Mako was born in Kobe, Japan, the son of noted children's book author and illustrator Taro Yashima. His parents moved to the United States when he was a small child. He joined them there after World War II, in 1949, joining the military in the 1950s. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1956. When Mako first joined his parents in the USA, he studied architecture. During his military service, he discovered his theatrical talent, and trained at the Pasadena Community Playhouse. Mako was married to actress Shizuko Hoshi with whom he had two daughters (both are actresses) and three grandchildren.

Фільмографія

• 2017Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie — Aku (voice)
• 2007Cages — Tan
• 2007Вампірка — Poe
• 2007Черепашки-ніндзя — Splinter (voice), In Memory Of
• 2005Genndy's Scrapbook: The Story of Genndy Tartakovsky — Self/Narrator
• Maid in Akihabara
• Аватар: Останній Захисник — Iroh (voice)
• 2005Мемуари гейші — Sakamoto
• Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
• Lost at Home
• Дак Доджерс — Happy Cat (voice), Happy Cat / Ah-Choo (voice)
• 2003Куленепробивний чернець — Mr. Kojima
• 2002Cruel Game — Straw Hat
• What's New, Scooby-Doo? — The Ancient One (voice)
• Монк — Master Zi
• 2001Перл-Гарбор — Admiral Yamamoto
• Самурай Джек — Aku (voice)
• 2000Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' — The Wizard (archive footage)
• 2000Rugrats in Paris: The Movie — Mr. Yamaguchi (voice)
• The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
• 1999Alegría — Old Momo
• 1999The Accomplice — Santos
• Західне крило — Dr. Yosh Takahashi
• 1998The Bird People in China — Shen
• З привітом із Шанхая — Master Reng
• 1997Riot — Mr. Lee
• 1997The Sea Wolf
• 1997Сім років у Тибеті — Kungo Tsarong
• 1996Balance of Power — Todo Matsumoto
• 1996Sworn to Justice — Mr. Young
• Сьомі небеса — Henry Muranaka
• JAG — Ichiro Higashimori
• 1995Midnight Man — Buun Som
• Platypus Man — Mr. Loo
• 1995Убивця, що плаче — Shudo Shimazaki
• 1994A Dangerous Place — Sensei
• 1994Red Sun Rising — Buntoro Iga
• 1994Горець 3: Останній вимір — Nakano
• Diagnosis: Murder — Lee Moy
• Kung Fu: The Legend Continues — Li Sung
• Вокер – техаський рейнджер — Dr. Henry Lee, Edward Song
• 1993Робокоп 3 — Kanemitsu
• 1993Сонце, що сходить — Yoshida-san
• Фрейзер — Sam Tanaka
• 1992My Samurai
• 1992Nightingale — Narrator (voice)
• 1992Sidekicks — Mr. Lee
• 1991Strawberry Road — Frank Machida
• 1991The Perfect Weapon — Kim
• 1990Fatal Mission — Trang
• 1990Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes — Sgt. Moritaki
• 1990Murder in Paradise — Capt. Kilalo
• 1990Красиве життя — Mr. Sakamoto
• 1990Мешканець — Toshio Watanabe
• 1989An Unremarkable Life — Max Chin
• The Paradise Club — Mr. Yamamoto
• Paradise — Kao
• 1988Silent Assassins — Oyama
• Supercarrier
• 1988The Wash — Nobu Matsumoto
• 1988Такер: Людина і мрія — Jimmy
• Tour of Duty — Tran
• 1986Armed Response — Akira Tanaka
• 1986Kung Fu: The Movie — The Manchu
• Lovejoy — Toshiro Tanaka
• 1986P.O.W. The Escape — Capt. Vinh
• Spenser: For Hire
• The Equalizer — Jimmy Thanarat
• 1984Hawaiian Heat — Maj. Taro Oshira
• Hawaiian Heat — Maj. Taro Oshira
• 1984Конан-руйнівник — Akiro 'The Wizard'
• 1983Girls of the White Orchid — Mori
• 1983Testament — Mike
• 1983The Last Ninja — Aitaro Sakura
• 1983The Nightingale — Gardener / Minister
• Команда А — Pastry Chef
• American Playhouse — Mike, Nobu Matsumoto
• Bring 'Em Back Alive
• Faerie Tale Theatre — Gardener / Minister
• 1982Конан-варвар — The Wizard
• Мандрівники
• 1981An Eye for an Eye — James Chan
• Flamingo Road
• 1981The Bushido Blade — Enjiro
• The Greatest American Hero — Master of Flowers
• 1981Under the Rainbow — Nakomuri
• 1980Hito Hata: Raise the Banner — Oda
• 1980The Big Brawl — Herbert
• Магнум, приватний детектив — Tozan
• A Man Called Sloane — Tanaka
• Supertrain — Kirby Yamashida
• The Facts of Life — Mr. Wakamatsu
• 1979When Hell Was in Session — Maj. Bai
• Неймовірний Галк — Li Sung
• 1976Anatomy of a Song
• 1976Farewell to Manzanar — Fukimoto
• Mr. T and Tina
• 1976Pacific Overtures — Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble
• Quincy, M.E. — John Moroshima, Mr. Yamaguchi
• Visions
• 1976Wataridori: Birds of Passage — Narrator
• 1975Karate Sensei — Narrator
• Khan!
• 1975Prisoners — Sgt. Nguyen
• 1975The Killer Elite — Yuen Chung
• Диво-жінка — Mr. Brown
• 1974Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders — Tao Gan
• 1974The Green Hornet — Low Sing
• 1974The Island at the Top of the World — Oomiak
• Anna and the King — Sanum
• Kung Fu — Wong Ti Lu
• 1972The Streets of San Francisco — Kenji
• 1972Yokahama Mama — Rooster (voice)
• Мобільний армійський хірургічний шпиталь М*А*Х*Ш — Major Choi
• 1971If Tomorrow Comes — Tadashi
• 1971Silence — Kichijiro, Production Design
• Коломбо — Kanji Ousu
• 1970Fools — Psychiatrist
• 1970The Challenge — Yuro
• 1970The Hawaiians — Mun Ki
• Hawaii Five-O — Kazuo Tahashi
• Love, American Style — Jack
• Room 222
• 1969The Great Bank Robbery — Secret Agent Fong
• 1968The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell — Calvin Coolidge Ishimura
• Ironside — Phil Tsang
• Mannix — Tami Okada
• The Time Tunnel — Lt. Nakamura
• 1966The Ugly Dachshund — Kenji
• Зелений Шершень — Low Sing
• 1966Канонерка — Po-han
• F Troop — Samurai Warrior
• Gidget
• I Dream of Jeannie — Kato
• 1965McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force — Japanese Submarine Captain (uncredited)
• The Big Valley — Wong Lo
• The F.B.I. — Yoshimura, Angry Youth (uncredited)
• Arrest and Trial — Kyoto
• Burke's Law — Happy Tuava, Pete
• Ensign O'Toole — Yamada, Jr.
• McHale's Navy — Lt. Sakawa
• The Gallant Men
• The Lloyd Bridges Show — Akai Takahashi
• 1959Never So Few — Soldier in Hospital
• 77 Sunset Strip — Ito Nakayama
• Black Sash — Master Li

Ток-шоу, премії та інші появи (3)

• 2006The Slanted Screen — Himself
• 2001Harsh Canvas: The Art & Life of Henry Sugimoto — Self - Voice of Henry Sugimoto
• Tony Awards — Self - Nominee / Performer