Spring of 1972, he passed an examination of famous dramatic company "Bungaku-za". Soon he was chosen as new member for popular TV series "Taiyo ni hoero"(it means Bark at the sun), same time he passed an audition and stared in a SF action movie "Ohkami no monsyo"(it means Emblem of a wolf).

When he left this famous TV series, his role was a cop and killed by a coward, his dying performance was remarkable and sensational. The sequence became a legend of Japanese TV drama's history.

People took him granted for action star and offered much the same kind of roles. He loved action program pictures that he watched a lot in his childhood. From 1979 to 1980, he stared in TV series "Tantei Monogatari"(it means Detective Story) with familiar movie staff and actors. It was funny and showed his charm maximum. Even now this program re-broadcasting and also releasing video tapes and Laserdiscs. And this term, he held internal concert tour as a singer.(1980&81)

When he made a movie "Yaju Shisubesi"(it means Beast must die), he created ghastly character with losing wait about 10kg in spite of he was so slim by nature. This movie was his turning point. After that he spreaded his fields, and tried describe a character more deeper. In that term, he stared in "Kagerou-za""Kazoku Game (The Family Game)""Sorekara (And Then)", and also experienced direction in "A Homans"(1986). His private life was in confusion, he had divorced and got married to an actress Miyuki Kumagai (now Matsuda) in 1985. They have two sons and a daughter.

Fall of 1988, he took audition for American film which will be taken in Japan. The name of the role he got was Sato in "Black Rain". He was really excited, assimilated the way of Hollywood film-making, and enjoyed shooting. He made friends with co-star Andy Garcia. This film was opened in Japan on October 7, 1989. We thought "Yusaku came back to action movie!" but it was more than that, his performance was surpreme. The moment I believed next his film could be foreign film.

I'll never forget the morning of November 7, 1989. TV news caster said "Last evening, Mr.Yusaku Matsuda died of cancer." I was astonished, stunned, taken aback...the shock was indescribable. This sad news shook whole Japan. For my generation, he was nothing but a hero. Sad thing that I have to use past tense now. Perhaps you have same feeling as me if you've loved River Phoenix, Ayrton Senna, or someone who's gone too early.