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.

Ichikawa Ennosuke IV
四代目 市川 猿之助
2007
Born
Takahiko Kinoshi[1]

(1975-11-26) 26 November 1975 (age 48)
Tokyo, Japan
Other namesIchikawa Kamejirō II
FatherIchikawa Danshirō IV[2]
RelativesIchikawa Danshirō II (great-great-grandfather)
Ichikawa En'ō I (great-grandfather)
Ichikawa Danshirō III (grandfather)
Ichikawa En'ō II (uncle)
Ichikawa Chusha IX (cousin)
Ichikawa Danko V (cousin)

Early life and career

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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.[citation needed]

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

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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, 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, 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 indicated that the affected shows would be made available again.[14]

Filmography

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Television drama

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Film

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Anime

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  • One Piece: Adventure of Nebulandia (2015) as Komei[25]
  • One Piece - Episode of Skypiea (2018) as Gan Fall[26]

References

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  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. ^ a b Kaneko, Karin (20 October 2023). "Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke pleads guilty to assisting parents' suicides". The Japan Times. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  4. ^ Eglinton, Mika (18 December 2013). "Show marks award of kabuki star's new name". The Japan Times. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Kabuki actor Ennosuke indicted over assisting in parents' suicide". The Japan Times. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Ichikawa Ennosuke leaves hospital as police suspect Kabuki family suicide attempt". The Japan Times.
  7. ^ Schilling, Mark (25 May 2023). "Japanese Kabuki Star Ichikawa Ennosuke Hospitalized, Both Parents Dead". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Family suicide likely to have been proposed by Ichikawa Ennosuke". The Japan Times. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ennosuke to Be Arrested over Father's Suicide". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ennosuke Indicted over Suicide of Parents". nippon.com. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Bail granted to Ichikawa Ennosuke". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ennosuke Sentenced 3 Years, Suspended 5 Years for Assisting Parents' Suicide". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  13. ^ McCurry, Justin (17 November 2023). "Japanese kabuki actor gets suspended sentence for assisting parents' suicide". The Guardian.
  14. ^ "NHKオンデマンド、出演者逮捕でも配信続ける方針…「鎌倉殿」配信停止後に多くの批判届く". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 27 July 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Black Pean cast". TBS Black Pean official site (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  16. ^ "【半沢直樹】半沢を取り巻く豪華新キャストが発表". TBSテレビ. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  17. ^ "市川猿之助の顔芸と「詫びろ!」が強烈インパクト『半沢直樹』第1部の名シーンを振り返る". テレビドガッチ. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  18. ^ "佐々木蔵之介が京都舞台のドラマで主演、藤野涼子、市川猿之助、結木滉星ら共演". 映画ナタリー. ナターシャ. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  19. ^ "佐々木蔵之介、出身地・京都が舞台の人情ドラマに主演 藤野涼子・市川猿之助が共演". ORICON NEWS. oricon ME. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  20. ^ "沢村一樹主演、痛快検察ドラマが誕生 矢本悠馬、市川猿之助ら競演". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  21. ^ "沢村一樹、「東京地検の男」主演 「京都地検の女」の"男版"、3・24テレ朝系SPドラマ". SANSPO.COM(サンスポ) (in Japanese). 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  22. ^ "岸辺露伴は動かない:実写ドラマ新作 副題&あらすじ公開 「ジョジョ」本編原作エピソードも". まんたんウェブ. MANTAN. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  23. ^ "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. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  24. ^ "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. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  25. ^ "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. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  26. ^ "アニメ「ワンピース」SP版空島編、ガン・フォール役で市川猿之助がゲスト出演". コミックナタリー. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
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