Tsuyoshi Kusanagi Explained

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
草彅 剛
Background:solo_singer
Birth Date:9 July 1974
Origin:Seiyo, Ehime, Japan
Genre:J-pop
Occupation:Actor, singer, television host
Years Active:1987–present
Label:Johnny & Associates
Current Member Of:
  • Atarashii Chizu
Past Member Of:

[1] is a Japanese actor, singer, television host, and a former member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia.[2]

Early life

Kusanagi grew up in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan.

Career

Music

See main article: SMAP. 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]

A year after the dissolution of SMAP, Kusanagi, alongside former members Shingo Katori, and Goro Inagaki formed the group, Atarashii Chizu.[5] [6]

Acting

He had the lead role in the movie, (January 18, 2003; a Japan public presentation). Moreover, his Korean-language-Japanese-produced movie (March 6, 2004 Japan public presentation) was submitted to the Moscow International Film Festival on June 25, 2004.

In 2020, Kusanagi took on the role of Nagisa, a transgender nightclub worker in Eiji Uchida's Midnight Swan. The film won numerous awards, such as Picture of the Year, and he was subsequently awarded the Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.[7]

Television

As a member of the boyband SMAP, Kusanagi used to co-host the weekly variety show SMAP×SMAP alongside his bandmates for 20 years. In 2001, he hosted the variety show Chonangang on Fuji TV.[8] Determined to debut in Korea, Kusanagi started learning the Korean language and appearing on Korean variety shows. This focus on Korean culture led to him adopting Chonangang as his Korean persona in various SMAP concerts, even releasing several singles. Originally, Chonangang was intended to focus on Kusanagi's journey in South Korea, however lasted eight years due to its popularity.[9] Because of the show's success, the format shifted to feature interviews with popular Korean celebrities such as Lee Min-ho, and led to Kusanagi interviewing former South Korean Presidents Roh Moo-hyun, and Lee Myung-bak on TBS.[10]

Personal life

Kusanagi announced his marriage on December 30, 2020.[11]

Arrest

On April 23, 2009, at around 3 a.m., Kusanagi was arrested on suspicion of public indecency at Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo.[12] 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

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1994Shoot!Kamiya Atsushi Lead role
1995Anne no NikkiPeter (voice)
1999MessengersHironori SuzukiLead role
2000SéanceFumio HayasakaGuest appearance
2003YomigaeriHeita KawadaLead role
2004The Hotel VenusChonanLead role
The Taste of TeaProjectionistCameo appearance
ManCameo appearance
2006Sinking of JapanToshio OnoderaLead role
Like a VirginJapanese teacherCameo appearance
2007The Adventures of Super MonkeySagoshoCameo appearance
2008My Darling of the MountainsTokuichiLead role
I Want to Be a ShellfishSaburo OnishiCameo appearance
2009BalladMatabe IjiriLead role
20111,778 Stories of Me and My WifeSakutaro MakimuraLead role
2012A Ghost of a ChanceTeruo Hosho
DearestYuji Tamiya
Ninkyo HelperHikoichi TsubasaLead role
2013Maruyama, the Middle SchoolerTatsuo ShimoiLead role
2015Attack on TitanGrishaCameo appearance
Attack on Titan End of the WorldGrishaCameo appearance
2018The Bastard and the Beautiful WorldOsamuAnthology film
2019MakukoKoichi Nagumo
The Stormy FamilyKotetsu SuzukiLead role
2020Midnight SwanNagisaLead role
2022Sabakan / Summer Days 1986[13]
2024BushidoYanagida KakunoshinLead role [14]
(Date still undecided)The Bullet TrainLead role [15] [16]

Television (as actor)

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1988–1989Abunai Shonen IIIHimself Main role
1989Jikan desuyo Heisei GannenHattori
1990P.S. OboetokeyoTsuyoshi
1991Furimukeba Kimi...Takashi Kobayashi
1992Motto, Tokimeki woHimselfGuest appearance
1992–1993Hime-chan's RibbonKoichi Shikura / Himself (voice)
1995Inochi UruwashikuDaisuke Tsugawa
Tsuki Uma-ya Oen JikenchoSeinosuke Ikeda
Ienakiko 2Tsuyoshi Kuroiwa
Mada Koi wa HajimaranaiHiroshi Ochiai
Mokuyou no KaidanShinichi ImamuraMain role
1996Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari 8Ichiro Hiraoka
Kekkon ShiyouyoJyunya Sugimura
Oishii KankeiKazuma Kimura
1997Boku ga Boku de Arutame niEtsuro MizoguchiMain role
Sasho TaekoSadatsugu Yurioka
Ii HitoYuji KitanoMain role
GiftYuji KitanoGuest appearance; episode 7
Yonimo Kimyou na MonogatariIchiro Kawashima Main role
Narita RikonIchiro HoshinoMain role
1998Sensei Shiranaino?Yusaku KinoshitaMain role
JinbēShin Teranishi
1999Furuhata Ninzaburo vs SMAPHimself Main role
Bakayaro 1999Masato YamaguchiMain role
KoureiFumio HayasakaCameo appearance
1999–2003TeamYusuke KazamiMain role
2000Yonimo Kimyouna MonogatariTaro TanakaMain role
2000–2001Food FightMitsuru IharaMain role
2001Yonimo Kimyouna MonogatariKenichiro HondaMain role
Star no KoiSosuke NakataMain role
2002SaranheyoChonan KanMain role
2003Boku no Ikiru MichiHideo NakamuraMain role
Taikouki Saru to Yobareta OtokoHideyoshi ToyotomiMain role
2004Shinsengumi!Enomoto TakeakiTaiga drama
Kaikyou wo Wataru ViolinChanhyon ChinMain role
X’smapMasterMain role
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi Inu to Yobareta OtokoTsunayoshi TokugawaMain role
2005Koi ni OchitaraShimao SuzukiMain role
Chiisana UntenshuYohei TakanashiGuest appearance
2005–presentPythagoraSwitchHimself (voice)
2006Ai to Shi wo MitsumeteMinoru KonoMain role
Boku no Aruku MichiTeruaki OtakeMain role
2008Suzuki Fusai no Jingi naki TatakaiLawyerCameo appearance; episode 1 and 2
Ryokiteki na KanojoSaburo MasakiMain role
2009Yume wo Kanaeru ZouFumio Fumiyama (voice)Main role
Crayon Shin-chanMataro (voice)Guest appearance
2009–2011Ninkyo HelperHikoichi TsubasaMain role
201099 Years of Love: Japanese AmericansNagayoshi / Ichiro HiramatsuMain role
Dokutomato Satsujin JikenHimself Main role
2011Fuyu no SakuraTasuku InabaMain role
201237sai de Isha ni natta BokuYuta KonnoMain role
Yonimo Kimyou na MonogatariMakoto SaekiMain role
2013Aji Ichi MonmeYoshito Takuma Cameo appearance
Kamisama no BelebouOsamu TezukaMain role
Dokushin KizokuMamoru HoshinoMain role
Furuhata vs SMAP The AftermathHimself Main role
2013–2016SpecialistYoshito Takuma Main role
2014Honto ni Atta Kowai HanashiKenta MisawaMain role
Oretachi ni Asu wa aruHimself Main role
Sazae-sanHimself (voice)Guest appearance; episode 7148
2015Zeni no SensouTomio ShiraishiMain role
Shin Naniwa KinyudoTomio ShiraishiGuest appearance
2017Uso no SensouKoichi IchinoseMain role
2021Reach Beyond the Blue SkyTokugawa YoshinobuTaiga drama[17]
2022Lost Man FoundTakeshi[18]
2023War of TrapsWashizu ToruMain role[19]
2023–2024Boogie WoogieZen'ichi HatoriAsadora[20]

Television (as personality)

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994–2014Waratte IitomoHimself
1995–1996Tamori’s The World of MusicHimself
1996–1997Oh! El ClubHimself (host)
1996–2016 SMAP×SMAPHimself (host, chef, performer)
1997ScratchHimself (host)
1997–2005Docchi no Ryori ShowHimself
1998Muchu Sengen GanbarimasuHimself (host)
1998–2018PussmaHimself (host)
2001–2003Chikyu Fushigi DaishizenHimself (narrator)
2001–2010Chonan KanHimself (host)
2003–2016Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s Ganbatta TaishouHimself (host)
2004–2014Bokura no OngakuHimself (host)
200524 Hour TelevisionHimself (host)Telethon
2005–2014FNS Music FestivalHimself (host)TV special; 15 episodes
2007–2016Baby SmapHimself (host)
2012–2014FNS Music Fes. In SummerHimself (host)TV special; 3 episodes
2014–2015SmaShipHimself (host)TV special; 2 episodes
2015–presentBura TamoriHimself (narrator)
2022-presentWaruiko AtsumareHimself (host, performer)2 episodes in 2021; 1 episode in 2022; become a regular show from April 2022
2022-presentKusanagi Yasutomo no Usagi to KameHimself (host)4 episodes in 2021; become a regular show from May, 2022

Web program

YearTitleRoleNotes
02-05/11/201772 Hour Honne TVHost
01/01/201827 Hun Hon no chotto TVHost
30-31/01/201872 Hun mou chotto TV - Shingo Katori Birthday SpecialHimselfAppeared on phone
May, 2018-present7.2 Atarashii Betsu no MadoHimself (host, performer)
16/09/2018Namie Amuro Densetsu's Live Video Revival: WE ▼ NAMIE FINAL Encore LIVEHost
2019-2021Nagisuke!HostWith Yusuke Santamaria

Japanese dub

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2005RobotsRodney[21]
2007StringsHal
2018MutafukazAngelino[22]

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994–2016Ohayo SMAPHimself
1995–presentSMAP POWER SPLASH → ShinTsuyo POWER SPLASHHimself Changed to "ShinTsuyo POWER SPLASH" since 2017

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Saint SeiyaShiryuLead role
1992Dragon QuestAtlasLead role
1993AnotherShunichi Lead role
Hime-chan's RibbonDaichi KobayashiLead role
1995Haisenkoku no OjiTaketoshi HanezawaLead role
1999–2000Kamata Koshin-kyokuYasuji MuraokaLead role
2002Tsubaki HimeHimself Lead role
2006Chichi KaeruKenichiro KurodaLead role
2008Mabuta no HahaChutaroLead role
2010K2TaylorLead role
2012–2013Boku ni Honou no Sensha woNaoki YanagiharaLead role
2013Nito MonogatariSukuneLead role
2015burst!Himself Lead role
2018Ballyturk
2018Musical Drama: La StradaZampano
2019Family Story PART1Nakaji NobuhiroLead role
2021Family Story PART1Nakaji NobuhiroReplay
2020Musical Drama: The rise of Arturo UiArturo UiLead role
2021-2022Musical Drama: The rise of Arturo UiArturo UiReplay
2022burst!Himself Replay

Publications

Notes and References

  1. 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.)
  2. Web site: SMAP. Japan-Zone. 2010-01-23.
  3. Web site: SMAP. Japan-Zone. 2009-12-13.
  4. Web site: 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. Aug 26, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170127041002/http://www.excite.co.jp/News/entertainment_g/20150826/Taishu_17130.html. January 27, 2017. mdy-all.
  5. Web site: Ronald. 2017-09-22. A New Group Rises Out of SMAP's Ashes. 2021-07-12. ARAMA! JAPAN. en-US.
  6. Web site: Former SMAP members announce new project with clues. 2021-07-12. SBS PopAsia. en.
  7. Web site: Schilling. Mark. 2021-03-19. Japan Academy Awards Hand Top Honor to Indie Hit 'Midnight Swan' While 'Fukushima 50' Triumphs. 2021-07-12. Variety. en-US.
  8. Web site: チョナン・カン. 2021-07-12. フジテレビ. ja.
  9. Min. Yuen Shu. 2011-03-01. Kusanagi Tsuyoshi x Chonangang: Transcending Japanese/Korean Ethnic Boundaries in Japanese Popular Culture. Asian Studies Review. 35. 1. 1–20. 10.1080/10357823.2011.552708. 218621789 . 1035-7823.
  10. Web site: SMAP草彅くん、韓国大統領と直接対話。2代に渡る。. 2021-07-12. ライブドアニュース. ja.
  11. Web site: 草なぎ剛、一般女性と結婚「今までと変わらぬスタンスで仕事を続けていきたい」. Oricon. December 30, 2020. July 31, 2021.
  12. News: SMAP member Kusanagi arrested for stripping naked in Tokyo park. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605135019/http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/smap-member-kusanagi-arrested-for-stripping-naked-in-tokyo-park. dead. June 5, 2011. Japan Today. Kyodo. April 23, 2009.
  13. Web site: 尾野真千子&貫地谷しほり&草彅剛らが出演『サバカンSABAKAN』製作決定. December 15, 2021. Cinema Cafe. December 15, 2021.
  14. Web site: 碁盤斬り. March 1, 2023. eiga.com.
  15. Web site: 29 February 2024 . 草なぎ剛主演でパニック映画の金字塔『新幹線大爆破』リブート「高倉健さんの気持ちを受け継ぎ、全力で」 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240229063106/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2316316/full/ . 29 February 2024 . 29 February 2024 . Oricon . Japanese.
  16. Web site: 29 February 2024 . 「新幹線大爆破」リブート決定、監督・樋口真嗣×主演・草なぎ剛のNetflix映画に . https://web.archive.org/web/20240229064940/https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/562904 . 29 February 2024 . 29 February 2024 . Natalie Eiga . Japanese.
  17. Web site: 青天を衝け:草なぎ剛は「天性」 慶喜役で改めて増す存在感 CP「こういう人だったのでは」と. May 19, 2022. Mantan-web. December 19, 2021.
  18. Web site: 「拾われた男」に薬師丸ひろ子、北村有起哉、要潤、田辺桃子、夏帆ら19名出演. May 19, 2022. Natalie.
  19. Web site: 罠の戦争. July 5, 2023. TV drama database.
  20. Web site: 草なぎ剛、朝ドラ初出演に喜び 『ブギウギ』で"ヒロインの師匠"役【コメント全文】. July 5, 2023. Oricon.
  21. Web site: 『ロボッツ』. June 13, 2005. December 30, 2021. Cinema Today.
  22. Web site: 『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. September 8, 2018. CINRA.NET.