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. 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. In 2018, he became 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.
In 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.
Career Early 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.
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.
Music career In 2002 he released a CD with a couple of songs (with the backup versions), as well as a DVD with the musical video for the theme song.
He collaborated with Jin Akanishi in August 2016 to form the unit called "Jintaka", which disbanded 2 months later. And in 2018, together with Gō Ayano (guitar), and Asahi Uchida (synthesizer), forms the unit "The xxxxxx" (read as: "The Six") (Yamada is vocals).
Producer Yamada appears on a YouTube video titled "The Open Call -Main Partner Takayuki Yamada- Episode 0". "The Open Call" is an audition project for an original movie scheduled to be filmed in 2027 and screened in 2028. The project differs from a normal audition in that in this one, the ideal candidate is chosen for a particular role, while the project is based in the candidates actions and interactions. The acting, the words spoken, and the stories the candidates have carried with them during the judging, all of it will become part of the script of the movie. The process is being streamed on the NTT Docomo "Lemino" site. On the official page, Yamada is identified as producer. Guest judges (or partners, as mentioned on–site) include Tsuyoshi Muro, Akari Takaishi and Kazunari Ninomiya.
Other Social network 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 about to burst both physically and mentally".
Filmography
Series Year Title RoleNotes1999Psychometrer Eiji 2TakayukiDebut role2000Rokubanme no SayokoShu SekineAoi Tokugawa SandaiTakechiyoTaiga drama2001ChurasanKeitatsu KohaguraAsadoraJidan Kosho Jinnai Tamako Ura FileKoi ga Shitai x3Wataru Aoshima2002The Long Love LetterSho TakamatsuJidan Kosho Jinnai Tamako Ura File 2AkahigeOnmyoji Abe no SeimeiToyaThe Queen of Lunchtime CuisineMinoru Ushijima2003HatachiRyuji ShindoLead roleWater BoysKankuro Shindo2004Socrates in LoveSakutaro MatsumotoLead roleFire BoysDaigo AsahinaLead roleJidan Kosho Jinnai Tamako Ura File 32005H2Hiro KunimiLead roleDensha Otokocameo; ep. 1Start LineJun ImaiTV movie2006Journey Under the Midnight SunRyoji KiriharaLead roleTaiyou no UtaKouji FujishiroLead role2009BossShingo Tajima2010–16Ushijima the Loan SharkKaoru UshijimaLead role; 3 seasons2010Wagaya no RekishiTatsuya NakadaiMini-series2011Arakawa Under the BridgeHoshi2011–16The Brave YoshihikoYoshihikoLead role; 3 seasons2014Nobunaga ConcertoDenjiro/ Hideyoshi Hashiba2015Replay and DestroyKaname YokoyamaLead role2017HagokuSeitaro SakumaTV movie2018DeleKeishi SakagamiLead roleYareta Kamo IinkaiOasis2019–21The Naked DirectorToru MuranishiLead role; 2 seasons2023 What Will You Do, Ieyasu?Hattori HanzōTaiga dramaYomawari NekoHeizō EndōLead role2024House of NinjasYosuke TsujiokeTanabata no KuniYoriyuki Marukami Tokyo SwindlersNarrator2025QuiztopiaK-ichi K-iLead roleLast Samurai StandingAndo JinbeiGlass HeartReji
Film Year Title RoleNotes2002The Cat ReturnsLune (voice)2003Dragon HeadNobuo Takahashi 2004JenniferTakashiLead role 2005Densha OtokoDensha OtokoLead role 2006The Letters (Tegami)Naotaka TakeshimaLead role 2007Crows ZeroTamao Serizawa Say Hello For MeSatoshi ToyamaLead role Maiko Haaaan!!!Cameo2008IkigamiSatoshi Izuka 252: Signal of LifeMakoto Shigemura 2009Battle League HorumoAkira AbeLead role MWYutaro GaraiLead role Crows Zero 2Tamao Serizawa Chasing My GirlSugimotoLead role2010Seaside MotelYosuke Asakura 13 AssassinsShinrokuro Shimada Vengeance Can WaitTakao Banue 2011GantzMasamitsu Shigeta Oba: The Last SamuraiToshio Kitami Gantz: Perfect AnswerMasamitsu Shigeta Unfair 2: The AnswerKatsuaki Murakami Looking for a True FianceeTeruhiko KatayamaLead role2012Arakawa Under the BridgeHoshi The Floating CastleYoshitsugu Otani The Samurai That NightHiroshi Kijima Bungo: Stories of DesireMatsuosegment Nigitta TeUshijima the Loan SharkKaoru UshijimaLead roleLesson of the EvilTetsuro Shibahara Milocrorze – A Love StoryOvreneli Vreneligare/ Besson Kumagai/ TamonLead role2013I'll Give It My All... TomorrowShuichi IchinosawaThe Devil's PathShuichi FujiiLead roleRakugo EigaRaifu Reto 2014Ushijima the Loan Shark Part 2Kaoru UshijimaLead roleThe Mole Song: Undercover Agent ReijiShun TsukiharaMonsterzShuichi Tanaka2015BakumanAkira HattoriShinjuku SwanHideyoshi Minami2016Nobunaga ConcertoHideyoshi HashibaTerra FormarsIchiro HirumaUshijima the Loan Shark Part 3Kaoru UshijimaLead roleSomeoneSawaUshijima the Loan Shark The FinalKaoru UshijimaLead role2017GintamaElizabeth (voice)Cinema FightersTorusegment Parallel WorldTakayuki Yamada 3D The MovieHimselfLead roleJoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter IAngelo KatagiriDC Super Heroes vs. Eagle TalonBatman/Bruce Wayne (voice)2018TenTakashishort movie50 First KissesDaisuke YugeLead roleHardcoreUkon GondōLead role; also producer2019Dragon Quest: Your StoryPapasu (voice)2020StepKen'ichiLead roleThe Untold Tale of the Three KingdomsYellow Turban2021Brothers in BrothelTokutaLead role2023Six Singing WomenUwajimaLead roleThe ImaginaryJinzan (voice)202411 RebelsMasaLead roleFacelessSeigo MatanukiSaint Young Men: The MovieTBAAlso producer2025Blazing FistsMan in bear suitUncredited cameoDetective Conan: One-Eyed FlashbackTakashi Omoto (voice)New Interpretation of the End of Edo PeriodKatsura KogorōGood NewsShinichi IshidaKorean film2026Shin Gekijōban Keroro Gunsō: Fukkatsu Shite Sokkō Chikyū Metsubō no Kiki de Arimasu!Yoshihiko (voice)
Anime Year Title Role Notes 2024Babies of BreadCroissant BabyONA
Japanese dub Year Title Role Notes 2006EragonEragon2017Loving VincentArmand Roulin
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2016Dragon Quest Heroes IICesare
Others Year Title Notes 2018–20Saint Young MenExecutive producer2019Day and NightProducer, screenwriter
Commercials Year TitleNotes2002Coca-Cola "No Reason" campaigncelebrating 2002 World Cup2003Japanese Red Cross Society "20-year-old's blood donation" campaign2004Toyo Suisan "Maruchan Yakisoba, Yakiudon"Tokyo MetroFirst campaign image character2005Tokyo Electric Power Company "TEPCO Hikari"2010–2011Movaslo "Evangelion ~Shinjitsu no Tsubasa~"2011Asahi Food and Healthcare "Cream Genmai Bran"Fields "We are all challengers" campaign2014–2023The Coca-Cola Company Japan "Georgia"main image characterStoria "MARO"main image character2015 –Sony Interactive Entertainment "PlayStation 4"main image character2016Frima "Fril"flea marketplace application2017 –Fujitsu "Arrows"with Shun Oguri
Discography Year Title Release Label Peak chart positionNotes2002August 10, 2002Universal Music GroupSold in CD, and DVD of the Music video2016Choo Choo SHITAINSeptember 21, 2016Go Good Records4th (October 3, 2016)CD, CD + DVD / As "Jintaka"2018Seeds (single)November 30, 2018THE XXXXXXDigital release / As "The xxxxxx"Zealot (single)December 21, 2018THE XXXXXXDigital release / As "The xxxxxx"2019"THE XXXXXX" (album)April 5, 2019THE XXXXXXDigital release / As "The xxxxxx""deep breath" (single)May 31, 2019THE XXXXXXDigital release / As "The xxxxxx"
Other Musical Collaborations Directed music video for "Tees song , and makes a cameo appearance in it (May 31, 2016). (Cannes no Kyuujitsu feat. Yamada Takayuki), Fujifabric's single (February 2, 2017)
Awards and nominations Awards
2004: 28th Elan d'or Awards – Newcomer of the Year 2011: New York Asian Film Festival – Star Asia Rising Star Award
References
External links