21 Sex Symbols for the 21st Century
Happy New Year ASTYLE fans! Without a Y2K bug in site and with tremendous delight, it is
our pleasure to present the hottest and sexiest Asian celebrities of the new millennium
in our first inaugural and millennial "ASTYLE Sex Symbols" list. The selection process was
both arduous and time consuming. With millions of you voting for your favorite celebrity
and our panel of international judges often engaged in heated deliberation, it sure was
interesting. Who will make the cut this year? Stay tuned as we roll out one featured sexy
celebrity every Friday. And without further delay, here are the hottest celebrities you dream
about.
Color me a can of Delmonte crushed pineapple in heavy syrup and serve me
up with a chilled fork! Oh, c’mon. Who wouldn’t want to be devoured by
"Badge No. 223"? You know, the painfully attractive,
lovesick cop with a peculiar fancy for canned pineapples dated May 1st?
For those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about and still haven’t seen
Takeshi Kaneshiro’s heart-warming performance in Wong-Kar Wai’s 1994 cult classic
"Chungking Express," you don’t deserve to be enlightened. Perhaps one of "the" finest profiles to
ever grace the silver screen, 26-year-old Takeshi Kaneshiro is an international phenomenon.
Like Tiger Woods, whose fresh talent and unique race-mix has caused quite a stir in the world of sports, Takeshi has had an equally enigmatic and concentric effect in the world of Asian entertainment. Oh, by the way, this man is so fine. Born to a Taiwanese mother and Japanese father, Takeshi is definitely a delicious, exotic mix. Add on some depth to Takeshi’s handsome-boy portfolio with the ability to sing and act. Did I fail to mention that this former Prada poster boy speaks Taiwanese (like a native), Mandarin (fluently), Japanese (as if he were a traveling scholar), Cantonese (with a darling accent), and English (with ease)? This might offer some explanation why critics have heralded the Eastern import, if not for his acting ability, but his keen intellect. His intelligence extends beyond his mere acting and singing ability. He’s smart about what projects he takes. Takeshi is grateful for the luxury of being "picky" with his projects. "Basically my main concern is whether or not the role is challenging. Making a Chinese movie or a Japanese movie is the same to me. I just want to make some good movies and hope that audiences appreciate them."
With over 10 CDs, 25 movies to his credit, and the voiceover work for the
game "Bio-Hazard," this young man has been and continues to be busy.
This past Monday Takeshi’s new television drama aired Asia-wide. On
April 15, 2000, Takeshi’s new movie "Space Traveler"
will be released in Japan. As for satisfying all of
his different audiences, "I think it would be great if more and more
people could see my work, no matter [if] it's in Chinese or Japanese.
As long as people see it and they like it, I would feel very happy."
His work on "Bio-Hazard" was inspired by his computer-game fanaticism.
Takeshi had mentioned that some of his most entertaining moments have
come from the time he has spent on the Internet. Sometimes he will
log onto a chat with an alias. That’s right ladies, you may have already
chatted with Takeshi and didn’t even know it. I’ve got goose bumps.
Like a million moths to one large, white-hot flame, Takeshi’s raw animal
magnetism accounts for hypnotic effect over the feminine species.
There is nothing sexier than a hot guy with a soft side. Known for
his tenderness and compassion for animals, Takeshi has been spotted
stopping his car just to escort a little dog from one side of the
road to the other. Awww! He has also inflamed the jealousy of some
of his female assistants. To the chagrin of the female assistant who
was frantically searching for him on the set of "Tempting Heart,"
she finally found Takeshi mindlessly caressing a fat and
content cat on his stomach and oblivious to the mayhem his absence
created. What I wouldn’t to be that cat! Nicknamed "Aniki" or "Gum
Sing-Mo," Takeshi is an amalgam of all things wonderful. And to think,
the bullies made fun of him when he was growing up for his mixed blood
background. I’d like to see the looks on those faces now. Ha!
Listen to some of Takeshi's best! (Requires Real Audio)
Standard Lover (Mandarin)
Always Willing (Mandarin)
Look Back, Could we Fall in Love Again? (Cantonese)
Missed Date (Cantonese)
Love Me Once Again (Japanese)
Tender Passions (Japanese)
