newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,110678,00.html
This time...the reporter is more possive.
HE was once the most elusive star of Asia, always holed up in his apartment in Tokyo.
Takeshi Kaneshiro. --AFP
But it seems Japanese-Taiwanese heart-throb Takeshi Kaneshiro has finally come out of his shell.
Since starring in and promoting Peter Chan's critically-acclaimed Perhaps Love late last year, the 33-year-old actor has kept his media exposure unusually high.
Gone are the days when the brooding chap would go under the radar for months, or even years.
Now, in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, his face is prominently displayed in advertisements for Master Kong's new wheat tea and Biotherm's homme range.
His new celluloid project was announced a few weeks ago: the Andrew Lau-Alan Mak collaboration, Confession Of Pain, an action thriller co-starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Shu Qi.
Even as you read this, Tokyo-based Takeshi is probably filming on the streets of Hong Kong, under the watchful eyes of the paparazzi.
He plays an alcoholic private investigator who gets involved in a murder case with a vengeful cop played by Leung.
And the surprise is this: Takeshi seems to have become less reclusive and more media-friendly with age.
It is not known what brought about the change, but he revealed this much on CNN's Talk Asia series:
'I think that I should act more... Peter (Chan) told me, why are you doing just one movie per year?
'Well, I didn't make this happen, it's only because there weren't really good stories that I felt like I wanted to do. But I feel like, yeah, maybe I should (act) more and more.'
Even the Hong Kong paparazzi noticed his more media-savvy ways.
Reports praised how he graciously posed for pictures after completing a street shoot for Confession early this month, despite his minders trying to block the cameras.
In his Taipei hometown, it's also heartening to know that Takeshi no longer hides behind a full-face helmet out of fear of being recognised in the street. Actually, he was last spotted there at a shabu shabu (Japanese steamboat) restaurant in May, clad in a conspicuous floral green shirt.
RUMOURS
Not even rumours of him getting secretly married could stop him from throwing a birthday party for his old pal, director Liu Guanghui, and inviting fellow celebrities such as singers A-mei and Rainie Yang.
Although he remains fiercely private and will not comment on relationships, he has given more interviews now than ever before.
That's on top of gamely touring five cities to promote Perhaps Love.
His ultimate act so far: Appearing on CNN's Talk Asia in February, and speaking in English throughout the show.
A brave move, considering that he recently confessed to Newsweek magazine that he finds speaking in English 'weird'. His chiselled face made the magazine cover, by the way.
Even if he is not the newsmaker, his name still makes headlines whenever it pops out of the mouths of fellow celebrities - mostly women, of course.
His air of mystery and exotic parentage - his dad is Japanese and his mum, Taiwanese - only adds to his charm, despite rumours of him being gay due to his lack of girlfriends.
Taiwanese pop queen Jolin Tsai named him her ideal movie co-star, while sex bomb Tian Xin admitted she harbours dreams of French-kissing him.
Hong Kong actress Josie Ho reportedly chatted him up eagerly when she visited his Confession set, but Shu Qi took the cake - and ate it.
She reportedly agreed to do Confession within five minutes of hearing who the other leads were, and the object of her desire was none other than Takeshi.
Calling him the 'most handsome guy in Asia', she confessed to trying to bribe the directors into adding an intimate scene for them, since they play old lovers.
Interestingly, the industry also keeps churning out Takeshi lookalikes in an attempt to find a successor to the dishy star (see report above).
But the real McCoy, known for his credible and dedicated acting, is still sizzling hot property with many top directors who offer him the best scripts, some from as far as Hollywood.
Before Confession, there was talk that he would appear in Chinese director Li Shaohong's Green Dragon Sabre, playing the red-faced general Guan Yu opposite Zhang Ziyi.
China Central Television named him as the first choice to play Bruce Lee in a 40-episode drama tribute to the martial arts legend.
He was also the preferred male lead for an unnamed period film that Sammi Cheng is slated to make a comeback in.
Offers from Hollywood have also poured in, ever since he did the small art house film Too Tired To Die with Mira Sorvino in 1998.
But Takeshi is wary of how Asians tend to get stereotyped roles in US films.
He told Newsweek: 'I have read some scripts, and I think the style is changing because they (Hollywood producers) want to go to China. They are fixing things.
'I think it's good for the actors, the range of characters in the movies is larger than before. So we'll see.'
So Hollywood will have to wait.
But for the moment, Asia is happy that he is elusive no more.
In my experience it was a combo of not liking to shop for clothes and a personal comfort connection to the item of clothing. What's funny is that guys tend to be more sentimental in hanging onto things than gals! 
