Saho Sasazawa(1930-2002)
- Writer
- Actor
Son of a reputed poet, he graduated in the Kanto Institute. During his
convalescence from a traffic accident he began to write. Two of his
first novels obtained a prize in 1961 and very soon he attracted the
attention of a Toho film company, which adapted one of his novels in
1963. Although his speciality is mystery novels, he is better known for
his historical and chanbara creations: "10 Brave Knights of Sanada",
the new version of "Musashi Miyamoto" and above all "Monjiro
Kogarashi". "Kogarashi (Cold Wind) Monjiro" was first made into a
popular TV Series in 1972-73 directed by Kon Ichikawa and starring
Atsuo Nakamura as Monjiro. Its success was so great that Toei made two
films this same year based on the story, but with a different team:
Sadao Nakajima directing and Bunta Sugawara playing Monjiro. Nakamura
played Monjiro in a second TV Series in 1977-78 and finally in the film
"The Return of Monjiro Kogarashi" ("Kaette Kita Kogarashi Monjiro",
1993), the last adaptation of a Sasazawa original. Sasazawa himself
played bit parts in some movies.
