Shin Koyamada

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Shin Koyamada
小山田真
Koyamada in Malibu May 2015.jpg
Koyamada in May 2015
Born (1982-03-10) March 10, 1982 (age 42)
Okayama, Japan
Occupation Actor, producer, philanthropist, martial arts instructor
Years active 2002–present
Spouse(s) Carolina Manrique (Nia Lyte)
Website ShinKoyamada.com

Shin Koyamada (小山田 真 Koyamada Shin?, born March 10, 1982) is a Japanese American actor, film producer, philanthropist, entrepreneur and martial artist.

Koyamada is well known for co-starring as “Nobutada” opposite Tom Cruise in the Warner Bros. action epic war film The Last Samurai, with a worldwide box office of $456 million as well as starring in the action-adventure Disney Channel Original Movie Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. Koyamada has starred in the many other movies and television, including The Yokai King (2015), Heart of the Dragon (2014), Ai No Shizuku (2010), Good Soil, and Wine Road of the Samurai (2006). In 2005, Koyamada founded Shinca Entertainment, an American production company that has produced numerous entertainment related projects in the US.

In addition to his acting career, Koyamada is noted for his philanthropic causes, including Japan–United States relations, international education, tourism and cross-cultural. In 2008, Koyamada founded Koyamada International Foundation (KIF), a US non-profit organization with its mission to help youth achieve their dreams and goals, and promote earth friendly lifestyle. Koyamada currently serves as the Tourism Ambassadors for the Japanese government of Kyoto and Okayama Prefecture as well as the Special Ambassador for Japan-America Society of Southern California. In 2014, Koyamada was a judge for Miss International.

Koyamada immigrated from Japan to the United States in June 2000. Koyamada holds higher ranked Black belts in martial arts. He is bilingual in Japanese and English. He resides in California.

Early life

Shin was born in Okayama, Japan to a father who had settled in Okayama as an employee of the local government. The family had moved from Kagoshima where the Koyamada family is a direct descendant of Kagenori Koyamada, the lord of the Koyamada clan which was a Samurai clan in the Satsuma domain.[1] In his elementary school years, Shin began track and field and was later accepted into the Okayama City Junior Track and Field Club. As a small boy, Koyamada's love of American and Hong Kong action movies was influenced by his father. While Shin was young, he'd come home from school and have to watch what his father was on television. That happened to be Hollywood movies.[2]

When he was in 8th grade, his parents made him enroll in a Parent-Teacher Association program against his will to study abroad in Brisbane, Australia for three weeks, which became his first trip abroad. His English did not improve on the trip, but the experience impacted him in the way of raising his awareness and curiosity to know more about what was across the sea.[3] By the end of 9th grade, he chose Hollywood to make his dream come true because his father told him that Hollywood is the capital of the film industry. He was refused by his parents and his teachers to pursue his dream as an actor in Hollywood while in junior high school. In high school, he became the team captain and competed in the Prefectural tournament for three years. In addition to his gymnastics training during high school, he enrolled in a Karate school against his parents wishes. This became his first martial arts experience. He trained every weekend to hone his skills with the desire to become a great action star.

Upon his high school graduation in June 2000, Koyamada enrolled in the ESL program at the University of California, Riverside for the summer and moved to Hollywood alone, not knowing anyone, having no place to stay, and not knowing how to speak English.[4] In 2001, he enrolled at Los Angeles City College as a full-time international student where he first began taking intensive acting lessons in the theater academy as well as training in a Northern Shaolin martial arts school.

Career

Acting

Early work

Building an acting career with little money, no agent, manager, or other Hollywood connections is an extremely difficult accomplishment. To gain experience and a portfolio, Koyamada worked long hours for very little or no pay in everything he could find. By 2001 at the Knightsbridge Theater, he choreographed and performed martial arts forms and stage combat for a unique production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. Koyamada made a brief guest appearance on Power Rangers Wild Force in 2002. His first movie work was a short comedy award-winning film called A Ninja Pays Half My Rent, directed by Steven Tsuchida. The film was first released and won many awards worldwide in 2003.

The Last Samurai

Submitting himself for various projects via an Internet casting site, he landed his debut feature film role in The Last Samurai, co-starring opposite Tom Cruise in the Warner Bros. epic as Nobutada, a son of Katsumoto, a fierce archer, double swordsman, and a young Samurai who befriends captured American soldier, played by Tom Cruise. His father in the film, the leader samurai, advises him to teach Cruise’s character in the Japanese way – Japanese culture and Japanese language. He made the most of a powerful debut.[5] While filming The Last Samurai in Japan, United States, and New Zealand for almost 8 months, he added Kyūdō (Japanese Archery) and Yabusame to his repertoire.[6] The movie was well received upon release, with a worldwide box office of $456 million.[7] In addition it was nominated for several awards, including Academy Awards, Golden Globes and the National Board of Review. The movie received an enthusiastic reception among the movie-going public in Japan, with box office receipts higher in that country than in the USA.[8] Critical reception in Japan was generally positive.[9]

Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior

Koyamada first starred in Disney Channel Original Movie Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior with Brenda Song as Shen, which had over 5.7 million viewers at its premiere, making Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior the fifth highest viewed DCOM.[10] It also received the highest rating in the history of Disney Channel Japan. The film also broke records in the United Kingdom and Europe making Disney Channel the highest rated kids channel in Europe.[11] Wendy Wu jumped over year-ago time period numbers, delivering massive triple-digit gains in Total Viewers (178%, 5,649,000 vs. 2,050,000), Kids 6-11 (132%, 8.8/2,129,000 vs. 3.8/933,000) and Tweens 9-14 (187%, 8.6/2,120,000 vs. 3.0/731,000).[12] Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior is the second DCOM to be added in iTunes. Disney released several products based on the movie to promote the film. After the international success of The Last Samurai in 2004, the producers and writers have pitched the movie to the executives of the Disney Channel along with Koyamada, who backflipped and performed a shaolin double broadsword form, which was his US national championship winning form, in the conference room on the top of the Disney Channel. On the next day, Koyamada was offered the starring role in the movie.[13] Koyamada plays a Chinese shaolin monk who visits the title character, an American teenager, claiming Wu is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world. While filming the movie in Auckland, New Zealand, Koyamada pulled off most of his stunts and action sequences choreographed by Koichi Sakamoto, who also had previously worked with Koyamada in the 2001 Power Ranger shows. Koyamada dubbed his character for Japanese audiences as well as promoted the movie in Japanese magazines and on television shows in Japan.

After 2006 in Hollywood & Asia

While appearing on the Disney Channel Games since 2006 for three years, Koyamada was featured on Disney shows and commercials made for Japanese audiences by Walt Disney Japan. In 2006, Koyamada starred and executive produced the Japanese feature documentary movie called Wine Road of the Samurai (2006), filmed in Egypt, France and Japan and nationally distributed by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) and other 28 affiliated TV stations in Japan.[14] In 2007, Koyamada appeared in the 20th Century Fox drama feature film Constellation, director by Jordan Walker-Pearlman.[15] In 2008, Koyamada starred in and produced the action adventure film Good Soil, written and directed by Craig Shimahara which premiered in limited theaters and DVDs.[16] In 2010, Koyamada first starred as Seinen Makibi in a two-hour Broadway style stage production called "Ai No Shiuku" at the opening ceremony of The 25th National Cultural Festival Okayama 2010. The production was produced by Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Government of Japan and Okayama Prefecture Government in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The play, attended by the Crown Prince Naruhito was nationally televised through NHK. The National Cultural Festival, which is the Japan's largest cultural event is annually produced by federal and prefectural governments of Japan.[17] In 2013, he starred and produced the new web series called Heart of the Dragon as John Watanabe, directed by Jeff McDonald and written by James West II.[18] He is starring voice-over, producing and directing the action choreography the legendary samurai character Musashi Miyamoto in the upcoming RPG video game called "Reborn".[19]

Koyamada has been represented by the Affirmative Entertainment.

Producing

Growing increasingly interested in the creative side of the entertainment industry since 2005, Shinca Entertainment was originally formed to develop and produce entertainment related projects by Koyamada and Nia Lyte in late 2008. Since the company’s establishment, Shinca Entertainment raised capital for projects and successfully developed a feature film titled Ticker, by Stephen Langford and "A.K.A"., written by James E. West. Shinca Entertainment has also produced a television and live streaming talk show named The Nia Lyte Show.[20] In 2007, Koyamda produced an American film Good Soil and executive produced a Japanese feature documentary Wine Road of the Samurai Koyamada partnered with Travis Moore and Nia Lyte to form an American comic company called Laizen Comics to develop and publish American comics in late 2008. An Action and Adventure comic book titled The Dreamhoppers was created and written by Shin Koyamada, Travis Moore and Nia Lyte and published by Laizen Comics in early 2010. The story is based in New York and Koyamada is featured as the main character named Ren Matsuo in The Dreamhoppers.[21] Koyamada formed a music label Meter On Records with a Dirty Dancing music composer Erich Bulling and released an American digital music album Movin On in 2010.[22] In 2013, he produced the web series called Spirit Fashion, Spirit Art, Spirit Music, Spirit Love and Spirit Earth, with producers Claudia Hallowell and Nia Lyte and distributed by Spirit Show Network.[23]

Upcoming

Koyamada has been officially involved in creating and producing an American comic book adaptation feature film The Dreamhoppers, which is also being developed as animation and video game.[24]

In 2013, he starred and produced in the new American web series called Heart of the Dragon as John Watanabe, directed by Jeff McDonald and written by James West II.[25] It is scheduled to premiere early in 2014. In 2014, he is starring in the upcoming American action TV series called "The Yokai King", which is filmed all in Okinawa, Japan and scheduled to be premiered in the US.

In 2013, he has been officially set to star voice-over, produce and action choreography direct the legendary samurai character Musashi Miyamoto in the upcoming RPG video game called "Reborn", developed by Elemental-Labs, an American video game developer and scheduled to be released worldwide in 2014.[26][27][28]

Filmography

As actor
Year Title Role Type Notes
2002 Power Rangers Wild Force Agent TV series
2002 A Ninja Pays Half My Rent Black Ninja Film Lead
2003 The Last Samurai Nobutada Film Lead
2004 Jake 2.0 Shinji Makito TV series Guest starring
2006 Disney Channel Games 2006 Himself TV series Lead, Red Team
2006 Wine Road of the Samurai Narrator, Himself Feature Documentary
2006 Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior Shen TV movie Starring
2007 Disney Channel Games 2007 Himself TV series Lead, Yellow Team
2007 Constellation Film Yoshito
2007 Good Soil Jinbei Masuda Film Starring
2008 Disney Channel Games 2008 Himself TV series Lead, Blue Team
2010 Ai No Shizuku Seinen Makibi TV movie Starring
2013 Heart of the Dragon John Watanabe Web series Starring
2014 The Yokai King Ippei "The Yokai King" TV series Starring
2015 Reborn Musashi Miyamoto Video game Starring (voice-over)
As producer
Year Title Role Type
2006 Wine Road of the Samurai Producer Feature Documentary
2007 Good Soil Executive Producer Film
2012 Spirit Fashion Producer TV Series
2013 Spirit Earth Producer TV Series
2013 Spirit Love Producer TV Series
2013 Spirit Music Producer TV Series
2013 Spirit Art Producer TV Series
2013 Heart of the Dragon Producer Web Series
2013 Reborn Producer Video Game

Philanthropy

Koyamada began many volunteer works helping nonprofit organizations and the programs including Boys and Girls Club of America, KICKSTART Kids and Japan-America Society. He was part of the Disney Channel Games, which supported various charities including Starlight Children's Foundation. In April 2010, Koyamada joined the Parade of National Cherry Blossom Festival on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets in Washington DC.[29] During his stay in DC, he participated both in the 50th Sakura Matsuri to promote the Japan's 25th National Cultural Festival in Okayama Prefecture with help of the Japan National Tourism Organization of New York and Japan National Bowl as a celebrity judge, which were organized by the Japan-America Society of Washington D.C.[30]

Koyamada International Foundation

Koyamada International Foundation (KIF) was established by Koyamada and his wife to offer scholarships to youth to learn the importance of respect, honor, courtesy, value and manner through martial arts and active help on global environmental issues, donations and education to underprivileged individual and family and international cultural exchange projects.[31] The mission of KIF is to empower youth to achieve their goals and dreams and promote an Earth-friendly lifestyle.[32] In 2011, KIF raised substantial amounts to aid the victims of the Great East Japan earthquake. Part of KIF's donation initiative also included shipping 20 foot containers filled with basic necessities such as food, clothing, shoes, blankets, water and toys for children to help survivors through those difficult times.

Major charity programs of the KIF include;

  • United States Martial Arts Festival[33]
  • Martial Arts Scholarship Initiative
  • Global Donation Initiative
  • Disaster Relief Fund
  • Global Education Initiative
Koyamada speaking at the Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka in Japan

In conjunction with KIF's aim to continue supporting the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, the Koyamada International Foundation Japan (KIF Japan) was formed. In March 2012, Koyamada toured five major cities in Japan with the U.S. Embassy and the Consulate-General of the United States, Tokyo as part of the U.S. State Department’s mission to inspire Japanese students to study in the United States and experience American culture.[34] During the tour, they raised over US$22,000.00 to help fund the Operation Tomodachi project.[35] Upon the successful outcome of the tour, KIF Japan officially teamed up with the U.S. Embassy, Tokyo to co-organize the LGBT event at the Embassy Housing Compound and was attended by young Japanese students.[36] In other regions of Japan, KIF Japan has teamed up with the U.S. Consulate-General, Japanese National Universities, Prefectural High Schools, libraries and local nonprofit organizations to host events to inspire Japanese youth to study English, study abroad at U.S. colleges and universities, experience American culture, internationalize the community and to strengthen the friendship between Japan and the United States.[37]

In mid-August 2013, KIF USA and Japan organized the goodwill, educational and cross cultural national tour called US-Japan Discovery Tour, traveled by Koyamada and the Disney Channel Stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse. The Sprouse Brothers have been officially appointed by the KIF as the International Ambassadors and traveled to Japan for the first time ever. The successful tour has inspired thousands of the next generation of Japan and US to promote education, cross cultural exchanges and friendship between US and Japan.

Martial arts

By 16, Koyamada began to study Keishinkan Karate in Okayama, Japan, in which he was awarded his first degree black belt under Sensei Tadashi Yoshii.[38] After relocating to the United States in 2000, Koyamada began training in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu for 6 days a week under the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association. Koyamada specialized in the empty hand form Boot Bo (拔步) and a double broadsword among other 18 Chinese classical weapons in Northern Shaolin. Koyamada competed in six U.S National Martial Arts Competitions in Northern Shaolin over five months and won first place in all but one, and that was a second.[39] In 2005, Koyamada earned san-dan (third degree) black belt in traditional Keishinkan Karate back in Japan. In 2005, Koyamada began in Tae Kwon Do in which he earned the second degree black belt.[40] In 2007, Koyamada began Kung Jung Mu Sul (Korean Royal Court Martial Arts), and was certified as a first degree black belt by Grandmaster Soon Tae Yang in San Francisco in 2008. Koyamada was featured on a cover of Black Belt Magazine in 2004. In 2009, he was invited to an annual Martial Arts Tour of Italy organized by Federico Coccorese.[41] In 2010, he founded the charity event called "United States Martial Arts Festiva]" to promote the arts and celebrate the international cultural community. The funds raised in the event fully go to fund its program and the Martial Arts Scholarship program to help youth train in the private martial arts schools.

Honors and awards

In mid-2003, Koyamada was honored with the Gold Key to the City of New Plymouth, New Zealand by the then-Mayor Peter Tennent. In 2005, he was honored and awarded a Gold Coin by the Mexican Government. On February 17, 2010, he was officially appointed as International Goodwill Ambassador of the Okayama Prefectural Government of Japan by the then-Governor Masahiro Ishii. On May 17 in 2012, he was officially appointed as the Special Ambassador of the Japan America Society of Southern California, founded in 1909 by the Board of Directors.[42] On October 1 in 2012, he was appointed as the International Ambassador of the Kyoto, Japan by the Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa.[43][44]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ The Last Samurai (2003) : News
  9. ↑ "Sampling Japanese comment" at UCLA AsiaArts
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Live-Action Fare Gives Disney Channel U.K. a Boost
  12. ↑ Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior Airing is a Hit
  13. ↑ Shin Koyamada: LAST SAMURAI to Last Monk in WENDY WU
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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