Nozomu Kotaki is one of the most promising stars of the Johnny & Associates entertainment agency. At 21, the youngest of the seven-member boy band Johnny's WEST, Kotaki is known among fans for being cheerful, funny and endearing, while also showing a mature charm for his age.
Now Kotaki has boosted his exposure by playing his first movie lead, taking on a role that seems to be the opposite of his nature: a high schooler who's cool-headed and self-centered.
Kotaki stars alongside Yuina Kuroshima in "Principal -- Koi suru watashi wa heroine desu ka?" (Principal -- Am I in a Love Story?), which is currently showing in cinemas nationwide. He plays Gen Tatebayashi, who meets the female lead Shima Sumitomo (Kuroshima) after she moves to Sapporo from Tokyo.
Shima comes to the city to live with her father after she can't get along with her stepfather and is also snubbed at school. At her new school, she becomes friendly with Gen and Wao Sakurai (Mahiro Takasugi), who have been friends since childhood. Despite their different personalities, they both are popular with girls -- the heroine's friend, Haruka Kunishige (Rina Kawaei), also falls for Gen.
Gen is arrogant; in a scene where he asks Shima to make a New Year visit to a shrine together, he actually says: "I'll settle for you this year."
Kotaki initially found it hard to portray a personality at odds with his own, particularly when Gen speaks coldly and indifferently but is in fact warm at heart.
"It was tough for me to keep a good balance" between the two sides, he said.
Kotaki spoke with director Tetsuo Shinohara about how to convincingly portray this character.
Their efforts shine through, for example, in one scene aboard a streetcar. Gen's movements and expressions when giving his seat to Shima clearly show he is actually kind, just awkward.
Kotaki said he was initially incredibly nervous about playing his first film lead but soon changed his focus to giving it his all.
The film is an adaptation of the popular manga "Principal" by Ryo Ikuemi. Its comic books -- seven volumes in total -- have seen over 1.2 million copies sold.
Kotaki started by slimming down to match Gen's appearance in the original manga. He lost weight, falling to 63 kilograms from 69 kilograms, through boxing and dieting.
"Gen is one of the most popular male characters in Ikuemi's manga," he said. "So I wanted to play the role carefully."
He then jokingly added: "When I saw the other members [of Johnny's WEST] eating Chinese dishes from a bento box in the dressing room, I cursed them, thinking to myself, 'Get fat, you guys!'"
During the interview, Kotaki continually made funny remarks and jokes, probably because he comes from Osaka Prefecture, which is known as a shrine of comedy.
Kotaki joined Johnny & Associates when he was a sixth-grade elementary school student because he admired Ryosuke Yamada, a member of Hey! Say! JUMP -- a popular boy band from the same entertainment agency. Kotaki began gaining popularity when he was still a member of Kansai Johnny's Jr., a group for rising young talents.
In 2014, when he was in the third year at high school, Kotaki made his CD debut as a member of Johnny's WEST, which was established with Kotaki and six other members at Kansai Johnny's Jr. "I managed to make it at the last minute," he recalled with a smile, as he had decided he would leave Johnny's if he hadn't made his debut before graduating from high school.
After his debut, Kotaki managed to balance study and work: He jumped on an overnight bus after working in Tokyo to go to school in Osaka Prefecture, and asked the school to let him take tests at a cafe near a station when he didn't have enough time to travel back to school.
Generally known for his boyish character as the youngest member of Johnny's WEST, Kotaki was a mature, considerate lead actor during the shooting of the film. For example, he brought a card game to play with other cast members to get closer with them, while also serving cups of instant noodles to staff and cast members on cold days.
"It wasn't just because I was a lead," he said, "but I made sure to arrive 10 minutes earlier [than the schedule] during filming."
Taking advantage of his attractive physique at nearly 185 centimeters tall, Kotaki also has worked as a regular model for the fashion magazine Fineboys by Hinode Publishing over the past two years. He appeared alone on its cover for the first time for the March 2018 issue.
Johnny's WEST is currently on a national tour through May to promote their latest album "WESTival." They will give 34 concerts in total and are expected to attract 377,000 fans. Kotaki played a leading role when the members designed and directed these shows on their own.
"We made the concerts a little different and unexpected, such as by singing a slightly melancholic piece in the opening," he said.
Kotaki kept smiling throughout the interview and made great eye contact. He seems to have such a pure, simple heart that it's no wonder his fans describe him as "everybody's younger brother."
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