Kataoka Naoto (片岡直人), better known by his stage names NAOTO and EXILE NAOTO, is a performer, actor, fashion designer and business man. He is a member of EXILE, one of the leaders of Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS and leader of the Hip-Hop unit HONEST BOYZ®. He was also member of Nidaime J Soul Brothers until their migration to EXILE in 2009.
Besides his activities in the entertainment industry, he is the founder and creative director of the apparel brand STUDIO SEVEN, and a creative officer of LDH JAPAN.
Early Life[]
Kataoka Naoto was born on August 30, 1983 in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He has an older brother.[1][2]
From elementary to junior high school, he played baseball, but decided to change paths in high school as baseball became too tough for him. Initially, he wanted to try boxing, but since there was no boxing club in his high school, his friends invited him to join the dance club.[3]
He is a Saitama Prefectural Tokorozawa High School graduate. He started attending the high school's dance club at age 17 and began activities as a dancer. At age 20, he went to Los Angeles and New York (both in United states) to learn more about dance with a famous choreographer and returned to Japan after completing the studies. He then started to work as backup dancer for artists such as Hamasaki Ayumi, Goto Maki, AI, etc., and also for western artists such as Ashanti and Missy Elliott.
Career[]
2007[]
On November 10, he joined the revival of the group J Soul Brothers and his stage name became NAOTO.
2009[]
On March 1, J Soul Brothers migrated to EXILE and he became member of the group.
2010[]
On July 19, he was announced as member and one of the leaders of Sandaime J Soul Brothers, a new revival of J Soul Brothers, being a concurrent member of the group and EXILE.
2015[]
In 2015, he launched the apparel brand STUDIO SEVEN and became its creative director.
On July 14, he released his first photo essay Jinsei Honoji-gumi.
2016[]
On April 15, he became a founding member of the the hip-hop unit HONEST BOYZ® as its leader and a rapper, being the first time he wouls use his vocal abilities in a group.
2017[]
On January 1, he became director of LDH apparel.
2020[]
On August 7, he released two solo digital singles under the stage name "HONEST BOY", "O・Y" and "YUM YUM", which were credited as releases of HONEST BOYZ®. The songs were used to promote collaboration products of the brands STUDIO SEVEN and GU.[4][5]
On October 23, he released his third digital single "TAKE ME HIGH".
2021[]
In 2021, he played his first leading role in the movie DANCING MARY directed by SABU.[6][7]
2023[]
On November 4, it was announced that NAOTO had been appointed as a Creative Officer of LDH JAPAN, a role responsible for creating and transmitting the entertainment of LDH.[8]
2024[]
On March 21, his first solo photobook Onestà will be released.[9][10][11][12]
From April 7 to July 25, he will hold his first solo tour NAOTO PRESENTS HONEST HOUSE 2024.[13][14][15][16][17]
Group Participation[]
- [2003.02-N/A] JAZZ DRUG
- [2006.02-N/A] SCREAM
- [2007.11.10-2009.03.01] Nidaime J Soul Brothers
- [2009.03.01-present] EXILE
- [2010.11.10-present] Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE
- [2016.04.15-present] HONEST BOYZ®
Discography[]
- Digital Singles
- [2020.08.07] O・Y (HONEST BOY)
- [2020.08.07] YUM YUM (HONEST BOY)
- [2020.10.23] TAKE ME HIGH (HONEST BOY)
Works[]
Filmography[]
- Movies
- [2014] Sakurasaku
- [2015] Mango to Akai Kurumaisu
- [2017] HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 2 / END OF SKY
- [2017] HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION
- [2021] DANCING MARY
- TV Dramas
- [2010] Okagesama de!
- [2010] SPEC ~Keishichou Kouanbu Kouan Daigoka Mishou Jiken Tokubetsu Taisakugakari Jikenbo~ (episode 8)
- [2013] Last♡Cinderella
- [2013] Frenemy ~Dobu Nezumi no Machi~
- [2014] Dear Sister (episode 9)
- [2016] Night Hero NAOTO
- [2022] Nanji no Na (汝の名)[18]
- [2023] Mouichido Papa to Yoba Reru Hi (もう一度パパと呼ばれる日)[19]
- Digital Dramas
- [2009] Genryou Boxer
Music[]
- Music Video Appearances
- [2003] BENNIE K - "Better Days"
- [2005] Hamasaki Ayumi - "my name's WOMEN"
- [2006] Hamasaki Ayumi - "Startin'"
- [2006] Hamasaki Ayumi - "BLUE BIRD"
- [2006] Hamasaki Ayumi - "Beautiful Fighters"
- [2006] Goto Maki - "Glass no Pumps"
- [2006] Goto Maki - "SOME BOYS! TOUCH"
- [2006] AI - "I Wanna Know"
- [2007] JYONGRI - "Getting Funky!"
- [2014] Pharrell Williams - "Happy (Japanese ver.)"
- [2016] EXILE THE SECOND - "YEAH!! YEAH!! YEAH!!"
- [2017] KOBUKURO - "Kokoro"
- [2018] RED DIAMOND DOGS - "RED SOUL BLUE DRAGON"
- Live DVDs Appearances
- [2006] Goto Maki - Maki Goto SECRET LIVE at STUDIO COAST
- [2007] Goto Maki - Goto Maki LIVE TOUR 2006 ~G-Emotion~
Concerts/Tours[]
- Tours
- [2024.04.07-2024.07.25] NAOTO PRESENTS HONEST HOUSE 2024
Publications[]
- Photo Essays
- [2015.07.14] Jinsei Honojigumi (人生ほの字組)
- Photobooks
- [2024.03.21] Onestà
Trivia[]
- Member Color: Orange (Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS)
- Has a very close friendship with Japanese choreographer RIEHATA; they consider each other best friends and she calls him "big brother". They have known each other since the early 2000s when they were students of American choreographer Free Boogie (alongside ELLY).[20]
- His brand STUDIO SEVEN uses the images of a "smiley face" and "lips" as standard symbols, representing "HAPPINESS" and "LOVE" respectively and paying homage to LDH's principles "LOVE, DREAM, and HAPPINESS".[21]
- Known for his meticulous planning, and often arranges plans years ahead. According to himself, he makes detailed schedules because he is the type of person who "never wants to have any spare time".[22]
- When he travels, he wants to follow the plans because he "doesn't want to waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity".[22]
- Likes comic books very much.[23]
- Likes Dragon Ball.[24]
Playlists[]
References[]
- ↑ https://thetv.jp/news/detail/1140487/
- ↑ https://www.tvlife.jp/pickup/580404
- ↑ https://www.fujitv-view.jp/article/post-909366/
- ↑ https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2168933/full/
- ↑ https://m.tribe-m.jp/common/discography/honest_boy/single/oy_yumyum/index
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/439704
- ↑ https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/290975
- ↑ https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/4034570
- ↑ https://twitter.com/naoto_photobook/status/1722947221996371974
- ↑ https://www.gentosha.co.jp/topic/detail/031209/
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/music/news/548750
- ↑ https://m.tribe-m.jp/news/detail?news_id=45940
- ↑ https://jsb3.exfamily.jp/s/ldh02/news/detail/10437
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/music/news/552503
- ↑ https://www.tokyoheadline.com/727379/
- ↑ https://jsb3.exfamily.jp/s/ldh02/news/detail/10536?ima=1852
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/music/news/564400
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/468994
- ↑ https://natalie.mu/music/news/525885
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BuDjzZrFXlL/
- ↑ https://www.wwdjapan.com/articles/590766
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/4048130
- ↑ https://encount.press/archives/466697/
- ↑ https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2281820/full/
External Links[]
- Official Blog
- Official Twitter
- Official Instagram
- Official TikTok
- Agency Profile
- STUDIO SEVEN
- Official Website
- Official Twitter
- Official Instagram
- Official Website (HONEST BOY)
- Official Instagram (HONEST BOY)
| NAOTO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS • Gallery • Category • Songs navbox | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category • Gallery • Music Videos • Songs navbox CrazyBoy navbox • RYUJI IMAICHI navbox • ØMI navbox • Iwata Takanori navbox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||