Takeshi Kaneshiro appeared in Muji China's latest publicity shots published on social media on March 27. Photos: Muji China/Weibo
Japanese-Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is back in the public eye after almost three years.
The 51-year-old’s latest appearance came in the form of two images posted by Muji China on Chinese social media platform Weibo on March 27 at 8pm.
“In nature, there is wisdom for a comfortable life. In nature, there is an answer to a comfortable life,” the China branch of the Japanese retailer wrote.
It added: “Listen to the music of the grass and the wind, and get the gentle answer from nature on life. Together with Muji Friend Takeshi Kaneshiro, we explore the ideal symbiotic relationship between people, nature and objects.”
In the first photo, Kaneshiro is wearing a white T-shirt under a white shirt with khaki pants, and holding onto a bicycle on a country road. In the second shot, he is wearing a white T-shirt under a blue shirt, and blue pants.
The post attracted more than 200 comments on Weibo. Some fans commented that Kaneshiro has hardly aged, while other fans praised Muji China for being able to engage the reclusive actor as its ambassador.
The company released a two-minute video clip of the actor on March 28 at 10am, with background music and no dialogue.
“Go behind the scenes of the shoot of Muji Friend Takeshi Kaneshiro’s commercial, and interpret the meaning of ‘life in nature’ with his calm and happy life,” Muji China wrote in the post.
Kaneshiro, who is believed to be living in Japan, last appeared in public when he was featured on the cover of ElleMen China magazine in June 2022. He also starred in a commercial for a mobile game in March 2021.
The actor is known for starring in films such as Anna Magdalena (1998), Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) and the two-parter Red Cliff (2008 and 2009). He has not been in a film since the romantic comedy This Is Not What I Expected (2017) with Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu.
His last known movie is Sons Of The Neon Night, which also stars Hong Kong actors Sean Lau, Louis Koo and Tony Leung Ka Fai. The crime thriller does not have a release date, even though filming wrapped in 2018. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
