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.) is a Japanese actor, singer, television host, and a former member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia.
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. In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa chose six out of the twenty boys to create a new boy band and named them "SMAP".
A year after the dissolution of SMAP, Kusanagi, alongside former members Shingo Katori, and Goro Inagaki formed the group, Atarashii Chizu.
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.
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. 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. 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.
Personal life Kusanagi announced his marriage on December 30, 2020.
Arrest On April 23, 2009, at around 3 a.m., Kusanagi was arrested on suspicion of public indecency at Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo. 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 Ref.1994Shoot!Kamiya Atsushi Lead role1995The Diary of Anne FrankPeter (voice)1999MessengersHironori SuzukiLead role2000SéanceFumio Hayasaka2003YomigaeriHeita KawadaLead role2004The Hotel VenusChonanLead roleThe Taste of TeaProjectionistCameo appearanceNin x Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun, the MovieManCameo appearance2006Sinking of JapanToshio OnoderaLead roleLike a VirginJapanese teacherCameo appearance2007The Adventures of Super MonkeyFake Sha WujingCameo appearance2008My Darling of the MountainsTokuichiLead roleI Want to Be a ShellfishSaburo OnishiCameo appearance2009BalladMatabe IjiriLead role20111,778 Stories of Me and My WifeSakutarō MakimuraLead role2012A Ghost of a ChanceTeruo HoshoDearestYuji TamiyaCare Worker GangHikoichi TsubasaLead role2013Maruyama, the Middle SchoolerTatsuo ShimoiLead role2015Attack on TitanGrishaCameo appearanceAttack on Titan End of the WorldGrishaCameo appearance2018The Bastard and the Beautiful WorldOsamuAnthology film2019MakukoKoichi NagumoThe Stormy FamilyKotetsu SuzukiLead role 2020Midnight SwanNagisaLead role 2022Sabakan / Summer Days 19862024BushidoYanagida KakunoshinLead role At the BenchLead role; anthology film2025Bullet Train ExplosionKazuya TakaichiLead role 2026Bana-AnaLead role
Television (as actor) Year Title Role Notes Ref.1988–1989Abunai Shonen IIIHimself Main role1989Jikan desuyo Heisei GannenHattori1992–1993Hime-chan's RibbonKoichi Shikura / Himself (voice)1995Inochi UruwashikuDaisuke TsugawaTsuki Uma-ya Oen JikenchoSeinosuke IkedaIenakiko 2Tsuyoshi KuroiwaMada Koi wa HajimaranaiHiroshi OchiaiThursday Ghost Stories: Himitsu no NakamaShinichi ImamuraMain role1996Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari 8Ichiro HiraokaKekkon ShiyouyoJyunya SugimuraDelicious RelationsKazuma Kimura1997Boku ga Boku de Arutame niEtsuro MizoguchiMain roleSasho TaekoSadatsugu YuriokaIi HitoYûji KitanoMain roleGiftYûji KitanoGuest appearance; episode 7Tales of the Unusual: Mujitsu no OtokoIchiro Kawashima Main roleNarita RikonIchiro HoshinoMain role1998Sensei Shiranaino?Yûsaku KinoshitaMain roleJinbēShin Teranishi1999Furuhata Ninzaburo vs SMAPHimself Main roleBakayaro 1999: Sekuhara de Karasawagi surunaMasato YamaguchiMain roleSéanceFumio Hayasaka1999–2003TeamYûsuke KazamiMain role2000Tales of the Unusual: Jû OtokoTarō TanakaMain role2000–2001Food FightMitsuru IharaMain role2001Tales of the Unusual: Jûsanbanme no KyakuKenichirō HondaMain roleStar's LoveSûsuke NakataMain role2002SaranheyoChonan KanMain role2003Boku no Ikiru MichiHideo NakamuraMain roleTaikōki: Saru to Yobareta OtokoToyotomi HideyoshiMain role2004Shinsengumi!Enomoto TakeakiTaiga dramaKaikyō wo Wataru ViolinJin Chang HeryernMain roleX’smapMasterMain roleTokugawa Tsunayoshi: Inu to Yobareta OtokoTokugawa TsunayoshiMain role2005Koi ni OchitaraShimao SuzukiMain roleChiisana UntenshuYōhei TakanashiGuest appearance2005–presentPythagoraSwitchHimself (voice)2006Ai to Shi wo MitsumeteMinoru KōnoMain roleBoku no Aruku MichiTeruaki ŌtakeMain role2008Suzuki Fusai no Jingi naki TatakaiLawyerCameo appearance; episode 1 and 2Ryokiteki na KanojoSaburō MasakiMain role2009Yume wo Kanaeru ZouFumio Fumiyama (voice)Main roleCrayon Shin-chanMatarō (voice)Guest appearance2009–2011Care Worker GangHikoichi TsubasaMain role201099 Years of Love: Japanese AmericansChōkichi Hiramatsu / Ichirō HiramatsuMain role2011Fuyu no SakuraTasuku InabaMain role201237sai de Isha ni natta BokuYûta KonnoMain roleTales of the Unusual: Hate VirusMakoto SaekiMain role2013Aji Ichi MonmeYoshito Takuma Cameo appearanceKami-sama no BeretOsamu TezukaMain roleDokushin KizokuMamoru HoshinoMain role2013–2016SpecialistYoshito Takuma Main role2014Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Hannin wa Dare daKenta MisawaMain roleSazae-sanHimself (voice)Guest appearance; episode 71482015Zeni no SensouTomio ShiraishiMain roleShin Naniwa KinyudoTomio ShiraishiGuest appearance2017Uso no SensouKōichi IchinoseMain role2021Reach Beyond the Blue SkyTokugawa YoshinobuTaiga drama2022PeperoncinoKiyoshi Onodera Main roleLost Man FoundTakeshi2023War of TrapsWashizu ToruMain roleTales of the Unusual: Eien no FutariHajime Sakamoto Main roleDeaf VoiceNaoto Arai Main role2023–2024Boogie WoogieZen'ichi HatoriAsadora
Television (as personality) Year Title Role Notes1994–2014Waratte IitomoHimself 1995–1996Tamori’s The World of MusicHimself 1996–1997Oh! El ClubHimself (host)1996–2016 SMAP×SMAPHimself (host, chef, performer)1997ScratchHimself (host)1997–2005Dotch Cooking 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)Telethon2005–2014FNS Music FestivalHimself (host)TV special; 15 episodes2007–2016Baby SmapHimself (host)2012–2014FNS Music Fes. In SummerHimself (host)TV special; 3 episodes2014–2015SmaShipHimself (host)TV special; 2 episodes2015–2024Bura TamoriHimself (narrator)2022-2025Waruiko AtsumareHimself (host, performer)2 episodes in 2021; 1 episode in 2022; become a regular show from April 20222022-presentKusanagi Yasutomo no Usagi to KameHimself (host)4 episodes in 2021; become a regular show from May, 2022
Web program Year Title Role Notes02-05/11/201772 Hour Honne TVHost 01/01/201827 Hun Hon no chotto TVHost 30-31/01/201872 Hun mou chotto TV - Shingo Katori Birthday SpecialHimselfAppeared on phoneMay, 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 Year Title Role Notes Ref.2005RobotsRodneyLead role2007StringsHalLead role2018MutafukazAngelinoLead role
Radio Year Title Role Notes1994–2016Ohayo SMAPHimself 1995–presentSMAP POWER SPLASH → ShinTsuyo POWER SPLASHHimself Changed to "ShinTsuyo POWER SPLASH" since 2017
Theatre Year Title Role Notes1991Saint SeiyaDragon ShiryūLead role1992Dragon QuestAtlasLead role1993AnotherShunichi Lead roleHime-chan's RibbonDaichi KobayashiLead role1995Haisenkoku no Ōji: FortinbrasTaketoshi HanezawaLead role1999–2000Kamata Koshin-kyokuYasuji MuraokaLead role2002Readers theater: La Dame aux CaméliasHimself Lead role2006Chichi KaeruKenichirō KurodaLead role2008Mabuta no HahaChûtarōLead role2010K2TaylorLead role2012–2013Boku ni Honou no Sensha woNaoki YanagiharaLead role2013Nito MonogatariSukuneLead role2015burst!Himself Lead role2018BallyturkMan 1Lead role2018Musical Drama: La StradaZampanoLead role2019Family Story PART1Nakaji NobuhiroLead role2021Family Story PART1Nakaji NobuhiroReplay2020Musical Drama: The rise of Arturo UiArturo UiLead role2021-2022Musical Drama: The rise of Arturo UiArturo UiReplay2022burst!Himself Replay
Publications Kore ga Boku desu. (April 1997) Okiraku (March 2007) Kusanagiron (May 2008) Okiraku 2 (March 2016) Jeongmal Book (December 2002) Jeongmal Book Hangul (December 2002) Jeongmal Book 2 (November 2004) Jeongmal Book 2.5 (November 2004) Tsuki no Machi Yama no Machi (February 2011) Document Kusanagi Tsuyoshi in Yomigaeri (2003) The Hotel Venus Starring Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (2004) Nippon Chinbotsu Photo Book featuring Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (2006) Yama no Anata Tokushi no Koi (2008)
References
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