Taichi Nishimura, known professionally as Taichi Saotome, is a Japanese actor and former singer best known for playing young men and onnagata roles of women. He is known as "Nagashime Ōji".
His father is the head of the theatre troupe Gekidan Sujaku, and Saotome grew up within the troupe, performing primarily in taishū engeki. Identified as having a natural talent as an onnagata, he has been trained in that field, and performs in female roles onstage. He has acted in two films by director Takeshi Kitano. In 2003, in Zatoichi, he portrayed the child Seitaro who, when older, disguised himself as a geisha. Though in a different troupe from Tachibana, the two have frequently practiced and performed together. Saotome was also in Kitano's 2005 film, Takeshis', in which he was credited as himself, playing a young female impersonator and dancer. Saotome also plays young male roles, particularly those with a bishōnen aesthetic, i.e. graceful, beautiful young men. In 2005, he played the role of Mori Ranmaru in a National Museum event called "Sengoku Fantasy", and on New Year's 2007, he played a young Horibe Yasubee in the NHK New Year's jidaigeki play.
Career
Though he has not appeared in many films, Saotome has a fan following in the theatre, and his official fan club was established in 2006. He has said that he does not really understand his appeal, but is happy that people of all agesenjoy his performances. His appearance on the variety showD no Gekijō in late January 2007 was one of a number of his events which have generated an overwhelming fan response. It was arranged that he would reprise the same performance, a dance in a flower-decorated kimono, at the Taishōkan, soon afterwards. The performance was sold out the next day. Saotome has expressed a desire to play men's roles and to perform in more mainstream or traditional theatre, saying that he has never much cared for playing female roles. Beginning in October 2010, Saotome will star in the stage production of the otome game, Hakuouki. He has been cast as vice commander, Hijikata Toshizo, of the Shinsengumi.
