Katsuhisa Namase

Katsuhisa Namase (生瀬 勝久 , Namase Katsuhisa ; born 13 October 1960 in Nishinomiya) is a Japanese actor, known primarily for his roles in television dramas. His roles are often positions of authority, such as managers, principals, or police officers, but many of these characters also share a certain kookiness and incompetence. Several of these characters wear wigs for comic effect.

He graduated from the Doshisha University Department of Sociology, Faculty of Letters in 1986.

Namase married model and yoga instructor Yoko Horimoto in 1997 in Hawaii. The couple have one child, a son.

Namase joined the Theater Company Sotobakomachi [ja] in 1983. The first stage role he appeared in was "Sarutobi Sasuke". In 1986 he became the 4th chairman of Sotobakomachi. Around 2001, while working with the theatre company, which he soon departed, he started appearing in a series of late-night variety shows, including Yomiuri TV's "Weekly TV Kojien" gaining popularity, especially among university students. He had many regular TV and radio programs, and became an opinion leader among young people in the Kansai region.

He has also been active as a playwright and director.