Gitan Otsuru: Japanese Actor, Director, and Writer

Gitan Otsuru (大鶴義丹, born April 24, 1968) is a Japanese actor, film director, and screenwriter. Based in Tokyo, Japan, Otsuru has built a diverse career spanning several decades across Japanese cinema and television dramas.

Acting Career

Otsuru made his feature film debut in the late 1980s, appearing in Freeway Speedway (1988). Throughout his career, he has taken on numerous supporting and character roles in both films and television series.

Selected Filmography

The Dry Spell (Kassui, 2023) - Detective Kato
Usuke Boys (2018)
Love x Doc (2018) - tropical fish shop manager
Samurai Hustle Returns (Chokosoku ! Sankin kotai Returns, 2016) - Yosaku
The Land Of Hope (Kibou no Koku, 2012) - Tanaka
A Gentle Rain Falls for Fukushima (Totecheeta Chikicheeta, 2012) - Koichi Ichinose
Pride: The Fateful Moment (Puraido: Unmei no toki, 1998)
Nurse Call (1993)
Freeway Speedway (Shuto Kosoku toraiaru, 1988)

Selected Television Series

In addition to his film work, Otsuru has appeared in numerous Japanese television dramas, including notable broadcast and streaming networks.

Viral Hit (Kenka Dokugaku, Netflix / 2026) - Yutaka Asamiya
Gossip: What She Wants to Know (Fuji TV / 2022) - Kiichiro Taketomi
M: Beloved One (TV Asahi / 2020) - Mizushima
Akira Hamura: The Detective Most Unfortunate in the World (NHK / 2020) - Kiyoshi Takizawa
Sherlock: Untold Stories (Fuji TV / 2019) - Shohei Ukai
Iryu: Team Medical Dragon 2 (Fuji TV / 2007)

Directing and Screenwriting Work

Beyond acting, Otsuru has directed and written several independent and feature films, contributing creatively behind the camera.

Hadaka no Itoko (2013) - Director and Screenwriter
Maebashi Visual Rockers (Maebashi Visual-Kei, 2011) - Director and Screenwriter
Brake (2009) - Director and Screenwriter
8mm Inside Me (Watashi no naka no 8 miri, 2009) - Director and Screenwriter