Eiichiro Funakoshi: Japanese Actor and Television Personality

Eiichiro Funakoshi (Japanese: 船越英一郎) is a prominent Japanese actor born on July 21, 1961, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Known for his extensive work across Japanese cinema and television drama series, Funakoshi has maintained a prolific acting career spanning multiple decades, portraying a wide range of supporting and starring roles in films and television.

Eiichiro Funakoshi portrait — Eiichiro Funakoshi

Career Overview

Funakoshi has appeared in numerous high-profile film and television productions. His career highlights include film features such as Death Note: Light Up The New World (2016), Neko Ninja (2017), and Hospitality Department (2013). In television, he has taken on roles across major Japanese networks, including NHK, Fuji TV, Nippon TV, TV Asahi, and TBS, appearing in series such as The Black Swindler (2022), Trace (2019), and Red Beard (2017) where he portrayed the title character Jo Niidekyo.

Selected Filmography

Films

Pachinko monogatari (1990)
Kura (1995) - Takero Sano
Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series (2003) - Mouko's father
Tears for You (2006) - Kameoka
A Tale of Mari and Three Puppies (2007)
My Grandma (2008)
Into the White Night (2011) - Junjo Sasagaki
Hospitality Department (2013) - Kazumasa Kiyoto
Maniac Hero (2016) - Tadashi Uno
Death Note: Light Up The New World (2016) - Kenichi Mikuriya
Neko Ninja (2017) - Kenzan

Television Series

Manhattan Love Story (2003)
Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru (2006)
The Summer of the Bureaucrats (2009)
Becoming Mrs. Hayami (2012) - Keitarou Hayami
Hanasaki Mai Speaks Out (2014) - Seigo Itami
Mare (2015) - Ryoji Sakakibara
Red Beard (2017) - Jo Niidekyo / Red Beard
Trace (2019) - Ryohei Toramaru
The Black Swindler (2022) - Tatsuki Yoshikawa
Rise for the Town (2024) - Ichiro Omura