Takuya Kimura

Takuya Kimura Profile

Name: Takuya Kimura
DOB: November 13, 1972
Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
Height: 176cm
Blood type: O
Profession: Actor, model and singer

(Also credited as Kimura Takuya, Kimutaku)

Takuya Kimura Biography


Takuya Kimura has been arguably Japan’s most influential artist internationally for more than a decade. Although not as dominating as he used to, Takuya still remains one of Japan most popular artists.

Takuya Kimura was enrolled into Johnny & Associates talent agency at age of 15, and was nurtured into becoming a superstar. Kimura started singing in a 12 members Jr. boy band Skate Boys before forming 6 members (now 5) SMAP in 1988.

SMAP members were introduced into B-list drama acting and modeling, before given their singing debut in 1991 with single Can’t Stop!! ~Loving, which was not a great hit.

SMAP later started to become famous by hosting variety show Love SMAP with Takuya Kimura emerging as the most popular among the SMAP members.

Kimura’s major breakthrough came in 1996 with TV drama Long Vacation, co-starring Yamaguchi Tomoko. Long Vacation was superhit in Japan and across Asia, and sparked the mass export of Japanese dramas overseas in the late 90s.

Takuya Kimura continued to star in countless popular TV dramas, like Love Generation, Beautiful Life, Hero, Good Luck and Pride etc.

SMAP also enjoyed their success with their music career later on, but just like Takuya Kimura, the other members are more popular as actors rather than singers especially when outside of Japan.

Takuya Kimura married Shizuka Kudo, another pop idol in 2000. They have a pair of daughters, Kokomi was born in 2001, while Mitsuki in 2003.

Takashi Sorimachi

Takashi Sorimachi Profile

Name: Takashi Sorimachi
Birth name: Takashi Noguchi
DOB: December 19, 1973
Birthplace: Saitama, Japan
Blood type: AB
Profession: Actor and singer

(Also known as Sorimachi Takashi)

Takashi Sorimachi Biography


Takashi Sorimachi is Japanese actor and singer, very popular in late 90s with TV drama like Beach Boys and GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka.

Takashi Sorimachi showed talent in acting and singing since junior high school, and was recruited by the famous Johnny’s Agency.

Takashi Sorimachi started his entertainment career with boy-band Heike-ha, and also as a backing dancer for another boy-band Hikaru Genji.

Takashi Sorimachi didn’t stay long with Johnny’s and turned model in 1990. Sorimachi posed for various magazines and did some catwalk.

Takashi Sorimachi started acting in 1994 in supporting roles; his first leading role was in 1997 with Virgin Road. Later in 1997 came Sorimachi’s breakthrough with superhit TV drama Beach Boys co-starring Yutaka Takenouchi and Ryoko Hirosue.

It’s also in 1997 that Sorimachi released his debut album in conjunction with the success of Beach Boys. Sorimach released another few more albums with decent success, but is more recognized as an actor.

1998 was perhaps the peak of his career with the highly rated TV drama GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka co-starring Nanako Matsushima, followed by a sequence movie in 1999.

Takashi Sorimachi also starred in another 1999 hit, Overtime with Makiko Esumi. Sorimachi was arguably Japan most popular artist back then, but his popularity started to fade after that.

Sorimachi’s only noticeable role since 1998 was probably in 2001 Chinese movie Fulltime Killer co-starring Andy Lau from Hong Kong.

Takashi Sorimachi married his GTO co-star Nanako Matsushima in 2001. The celebrity couple has a daughter born in 2001.

Although not as popular as he used to, Takashi Sorimachi still has his influence and continue starring in some TV drama and movies.

Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe Profile

Name: Ken Watanabe
DOB: October 21, 1959
Place of birth: Uonuma, Niigata prefecture, Japan
Profession: Actor

(Also credited as Watanabe Ken)

Ken Watanabe Biography


Ken Watanabe is arguably the most well known Japanese actor internationally. He starred in a few Hollywood blockbuster movies, including The Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins and Letters from Iwo Jima.

Ken Watanabe was nominated for the Academy Awards in 2004 for the best supporting actor category in The Last Samurai, co-starring Tom Cruise.

Ken Watanabe moved to Tokyo to start his acting career after graduating from high school. He started gaining notice as a stage actor before making his TV debut with Michinaru Hanran (Unknown Rebellion) in 1982.

Ken Watanabe made his movie debut in 1984 in MacArthur’s Children.

Ken’s breakthrough came in 1987, portraying as a Samurai in TV drama Dokuganryu Masamune (One eyed dragon, Masamune). The drama is still one of the highest rated Samurai-related series in Japan history; and Ken became quite a star since then.

Ken’s acting career suffered a setback in 1989 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He went into hiatus to undergo chemotherapy treatments, and only made his comeback in 1994, but suffered a relapse.

Ken Watanabe made another comeback in 1997 in award winning movie Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald. He then starred in Kizuna in 1998, which won him a Japanese Academy Awards for best supporting actor.

Ken Watanabe also managed to claim another 2 Japanese Academy Awards for best supporting actor in 2002 and 2003.

2003 also signalled Ken’s international breakthrough with The Last Samurai. He was nominated for multiple awards as best supporting actor. His popularity also led to his inclusion in People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People 2004 edition.

Ken’s popularity continued to rise in Hollywood with popular movies like Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins and Letters from Iwo Jima.

Ken Hirai

Ken Hirai Profile
Name: Ken Hirai
Birth date: January 17, 1972
Birth place: Higashiosaka, Osaka prefecture, Japan
Height: 183cm
Blood type: A
Profession: Singer and songwriter

(Also credited as Hirai Ken)


Ken Hirai Biography
Ken Hirai is popular Japanese R&B singer. He is one of Japan’s best selling singers in recent years.

Ken Hirai was signed by Sony Music in 1993 after a successful audition, and released his debut single, Precious Junk in 1995; followed by debut album Un-Balanced in the same year. Not superhit yet, but Ken was gaining a unique group of fans with his soulful voice.

Ken Hirai only released a few singles and another album in the 90s, while spending most of his time learning about music and improving his voice.

Ken’s effort paid off in early 2000s; his music was getting more and more popular and he finally got some #1 singles and sold millions of albums.

Ken’s compilation album 10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection ‘95-’05 was the best selling album of the year in 2006.