Name

Kaneshiro is a common Okinawan name. In kanji, 金城 is Kaneshiro and 武 is Takeshi (given name), with Japanese readings. He appears as 金城 武 (Kaneshiro Takeshi) in Japanese media.

Since personal names are commonly written in Chinese characters in both Chinese and Japanese naming conventions, with surnames before given names, this gives Kaneshiro the freedom whether to distinguish himself as a Japanese or not when working in Chinese-speaking countries by preserving or removing the space between his surname and given name.

Biography

Kaneshiro's mother is Taiwanese and his father is from Okinawa, Japan. He was born and raised in Taipei but also holds Japanese citizenship.

The son of a Japanese businessman and a Taiwanese homemaker, he has two elder brothers; one is his senior by seven years, the other just by one. After graduating from Taipei Japanese Junior High School, he enrolled at English-based Taipei American School, which enabled him to converse in English. While he was studying there, he began doing television commercials and decided to quit school to pursue a singing and acting career. He is multilingual, fluent in Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien and Japanese, and to lesser degrees in English and Cantonese.

Career

In 1992, Kaneshiro made his singing debut, entering the business with the nickname Aniki, meaning 'older brother' in Japanese. His debut album was Heartbreaking Night (1992). Contracted to EMI, he wrote many of his own Mandarin and Cantonese songs. The following year, his popularity propelled him into acting and he no longer produces any commercial music.

His film debut was Executioners (1993) and this was followed by Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express (1994) and a string of other Hong Kong films. Later, Kaneshiro starred in the Japanese television mini-series God, Please Give Me More Time (1998), allowing him to branch into Japanese films such as Returner (2002).

Kaneshiro's work, however, is more heavily concentrated in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In 2008 and 2009 he starred in Red Cliff, a high budget film by Hong Kong director John Woo. He has also played the romantic lead in Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, and starred alongside Jet Li and Andy Lau in The Warlords. Kaneshiro has also become well known in the video game industry portraying the samurai warrior Samanosuke in Capcom's Onimusha. In a June 2007 article on the film site Ain't It Cool News, it was revealed that Kaneshiro was going to be in the Onimusha film, reprising his role as Samanosuke and for a 2011 release, but that project was derailed. The producer Samuel Hadida had to delay the filming of Onimusha, which has resulted in the film's Japanese cast working on other film projects during the delay, and being unavailable to start filming. These factors were enough that French director Christophe Gans will now direct an adaptation of Leo Perutz's novel The Swedish Cavalier first, taking over the reins from Gilles Mimouni. Satomi Ishihara and Tsuyoshi Ihara remain attached to the project.

In 2003, Kaneshiro was featured in the magazine Time and was coined as becoming the Asian film industry's Johnny Depp. Moreover, Kaneshiro was interviewed by CNN in the TalkAsia segment in 2006.

Outside of the entertainment business, Kaneshiro has acted as a spokesperson and model for Emporio Armani (2008) as well as, Prada (1998), Lifecard credit card company, VAIO personal computer, Honda, Lipice lips moisturizer, SonyEricsson, Pocari Sweat soft drink, Morinaga chocolate, Volvic, GEOS (eikaiwa) (language school), Petronas oil company, Japan Asia Airways, Hyundai Motor Company, Toyota MarkX ZiO, Mitsubishi Galant, NTT docomo the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan, NTT Yellow Pages, Shiseido, Lycos, UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Kadokawa Shoten a well-known Japanese publisher based in Tokyo, Rice Burger, Roasted barley tea, One2Free (HK), and Kiwi cold drink, and the most recent Biotherm Homme since 2005.

Personal life

Kaneshiro is a practicing Buddhist, having converted in 1997, and has said his mother is also a devout Buddhist. Kaneshiro is known for trying to avoid the media spotlight. He has been quoted as saying “If one day I get married and have kids, I will probably be one of those men who really care for the family. I will eat at home every day, and help with the chores and take care of the children.”

Filmography

Film

• Heroic Trio 2: Executioners (1993)
• Chungking Express (1994) - as He Zhiwu, Cop 223
• Mermaid Got Married (1994)
• Don't Give a Damn (1994)
• The Wrath of Silence (1994)
• No Sir (1994)
• Young Policemen In Love (1995)
• Fallen Angels (1995) - as He Zhiwu
• Forever Friends (1995)
• China Dragon (1995)
• School Days (1995)
• Trouble Maker (1995)
• The Feeling of Love (1996)
• Forever Friends (1996)
• Lost and Found (1996)
• Dr. Wai in "The Scripture with No Words" (1996)
• Misty (1996)
• The Jail In Burning Island (1997)
• Hero (1997)
• Downtown Torpedoes (1997)
• The Odd One Dies (1997)
• First Love: The Litter on the Breeze (1997)
• Too Tired to Die (1998)
• Anna Magdalena (1998)
• Sleepless Town (1998)
• Tempting Heart (1999)
• Space Travelers (2000)
• Lavender (2000)
• Returner (2002)
• Turn Left, Turn Right (2003)
• House of Flying Daggers (2004) (Titled Lovers for the Japanese release)
• Perhaps Love (2005) (Titled Winter Song for the Japanese release)
• Confession of Pain (2006) as Bong
• The Warlords (2007) as Jiang Wuyang
• Accuracy of Death / Suwito rein: Shinigami no seido (2008) as Chiba
• Red Cliff Part I (2008) as Zhuge Liang
• K-20: Legend of the Mask (2008)
• Red Cliff Part II (2009) as Zhuge Liang
• Wu Xia (2011)
• The Crossing (2014) as Yan Zenkun
• The Crossing 2 (2015)
• The Ferryman (2016)

Voice Acting

• Tarzan (1999) as Tarzan (Voice for Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese versions)

Television dramas

Japan

• The Miracle on a Christmas Night (1995) (Japanese: 聖夜の奇跡)
• God, Please Give Me More Time (1998) Kamisama, Mou Sukoshi Dake (Japanese: 神様、もう少しだけ) (English: Precious Time) (Thai: อยู่เพื่อรัก)
• Love 2000 (2000) (Japanese: 二千年の恋)
• Golden Bowl (2002) (Japanese: ゴールデンボウル)

Hong Kong

• Colour Of Amour (1995)

Taiwan

• Grass Scholar (1992)

Video games

• Onimusha: Warlords (2001) (VG) (voice: Japanese version) Samanosuke Akechi
• Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (2004) - (VG) (voice: Japanese version) Samanosuke Akechi

Awards

Takeshi Kaneshiro is one of 10 recipients of the Green Planet Film Award (23 March 2010) in the category "10 Best International Actors of the Decade (Asia)".

Discography

Albums

Album No.	Album information	Track listing	Notes
1st	Heartbreaking Nights 分手的夜裡 Released: September 1992 Language: Mandarin	A Summer Affair Heartbreaking Night The unlicensed youth Still Love You Classmate Comfortable life away Tokyo Blues 108 Call Me I do not Distant cherry rain
2nd	Just You And Me 只要你和我 Released: June 1993 Language: Mandarin	Just You And Me Because love you Looking back at you I etc. Be My Girl ...... Be My Girl.... Love was not sure Kikuko girl Lying eyes Friends Good night to You
3rd	Tender Superman 溫柔超人 Released: February 1994 Language: Mandarin	Tender Superman Let's Fall In Love Love Me Once Again It is not known You Sweetheart Valentine's Day gift of flowers A Thousand Temptations The gray sky You Heart Pain Inside	*Love Me Once Again was also sung in Japanese
4th	Ideal Lover 標準情人 Released: December 1994 Language: Mandarin	Standard lover The trouble is you do not want to Let me say to you Blue smile Deciduous season Pure tears I really treasure Courageous say goodbye No love pm Tell Laura I Love Her (remake)
5th	Missed Date 失約 Released: December 1994 Language: Cantonese	Scam Will love return Lonely and others Paranoia You want to ever Loving Heart Love Me Once Again I see the paradise Love Cover Girl
6th	Dear My Beloved 給我心愛的人 Released: June 1995 Language: Cantonese	Who can The occasion Love me! Still love you like before Burning Passion Dear My Beloved Sunshine Lover I do not want to cry With your life Or are you lucky
7th	Secretly Drunk 偷偷的醉 Released: October 1995 Language: Mandarin	I cried to stop carrying Love You Deeply Don't want to leave And I miss not meet Road Of The Heart Secretly Drunk In the summer of love burning Lonely people fear most crying That love Love Rhapsody	Track 10 was used in Troublemaker
8th	No Matter How Hard 多苦都願意 Released: October 1996 Language: Mandarin	No Matter How Hard I love her with your shadow Green space Capricorn Happier A love so much Because of your My tears New Day Of The City Taipei Aniki
9th	Best Collection: Takeshi Kaneshiro's Best Songs 金城武的精選歌集 Released: June 1998 Language: Mandarin	Ideal Lover No Matter How Hard Don't Gry Behind My Back Don't Wanna Be In Trouble Crazy Love Song Secretly Drunk Route To South Taipei Aniki Say Goodbye Love You Deeply Love Me Sunshine Lover Tender Superman Only You And Me Road Of The Heart Heartbreaking Night

Movie soundtracks

Year	Title	Track Featuring Kaneshiro	Notes
2005	Perhaps Love (如果愛)	No.4 Forgot Who I am (忘了我是誰) (duet with Zhou Xun 周迅), No.6 Beautiful Story (美麗故事) (duet with Ji Jin-hee 池珍熙), No.10 Crossroad (十字街頭) (duet with Zhou Xun 周迅), No.11 What If (假如) (Solo)	Mandarin album (Release date: 2005)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]