Takayuki Yamada (山田 孝之, Yamada Takayuki, born October 20, 1983) is a Japanese actor, singer, and producer. He is best known for his role as Sakutaro Matsumoto in TV drama Socrates in Love and as Densha Otoko in the 2005 film of the same name.[1] Yamada gained international popularity through his portrayal as Tamao Serizawa in Crows Zero film series. Japanese media often dubs him as chameleon actor for his wide acting spectrum throughout his career. He began venturing as producer with live-action web series Saint Young Men. Since 2018 he releases music as the lead singer of band The XXXXXX.
Personal life
Yamada was born in Naha, Okinawa but raised in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima until the age of 15. He is the youngest of three siblings. His two older sisters, Kaori and Sayuki, worked as models for teen magazines in late 1990s. His parents own a coffee shop.[2]
By the age of 21, around the year 2004, Yamada had been dating actress and model Chiho Oyama. From their relationship, a child was born. This was discovered and reported by Sponichi in 2006. Yamada, Oyama and her family had many discussions about his inability to continue in the entertainment world and be a father at the same time, so they agreed that the child would be raised by the mother, with Yamada paying child support and living expenses until the child reached adulthood. Oyama continued writing on her blog about her love of being a mother to her child (a boy), even if it had to be done as a single mother.
Yamada was seen dating a non-celebrity woman around 2010. 2 years later, news of his marriage to a non-celebrity woman 7 years his senior was reported as happening 1 January 2012. On 20 October of the same year, the news of a pregnancy was reported. In early March 2013, his office reported that their son was born. A photo of Yamada wearing a wedding ring, which he posted in his Instagram on 9 December, 2016, was like a confirmation to fans that he was married.[3][4][5][6][7]
Career
Yamada got scouted after shopping with his sisters in front of Laforet Harajuku. After being scouted, in his third year of middle school he moved from Kagoshima to Tokyo. Yamada graduated from a middle school in Tokyo but did not go to high school to focus on his acting career.
He made his debut in 1999 by starring in TV drama Psychometrer Eiji 2. He also had a significant role in the NHK Asadora: Churasan (ちゅらさん) in 2001. His breakout was the 2003 TV drama about men synchronized swimming Water Boys, taking the lead role as Kankuro Shindo. He was chosen to portray Shindo through audition among hundreds of young actors. Yamada continued his success in leading role with Socrates in Love as Sakutaro Matsumoto the year after. In the same year, he got Newcomer Award at 2004 Elan d'or Awards and was appointed as first image character of newly reformed Tokyo Metro. As of 2017, Yamada was the only male image character Tokyo Metro has ever had. After his triumphant breakout on television, he got his first movie lead role in Densha Otoko which later became Japan's 14th best selling movie of 2005.
In 2002 he released 真夏の天使~All I want for this Summer is you~ a CD with a couple of songs (with the backup versions), as well as a DVD with the musical video for the theme song.[8][9]
He collaborated with Jin Akanishi in August 2016 to form the unit called "Jintaka",[10] which disbanded 2 months later.[11] And in 2018, together with Gō Ayano (guitar), and Asahi Uchida (synthesizer), forms the unit "The xxxxxx" (read as: "The Six") (Yamada is vocals).[12][13]
It was reported that Yamada had closed down his Instagram (@takayukiyamadaphoto), much to the surprise of the fans. On his Twitter, he confirmed the reason for doing so is that he became overwhelmed with the quantity of followers, but that he is "fine and full of energy, that it seems it is about to burst both physically and mentally".[14][15]
^"☆寝付けない(笑)☆". Ameba Blog (Chiho Oyama's blog "Chiho - Kihou") (in Japanese). June 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
