Takuya Kimura

Takuya Kimura, born November 13, 1972, is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality recognized as an influential figure in entertainment. He initially rose to fame as a member of SMAP, one of Asia's best-selling boy bands, before building an extensive career as a leading actor in television, film, and voice acting. Over his career, he has earned a reputation for starring in many of the highest-rated television dramas in Japanese broadcasting history.

Kimura entered the entertainment industry in 1987 after auditioning for the talent agency Johnny & Associates. He was initially placed in a group called The Skate Boys, who performed as backup dancers for the group Hikaru Genji. In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa selected Kimura as one of six members to form SMAP. The group achieved massive commercial success across Asia, securing 24 top-ten albums and 14 number-one albums prior to their official disbandment on December 31, 2016.

Following SMAP's disbandment, Kimura launched a solo recording career in 2020 with his debut album, Go with the Flow, which reached number one on the Oricon Albums Chart. He maintained his chart success with subsequent solo releases, including Next Destination in 2022 and See You There in 2024. In May 2026, he transitioned to the C&C STAGE record label under Avex Music Creative and announced his fourth solo studio album, Checkpoint, accompanied by a tour scheduled to include his first solo performances outside Japan in Seoul and Taipei.

Kimura's acting career began in 1988 with the television series Abunai Shonen III. He gained significant attention in the 1993 series The Ordinary People, which sparked widespread public interest in his personal style. His major breakthrough came in 1996 with his first lead role in the television drama Long Vacation. The series achieved massive ratings and created a widespread cultural impact often referred to as the Lon-bake phenomenon, establishing Kimura as a prominent television star.

He continued to star in major television successes throughout the following decade, including Love Generation, Beautiful Life, Good Luck!!, and the 2001 legal drama Hero, all of which rank among the highest-rated series in Japanese television history. In film, Kimura has appeared in projects such as Wong Kar-wai's 2046, Yoji Yamada's Love and Honor, Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal, and the 2023 historical drama The Legend and Butterfly. He also voiced the title character in Studio Ghibli's animated film Howl's Moving Castle.

Kimura's later works include portraying the character Takayuki Yagami in the video games Judgment and Lost Judgment, as well as reprising his role as chef Natsuki Obana in the feature film La Grande Maison Paris. Over his career, Kimura has received the Best Actor award at the Television Drama Academy Awards 11 times, holding the record for the most wins in the history of the awards.