is a member of Japanese boy band Ae! Group and actor. His nicknames are Masakado and Massan.
He was born in Osaka and belongs to Starto Entertainment.
History Masakado was born in Osaka in 1996 and aspired to enter the show business after watching the 2006 TV series and 2008 film Kurosagi and admiring the lead actor, Tomohisa Yamashita. His mother and sister sent his resume to Johnny & Associates when he was in his third year of junior high school. An open audition for Kansai Johnny's Jr. (trainees) was held at the Osaka-jō Hall performance of Yamashita's concert Asia Tour 2011 Super Good Super Bad, and Masakado was able to go on stage with Yamashita at this audition. He passed the audition and joined to the Johnny & Associates on April 3, 2011. His peers include Ren Nagase of King & Prince and Daigo Nishihata of Naniwa Danshi.
On February 18, 2019, he was selected as a member of the Ae! Group. In September of the same year, he began his acting career with a role in BS Nippon Corporation's TV series Love Sickness and the Bastard Gang. In 2020, he appeared in NHK's asadora Scarlet as the boyfriend of the protagonist's sister. In 2021, he played his first leading role on stage in Sen, Shoku, a play written by Shigeaki Kato of NEWS.
Masakado is also known for his guitar technique and is the guitarist of Ae! Group. He also held his first solo concert Yoshinori Masakado Solo Live Show with Kansai Johnny's Jr. at Osaka Shōchikuza during his pre-debut trainee period, which lasted about one month and 43 performances. It was unusual for a trainee to perform so many solo live shows before his debut.
On May 15, 2024, Ae! Group made their CD debut on Universal Music Japan.
Personal relationships Masakado is known for his close friendship with Ren Nagase and Daigo Nishihata, with whom he joined Johnny & Associates through the same audition. The three were once part of the trainee group "" and have maintained a strong personal bond even after moving on from their trainee days. They affectionately refer to their friendship as the "" (roughly "同期 [同期 = peers] Manji Group), highlighting their close-knit relationship.
When Nagase starred in the film Yowamushi Pedal: Up the Road, he received a long, heartfelt email from Masakado sharing his impressions, which Nagase later mentioned as a particularly touching memory. In April 2024, during his radio program, Nagase excitedly announced to his fans, "My peer and best friend, a member of Ae! group, will be making their CD debut. Thank you!" expressing his joy as if it were his own achievement.
Further reflecting their close bond, in October of the same year, Nagase, Masakado, and Nishihata collaborated on Nagase's solo song "Shimi," included in King & Prince's sixth original album Re:ERA. For this track, Masakado contributed guitar and chorus, while Nishihata was involved in writing the lyrics and performing chorus vocals.
Filmography TV series Year Title RoleNotes2019Love Sickness and the Bastard Gang Rintaro Yashiro2020Scarlet Masayuki Sameshima Vol. 76 – 1312020Younger Boyfriend Kosuke Kawamura Episode 92020Diver: Special Investigation UnitTetsuya Ueshima2021The Men of the Wada FamilyShosei Mitsumura2022IdolTomiyasu Sugai2022Love Sickness and the Bastard Gang Rintaro Yashiro Season 22023Moving in KyotoToshiya Omiya2025Musashino RondoRyūhei Agawa
Films Year Title RoleNotes2017Kansai Johnny's Jr.'s Comedy Star is Born!Daisuke Kinoshita2019The BoysShogo2024La Grande Maison ParisTasuku Kogure2026Mr. Osomatsu: Project SlackersKaramatsu MatsunoLead role
Stage Year Title Role Place2015Boys The World's Dreams...Children Who Have Never Known WarOsaka Shochikuza2016Johnnys' Future WorldUmeda Arts Theater2017Boys: Snow Falls on the Southern IslandsOsaka Shochikuza2018Takizawa Kabuki 2018Misono-za2018Boys Who Run TomorrowOsaka Shochikuza2019Takizawa Kabuki ZeroMinami-za2021Sen, ShokuFukama (Leading role)Panasonic Globe Theatre, Umeda Arts Theater2022Vincent in BrixtonVincent (Leading role)Panasonic Globe Theatre, Umeda Arts Theater2024Touching the VoidJoe Simpson (Leading role)PARCO Theater, Kyoto-Gekijo
Other Activities Variety Shows Saturday Plus (October 7, 2023 – MBS TV/TBS Television) – Host
Radio Programs Kansai Johnny's Jr.'s Bali Bali Sound -> Kambari! (May 1, 2018 – , FM Osaka) – Appears with Seiya Suezawa and Ken Kojima Children's Cheering! 4 Hour Radio (June 14, 2020, NHK Radio 1) – Main personality with Keita Richard Kusama Children's Cheering! 5 Hour Radio – After a Short Summer Vacation: To Everyone in Tough Times (September 13, 2020, NHK Radio 1) – main personality with Keita Richard Kusama
External links Ae! Group – Universal Music Japan Starto Entertainment – Ae! Group
References