Toma Ikuta

Infobox actor
name = Toma Ikuta


birthdate =birth date and age|1984|10|7
location = Noboribetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan
birthname = Toma Ikuta
yearsactive = 1996 - present

nihongo|Toma Ikuta|生田 斗真|Ikuta Tma|extra=born October 7, 1984 in Hokkaidō is a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.

His family consists of a father, a mother named Hiromi, a younger brother named Ryuusei, and a dog named JAM. His father wanted to name him "Ikuta Tamegorou", but his mother changed it to Toma because it was easier to say. He used to be called Toma, Touma, or Toma-chan by his family and friends. Younger juniors in the agency used to call him Toma-san and that morphed to "Tomasu". This name was used to be his “trademark” as he hosted a corner named "Meitantei Tomasu" in the Shounen Club program.

Entertainment career

* He used to be in a variety show for kids "Tensai Terebi kun", then was offered to enter Johnny’s Jimusho (Johnny's Entertainment) at the age of twelve, and started to participate under Johnny's Jr.

* Soon he was grouped with some members of the current J-pop unit, Arashi. Together, they formed a group called M.A.I.N. (which stands for each member’s family name: Matsumoto, Aiba, Ikuta, and Ninomiya).

* After M.A.I.N., Toma was grouped again with a Jr. unit named B.I.G. (Bad Image Generation) along with ten other popular Juniors of that time. This is the time when he met Tomohisa Yamashita (NEWS), or YamaPi, with whom he is still very good friends. Soon, B.I.G. was reduced to just Toma and YamaPi.

* In 2002, upon Tackey & Tsubasa’s graduation from Johnny's Jr., the group Four Tops was formed in order to replace them as leaders. The group consisted of 4 members: Ikuta, YamaPi, Jun Hasegawa and Shunsuke Kazama. Their job was to host Shounen Club and to lead the Johnny's Jr.

* April 2003, NEWS was formed with YamaPi as the leader. This group debuted along with 9 members from Johnny’s Jr. Therefore, Four Tops disbanded and the fans started to call the rest of the members with 3Tops, not so long after that they started working solo.

* As of June 2006, he became part of an unofficial group within Johnny's Entertainment called "No Border", which also includes Tomohisa Yamashita, Jun Matsumoto, Shingo Murakami (Kanjani8), Atsuhiro Satou (former Hikaru Genji), Koichi Domoto (Kinki Kids), Tatsuya Yamaguchi (TOKIO), and Hideaki Takizawa (Tackey & Tsubasa). It was formed when the 8 members from different JE groups met up for dinner and decided to name themselves "NO BORDER". They are known to interact freely, bypassing the senpai-kouhai relationships normally formed by Johnny's members. There is a 7-part round-robin on their J-webs about the formation of the group. Each member has a specific colour - White, Black, Red, Pink, Purple, Gold, Blue, and Grey. However, who holds which colour is still unknown.

* Ikuta has already participated in numerous performances of Musical Stage Plays. One of his biggest breakthrough was his first leading role in the Shinkansen*NEXUS volume 2 stageplay "Cat in the Red Boots", as TOMA-sama. Furthermore, it's been decided that in October 2008, he will cast in a new stage play titled, "Grease" which will be held in Osaka and Tokyo.

* Ikuta has his own mobile diary Jweb named Tomagoto (Toma’s words) where he could write his thoughts and experiences. Tomagoto series used to be temporary by the name of Tomagoto, Tomagoto Hyper, and Tomagoto NEO before it becoming a permanent Jweb on December 15, 2007

* Ikuta also has his own corner on Wink Up Magazine titled “Ikuta Toma no Ikita Kotoba”. On this corner he used to write a one page essay about his daily experiences and included pictures taken from his own camera [ [http://www.wani.co.jp/winkup/ Wink Up Magazine - Wani Books ] ]

TV dramas

*Maou (July 2008) [ [http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200805/gt2008050919.html Double (W) lead role for Satoshi Ohno & Ikuta Toma - Sankei Sports ] ]
*Hanazakari No Kimitachi E ~Ikemen Paradise~ - SP [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2789 "Hana Kimi" SP confirmed - Tokyograph ] ]
*Honey & Clover(Yūta Takemoto)
*Hanazakari No Kimitachi E ~Ikemen Paradise~ (July 2007 - September 2007)
*Hana Yori Dango II (Returns) (Episode 1) (January 2007)
*Akihabara@DEEP (June - August 2006)
*Asuka E, Soshite Mada Minu Ko E (October 2005)
*Dekabeya, Police Story
*Gekidan Engimono (Otoko no Yume) (2006)
*Kinou Wa Tomo Kyou no Teki (5 January - 9 February 2004)
*Hito Ni Yasashiku (Be Nice to People) (Episode 5) (2002)
*Neverland (2001)
*Bouken Kazoku
*Engimono – America (2002)
*Aguri (1997)
*Kowai No Nichiyoubi
*Shijou Saiyaku no Date (Worst Date) – Episode Chocolate Valentine
*Love & Peace
*Nekketsu Renaidou
*Kinyou Jidai Geki
*Gekidan Engimono – Nemureru Mori No Shitai
*Psycho-meter EIJI2 (Episode 5) (1999)
*J-Ke No Hanran
*Tuesday Suspense Drama
*Gozen 3Ji no Rooster

Musicals

*Grease - 2008 [ [http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/080607/gng0806071430001-n1.htm Toma Ikuta, Miki Fujimoto in "Grease" - Sankei Sports ] ]
*The Two Gentlemen of Verona - October 2007
*SHOCK – ENDLESS SHOCK 2007
*Cat in the Red Boots (Shinkansen*NEXUS volume 2) (2006)
*AZUMI RETURNS (Azumi 2) (2006)
*AZUMI on STAGE (2005)
*West Side Story 2005 (Arashi version)
*West Side Story 2004 (Shonentai version)
*Mama Loves Mambo III
*Edogah-san Yukuefumei
*Vacation (Shonentai Playzone 2003)
*SHOCK is Real Shock
*Another (Kansai Jr.2002 version)
*Susanoh
*SHOCK is Millennium SHOCK
*KYO-TO-KYO
*Stand By Me
*Hana Yori DANGO MOVIE (2008)

Recognitions

* 54th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e) [ [http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/p-et-tp0-20080430-354180.html 54th Television Drama Academy Awards - Nikkan Sports ] ]
* Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix, Winter 2007: Best Supporting Actor (Honey & Clover) [ [http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/p-et-tp0-20080430-354180.html Nikkan Sports Drama GP award ] ]
* 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix, April 2007-March 2008: Best Supporting Actor (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e) [ [http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/p-et-tp0-20080312-334508.html Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix: Ikuta voted Best Supporting Actor - Nikkan Sports ] ]

Trivia

* Ikuta was the one who came up with the name NO BORDER.
* He ranked no. 2 after Shun Oguri on Oricon survey conducted from High School girls "which celebrity they would want as a boyfriend" [ [http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1882 Oricon: high school girls want to date Shun Oguri - Tokyograph ] ]
* He is a big fan of Backstreet Boys. He even begged Music Station’s staff to let him in the studio to watch Backstreet Boys rehearse.
* He used to call his mother “Okaa-chan” when he was little, but after being teased by M.A.I.N’s members, he called her “Okaa-san”.
* Toma is also a fan of X Japan, especially of popular guitarist Hideto Matsumoto. He once talked on the phone with Subaru Shibutani (Kanjani8) for an hour, just discussing X-Japan.
* He and his younger brother Ryuusei are fans of GLAY and they attend every single concert during his spare time.
* He and Shun Oguri had to kiss 12 times for the drama, "Hanazakari No Kimitachi E".
* He and Oguri were the ones who came up with the nickname Horikitty for Maki Horikita who they acted together on Hanazakari no Kimitachi E.
* He and Eiji Wentz used to be in a kids band named "Strawberry Parfait", but when they got an offer to enter Johnny's, only Toma accepted.

References

External links

* [http://www.johnnys-net.jp Johnny & Associates Official Site]
* [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ikuta_Toma Ikuta Toma at DramaWiki]