Kenichi Endo Admits He’s “Pretty Useless,” Transforming From Tough-Guy Actor to Cooking Video Creator

He has been an actor for 40 years and has appeared in more than 300 films!
His latest film “Miharashi Generation” was selected for the Cannes International Film Festival

“I think a baipureiyā (character actor) is someone who takes on all sorts of roles, but honestly, I don’t fully understand the exact meaning of the term. Still, when people say a great character actor, the word great must mean they’re complimenting me to some extent,” he laughs. “Personally, I’d be happier being called a hot actor.”

Actor Kenichi Endo (64) speaks with a shy smile. From tough guys to eccentric characters, he has portrayed a wide range of roles, and before he knew it, “character actor” became synonymous with his name.

Endo made his television debut in 1983 with the NHK drama Mibu no Koiuta and has now enjoyed a career spanning over 40 years. While he’s often supported productions in key supporting roles, he has also made his mark as a leading actor. Although things may seem smooth sailing now, he recalls many inner struggles along the way.

“The turning point in my career came at 45, when I started my own agency. The biggest factor was my wife becoming my manager. Until then, I mostly worked in V-Cinema, doing yakuza films. Actually, back in those days, I did a lot of stuff—cross-dressing, really racy scenes, you name it. But it was my wife who suggested, ‘You should broaden your range a bit,’ and that’s how I started appearing on variety shows.

At first, I kept saying, ‘I don’t have it in me to make people laugh,’ and we argued a lot about whether I should even do it,” he recalls with a laugh. “But once I realized it was okay to show my clumsy, unpolished self, I stopped resisting it.”

As audiences warmed up to the real Kenichi Endo, his range of work quickly expanded.

Once known for his hard-boiled portrayals of gangsters and brutal criminals—the quintessential tough-guy actor—Endo has, in recent years, gained attention for his unexpectedly humorous and offbeat performances.

In the 2021 film Jigoku no Hanazono (Hell’s Garden), he appeared as an office lady wearing fishnet stockings and a garter belt. In the 2024 TV Asahi drama Tamiō R, he played both a pregnant woman and a five-year-old child. And in the hit series Doctor X, he even transformed into a goat, chewing up scraps of paper on screen.

“Do I ever wonder if I’ve gone too far? Sometimes yes, sometimes no—it depends on who I’m working with,” he says. “For example, in Doctor X, my co-star, the late Toshiyuki Nishida (aged 76), kept teasing my character and drew out all kinds of emotions from me, which led to that paper-eating scene. Sometimes it’s the director who brings that out of me, and other times, when I read the script, my imagination just takes off, and I end up doing something ridiculous.”

“I was pissed off at the scene.”

Kenichi Endo’s latest film, The Miharashi Generation, is currently in theaters. The film delicately portrays the everyday life of a family and the effects of urban redevelopment in central Tokyo. Endo plays the father of the protagonist, portrayed by 23-year-old Kohdai Kurosaki, who leads the story.

“In short, it’s a mysterious story. But at the same time, it’s a work that pursues realism to the fullest. Recently, I’ve often appeared in entertainment-heavy projects where I gave my performances a sharper edge, but this time I played a father who could realistically exist in today’s world.

The film starts quietly, depicting ordinary life in a calm, steady rhythm, and the human perspective feels very real. Then, in the second half, there are some unexpected turns that make you think, ‘Wait, what just happened?’ Since it had been a while since I’d done something in that style, I immediately said, ‘I’m in.’

The director, Yuiga Danzuka, is only 27. The first note he gave me was, ‘Could you grow your hair a bit longer?’ At my age, directors usually just say, ‘Do as you like,’ so that was refreshing. Normally, I discuss scenes with the director as we go along, but this time I thought, ‘I should just trust him completely,’ so I followed every direction exactly as he gave it. That was something I hadn’t done in a long while.”

On set, Endo immersed himself in the role while taking Danzuka’s direction. In one scene, he was playing soccer with his on-screen son while talking on the phone for work. He got so caught up in the moment that he started having too much fun — earning a gentle “too much” warning from the director.

“The film as a whole aims for realism, so there aren’t any lively or flashy scenes. But the atmosphere on set was really friendly and relaxed. It was my first time working with Kurosaki, who plays my son, but apparently he had seen my silly TikTok dance videos. So, the very first serious scene we had together — the moment our eyes met — we both burst out laughing! I couldn’t stop myself either, and it took all my effort to stay composed. We ended up cracking up a few more times, and the assistant director scolded us, saying, ‘Please focus — this could be the kind of film that gets recognition overseas.’ So there we were — an aging actor and a twenty-something rookie, getting scolded together,” he laughs. “But when we opened the lid, it really was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes International Film Festival. That blew me away.”

Working alongside a young director and cast made Endo reflect on his own generation and career.

“I guess I’m part of the so-called bubble generation. But when Japan was riding the economic bubble, I was living in a tiny four-and-a-half tatami apartment and didn’t benefit from it at all. My own work bubble came in my 50s, when I was juggling five different dramas and movies at once. I don’t work that intensely anymore, but my generation is still full of energy. The actors around my age are all still saying, ‘We’ve still got a lot left in us!’ — it’s kind of scary, actually,” he laughs.

“Koichi Sato (64) and Ken Mitsuishi (64), who I worked with on The Great Pursuit (TV Asahi), are still incredibly powerful. And when I met Yutaka Matsushige (62), who directed The Solitary Gourmet, he was so energetic it surprised me — even though on set, we’d both be complaining about our aches and pains,” he says with a grin.

Eight years sober.

While continuing his long career as an actor, Kenichi Endo spoke about how he spends his days off. “I don’t play golf, and I don’t really hang out much with friends anymore.” he began, hesitantly. It turns out that his decision to quit drinking had a lot to do with it.

“One time, I said I’d be back home in two hours after going out for drinks — and I didn’t come back for three days. That’s when my wife told me, ‘You have two choices: say goodbye to me or give up alcohol.’ So I decided to quit drinking. But giving up alcohol takes real determination; you have to face everyday life with strong willpower. If I go somewhere where people are drinking, I’ll start again, so now I just turn down every invitation. And before I knew it, I didn’t have any friends left,” he laughs.

“Back when I was drinking, I was hungover almost every day and working through it on sheer luck. Now, without that, I feel clear-headed every day. It’s been eight years since I quit drinking! Although, maybe the fact that I can still say exactly how long it’s been means a part of me still misses it,” he jokes.

Since giving up alcohol, Endo has become something of a “sweets guy,” gaining popularity on social media.

“It was actually my wife’s idea to start social media early on. I began posting dessert reviews and simple homemade sweets, and people really liked them. I’ve also been doing short dramas on TikTok, and I was shocked to find out that even middle and high school students — people I’d never normally reach — started recognizing me.”

Thanks to his social media presence, Endo now stars in a regular TV show that began this year: the “home-cooking documentary” Kitchiri Ojisan no Tenyawan’ya Cooking (BS Asahi).

“The producers saw my cooking videos and probably thought, ‘This old guy who’s trying so hard even though he can’t cook is funny.’ It’s fun to show my natural self, but cooking shows take forever to shoot! I have to do everything myself — shopping, cooking, everything — and since we shoot two episodes in one day, I spend seven to eight hours straight in front of the camera. I get so exhausted that I don’t cook at home anymore,” he says with a grin.

He smiles warmly as he glances toward his wife, who also serves as his manager. “The miso soup with egg she made for me the other day was delicious,” he says, lighting up when she gives him a perfect score.

Having ventured beyond film and television into social media, Endo continues to evolve. Asked about the changes in the entertainment industry, he reflects thoughtfully:

“With the expansion of platforms — TV, film, streaming, and social media — it’s no longer a TV-dominated world. But I think that’s a good change. The way actors work is also shifting; it’s no longer just about acting. More people are trying their hand at directing or producing. I’ve actually been writing a drama script for about seven years now, so my next goal is to bring that to life.”

It seems only a matter of time before the industry’s beloved master character actor is also recognized as a hot new screenwriter.

From the October 24/31, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”