Akira Takarada (宝田 明, Takarada Akira, April 29, 1934 -) is a Japanese film actor who is most known in the west for his roles in the Godzilla film series. Takarada was born in Japan-occupied Korea, and lived for a time in Harbin, China. His father worked as an engineer on the South Manchuria Railway. After the war, he remained in Harbin, and he is able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English. Takarada came to Japan with his family in 1948. He joined Toho as part of their "New Face" program in April 1953. His film debut was with a small role in And Then the Liberty Bell Rang, a biography of the educator Fukuzawa Yukichi. His big break came when he was cast as navy diver Hideto Ogata in the original Godzilla (1954). He became a popular actor at Toho for his good looks and charismatic, sophisticated character. He continued his association with the Godzilla series in Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966). He returned to the series in 1992 with Godzilla vs. Mothra and appeared again in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004).