Nakada Hiroki
I’ve been really fascinated by this stage actor’s work recently, and of course it doesn’t hurt that he has such a beautiful face and build (he did, after all, sign on with Oscar Promotion as a model when he first entered the entertainment industry!) That said, he has had a really difficult 2020 and I am so glad that the run of Musical Touken Ranbu’s Kotobuki (5th Anniversary celebration) was completed safely. May the rest of this year be plain-sailing for all his scheduled projects! Anyway, I wrote up this profile in case anyone who’s just begun watching Toumyu (or any other show he’s been in) develops an interest in learning more about him.
Both pictures were shared by Hiroki himself on Twitter!
Details under the cut!
Profile
Name: Nakada Hiroki
Birthplace: Okayama Prefecture
Birthday: 17 October 1987
Age: 33 (as of January 2021)
Height: 181cm
Weight: 65.2kg (last checked during his May 2020 livestream)
Blood type: A
Personality: shy, sensitive, serious, gentle, dedicated, fluffy, loves sweets and snacks
Pets: Ohagi-kun (a 3-year-old hedgehog) and Hope-chan (a 1-year-old toy poodle)
Talents: Table tennis, saxophone, swordplay, dance (thanks to Tsukista’s training!)
Years of experience in the industry: 7
Twitter: @nakadahiroki
Instagram: nakadahiroki1017
Blog: https://ameblo.jp/nakada1017/
Niconico channel: 仲田博喜チャンネル「仲茶ノ間」(Nakachanoma) https://ch.nicovideo.jp/gsn-nakadahiroki?ref=pc_mypage_follow_channel
Notable roles:
Takasugi Shinsaku (Haruka 5)
Yayoi Haru (Tsukiuta Stage)
Senoo Tasuku (Prince of Stride)
Munakata Kyousuke (Danganronpa 3)
Akechi Mitsuhide (Samurai Warriors)
Liu Bei (Shin Sangoku Musou)
Kozuki Akinori (Bugbusters Stage Yellow)
Martin Baird (Tougenkyo Labyrinth)
Akashi Kuniyuki (Musical Touken Ranbu - Kishou Hongi)
Masaferry (Gekidan Shining – Bloody Shadows)
Background:
He left home at the age of 18 with a dream in his heart of becoming an actor, but chickened out of actually starting out and worked various part-time jobs (including one in an izakaya) in Sendai instead. He had a late start in the entertainment industry compared to his peers because he lacked confidence about whether he could make it, and when he finally decided to pursue his dreams and join the entertainment field in his mid-20s, he sent out over a hundred handwritten resumes but was rejected continuously by agencies (perhaps due to age and lack of experience). He was eventually accepted as a model by Oscar Promotion in 2013, and studied acting by renting movies and paid for sword-fighting lessons out of his own pocket while taking on small commercial roles as a rookie actor.
His big break came in 2015 when he landed the role of Takasugi Shinsaku in the 2.5D stage adaptation of Haruka 5. Fans took notice of his good looks and steady swordwork. His next big break came when he landed the role of Yayoi Haru in the 2016 stage adaptation of Tsukiuta, which he sustained for 5 full acts. He refined his dancing ability during the two years he was with the cast. He graduated very reluctantly from Tsukista in 2018. It broke his heart to leave the cast, whom he considered a family, but he’s moved on to bigger and brighter roles ever since.
He’s known for immersing himself emotionally and completely in whatever role he has been given. He believes that he must convey the roles right down to his fingertips each time, and he has always managed to do so. He’s always been called a yasashii oniisan (gentle older brother) by the younger actors who have had the privilege to work with him. He is currently working on improving his singing to do better in musicals and might perhaps take on more voice work as his voice has been praised for its unique quality.
The following is also a translation of a critique from one of the directors who has worked with him, Kōtarō Yoshitani, in Sengoku Musou and Musical Code: Realize. It was shared on Twitter.
In the words of Kōtarō Yoshitani:
Nakada Hiroki is an actor with a glamorous appearance, but feels like an artisan. He approaches his roles with very steadily. He is a serious character and very diligent. He repeatedly asks himself questions about his performance as he goes along. He thinks about the role he's been given and dives into that world view. With his neat face, you'd think he'd be a little less muddy, but he's got a lot of passion inside him. He has an insatiable appetite for theatre. It is a rare thing to find a performer who is so smart and yet so muddy, and it is a great weapon for a performer. If a performer's image on the outside is the same as that of the inside, it may not be as appealing or as interesting to explore. Nakada is a man who has a lot of things that drive him visually, but it is not enough to judge him only by his visuals, it's his depth that is his true appeal. That's why he makes you feel interested with his visuals and then pulls you in with his true charm on stage.
You might think he'd look good in Japanese costumes, but he'd look great in Western clothes too. If you look inside, you can see a passionate heart, but if you look at the visuals only, you might think he is a cold-hearted person. He laughs both like an adult and like a child. He is clear and elusive. He is at home in both showbiz and traditional theatre. He looks well in comedy, but he could also be a dark hero who doesn't smile at all. What a mysterious actor. And yet, I don't think he is considered strange. That's what makes him so fascinating. That is why he can be any colour in the world of the play.
I met him on stage in "Sengoku Musou" and in the musical "Code Realize". One character was just and the other was mild, a study in opposites, but both were full of Nakada’s charm. In other words, the director can ask him to be anything. I don't have to tell you that this is a very important quality for an actor. That's why I described him at the beginning as a craftsman. But to describe him in that way may be out of tune with his nature. If I see him again, will I be able to see his true self?
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//Me: *sees a Dead or Alive Anthology Yonkoma Kings manga* Huh. $7... Sounds like a deal. *Sees the price of $54 shipping @ checkout*
Also me: *Chokes on drink* I have been bamboozled.
D... Do UK sellers always charge this much for shipping...? I have this particular book in my home state already (I forgot to bring it and the other ones with me) but... Ugh. This isn’t worth it. There are 2 other ones I’ve got my eyes on... I’d rather pay $19 for shipping honestly?
For reference as to what I’m talking about, 4Koma is basically manga primarily using 4 panels per page. Anthologies are like doujinshi with the 4koma format while featuring random antics of the cast from the source material. Danganronpa, Persona, Dynasty Warriors (Shin Sangoku Musou), and many other series have stuff like this. DOA had these back in the day up until DOA4 I believe. There’s one for Xtreme Venus Vacation and I might buy it. Wish there was a preview.
Anyway, I’m sorry. I’m kind of rambling at this point in the post...
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Hoo boy, wanna know another series with a confusing history of its titles?
So Koei released a spin-off of their Romance of the Three Kingdoms game series for the PS1 called “Sangoku Musou”, which was localized as “Dynasty Warriors”.
Then when Koei made a hack-and-slash spin-off for the PS2, they named it “Shin Sangoku Musou”. For whatever reason, the localization team decided to call it “Dynasty Warriors 2”.
Ever since then, the localized names of the numbered sequels were always a number ahead of their Japanese titles.
For instance, even though we have a Dynasty Warriors 9, in Japan, it’s Shin Sangoku Musou; and the DW8 we have is actually supposed to be SSM7, so on and so forth.
My girlfriend loves the dynasty warriors games. Now I wonder if she knows this trivia... NUMBERS ARE FUN
Man I still remember seeing Final Fantasy 7 for the first time and wondering where the hell 4 5 and 6 were since 6 was called 3 here. Ignoring the fact that until the internet really started moving along, I had no idea what 5 and 9 were like since I totally missed those two.
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