…because I fell completely under the spell of a character
At heart, I’m essentially a Toyohara Kosuke fan. One of the first films I specifically watched because of him, Wild Life, included a lonely detective in love with the main character, Toyohara’s former boxer-now nailsetter Sakai Hiroki.
It was a memorable introduction to Yajima and I immediately became interested in finding more of his work. I wasn’t disappointed… either in skill or the sheer quantity of roles.
Like most Japanese actors, Yajima is equally active in both television drama and theatrical films. As a strong character actor, he’s often a member of ensemble casts and an episode guest in many a drama series. With his distinctive voice, he’s provided narration for other projects. He’s also done work on stage, on radio, and in CMs. My primary focus for this blog, however, is drama and film… the most visible and most accessible of his long career in acting.
