Hiroshi Abe (阿部 寛 Abe Hiroshi, born June 22, 1964) is a Japanese model and actor. He was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. He began his career as a model, but he successfully made the transition to acting, becoming one of the most regularly visible presences in Japanese media. He is a 1988 graduate of Chuo University.
His modeling debut was in March 1985, winning Shueisha`s "3rd Nonno Boyfriend Champion" (Nonno was one of the most popular Japanese teen magazines). He showed up regularly on Nonno's cover, and when "Men's Nonno" premiered, he was the cover model for the first 43 issues. He is noted for his height (roughly 6' 2.5" ≈ 1.892 m), as most Japanese actors are much shorter.
His sense of humor got him noticed as more than just a pretty face, and he was soon making regular appearances on popular Fuji TV noontime variety show "Waratte Iitomo", in the "cool guys" section. In 1988, during his last year of college, he made his first foray into professional acting with the movie "Haikara-san Ga Touru" ("Trendy Girl Passes By"). It was a bumpy start, but he showed a special talent for comedic roles, and he was soon one of Japan's leading actors. He has appeared in dozens of television shows, movies, commercials, and stage dramas. In 2009, he won the award for Best Actor in the 63rd Mainichi Film Award for his performances as Kenshiro in the animated film Hokuto no Ken Zero: Kenshiro Den.[1]
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Filmography
Television
His first Japanese television drama was "Let's have Romance" (Koi wo simashō Yumin wo kikinagara) (1988. As of 2003, he has starred or co-starred in an astonishing 84 shows, appearing in at least one per three-month cycle since 1996.
Leading Actor in:
- Kekkon Dekinai Otoko(The Man Who Can't Get Married) (結婚できない男 Kekkon Dekinai Otoko)" (2006 summer) as Shinsuke Kuwano
- Dragon Zakura (ドラゴン桜 Doragon Zakura) (2005 summer) as Kenji Sakuragi
- At Home Dad (アットホームダッド Atto Hōmu Daddo) (2004 summer) as Kazuyuki Yamamura
- The Last Lawyer (最後の弁護人 Saigo no Bengonin) (2003 winter)
- Trick series (TRICKシリーズ Torikku shirīzu) (2003 autumn, 2002 winter, 2000 summer) as Jirō Ueda
- Glorious Yorujuro (天晴れ夜十郎 Appare Yorujūrō) (1996 Sep-1997 March) as Yorujūrō
Some others he co-starred in:
- Saka no Ue no Kumo (坂の上の雲 Saka no Ue no Kumo) (December 2009, 2010 and 2011) as Akiyama Yoshifuru
- Tenchijin (天地人 Tenchijin)(NHK Taiga Drama) (2008) - as Uesugi Kenshin
- CHANGE (CHANGE Chenji) (2008 spring) as Katsutoshi Nirasawa
- Yoshitsune (義経 Yoshitsune)(NHK Taiga Drama) (2005) - as Taira no Tomomori
- Fugitive - RUNNAWAY (逃亡者 RUNNAWAY Tōbōsha Rannawei) (2004 summer) as Ryūji Mineshima
- Wedding Planner (ウエディングプランナー Uedingu Purannā) (2003 spring) as Jun Okonogi
- Smile (笑顔の法則 Egao no Hōsoku) (2003 spring) as Reijirō Sakurai
- Rika (リカ Rika) (2003 March) (Won for Best Horror Film of the year) as Takao Homma
- Musashi (武蔵 MUSASHI Musashi)(NHK Taiga Drama) (2003) as Gion Tōji
- Midnight Rain (真夜中の雨 Mayonaka no Ame) (2002 autumn) as Shunsuke Izumida
- My Little Chef (マイリトルシェフ Mai Ritoru Shefu) (2002 summer) as Kensaku Tachibana
- HERO (HERO Hīrō) (2001 winter) as Mitsugu Shibayama
- Antique (アンティーク 〜西洋骨董洋菓子店〜 Antīku -Seiyō Kottō Yōgashiten)(2001 autumn) as Chikage Kobayakawa
- Yasha (夜叉 Yasha)(2000 spring) as Ken Kurosaki
- Honeymoon Divorce (成田離婚 Narita Rikon) (1997 Autumn) as Takuya Kitamura
He also stars in "Special Research Project 200X", and occasionally narrates.
Films
As of 2003 he has starred in 36 movies, starting with "Haikara-san Ga Touru" (1988). Recent films include:
- Yamato Takeru (1994)
- Moon Over Tao (1997)
- Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
- Tokyo Raiders (2000)
- Blood Sucking Space(2001) (Chi wo sū uchū)
- RUSH! (2001)
- Platonic Sex (2001)
- Trick (2002)
- Hana and Alice / 花とアリス / Hana to Arisu (2004)
- Hotel Venus / ホテル ビーナス / Hoteru bīnasu (2004)
- Survive Style 5+ (2004)
- My Lover is a Sniper: The Movie / 恋人はスナイパー 劇場版 (2004)
- The man behind the scissors / ハサミ男 / Hasami otoko (2004)
- Ubume no Natsu (2005)
- Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior / Shin Kyūseishu Densetsu Hokuto no Ken series (2006-2008)
- Legend of Raoh: Chapter of Love in Death / Raō Den Jun'ai no Shō (2006)
- Legend of Yuria / Yuria Den (2007) (OVA)
- Legend of Raoh: Chapter of Fierce Fighting / Raō Den Gekito no Shō (2007)
- Legend of Toki / Toki Den (2008) (OVA)
- Zero: Legend of Kenshiro / Zero: Kenshirō Den (2008)
- Trick 2 (2006)
- Baruto no Gakuen (2006)
- Forbidden Siren (2006)
- Bubble Fiction: Boom or Bust (2007)
- Taitei no Ken (2007)
- Chocolate (2008)
- Mōryō no Hako (2008)
- Aruitemo aruitemo (Still Walking) (2008)
Stage
- 2004 Chikamatu Double Suicide Chikamatu Shinchuu monogatari-sore ha koi)
- 2002, 1998, 1993-96 Atami Murder-Monte Carlo Illusion (Atami satujinn jikenn-monntekaruro iryu-jonn)
- 2001 One Who Brings It Up (mochiageru hito)
- 2000 New Jigokuhen (SinJigokuhen) (Famous novel from Japanese literature)
- 1992 Sometime, Somewhere (aruhi dokokade)
Other
He has released eight photo collections, two records, four videos, and two radio programs in his career. He is represented by entertainment agency Moda Office.
Related Links
References
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