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Wikipedia / Yūji Oda

is a Japanese actor and singer. He is one of Japan's 11 most popular male entertainers, according to an NHK survey taken in 2004. In one survey, he was the second most popular actor after Takuya Kimura in Japan during the Heisei era (1989-2019).

Biography

Oda was born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. In the late 1980s, he launched his career with the release of two singles on records.

In 1989, he appeared in the television drama Mama Haha Boogie, from which point he started to gain popularity as an actor, which also brought attention to his singing aspirations.

In 1991, he appeared in the enormously popular television drama Tokyo Love Story, a breakout role. He then became a leading man in Japanese film and television, generally playing the role of a sympathetic character.

His most famous role is Shunsaku Aoshima, a police detective in the Bayside Shakedown film and television drama series.

Personal life

On August 16, 2010, Oda married a non-celebrity woman 12 years younger than him. His wife gave birth to their son in October 2014. After the birth, Oda took a break from work for two years to help focus on child rearing.

Filmography

Film

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1987

Shōnan Bakusōzoku

Akira Ishikawa

Ai wa Crossover

Yuji

1989

Shogun's Shadow

Tobe Saheiji

Urban Marine Resort Story

Fumio Yoshioka

1990

Best Guy

Lt. Hideo "Goku" Kajitani

Lead role

1991

Cover as Many Waves as Possible

Masaki Kosugi

No Worries on the Recruit Front

Takeo Ohara

Lead role

1992

Angel, Boku to uta wa kimi no uta

Tatsuhiko

Lead role

1994

Graduation Journey: I Came from Japan

Yasuo Mitsugi

Lead role

1995

Kike wadatsumi no koe: Last Friends

Lead role

1998

Bayside Shakedown

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

2000

Whiteout

Teruo Togashi

Lead role

2003

T.R.Y.

Shū Izawa

Lead role

Bayside Shakedown 2

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

2006

Star Reformer

Satoshi Nomura

Lead role

2007

Sanjuro

Sanjuro Tsubaki

Lead role

2009

Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess

Kosaku Kuroda

Lead role

2010

Bayside Shakedown 3

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

2011

Andalucia: Revenge of the Goddess

Kosaku Kuroda

Lead role

2012

Bayside Shakedown: The Final

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

2016

Will You Marry My Wife?

Shūji Mimura

Lead role

2024

Shinji Muroi: Stay Alive

Shunsaku Aoshima

Cameo

2026

Bayside Shakedown: N.E.W

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

Television

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1989

Mama Haha Bugi

Makoto Mizutani

1991

Tokyo Love Story

Kanji "Kanchi" Nagao

Lead role

1993

Furikaereba Yatsu ga Iru

Kōtarō Shiba

Lead role

It's a Wonderful Life

Mitsugu Shibaki

1994

I have no money!

Kentarō Hagiwara

Lead role

1995

Seigi wa Katsu

Junpei Takaoka

Lead role

1996

Mahiru no Tsuki

Naoki Togashi

Lead role

1997

Bayside Shakedown

Shunsaku Aoshima

Lead role

2001

Rocket Boy

Shinpei Kobayashi

Lead role

2002

Midnight Rain

Takashi Tokura

Lead role

2004

Last Christmas

Kenji Haruki

Lead role

2008

Homeroom on the Beachside

Sakutarō Sakurai

Lead role

2010

The Diplomat Kosaku Kuroda

Kosaku Kuroda

Lead role

2016

IQ246

Sharaku Hōmonji

Lead role

2018

Nozaki Shuhei Auditor of Bank

Shuhei Nozaki

Lead role

2018–20

Suits

Shōgo Kai

Lead role; 2 seasons

2023

Galápagos

Shin'ichi Tagawa

Lead role; miniseries

Legal Enforcement with Dogs

Itsuki Obara

2026

Water Margin

Song Jiang

Lead role

Discography

Albums

Title

Release date

Notes

Label

On the Road

1990-03-20

Toshiba EMI

1991-07-12

Toshiba EMI

1991-10-30

Toshiba EMI

Songs

1991-12-10

WEA Japan

1992-02-19

Toshiba EMI

1993-09-22

Toshiba EMI

Screen Play

1994-09-07

Toshiba EMI

The Best

1995-09-27

Toshiba EMI

River

1995-12-06

Mercury Music Entertainment

Stay Here

1996-11-11

Mercury

Stay Here+2

1997-03-26

Mercury

Shake!!

1998-06-17

Mercury

The Best Tracks

1998-11-26

Mercury

My Pocket

1999-09-29

Mercury

Secret Rendez-vous

2000-07-05

Mercury

Hot & Sweet-Sour Soup: Best of Love Song

2001-03-23

Kitty MME

11 Colors

2003-08-20

Universal J

2007-09-26

Singles

Title

Release date

Notes

Label

"Boom Boom Boom / Hold You Tight"

1987-04-25

WEA Japan

1989-07-25

WEA Japan

1991-02-06

Toshiba EMI

1991-06-07

Toshiba EMI

"Happy Birthday"

1991-11-06

Toshiba EMI

"Kodo"

1992-01-29

Toshiba EMI

1992-05-27

Toshiba EMI

1993-07-19

Toshiba EMI

"Over the Trouble"

1994-07-08

Toshiba EMI

"Never Rain"

1994-10-05

Toshiba EMI

1995-11-08

Mercury Music Entertainment

"Mirage"

1996-10-28

Mercury

"Love Somebody"

1997-01-29

with Maxi Priest

Mercury

"Over and Over Again"

1997-07-16

Mercury

"Freedom"

1998-02-04

Mercury

"Shake it Up"

1998-05-13

Mercury

"Love Somebody"

1998-10-28

with Maxi Priest

Mercury

"Something to Say"

1999-03-17

Mercury

"Together"

1999-08-25

Mercury

2001-02-28

Kitty MME

2002-11-13

Universal J

"We can be Heroes"

2003-01-01

Universal J

"Love Somebody"

2003-06-25

with Maxi Priest

Universal J

"Love Somebody (Cinema Version II)"

2003-07-16

with Mýa

Universal J

"Last Christmas"/"Wake Me Up Go! Go!"

2004-11-03

with Butch Walker

Epic Japan

"Hug, Hug"

2007-04-25

Universal J

"All my Treasures"

2007-07-25

2007 World Championships in Athletics Osaka Games Theme Song

Universal Sigma

"Feel Live"

2007-12-05

"Can't Take My Eyes Off You"

2008-08-12

as "UZ"

Awards and nominations

Year

Award

Category

Work(s)

Result

2000

43rd Blue Ribbon Awards

Best Actor

Whiteout

25th Hochi Film Awards

Best Actor

2001

24th Japan Academy Film Prize

Best Actor

References