Teppei Koike

Teppei Koike (小池 徹平 Koike Teppei?, born January 5, 1986) is an actor and singer from Japan. He was born in Ōsakasayama, Osaka Prefecture. He belongs to the production company Burning Productions and is a member of the singer-songwriter duo WaT with his partner, Eiji Wentz.

2001



Attended Osaka Furitsu Nagano High School.

Was the grand prix winner of the fourteenth Junon Super Boy Contest.



2002



Moved to Tokyo in the spring. Changed schools to Horikoshi High (also attended at the same time as NEWS' Tomohisa Yamashita & Yuya Tegoshi, D-BOYS' Yu Shirota, Japanese actor and singer Toma Ikuta and KAT-TUN's Koki Tanaka)

Met Eiji Wentz while working and formed WaT. Started doing street lives.

Debuted as an actor in the drama Tentai Kazoku.



2004



WaT released debut indies C.D. Sotsugyō Time in June.



2005



Acted in the drama Gokusen 2, which was part of the reason for his increasing popularity.

WaT signs with Universal Music in August, releases first major single Boku no Kimochi in November, reaching second place on the Oricon chart. They are the band with the shortest time gap between debut and appearing on NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Released his first photobook, First Letter From Teppei.



2006



Presented with the Newcomer's forty-third Golden Arrow Award (WaT).

Presented with the twentieth Gold Disc Award for "Best New Artist".

First leading role in the movie Lovely Complex as Atsushi Otani.

Official supporter in 2006's International Volleyball Tournament (WaT).

Nominated for the Best Supporting Actor in the forty-ninth Drama Academy Award, for his performance in Iryu.

Released his second photobook, Kiss me, Kiss me.

On New Year's Eve, WaT performed for the second time in N.H.K.'s Kōhaku.

Acted in the drama Iryu, as Ijyuuin.



2007



First music solo project was announced on January tenth.

His story of leaving his family and hometown to pursue his dream to be a performer was turned into a fifty-two pages one shot manga entitled Bokura no Ibasho by Nakahara Aya, the author of the manga Lovely Complex.

Solo single, Kimi ni Okuru Uta, was released on February fourteen, Valentine's Day, with Wentz's solo song Lucky de Happy as the B-side song.

Solo album, Pieces was released on the 27th of June.



Family



His immediate family consists of his father, mother, and a younger brother.

The name "Teppei" came from his father's favourite manga, Ore wa Teppei.

His cousin, Kyomoto Taiga, is a member of Johnny's Junior.