Kenichi Matsuyama

Kenichi Matsuyama
(松山 ケンイチ Matsuyama Ken'ichi?) (born March 5, 1985) is a Japanese actor.

He is known for his affinity for strange character roles, and he is best known internationally for playing L in the 2006 films Death Note, Death Note: The Last Name and L: Change the World in 2008, as well as voicing Gelus in the Death Note animated adaptation. He was cast to play lead character Toru Watanabe in the movie adaptation of Haruki Murakami's novel Norwegian Wood, which was released in December 2010. His real given name written in kanji as "研一". On April 1st 2011 he married Kato Koyuki who co-starred with him in Kamui Gaiden (The Mainichi Daily News, 20, April, 2011

Film

• Winning Pass (2003)
• Bright Future (2003)
• Gūzen nimo Saiaku na Shōnen (2003)
• The Locker 2 (2004) as Yosuke Shinohara
• Kamachi (2004)
• The Taste of Tea (2004)
• Linda Linda Linda (2005) as Makihara
• Nana (2005) as Shin (Shinichi Okazaki)
• Furyō Shōnen no Yume (2005)
• Custom Made 10.30 (2005)
• Otoko-tachi no Yamato (2005) as Katsumi Kamio (15 years old)
• Oyayubi sagashi (2006)
• Death Note (2006) as L
• Death Note: The Last Name (2006) as L
• Sexy Voice and Robo (2006) as Robo
• Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea (2007) as Juchi
• Ten Nights of Dreams (2007)
• Shindo (2007) as Wao
• South Bound (2007) as Officer Niigaki
• Tsubaki Sanjuro (2007) as Iori Isaka
• Dolphin Blue: Fuji, mō Ichido Sora e (2007)
• L: Change the World (2008) as L
• Don't Laugh at My Romance (2007–2008) as Mirume
• Detroit Metal City (DMC) (2008) as Johannes Krauser II and Souichi Negishi
• Kamui Gaiden as Kamui (2009)
• Kaiji (2009) as Sahara
• Ultra Miracle Love Story Yojin (2009)
• Norwegian Wood as Toru Watanabe (2010)
• Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac (2010) as Yuji Miwa
• Gantz as Masaru Katō (2011)
• Gantz: Perfect Answer as Masaru Katō (2011)
• My Back Page (2011)
• Usagi Drop as Daikichi (2011)

Drama

• Gokusen (2002)
• Kids War 5 (2003)
• 1 Litre of Tears (2005) as Kawamoto-senpai
• Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshitachi (2006), Episode 2 as Shingo (Taro-san)
• Sono 5 fun mae (2006) as Yuka Takashi (Mini-Drama)
• Sexy Voice and Robo (2007) as Robo
• Nana (2007)
• Zeni Geba as Gamagōri Fūtarō (2009)
• Love of 99 Years: Japanese Americans (2010) as Hiramatsu Jirō
• Taira no Kiyomori (2012) as Taira no Kiyomori

Vocal roles

• Death Note (Anime) (2006) as Gelus
• Detroit Metal City (OVA) (2008) as Makoto Hokazono

Awards

• 2006 Hochi Film Awards - Best New Actor (Death Note)
• 2007 Yokohama Film Festival - Best New Talent (Death Note)
• 2007 Japanese Academy Awards - Best New Actor (Death Note & Yamato)
• 2007 Elan D' or Awards for Rookie of the Year (won)
• 2008 2nd Asia Pacific Producer's Network Award - Best Actor (Death Note)
• 2008 1st Egaishan Taisho Movie Theatre Award (won)
• 2009 32nd Japanese Academy Awards- Most Popular Actor (Detroit Metal City)
• 2009 60th Television Drama Academy Awards - Best Actor (Zeni Geba)
• 2010 64th Mainichi Film Awards - Best Actor (Ultra Miracle Love story)
• 2010 Takasaki Film Festival - Best Actor (ultra Miracle Love story)

Actor Kenichi Matsuyama is currently taking a break from the filming of "The Legend of Kamui" (directed by Yoichi Sai) after suffering an injury at the end of last month. On November 28, a sword fight scene was being shot in Kyoto. Matsuyama was struck strongly on his right thigh, leaving a bruise that is said to take three weeks to fully recover. He still attended the opening day press event for "Tsubaki Sanjuro" on December 1, but he concealed the pain from his injury. Because of his many action scenes in "The Legend of Kamui," Matsuyama is taking a break to recover.

His scenes have been postponed until the start of the year, but filming will continue without him. Producers are still aiming to wrap up filming in February, as Matsuyama has to begin working on the "Detroit Metal City" movie, which is scheduled for a summer release. "The Legend of Kamui" is based on Sanpei Shirato´s manga of the same name ("Kamui Gaiden"). The movie will be released in 2009.