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Gen Hoshino

Gen Hoshino

Actor · Born January 28, 1981 (45) · Saitama, Japan

Gen Hoshino (星野 源, Hoshino Gen, born January 28, 1981) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and writer. Hoshino's movie debut, Lee Sang-il's 69, was an adaptation of the Ryū Murakami novel of the same name. He previously acted in various television dramas and stage plays. In 2012, he debuted as a voice actor, voicing Buddha in the original video animation (OVA) adaptation of Hikaru Nakamura's manga Saint Young Men, and also provided a theme song called "Gag" for its 2013 theatrical version, where he reprised his role. In 2013, he played the lead character in Masahide Ichii's Blindly in Love (箱入り息子の恋, Hakoiri Musuko no Koi) alongside Kaho, and starred in the Sion Sono film Why Don't You Play in Hell?. In 2016, Hoshino starred in TBS's The Full-Time Wife Escapist. With Yui Aragaki as his co-star, he portrayed a salaryman named Hiramasa Tsuzaki. The drama achieved steadily rising ratings, with a real-time viewership peak rating of 20.8% on the final episode, and an overall rating of 14.5%. Hoshino's performance earned him several Best Supporting Actor awards. He also provided the theme song for the drama, titled "Koi". In 2017, Hoshino lent his voice to the main character of award-winning animated film Night Is Short, Walk On Girl. He also became the voice of the Father in Mamoru Hosoda's Mirai, which was released into theaters in Japan on July 20, 2018. Idaten, NHK's 2019 Taiga drama, chosen for the theme to encourage the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Hoshino portrayed Kazushige Hirasawa, who delivered the persuasive speech that helped determine the venue for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. On April 30, 2018, it was announced that Hoshino will star in Samurai Shifters, the film adaptation of Akihiro Dobashi's historical novel Hikkoshi Daimyo Sanzenri, set to premier on August 30, 2019. In the movie, he plays a bookworm samurai called Harunosuke Katagiri, who receives the mission to help a daimyo move. It will be Hoshino's first lead role in a live-action movie since Blindly in Love in 2013.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 28, 1981 (45)
From
Saitama, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 62 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Up 29% in 30 days

What are Gen Hoshino's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
33%
Bonds
27%
Ideas
13%
Society
13%
Survival
11%
Morality
3%
Purpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 7
Hero
2 of 7
Trickster
1 of 7
Shadow
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
8
Joyful
5
Contemplative
5
Absurd
2
Tense
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gen Hoshino's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gen Hoshino's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

62 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • GROTESQQQUE (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Kento Kurikura (voice)

  • Gen Hoshino presents MAD HOPE MAD MUSIC (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Hiraba no Tsuki(2025)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Sakamoto Days(2025)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Slow Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Doumeki Mi

  • Last Mile(2024)

    as Kazumi Shima

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Spy x Family Code: White(2023)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hoshi of the Girls' Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Hoshi-sensei (voice)

  • おげんさんのサブスク堂 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · as おげんさん

  • Ghost Book(2022)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Teen Regime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Taira Kiyoshi

  • Spy x Family(2022)

    Show 11 episodes · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Hoshino Gen no Ongaku Kōron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · Actor

  • Cube(2021)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Why I Dress Up for Love(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The Full-Time Wife Escapist: New Year's Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Hiramasa Tsuzaki

  • The Voice of Sin(2020)

    as Toshiya Sone

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • MIU404(2020)

    Show 11 episodes · as Kazumi Shima

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • We Married as a Job: New Year's Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 11 episodes · Actor

  • 108: Revenge and Adventure of Goro Kaiba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Theme Song Performance

  • Gen Hoshino Stadium Tour: Pop Virus(2019)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Achikochi Audrey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 175 episodes · Theme Song Performance

  • Samurai Shifters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Harunosuke Katagiri

  • Mirai(2018)

    as Father (voice)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Half Blue Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 156 episodes · Theme Song Performance

  • Doraemon: Nobita's Treasure Island(2018)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Plage -Share House for Losers- (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 5 episodes · as Yoshimura Takao

  • Kahogo no Kahoko(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • おげんさんといっしょ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 7 episodes · as おげんさん

  • The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl(2017)

    as Senpai (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Full-Time Wife Escapist(2016)

    Show 11 episodes · Theme Song Performance · as Tsuzaki Hiramasa

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Moriyamachu Driving School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Theme Song Performance

  • Chieri and Cherry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Cherry (voice)

  • Dr. Storks(2015)

    Show 21 episodes · as Haruki Shinomiya

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Love & Peace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as PC-300 (voice)

  • Crazy for Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · Theme Song Performance

  • The Day Kouhaku Was Born (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as George Mabuchi

  • Last Night's Curry, Tomorrow's Bread (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · as 寺山一樹

  • 昨夜のカレー 明日のパン (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show Creator

  • Tamako in Moratorium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Theme Song Performance

  • Why Don't You Play in Hell?(2013)

    as Kouji Hashimoto

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • LIFE! Jinsei ni Sasageru Konto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Blindly in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Kentaro

  • Saint Young Men: The Movie(2012)

    Theme Song Performance · as Gautama Buddha (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Saint☆Young Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Buddha (voice)

  • Paikaji Nankai Sakusen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Theme Song Performance

  • The Woodsman and the Rain(2011)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Odd Family 11 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · as Hiroyuki Sanada

  • My Husband is a Cartoonist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 156 episodes · Actor

  • 大人計画「サッちゃんの明日」 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Brass Knuckle Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Band Member

  • Non-ko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Masaru

  • Mirai koshi Meguru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 10 episodes · as Hideo Eguchi

  • Detective School Q (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 11 episodes · as Detective Nekota

  • 大人計画ウーマンリブｖｏｌ．１０「ウーマンリブ先生」 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Once Again Sugar & Spice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 4 episodes · as Koyama

  • Akihabara@DEEP (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 12 episodes · as Taiko

  • Tiger & Dragon(2005)

    Show 11 episodes · as Dontsuku Hayashiyatei

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • 弟 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • 大人計画ウーマンリブｖｏｌ．８「轟天ＶＳ港カヲル」 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • 69(2004)

    as Yuzuru Nakamura

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Gekidan Engimono (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 62 titles, 61 of them dated from 2004 to 2026; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

Mirai (2018)

$29M worldwide

Highest rated

The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Dr. Storks (2015)

Film career

20042026

Peak 2017 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2009Screen debut· Brass Knuckle Boys
  • 2013First top-billed film· Saint☆Young Men

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting44 of 62: 42 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thWriting1 of 62: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleOther crew19 of 62: 17 only other crew, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score77th

By decade

2000s13 · acting2010s30 · 19 acting · 13 crew2020s18 · 11 acting · 7 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 29% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Gen Hoshino's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 78th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 89th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Gen Hoshino Stadium Tour: Pop Virus (2019)

76th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)

Midcredits 94th · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Gen Hoshino's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 26 · mildMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Gen Hoshino work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gen Hoshino's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Akiko Nogi shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers