Kōji Seto

Koji Seto
Native name 瀬戸 康史
Born (1988-05-18) May 18, 1988
Kama, Fukuoka, Japan
Occupation Actor, singer
Years active 2005present
Website blog.watanabepro.co.jp/setokoji/information.php

Kōji Seto (瀬戸 康史 Seto Kōji, born May 18, 1988) is a Japanese actor and singer. His major works include lead roles as Wataru Kurenai in Kamen Rider Kiva and Hiro in Koizora; and supporting roles as Satoru Okura in Atashinchi no Danshi, Ariake Yamato in Otomen, and Eiji Kikumaru in Tenimyu. He stars as Mori Ranmaru in the drama, Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku.

In 2010, he was named one of the most promising actors and actresses, placing 7th in a poll conducted by Oricon.[1] Through his role with Kamen Rider Kiva, he was also the lead vocalist of the J-Rock band Tetra-Fang. The lively and bright multi-talented Seto is nicknamed Setomaru (瀬戸丸) and is a member of the acting group D-Boys.

Biography

Born in 1988 in Kyushu, Kōji Seto grew up as the oldest child with two younger sisters. His childhood dream of becoming a vet changed suddenly with the end of his Junior High School time, when he watched with 15 years the TV series Orange Days. The praised drama and performance by Satoshi Tsumabuki inspired his wish to become an actor. After discussing his plans with his parents, they decided to support their son and enrolled him to a local acting school.[2]

After one year in training, he was cast in 2005 as Makoto Kanno, the snobbish main antagonist the comedy TV Series Rocket Boys. Although the series was filmed earlier, it would take over six months until its broadcasting. Meanwhile, after the filming ended, his parents surprised their son with a letter that stated the teenager made it to the final round of Watanabe Entertainment's 2nd official D-Boys audition. With his interpretation of Fukuyama Masaharu's song "Himawari" won Seto the Grand Prix 2nd Winner Award on July 31, 2005. He debuted as a Junior member just shortly afterwards in December at the 3rd D-Live Event - an entertainment show featuring only D-Boys members.[3][4]

In spring 2006, at the age of 17, he finally moved after constant commuting from his rural and idyllic hometown in Fukuoka to live by himself in Tokyo. Seto starred together with all his fellow D-Boys members in their first own TV production "DD-Boys" and won, at the same time, the audition for the part of the hyperactive acrobatic tennis player Eiji Kikumaru in Tenimyu. In 151 performances the name Setomaru was established (the nickname was his own idea, by combining his own surname (Seto) and Eiji's (Maru)) and took its place in the hearts of fans in Japan and all over the world until his graduation alongside the members of the 3rd Seigaku-Generation on September 9, 2007. He and his stage partner Yukihiro Takiguchi were honored with a Best Actors Album and praised by the creator of the original work Takeshi Konomi as perfect cast.[5][6]

Seto's official D-Boys logo is a chameleon, in reference to his versatility. In late 2006 the young actor was chosen as Thursday's-face of OhaStar, a children's TV show airing live every morning on TV Tokyo. He co-hosted the show constantly from then, once a week together with Kōichi Yamadera, until his graduation on April 28 in 2008. Seto was not just a boy in an old-fashioned green uniform - he also had the ability to change his persona with the use of his "Miracle Glasses". This way, he was able to act out his part in eight different ways. He starred in his first leading part in spring 2007, as the dallying greenhorn Kyoichi Segawa, a young gentleman Butler in Happy Boys. The drama followed Makoto Tateno's script, which was published alongside the TV series in Manga-form. Manga artist Tateno created the character design originally based upon the actors - a very rare occurrence. Right after this series, the teenager was offered his first starring role in a movie, as the meekly salesman Tibe-kun, who tries to deal with the yaoi passion of his girlfriend in the comedy Tonari no Yaoi-chan, a self-parody movie based on a real-life blog that centered on the 801-chan phenomenon.

The part of Izamu Hayama in the feature film Tenshi ga Kureta Mono was his first cinema production in autumn 2007. He then co-starred in winter 2007 with Aya Ueto and Yo Oizumi in his first Golden Time TV series Abarenbo Mama as a kindergarten teacher. From January 2008 to 2009 he starred as one of Toei's Tokusatsu Heros, the young violinist and half-vampire Wataru Kurenai, the protagonist in Kamen Rider Kiva. About the same time, was Seto chosen among 1000 competitors in an audition for the leading part as the rebel Hiroki "Hiro" Sakurai, in the TV series adaption of Koizora (after the bestseller book by Mika), making him the leading actor for two TV series filmed and broadcast at the same time. Both works earned him a nomination for the renowned Elan d'Or award as Best Newcomer of the Year 2009.[7]

In early 2009, Seto started filming for the latest Ju-On movie Ju-On - Black Girl. He reprised his role as Wataru Kurenai for the first and last episode of Kamen Rider Decade, as well as in Decade: Last Story, the last part of the storyline, as a guest star. Afterwards, he starred as the hotheaded genius-magician Satoru Okura in the Fuji TV drama Atashinchi no Danshi as one of Maki Horikita's six sons, followed by his part as the cheerful, but delusional junior Ariake Yamato in the drama adaption of the Hit-Manga Otomen in Summer. At the end of October, he finished filming with Yusuke Yamamoto for their roles as brothers (having previously starred as brothers in Atashinchi no Danshi) in the award-winning TV movie Rinne no Ame, in which Seto portrayed the mentally disabled, autistic Shuhei Mikami.[8]

In early 2010, he played Shunta Matsumoto, a young medical student in the BeeTV drama Gift, a part that was written for him, as an alternative version of himself. In the spring TBS TV series Tumbling, Seto is starring as Yuta Takenaka, captain to the boy's rhythmic gymnastics team at Karasumori High, alongside Yusuke Yamamoto again. For the 10th anniversary commemoration of Watanabe Entertainment, he was selected with fellow D-Boys members Shunji Igarashi, Yuichi Nakamura, and Hirofumi Araki to represent all members of the group in a special unit with a new fifth member determined through the 2010 D-Boys Audition. Recently, he's been filming and played as Mori Ranmaru for the latest Taiga drama for 2011.

Work

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Rocket Boys Makoto Kanno (Main Cast) TV series filmed 2005, broadcast 2006 (TV Tokyo)
3rd D-Live (D-Boys Live Entertainment Show) Himself Stage debut
2006 Hit Parade The Tigers member (Guest Star) 2-part TV movie
DD-Boys Himself TV Documentary Series (TV Asahi)
Tenimyu - Advancement Match Rokkaku feat. Hyotei Gakuen Eiji Kikumaru (Main Cast) Stage musical
Yume no Kobako ni Ribbon wo Kakete ~Revised Edition~ (Dream in a Ribbon Box) Young Thief (Main Cast) Stage Play (re-run)
OhaSuta Seto-kun (co-presenter) Children morning show (TV Tokyo)
Tenimyu - Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokkaku ~ First Service Eiji Kikumaru (Main cast) Stage musical
2007 Happy Boys Kyoichi Segawa (Lead) TV Series (TV Tokyo)
Tonari no Yaoi-chan Chibe-kun (Lead) Movie
Tenimyu - Dream Live 4th Eiji Kikumaru (Main Cast) Stage Musical
Out of Order Guest star appearance Live entertainment stage show
Tenimyu - Dream Live 4th ~Extra~ Eiji Kikumaru (Main Cast) Stage Musical
D-Boys Stage Volume 1 ~Kanbai Gore~ Genki-kun/Souji Okita (Lead) Stage Play
Thrill Night - United States of Ikemen Himself Celebrity entertainment show (Fuji TV)
Tenshi ga Kureta Mono Izamu Hayama (Main Cast) Cinema debut, motion picture
Tenimyu - Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokkaku ~ Second Service Eiji Kikumaru (Main cast) Stage Musical
Abarenbo Mama Naoya Abe (Main Cast) Prime Time TV Series (Fuji TV)
Nekketsu! Heisei Kyouiku Gakuin Guest Star Candidate Celebrity Quiz Show (Fuji TV)
2008 45th secret New Years Performance Tournament Ikemen Jumper New Years Celebrity Entertainment Show (Fuji TV)
Kamen Rider Kiva Wataru Kurenai / Kiva (Lead) Tokusatsu TV Series (TV Asahi)
Bandai's Kamen Rider Kiva DX Belt CM Wataru Kurenai TV commercial
Kamen Rider Den-O & Kiva - Climax Deka Wataru Kurenai / Kiva (Guest Star) Motion Picture
Shakariki Cameo (himself) Motion Picture
D-Boys Stage Volume 2: The Last Game Kaoru Betto (Main Cast) Stage Play
Kamen Rider Kiva - The King of the Castle in the Demon World Wataru Kurenai / Kiva(Lead) Motion Picture
Koizora Hiroki "Hiro" Sakurai (Lead) TV Series (TBS)
2009 Kamen Rider Decade Wataru Kurenai (Guest Star) Tokusatsu TV Series (TV Asahi)
Nakai's Super Drama Spring Festival Participant TV-Show
Atashinchi no Danshi Satoru Okura (Main Cast) TV Series (Fuji TV)
Ju-On - Black Girl Tetsuya (Lead) Horror Motion Picture
Nakai's Super Drama Sommer Festival Participant TV-Show
Otomen Ariake Yamato (Main Cast) TV Series (Fuji TV)
D-Boys Stage Volume 3: Karasu 10 Ryuu (Lead) Stage Play
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider W & Decade: Movie War 2010 Wataru Kurenai / Kiva (Guest Star) Motion Picture
2010 Rinne no Ame Shuhei Mikami (Lead) TV Movie (Fuji TV)
Gift: Tonight, we will deliver a happy time Shunta Matsumoto (Main Cast) Mobile Series (BeeTV)
Tumbling Yuta Takenaka (Main Cast) TV Series (TBS)
D-Boys Stage 2010 Trial 2: The Last Game Suishu Tobita (Lead) Stage Play (Pre-Production)
2011 Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku Mori Ranmaru (Main Cast) TV Series (NHK), Taiga drama
Runway Beat Biito "Beat" Mizorogi (Main Cast) Motion Picture
Moshidora Keiichiro Asano (Main Cast) Motion Picture
2012 Teen Court: 10-dai Saiban Saburo Takada TV Series (NTV)
Sadako 3D Takanori Ando Movie
2013 Saito-San 2 Teacher TV Series (NTV)
2014 My Hawaiian Discovery Motion Picture
2015 Hana Moyu Yoshida Toshimaro TV Series (NHK), Taiga drama
Asa ga Kita Izumi Narusawa TV Series (NHK), Asadora

Discography

Year Title CD details Track list
2006 Tenimyu - Advancement Match Rokkaku feat. Hyotei Gakuen OST of the Musical as Eiji Kikumaru Track list
Tenimyu - Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokkaku: First Service OST of the Musical as Eiji Kikumaru Track list
2007 Happy Boys Image Collection 1: Yasashisa Single as Kyoichi Segawa
  • Yasashisa
  • Yasashisa unplugged Version
  • Voice Message
Tenimyu - Dream Live 4th OST of the Musical as Eiji Kikumaru Track list
Finalist Special Single for the Tenimyu Hit
  • Finalist
  • Finalist - Forever With You Version
  • Finalist - Instrumental
Tenimyu Best Actor's Album 007 As Eiji Kikumaru together with Yukihiro Takiguchi as Syuichirou Oishi Track list
Tenimyu - Absolute King Rikkai feat. Rokkaku: Second Service OST of the Musical as Eiji Kikumaru Track list
Tenimyu Best Actor's Collection 010 Extra Seigaku Memorial Edition Track list
2008 Destiny's Play Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva ED Single)
  • Destiny's Play
  • Destiny's Play NEO Romanesque Guitar Edit
  • Destiny's Play Additional Kivat-bat the 3rd Edit
  • Destiny's Play instrumental
Individual-System Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva ED Single)
  • Individual-System
  • Individual-System technical guitar fist
  • Individual-System instrumental
  • Individual-System Nago advance fist
Circle of Life Solo Vocalist (Kamen Rider Kiva Movie ED-Single)
  • With you - Wataru feat. Crimson Fang
Supernova Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva Mini-Album)
  • Entrance Procession
  • Supernova (Tribute to Emperor form)
  • Shout in the Moonlight (Tribute to Garulu)
  • Innocent Trap (Tribute to Basshaa)
  • Silent Shout (Tribute to Dogga)
  • Message (Tribute to Father)
Roots of the King Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva ED-Single)
  • Roots of the King
  • Individual-System acoustic fist
  • Roots of the King instrumental
  • Individual-System acoustic fist instrumental
Destiny Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva Album)
  • Mind Garden
  • Destiny's Play
  • Roots of the King
  • Lightning to Heaven
  • Exterminate Time
  • Eternity Blood
  • Supernova
  • Individual-System
  • Rainy Rose
  • Prayer: Message2
  • No matter who You are
2009 Kamen Rider Kiva Re-Union Tetra-Fang (Kamen Rider Kiva Album)
  • Destiny’s Play Re-Union
  • This love never ends (Emperor Edit.)
  • Roots of the King (Acoustic Edit.)
  • Beginning: Message 3

Official photobooks

Year Photobook title Description Publisher Release date ISBN
2005 D-Boys D-Boys First Photobook Tokyo News Agency April 27, 2005 ISBN 4-924566-42-X
2006 Start! D-Boys 2nd Photobook Gakken Co., Ltd. March 15, 2006 ISBN 4-05-403035-1
2007 Kōji Seto Kōji Seto First Solo Photobook Gakken Co., Ltd. April 2007 ISBN 4-05-403376-8
2008 Dash D-Boys Third Photobook Kadokawa Marketing Co.,Ltd. December 2008 ISBN 978-4-04-895035-0
2009 SetoBook Kōji Seto Second Solo Photobook Shufu-to-Seikatsu Sha, Ltd. April 2009 ISBN 978-4-391-13765-1
2010 Darling D-Boys Fourth Photobook Shufu-to-Seikatsu Sha, Ltd. March 2010 ISBN 978-4-04-895035-0
2010 Et Cetera Kōji Seto Third Photobook Tokyo News Mook, TV Guide 11 November 2010 ISBN 978-4-86336-116-4

Official DVDS

Series Title DVD details Distributor Release date
Prince Series D-Boys Collection Koji Seto Volume 2 Pony Canyon May 16, 2007
D-Boys Boy Friend Series Set Out Volume 10 Geneon Entertainment May 26, 2010

See also

References

  1. Oricon: Promising Actors and Actresses for 2010
  2. Interview in Pash Vol. 8
  3. Information from the official D-Boys Fanclub Book 6
  4. D-Boys Audition History
  5. Information from Tenimyu Supporter DVD 6 Interview
  6. Look at Star Vol. 10 Interview
  7. 33rd elan d´Or Awards
  8. 21st Best Young Scriptwriter Winner "Rinne no Ame"

External links

Preceded by
Osamu Adachi
Eiji Kikumaru in the Prince of Tennis Musicals
2006-2007
Succeeded by
Kyousuke Hamao
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