Toma Ikuta
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is a Japanese actor. Ikuta is known for his roles in ''
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e , also known by the abbreviation IkePara, is a Teen drama, teen Romantic comedy, romantic-comedy Japanese television drama planned by Hiroyuki Gotō for Fuji TV and Kyodo TV, based on Hana-Kimi, the ''shōjo'' manga series of the same title by ...
'', '' Honey & Clover'', '' Sensei!'', '' Maō'' and ''
Ouroboros The ouroboros or uroboros (; ) is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent symbolism, snake or European dragon, dragon Autocannibalism, eating its own tail. The ouroboros entered Western tradition via Egyptian mythology, ancient Egyptian iconogra ...
''. He also stars in feature films, notably '' Hanamizuki'', '' Ningen Shikkaku'' and ''Brain Man''.


Career

Ikuta entered
Johnny & Associates was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male idols known as The company had a significant impact on pop culture with male idols and boy bands in Japan since the 1980s. Until 2019, the company w ...
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. The 2007, Fuji TV summer drama ''
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e , also known by the abbreviation IkePara, is a Teen drama, teen Romantic comedy, romantic-comedy Japanese television drama planned by Hiroyuki Gotō for Fuji TV and Kyodo TV, based on Hana-Kimi, the ''shōjo'' manga series of the same title by ...
'', controversial in its gender-bending nature, was perhaps Ikuta's biggest break in Japanese Entertainment. Following his successful portrayal in ''Hana Kimi'', Ikuta was on stage again as he starred in the Shakespearean play, ''
The Two Gentlemen of Verona ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first ten ...
''. 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 are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
, Hachimitsu to Kuroba. 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 , known professionally by the stage name is a Japanese actress and Model (person), model. Personal life On September 23, 2020, Narumi's agency announced that she had registered her marriage to a non-celebrity man. Her spouse's name was not dis ...
). 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. Due to the popularity of ''Hana Kimi'', Fuji TV decided to air a special two-hour episode, announcing it in early 2008. Ikuta's rise to fame brought about another project; this time a double-lead with
Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 199 ...
's leader
Satoshi Ohno is a Japanese idol, singer, actor, radio host, artist, dancer, and choreographer. He is the lead vocalist and leader of the boy band Arashi, hence his nickname . Ohno began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese ta ...
, 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. In October 2008, Ikuta was back on stage again, playing the role of ''Danny'' in the Japanese version of the musical " Grease". 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. 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 In Japan, a is a person aged 18 to 34 who is unemployed, underemployed, or otherwise lacks full-time paid employment. The term excludes housewives and students. Freeters do not start a career after high school or university, but instead e ...
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. 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. 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. 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 is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, and model. He was a member of Tokio, a Johnny & Associates musical group. He was the primary vocalist, in addition to playing the guitar alongside Tokio's leader, Shigeru Joshima. Career As an art ...
. In 2010, Ikuta appeared on the documentary TV program . 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. On July 27, 2010, Ikuta appeared in Tokio's music video for the song ''NaNaNa''. In 2016, he appeared in the music video of the song Fukkatsu Love by
Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 199 ...
, from which he had been teamed up as juniors with the three youngest members, as the group MAIN. Ikuta had his own mobile J-web diary since 2005, named ''Ikuta Toma no Tomagoto'' (Ikuta Toma's Toma's words). The J-web went by the names ''Tomagoto'', ''Tomagoto Hyper'', and ''Tomagoto Neo'', among others. Aside from the J-web, he also had 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. On November 7, 2023, Ikuta announced he would be leaving Johnny & Associates on November 20, to work as a freelance actor. After a "Question and Answer" session on his Instagram on May 5, 2024, Ikuta faced severe criticism, when 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 instead of something like , or just wishing her well. Gynecologists and Obstetricians also participated in the criticism, citing that childbirth is not only painful, but also life-threatening. 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.


Personal life

Ikuta has a younger sibling, 4 years his junior, Fuji TV's announcer Ryūsei Ikuta. Ikuta married actress Nana Seino on June 1, 2020. They welcomed their first child on March 9, 2022.


Filmography


Television


Films


Musicals

*Stand By Me *Kyo-To-Kyo *Shock is Millennium Shock *Susanoh *Another (Kansai Jr. 2002 version) *Shock is Real Shock *Vacation (
Shonentai were a three-member Japanese boy band created by entertainment company Johnny & Associates, now rebranded to Starto Entertainment. They debuted on December 12, 1985. They were one of Japan's leading Japanese idol groups of the 1980s. The group ...
Playzone 2003) *Edogah-san Yukuefumei *Mama Loves Mambo III *
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...
2004 (
Shonentai were a three-member Japanese boy band created by entertainment company Johnny & Associates, now rebranded to Starto Entertainment. They debuted on December 12, 1985. They were one of Japan's leading Japanese idol groups of the 1980s. The group ...
version) *
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...
2005 (
Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 199 ...
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 ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first ten ...
– October 2007 * Grease – 2008 * My Friend Hitler and Madame de Sade (Mishima Double)- February 2011 * Kamome(
The Seagull ''The Seagull'' () is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 in literature, 1895 and first produced in 1896 in literature#Drama, 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramati ...
)- September 2013 * Vamp Bamboo Burn – 2016


Awards and nominations


References


External links


Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ikuta, Toma 1984 births Japanese male actors Japanese idols Japanese television personalities Living people Johnny & Associates 21st-century Japanese singers 21st-century Japanese male singers Horikoshi High School alumni