Renowned movie director Keisuke Kinoshita died of a stroke early Wednesday at his home in Tokyo's Minato Ward, his family said. He was 86.

Born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Kinoshita joined what is now Shochiku Co. in 1933 and directed his first film, "Hanasaku Minato" ("The Port Where Flowers Bloom") in 1943, the same year Akira Kurosawa directed his first film, "Sugata Sanshiro." Kurosawa died Sept. 6 at age 88.

After their debut, the two were considered rivals and led the nation's film industry. While Kurosawa liked to direct stories of tough men, Kinoshita directed many movies with tender heroines. But Kinoshita's movies were not just melancholic dramas.