Portrait of Rome Kanda

ACTOR / COMEDIAN / HOST

ROMEKANDA.

神田瀧夢 KANDA ROMU

A presence beyond borders.

Actor. Comedian. Host.
Japanese spirit. A world of expression.

Explore the work

THE PERSON BEHIND THE PERFORMANCEABOUT ROME

Portrait of Rome Kanda

ROME KANDA / 神田瀧夢

Japanese spirit.
Worldwide expression.

From Osaka to an international stage, Rome Kanda has built a career across film, television, comedy and games. Working in Japan and the United States, he moves between dramatic roles, comic performance and live hosting with a distinctive physical presence.

His work includes Dr. Robert Muramoto in Netflix’s Maniac, the English voice of Goro Takemura in Cyberpunk 2077, and a leading role in Ohenro. Japanese martial arts and traditional performance inform his craft; humor and human connection remain at its heart.

Instagram @romekandaFollow Rome’s latest updates

From Osaka to the world — read his story

A purpose beyond the performance.

A journey that shaped his purpose

Rome’s solo travels took him through 30 countries. Encounters with different cultures, including his experiences in India, strengthened his commitment to sharing Japanese culture with the world. Training in karate, kendo, iaido, stage combat, noh, kyogen and traditional Japanese dance helped shape his physical approach to acting.

Building a career in New York

After working in Japanese cinema, Rome moved to New York in 1999. He approached numerous talent agencies in his search for representation, pursuing opportunities as both an actor and a comedian. From Tokyo Pop and Takeshi Kitano’s Sonatine to Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant!, his screen work connects Japan and the United States.

Bringing Japanese culture to American television

In 2008 and 2009, Rome hosted ABC’s I Survived a Japanese Game Show, bringing comedy and Japanese culture to an American audience. The series received the Rose d’Or award. He also published his autobiography, Samurai Spirit, with Gentosha, and appeared in Newsweek Japan’s May 18, 2011 selection of “25 Japanese People Respected by the World.”

A craft that crosses mediums

Alongside film and television, Rome’s work encompasses voice acting, stage performance and acting instruction. Dramatic tension, comic timing and the physical discipline of Japanese performance traditions all inform his approach to reaching audiences across languages and cultures.

FEATURED WORK

Three worlds. One performer.

A feature film, a Netflix series and a game. Explore the roles behind the name.

FILM / TELEVISION / GAMES

FEATURE FILM / LEADING ROLE

Ohenro cast portraits: Rome Kanda, Hitomi Kuroki, Ahn Mika and Mari Banno. — Cast portraits · Cheryl Jackson / Yusuke Kashiwazaki / 222 Pictures

OHENRO

A film by Joshua Woodcock

ROME KANDA AS SHINJI

A journey through grief. A way back to family.

Rome Kanda stars as Shinji, a father struggling with the loss of his wife, in Joshua Woodcock’s Japanese-language drama. The ensemble also features Hitomi Kuroki, Mari Banno and Ahn Mika in a story of family, memory and renewal.

Set against the Shikoku pilgrimage in Japan, the film follows Shinji and his daughter Kyoko as they seek a connection to his late wife, Haruka. Rooted in a distinctly Japanese landscape, Ohenro explores the universal experience of loss and the possibility of moving forward.

ROLE: Shinji / Lead
DIRECTOR: Joshua Woodcock
CO-STARS: Hitomi Kuroki · Mari Banno · Ahn Mika

Planned for 2027 · Release dates and territories are subject to official announcements.

Read the Variety feature Explore the director’s film page

NETFLIX / LIMITED SERIES / 2018

Maniac key art and scenes featuring Rome Kanda as Dr. Robert Muramoto. — MANIAC · Key art & scenes

MANIAC

A Netflix limited series

ROME KANDA AS DR. ROBERT MURAMOTO

At the intersection of science and the surreal.

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, Maniac follows strangers brought together by an experimental pharmaceutical trial. Its world shifts between clinical reality and the unexpected landscapes of the mind.

Rome plays Dr. Robert Muramoto, a physician involved in the trial. The accompanying scenes offer a look at his performance across the series’ distinctive visual worlds, from the research facility to its more fantastical settings.

ROLE: Dr. Robert Muramoto
DIRECTOR: Cary Joji Fukunaga
FORMAT: Netflix limited series

Explore Maniac on Netflix

VIDEO GAME / ENGLISH VOICE / 2020

Cyberpunk 2077 collage featuring Goro Takemura and Rome Kanda recording his English-language voice performance. — CYBERPUNK 2077 · Goro Takemura / Rome Kanda

CYBERPUNK
2077

An open-world RPG by CD PROJEKT RED

GORO TAKEMURA / ENGLISH VOICE

The voice behind Goro Takemura.

Rome provides the English voice of Goro Takemura in Cyberpunk 2077, CD PROJEKT RED’s open-world role-playing game. Takemura is a key figure in the story unfolding across Night City.

A man defined by loyalty and a strong sense of duty, Takemura also reveals conflict and vulnerability. The role brings Rome’s acting craft into an interactive world, using voice, rhythm and timing to give the character a human presence.

ROLE: Goro Takemura
PERFORMANCE: English-language voice cast
DEVELOPER: CD PROJEKT RED

Visit the official game website

ABC / HOST

I SURVIVED A
JAPANESE GAME SHOW

Host of the ABC series, bringing his comic energy to a worldwide audience.

Hosting credits

FILM / STEVEN SODERBERGH

THE INFORMANT!

Hirokazu Ikeda in the film directed by Steven Soderbergh.

CREDITS

A body of work.

Film, television, games and live performance. Explore a career across disciplines.

Television
Production	Role / Performance	Network / Director / Notes
Maniac	Dr. Robert Muramoto	Netflix
Ray Donovan	Mr. Lee	Showtime
Tokyo Control	Keiichi Ohta	Fuji TV
Fameless	Chef Nariko	truTV
My 2 Black Girlfriends	Mr. Chinko	Quincy Productions
How to Human	Ted	Abso Lutely Productions
Man Teen	Taka	Web series

Film
Production	Role / Performance	Network / Director / Notes
Ohenro	Shinji / Lead	Joshua Woodcock
The Informant!	Hirokazu Ikeda	Steven Soderbergh
Sonatine	—	Takeshi Kitano
Just My Luck	Zuki	Donald Petrie
Brooklyn Rules	Kyoichi Ichi	Michael Corrente
Rollerball	Rick Kazuma	John McTiernan
Tokyo Pop	Minoru	Fran Rubel Kuzui
Memory & Desire	Taka Tanaka	Niki Caro
Yakuza in NY	Akira	Dragon Star Entertainment

Theater
Production	Role / Performance	Network / Director / Notes
Petrushka	Moor (Lead)	New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
NY Commedia Dell’Arte	Original member	Sketch comedy
Bonsan	—	Noh / Kyogen
Eternal	—	Butoh
Samurai Sword Fighting Show	Sword dancer	Europe

THE CRAFT

Expression in every movement.

LANGUAGES

Japanese (native) · English

MARTIAL ARTS

Karate (black belt) · Kendo · Sword fighting

MOVEMENT

Jazz · Kabuki · Noh · Butoh

PERFORMANCE

Stage combat choreography · Pantomime · Voiceover

Training

Scene work: Neighborhood Playhouse
Method acting: Frank Corsaro
Improvisation: Lyn Pierse
Noh / Kyogen: Juro Zenchiku
Butoh: Kazuo Ohno
Commedia dell’arte: Mask training

PORTRAITS

One actor. Many expressions.

Select a portrait to take a closer look.

IN THE SPOTLIGHTPRESS & APPEARANCES

NEWSWEEK JAPAN

Beyond the spotlight.

Featured in Newsweek Japan’s “25 Japanese People Respected by the World,” recognizing his work as an entertainer connecting cultures.

May 18, 2011 issue

TEDxTOKYO / 2010

At TEDxTokyo in 2010, Rome shared his experiences and his commitment to bringing Japanese culture to the world.

Watch his TEDxTokyo talk

Newsweek Japan — The Japanese Edge / Rome Kanda, May 18, 2011 — NEWSWEEK JAPAN · MAY 18, 2011

Rome Kanda showing his ring in front of a wooden wall — ROME KANDA / OFF SCREENSelect a photo to enlarge

Rome Kanda wearing white glasses and showing his ring — ROME KANDA / OFF SCREENSelect a photo to enlarge

CONTACT / BOOKING

Work with Rome

For film and television roles, voice work, hosting, speaking engagements, press inquiries and other professional opportunities, please get in touch by email.

Please include your name, organization, project details and preferred dates.

Contact by email