Ichikawa Shun'en II

Who is Ichikawa Shun'en II?

Ichikawa Shun'en II is a Japanese kabuki actor. He is an onnagata actor, specializing in playing female roles. He has been described as a rapidly rising star, and is said to be particularly superb when portraying tragic figures.

Born Gen Kondō in 1970, in March 1988, at the age of 18, he completed the formal kabuki actor training course at the National Theatre of Japan. The following month he made his kabuki stage debut under his real name, performing a number of minor roles in a production of Chūshingura at the Kabuki-za. He became the apprentice or disciple of actor Ichikawa Ennosuke III in July the same year, and performed several minor roles in Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura under the name Ichikawa Shun'en II, officially becoming Ennosuke's heyago in 1994.

Shun'en was promoted to nadaiyakusha in 2000. He is active in the entertainment world offstage, frequently appearing on television variety shows, and has appeared in television dramas and video games as well.