{{short description|Japanese actor (born 1979)}} {{BLP one source|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Akihiro Kitamura | image = 10.1.10AkihiroKitamuraByLuigiNovi.jpg | image_size = | caption = Kitamura in 2010 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|3|26}} | birth_place = Kōchi, Japan | occupation = Actor, Director | years_active = 2004–present | spouse = {{marriage|Miki Kawawa|2016}} }} {{Nihongo|'''Akihiro Kitamura'''|北村 昭博|Kitamura Akihiro|born March 26, 1979}}{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} is a Japanese actor and director, who appeared in ''The Human Centipede (First Sequence)'' and ''Cobra Kai'' as Young Sato.
==Early life== After moving to the United States at the age of 18, Kitamura studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for five years. As a filmmaker he studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts (1997–1999) and at Los Angeles City College (2001–2004).<ref name=thedeathrattle>{{cite web|title=Akihiro Kitamura: Confessions Of A Centipede, Pt. III|url=http://www.thedeathrattle.net/2010/03/akihiro-kitamura-confessions-of.html|accessdate=2010-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923194228/http://www.thedeathrattle.net/2010/03/akihiro-kitamura-confessions-of.html|archive-date=2011-09-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Career== Kitamura's first two feature films, ''Porno'' and ''I'll Be There With You'' were both written and directed by him. He also starred in both of the films, playing the main characters.
In 2008, Kitamura appeared in a number of television roles, including VH1's ''New York Goes to Hollywood'' and MTV's ''From Gs to Gents''. He also appeared in NBC's ''Heroes'' as Tadashi, a Japanese businessman who tries to commit suicide. The role's dialogue was done in Japanese to keep with the character.
In 2009, Kitamura starred in the controversial IFC Films horror film ''The Human Centipede (First Sequence)''.
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | |2004 | ''Porno'' | Aki | Film debut |- | 2006 | ''I'll Be There with You'' | Aki | Main role |- | 2007 | ''Blinded by Beauty'' | Director | (short) |- | 2009 | ''The Human Centipede (First Sequence)'' | Katsuro | Main role |- | 2011 | ''Nipples & Palm Trees'' | Phil | |- | 2012 | ''SR Saitama no rappâ - Rôdosaido no toubousha'' | MC Rindou | |- | 2013 | ''It's a Beautiful Day'' | Masanori | |- | 2013 | ''Why Don't You Play in Hell?'' | Hitman | |- | 2014 | ''Operation Barn Owl'' | Kevin | (short) |- | 2014 | ''Tokyo Tribe'' | Mukade | |- | 2015 | ''The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence)'' | Inmate 333 | |- | 2016 | ''Karate kill'' | Sexy Japanese Man | |- | 2017 | ''Shinjuku Swan II'' | Moriken | |- | 2018 | ''The Silk Road'' | Ryusuke | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |- ! Year ! Series ! Role ! Notes |- | 2007 | ''Canoga Park'' | Aki | The Fashion Show/Haute Cooter |- | 2008 | ''From G's to Gents'' | Businessman | Episode 1.7 |- | 2008 | ''New York Goes to Hollywood'' | Japanese director | 2 episodes |- | 2008 | ''Seikatsu! Hop, Step, Mitsuwa'' | Director | 19 episodes |- | 2009 | ''Heroes'' | Tadashi | Chapter Three 'Acceptance' |- | 2010 | ''Cinetsu!'' | Himself | 2 episodes |- | 2013 | ''Loiter Squad'' | Japanese commercial director | 1 episode |- | 2013 | ''Onna Nobunaga'' | Kazumasu Takigawa | 2 episodes |- | 2017 | ''Tokyo Vampire Hotel'' | Gen | 5 episodes |- | 2022 | ''Cobra Kai'' | Young Sato | 1 episode |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Japan|Biography|Film}} {{Commons category}} *[http://ameblo.jp/akihiro-kitamura/ Official blog] {{in lang|ja}} *[https://www.twitter.com/akihirokitamura Akihiro on Twitter] *{{IMDb name|2162290}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitamura, Akihiro}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese male film actors Category:University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni Category:People from Kōchi, Kōchi Category:Los Angeles City College alumni Category:Japanese male television actors Category:21st-century Japanese male actors