Shunji Igarashi

Infobox actor
name = Shunji Igarashi (五十嵐 隼士)
birthdate = Birth date and age|1986|8|7|mf=y
birthplace = Nagano-ken, Japan
occupation = Actor
yearsactive = 2004-current
website = http://blog.watanabepro.co.jp/igarashishunji/

nihongo|Shunji Igarashi|五十嵐 隼士|Igarashi Shunji|born August 7, 1986 is a Japanese actor, most notably known for the lead role of Mirai Hibino/Ultraman Mebius in the 2006-2007 tokusatsu series Ultraman Mebius. Igarashi is affiliated with the acting unit D-BOYS, produced by [http://www.watanabepro.co.jp/ Watanabe Entertainment] .

Career

Igarashi started his entertaiment career auditioning for D-BOYS in the group's first open audition, held on July 27th 2004. Winner of the Grand Prix second place, Igarashi joined the group shortly after, along with first placer Yuichi Nakamura and third placer Katsuki Nakamura. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20040815003147/http://www.d-boys.com/ 1st Audition Winners announcement as of August 15 2004, retrieved on December 30 2007] ]

In early 2006, Igarashi conquered his first lead role as Mirai Hibino/Ultraman Mebius in the tokusatsu series Ultraman Mebius, the 40th anniversary production in the Ultraman series. He was chosen for the role for being able to convey the part of a "rookie" hero well, being at the time a new actor with little experience in demanding lead roles himself. A fan of the Ultraman series, Igarashi has declared that the desire to play the role of Ultraman was one of the reasons he entered the entertainment world, and that being able to work with the same actors who had played his childhood heroes was one of his highest personal accomplishments. [cite video | people = | title = DD-BOYS | medium = TV-series | publisher = TV Asahi | location = Japan | date = 2006 ] Igarashi was so fond of his work in the series that he eventually incorporated the Möbius strip sign "∞" to his autograph.

With the end of Mebius in March 2007, Igarashi turned his focus to television series and invested on broadening his work. The heroic Mirai of Mebius was followed by diverse characters such as the young psychopath Otoya in the adult drama Watashitachi no Kyokasho, the naive otaku Shinji in the teenage comedy [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Hanazakari_no_Kimitachi_e Hana-Kimi] and the lively street musician Mitsuru in the late night suspense [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Shigeshoshi Shigeshoshi] , allowing Igarashi to develop his acting through various genres and different character types.

June 2007 marked Igarashi's theatre debut, guest-starring in the musical "D-BOYS STAGE Volume 1: Kanbai Onrei", a D-BOYS project featuring all group members, in the same manner of the 2006 drama/documentary series "DD-BOYS". In 2008 he will again guest star in "D-BOYS STAGE Volume 2: Last Game". [ [http://www.d-boys.com/d-boysstage2/ D-BOYS STAGE vol.2, retrieved on December 30 2007] ] In October 2007 came Igarashi's radio debut with D-RADIO BOYS, another D-BOYS project. Igarashi hosts the weekly show with "Shigeshoshi" co-star Masato Wada, featuring guest D-BOYS members in each show.

Filmography

Television

Cinema

Other Media

Theatre

* Out of Order (2007)
* D-BOYS STAGE Vol.1: Kanbai Onrei (2007)
* D-BOYS STAGE Vol.2: Last Game (2008, in pre-production)

Radio

* D-RADIO BOYS (2007-present, Bay FM)

Promotional Media

Igarashi has been featured in the following promotional releases:

CDs

:* "Ultraman Mebius/Run through! -CREW GUYS-" - Project DMM with Ultra Bouei-tai (Ultraman Mebius)

Photobooks

:* D-BOYS: D-BOYS (2005/04, ISBN 492456642X):* D-BOYS: START! (2006/03, ISBN 4054030351):* mirai (2006/09, ISBN 4847029623) - "solo photobook":* Hanazakari no Kimi Tachi e - Ikemen Paradise Making Book (2007/09, ISBN 4847017390)

References

External links

* [http://blog.watanabepro.co.jp/igarashishunji/ Official Blog]
* [http://www.watanabepro.co.jp/igarashishunji/ Official Profile at Watanabe Entertainment]
* [http://www.d-boys.com/ D-BOYS official website]
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%94%E5%8D%81%E5%B5%90%E9%9A%BC%E5%A3%AB Wikipedia Japanese article on 五十嵐 隼士]
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-BOYS Wikipedia Japanese article on D-BOYS]
* [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Igarashi_Shunji Igarashi Shunji at DramaWiki]