Jō Odagiri (; born 16 February 1976), better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor. He is most famous for portraying Yusuke Godai, the titular hero of the 2000 tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Kuuga.
Early life and education Joe Odagiri was born February 16, 1976, in Tsuyama, Okayama prefecture. Though he was accepted by Kochi University, he turned it down for an opportunity to study in the United States. He had originally intended to study film directing at California State University, Fresno, but mistakes in the application process landed him in acting classes. He often says that Tokyo is his second hometown.
Filmography (as actor)
Television Year Title Role Notes 2000 Kamen Rider Kuuga Yusuke Godai Lead role 2001 OL Visual Kei A Fragrance of Jealousy Asai Makoto 2002 First Time Atsushi Searchin' for My Polestar Kisaki Takeshi Transparent Lead role 2003 Face Nishijima Kousuke Lead role Song of the Canefields Yoshioka Beginner Shun Lead role 2004 The Violin Over Seas Aikawa Sensei Shinsengumi! Saitō Hajime Taiga drama 2005 Grumpy Gene Katsuta Hayato 2006–19 Time Limit Investigator Kiriyama Shuichiro Lead role; 3 seasons 2008 My Younger Sister Egami Mei Lead role Midnight Diner Katagiri 2010 Atami no Sousakan Lead role A School Behind Bars Ishikawa Junpei Lead role 2011 Midnight Diner 2 Katagiri 2013 Yae's Sakura Joseph Hardy Neesima Taiga drama 2014 Rivers Edge Okawabata Detective Agency Takeshi Muraki Lead role The Thorns of Alice Nishikado 2015 Keisei Saimin no Otoko Part 1 Takahashi Korekiyo Lead role To Give a Dream Murano 2016 Sleepeeer Hit! Kei Iokibe 2016 Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Kogure 2018 We Are Rockets! Tarō Urushido 2021 My Dear Exes Hiroshi Takanashi 2021–22 Come Come Everybody Jōichirō "Joe" Ōtsuki Asadora 2022 Atom's Last Shot Akihiku Okitsu 2027 Dangerous Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Film Year Title Role Notes 1999Jubaku: Spellbound2001Platonic SexToshimi Iwasaki2003AzumiBijomaru MogamiBright FutureYuuji NimuraLead role2004Out of This WorldShozo IkeshimaBlood and BonesTakeshiBlack KissJoker Jono2005Pacchigi!SakazakiIn the PoolTetsuya TaguchiLead roleInto a DreamKōjiHazardShinLead roleHouse of HimikoHaruhiko KishimotoLead roleShinobi: Heart Under BladeGennosuke KougaLead roleScrap HeavenTetsuPrincess Raccoon AmechiyoLead role 2006Big RiverTeppeiLead roleThe Uchōten HotelUkonRetributionDr. TakagiThe Pavillion SalamandreHoichi TobishimaSway Takeru HayakawaLead role 2007MushishiGinkoLead roleTokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad Masawa NakagawaLead roleSad VacationGotoAdrift in Tokyo Fumiya TakemuraLead role 2009Plastic CityKirinDreamJinThe Warrior and the Wolf Lu ShenkangChinese filmAir Doll Sonoda 2011I Wish KenjiPoongsanNorth Korean border guard 1CameoMy WayTatsuo HasegawaLead role, South Korean film2013The Great PassageMasashi NishiokaRealEditorMr. Go The Owner of Chunichi DragonsCameo, South Korean filmHuman Trust KugenumaPresent for YouShigeru Kajiwara2014The World of Kanako Detective Aikawa2015FoujitaTsuguharu FoujitaLead role2016Over the FenceYoshio ShiraiwaLead roleHer Love Boils Bathwater Kazuhiro2017ErnestoFreddy MaymuraLead rolePumpkin and MayonnaiseHagioThe White GirlSakamotoLead role2018Room LaunderingGorō IkazuchiHuman, Space, Time and HumanEve's boyfriendSouth Korean film 2019Saturday FictionChinese film2021The Asian AngelTōru AokiA Day with No NameAkihito OnoWe Made a Beautiful BouquetKōhei KajiA Madder RedYōichi Tanaka2022What to Do with the Dead Kaiju?Bruce It's All My FaultSakamoto 2023YokoThe MoonShohei202490 Years Old – So What?2025The Solitary Gourmetproprietor of the Chinese noodle restaurant SincéritéGosh!!OliverLead role, also director, writer and editorOn Summer SandOsamuLead role, also producerBring Him Down to a Portable SizeRiko's brother2026The Samurai and the PrisonerKori JuemonSatoko AlwaysKengo Muramoto The Canary's Lullaby
Anime Zaion: I Wish You Were Here (2001), Yuji Tamiya
Filmography (as director) YearTitleNotes2019They Say Nothing Stays the Same2025Gosh!!
Bibliography
Books Joe Odagiri: Sweater Book (2000) Odagirism (2001)
Discography
Albums Toto (2020) Hardy (2018) Cherry and blueberries (2016)
See also Odagiri effect a television phenomenon named after Joe Odagiri which first occurred in Kamen Rider Kuuga.
References
External links Joe Odagiri at Dongyu Club