Yusuke Santamaria: Japanese Actor and Television Personality

Yusuke Santamaria (born March 12, 1971) is a prominent Japanese actor and entertainer. Hailing from Aomori, Japan, he stands 174 cm tall and has blood type B. Over a career spanning multiple decades, he has established a versatile presence in Japanese cinema, television drama series, and special television features.

Portrait of Yusuke Santamaria — Yusuke Santamaria

Acting Career

Santamaria has built an extensive filmography working across various genres, ranging from procedural crime dramas to historical features and character studies. One of his most recognizable and enduring roles is Masayoshi Mashita in the immensely popular Bayside Shakedown franchise, appearing in the foundational television specials, series installments, and major theatrical releases such as Bayside Shakedown (1998), Bayside Shakedown 2 (2003), Negotiator: Mashita Masayoshi (2005), Bayside Shakedown 3 (2010), and Bayside Shakedown 4: The Final (2012).

In addition to his work in the Bayside Shakedown universe, Santamaria has taken on diverse supporting and leading roles in Japanese cinema. Notable film credits include Between Calmness and Passion (2001), Udon (2006), Kisaragi (2007), Wilderness: Part One and Part Two (2017), Akira and Akira (2022), and Living in Two Worlds (2024). He has also contributed voice acting work to animated projects, such as voicing Hideo in Giovanni's Island (2014).

Television Work

On television, Santamaria has maintained a steady presence across major Japanese networks, appearing in widely viewed drama series and television movies. His television credits include Perfect Love (1999), Flowers for Algernon (2002), MR. BRAIN (2009), Emergency Room 24 Hours 4 (2009), LADY - The Last Criminal Profile (2011), Dinner (2013), I'm Home (2015), The Sparks (2016), Oh My Boss! Love Not Included (2021), The Journalist (2022), Hikaru Kimi e (2024), and Doctor Price (2025).

Directorial Work

In addition to his extensive performance credits, Santamaria expanded his involvement in the film industry by stepping behind the camera. He served as a director for the 2008 anthology feature film R246 Story.