Members
Yoshi Amao
Yoshi Amao is an actor/founder/director of Samurai Sword Soul.
He plays a role of Sera in FX’s SHOGUN, which wins 19 Emmy Award including Best Drama.
Yoshi was born in Osaka and moved to New York in 1990. He learned Waki-ryu Tate (Japanese sword fighting) under Tahei Waki, and formed Samurai Sword Soul in 2003.
His theatrical acting careers are Off Broadway Shows; Chushingura~47 ronin at A.R.T./New York Theatres, and Deadly She-Wolf Assassin at Armageddon! at La MaMa Theater (NYC) as a lead actor/co choreographer, which was highly acclaimed by the New York Times.
He also worked as a fight director for Pacific Overtures at Signature Theater in DC and Tarantino Live in London.
Other actor’s credits on TVs/Films are Mr. Robot (USA), Blacklist (NBC), Billions (Showtime), Samurai Sportsman (OLN) and 11 award-winning short film, My Daughter Yoshiko, etc.
Koji
Nishiyama
Koji Nishiyama was born and raised in Nagoya, Japan. After completing his civil engineering degree, he decided to pursue his long time passion – acting. He came to New Yorin in 2009 where he graduated from New York Film Academy acting program. He then joined Samurai Sword Soul theater company where he trained in sword fighting. He has been working and performing with them ever since. Koiji is not a stranger to dramatic, action and comedic roles. Theatre credits include She-Wolf, Assassin, The Wrestler, Red Bull and The Infinite Spirits. Film credits include Bounty Warz, Vampire Hunter, Afro Samurai, Chase and Wax Museum. Koji’s hunger for new knowledge and experiences encorages him to continuously advance in his acting career.
Masaya
Okubo
Masaya Okubo was born and raised in Aichi, Japan.
SAG-AFTRA. His on-camera credits include many independent films, TV; "Shola's Voice" "Impractical Jokers", Theater/Performance; "Coltrane in Japan", and as a featured performer in Samurai Sword Soul.
He was recently in the SquareSpace Superbowl ad 2024 directed by Martin Scorsese.
As a voice artist, he has a regular role in a Japanese dubbed American cartoon “Caillou” as Daddy. Commercials: Google, YouTube, Gucci, Audi, Swiss Airline, Amazon and more. Video Games: Wayfinder (Digital Extreme Ltd. / Playstation 5 and PC), Firefight (Sean O'Conner / Android, iOS and STEAM), Master of Knights- Tactics RPG (Neowiz Games / Android, iOS). A Netflix movie “Kate” commercial that he gave a narration won the Best Internet Commercial Award in 2022 LA American Advertising Awards.
Saori
Goda
Saori Goda was born and raised in Osaka, Japan. In 2009, Saori moved to NY and brushed up on her acting skills at HB studio and Stella Adler. Her TV debut was as Janet Fujimoto on Travel Channel which led to a number of roles in the following years, including Love Your Selfie (NBC), Related Parts’ film A Man Full Of Days, Global Film Network Inc’s film Cocktail Party and Disney Vacation Club Video. Besides, Goda has been appearing on NHK’s North America Cable’s TV Japan Club, has hosted at Carnegie Hall, Cherry Blossom Festivals at BBG and in DC, and also has done voice works for Apple, NFL, Panasonic etc.
George Basley
George grew up in Rockland County, New York, and moved into the city after receiving his degree in fine arts. He first saw Samurai Sword Soul perform in 2012 Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Two years later, he began studying under Yoshi Amao. He made his stage debut in 2018, and looks forward to future performances. George also practices Shanxi Seven Star Praying Mantis under Master Longfei Yang, and has been studying the style since 2015. When he's not practicing martial arts, George teaches high school history and English, coaches debate, and works on writing and game design projects. He continues to commit himself to both teaching and learning.
Philippe Javier Garcesto is proud to make his debut performances with Samurai Sword Soul during the Spring of 2024. He was born in Iloilo City, Philippines and moved to Maplewood, New Jersey in 1993. He earned his BFA from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2007. He is a mixed media performance artist and Actor. He was recently published in February 2024 with two pieces in "Poetic People Power: Three Spoken Word Shows for Social Change" Award winning compilation courtesy of National Indie Excellence Awards. Most recent film credits include the leading role in Indie Filipino-American Comedy "Filipinos Get Some" and his film stunt performer debut in "Dark Aces". He is a certified Krav Maga instructor and also studies Filipino Martial Arts, Longsword, Quarterstaff, and Saber. He is proud to announce that he will be writing his first One Man Show during an Artist Residency with The Bar Hill Players in July 2024.
www.philippegarcesto.com
Philippe Garcesto
Shiho
Matsuoka
Shiho Matsuoka is an actor/model/singer/gamer based in NYC, originally from Kyoto Japan. Shiho (志保), means to ‘keep the passion’ in Japanese, and she lives up to her name. After working as a producer in journalism for 10 years, she has decided to become a full time actor and joined SSS.
TV/Film credits include WrestleNMania, Zo in Exile and The FunikiJam Show Holiday Specials.
Theatre credits include Off Broadway Funikijam Totally Awesome Summer, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Stuffy Fluffy and To Live in Peace.
Natalie
Thomas
Natalie Thomas is proud to be a member of Samurai Sword Soul starting in August 2024 and started performing for the Spring 2025 season. As acting and performance is still a new passion for her, she started out graduating college with a degree in fashion design. After moving to NYC from her hometown of Westfield Indiana, Natalie has worked for several designer brands including Theory, Helmut Lang, and Ralph Lauren.
Later in her career she started skateboarding which led to physical expression through movement. Samurai Sword Soul is the perfect intersection where Natalie can combine her artistic eye with kinetic play. She will be attending Kawashima Textile School for the Summer 2025 International student course to expand her fashion design and will return for more performances in the fall.
Micro Fukuyama
Micro Fukuyama has been fascinated with classical ballet since she was 3 years old. By the time she graduated from high school, she had explored various dance genres such as hip-hop, jazz, tap, and house, discovering the joy of expression. She passed the highly competitive Tokyo Disneyland audition and performed as a cast member, where she also developed a deep appreciation for acting and learned many valuable things. In 2004, she moved to the US alone to hone her dance skills. From 2005, she studied under Yako Miyamoto, a former STOMP cast member, and expressed the fusion of Japanese and American cultures through funk tap and Japanese Taiko drumming. In 2025, she began a new chapter under the guidance of Yoshino Amao, and her performances, which attract people more than ever, are not to be missed!
Tetsu Ishida
Tetsu Ishida was born and raised in NYC in 2014,Tetsu has been learning Karate for 7years at Astoria Bushiken Karate Dojo under Shihan Takao.He had great success in competitions, winning 1st place in Kumite at the Bushiken Karate Tournament in 2021, 2nd place in 2024, and 3rd place in both Kata and Kumite in 2025.
Tetsu began at attending Samurai class in 2024,His passion for swords was so intense that it led him to accidentally make holes in the walls of his home with his blade.
Tetsu is very happy and proud to be able to train with swords together with Yoshi and the other members of Samurai.
Madeline Weber is a performer and producer who has been living and working in NYC since 2014. She joined Samurai Sword Soul in the fall of 2025 and has a love of martial arts and dance. As resident performer at House of Yes since 2021, she has appeared at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, LIPS: Rocky Horror LIVE!, and Glitterbox PRIDE with Billy Porter. Madeline holds a degree in computer science and studied theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Maddie Webber
Saho
Ito
Saho Ito is an actor/dancer born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She began ballet at an early age, which sparked her passion for performance. While in college, and after engaging in theatre work in Japan, she was deeply inspired to pursue acting in NYC, which had first captivated her when she visited in 2019. She moved to New York in 2023 to follow her passion and trained at The Neighborhood Playhouse, focusing on the Meisner Technique and developing her craft as an actor. She graduated from the 2-Year Conservatory Program in May 2025. She started taking classes with SSS in July and made her samurai performance debut at Fun Fest Japan in October 2025. She also performed in SSS’s 20th Anniversary Show and is excited to continue training and performing in sword fighting.
Instagram: @saho.ito7
Musician
Hirotoshi Umeda
Percussion / Drums
Born in KUMAMOTO, JAPAN is a percussionist and drummer.
He started playing the drums when he was 18 years old and has performed at several Japanese tours, appeared in some festivals.
- From 2006-2010 he performed as a drummer in the Fukuoka band called ALOHA(Japan).
- In 2014 he moved to New York.
Now he joined with Samurai Sword Soul at Sakura Matsuri. And he supports artists of various genres according to their style of music.
Seiichiro Koizumi
Shamisen (Japanese three strings guitar) / Flute
Seiichiro has been a live musician for Samurai Sword Soul since launching the company in 2003. He plays Shamisen (Japanese traditional instrument), Japanese Flute, Hyoushigi (Japanese wooden clapper), and other sound effects. He also plays for some other performance groups and his own. Seiichiro also plays E.guitar and E.bass with: urban gourd psychedelic POP “Small Mountain Path“, hard core experimental heavy rock “YABUHEBI“, and support member of under ground ero-gro hard-core progressive rock. “GELATINE“.