JUN MATSUMOTO

JUN MATSUMOTO

Profile

* Name: 松本潤
* Name (romaji): Matsumoto Jun
* Nicknames: Matsujun, Junji, King [by all Arashi], Jun~Chan, Matsumoto~kun, Do-S
* Profession: Actor, singer
* Birthdate: 1983-Aug-30
* Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
* Height: 173cm
* Weight: 58kg
* Star sign: Virgo
* Blood type: A-
* Family: Older sister
* Talent agency: Johnny's Entertainment

Jun Matsumoto (松本 潤, Matsumoto Jun?, born August 30, 1983), often called MatsuJun, is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, television personality and radio host. He is best known for being the youngest member of the popular boy band Arashi. Since the group's debut in 1999, it has achieved 20 number one singles, 6 number one studio albums, 1 number one greatest hits compilation album and has sold 9.9 million records in Japan alone to date.[1]

Matsumoto is also an award-winning actor and is primarily known for his roles in the Hana Yori Dango series, the first season of Gokusen, Bambino!, Kimi wa Pet and the third season of Kinda'ichi Shōnen no Jikenbo.

Early life

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Matsumoto is the youngest child of his parents. He has an older sister whose support of KinKi Kids influenced his decision to join Johnny's Entertainment in 1996. Thinking it might bode good luck, he sent his application to the agency on his elementary school graduation day and received a phone call weeks later from the president himself, Johnny Kitagawa, inviting him to attend a rehearsal. Due to this, Matsumoto is frequently referred to as an elite within the agency because he did not have to audition.[3]

Matsumoto began his career in the entertainment industry as a back-up dancer for other groups like many other Juniors in the agency before he was drafted into a five-member group named Arashi in 1999 at the age of 16. He graduated from Horikoshi Gakuen, a renowned high school known for its many performing arts alumnae, at the age of 18 with other contemporaries Kyoko Fukada and Ai Kato whom he counts as his high school senpai.



Recording and hosting career

[edit] 1999-present: Arashi

The group's debut was announced with much fanfare aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Honolulu, Hawai'i on September 15, 1999. The group's name, chosen by the agency, means "storm" and is meant to represent the group's ambition of "creating a storm throughout the world" through their music. Arashi's debut single, "A・RA・SHI", was a massive success upon its release reaching number 1 on the charts and selling over 970,000 copies at the end of its chart-run setting a new record for the highest first-week sales. A fan favorite, the group still performs the song during their live concerts to this day. Arashi's record would only be broken almost 7 years later by fellow JE boy band KAT-TUN's debut single, "Real Face", in March 2006.

All of Arashi's singles, album and DVD releases have been successful chart performers. The only singles that did not top the Oricon singles chart were "Typhoon Generation", "Tomadoi Nagara" and "Hadashi No Mirai/Kotoba yori Taisetsu na Mono". Their 2008 single, "Truth/Kaze no Mukō e", is their most successful release since their debut single and has sold over 600,000 copies as of October 2008.

In addition to music, Arashi are also prominent television personalities having hosted 12 different variety shows since 2001. Their first program, Mayonaka no Arashi ("Midnight Arashi"), lasted 38 episodes. Currently, the five are the hosts of two variety programs, Arashi no Shukudai-kun ("Arashi's Homework"), Himitsu no Arashi-chan ("Arashi-chan's Secrets") and a game show, VS Arashi.

Acting career

[edit] 1997- present

Matsumoto made his television debut as an actor in 1997 in the mystery-thriller series, Bokura no Yūki ~Miman Toshi~, opposite both members of KinKi Kids and band mate Masaki Aiba.[5] He appeared on the silver screen for the first time a year later in Shinjuku Tanteidan Shōnen[2]but his breakthrough did not come till 2001 however when he was cast as Hajime Kinda'ichi in the third season of Kinda'ichi Shōnen no Jikenbo taking over the role from senpai Tsuyoshi Domoto and co-starring opposite Anne Suzuki.[6] Arashi's single, "Jidai", was used as the theme song for the drama and was named "Best Theme Song" at the 30th Television Drama Academy Awards.[7]

Matsumoto gained further popularity as an actor in 2002 when he starred in the first season of Gokusen with Yukie Nakama, Shun Oguri, Tomohiro Waki, Hiroki Narimiya and Yuma Ishigaki. His portrayal of the troubled but highly intelligent student, Shin Sawada, drew acclaim and won him "Best Supporting Actor" at the 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards. He later returned with most of the original cast to star in the special epilogue episode in 2003.[8] His character also made a cameo in bandmate Shō Sakurai's comedy series, Yoiko no Mikata, in the same year.[9] Matsumoto took another high-profile role in the live-action adaptation of manga series, Kimi wa Pet, as Takeshi "Momo" Goda, starring opposite Koyuki the same year.[10] Arashi starred in their first film together in 2002 entitled Pika*nchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy and came together again for its sequel, Pika**nchi Life Is Hard Dakara Happy, in 2004. He also starred in the film Tokyo Tower as a womanizer with a preference for older women with senpai Junichi Okada in the same year.


In 2005, Matsumoto took the most prominent role of his career to date when he was cast as Tsukasa Domyōji in the live-action adaptation of shōjo manga Hana Yori Dango. Co-starring opposite Mao Inoue, Shun Oguri, Shota Matsuda and Tsuyoshi Abe, the series was a success with an average viewership rating of 19.6%. Matsumoto's portrayal as the air-headed and arrogant leader of four heirs to billionaire business empires won him "Best Supporting Actor" again at the 47th Television Drama Academy Awards.[11] The show's success spawned a second season which aired in 2007 and was an even bigger hit with television audiences with an improved viewership rating of 21.7% at the end of its run. The second series were lauded with more accolades when it was named "Best Drama" while Inoue and Matsumoto won "Best Lead Actress" and "Best Supporting Actor" at the Television Drama Academy Awards and the Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix respectively.[12] TBS decided to end the series through a film, Hana Yori Dango -Final-, which hit the big screen on June 28, 2008 in Japan. The film stayed at number 1 at the box office for 3 consecutive weekends[13][14][15] and stayed in the top 10 for 10 weekends with returns of more than 6 billion yen at the end of its run.[16] The film was also released in Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.[17]

In 2007, Matsumoto starred in Bambino! which won him his first "Best Lead Actor" trophy at the 53rd Television Drama Academy Awards. In the same year, Arashi starred in their third film together entitled Kiroii Namida while Matsumoto was cast in his most controversial role to date when he co-starred with Nana Eikura in the independent film Boku wa Imōto ni Koi o Suru as the lead character, Yūki Yori, who falls in love and develops a romantic relationship with his younger twin sister. Matsumoto also continued to choose more varied characters when he took on his first jidaigeki (period piece) role in a 2008 re-make of Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin: The Last Princess, with other award-winning actors Hiroshi Abe, Kippei Shiina and Masami Nagasawa. He also re-united with Bambino! co-star, Karina, in the special television movie, Myū no Anyo Papa ni Ageru, which aired as part of the 24 Hours TV charity special in 2008. He portrayed a man diagnosed with CIDP struggling to recuperate and return to normal life with his wife and young daughter. This tanpatsu was highly rated with a viewership rating of 25.6%.

Due to his highly acclaimed role as Domyouji Tsukasa in the Hanadan trilogy, Matsumoto was awarded GQ man of the year under the Singer/Actor category.

Personal life and personality

Matsumoto was once designated the "Comedy Leader" of Arashi but has more or less lost that image as he grew up. Now known more for his frank nature and sharp tongue, he has been called "DoS" ("extreme sadist") by his bandmates and openly admits to being rather neurotic and methodical.[18] Despite this, all of Arashi have stated that he cares most for the members and the group itself. He is close to his bandmates and has stated that they have never properly fought since they were brought together by the agency, mostly in part to the peaceful nature of the group's leader Satoshi Ohno and band member Masaki Aiba[19] -- a claim supported by bandmate Shō Sakurai.[20] He is also known for his serious work ethic -- often juggling several projects (music, television, film and radio) at the same time.

Matsumoto is a fan of American actors Johnny Depp, Kevin Spacey, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt and enjoys kabuki.[3] He is near-sighted and usually wears contacts on stage and screen but reverts to glasses when he's not working. He has expressed a deep admiration for his label's president, Johnny Kitagawa, describing him as the biggest influence in his life.[3][19] He also enjoys surfing and drives to the beach alone whenever he has free time.


References

1. ^ Wikitheppn: Arashi profile; retrieved on October 17, 2008.
2. ^ a b DramaWiki: Matsumoto Jun; retrieved on October 17, 2008.
3. ^ a b c POP! Goes the MatsuJun (or Lessons Learned from a Japanese Idol), Asia Pacific Arts; University of California in Los Angeles; retrieved on October 29, 2008.
4. ^ Arashi no Shukudai-kun episode 23, 2007-03-17; retrieved on October 17, 2008
5. ^ DramaWiki: Bokura no Yuuki -Miman Toshi-; retrieved on October 17, 2008.
6. ^ DramaWiki: Kinda'ichi Shounen no Jikenbo Season 3; retrieved on October 18, 2008.
7. ^ 30th Television Drama Academy Awards; retrieved on October 18, 2008.
8. ^ DramaWiki: Gokusen Season 1; retrieved on October 17, 2008.
9. ^ DramaWiki: Yoiko no Mikata; retrieved on October 18, 2008.
10. ^ DramaWiki: Kimi wa Pet
11. ^ DramaWiki: Hana Yori Dango Season 1
12. ^ DramaWiki: Hana Yori Dango Season 2
13. ^ Japanese Box Office, June 28–29: HanaDan Final at #1, Anime News Network
14. ^ Japanese Box Office, July 5–6: HanaDan Stays at #1, Anime News Network
15. ^ Japanese Box Office, July 12–13: HanaDan's 3rd #1 Week, Anime News Network
16. ^ Japanese Boz Office, August 2-3: Ponyo's 3rd Week at #1, Anime News Network; retrieved on October 18, 2008.
17. ^ Release dates for Hana Yori Dango: Fainaru, IMDB; retrieved on October 18, 2008.
18. ^ Oshareism interview: Jun Matsumoto
19. ^ a b Shōnen Club Premium interview
20. ^ Oshareism interview: Sho Sakurai
21. ^ Oshareism interview: Jun Matsumoto


Filmography

Dramas

* Myu no Anyo Papa ni Ageru as Hayato Yamaguchi (NTV, 2008)
* Bambino! as Ban Shogo (NTV, 2007)
* Hana Yori Dango 2 as Domyouji Tsukasa (TBS, 2007)
* Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari "Imakiyo-san" (Fuji TV, 2006)
* Hana Yori Dango as Domyouji Tsukasa (TBS, 2005)
* Propose (NTV, 2005, ep1)
* Kimi wa Petto as Momo/Goda Takeshi (TBS, 2003)
* Gokusen SP as Sawada Shin (NTV, 2003)
* Yoiko no Mikata as Sawada Shin (Gokusen) (NTV, 2003, Cameo)
* Gokusen as Sawada Shin (NTV, 2002)
* Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo 3 as Kindaichi Hajime (NTV, 2001)
* Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo: Murder on the Magic Express as Kindaichi Hajime (NTV, 2001)
* Mukai Arata No Doubutsu Nikki ~Aiken Roshinante No Sainan~ as Kindaichi Hajime (NTV, 2001, Cameo)
* The Worst Dates as Yuusuke (NTV, 2000, ep2)
* V no Arashi as Matsumoto Jun (Fuji TV, 1999)
* Kowai Nichiyoubi "Furugiya" as S (NTV, 1999, ep10)
* Nekketsu Ren-ai Dou "Case 2: Leo A-type Boy" as Nikaidou Akira and "Case 11: Gemini B-type Boy" as Fukunaga Kousuke (NTV, 1999, ep2 & 11)
* Hitsuyou no Nai Hito as Ohno Takuji (NHK, 1998)
* BOYS BE... Jr. "Hakunetsu! Renai Shitai Shoukougun" as Yuu (NTV, 1998, ep1)
* Mou Hitotsu no Shinzou as Kitamura Tooru (NHK, 1997)
* Bokura no Yuuki ~Miman Toshi~ as Mori (NTV, 1997)
* Hoken Chousa Shigarami Tarou no Jikenbo Kijin Jiken (TBS, 1997)

Movies

* Hana Yori Dango Final (2008)
* Kakushi Toride no San Akunin/The Last Princess(2008)
* Kiiroi Namida (2007)
* Boku wa Imôto ni Koi wo Suru (2007)
* Tokyo Tower (2005) as iyot
* Pika**nchi Life Is Hard Dakara Happy (2004)
* Pika*nchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy(2002)
* Shinjuku Shônen Tanteidan (1998)

Stage

* West Side Story (2004)
* East of Eden (2005)
* Stand By Me (1997)

Commercials

* AU KDDI
* Pepsi Nex (solo)
* Tongari Corn
* C1000
* Pino
* O'Zack
* McDonald's
* Coca Cola
* Parco
* Petit

Awards
Year Awards
2007

* Best Actor (Bambino[1]), [53rd Television Drama Academy Awards][2]

* Best Supporting Actor (Hana Yori Dango 2[3]), 10th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 07)

2005

* Best Supporting Actor (Hana Yori Dango[4]), [47th Television Drama Academy Award][5]

2002

* Best Supporting Actor (Gokusen[6]), [33rd Television Drama Academy Awards][7]