Speaking of Asano, he's often compared tp Johnny Depp and he's certainly as enigmatic. Luckily he's also a workaholic, in fact just going by the films I've seen him in over the last few years, I have to wonder if the Japanese film industry would collapse without him:

The Buried Forest (2005) 
Survive Style 5 (2004)
Vital (2004)
Caf Lumire (2003)
Zatoichi (2003)
Last Life in the Universe (2003)
Distance (2001) 
Electric Dragon 80.000 V (2001)
Gohatto (1999)
Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl (1998) 
Love & Pop (1998) 
Maborosi (1995)

Most of these are quality films, just take the ones I've seen from 2003, three of the best films produced that year. 
If he was an American actor he'd be the hottest property in the World!

And he's still only a youngster.

Cheers Trev.