is a Japanese actor, known primarily for his roles in television dramas. His roles are often positions of authority, such as managers, principals, or police officers, but many of these characters also share a certain kookiness and incompetence. Several of these characters wear wigs for comic effect.
Early life
He graduated from the Doshisha University Department of Sociology, Faculty of Letters in 1986.
Personal life
Namase married model and yoga instructor Yoko Horimoto in 1997 in Hawaii. The couple have one child, a son.
Career
Namase joined the in 1983. The first stage role he appeared in was "Sarutobi Sasuke". In 1986 he became the 4th chairman of Sotobakomachi. Around 2001, while working with the theatre company, which he soon departed, he started appearing in a series of late-night variety shows, including Yomiuri TV's "Weekly TV Kojien" gaining popularity, especially among university students. He had many regular TV and radio programs, and became an opinion leader among young people in the Kansai region.
He has also been active as a playwright and director.
Filmography
Television dramas
- (1997)
- (1998)
- TRICK (2000âÂÂ14), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- Gokusen (2002âÂÂ08), Vice Principal GorÃ
 Sawatari
- RyÃ
Âmaden (2010), Yoshida ShÃ
Âin
- Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe (2010âÂÂ13), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- Legal High (2012âÂÂ13), Choichiro Miki
- Your Turn to Kill (2019), Jun'ichirÃ
 Tamiya
- Ochoyan (2021), Makoto Nagasawa
- Kotaro Lives Alone (2021âÂÂ23), Isamu Tamaru
- Hayabusa Fire Brigade (2023), Kensaku Yamahara
- Boogie Woogie (2023âÂÂ24), Kenji Tanahashi
- The 19th Medical Chart (2025), Eikichi Kitano
- The Ghost Writer's Wife (2025âÂÂ26), Heita Hanada
Films
- TRICK: The Movie (2002), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- TRICK: The Movie 2 (2006), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- TRICK: The Movie: Psychic Battle Royale (2010), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- TRICK: The Movie: Last Stage (2014), Detective KenzÃ
 Yabe
- The Confidence Man JP: The Movie (2019), Ho
- The Confidence Man JP: Episode of the Princess (2020), Ho
- Godai: The Wunderkind (2020), Godai Hidetaka
- Your Turn to Kill: The Movie (2021), Jun'ichirÃ
 Tamiya
- The Confidence Man JP: Episode of the Hero (2022), Ho
- The Water Flows to the Sea (2023), Naruse
- The Innocent Game (2023), Masaharu Kugimiya
- Bad Lands (2023), Seiji Takashiro
- Black Showman (2025), Daisuke Kogure
- Beethoven Fabrication (2025), Stephan von Breuning
- Angel Flight: The Movie (2026), Goro Kuramochi
Video games
Dubbing
References
External links