Shogen (actor)

In this Japanese name, the surname is Itokazu.
Shogen
尚玄
Shogen at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2022
Born
Shogen Itokazu

(1978-06-20) 20 June 1978 (age 46)
Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Occupations
  • Actor
  • model
Spouse
​
(m. 2022)​
Children1
Websitewww.shogenism.com

Shogen Itokazu (尚玄, born 20 June 1978), known mononymously as Shogen, is a Japanese actor. He is best known for his role as Nao Tsuchiyama in Gensan Punch,[1] which had a joint win for the Kim Jiseok award with The Rapist at the 26th Busan International Film Festival.[2]

Career

Shogen originally worked as a model in Paris, Milan, and London. In 2004, he returned to Japan and acted in his debut film, Bloody Snake Under the Sun, which was nominated at the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival. After this experience, he developed an interest in acting and travelled to New York for lessons.[3]

In 2018, he pitched a film idea to Brillante Mendoza at the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival through mutual friend Eric Khoo. The film would later become Gensan Punch, a story inspired by his friend Nao Tsuchiyama, a Japanese boxer with a prosthetic leg.[4]

For the role, Shogen exercised five to six times a week to look like a boxer. He also used tape to tie his ankles and legs, then performed punches to imitate the movements of disabled people.[5]

Gensan Punch later premiered at the Tokyo and Busan film festivals.[6] The latter of which awarded the film the Kim Jiseok award in a joint win with The Rapist.[2]

In 2022, he starred in December, which was nominated the Kim Jiseok award at the 27th Busan International Film Festival.[7]

Personal life

In 2022, he married singer May J. and they had a child in 2023.[8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2007 Bloody Snake Under the Sun Ryo Yonaha [3]
2021 Gensan Punch Nao Tsuchiyama [4]
2022 December Katsu [7]
2023 One Last Bloom [9]
2024 A Day Begins [10]
Redemption of Sin Tetsuya [11]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 Yae's Sakura Unnamed role 1 episode; Taiga drama [12]
2015 Death Note Raye Penber Television mini series; 11 episodes [13]

References

  1. ^ Schilling, Mark (2 June 2022). "'Gensan Punch': It's the fights outside the ring that matter". The Japan Times. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Konkona-starrer 'The Rapist' wins top award at Busan film fest". onmanorama. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b Kotzathanasis, Panos (10 June 2019). "Interview with Shogen: "Making films in Okinawa means a lot to me"". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b Policarpio, Allan (20 December 2021). "Japanese actor Shogen Itokazu tells why he chose to collaborate with Brillante Ma Mendoza on 'Gensan Punch'". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  5. ^ Huang, Shaowei (12 December 2021). "演残疾拳手太逼真 旁人以为尚玄真残障" [The role of a disabled boxer was so realistic that others thought Shogen was disabled.]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese). Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  6. ^ Frater, Patrick (6 November 2021). "'Gensan Punch' Star Shogen on his Journey From Okinawa and the Changing Possibilities in Japanese Film". Variety. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b Teresa, Maria (15 October 2022). "BIFF Interview: Shogen, Nominee of Jiseok Awards 2 Years in a Row". Haps Magazine. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  8. ^ "May J.が俳優の尚玄と結婚、今日は2人の誕生日" [May J. marries actor Shogen, today is their birthday]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). 20 June 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  9. ^ "春に散る". eiga.com. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  10. ^ "はじまりの日". eiga.com. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "Cast & Crew - The Redemption of Sin". MUBI. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  12. ^ "八重の桜". TV drama database. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "尚玄SHOGEN". A-Light [ja]. Retrieved 2024-10-21. 【2015年】 [...]・日本テレビ 『デスノート』 役名：レイ・ペンバー
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