Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅 剛, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, born July 9, 1974 in Seiyo, Ehime, Japan)[1] is a Japanese actor, singer, television host, and a former member of SMAP, the best-selling boy band in Asia.[2]
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi | |
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Background information | |
Born | July 9, 1974 |
Origin | Seiyo, Ehime, Japan |
Genres | J-pop |
Occupation(s) | Actor, singer, television host |
Years active | 1987–present |
Labels | Johnny & Associates |
Associated acts |
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Early life
Kusanagi grew up in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan.
Career
Music
In 1987, at age 13, Kusanagi auditioned to enter Johnny & Associates, a Japanese talent agency that recruits and trains young boys, preteens to teens, to become singers and members of boy bands. After five of the other band members auditioning individually from 1986 through 1987, in autumn 1987, twenty boys, from ages ten to seventeen, were put together into a group called The Skate Boys, which was initially created as backup dancers for a famous boy band, Hikaru Genji.[3] In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa chose six out of the twenty boys to create a new boy band and named them "SMAP".[4]
Acting
He had the lead role in the movie, Yomigaeri (黄泉がえり) (January 18, 2003; a Japan public presentation). Moreover, his Korean-language-Japanese-produced movie Hotel Venus (ホテルビーナス, Hoteru Bīnasu) (March 6, 2004 Japan public presentation) was submitted to the Moscow International Film Festival on June 25, 2004.
Television
Personal life
Arrest
On April 23, 2009, at around 3 a.m., Kusanagi was arrested on suspicion of public indecency at Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo.[5] On April 24, 2009, he held a press conference accompanied by his attorney and apologized for his misbehavior. Prosecutors decided not to indict Kusanagi because of his apology. He took a one-month-long hiatus and returned to the taping of SMAPxSMAP on May 28, 2009.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Shoot! | Kamiya Atsushi | Lead role |
1995 | The Diary of Anne Frank | Peter (voice) | |
1999 | Messengers | Hironori Suzuki | Lead role |
2000 | Séance | Fumio Hayasaka | Guest appearance |
2003 | Yomigaeri | Heita Kawada | Lead role |
2004 | The Hotel Venus | Chonan | Lead role |
The Taste of Tea | Projectionist | Cameo appearance | |
Nin x Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun, the Movie | Man | Cameo appearance | |
2005 | Robots | Rodney (voice) | Lead role; Japanese dubbed version |
2006 | Sinking of Japan | Toshio Onodera | Lead role |
Like a Virgin | Japanese teacher | Cameo appearance | |
2007 | Strings | Hal (voice) | Lead role; Japanese dubbed version |
Saiyuki | Sagosho | Cameo appearance | |
2008 | Yama no Anata | Tokuichi | Lead role |
Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai | Saburo Onishi | Cameo appearance | |
2009 | Ballad Namonaki Koi no Uta | Matabe Ijiri | Lead role |
2011 | 1,778 Stories of Me and My Wife | Sakutaro Makimura | Lead role |
2012 | A Ghost of a Chance | Teruo Hosho | |
Anata e | Yuji Tamiya | ||
Ninkyo Helper | Hikoichi Tsubasa | Lead role | |
2013 | Chugakusei Maruyama | Tatsuo Shimoi | Lead role |
2015 | Attack on Titan | Grisha | Cameo appearance |
Attack on Titan End of the World | Grisha | Cameo appearance | |
2018 | The Bastard and the Beautiful World | Osamu | Anthology film |
Mutafukaz | Angelino (voice)[6] | Lead role; Japanese dubbed version | |
2019 | Makuko | Koichi Nagumo | |
The Stormy Family | Lead role | ||
TBA | Midnight Swan | Nagisa | Lead role |
Television (as actor)
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988–1989 | Abunai Shonen III | Himself | Main role |
1989 | Jikan desuyo Heisei Gannen | Hattori | |
1990 | P.S. Oboetokeyo | Tsuyoshi | |
1991 | Furimukeba Kimi… | Takashi Kobayashi | |
1992 | Motto, Tokimeki wo | Himself | Guest appearance |
1992–1993 | Hime-chan no Ribbon | Koichi Shikura / Himself (voice) | |
1995 | Inochi Uruwashiku | Daisuke Tsugawa | |
Tsuki Uma-ya Oen Jikencho | Seinosuke Ikeda | ||
Ienakiko 2 | Tsuyoshi Kuroiwa | ||
Mada Koi wa Hajimaranai | Hiroshi Ochiai | ||
Mokuyou no Kaidan | Shinichi Imamura | Main role | |
1996 | Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari 8 | Ichiro Hiraoka | |
Kekkon Shiyouyo | Jyunya Sugimura | ||
Oishii Kankei | Kazuma Kimura | ||
1997 | Boku ga Boku de Arutame ni | Etsuro Mizoguchi | Main role |
Sasho Taeko | Sadatsugu Yurioka | ||
Ii Hito | Yuji Kitano | Main role | |
Gift | Yuji Kitano | Guest appearance; episode 7 | |
Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari | Ichiro Kawashima | Main role | |
Narita Rikon | Ichiro Hoshino | Main role | |
1998 | Sensei Shiranaino? | Yusaku Kinoshita | Main role |
Jinbē | Shin Teranishi | ||
1999 | Furuhata Ninzaburo vs SMAP | Himself | Main role |
Bakayaro 1999 | Masato Yamaguchi | Main role | |
Kourei | Fumio Hayasaka | Cameo appearance | |
1999–2003 | Team | Yusuke Kazami | Main role |
2000 | Yonimo Kimyouna Monogatari | Taro Tanaka | Main role |
2000–2001 | Food Fight | Mitsuru Ihara | Main role |
2001 | Yonimo Kimyouna Monogatari | Kenichiro Honda | Main role |
Star no Koi | Sosuke Nakata | Main role | |
2002 | Saranheyo | Chonan Kan | Main role |
2003 | Boku no Ikiru Michi | Hideo Nakamura | Main role |
Taikouki Saru to Yobareta Otoko | Hideyoshi Toyotomi | Main role | |
2004 | Shinsengumi! | Enomoto Takeaki | Taiga drama |
Kaikyou wo Wataru Violin | Chanhyon Chin | Main role | |
X’smap | Master | Main role | |
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi Inu to Yobareta Otoko | Tsunayoshi Tokugawa | Main role | |
2005 | Koi ni Ochitara | Shimao Suzuki | Main role |
Chiisana Untenshu | Yohei Takanashi | Guest appearance | |
2005–present | PythagoraSwitch | Himself (voice) | |
2006 | Ai to Shi wo Mitsumete | Minoru Kono | Main role |
Boku no Aruku Michi | Teruaki Otake | Main role | |
2008 | Suzuki Fusai no Jingi naki Tatakai | Lawyer | Cameo appearance; episode 1 and 2 |
Ryokiteki na Kanojo | Saburo Masaki | Main role | |
2009 | Yume wo Kanaeru Zou | Fumio Fumiyama (voice) | Main role |
Crayon Shin-chan | Mataro (voice) | Guest appearance | |
2009–2011 | Ninkyo Helper | Hikoichi Tsubasa | Main role |
2010 | 99 Years of Love: Japanese Americans | Nagayoshi / Ichiro Hiramatsu | Main role |
Dokutomato Satsujin Jiken | Himself | Main role | |
2011 | Fuyu no Sakura | Tasuku Inaba | Main role |
2012 | 37sai de Isha ni natta Boku | Yuta Konno | Main role |
Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari | Makoto Saeki | Main role | |
2013 | Aji Ichi Monme | Yoshito Takuma | Cameo appearance |
Kamisama no Belebou | Osamu Tezuka | Main role | |
Dokushin Kizoku | Mamoru Hoshino | Main role | |
Furuhata vs SMAP The Aftermath | Himself | Main role | |
2013–2016 | Specialist | Yoshito Takuma | Main role |
2014 | Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi | Kenta Misawa | Main role |
Oretachi ni Asu wa aru | Himself | Main role | |
Sazae-san | Himself (voice) | Guest appearance; episode 7148 | |
2015 | Zeni no Sensou | Tomio Shiraishi | Main role |
Shin Naniwa Kinyudo | Tomio Shiraishi | Guest appearance | |
2017 | Uso no Sensou | Koichi Ichinose | Main role |
2021 | Seiten wo Tsuke | Tokugawa Yoshinobu | Taiga drama |
Television (as personality)
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994–2014 | Waratte Iitomo | Himself | |
1995–1996 | Tamori’s The World of Music | Himself | |
1996–1997 | Oh! El Club | Himself (host) | |
1996–2016 | SMAP×SMAP | Himself (host, chef, performer) | |
1997 | Scratch | Himself (host) | |
1997–2005 | Docchi no Ryori Show | Himself | |
1998 | Muchu Sengen Ganbarimasu | Himself (host) | |
1998–present | Pussma | Himself (host) | |
2001–2003 | Chikyu Fushigi Daishizen | Himself (narrator) | |
2001–2010 | Chonan Kan | Himself (host) | |
2003–present | Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s Ganbatta Taishou | Himself (host) | TV special; 16 episodes |
2004–2014 | Bokura no Ongaku | Himself (host) | |
2005 | 24 Hour Television | Himself (host) | Telethon |
2005–2014 | FNS Music Festival | Himself (host) | TV special; 15 episodes |
2007–present | Baby Smap | Himself (host) | |
2012–2014 | FNS Music Fes. In Summer | Himself (host) | TV special; 3 episodes |
2014–2015 | SmaShip | Himself (host) | TV special; 2 episodes |
2015–present | Bura Tamori | Himself (narrator) | |
Radio
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994–present | Ohayo SMAP | Himself | |
1995–present | SMAP Power Splash | Himself | |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Saint Seiya | Shiryu | Lead role |
1992 | Dragon Quest | Atlas | Lead role |
1993 | Another | Shunichi | Lead role |
Hime-chan's Ribbon | Daichi Kobayashi | Lead role | |
1995 | Haisenkoku no Oji | Taketoshi Hanezawa | Lead role |
1999–2000 | Kamata Koshin-kyoku | Yasuji Muraoka | Lead role |
2002 | Tsubaki Hime | Himself | Lead role |
2006 | Chichi Kaeru | Kenichiro Kuroda | Lead role |
2008 | Mabuta no Haha | Chutaro | Lead role |
2010 | K2 | Taylor | Lead role |
2012–2013 | Boku ni Honou no Sensha wo | Naoki Yanagihara | Lead role |
2013 | Nito Monogatari | Sukune | Lead role |
2015 | burst! | Himself | Lead role |
2018 | Ballyturk | ||
Publications
- Kore ga Boku desu. (April 1997) ISBN 978-4847012792
- Okiraku (March 2007) ISBN 978-4048944892
- Kusanagiron (May 2008) ISBN 978-4087804942
- Okiraku 2 (March 2016) ISBN 978-4047317321
- Jeongmal Book (December 2002) ISBN 978-4838714254
- Jeongmal Book Hangul (December 2002) ISBN 978-4838714186
- Jeongmal Book 2 (November 2004) ISBN 978-4838715589
- Jeongmal Book 2.5 (November 2004) ISBN 978-4838715596
- Tsuki no Machi Yama no Machi (February 2011) ISBN 978-4847019647
- Document Kusanagi Tsuyoshi in Yomigaeri (2003) ISBN 978-4048535755
- The Hotel Venus Starring Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (2004) ISBN 978-4048537353
- Nippon Chinbotsu Photo Book featuring Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (2006) ISBN 978-4048539807
- Yama no Anata Tokushi no Koi (2008) ISBN 978-4087804959
References
- The second character 彅 in his Japanese name is composed of a thinned 弓 the left of a 剪. (It does not appear correctly in some cases.)
- "SMAP". Japan-Zone. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
- "SMAP". Japan-Zone. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
- "SMAPの前身「スケートボーイズ」に所属していた豪華メンバーたち". Excite News. Nikkan Taishu. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- "SMAP member Kusanagi arrested for stripping naked in Tokyo park". Japan Today. Kyodo. April 23, 2009. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011.
- "『ムタフカズ』声優陣に上坂すみれ、桜庭和志、Creepy Nuts、吉田尚記ら". CINRA.NET. Retrieved September 8, 2018.