The resulting illnesses led him to re-take 3rd and 4th grade to recover, listening to Musei Tokugawa and rakugo on the radio.

After his initial ambitions of becoming a cargo sailor were opposed by his mother, Atsumi looked to acting after joining a traveling troop of actors with a friend.

His vivid performance of a lovable, innocent man in the film "Dear Mr. Emperor" (Haikei Tenno-Heika-Sama) in 1963 established his reputation as an actor.

He developed a liking to Africa after spending 4 months there to film The Song of Bwana Toshi in 1965, vacationing to Tanzania multiple times afterwards.

His portrayal of the main characters lasted from the original Otoko wa Tsurai yo (translated in English as 'It's Tough being a Man') in 1969 to the 48th film released in 1995, the year before his death.