Actor / Adventurer / Earth Day Evangelist: Shun Shioya

2026.06.10

You can change your life depending on how you perceive your environment.

■ Profile
Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture in 1982. At the age of 15, he moved to Tokyo, believing that acting would be a profession where he could make use of his eventful life experiences. He made his debut as the lead in "Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger" and won various awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Newcomer of the Year, for his starring role in the film "Pacchigi!". He won the Best Film Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2024, he won the Best Picture Award at the Japan Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Outstanding Actor Award at the IMMA Asia Film Festival.
His latest film, "Men Without Borders," the Korean drama "The King of Alcohol," and the Nepalese film "Sukkamano" are scheduled for release.
The film "Sozoku," which he produced, is currently showing in theaters.
GARA organizes "Global Gift Gala TOKYO." They have launched a journey to 200 countries around the world, conducting overseas aid activities, environmental activities, and "dream lessons" for children around the globe in places like Africa and East Timor.

"Dreams always come true." Shun Shioya, who speaks so confidently, has certainly not had an easy life.
Conflicts with the family environment, truancy, and feelings of inferiority about oneself.
Despite experiencing numerous adversities, he has transformed encounters with people into strength, continuing his journey as an actor, film producer, and artist who travels the world while engaging in social contribution activities.
Having played a hero in "Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger," what he wants to convey is that "any past can become a force that makes the future shine."
We spoke to them about what motivates them to continue pursuing their dreams.

■Adversity makes you stronger

Meeting my homeroom teacher in the upper grades of elementary school was a major turning point that changed my life.

Up until then, I was a sensitive child, and due to my home environment where I didn't have parents, there were times when I couldn't go to school. The time I spent not going to school was a time for me to recharge my energy by watching educational programs intently and freely choosing and learning things I liked. I've always loved making things, and I would create things that I imagined could be useful in the world. When I gave these to my neighbors as gifts, they were happy, and often they would even give me meals.

While I had time to spend freely on my own, I think I was also conscious of connecting with those around me. Due to my father's job transfers, there were many changes in my environment, such as moving, but I was saved by the teachers who worried about me and came to my house many times, and by the people around me who helped me. I began to think about the warmth of society and why people were so kind to me. My teacher in 5th and 6th grade was a teacher who taught in a very free manner, and when I returned to school after a long absence, he appointed me as a leader along with the brightest student in the class and gave me the role of leading the lesson. From that time on, I found lessons interesting and felt the joy of expressing myself. The experiences of teachers who repeatedly took the time to carefully engage with me and showered me with affection have become the foundation of who I am today.

When I was in sixth grade, I became obsessed with cycling and started riding 50 kilometers every day. I entered a race at the suggestion of the bike shop I frequented, and I managed to win first place in my very first competition. Before that, I had always worried that I wasn't as fortunate as the people around me. However, my encounter with cycling changed my world. I loved the time I spent contemplating life while cycling, and through continuing to ride, I experienced firsthand that if I accomplished something, I could overcome my current limitations.

Many people may think that their life is determined by the environment they grow up in. But I've learned that whether you view that environment negatively or positively can change your life in countless ways. I don't think negative events are necessarily bad. On the contrary, I believe that facing adversity helps us clearly see the obstacles we need to overcome and the challenges we need to face. With each obstacle we overcome, we become stronger. And as we become stronger, our freedom in life increases. This means that when difficulties arise again, we can face them without fear, and we can solve problems much faster. I want to convey that even if you have nothing, even if it's something very small, you can still make people happy.

■ Expressions that only I can create

Receiving a special award at an audition when I was 15 was what got me into the entertainment industry. At the time, I had an inferiority complex about my family background and educational attainment, and I mistakenly believed that there were jobs that only wealthy people could do, which narrowed my life choices.
What attracted me the most was the world of expression. Of course, if I looked around, there were countless people who were better than me at singing or looking good. While I was thinking about what I could compete with, I remembered how I got goosebumps watching the first movie I ever rented, "Taxi Driver," where the protagonist reclaims his life and dedicates it to one person, and how I was struck by the realization that "this kind of thing" could be expressed to the world. I became convinced that I could use my turbulent experiences and life, which only I have lived, to my advantage as an actor. With that conviction, I decided that I wanted to change society and dedicate my soul to it, so I moved to Tokyo.

■ The importance of never giving up on your dreams

What I value most is gratitude and giving back. I believe that people can only be changed by other people. When you're suffering alone and lonely, just a hug from a friend saying "It's going to be okay" can be a lifesaver. I've seen so many scenes like that, and that feeling is always at the base of my expression. What I consider my greatest destiny is that the first role I was given was that of a hero (Hurricane Red) in "Hurricaneger." Having been helped by many people during difficult times, I now get to play the main character protecting the Earth and peace. I feel that all the hardships I've gone through up until now were for this purpose. Because I know pain, I can empathize with the suffering of others.
I became independent because I wanted to have my own opinions about society and use that energy to start something new. I've traveled around the world twice and am fully committed to the social activities I want to do, such as disaster relief and community building. If you act with conviction, it will surely take shape, and people will follow you. What I want to tell everyone who is chasing their dreams right now is to believe in yourself and never give up. The key to achieving your dreams is to make the steps clear. Prepare a notebook and write down all your strengths, weaknesses, and the obstacles you are facing. If you break them down one by one and find solutions, you will surely see the path to your goal. If you have strong enthusiasm, you can make your words come true. Since I was a child, I have been writing down the words of great people in my notebook. That's because those words permeate me and turn into action.
And this year I'm going on my third trip around the world. I've reorganized my business a bit, started streaming, and I believe that trying new things is what makes life enjoyable and is the key to my growth.
This year, I will also have a film in which I play the lead role released. Furthermore, I will be expanding my film production both domestically and internationally. My goal is to create forms of art that give back to the planet, with the aim of owning my own intellectual property and expanding it globally.

■Message to university students

The importance of knowing yourself
Try writing down your personal history, strengths, and weaknesses in a notebook. I want to convey that what might seem like a negative aspect of yourself is actually the best material for making you shine—a rough diamond.
Every painful experience will inevitably turn into something positive. So, don't deny your flaws; love them. If you love yourself, set clear goals, and take one step at a time, the path will surely open up for you.
Try to live your life believing that "dreams will definitely come true."

Interview with Student Newspaper Online on December 26, 2026 by Satsuki Sakakura, a third-year student at Tokyo Metropolitan University