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Toma Ikuta

Toma Ikuta (生田 斗真, Ikuta Tōma, born October 7, 1984) is a Japanese actor. Ikuta is known for his roles in Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, Honey & Clover, Sensei!, Maō and Ouroboros. He also stars in feature films, notably Hanamizuki, Ningen Shikkaku and Brain Man.

Career[edit]

Ikuta entered Johnny and Associates in 1996, when he was 11. He made his debut as an actor in 1997, after realizing that he would not go on as a singer in a group, like his friends around him.^[1]

The 2007, Fuji TV summer drama Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, controversial in its gender-bending nature, was perhaps Ikuta's biggest break in Japanese Entertainment.^[2][3] Following his successful portrayal in Hana Kimi, Ikuta was on stage again as he starred in the Shakespearean play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.^[4] While working on this play, Toma was also slated to star in one of Fuji TV's winter dramas for 2008, the live adaptation of Chika Umino's popular manga, Hachimitsu to Kuroba.^[5] He took on the role of Yūta Takemoto, a struggling Architecture student in an art school who had mediocre talent and who fell in love at first sight with his professor's niece, Hagumi Hanamoto (played by Riko Narumi). His role as the silent but constant observer that uncovers the events of the drama to the audience earned him another Best Supporting Actor award.^[6] Due to the popularity of Hana Kimi, Fuji TV decided to air a special two-hour episode, announcing it in early 2008.^[7]

Ikuta's rise to fame brought about another project; this time a double-lead with Arashi's leader Satoshi Ohno, in the Japanese adaptation of the Korean drama Mawang. The drama, called Maō, is about a lawyer, Ryo Naruse (played by Ohno) who seeks to avenge the death of his younger brother several years ago. On the other hand, Serizawa Naoto is the brash and impulsive detective (played by Ikuta), who is atoning for the grave, juvenile crime he had committed in the past.^[8] In October 2008, Ikuta was back on stage again, playing the role of Danny in the Japanese version of the musical "Grease".^[9] January 2009 marked Ikuta's first ever appearance in Fuji TV's peak slot for dramas, Ishimatsu Ryosuke, an intern forensics specialist in the serial drama Voice, along with Eita and Satomi Ishihara.^[10] Following his streak of solo projects, Ikuta was again named to star in a Fuji TV drama even while Voice was airing, this time a lead role in the timely jury drama Majo Saiban: The Witch Trial, for the TV station's spring 2009 late night Saturday drama. He plays Yoshioka Tōru, a freeter who was chosen as one of the members of the jury that will participate in the trial of a woman accused of killing her husband. Foul play comes into the picture as the members of the jury begin to be threatened. When the life of one of the jury members, a housewife (played by Ai Kato) is also endangered, Tooru tries to help. This raises suspicions with his girlfriend (played by Manami Higa) who becomes afraid Tooru might be cheating on her. Thus begins Tōru's lone search for the truth. The drama aired on April 25, 2009, a month before the jury system was to be implemented in Japan.^[11]

Ikuta finally made his silver screen debut with Ningen Shikkaku, a spring 2010 movie adaptation of Dazai Osamu's masterpiece of the same title. Considered a semi-autobiographical novel, Ikuta plays the role of Oba Yozo, a troubled soul who is forced to keep up a facade of hollow jocularity in his everyday life.^[12] The book cover of the novel published by Kadokawa was renewed in October, and since then featured a photo of Ikuta. After the cover was revised, the book sold over 100,000 copies. In response to those sales figures, Kadokawa decided that for a limited time period, all 10 Dazai novels would feature Ikuta on the covers; the campaign started on December 15, 2009. It was the first time that the lead actor of a film adaptation of a novel appeared on the covers of all the works written by the author.^[13]

He also appeared in Hanamizuki, co-starring Yui Aragaki, and Seaside Motel. Ikuta played the role of Honjo Sadame, a failure of an actor in the drama Unubore Deka along with Johnny senior, Tokio's Tomoya Nagase. In 2010, Ikuta appeared on the documentary TV program Jōnetsu Tairiku (情熱大陸, lit. The Passion Continent).^[14] Ikuta was the male lead role for the manga Bokura Ga Ita, where he played Yano, and has a relationship with Yoshitaka Yuriko (Takahashi). The shoot for the movie started in May 2011, and was released as a two-part film in spring 2012.^[15]

On July 27, 2010, Ikuta appeared in Tokio's music video for the song NaNaNa.^[16] In 2016, he appeared in the music video of the song Fukkatsu LovebyArashi, from which he had been teamed up as juniors with the three youngest members, as the group MAIN.^[17][18][19]

Ikuta has his own mobile diary J-web named Tomagoto (Toma's words). Then temporary, the J-web went by the names Tomagoto, Tomagoto Hyper, and Tomagoto Neo, before officially becoming a permanent J-web on December 15, 2007. Aside from the J-web, he also has his own corner on Wink Up Magazine titled Ikuta Toma no Ikita Kotoba (Toma Ikuta's Words to Live By). On this corner, he writes a one-page essay about things that interest him, as well as his daily experiences. Pictures taken from his own camera are included on the page.^[20]

Ikuta announced on 7 November 2023 he would be leaving Johnny and Associates on 20 November, to work as a freelance actor.^[21]

Ikuta faced severe criticism after a "Question and Answer" session on his Instagram on May 5, 2024. A fan commented that she was 9 months pregnant and she was scared to give birth, to what Ikuta answered: "Do you want to beg your husband to be painless?". Many of the comments were referring to his use of the word おねだり (Japanese for 'beg') instead of something like お願い (Japanese for 'ask (please)'), or just wishing her well. Gynecologists and Obstetricians also participated in the criticism, citing that childbirth is not only painful, but also life-threatening.^[22][23][24] His apology 2 days later didn't help him either, having people consider his choice of words as old-fashioned, and questioning if the former Johnny idol as well as the artists still in the agency, which for most of its history banned SNS for their artists, are really prepared for using them.^[25]

Personal life[edit]

Ikuta has a younger sibling, 4 years his junior, Fuji TV's announcer Ryūsei Ikuta.^[26]

Ikuta married actress Nana Seino on June 1, 2020.^[27] They welcomed their first child on March 9, 2022.^[28]

Filmography[edit]

Television[edit]

Films[edit]

Musicals[edit]

• Stand By Me
• Kyo-To-Kyo
• Shock is Millennium Shock
• Susanoh
• Another (Kansai Jr.2002 version)
• Shock is Real Shock
• Vacation (Shonentai Playzone 2003)
• Edogah-san Yukuefumei
• Mama Loves Mambo III
• West Side Story 2004 (Shonentai version)
• West Side Story 2005 (Arashi version)
• Azumi on Stage (2005)
• Azumi Returns (Azumi 2) (2006)
• Cat in the Red Boots (Shinkansen Nexus Volume 2) (2006)
• Shock – Endless Shock 2007
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona – October 2007
• Grease – 2008^[42]
• My Friend Hitler and Madame de Sade (Mishima Double)^[43]- February 2011
• Kamome(The Seagull)- September 2013
• Vamp Bamboo Burn – 2016

Awards[edit]

• 54th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e)^[44]
• Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix, Winter 2007: Best Supporting Actor (Honey & Clover)^[45]
• 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix, April 2007 – March 2008: Best Supporting Actor (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e)^[46]
• 84th Kinema Junpo Awards 2011: Best New Actor (No Longer Human)^[47]
• Blue Ribbon Awards 2011: Rookie of the Year (No Longer Human)^[48]
• 13th Tokyo Drama Award: Best Actor (If Talking Paid)

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official site (in Japanese)