A Risky Path for His Art: Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Ebizō XI
“I’ve never felt even the slightest desire to be a trailblazer in my field.” So says Ebizō, the kabuki star who now heads the storied Ichikawa family—and whose popularity on the stage and willingness to take his art in new directions has marked him as a pioneer in the eyes of many.
Ichikawa Ebizō XI has unquestionably been pressed into the role of a pioneer, however, by a crisis threatening the future of kabuki. As he admits, “There’s a nonzero chance that kabuki could founder if things continue as they are. When Tokyo’s Kabukiza theater was relaunched in its brand-new building in 2013, people were convinced that the art was secure—that it would be just fine for hundreds of years to come in this new home. But all it took was this one coronavirus pandemic to push the kabuki world right to the edge. It feels like we’re riding on the Titanic here. It’s hard to think of a more irresponsible term to bandy about than ‘just fine’ with respect to our art tod
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Career
>> Ichikawa Danjuro XII
Real name
Horikoshi Takatoshi
Generation
11th
Yago
Narita-ya
Date of birth
December 6, 1977
Lives
Tokyo
Height
176cm
Weight
80kg
Blood-type
AB
Sports
Basketball
Interests
Sumo
1977
Born the eldest son of Ichikawa Ebizo X (later Danjuro XII).
1983
Debuts as Harumiya in The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) at the Kabuki-za.
1985
Performs as Kikanbo in The Medicine Peddler (Uirouri) at the Kabuki-za, and takes the name Ichikawa Shinnosuke VII. Continues to perform.
2004
Takes the name Ichikawa Ebizo XI.
Major roles (kabuki)
Kataoka Naojiro in Naozamurai (Yuki Kurete Iriya no Azamichi).
Narukami in Saint Narukami (Narukami Jonin).
Hikaru Kimi in The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari).
Hanakawado Sukeroku in Sukeroku, the Flower of Edo (Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura).
Shishi no sei in The Mirror Lion (Kagami Jishi).
Musashibo Benkei and Togashi in The Subscription List (Kanjincho).
Major roles (non-kabuki)
Josh in Lyle.
Chris in Stand By Me. •
Ichikawa Ebizō
Stage name for Japanese kabuki actors
In this Japanese name, the surname is Ichikawa.
Ichikawa Ebizō (市川 海老蔵) is a stage name taken on by a series of Kabuki actors of the Ichikawa family. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family. It is a famous and important name, and receiving it is an honor.
Ebizō, like other actors' names, is bestowed (or given up) at grand naming ceremonies called shūmei in which a number of actors formally change their names. A number of actors have followed a particular sequence in their stage names, preceding "Ebizō" by being called Ichikawa Shinnosuke or Matsumoto Kōshirō, and following it by achieving the name Ichikawa Danjūrō.
The design of the Ichikawa family mon, three squares nested inside one another, is called mimasu (三升).
Lineage
Ichikawa Ebizō I (1673 – April 1675)[1] – Took the name Danjūrō in 1693, becoming the first Ichikawa Danjūrō. Originated the aragoto form.
Ichikawa Ebizō II (November 1735 – September 1758) – Eldest son of