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Takuya Kimura (木村拓哉, Kimura Takuya?, nicknamed Kimutaku; born November 13, 1972) is a Japanese actor and singer, a member of the pop music group SMAP, from Tokyo, Japan. Despite his long career and his status as an idol, he remains a very prominent figure in pop culture. Many of the dramas he starred in had record-high ratings in Japan.
Early life and pre-fame
Born in Shibuya, Tokyo, Kimura attended elementary school in Chiba and has resided there since then. In 1987, he was taken on by the Johnny & Associates talent agency, which specializes in handsome young male teen idols, and became a member of Johnny's Juniors. One of his relatives had sent in the application. He was in a 12 members Jr. unit called "Skate Boys". Skate Boys used to be backup dancers of Hikaru Genji, which at the time was a very popular group. In 1988, SMAP was created, and each member pursued an individual career by starring in B-list dramas. The group then consisted of six members: Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Katsuyuki Mori, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Shingo Katori; Katsuyuki Mori later left SMAP to pursue an autoracing career in mid 90s. Their dream to officially debut was finally recognized in 1991 when SMAP released their very first single "Can't Stop!! ~Loving." The single was met with mediocre reaction, and did not become successful. When they had their first concert, the hall was almost empty. However, SMAP steadily gained popularity through a variety show called 愛ラブSMAP (read as I love SMAP and literally translated as Love Love SMAP) and they continued to star in dramas.
Rise to fame
1993 was a breakthrough year for Kimura and SMAP. After years of starring in low-budget dramas, Kimura played a leading role in the teen drama Asunaro Hakusho (あすなろ白書) as Osamu Toride, a college freshman in love with a friend Narumi Sonoda. The series, based on a then-popular manga of the same name, quickly became a hit. SMAP also released their hit single $10.
In 1994, Kimura's popularity increased, leading observers to comment on "Kimutaku Syndrome". A year later, he continued to act in a movie Kimi wo Wasurenai (君を忘れない).
In 1996 he starred with Yamaguchi Tomoko in the series Long Vacation, which also became a hit. Kimura played a young shy pianist "Sena" who falls in love with an older woman, a former model. In the same year, SMAP began to host a weekly variety show SMAPxSMAP which further expanded SMAP's fanbase and still enjoys solid viewership to this date.
During 1997, Kimura continued his streak of hit dramas with Gift and Love Generation. However Gift, was criticized for its violent plot which allegedly promoted teenage crime.
His popularity continued to climb in with the success of TV drama Beautiful Life, in 2000. He also announced his marriage with Shizuka Kudo, another idol. By the time of the announcement, Shizuka was pregnant.
In 2001, Kimura starred in Hero, which set a record with its extraordinarily high TV ratings of about 36.8%. He enjoyed more success in string of many hit series after Hero, such as Sorakara Furu Ichiokuno Hoshi, Good Luck!!, Pride, and "ENGINE." "Good Luck" topped 2003's TV view ratings at 37.6%.
For the first time in nine years, Kimura appeared in a movie 2046 in 2004. The cast of this Hong Kong film included Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, and Faye Wong. The film was well received by critics and won many awards including Best Art Direction and Best Original Film Score at Golden Horse Film Festival in 2004 and scored Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Make-Up, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Film Score at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005. Continuing his work in films, he voiced Howl in Hayao Miyazaki's animation Howl's Moving Castle.
In April 2006, Fuji TV announced that they would air a 2 hour long HERO special in July 2006. Along with the original cast, he revived his role as prosecutor Kuryu Kohei. Additional big name stars was also be seen in this drama including Socrates in Love star Haruka Ayase.
Kimura's latest movie is Bushi no Ichibun, released in December 2006. Directed by Yoji Yamada he played a young and blind samurai during the Edo period. This film is the third and final in the trilogy that started with The Twilight Samurai and followed by The Hidden Blade.
Personal life
In 1999 he ended the nine-year relationship with his longtime girlfriend Kaorin. A year later, he announced he was going to marry Shizuka Kudo, another pop idol. His first daughter, Kokomi, was born in 2001, and his second daughter, Mitsuki, was born in 2003.
Filmography
Dramas
* Karei-naru Ichizoku as Manpyo Teppei TBS (2007)
* Hero SP as Kuriyu Kouhei Fuji TV (2006)
* Saiyuuki as Emperor Genyoku Fuji TV (2006, Ep 1)
* Engine as Kanzaki Jiro Fuji TV (2005)
* Pride as Satonaka Halu Fuji TV (2004)
* Good Luck!! as Shinkai Hajime TBS (2003)
* Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi as Katase Ryo Fuji TV (2002)
* Chuushingura 1/47 as Hirobe Yasubei Fuji TV (2001)
* Hero as Kuriyu Kouhei Fuji TV (2001)
* Food Fight as voice of Crow NTV (2000)
* Beautiful Life as Okishima Shuji TBS (2000)
* Konya wa eigyouchu Fuji TV (1999)
* Nemureru Mori as Ito Naoki Fuji TV (1998)
* Oda Nobunaga as Oda Nobunaga (1998)
* Love Generation as Katagiri Teppei Fuji TV (1997)
* Gift as Yukio/Takehiro Fuji TV (1997)
* Ii Hito Fuji TV (1997)
* Boku ga boku de aru tame ni as Kurosawa Riki Fuji TV (1997)
* Kyousoukyoku as Takakura Kakeru TBS (1996)
* Long Vacation as Hidetoshi Senna Fuji TV (1996)
* Furuhata Ninzaburo 1 Fuji TV (1996)
* Jinsei wa joujoda as Ogami Kazuma TBS (1995)
* Wakamono no subete as Ueda Takeshi Fuji TV (1994)
* Asunaro hakusho as Toride Osamu Fuji TV (1993)
* Izu no odorikko as Kawabata Yasunari TV Tokyo (1993)
* Sono toki haatowa nusumareta Fuji TV (1992)
* Otouto TBS (1990)
Films
* Bushi no Ichibun (Love And Honor) as Mimura Shinnojo (2006)
* 2046 as Tak (2004)
* Howl's Moving Castle (Voice) (2004)
* Kimi wo Wasurenai (Fly Boys, Fly!) as Ueda Junichiro (1995)
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