Ichikawa_Ennosuke_IV

Ichikawa Ennosuke IV

Ichikawa Ennosuke IV

Japanese actor (born 1975)


Takahiko Kinoshi (喜熨斗 孝彦, Kinoshi Takahiko, born 26 November 1975), better known by the stage name Ichikawa Ennosuke IV (四代目 市川 猿之助, Yodaime Ichikawa Ennosuke), is a Japanese kabuki, film, and television actor and stage director.

Quick Facts Born, Other names ...

Early life and career

Ichikawa Ennosuke IV was born on 26 November 1975, in Tokyo, Japan, into a family with deep connections to the kabuki tradition. He is the son of Hiroyuki Kinoshi,[3] stage name Ichikawa Danshirō IV, a kabuki actor known for his aragoto style of performances. Ennosuke made his first stage appearance as the child emperor Antoku in the kabuki production Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura at the age of 5. Three years later in 1983, he took the stage name Ichikawa Kamejirō II (二代目 市川 亀治郎, Nidaime Ichikawa Kamejirō). He became known for his tachiyaku and onnagata roles over the course of his career, in addition to his repertoire of dances.

Ennosuke made his television debut in 2007 in the taiga drama Fūrin Kazan as Takeda Shingen, from there he began being cast in major supporting roles in high-profile dramas such as Ryōmaden (2010), Naoki Hanzawa (2020), and The 13 Lords of the Shogun (2022). He has also made several film appearances.

In 2012, his uncle Kinoshi Masahiko, stage name Ichikawa Ennosuke III, retired from kabuki and passed his appellation to Takahiko, heretofore known as Kamejirō II. From this point on, Takahiko would become known as Ichikawa Ennosuke IV, the fourth in his family to carry the name.[4] Ennosuke IV has carried on his predecessor's mission in revitalizing the art of kabuki to attract contemporary audiences with what's called "Super Kabuki" productions, playing a central role in a kabuki reimagining of the manga One Piece (Super Kabuki II: One Piece) that achieved major commercial success.[5]

Arrest

Ennosuke and his parents were found unconscious on 18 May 2023 by his manager in their home in the Meguro ward of Tokyo. Ennosuke survived, but his mother Nobuko[3] was pronounced dead at the scene, while his father Danshirō IV was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.[6] All three were found to have overdosed on sleeping pills. On the day the three were discovered in their homes, the weekly magazine Josei Seven (女性セブン) published a report detailing allegations that Ennosuke had bullied staff and sexually harassed female cast members.[7] Ennosuke told police that the report prompted him to hold a family meeting with his parents, in which the three decided to "say goodbye"[5] and "to meet in the next world."[8]

On June 27, Ennosuke was arrested on a charge of assisting suicide by supplying his mother with prescription sleeping pills and covering her head with a plastic bag. On July 18 he was arrested again on a separate charge for doing the same to his father.[9] He was indicted on both charges on July 28,[10] and was released on bail set at 5 million yen on July 31.[11] He pleaded guilty to the charges, and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, suspended for 5 years on November 17.[12][13]

When news of his initial arrest broke, the NHK removed shows featuring Ennosuke from its streaming service as had been done for other actors embroiled in criminal investigations. Due to public opposition to the decision, the NHK announced on July 26 that they will no longer pull shows off on-demand streaming services in similar situations as a policy to "respect the freedom of consumer choice", and the affected shows will be made available again.[14]

Filmography

Television drama

Film

Anime

  • One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia (2015) as Komei[26]
  • One Piece - Episode of Skypiea (2018) as Gan Fall[27]

References

  1. While the stage names of all kabuki actors have retained traditional order (Surname-Givenname) on Wikipedia, birth names of those born after the Meiji Restoration are in Western order (Givenname-Surname).
  2. Real name: Hiroyuki Kinoshi (喜熨斗宏之, Kinoshi Hiroyuki).
  3. Kaneko, Karin (2023-10-20). "Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke pleads guilty to assisting parents' suicides". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  4. Eglinton, Mika (2013-12-18). "Show marks award of kabuki star's new name". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  5. "Kabuki actor Ennosuke indicted over assisting in parents' suicide". The Japan Times. 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  6. Schilling, Mark (2023-05-25). "Japanese Kabuki Star Ichikawa Ennosuke Hospitalized, Both Parents Dead". Variety. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  7. "Family suicide likely to have been proposed by Ichikawa Ennosuke". The Japan Times. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  8. "Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ennosuke to Be Arrested over Father's Suicide". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  9. "Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ennosuke Indicted over Suicide of Parents". nippon.com. 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  10. "Bail granted to Ichikawa Ennosuke". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  11. "ジェシー、秋元康作品で地上波連ドラ初主演 市川猿之助とお笑いコンビに". マイナビニュース. マイナビ. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  12. "野村萬斎と市川猿之助映画で初共演!". デイリースポーツ online. 株式会社デイリースポーツ. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  13. "劇場版「緊急取調室 THE FINAL」公開延期を発表「総合的な判断」". モデルプレス. ネットネイティブ. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  14. "ワンピース特番アニメ、フォクシー海賊団声優に市川猿之助ら". コミックナタリー. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2015-12-07.

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