Koji Mizukami’s Role in Boogie Woogie Receives Acclaim, Nears Kimutaku’s Fame as Tragic Hero Actor

The popularity of Koji Mizukami is skyrocketing.

 

In the currently airing NHK morning drama “Boogie Woogie,” he plays the role of Aisuke Murayama, the lover of the protagonist, Suzuko Fukukita. The nation shed tears as they watched him meet his end without being able to see the face of his newborn child or marry Suzuko.

In the movie “Ano Hana ga Saku Oka de Ano Dekiru Hana, Kimi wo Mitsuketa,” released in December last year, the cumulative number of viewers reached 3,188,096, with box office revenue of ¥4,048,386,900 (as of February 11), marking a major hit. It is on the verge of surpassing “The Last Samurai,” starring Takuya Kimura and directed by Yoji Yamada, distributed by Shochiku, which recorded the second-highest box office revenue in the history of live-action Japanese films with ¥4.11 billion in 2006.

 

“Mizukami, unable to be with a high school girl who time-traveled from the present to the end of the Pacific War and portraying a kamikaze pilot heading to certain death, has once again moved the audience to tears. Female fans of Mizukami have expressed, ‘We keep going to the theaters because we want to see Mizukami’s pure and appealing eyes.'” (Movie Magazine Reporter)

 

In August 2022, at the height of his popularity, Mizukami changed his stage name from Okada Kenshi to his real name, Koji Mizukami, marking a fresh start. While he had been popular among women since then, it’s fair to say he’s experiencing a resurgence now. His high level of acting skill is what supports his popularity.

“Particularly, we often hear from co-stars and fans that ‘they are drawn into his eyes.’ From eyes brimming with vitality and radiance to those sunk in sorrow. Eyes that strongly appeal or gently embrace. He can convey various emotions through his eyes alone.” (Movie Producer)

Also, his acting range, or in other words, the range of roles he can portray, is wide. He’s said to be highly sought after because he can handle anything from contemporary dramas to period dramas.

In the NHK Taiga Drama “Seiten wo Tsuke” aired in 2021, he played Shibuzawa Heikuro, a young man who fought in the Boshin War but ultimately committed suicide after being pursued by the new government army. Social media was abuzz with praise for his performance.

“His dying figure is too beautiful” “His acting is amazing” 

 It was a storm of great praise.