Ninja | Nakano | Television film | |
| 2009 | Katana | Kenji | Episode: "Pilot" (also producer and writer) |
| Bones | Bruce Takedo | Episode: "The Girl in the Mask" | |
| 2011–13 | Young Justice | Tseng Dangun, Singh Manh Li, Xaiping | Voice, 3 episodes[14] |
| 2012 | The Mentalist | Mr. Liu | Episode: "Red is the New Black" |
| 2013 | Grimm | Sheriff Gaffen | Episode: "One Night Stand" |
| 2013 | Z Nation | Bernt | Episode: "Philly Feast" |
| 2018 | New Girl | Mr. Yukimura | Episode: "Godparents" |
| 2021–25 | Cobra Kai | Chozen Toguchi | Recurring role (seasons 3–6)[15] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie | Shinji |
| 2001 | Throne of Darkness | Swordsman |
| 2003 | True Crime: Streets of LA | Additional voices |
| 2022 | Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising | Chozen Toguchi |
References
- 1 2 "Meet Yuji Okumoto". konakitchen.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- ↑ Karate Film Actor lashes at Black-Belt Pretenders Chicago Tribune, June 20, 1986
- ↑ Matthew (February 6, 2009). "Interview: Yuji Okumoto, Actor/Director/Martial Artist". Ikigai Way. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 "Meet Yuji Okumoto". konakitchen.com. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- ↑ Belle, Rachel (May 4, 2021). "'Seattle filmmaker says Hollywood wouldn't make his film unless he replaced his POC cast with white actors". MyNorthwest. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ↑ Langmann, Brady (December 31, 2021). "Cobra Kai's Season 4 Finale Had Nearly Too Many Twists to Keep Up With". Esquire. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ↑ Show, Gee (January 19, 2021). "'Cobra Kai' actor, co-owner of Seattle restaurant on how show became Netflix hit". MyNorthwest. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ↑ Riddle, Eric (January 28, 2021). "Seattle actor reprises his most famous role for Netflix hit series 'Cobra Kai'". KING-TV. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ↑ Karlinski, Marla (February 4, 2021). "Local actor Yuji Okumoto kicks butt in 'Cobra Kai'". Seattle Refined. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ↑ Clement, Bethany Jean (March 27, 2020). "Beloved Seattle restaurant owner Elizabeth Mar of Kona Kitchen and husband Robert Mar die of novel coronavirus". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ↑ Putvin, Luke (June 25, 2019). "Actor and restauranteur Yuji Okumoto brings Kona Kitchen to Lynnwood". Lynnwood Times. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Yuji Okumoto's Kona Kitchen Is a Family Affair Actor-Restaurateur Keeps a Lot on His Plate". Japanese American Citizens League. April 21, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ↑ FOX 13 Seattle (July 22, 2024). Cobra Kai's Ralph Macchio, William Zabka & Yuji Okumoto REVEAL The Advice They’d Tell Their Younger. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - 1 2 3 "Yuji Okumoto (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 7, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ↑ "Chozen Toguchi Has Finally Warmed Up". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
External links
- Yuji Okumoto on X
- Yuji Okumoto at IMDb
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male video game actors
- American male voice actors
- Living people
- Male actors from Los Angeles
- American male actors of Japanese descent
- California State University, Fullerton, alumni
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- 1959 births
- American male karateka
- American male judoka
- 20th-century American sportsmen