Photo: Jeff Share, Los Angeles Times / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Mako's career is one I think about whenever the conversation turns to Asian representation in Hollywood. Born in Kobe, he carved out 165 productions over five decades in an industry that offered Japanese-American actors mostly caricature, and he still earned Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Tony nominations. Then, late in life, he reinvented himself as a beloved voice actor in Samurai Jack and Avatar: The Last Airbender, reaching kids who never knew his film work. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame reads to me less like a personal honor than a trail marker left for everyone who followed.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mako
- Name (Japanese)
- マコ岩松
- Reading
- まこ岩松
- Born
- December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- stage actor / film actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Sand Pebbles | — | |
| Notable work | Samurai Jack | — | |
| Notable work | Avatar: The Last Airbender | — | |
| Notable work | TMNT | — |
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B3%E5%B2%A9%E6%9D%BE
Frequently asked questions
When was Mako born?
December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006.
Where is Mako from?
Mako is from Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
What does Mako do?
Mako works as stage actor, film actor, television actor, actor.
What is Mako known for?
Notable works include The Sand Pebbles, Samurai Jack, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Stage actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-10
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.