Junichi Okada
Junichi Okada | |
---|---|
Born | Hirakata, Osaka, Japan | November 18, 1980
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1995 | –present
Spouse | |
Musical career | |
Genres | J-pop |
Labels | Avex Trax |
Junichi Okada (岡田 准一, Okada Jun'ichi, born November 18, 1980) is a member of Japanese boy band V6, which is under the management of Johnny & Associates. He joined Johnny & Associates at the age of 14.
Music career
In the summer of 1995, he participated in Johnny's Pre-School, part of the NTV program Tensai, Takeshi no Genki ga Deru Terebi (天才・たけしの元気が出るテレビ!!). He passed the audition and joined Johnny & Associates at the age of 14. After being in Johnny's for only a short period of three months, he made his debut as the youngest member of the idol group V6. Unlike the rest of the members in the group, he did not have much experience as Johnny's Jr. The first time that he had been on a music program was only after the debut of V6. Their debut song was "Music For the People".
Okada can play the guitar, as well as the piano. His mother is a piano teacher. His voice is in the middle range, and hence his solos usually include slower ballads. Recently, he has been given longer solos in V6 songs, such as "Way of Life".[1] He also reveals that during V6's 2008 concert Vibes, he was directing most of the lightning, staging, and costumes.[2]
Acting career
Dramas
Beside being a V6 member, Okada is an accomplished actor with eleven movies, in eight of which he plays the lead, and sixteen dramas, in four of which he plays the lead. In a Shōnen Club Premium interview on May 7, 2009, he revealed that it was the Japanese drama Kisarazu Cat's Eye that caught the attention of viewers and directors, and made them aware of his acting ability.[2] The success of the drama led to the making of two movie sequels, Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series and Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series. His other notable dramas include Tiger & Dragon, a comedy drama about rakugo, a form of Japanese comedy acted only by one person telling that story.[3] and SP (also known as Security Police), an action suspense drama about a team of security police bodyguards in charge of protecting important people in the government. With Shinichi Tsutsumi as his co-star, the drama drew in overall ratings of 15.35% despite its Saturday 11:00 p.m. (JST) time slot;[4] its special episode broadcast in 2008 also received a viewership rating of 21.5%.[5]
After several years of "drama hiatus", it has been announced in 2012 that Okada would play the main character in the 2014 NHK historical drama, Gunshi Kanbei (軍師官兵衛), set to air in January of that year. Kanbei, whose birth name was Yoshitaka Kuroda, was a man of ambition who served as the chief strategist under Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the Sengoku period.[6]
Movies
He made a big leap in his movie career with Tokyo Tower in 2005. In the movie he portrayed a young college student torn between his love for a lady twenty years his senior and the views society has on these kinds of relationship.[7] After that came Hana Yori mo Naho (花よりもなほ), known as Hana to Western movie audiences, directed by the renowned director Hirokazu Koreeda (Distance, After Life and Nobody Knows). In the movie, Okada portrayed Sōza, a samurai uninterested in killing his enemy and focused on what he could do today to be a better person instead. The movie earned him a nomination for the Blue Ribbon Awards, but he declined this nomination.[8] Nevertheless, he still got awarded the Ishihara Yujiro New Actor Award at Nikkan Sports Film Award for his role in Hana.[9] Recently, he has been involved in movies such as Kagehinata Ni Saku (陰日向に咲く, Flowers in the Shadow), portraying a young man in debt because of pachinko,[10] and Otonari (おとなり), an unconventional love story between two neighbors who have never met each other and only follow the other person's life through the sounds they hear from the other side of the wall.[11]
In 2012, Okada played the role Yasui Santetsu, an astronomer who invented the Jokyo calendar used for many decades, in the movie Tenchi Meisatsu (天地明察) directed by Yōjirō Takita.[12] The director has previously won an Academy award for Best foreign-language film, Departures in 2009.[13] Later that year, it was announced that Okada would appear in another film set for a spring 2013 release, Eien no zero (永遠の0), directed by Takashi Yamazaki. The film follows the journey of a kamikaze pilot named Kyuzo Miyabe, a man described as a coward yet volunteered to die for his country.[14]
Personal life
Okada is known for being reserved. He does not meet with many people within the agency.[15] In an interview on Shōnen Club Premium, Okada said that when he was little, whenever his name was called up to read something in class, he would feel like vomiting and purposely avoided school on those days. Within V6, he is also the most quiet person. He enjoys carpentry and has carved wooden bears for children.[16]
In 2010, Okada had reported in a press conference that he is certified to teach Jeet Kune Do and Kali in Japan, the latter was used by him as his main martial art when the SP series was filmed.[17]
He married Aoi Miyazaki on 23 December 2017.[18]
Filmography
TV dramas
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | V no Honoo | Junichi Okada | |
1997 | D×D | Toranosuke Kihara | |
1998 | Pu-Pu-Pu Jump | Kazuya Omine | |
1999 | Shin Oretachi no Tabi | Shinroku Kumazawa | |
Dear Friend | Yuuji Yamamuro | ||
2000 | Mona Lisa no Hohoemi | Takuro Okajima | |
Oyaji Tadashi | Tadashi Kanzaki | ||
2001 | Chūshingura 1/47 | Chikara Oishi | |
Hanran no Voyage | Kunpei Sakaue | ||
2002 | Renai Hensachi | Ryuji | |
Kisarazu Cat's Eye | Kōhei Tabuchi (Bussan) | Lead role | |
2003 | Suekko Chōnan Ane Sannin | Ichiro Kashiwakura | |
2005 | Taika no Kaishin | Kamatari Nakatomino | Lead role |
Fuyu no Undokai | Kikuo Kitazawa | Lead role | |
Tiger & Dragon | Ryuji Yanaka (Kotatsu) | ||
2006 | Niji wo Kakeru Ōhi | Li Eun | |
2007 | SP | Kaoru Inoue | Lead role |
2014 | Gunshi Kanbei | Kuroda Kanbei | Lead role, Taiga drama |
2015 | Library Wars: Book of Memories | Atsushi Dōjō | Lead role, TV movie |
Movies
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Cosmic Rescue | Azuma Sawada | Lead role |
Kisarazu Cats Eye: Nihon Series | Kōhei Tabuchi (Bussan) | Lead role | |
Hard Luck Hero | Takashi Asai | Lead role | |
2004 | Thunderbirds | Alan Tracy | Japanese dub |
2005 | Tokyo Tower | Toru Kojima | Lead role |
Fly, Daddy, Fly | Soon-Shin Park | Lead role | |
Hold Up Down | Koichi Sawamura | Lead role | |
2006 | Hana Yori mo Naho | Sōzaemon Aoki (Sōza) | Lead role |
Kisarazu Cats Eye: World Series | Kōhei Tabuchi (Bussan) | Lead role | |
Tales from Earthsea | Prince Arren (voice) | Lead role | |
2008 | Flowers in the Shadows | Shin'ya | Lead role |
2009 | Romantic Prelude | Satoshi Nojima | Lead role |
2010 | SP The Motion Picture: Yabō-hen[19] | Kaoru Inoue | Lead role |
2011 | SP The Motion Picture: Kakumei-hen[19] | Kaoru Inoue | Lead role |
From up on Poppy Hill | Shun Kazama (voice)[20] | Lead role | |
2012 | Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer | Shibukawa Shunkai (Santetsu Yasui)[21] | Lead role |
2013 | Library Wars | Atsushi Dōjō[22] | Lead role |
The Eternal Zero | Kyūzō Miyabe | Lead role | |
2014 | A Samurai Chronicle | Shōzaburō Dan'no | Lead role |
2015 | Library Wars: The Last Mission | Atsushi Dōjō | Lead role |
2016 | Everest: The Summit of the Gods | Makoto Fukamachi | Lead role |
Fueled: The Man They Called Pirate | Tetsuzō Kunioka | Lead role | |
2017 | Reminiscence | Detective Atsushi Shikata | Lead role |
Sekigahara | Ishida Mitsunari | Lead role | |
2018 | Samurai's Promise | Shinbei Uryū | Lead role |
It Comes | Nozaki | Lead role | |
2019 | The Fable | Akira Satō | Lead role |
Awards and nominations
Year | Organization | Award | Work(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | 32nd Television Drama Academy Awards (ja) | Best Actor | Kisarazu Cat's Eye | Nominated[23] |
2005 | 9th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix | Best Supporting Actor | Tiger & Dragon | Won[24] |
2006 | 19th Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Ishihara Yujiro New Actor Award | Hana Yori mo Naho, Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series | Won[25] |
2008 | 56th Television Drama Academy Awards | Best Actor | SP | Won[26] |
2014 | 27th Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Actor | The Eternal Zero, A Samurai Chronicle | Won[27] |
39th Hochi Film Awards | Best Actor | The Eternal Zero | Won[28] | |
2015 | 57th Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Actor | A Samurai Chronicle | Nominated[29] |
38th Japan Academy Prize | Best Actor | The Eternal Zero | Won[30] | |
Best Supporting Actor | A Samurai Chronicle | Won[31] | ||
83rd Television Drama Academy Awards | Best Actor | Gunshi Kanbei | Won[32] | |
2017 | 40th Japan Academy Prize | Best Actor | Fueled: The Man They Called Pirate | Nominated |
2018 | 60th Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Actor | Reminiscence, Sekigahara | Nominated |
27th Tokyo Sports Film Award | Best Actor | Sekigahara | Nominated | |
41st Japan Academy Prize | Best Actor | Nominated |
References
- ^ "way of life" (in Japanese). Amazon.jp. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ a b "NHKオンライン". Nhk.or.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-01-31. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Tiger & Dragon [タイガー&ドラゴン". jdorama.com. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
- ^ "SP drama ratings" (in Japanese). Artv. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ ""SP" special captures 21.5%". Tokyograph. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "14年NHK大河は「軍師官兵衛」=主演はV6岡田准一さん". Yahoo! Japan. 10 Oct 2012. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 11 Oct 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|dead-url=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ 東京タワー プレミアム・エディション (in Japanese). Amazon.jp. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "渡辺謙 ベルリンから駆けつける". Cinemahochi. 13 Feb 2007.
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0645411/awards
- ^ 8thSin (26 January 2008). "Kagehinata ni saku (2008) - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Oto, Na, Ri (Otonari)". CD Japan. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "Okada Junichi, Miyazaki Aoi star in Takita Yojiro's "Tenchi Meisatsu"". Tokyograph. 11 Feb 2011.
- ^ "Yojiro Takita's 'Departures' has a surprising journey". LA Times. 24 May 2009.
- ^ "Junichi Okada to play kamikaze pilot in "Eien no Zero", Haruma Miura and Mao Inoue co-star". Nipponcinema. 20 May 2012.
- ^ "NHKオンライン". Nhk.or.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Okada, Junichi (2008-01-27). "Oshareism" (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Shinya Ueda.
{{cite interview}}
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ignored (help) - ^ "V6 Okada Junichi now a martial arts instructor". Tokyo Hive. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ "岡田准一&宮崎あおい、結婚を正式発表…連名で「未熟な二人ではございますが」". Sports Hochi. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "SP movie split into two parts". Tokyograph. 2010-04-19. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
- ^ Lin, Lawrence (14 May 2011). "Kokuriko-Zaka Kara voice cast". GhibliWiki. Nausicaa.net. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ "Okada Junichi, Miyazaki Aoi star in Takita Yojiro's Tenchi Meisatsu". Tokyograph. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Library War Live-Action Film's Promo Aired (Updated)". Anime News Network. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
- ^ 主演男優賞 (in Japanese). Television Drama Academy Awards. 2002-04-05. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix". Tokyograph. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "Awards for Junichi Okada". IMDB. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ 主演男優賞 (in Japanese). Television Drama Academy Awards. 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ 日刊スポーツ映画大賞 (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2014-12-28.
- ^ 第39回報知映画賞受賞一覧 (in Japanese). Hochi. 2014-11-30. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
- ^ 第57回ブルーリボン賞 (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2015-01-04. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
- ^ 第38回日本アカデミー賞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-01-22.
- ^ 第38回日本アカデミー賞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-01-22.
- ^ 第83回ドラマアカデミー賞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-02-21.
External links
- 1980 births
- Living people
- Japanese male pop singers
- Avex Group artists
- Japanese male film actors
- Japanese male television actors
- People from Hirakata, Osaka
- Japanese Jeet Kune Do practitioners
- Japanese eskrimadors
- 20th-century Japanese male actors
- 21st-century Japanese male actors
- Musicians from Osaka Prefecture
- Taiga drama lead actors or actresses