Matsu Takako 松たか子

[Maneki Neko]

Takako Matsu (? ??? Matsu Takako), born Takako Fujima (?? ?? Fujima Takako, born 10 June 1977 in Tokyo, Japan), is a Japanese actress and pop singer.

Her height is 165 cm (about 5 feet 5 inches) and blood type is A. She was born in a traditional Buyo house, and her Buyo name is Koka Matsumoto. Her father is Matsumoto Koshiro IX, kabuki actor and head of the buyo house; her uncle is Nakamura Kichiemon II; her older brother is Ichikawa Zengoro VII; her sister, two years her elder is Kiyo Matsumoto. She selected her last name as “Matsu” to honor her parents.

Said to be 25% ethnically Korean. Her highest education is Asia University, which she did not graduate. Her interests are watching movies and theaters while she is talented in piano. Furthermore, she is one of the most famous heavy smokers within the Japanese entertainment industry. As a result, she is believed to be the source of criticism by Yomiuri Giants and New York Yankee athlete Hideki Matsui.


Matsu’ debut in a theater was when she was sixteen years old, in Ninjo Hanashi Bun Nana Motoyu (Emotions Inscribed in Seven Hair-tying Paper Cords) at Tokyo Kabukiza in 1993. Her first lead role in television is NHK Drama Hana no Ran (War of Roses) in 1994. Afterwards, she increased in succession the number of leadrole appearances in theater and television drama, becoming preeminent as a young actress.


Moreover, because Shirayuri Gakuen, the high school Matsu enrolled in, strictly prohibited entertainment industry, she transferred to Horietsu High School citing obstruction to her work. At that time, Tsuyohi Domoto of Kinki Kids, two years her younger, was at the school and remarks, “Matsu was excellent”.


In drama Long Vacation, which she played a lead role in 1996 following matriculating to college, she became popular as “the woman who dumped Kimutaku (Takuya Kimura of SMAP)”. Since the drama was a major hit, she began to establish in full-scale her position as an actress. In the same year, as the youngest ever at the age of 19, she hosted Kouhaku Utagassen, making 1996 a year of rapid progress for her.


In 1997, she debut as a singer, expanding her activity beyond the acting realm. By 2005, she released eighteen singles and ten album, achieving success as a singer.

After breaking up with a 42 year old guitarist, her third, she is believed to be now dating 33 year old actor Yoo Ooizumi.


Sources:
Answers.com (http://www.answers.com/topic/takako-matsu)
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takako_Matsu)

[GIGI]

<FONT face=Arial color=#800080>Great write-up! I like Matsu Takako. Have not seen a good dorama of hers in a while.[8-|]

[Maneki Neko]

Did you mean 'Great article'? :) As with alot of thread starters here, this post contains general info from Wikipedia, Answers.com and other reliable sites. I figured it's better to do it this way. :D


Anyway, I like Matsu too. Pretty impressive background, coming from a family of thespians. I think she's a great actress, and I like her beauty.I haven't heard her sing, though.


Natawa ako dito >;>; one of the most famous heavy smokers within the Japanese entertainment industry

[mutley]

really ... she dumped kimutak?! nande?


any available recent photos of her? i hope someone uploads tons of pics of this lady. i soooooo love her in love gen. she was lovable in that doramaand i surmised she's really keen into acting, no wonder she belongs to a family of thespians.


any idea of what song titles/album she has cut?


thanx.

[rambaldi]

meron pala siya ngayong drama. called 'yakusha damashii' or 'at the soul of an actor' or something like that. hehe. pinalalabas sa fuji tv. she plays a talent manager of a stage actor. gusto ko tuloy mapanood ito. i really want to see another aspect of her acting ability/prowess. sa tingin ko, wala kasing limit itong taong ito pagdating sa mga role na kaya nyang gawin e!! :Y:Y:Y

[Maneki Neko]

The theme song of Yakusha Damashii is Minna Hitori, sung by no less than Matsu Takako! I heard this song today via a link from a friend. I loved it! I can't put my finger on it but it sounds like another song. I can't remember what that song is.


Anyway, kailangan bang singitan na naman ng Engrish?? :p


Everybody needs to be needed, everybody wants to be wanted. :p

[Maneki Neko]

Matsu Takako's live tour in 4 years begins


Matsu Takako is not only an actress; she is also a singer who fascinates people with her voice.


After releasing her album Cherish You on April 25th, she will be holding a nationwide live tour called Matsu Takako Concert Tour 2007 "I Cherish You" in 17 places and 18 performances from May 18th to June 29th.


The concert will also feature performances from artists like Oda Kazumasa, Takeuchi Mariya, Wada Shou (of Triceratops), Matsumoto Sou and Kawano Takehiro (of Going Underground).


The live will feature simple costume and stage equipment and the repertoire will be carefully selected and arranged. The Live Tour marks Matsu Takako's 10th year anniversary as a singer.


Source: The Television (http://www.japinoy.com/forums/www.television.co.jp)

[Lady-Rinoa]

<FONT color=#db7093>This year is the 10th anniversary of the singing career of actress Takako Matsu. In honor of that, NHK will air a documentary special, titled "Takako Matsu: Kanojo ga Utau Wake," on November 9. It will be shown in the network's "Premium 10" (10:00pm) programming slot.

Matsu grew up in a family of actors, and she made her own stage debut in 1993. However, she had dreamed of becoming a singer ever since she was a child, when she would sing Seika Matsuda tunes to herself while playing the piano. After becoming the youngest Kohaku Uta Gassen host at the age of nineteen in 1996, she finally started her music career the following year.

The documentary, which is a first for Matsu, features footage ranging from 1996, when she recorded her debut single "Ashita, Haru ga Kitara" in Los Angeles, to 2007, when she launched her first concert tour in four years. Much of the footage has never been seen by fans before.

<SPAN style="COLOR: palevioletred">tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1981)

[Maneki Neko]

Sports Hochi has revealed more details about the upcoming marriage between 30-year-old actress/singer Takako Matsu and 46-year-old guitarist/producer Yoshiyuki Sahashi.



Sahashi is well-known in the music industry, having worked with many major artists, such as Masaharu Fukuyama, Kazumasa Oda, Fumiya Fujii, and Keisuke Kuwata. He met Matsu in 2001, and began working with her that year as her producer and touring bandmaster.



The pair's professional relationship turned romantic in 2004, and they
were revealed as a couple by a women's magazine in March of that year.
However, they broke up not long after that, and Matsu was later rumored
to be dating actor Yo Oizumi.



Last year, Matsu and Sahashi rekindled their romance, and they began
working together again after Matsu switched from Universal Music to BMG
Japan. Matsu reportedly began seriously considering marriage this past
June, when she turned 30.



The actress has currently cleared her work schedule up until April, when she co-stars with her father, kabuki actor Koshiro Matsumoto IX, in a production of "Man of La Mancha." It is expected that Matsu and Sahashi will get married in early spring, before the play opens.

==============================

On Friday, Takako Matsu's agency finally commented on the recent news report that she is getting married to guitarist and producer Yoshiyuki Sahashi. According to her management, the couple is indeed involved romantically, but there are no plans for marriage.



Sports Hochi had reported that Matsu's schedule was clear until April,
suggesting preparation for marriage, but the agency also denied this.
Matsu's schedule is said to be full with projects that have not yet
been announced. Currently, she is reportedly working on a new album and
filming for a television drama. Tokyograph

[Maneki Neko]

Actress Takako Matsu is now officially married to musician Yoshiyuki Sahashi. The couple registered their marriage on Friday, and Matsu announced the news on her website the same day.



Sports Hochi reported
their engagement in late November, though Matsu's agency denied it at
the time. It was previously speculated that they were planning to get
married in the spring. Tokyograph

[Maneki Neko]

Actress Takako Matsu is joining the cast of NHK's drama project "Saka no Ue no Kumo," which began filming in November.



Matsu will play the wife of Akiyama Yoshifuru, played by Hiroshi Abe. Last month, Matsu wedded musician Yoshiyuki Sahashi, while Abe announced his own pending marriage in November.



The drama's main cast includes Masahiro Motoki, Teruyuki Kagawa, and Yukiyoshi Ozawa. Miho Kanno, Shiro Ito, and Keiko Takeshita also appear.



"Saka no Ue no Kumo" will air in three parts over three years, starting in the fall of 2009. Tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2372)

[Maneki Neko]

Anyenye...Matsu Takako sings "Shiawase na Ketsumatsu", the dorama theme from Love Generation, her super series with Kimura Takuya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeBJezZAt7AHmm, ano bang masasabi ko, bukod sa gusto ko ang kanta? Anong masasabi ko sa boses nya? Gusto ko ang kanta! (hindi sya)

[hikarilawliet]

actually xa ang favorite ko na kapertner ni Kimura Takuya

[Maneki Neko]

Swerte nya na nakapartner nya si Kimura, kasi dahil dun, mas umusad ang career nya eh. Although, mas nagustuhan ko sya sa HERO kesa sa Love Gen (dahil mas gusto ko ang story ng HERO overall kesa sa LG).

Parang wala syang project ngayon no?

[YuyaNoHime]

'Confessions' scores big at box office

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/SportyYetChic/matsu.jpg

Actress Takako Matsu, who can currently be seen in the successful Japanese film “Confessions,” appeared at a screening on Sunday night with director Tetsuya Nakashima and other cast members to express their gratitude to fans for the film’s success.

The film has so far earned about 20 billion yen—a rarity for a mature-rated film—since it opened on June 5. “I want to thank everyone who worked on this film,” Matsu, 33, said.

In the film, Matsu plays a middle school teacher whose daughter is murdered by two of her students, and plots revenge. The film is based on the award-winning novel of the same name.

Source: JapanToday (http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/confessions-scores-big-at-box-office)

[Maneki Neko]

Nice plot! Talagang may daruma pa, haha.

[YuyaNoHime]

Cute nga eh. Hot Pink! <3

Ganda nga nung plot. Sana lang mapanood natin. Hehe. :D

Grabe. Di tumatanda talaga ang itsura niya. Unfair! :001_tt2:

[Maneki Neko]

Sana lagi na lang sya gumawa ng projects na ganito...at wag na kumanta. Haha.

[YuyaNoHime]

Hehe. Kahit papano natotolerate ko naman ang boses niya. Tsaka refreshing siya tingnan sa stage kumpara sa ibang mga singers na magagarbo kase ang simple-simple lagi ng suot niya at palaging fresh-faced. :)

[Maneki Neko]

Kasi ipit din ang boses nya eh, di ko talaga type yung mga ganun. Haha.

[YuyaNoHime]

Confessions Places First at the Box Office Four Weeks Straight

Directed by Nakashima Tetsuya, the film Confessions stars award winning actress Matsu Takako in the role of a cool and calculating teacher who avenges the death of her daughter. With a stellar cast including Kimura Yoshino and Okada Masaki, the film has been at the top of the Japanese box office for the past four weeks, earning 2.1 billion yen in just over three weeks. Even the original novel has seen a dramatic rise in sales.

The novel has been on the Oricon Paperbacks Ranking for eleven weeks, taking the number one spot for the past six consecutive weeks. It has sold over 1.45 million copies to date. Sales for the past five weeks have been over 100,000 copies per week, breaking the record set by the novel Yougisha X no Kenshin, from the Tantei Galileo series, which was held at four consecutive weeks in 2008.

Confessions Places First at the Box Office Four Weeks Straight
Original Novel Breaks Record Selling 100,000 Copies for 5 Consecutive Weeks
Compiled from: Cinema Today
Translated by: sparkles_n15 @ asianfanatics.net

Source: asianfanatics.net (http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/725929-confessions-places-first-at-the-box-office-four-weeks-straight/)