BIG IN JAPAN
Shingo Katori
 |
Matt Wilce |
You could say that SMAP'
Shingo Katori is not afraid of being an ass. After all, in 1996, he insured his butt for
JY200 million during the filming of the TV drama "Toumei Ningen"
(Invisible Man), which required him to lose his pants every time he turned transparent.
Then there was the incident where he "accidentally" dropped his trousers on
stage at one of SMAP's sold-out concerts and the nude photo shoot for an-an
magazine in 1999, not to mention his prime-time moon in the drama "Miseinen"
('97) and his cheeky comedy shot in Hong Kong. Even I was treated to a flash backstage
during the filming of "Yomigaeru Kinro," when Shingo nonchalantly whipped off
his trousers and long johns, complaining he was too hot. No wonder then, that he was
picked to front Nudy cosmetics. It seems as if SMAP's youngest member just has a hard time
staying dressed.
No I take that back. Actually Shingo loves wearing dresses. He spent most of his Hong Kong
movie debut - Kimutaku may be director Wong Kar Wai's latest lead but Shingo got to
Kowloon first - Hong Kong Daiyasokai: Touch and Maggie ('97) disguised as a
magician's female assistant. And now Shingo Mama, his apron wearing alter ego, has
captured the nation's heart with the fluffy, Ministry of Education-approved little ditty
"Shingo Mama no Oha Rock," produced by Yasuharu Konishi from Pizzicato Five. Not
content with topping the charts and presiding over SMAP's Saturday night variety show,
Shingo Mama is now set to appear in a drama special on Jan 8.
Shingo's penchant for baring all-he is threatening to do a "hair nude" as his
next photo shoot for an-an - and the fascination with dresses have led some to
speculate about which way Shingo swings. In his typically blasEway he is happy to give
soundbites on snogging Kimutaku, who he claims is his ideal guy, and appear in Junon
magazine planting a kiss on Tsuyoshi. SMAP's video for "Birdman" had Shingo
romping in a champagne drenched bed with a young guy and girl. Not surprisingly the press
ignore Shingo's flirtatious ambivalence and concentrate on the duller romances of Goro and
Kimutaku.
The youngest member of SMAP, Shingo has grown up in the glare of media attention. Starting
out as a part of a backing group for Hikaru Genji, Shingo joined the office of powerful
J-pop baron Johnny Kitagawa when he was still in elementary school. His classmates
apparently weren't bothered that he left, as they found his habit of eating sand a little
disturbing; he now prefers mayonnaise straight from the tube. After graduating from junior
high, between TV appearances and releasing pop singles, Shingo entered the geinokai
(entertainment industry) full-time opting not to go to high school unlike his fellow
SMAPers.
As it turned out, Shingo has demonstrated diversity beyond the usual ken of idol singers
and even his fellow group members. Goro may have been the first SMAP boy to make an
overseas movie (the awful Private Lessons II in ‘93) and Kimutaku has yet to
prove himself in the forthcoming 2046, but Shingo was the first of the guys to
make it big overseas with his Hong Kong debut. He hit gold again with his last movie, Juvenile,
a sci-fi action flick for kids. Between SMAP's weekly shows, his regular appearance on
TV's "Waratte Ii Tomo" and ad campaigns, Shingo has also been known to
host radio shows and do voice-overs for the "Samurai Spirits" anime. He has
published two volumes of his original artwork, "Sorezore" and "Shingo
no Itazura," and released a single with Yuko Hara from the Southern All Stars.
The current year of the snake should see no letup in his pressing schedule and even more
diversity from the baby of SMAP. After all, born in 1977, Shingo is an asp.
Matt Wilce |
BIG IN JAPAN: