Eriko Tamura

Eriko Tamura introduces 'Heroes'

Tuesday 15th July, 10:04 AM JST

TOKYO —

Actress Eriko Tamura, 35, who has been in the United States since 2000, returned to Japan this month and showed up at a press conference on Monday to introduce the popular TV drama series “Heroes,” in which she appears as Masi Oka’s girlfriend.

Tamura said her time in the U.S. was mostly spent going to auditions as she pursued her dream to be an actress in Hollywood. “Since I couldn’t speak English at all, I even hated to pick up the phone. It wasn’t just the language; cultural differences were also an issue. I failed in lots of auditions. But I always believed in my dream and I’m really happy now because I’ve been working hard so far.”

Season two of “Heroes” will be aired in Japan on satellite broadcast channel Super!Drama TV from July 29.

Latest 15 of 30 Total Comments Show All

mayuko at 03:11 PM JST - 15th July

I remember she defeated Riyo Mori in the Heroes' audition.
chardk1 at 03:41 PM JST - 15th July

You have to love how Masi Oka (a dang smart guy) undoubtedly speaks Japanese AND English better than 99.99% of the knuckleheads on this board, and yet gets guff for his supposedly lousy Japanese. You people kill me, seriously.
LFRAgain at 03:53 PM JST - 15th July

His Japanese isn't bad, as far as I can tell, but there are some stresses and intonations he uses that kind of pluck a string somewhere in the back on my skull and make me ask, "Is that right?" Still, I don't think it's bad enough to diminish the show.

I've been watching it with my Japanese wife here, and she says there's something a little off about it. She says it's not that it sucks grammatically or anything, but that it's just off enough to be distracting, considering he's supposed to be Japanese. I mean, he is, but... Well, you know what I mean.
RepublicofTexas at 05:05 PM JST - 15th July

Referring to my comment, I wasn't talking about Masi Oka I was talking about James Kyson Lee and George Takei [the best friend(Ando) and father(Mr. Nakamura)]. I don't know why people are criticizing Masi Oka
kinniku at 05:22 PM JST - 15th July

ROT,

Thanks for clearing that up. Fair enough. In addition, certainly you are correct that James Kyson Lee and George Takei are not native speakers. However, I love the fact that a mainstream US show, using mainstream actors, is featuring the Japanese language.

As far as 'Masi Oka' is concerned, he is supposed to kind of be an 'otaku' and in turn, he is speaking like one. Although many Japanese living long term in foreign countries do tend to morph their Japanese a bit, Oka's Japanese is quite natural.
ReikiZen at 05:53 PM JST - 15th July

I think the comment that because she can't speak English well then she must be a bad actress. That is the lamest comment I have ever heard. That's like saying Ichiro Suzuki can't play Baseball because his English is poor. I like someone saying that to a Mariners fan. You likely will get your lights knocked out lol. So her English isn't great. Neither is mine and I have been speaking it all my life. In a way Japanese and Americans are very similar in a since. Neither one of us are very good with speaking other languages other then our own. So I think I can give miss Eriko a break since she made the attempt at least. More then I can say for many of us.
def at 10:15 PM JST - 15th July

The main reason Masi Oka's voice is dubbed is that he slowly starts using English throughout the series, and it would be jarring to switch voices, between his real Japanese one, and the one covering his English. I wonder how they get across that his English is getting better?
lipscombe at 01:13 AM JST - 16th July

all this debate is distracting from the fact that HEROES is complete rubbish
motytrah at 02:21 AM JST - 16th July

For season the II the issue isn't going to be how well Japanese is spoken. The fact is the writers strike took a HEAVY toll on the show. The plot and story arc is totally off because of it. It's a rather disappointing season.

I assume that Hayden Panettiere is not going to be in Japan to promote season II considering the arrest warrant that was issued last time she was in town.
Xentrix at 03:39 AM JST - 16th July

ReikeZen, You are absolutely right. We have the same opinion.
himasan at 06:31 AM JST - 16th July

lipscombe-best comment so far ReikeZen-Ichiro wacks a ball with a bat, language doesnt affect his game, Eriko is acting in a US show, of course her english ability affects her level of acting. Why should we give he a break for trying, this isnt preschool.
chardk1 at 06:08 PM JST - 16th July

I think the comment that because she can't speak English well then she must be a bad actress. That is the lamest comment I have ever heard.

Fair enough, "virtually unemployable actress in the relevant market due to lack of necessary language skills" and "bad actress" are not the same thing. For one thing, it's a lot easier to find work if you are merely a bad actress.
def at 03:17 AM JST - 17th July

I've mostly forgotten season II of Heroes, but didn't Tamura speak only Japanese in all her roles? She may have not been hired for English speaking roles, but she did fine in her role as a medieval Japanese person on Heroes. For the record, I doubt anyone on that show will be looking at an Emmy anytime soon, though that Sylar guy is somewhat convincing.
Xentrix at 03:40 AM JST - 17th July

Eriko? she is beautiful and talented. HeroesII maybe more fun to see more than before.
jpdrag0n at 01:29 AM JST - 22nd July

...wait why were ppl bashing on masi's japanese? last time i heard his native tongue was japanese...

the non-native japanese people on this board talking about masi's intonations and stresses that are supposedly wrong need to get your heads outta your you know what. thats crazy that non-natives would be questioning his japanese language skill.