Kisumai 2

Name: Kitayama Hiromitsu (北山宏光)
Nicknames: Mitsu, KitaMitsu, Kitayama, Hiroppi, Micchan, MILEY. 8| *cough* [That last one is all Tey's doing, and not an official fandom name, I might add. Apparently Pippa was pointing out members to her and she asked "Who's the one that looks like Miley Cyrus?" deciding that Kitayama would henceforth be "Miley." I was properly horrified when I heard of this, but alas, I am programmable if nothing else, and thus he is "Miley" to me forever more. Boy is also a self-described "country-boy" (what? --having grown up in the wilds of Kanagawa?? Yeah, I don't get it either, it just fits apparently)].
DOB: Sept 17, 1985 (making him the resident "ojiisan")
From: Kanagawa
Joined JE: May 2002 (with Fujiie of Question?), earlier reports say that a friend's sister sent in an application for him. He was 16 when he joined, and also went to the same High School as Yamashita Tomohisa (NEWS).

So, Miley, being the resident red, would be the "leader" of the group if you follow JE-color-theory. Mitsu is also one of the two (arguably three) most recognizable faces from Kisumai, alongside Fujigaya Taisuke and recently Tamamori Yuta, and he is one of the primary vocalists in the group (early performances focus a lot on Kitayama and Fujigaya). He's naturally pretty shy, and the other members describe him as being "My Pace" and a "loner" who hangs out at home playing video games and watching anime all the time. At the same time everyone says that he is the member who thinks about the group the most, and he's always willing to give advice on Kisumai- looking after everyone like the group's big brother. Whenever there's a competition or rivalry going on in the group everyone else will get built-up and excited about it, while Mitsu will just sit back quietly and casually, and then he'll win the competition hands-down. He played soccer regularly up until joining JE, and is often cited as being one of the best athletes in Kisumai. He is also a university grad, having attended Asia University, and graduated in 2008 (also see: April '08 Myojo),

Why I like him: Mitsu is a member of the Natto Lovers Club, alongside ABC's Kawaii Fumito and Totsuka Shota. How can you not love someone who geeks-out regularly on Shounen Club about how much they love natto? He's also known in the group as the one who will "take [another's] food with a smile on [his] face" and not be bothered by it in the least bit. Mitsu is infamous for being able to fall asleep anytime, anywhere. You read the offshots to Duet, Wink-up, etc, and they will almost always mention him falling asleep during the shoot. The other members repeatedly bring up this habit as well, which includes sleeping even right before going on stage. He is horrible at waking up though, and will have multiple alarms set for the morning, hitting snooze a number of times on all of them, which ensures that any members stuck rooming with him are awake ten times over, while he sleeps on. If someone is dumb enough to try and wake him, it will not end prettily for them (see: file 0002). During the 2010 KAT-TUN tour he joined the elite ranks of Johnny's who have fallen off the stage. XD; So, yeah, all this AND he wears toe-socks. orz

Addendum: Random Trivia - He is Hachi-dan in Calligraphy which = BADASS in my book 8|b (vid clip also features Nika's fail!magic and bonus!Massu out-awkwarding Hikaru).

(you have no idea how tempted I was to make all of those pics of him sleeping. 8| )

Mitsu starred in the Winter 2011 drama "Misaki #1" and this was his first acting role off the stage.

Mitsu on Kisumai: "This might not be a good thing to say, but in the beginning, I thought of us as the 'Collection of Rejects.' Of course that's probably not what the president had in mind, but all the members would masochistically say things like that. At first, the younger four would be hesitant towards us and completely lacked in spirit (laugh). And then from that it felt like the opposite and was as if someone had lit a fire in them. The most dramatic change occurred when we got our first solo concert. I feel like that was when each member started to understand the real meaning of responsibility, but there was still a little of that "Someone else will do it" naivety. You know? I don't think I'll have a day of complacency any time soon (laugh). I sometimes get told that I think too much, but I have a lot of things to think about (laugh)." [source]




Name:Senga Kento (千賀健永)
Nicknames: Senga, Gacchan
DOB: March 23, 1991 (clocking-in as the youngest in the group)
From: Nagoya
Joined JE: May 2003 (I've read conflicting reports saying that he applied himself, and that his mom applied for him).

Senga is tagged by all the members as the best dancer in Kisumai, which makes sense when you consider the fact that he started taking dance lessons while he was still in pre-school and had competed in National championships before joining JE. Senga often choreographs the dance routines for Kisumai's performances, and he is touted as the most energetic member in the group, leading him to be named as one of Kisumai's mood-makers for his adventurousness. However this is countered by the fact that he can sometimes be a little KY in situations, not knowing when to tone down that energy. Senga attended the same High School as Tamamori, but he is the first to admit that he has a poor vocabulary, resulting in him saying some of the most interesting/confusing Japanese the others have heard. Because of this Senga is always trying to learn new words/expand his grammatical knowledge, however he still manages to mix up all of the new words, so... XD

Why I like him: "'I like nature but not bugs. Including mosquitoes.' All [he] can do is to keep running away from mosquitoes this summer. And then ... he says 'I don't want to get bitten, but when I think about how the mosquito can't live if it doesn't suck blood, I just can't squish it either.'" [Duet 2010.09] While I have no qualms about squashing mosquitoes, I totally feel him on the guilt/empathy aspect of this. XD; Senga is also a master of gap, because while he is quite adept at dancing and backflipping in roller skates, he is also chronically clumsy. A few examples include getting tangled up in his suspenders during a photoshoot, tripping during practice and busting out the seam of his pants, and even getting caught in the doors of the train ALL THE TIME. XDD "The Rinkai line's doors really hurt, so everyone be careful!" Due in large part to incidents such as these and his generally affable personality, everyone picks on Senga, be they senpai, peers, or kouhai. He is also a horrible liar, as in: everything he thinks can be read perfectly on his face, therefore whenever he does try to lie it's obvious to the entire world.

Senga on Kisumai: "They were all my senpai...so at first, I wasn't able to fit in... because, at that age, when you say a gap in age of 4~6 years, it was really really big. Their auras and such felt awfully frightening (laughs). I thought 'Why these members?' I had quite a few fights with various members... older members too... Each time though, we become closer, so as a result, it's alright (laughs). I can now say 'It's good that Kis-My-Ft2 are these members.' Hereafter, the challenge is to improve myself more and more! Not just myself, but it's something I can say for the whole group I guess. We're comrades, but it's not just about getting along well, but I want to keep having feelings of rivalry towards them where it's like 'I won't lose to my members!' Personally, even in my private time I go and learn dance and is trying to compose songs. Also, I'm watching various productions and studying them. These things may take time, but five years later, ten years later, I think that it'll definitely become my own provisions." [source]





Name:Miyata Toshia (宮田俊哉)
Nickname: Miyacchi, Miyata, Miyatea (by Tamamori)
DOB: Sept 14, 1988
From: Kanagawa
Joined JE: Feb 2001. Auditioned with Yokoo, Nikaido, and Koyama Keiichiro (NEWS). His mother sent in his application.

Miyata is, hands-down, the kindest person in Kisumai. Everyone in the group will readily defend him for his kindness and the way he always looks after the other members. Nika on Miyata: "For Kisumai, his existence is the most important... at least that’s what I think. I mean, if Miyata wasn’t here, then we’d probably just be a group of show-offs (laugh). Thanks to him, I think this group is heading in a good direction. On top of that, it’s great that he’s enjoying that character. He’s a really mature and generous person." Miyata is also known as the stingy one in the group, with the others joking that when he loans you money he calculates interest rates for it on-the-spot. He's a giant dork who loves manga and anime, and he is often called-out for being the least idol-like. While he does have the character of a goofball and messes up in rehearsals a fair amount, Miyata is one of the members who always nails routines on stage. He's listed as attending Kokushikan University, & I haven't heard anything about him graduating.

Why I like him: As pointed out by a fan on Shoukura, Miyacchi can best be summed up with the Kanji "Kou." Not because it means "public," "prince," "official," or "governmental," but rather because it looks like this: *looks at Miyata* *looks at kanji* *looks at Miyata* Yeah, I totally see it XD; Miyata is the Fail!boy of Kisumai, and he fails so earnestly, at that. He will dive into any situation with 100% commitment, following it through to the end even as it (almost always) crumbles around him. This has often prompted some to describe him as being slightly KY about situations. Miyata is mocked by everyone. Fans, members, senpai, kouhai- it doesn't matter who they are, everyone rides him and he enthusiastically plays along with it. He's also a little bit OCD at times and is the middle child in his family, which will always win points from me. 8Db

Miyata on his role in Kisumai: "But when I became a member of Kisumai, I really started to think about my character. There are seven of us, but I'm the "normal guy". There was a time when I was in my dad's car and asked for advice. He told me, "In this world, only being cool isn't enough." I replied that I already knew that, but I tried to really think those words over carefully. It's true that when I entered this jimusho, I looked up to the front-man of each group, the ones who people on the outside think are so cool, but then I thought that that's not all Johnny's is. It's really a world with people like Nakai-kun who’s an MC, Kanjani8's Maruyama-kun and Yokoyama-kun who can make everyone in a hall smile, and a lot of other characters, isn't it." [source] ;o;!! Anyone who looks up to and appreciates Yoko and Maru automatically wins in my book; this whole quoted passage cemented Miyacchi as one of my top 3.




Name: Yokoo Wataru (横尾渉)
Nickname: Yokoo, Watta
DOB: May 16, 1986
From: Kanagawa
Joined JE: Feb 2001. Yokoo's older brother had been interested in JE, but felt that he was too old to apply to the agency and therefore encouraged Yokoo to join, thus fulfilling his dreams by proxy. "I received contact from the president saying 'There's going to be an interview, so come', but I immediately replied with 'I have soccer today, so it's not possible.' Then, I was told, 'It's fine after soccer, so come to this studio' and when I did as I was told...that interview was Wink Up's photoshoot. At that time, NEWS' Koyama and Nika was there." (apparently Miyata was there, too.)

Yokoo is totally the mom of Kisumai. In almost every interview I have read or seen one of the members has mentioned this, especially his incessant nagging about keeping the place clean. Yokoo can handle spicy foods and is quite fond of them, but apparently he is the only member in the group who can (this knowledge makes me yearn for a Kisumai televised food-torture segment ala those on Kanpani, Mission V6,and AnoS). While he's mellowed-out a bit in recent years and is often called one of the most mature and reliable members, Yokoo is also known for his temper and for being a bit sharp-tongued when the situation calls for it.

Why I like him: Yokoo is a total clean-freak and I love it. He strikes me as being somewhat OCD (something I find totally relate-able) in that he always has everything (and a spare for it) with him in his bag, and is very methodical in how he does things, liking everything to be completed just-so. Yokoo cannot enunciate to save his life. He stumbles over his words a lot and even in Freeter, where he played a lawyer, it was difficult to make out what he was saying some times. XD On top of this the members like to tease that Yokoo's jokes tend to fail about 90% of the time. He's also incredibly shy, creating a gap between the stage persona and real-life which is kind of adorable.

Random: Kato Shigeaki (NEWS) got his dog Nana from one of Yokoo's dogs' litters.

Yokoo played a lawyer in the Fall 2010 Fuji TV drama Freeter, Ie wo Kau alongside Ninomiya Kazunari (Arashi). This was Yokoo's first drama role.

Yokoo on Kisumai: "Our group as a whole still isn't known in the society in many places, and we can't let those feelings of that moment show in our attitudes since we shouldn't have those childish points. The more experience we get, we can see what we ourselves are lacking and I truly feel that recently." [source]




Name: Fujigaya Taisuke (藤ヶ谷太輔)
Nickname: Taipi, Gaya, Fujigaya, Taisuke
DOB: June 25, 1987
From: Kanagawa
Joined JE: Nov. 1998. Joined at the same time as Akanishi Jin (frmr KAT-TUN) and Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN). He says that he has no clue who applied for him, and that when he received the letter to audition, his mom said "Well, you're not gonna pass anyway, just go and have fun. Maybe you'll meet Tackey." This must have been a lucky day for failed auditonees, as Taipi was in same situation as Jin, where he had actually failed the audition but the person he turned in his number card to afterward happened to be Johnny, and he was told to stay.

Possibly the most recognizable face in Kisumai (in large part due to his exposure in television programs and dramas), Taipi is the MC of the group, or at least he seems to be so. Either way, Taipi is the undisputed talker in the group. When Kisumai first formed, Taipi was the primary one to smooth over the atmosphere between the younger and older members, working to keep it light and playful among them all. Credited as being one of the main mood-makers, he's also one that members turn to for advice, being both reliable and a good listener, as well. He's listed as attending/attended Meikai, but again, I've not read /heard anything further on the matter.

Why I like him: In spite of his cool and reliable image, Taipi is notoriously bad about borrowing items and then forgetting to return them (up to 3 years+ in one case), and it's been brought up by the members on more than one occasion. He's described by the members as being stubborn, but oftentimes only in cases involving the group and its direction. Much like the others in Kisumai, Taipi is a huge dork when off-stage, and at one time he streaked through the hallway of the hotel they were staying at in Osaka during an Arashi tour (dir. link courtesy of withcoffee).

Hyakushiki (2006-present) is a show featuring Inohara Yoshihiko of V6 and 5 or 6 juniors, Fujigaya being one of them. I've only seen a couple of episodes/clips so far, but the premise follows a classroom setting with discussion/research for various topics. It's actually a good deal more amusing than I've made it seem right now and I recommend checking it out. Episodes can be found at 100shikitv (locked comm, join to view).

In Winter 2011 Taipi starred alongside Mitsu in Misaki #1 on NTV. This was his fourth role in a drama series, as apparently he was in something with both Koki and Pi in 2007 that I actually have yet to see? Yeah, I don't get how that happened either, as well as Shimokita Sundays which aired on TV Asahi in 2006, and an episode of Kowai Nichiyoubi (here). In Spring 2011 he was featured in Bishoku Cameraman - Hoshii Yu no Jiken 2, a 2hr drama SP on TBS.

Taipi on Kisumai: " It used to be that, for example Katori-kun debuted as SMAP when he was in grade school. Everyone debuted when they were young. It's not necessarily like that now... There was a time when I got really anxious about debuting, but now's when we have to be the strongest as a group [...] In my original plans, I was already supposed to have debuted at 16 or 17 years old. It felt really wrong to me that I was still a Johnny's Jr. when I over 20 years old. On top of that, we saw younger peers grab their chances and debut while we just kept getting older. But I do think that having a long time to prepare like this means that we've got the advantage of having experienced all sorts of things. It'd be tough to trip and fall after debuting, but we already have experience built up. I look at it in a different way, as in, it just means fewer problems to overcome after we debut." [source]


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Name: Tamamori Yuta (玉森裕太)
Nickname: Tama, Tama-chan, Tamamori
DOB: March 17, 1990
From: Tokyo
Joined JE: Dec 2002. Entered the same time as Tegoshi Yuya of NEWS. His mother had applied for him, and quite literally had to drag him to the audition.

In ealy interviews everyone in Kisumai often said that Tamamori was the one who was the most closed off, and he was one of the last to drop the formalities among all of the members. Known as the "cute one" in the group, Tama is usually described by the others as being "burikko" (cutsey) and gentle. He's also teased for calling inanimate objects with formal titles like "-san" and "-chan" as well as for being vain regarding his hair and overall appearance. Since 2009 there has been a noticeable push in promotion for Tamamori, and he along with Taipi and Miley are now the prominent members for the group. Tamamori graduated High School in 2008.

Why I like him: He speaks in onomotopoeia (see #0012) which I find absolutely adorable. Tamachan is totally the blonde in his group. And while yes, that can be taken literally at present, I'm talking about the type of space-cadet capable of rivaling myself on the the most airheaded of my days and not his hair. He's also kind of KY in that he will just go for a gag or impression without fear, not being phased by the atmosphere even if the joke tanks. Tamachan also gets robbed by taxi drivers (sadly, I kid you not). XD;

Tamamori will be in the upcoming Spring 2011 Fuji TV Getsu9 drama Shiawase ni Narou Yo. He played the role of Takasugi Reita in the Gokusen 2009 TV Special as a member of class 2D, which he reprised in Gokusen, the Movie (Summer 2009).

Tama on Kisumai: "I’m extremely shy, there were many older people, so at the beginning I haaated it. And then there were the roller-skates. (laughs) At that time I would always scrape my knees, fall over and hurt myself. I always thought 'I don’t like this unit.' Even though we would talk in the dressing room, the older ones could be really unreasonable sometimes. When doing that sort of things I would feel unsure. I was always scared that 'What if I’m going to be forced into doing unreasonable stuff?' (laughs) But when thinking about that now, I think it was them trying to tear down the wall of hierarchal relationships. I think it was around the time of the first (Takizawa) Enbujou. They said, 'Everybody, let’s stop using keigo' (honorific speech). I had some trouble letting go of that habit, but from that point the distance (between the members) has become shorter. Now I can just quickly look at the members’ faces and know what they’re thinking about. I can really feel the bond of companionship. I can now confidently say 'I love Kisumai.' …But I'd feel shy and not say it though. (laughs)" [source]




Name: Nikaido Takashi (二階堂高嗣)
Nickname: Nika, Nikaido
DOB: Aug 6, 1990
From: Tokyo
Joined JE: Feb 2001. Joined at the same time as Yokoo, Miyata, and Koyama (NEWS), after his older sister (who was a fan of KinKi Kids) sent an application in for him.

Nikaido is one of the youngest members of Kisumai, a role which he thoroughly embraces at all times, and he is known to be one of the biggest complainers in the group. However what on the surface looks like nothing more than immature complaining is actually Nika just being Nika and sticking to his principles. Not one to pull-punches or politely go along with something that he disagrees with, it's because of this penchant for straight-talking that Nika is often credited as being one of the most influential members of the group. He apparently plays the trumpet/ is learning to play (apologies, again, I seem to have lost my link for that) and is quite good at imitations, earning himself praise from the other members for them. Nika, like Miley and Miyata, is also a big fan of anime. <3

Why I like him: Nika doesn't believe in sugar-coating things or playing flattery-games, not even with senpai, which is evident in one of the first published cross-talks after the group was formed (oh god, the kouhai awkwardness and teasing in that article XD). He is often described by the other members as being a prankster, brat, and an instigator who'll add fuel to a heated situation and then sit back and enjoy the fallout. He's also notoriously quick-tempered and has been known to get in short-lived quarrels with Yokoo. But what I love most about Nika is that he is a complete scaredy cat. I swear the child is afraid of EVERYTHING. 8| It's completely hillarious that someone who can be such a troublemaker and punk can be such a chicken at the same time. Also: His mom fangirls Taipi . XDv

Nika on Kisumai: "At first, I was full of displeasure, like, 'Why the hell are we on skates?' But because I'd roller bladed when I was little, I became able to skate pretty quickly. From there, I thought it was pretty fun and only looked forward. Now I really love Kisumai, and I think the current me is here thanks to the members. They've come to support me in many ways, because they're the companions I spend more time with than my family."