# Masanari Nihei

Masanari Nihei (二瓶 正也, Nihei Masanari, 9 December 1940 – 21 August 2021) was a Japanese actor. He played Mitsuhiro Ide in Ultraman, having won the role when originally cast actor Susumu Ishikawa left the production.

## Death

Masanari Nihei died on 21 August 2021 due to aspiration pneumonia. His funeral was held privately by his close relatives.

## Selected filmography
### Film

* Kane-dukuri taikô-ki (1960)
* Ankokugai no dankon (1961)
* Nasake muyo no wana (1961)
* As a Wife, As a Woman (1961)
* Nakito gozansu (1961)
* Mothra (1961) - Dam Policeman / Infant Island Islander (uncredited)
* Witness Killed (1961)
* Gorath (1962) - Itô - Astronaut of Ôtori
* Dobunezumi sakusen (1962)
* Nihon ichi no wakadaishô (1962)
* Gekkyû dorobo (1962)
* Sengoku yarô (1963)
* Chintao yôsai bakugeki meirei (1963)
* Ichi ka bachi ka (1963)
* Ringo no hana saku machi (1963) - Takuya Igarashi
* The Lost World of Sinbad (1963) - Rebel
* Eburi manshi no yûga-na seikatsu (1963)
* Kyô mo ware ôzora ni ari (1964)
* Aa bakudan (1964) - Tatsumi
* Nippon ichi no horafuki otoko (1964) - Construction Worker
* Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kayaku no taru (1964) - Seinen Miyaji
* Hana no oedo no musekinin (1964)
* Samurai Assassin (1965) - Ronin
* Nippon ichi no goma suri otoko (1965)
* Taiheiyô kiseki no sakusen: Kisuka (1965)
* Senjo ni nagareru uta (1965)
* Kureji no daiboken (1965)
* Ereki no Wakadaishō (1965) - Nishina / The Drummer of The Young Beats
* Onna no naka ni iru tanin (1966)
* Nippon ichi no gorigan otoko (1966)
* Kureji da yo: kisôtengai (1966) - Yokota
* Kureji daisakusen (1966)
* The Age of Assassins (1967) - Pappy
* Ultraman (1968) - Mitsuhiro Ide
* Nippon ichi no danzetsu otoko (1969)
* Kiki kaikai ore wa dareda?! (1969) - Henchman
* Hangyaku no Melody (1970)
* Dodesukaden (1970) - 4th Man calling out
* Nippon ichi no warunori otoko (1970)
* Nippon ichi no shokku otoko (1971)
* A Man′s World (1971) - Aoki
* Nippon sanjûshi: Osaraba Tokyo no maki (1972) - Gen-san
* Isoge! Wakamono (1974) - Matsuo
* Shirauo (1977)
* Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari kôen mae hashutsujo (1977)
* Hakunetsu Dead Heat (1977)
* Dainamaito don don (1978) - Inukai
* Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive Battle (1979) - Mitsuhiro Ide
* Ultraman (1979) - Mitsuhiro Ide
* Disciples of Hippocrates (1980) - Reporter
* Haithîn bugi (1982)
* Arashi o yobu otoko (1983) - Club manager
* Aitsu to lullaby (1983) - Takimoto
* Fireflies in the North (1984) - Tomosaburo Kumagai
* Usugeshô (1985)
* Ultraman Zearth (1996) - Photographer
* Revive! Ultraman (1996, Short) - Mitsuhiro Ide (archive footage)
* Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997) - Photographer
* Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact (2001)
* Daikessen! Chô urutora 8 kyôdai (2008) - Owner of Cheep Candy Shop (final film role)

### Television

* Ultra Q (1966; episodes 2, 6, and 15) - Nakamatsu's Assistant / Bank-Robber Gang Sato / The Man who Delivers Milk
* Ultraman (1966) - Mitsuhiro Ide
* Ultra Seven (1968, episode 42) - Masaya
* Mighty Jack (1968) - Akira Genda
* The Ultraman (1979-1980) - Hiroaki Tobe (voice)
* Tokkei Winspector (1990, episode 8) - Daizou Oomagari Gen'ichi Yonekura
* Sōrito Yobanaide (1997) - SP
* Ultraman Max (2006) - Dr. Date