Ken Matsudaira (松平 健, Matsudaira Ken, familiarly shortened as Matsuken, born November 28, 1953) is a Japanese actor and musician from Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan.[1] His real name is Sueshichi Suzuki (鈴木 末七, Suzuki Sueshichi).

Ken Matsudaira
Ken Matsudaira in 2016
Born
Sueshichi Suzuki

(1953-11-28) November 28, 1953 (age 70)
Other namesMatsuken
Occupationactor
Years active1974 – present
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Spouses
  • (m. 1990; div. 2004)
  • Yuri Matsumoto
    (m. 2005; died 2010)
Websitehttp://www.ken-matsudaira.com/

Career

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In 1974, he joined Shintaro Katsu's production company and made his debut with the television series Zatoichi as a guest.[2][1] For a quarter of a century, he starred in the series The Unfettered Shogun as Tokugawa Yoshimune, the title character.[2] He also played a similar role in Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful.

Other noteworthy roles include Hōjō Yoshitoki in the 1979 NHK series Kusa Moeru, Irobe Matashiro in the 1999 NHK series Genroku Ryoran (involving the chushingura, that is, the story of the Forty-seven rōnin), Shibata Katsuie in the 2002 NHK series Toshiie to Matsu, Ōtomo Sōrin in the 2004 NHK special Ōtomo Sōrin—Kokoro no Ōkoku wo Motomete, and Ōishi Kuranosuke in the 2004 TV Asahi series Chushingura. He also played Asano Takumi no Kami, an important (although brief) role, in an earlier chushingura, making a career of that story. In 2005, he is appearing as Benkei in Yoshitsune, the yearlong NHK Taiga drama. TV Asahi tapped Matsudaira to star as Tōyama no Kin-san in the latest (2007) version of their program of the same name. He appeared in Tokugawa Fūun-roku, the annual jidaigeki spectacular which was shown on TV Tokyo on January 2, 2008.

Matsuken Samba

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Matsudaira is also famous as a singer. His most popular song "Matsuken Samba II" (マツケンサンバII)[3] was released in 2004 and became popular with his fanbase. The song gained national attention because his appearance in the likeness of a person in Edo period with glittery kimono and a hip-swiveling dance became the topic of some television programs, including parodying him on an idol group SMAP's variety show, SMAP×SMAP. The new attention of the media made Matsudaira visible to a younger fanbase. The song became a certified hit, staying on the Oricon Top 100 chart for over a year. A version called Te o Tsunagou ~Matsuken × Kamen Rider Samba~ (手をつなごう~マツケン×仮面ライダーサンバ~, Te o Tsunagou ~Matsuken × Kamen Raidā Sanba~) featuring Shu Watanabe (Eiji Hino/Kamen Rider OOO) and Ryosuke Miura (Ankh/Shingo Izumi) was released on August 3, 2011, as an ending theme for the movie Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful: The Shogun and the 21 Core Medals.

Filmography

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Film

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Television

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Theatrical animation

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Television animation

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Video games

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Japanese dub

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Awards

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Year Award Category Work(s) Result Ref(s)
1980 4th Elan d'or Awards Newcomer of the Year Himself Won [10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "松平健". VIPTIMES. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "「オファー来れば五輪で踊る」SNSで盛り上がる"マツケンサンバ待望論"に松平健がいま思うこと". Yahoo News. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (February 19, 2005). "A Samurai And Japan Get Samba Night Fever". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "弁慶". TV drama database. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "利家とまつ 加賀百万石物語". Haiyaku Jiten. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  6. ^ ""新たな鬼平" 第一弾「鬼平犯科帳 本所・桜屋敷」が遂に完成! 松本幸四郎、市川染五郎、松平健が登場!". Kyodo News PR Wire. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "橋本環奈主演・朝ドラ『おむすび』第2弾キャスト4人発表 ヒロイン両親役は北村有起哉&麻生久美子【4人の役柄紹介あり】". Oricon. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  8. ^ イイ映画@シネマフロントライン [@E_eiga] (27 May 2016). "「X-MEN:アポカリプス」オスカー・アイザックが演じるアポカリプスの吹替は松平健 ➡" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "ウォンカとチョコレート工場のはじまり -日本語吹き替え版". Fukikae Kingdom. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  10. ^ "エランドール賞歴代受賞者一覧". All Nippon Producers Association. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
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