Quick Facts
Biography
Kuranosuke Sasaki (佐々木 蔵之介, Sasaki Kuranosuke, born February 4, 1968) (real name Hideaki Sasaki (佐々木秀明 Sasaki Hideaki)) is a Japanese actor, known primary for his roles in Japanese television drama.
Biography
He was born into a family of a sake brewery in Kyoto, Japan. After graduating from Kobe University and resigning from an advertising agency, he played an active part in a Japanese theatrical group called "Planet Pistachio," as a stage actor, from 1990 to 1998.
He later extended the range of activities on TV dramas and movies, and has played important roles on many works in Japan. He made his film debut starring in Mamiya Kyodai in 2006, and his TV series debut starring in Gira Gira in 2008.
When Sasaki was a freshman and received a phone call from his college company to decide on a stage name, his father suggested the name Kuranosuke, with a double meaning; for Kura, a sake cellar/brewery for their sake brewery, and for Ōuchi Kuranosuke, a famous historical drama role.
Sasaki's initial plan was to join the family business of sake brewing as the eldest son when graduated from college. Learning sales strategy at an advertisement company was also part of his plan.
His family was not supportive when he aspired to be an actor, until he played a part in Audrey (NHK, 2000). His father sold sake named "Audrey", and then a premium junmai sake Hancho for a limited period while the TV drama was aired; Kuranosuke played a lead in Hancho.
Selected filmography
TV series
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Audrey | Kohtaro Miki |
| 2001 | Handoku!!! | Makoto Takano |
| 2003 | Bijo ka Yajū | Hiroshi Kobukuro |
| Shiroi Kyotō | Yūta Takeuchi | |
| 2004 | Rikon Bengoshi | Toshifumi Yanagida |
| Last Present | Satoshi Oda | |
| 2005 | Roomshare no Onna | Shūhei Sugita |
| M no Higeki | Akira Kubo | |
| Rikon Bengoshi 2 | Toshifumi Yanagida | |
| Kon-ya hitori no bed de | Shunsuke Kuzumi | |
| 2006 | Team Medical Dragon | Keisuke Fujiyoshi |
| Shimokita Sundays | Tsubasa Akutagawa | |
| Boku no aruku michi | Hideharu Ohtake | |
| 2007 | Fūrin Kazan (Taiga drama) | Yukitaka Sanada |
| Bambino! | Atsushi Kuwabara | |
| Team Medical Dragon 2 | Keisuke Fujiyoshi | |
| 2008 | Saitō-san | Tōru Mano |
| Shikaotoko Awaniyoshi | Shigehisa Fukuhara | |
| Absolute Boyfriend | Gaku Namikiri | |
| Monster Parent | Keigo Miura | |
| Gira Gira | Kōhei Nanase | |
| 2009 | Triangle | Ryō Akimoto |
| Hanchō | Tsuyoshi Adumi | |
| Orthros no Inu | Takayuki Sawamura | |
| Fumō Chitai | Seiki Akitsu | |
| Challenged | Keiichirō Hanawa | |
| 2010 | Hanchō 2 | Tsuyoshi Azumi |
| Hanchō 3 | Tsuyoshi Adumi | |
| Himitsu | Heisuke Sugita | |
| Team Medical Dragon 3 | Keisuke Fujiyoshi | |
| 2011 | Hanchō 4 | Tsuyoshi Azumi |
| 2016 | Kaitō Yamaneko | Shūgo Sekimoto |
| 2017 | Hiyokko | Makino |
Movies
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Bayside Shakedown 2 | |
| Densha Otoko | Hisashi | |
| 2005 | Summer Time Machine Blues | Kōtarō Hoseki |
| 2006 | Kenchō no hoshi | Keita Sakurai |
| Mamiya kyodai | Akinobu Mamiya （lead） | |
| Rainbow Song | Shinsuke Higuchi | |
| 2007 | Tsukigami | Sahei Bessho |
| Tsubaki Sanjūrō | Kimura | |
| 2008 | Bokutachi to chūzai-san no 700-nichi sensō | Chūzai-san |
| After School | Masayuki Kitazawa | |
| 20th Century Boys : Beginning of the End | Fukubē | |
| 2009 | 20th Century Boys 2 : The Last Hope | Fukubē |
| 20th Century Boys 3 : Redemption | Fukubē | |
| Daremo mamotte kurenai | Kōji Umezawa | |
| 2010 | Ōoku | Fujinami |
| 2011 | Gaku | Masato Noda |
| 2014 | Samurai Hustle | Masaatsu Naito |
| 2015 | Solomon's Perjury | Fujino |
| 2016 | The Inerasable | Yoshiaki Hiraoka |
| 2017 | Hana Ikusa | Maeda Toshiie |
| March Comes in Like a Lion | Kai Shimada | |
| Hamon | Yasuhiko Kuwabara | |
| Utsukushii Hoshi | Katsumi Kuroki |
Awards
- 2015 the 38th Japan Academy Prize (film award) - the Best Actor, Samurai Hustle
- "the 38th Japan Academy Prize was awarded!" (in Japanese). Japan Academy Prize official site. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
Advertisements
Television
- 2016 Suntory non-alcohol beverage
- 2016 Kansai Electric Power Company
- "Kuranosuke Sasaki and Hana Kuroki join for Suntory's veberage". ORICON STYLE (in Japanese). oricon ME Inc. 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- "Kansai Electric Power Company resumes its advertisements on television with Kuranosuke Sasaki... against Takao Osawa for Osaka Gas". Sankei WEST (in Japanese). 2016-07-04. Retrieved 2016-07-04.