well, on the TV you can see he has blood in one eye. Obviously the venue were he was acting has canceled the show. They talk about the incident from morning to night on japanese TV ( tired...)

20 century boy wrote:

well, on the TV you can see he has blood in one eye. Obviously the venue were he was acting has canceled the show. They talk about the incident from morning to night on japanese TV ( tired...)

Guess it's really big news, considering he's from such a long line of famous and established kabuki actors.

Police arrest Ebizo Ichikawa's alleged attacker
Sat, December 11, 2010
On Friday, police arrested the suspected attacker of kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa. The suspect, a 26-year-old male named Rion Ito, reportedly acknowledged that he struck Ichikawa, but he stated that he was provoked by the actor's violent behavior.

Video captured from the surveillance cameras of the building where the incident took place shows multiple people, including one resembling Ito, pursuing Ichikawa as he ran away. However, Ito told police that he was the only one who actually hit Ichikawa.

According to Sankei Sports, Ito was born and raised in Tokyo. His father is said to be a U.S. citizen of Central or South American descent, and his mother is Japanese. As a child, he played soccer for the youth team of a J League club, and his talents earned him a spot on a team representing Tokyo in 1998.

Unfortunately, he experienced problems fitting in at school. After middle school, he was invited to join a biker gang, and he gradually gave up soccer.

Currently, he is married to a 28-year-old woman, with whom he has a pair of 1-year-old twins. Before his arrest, he was working at a nightclub in Tokyo. People familiar with Ito have described him as a courteous man with a strong sense of justice.

Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.

A tale about double standards and an interesting read:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20101212pb.html

I maintain, the Kabuki people are a bunch of too well protected freaks.

EstherM wrote:

I maintain, the Kabuki people are a bunch of too well protected freaks.

I suppose every society has their share...

Kabuki actors are a bunch of well protected freaks, as well as the whole show business around the World and the whole society, so let´s stop with the hypocrisy here, Ok???
By the way, a note in a japanese site suggests that some of the "eye-witnesses" of the case are asking for a big money to tell "details" of the case, so only Ebizo is the bad one in the case??? So he´s the one star in Japan who walked drunk through the streets doing sh** over the place????
I´m not saying he´s totally innocent, but this subject is going too far... That´s my last word about it, I´m really tired of it!!!!
_________________

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

Kabuki actors are a bunch of well protected freaks, as well as the whole show business around the World and the whole society, so let´s stop with the hypocrisy here, Ok??? By the way, a note in a japanese site suggests that some of the "eye-witnesses" of the case are asking for a big money to tell "details" of the case, so only Ebizo is the bad one in the case??? So he´s the one star in Japan who walked drunk through the streets doing sh** over the place???? I´m not saying he´s totally innocent, but this subject is going too far... That´s my last word about it, I´m really tired of it!!!!

I wish I had a drink with him. I could use one.

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

Kabuki actors are a bunch of well protected freaks, as well as the whole show business around the World and the whole society

That was basically what I said... Celebrities always get a better deal than regular folk.

I know I promissed everyone here (and myself) that I wouldn´t talk about "that" subject here, but...
UPDATE: that f**** bastard called Rion Ito, who beated Ebizo, told police that Ebizo didn´t beat anyone there in the bar, he had beated him only because his talk "was impertinent".
I´m telling you that japanese press is a big sh**!!!!!
_________________

That's how he got hurt
His wife really ought to

Thank goodness no one gets killed or we lose a great actor.
He starred in Kiri no Hata recently That was a good watch. It makes a world of difference to a show when a stage actor takes the lead. I probably can't afford a ticket to watch a Kabuki so hopefully he and his peers appear more often in movies or dramas.

Unfortunate that his wife called the police so fast. Better to have called her father in law. They are used to getting Ebizo out of scrapes. I am sure there is a deal to be made if things are handled the right way and that is usually what would happen for the 'stars' of show business and especially Kabuki.
Ebizo has my sympathy. He has a lot of responsibilty. Kabuki is not just ordinary theatre.

BTW must just mention that the other morning I was watching a NOH performance. It was a first for me and I was fascinated. Could not get up from my chair to make my first cup of tea.
I can't describe it at all. You had to be there. I wondered if Nobunaga did this often.

I just read this and it gives a good idea about the traditon of Kabuki.


http://www.japan-zone.com/news/index.shtml Look on the left hand column.

If your father is a National Treasure AND a Kabuki actor you have a lot to live up to I would think.

Some good news:

Ichikawa Ebizo, Kobayashi Mao to become parents

February 22, 2011

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo and freelance announcer Kobayashi Mao are preparing for a new addition to their family. According to a source close to the couple, Kobayashi is five months pregnant with their first child.

Source:
Sponichi Annex

Ebiso's wife,Mao Kobayashi cannot go out to receive mail because she is nervous after the event.
_________________

Ebizo will become a father in July.
_________________

Some more good news:

Ichikawa Ebizo’s kabuki comeback scheduled for July
April 10, 2011

Shochiku announced on Sunday that kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo will make his stage comeback with the July “Dai-Kabuki.” He will then also star in a new movie from director Miike Takashi that will be released this October.

Ichikawa has been on a self-imposed break since his bar brawl last November, in which he suffered severe injuries. Although his assailant was later arrested and pleaded guilty to charges of assault, Ichikawa is said to have provoked the man with his violent behavior.

Ichikawa’s film project with Miike was actually announced last September. Now titled “Ichimei,” the movie is a 3D remake of Kobayashi Masaki’s 1962 classic “Seppuku” (known overseas as “Harakiri”). It will be the first jidaigeki film done in 3D.

More information about the film’s supporting cast will be released at a later date.

Source:
Eiga.com

It is about time for his return. He is too important in his Kabuki family to be left out in the shadows.

I shall be interested in the film he will do. I last saw him in
'Mr. Brain' and frankly I could not quite understand his character at all. He was certainly mysterious and obviously not a good guy, but it was not truly clear to me. My fault maybe. He does have a strange look to him which must be from the kabuki training regarding using the eyes.

Now he takes up the mantle for his family which began I think somewhere around 1600 plus.... That is some responsibility.

Ebizo and Mao Celebrate First Child

July 25, 2011

Actor Ichikawa Ebizo and announcer Kobayashi Mao are now proud parents. Ichikawa’s management office announced on Monday, July 25, that Kobayashi gave birth to a daughter earlier that day.

Ichikawa and Kobayashi have been married since March 2010. This past February, it was first reported that they were expecting their first child.

Source:
Sankei Sports

I wonder if Betsy will get a cigar

gaijinmark wrote:

I wonder if Betsy will get a cigar

No mention of it on her Facebook page.

They've named her Reika - 麗禾