Kippei Shiina

2.1. Early Life and Background

Shiina was born Masayoshi Iwaki (岩城 正剛_{Iwaki Masayoshi}^Japanese) on July 14, 1964, in Iga City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. He stands 71 in ^{(180 cm)} tall. From third grade, he developed a deep passion for soccer. During his time at Ueno High School, he excelled in the sport, representing Mie Prefecture in the National Sports Festival. He continued his pursuit of soccer at a higher level by enrolling in Aoyama Gakuin University. However, his amateur status was revoked after he appeared in a commercial for a sports manufacturer, leading to his suspension and subsequent departure from the university's soccer team.

2.2. Career Beginnings

Shiina made his acting debut in 1986 in the film Clock Adieu l'Hiver (時計 Adieu l'Hiver^Japanese), where he was initially credited under his birth name, Masayoshi Iwaki. Before fully dedicating himself to acting, he held various part-time jobs, including working as a truck driver, until he was 29 years old. During this period, he actively trained as an actor with theater groups such as Shinjuku Ryozanpaku, refining his craft. His breakthrough came in 1993 with his role as a homosexual character in the film A Night in Nude (ヌードの夜^Japanese), which garnered him significant attention within the industry and led to a series of collaborations with director Takashi Ishii. In the mid-1990s, he gained wider public recognition through his appearances in popular television dramas such as Age,35 Koi Shikute (Age,35 恋しくて^Japanese) and Sweet Season. His stage name, Kippei Shiina, was adopted during his time with his former talent agency, Humanite. In April 2006, he transitioned his representation to Stardust Promotion.

2.3. Personal Life

In 2003, after an eight-year relationship, Kippei Shiina married actress Mirai Yamamoto. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in 2010. After 16 years of marriage, they divorced in 2019.

3.1. Filmography

Kippei Shiina has an extensive filmography, starring in numerous Japanese and international productions. His early film roles include Clock Adieu l'Hiver (1986), Sorobanzuku (1986), Sukeban Deka III: Shōjo Ninpōjō Densetsu - Sukeban Deka Kazama San Shimai no Gyakushū (1988), Ureshihazukashi Monogatari (1988) as a subordinate of Nakahara, Uchū no Hōsoku (1990), Shishiō-tachi no Natsu (1991) as a member of the Kanto Sakaue family, Bakumatsu Junjō-den (1991), and Kaze, Slow Down (1991) as Yasuhiro's friend.

He gained significant notice for his role as Sendo in A Night in Nude (1993) and appeared in Samayoeru Nōzui (1993) as Oiwake's tennis partner, Yoru ga Mata Kuru (1994), Shura no Teiō (1994), and Jotei (1995). He starred in Shinjuku Triad Society (1995) and was part of the Gonin series, appearing in Gonin (1995) and Gonin 2 (1996). Other roles in the late 1990s include Waga Kokoro no Ginga Tetsudo: Miyazawa Kenji Monogatari (1996), Koi to Hanabi to Kanransha (1997), Tokyo Dragon (1997) where he starred as Ryūto Kuroda, Sada (1998), The Black Angel (1998), Fuyajo (1998), June Bride (1998), Andoromedia (1998), and Kawaiihito: Episode II (1998) where he starred as Kippei Kuwano.

In 1999, he starred in Nadekta no Kitsune and Hatsunetsu Tenshi, and co-starred in Kaizokuban Bootleg Film. He also appeared in Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan (1999). His 2000s film credits include Kaza-Hana (2001), Oboreru Sakana (2001) where he starred, Red Shadow (2001), Calmi Cuori Appassionati (2001), Kewaishi (2002) where he starred, Doing Time (2002) as a medical officer, The Choice of Hercules (2002), Spy Sorge (2003), Hana (2003) as the scary uncle at the shooting gallery stall, g@me. (2003) in an uncredited role, Seirei Nagashi (2003), Warau Iemon (2004), Quill (2004) where he co-starred as Satoru Tawada, and Thirty Lies or So (2004) where he starred.

He also appeared in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005), Reincarnation (2006), What the Snow Brings (2006), Sakai-ke no Shiawase (2006), Sakuran (2007), Unfair: The Movie (2007), Dog in a Sidecar (2007), Mōryō no Hako (2007), The Last Princess (2008), Yomei (2009), and Castle Under Fiery Skies (2009). In 2009, he starred as John Rain in Rain Fall, co-starring with Gary Oldman. He appeared in Takeshi Kitano's Outrage (2010) and co-starred in Renai Gikyoku: Watashi to Koi ni Ochitekudasai (2010) as Masaya Mukai.

His later film roles include Isoroku (2011) as Kamegoro Kuroshima, Wild 7 (2011) as Sekai, SPEC: Ten (2012) as Sukehiro Tsuda, The After-Dinner Mysteries (2013) as Kyoichiro Kazamatsuri, and RETURN Hard Version (2013) where he starred as Kanji Kitahara (Koji Furuba). He appeared in Itamu Hito (2015) as Kotaro Makino, and the Assassination Classroom: Graduation series as Tadaomi Karasuma (2015, 2016). Further film credits include 64: Part I (2016) as Kinji Tsujiuchi, The Top Secret: Murder in Mind (2016) as Koichi Tsuyuguchi, Shinjuku Swan II (2017) as Sumitomo, The Outsider (2018) as Orochi, Darc (2018) as Toshio Kageyama, Code Blue: The Movie (2018) as Keisuke Tachibana, and Hashire! T-Kou Basketball Bu (2018) as Masamichi Tadokoro. He starred as Joe Murata in The Forest of Love (2019). Recent films include The Hound of the Baskervilles: Sherlock the Movie (2022) as Morio Baba, Silent Parade (2022) as Naoki Niikura, Baian the Assassin, M.D. 2 (2023) as Soichi Isaka / Matajuro Minayama (dual role), and Sin and Evil (2024) as Satō.

3.2. Television Dramas

Shiina has an extensive television career, appearing in numerous dramas. His early TV roles include Abunai Deka (1986), Motto Abunai Deka (1988), Doyo Wide Gekijo series (Goka Yacht Hatsukoi Tour Satsujin Jiken (1990) as a university student, Han'ochi (2007) where he starred as Kazumasa Shiki, Satsujin Yokoku (2011) where he starred as Shuichiro Iwata, and Enzai Shikei (2013) where he starred as Kazushi Onda), Kita no Kunikara '89 Kikyō (1989) as Nishida, Aitsu ga Trouble (1990), Seishun no Mon (1991), Samayoeru Nōzui (1993) as Detective Kimura, Fuzoroi no Eleven (1993), Yokomizo Seishi Series 5: Inugamike no Ichizoku (1994) as Sukekiyo Inugami / Shizuma Aonuma, and the NHK morning drama Haru yo, Koi (1994-1995) as Ryota Momose.

He played Shori Araki in Itsuka Mata Aeru (1995), starred as Takakazu Hanaya in BLACK OUT (1995-1996), and as Masahiko Date in Company (1996). Other notable roles include Living Single (1996), Shin Naruse in Age,35 Koi Shikute (1996), Manabu Amemiya in Doku (1996), and multiple appearances in Tales of the Unusual (1996, 1997, 2005, 2007) where he starred in episodes such as "Nodogakawaku" as Kurio Murakami, "Tobira no Saki" as Motomura (Prisoner No. 70), "Nekama na Otoko" as Ryoichi Hiwatari, and "Gozen Niji no Chime" as Harumi Uraki.

He played Hanpeita Takechi in Ryōma ga Yuku (1997), a bank employee in Boku ga Boku de Aru Tame ni (1997), and starred as Ryūto Kuroda in Tokyo Dragon (1997). Further roles include Ogasawara Korekiyo in Love Generation (1997), Inagaki in Hotaru no Yado (1997), starring as Keiichiro Nonoyama in Oatsui no ga Osuki? (1998), Akira Goshima in Sweet Season (1998), Tatsuhiko Kuga in Over Time (1999), Keisuke Saeki in Kanojotachi no Jidai (1999), and starring as Masahiko Haru in Renai Sagishi (1999).

In the 2000s, he played Ryōhei Arisawa (Giraffe) in Eien no Ko (2000), Keiichiro Tachibana in Antique (2001), Ko Kageyama in Ai to Seishun no Takarazuka (2002), a sorcerer in Trick 2 (2002), and co-starred as Ryusui Fujishima in Seikei Bijin. (2002). He starred in the documentary drama Yuigon: Okegawa Stalker Satsujin Jiken no Shinso (2002), appeared in Kaidan Hyaku Monogatari (2002), Ryūjin-chō Ryūjin Jūsan Banchi (2003), Seiji Sakoda in Netsuretsu Chūka Hanten (2003), Eiji Ki Fudō in Tenkirimatsu Yamigatari (2004), and Mitsuhiko Mochizuki in Kimi ga Omoide ni Naru Mae ni (2004). He starred as Kazuhiko Akiba in Yokoyama Hideo Suspense Mitsukane Sho Series "Fuka Oi" (2005). He also appeared in the WOWOW drama series, starring as Ryosuke Saeki in Arbeit Tantei (Ai) 100 Mannin no Hyōteki (2005), as Koichi Katsura in Megabank Saishū Kessen (2016), as Ryō Koga (Yoshiki) in Fuhōdan: Black Money o Ayatsuru Otoko (2018), as Yasuo Shirakawa in Kami no Te (2019), and as Daisaburo Kikuchi in Jiken (2023).

He starred as Kazumi Nakahara in Futatsu no Sokoku: Tokyo-Seoul Ai to Aishū no Kizuna (2005) and played Shinichi Aragaki in Himeyuritai to Onaji Senka o Ikita Shōjo no Kiroku Saigo no Nightingale (2006). He played Yuichiro Hinata in Dear Students! (2007), Tokugawa Ieyasu in Teki wa Honnōji ni Ari (2007), Takao Shibata in Top Sales (2008), Kenzo Gamagori in Zeni Geba (2009), and Yuzo Hayase in Keikan no Chi (2009). He had a recurring role as Keisuke Tachibana in the Code Blue series (2010, 2017, 2018), including Code Blue: Season 2 and Code Blue: Season 3, as well as specials like Mō Hitotsu no Nichijō and Mō Hitotsu no Senjō.

He played Shintaro Himuro in GM: Odore Doctor (2010) and Tsuda Sukehiro in the SPEC series (2010, 2012), including SPEC: First Blood and SPEC: Shō. Other roles include Jin Kitajima in QP (2011), Kyoichiro Kazamatsuri in The After-Dinner Mysteries (2011) and its special Nazo toki wa Dinner no Ato de Special: Kazamatsuri Keibu no Jikenbo (2013) where he starred, and starring as Shogo Yamana in Haiiro no Niji (2012). He starred as Ichiro Okino in Matsumoto Seichō Botsugo 20 Nen Special: Kanryū (2012) and as Date Masamune in Garyu no Ten: Date Masamune Dokuganryu to Yobareta Otoko (2013).

He played Shuhei Kinugawa in Kamo, Kyoto e Iku. -Rōho Ryokan no Okami Nikki- (2013) and starred as Nobuhito Natsume in Keiji no Manazashi (2013). Further roles include Shoji Aichi in LEADERS (2014), Kei Fuyutsuki in Gokuaku Ganbo (2014), Hideaki Toda in Tōi Yakusoku: Hoshi ni Natta Kodomotachi (2014) as a guest appearance, and Kinzo Otsuka in Matsumoto Seichō Kiri no Hata (2014). He starred as Koichiro Komura in Haretsu (2015), played Kosaku Mano in Bōkyō: Umi no Hoshi (2016), Tetsuto Daimonji in Kirawareru Yūki (2017), himself in Izakaya Fuji (2017), Ryo Miyauchi in Last Chance Saisei Ukeoinin (2018), Masato Gunji in 3 Nen A Gumi - Ima kara Mina-san wa, Hitojichi desu - (2019) and Nippon Noir: Keiji Y no Hanran (2019).

He played Yutaka Kasuga in BRIDGE Hajimari wa 1995.1.17 Kobe (2019), Professor Toru Funao in Shiroi Kyotō (2019), Morio Kurokawa in Dōki no Sakura (2019), Kengo Kuroiwa in Top Knife: Tensai Nōgekai no Jōken (2020), Kenzo Kanzaki in Kiwadoi Futari -K2- Ikebukuro Sho Keijika Kanzaki Kuroki (2020), and Daizen Sendo in Sakura no Tō (2021). Recent TV appearances include Tokugawa Yoshimune in Ooka Echizen 6 (2022) and its special Ooka Echizen Special: Dai Haran! Shukumei no Shirasu (2023), Sasaki Senri in Idol (2022), Shinya Saeki in Inori no Karute: Kenshūi no Nazotoki Shinryō Kiroku (2022), and Kyosuke Hazuki in Kono Subarashiki Sekai (2023). He is slated to play Takusaburo Tamada in Hagure Garasu (2025).

3.3. Stage, Dubbing, and Other Appearances

Shiina has also made significant contributions to theater. His stage credits include SWEET HOME (1994), Gekkō no Tsutsushimi (1994), and starring roles in Orphans (2000), Bent (2004), and The Trainer (2005). He co-starred as Charlie Babbitt in Rain Man (2006, 2007) and later as Raymond Babbitt in a different production of Rain Man (2018) with Tatsuya Fujiwara. He starred in Ijintachi to no Natsu (2009) and Kyōju: Ryūkōka no Jidai to Aru Kyōju no Jinsei (2013). In 2020, he starred as Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express. In 2024, he played both Grandpa and Dr. Lao in the stage adaptation of Future Boy Conan.

For dubbing, he provided the Japanese voice for Eric the Huntsman (played by Chris Hemsworth) in the 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman. His original video releases include Jack Pachi-slot Yami no Teio 4 (1994), High School Jingi Gaiden Chi o Hau Mono (1994) as Kazukiba Akai, and starring in Jango Retsuden Umi ni Nemuru Tsuki (1994). He also appeared in streaming dramas, starring as Kanji Kitahara (Koji Furuba) in RETURN (2013) for UULA and as Joe Murata in The Forest of Love: Deep Cut (2020) for Netflix. Shiina has also participated in documentary programs, including SCOOPER (2011-2012), Jitsuroku Sekai no Mystery (2012-2013) and its special Sekai no Shōgeki Story (2013-2016), Yūkyū e no Tabi Totteoki no Kyoto (2014-2016), and as narrator for Furansujin ga Tokimeita Nihon no Bijutsukan (2018-2019).

4.1. Commercials

Kippei Shiina has appeared in numerous television commercials throughout his career. These include campaigns for Adidas, Coca-Cola ("coke is it!" campaign) and Kōchaden (2006) for Japan Coca-Cola, Osaka Gas (corporate CM), National (Soyie, Ion Treatment, Ferie) for Panasonic (1994), Onward (Barbas) (1994), Suntory (Reserve) (1995), Ezaki Glico (Pocky) (1996), Philip Morris (1997), Nissin Foods (Nissin Raoh, Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O.) (1998, 2012), Suminoe Kyotei (1998), Sapporo Breweries (Broi) (1999-2001), Ricoh (IPSIO) (1999-2001), Lion (Denter) (1999-2006), Digit (I-Wedding) (2000), Mie Prefecture (Venture Support Campaign) (2000), NTT West (Flets) (2001), Cedyna (Daiei OMC Card) (2001-2002), Chuo Shuppan (2002), Sanyo Foods (Sapporo Ichiban) (2005), Toyota (Isis) (2007-), Taisho Pharmaceutical (RiUP) (2008), Ajinomoto AGF (AGF Gift) (2009), NEXT Stage (Kiwahada) (2011-2012), Asahi Breweries (High Likki The Special) (2013), TaylorMade Golf (ASHWORTH) (2014-2015), Mixi (Monster Strike) (2019), and CrowdWorks (2020-). He has also been featured in commercials for Housemate, co-starring with Rino Sashihara and Akiyoshi Nakao in various campaigns like "Voice Call" (2021-2022), "During Meeting" (2022), "Resident Support" (2022), "Student for Exams" (2023), and "Student for Job Hunting" (2024). Since December 2023, he has appeared in SmartHR commercials, including "Family Drama: Easy to Use" and "Family Drama: Employee Success".

4.2. Production Credits

Shiina has also contributed behind the camera as an executive producer for the film Doing Time (2002).

5.1. Film Awards

• 1994: Won the Best New Actor award at the 9th Takasaki Film Festival for his performance in A Night in Nude.
• 1996: Received the Newcomer of the Year award at the Elan d'or Award.
• 1999: Awarded the Excellent Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 23rd Japan Academy Film Prize for Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan.
• 1999: Won Best Supporting Actor at the 73rd Kinema Junpo Awards for Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan.
• 1999: Received the Best Supporting Actor award at the 24th Hochi Film Award for Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan.
• 1999: Won Best Supporting Actor at the 14th Takasaki Film Festival for Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan.
• 1999: Awarded Best Supporting Actor at the 12th Nikkan Sports Film Award for Jubaku: Financial Corruption in Japan.
• 2010: Won Best Supporting Actor at the 20th Tokyo Sports Film Award for Outrage.

5.2. Television Awards

• 1999: Received the Best Supporting Actor award at the 22nd The Television Drama Academy Awards for Kanojotachi no Jidai.
• 2001: Won Best Supporting Actor at the 31st The Television Drama Academy Awards for Antique.