Agency President, Producer, and Leading Actor Junichi Okada: Commanding the City with the Poise of a Fighter

His well-trained body looks like a…

Around 2 p.m. in mid-September, Junichi Okada (43) was spotted walking alone in a bustling downtown area, his stride reminiscent of someone on a casual walk. At one point, he stopped in front of a sign for an acupuncture and chiropractic clinic at the entrance of a mixed-use building, took a pamphlet, and continued walking as he read it. He then got into his car, parked in a nearby coin-operated lot, though the vehicle’s mud-splattered body suggested he had come from quite a distance.

“Okada is currently producing and starring in ‘Ikusagami,’ Netflix’s first Japanese live-action period drama, where he also serves as the action planner. In July, they held a large-scale shoot in the mountains near the Kanto region, recruiting extras from ages five to eighty via official channels on X. The scene involved an epic battle sequence, and both actors and staff were reportedly covered in mud by the end. As the producer, Okada also accompanied the team on location scouting trips across the country,” shared a TV magazine writer.

The dirt on his car hinted at the intense nature of the production. Dressed in an all-black, sporty outfit that day, Okada’s athletic physique, toned like a martial artist’s, was unmistakable to anyone who saw him.

 

“If my body makes it through, this is going to be an incredible piece.”

The black T-shirt Okada was wearing featured the double name “AISTON” and “PHAETON,” with the latter being a select shop in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

“Okada left the former Johnny’s agency and became independent at the end of November 2023. In December of the same year, he established his own talent agency, ‘AISTON.’ On November 5, 2023, he invited Yuji Sakaya, the owner of ‘PHAETON,’ as a guest on his radio show ‘GROWING REED’ (J-WAVE), and it seems that the T-shirt was a collaboration between the two,” shared a fashion magazine writer.

Initially, AISTON was thought to be Okada’s personal agency, but on June 15, actor Shohei Ueki (41) joined, and on September 24, new actress Miku Yamazaki (24), who would make her debut as the lead in the movie Kafune (released October 12), also joined.

Despite being busy as a CEO, Okada is currently fully focused on Ikusagami. In an interview about the project, he remarked,

“If my body makes it through, this is going to be an incredible piece.” (Netflix Newsroom)

This comment worried fans, but judging from his appearance that day, it seems there’s no cause for concern.

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