Shogo Kusano
BIOGRAPHY
Shogo Kusano (Japanese: 草野翔吾; born April 18, 1984) is a Japanese film director. He directed the 2026 MBS boys’ love drama The Boy and I Who Will Break Up in 100 Days, adapted from the novel by the late Asahara Naoto.
Born in Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, he graduated from Gunma Prefectural Kiryu High School before studying at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University, where he began directing as a member of the university’s film club and won several student film festival awards. While still a student he also directed special dramas for NHK-BS.
His directing credits include Mogera Wogura (2007) and Karappo (2012, English title Empty), his second film, made independently. Karappo was selected for the Okinawa International Movie Festival’s Panorama Screening and the Takasaki Film Festival’s “Young Directors Now” program. It was followed by Boku ga Shugaku Ryoko ni Ikenakatta Riyu (2013), the manga adaptation Nigakute Amai (2016, English title Bittersweet), Sekai de Ichiban Nagai Shashin (2018), Kanojo ga Suki na Mono wa (2021, English title What She Likes) and Aimitagai (2024, released in November).
His credits also include the Netflix series S and X and the film Okina Tamanegi no Shita de, which reached cinemas in February 2025. His music video for THE BAWDIES’ “NO WAY” was selected among the Best Videos at the Space Shower Music Video Awards.
Look at the calendar near the end of his list. Aimitagai opened in November 2024, Okina Tamanegi no Shita de followed about three months later, and the 2026 drama began about fifteen months after that, so three projects sit inside roughly eighteen months.
Shogo Kusano moved from a university film club to feature directing, and in 2026 to a boys’ love drama.
He directed The Boy and I Who Will Break Up in 100 Days, adapted from Asahara Naoto’s novel. His earlier feature Kanojo ga Suki na Mono wa (2021) shares its title with a 2025 television drama in which Tatsumi Asa appears.
Alongside narrative films he has made music videos, among them the THE BAWDIES clip for “NO WAY”.
In my view, Kusano’s list shows a director who moves easily between scales: a student film that filled seats, independent features, music videos and, since 2019, a steady run of television series. What stayed with me is how regularly those series arrived, with a new one in nearly every year up to 2024. For a first taste of his directing I would start with Aimitagai and then look at the television work that led up to the 2026 drama.
PROFILE DETAILS
- Native Name
- 草野翔吾
- Real Name
- Shogo Kusano (草野翔吾)
- Born
- (Age 42)
- Birthplace
- Kiryu, Gunma, Japan
- Gender
- Male
- Western Zodiac
- Aries ♈
- Chinese Zodiac
- Rat 🐭
- Profession
- Nationality
- Debut
- 2007 · Mogera Wogura (2007)
- Years Active
- 2007-present
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