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, 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.
Eiji Wentz He is really good friends with Eiji Wentz. They often visit each others houses, watch movies and go out to eat together. When they were doing street lives, they often borrow each others clothes. Teppei calls Wentz "Ei-chan". They have spent Christmas together ever since they met. (The first year, they took purikura in Shinjuku; the second year, they ran a marathon for their indies debut PV; the third year, they ate at a hamburger shop; the fourth year was a WaT event and love*com photoshoot) For Wentz's 20th birthday, Teppei bought him a lot of underwear. (Wentz has showed up on variety TV wearing just underwear a lot of times) In "Bokura no Ibasho" (a manga based on Teppei's life story), Teppei said the only thing he had in common with Wentz was their love of music. Other than that, they are the complete opposite. ("If we were in the same class or something, I definitely think we wouldn't be friends" - quote from "Bokura no Ibasho")
TV Dramas Tentai Kazoku (2002) Anata no Jinsei Ohakobishimasu (2003) Okaasan to Isshou (2003) Yankee Bokou ni Kaeru (2003) Houkago - Kaname Komiya (2004) Water Boys 2 - Iwata Iwao (2005) Gokusen 2 - Takeda Keita (2005) Dragon Zakura - Ogata Hideki (2005) Oniyome Nikki - Sawamura Ryousuke (2005) Iryu - Ijuuin Noboru (2006) Iryu 2 - Ijuuin Noboru (2007) Mada Minu Chichi e, Haha e (2007) Shibatora - Shibata Taketora (2008) Ohitorisama - Kamisaka Shinichi (2009) Iryu 3 - Ijuuin Noboru (2010)
Variety TV Shows Ame ni mo makezu! (Fuji Terebi) - host along with his partner, Wentz.
Solo discography
Singles 2007-02-14: 君に贈る歌 (Kimi ni Okuru Uta) 2007-04-25: my brand new way 2009-06-24: キミだけ (Kimi Dake)
Albums 2007-06-27: pieces, which contains 12 self-penned songs 2009-07-15: Jack in the Box . Debut position & 1st week sales - #15 ; 10,580
Movies Taga Tameni Lovely Complex(first male leading role) as Ōtani Atsushi (2006) My Favorite Girl - a WaT DVD movie project together with Wentz (2006) KIDS - Asato (2008) The Homeless Student as Tamura "Tamuchin" Hiroshi Gokusen the Movie(2009) Black Gaisha ni Tsutometerundaga, Mou Ore wa Genkai Kamoshirenai (2009)
