Takashi Nagayama

Takashi Nagayama (永山たかし, Nagayama Takashi^?, real name 永山 毅 Nagayama Takashi, born November 16, 1978 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor. He is probably best known for his roles as Eiji Kikumaru in The Prince of Tennis musical series, Tenimyu, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya in "Rock Musical Bleach". During his run in Tenimyu, he garnered the nickname "Nagayan", which he is still referred to by fans and friends. He made his television debut in 1998 with the drama Change.

Nagayama's major stage debut was from 2003 to the beginning of 2005 for the role of the acrobatic Eiji Kikumaru in the Prince of Tennis musical series, Tenimyu, as part of the first generation Seigaku cast. When the series came out in 2003, former D-BOYS member Yamazaki Ichitaro played the role during the spring run of the first show, and Nagayama played the role during the summer run. Afterwards, Nagayama was set to carry on playing the role with the first cast, understudying the role of Shusuke Fuji as well, when Ichitaro left the series.

The end of 2003 brought tragedy to Tenimyu. Less than two weeks before the second show, Remarkable 1st Match Fudomine, Kotaro Yanagi - who was playing the lead role of Ryoma Echizen at the time - was hospitalized after being accidentally hit by a car. Because the musical's rehearsals were well underway and performance dates already set, several changes were made in the cast for the show: Nagayama was shifted over to Fuji due to J-pop singer Kimeru, who was playing the role of Fuji, having to step up as Echizen, and Ichitaro was brought back as Kikumaru. After Yuya Endo was brought in as the new Echizen, Nagayama and Kimeru went back to their roles as Kikumaru and Fuji respectively. Nagayama graduated from the series with his fellow castmates after the Side Fudomine musical; along with several graduated Tenimyu members, he got a cameo role in the Prince of Tennis live film adaptation.

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