Takeda Shinji to release his first album in 24 years

Actor/TV talent Takeda Shinji was known previously as a musician first.

As a professional saxaphonist, Takeda was seen on television playing his sax and performing on tour for Imawano Kiyoshiro while showing his comedic chops for “Mecha Mecha Iketeru!”  until he turned 25 and suffered temperomandibular disorders.

Afraid that he would never perform the sax again, his doctor advised him to build his muscles in order to continue to play the sax and so Takeda started working out.

This new bulkier physique has led to Takeda being featured in muscle-related TV shows and events and even participated in SASUKE 2019.

His last full-length album which he released was “OK!” back in July 1996 and now as he celebrates his 30 year anniversary as a musician, his solo album “BREATH OF LIFE” will be released.

In a recent interview with Oricon, Takeda said, “If I didn’t get sick, then I wouldn’t have trained myself so much now and I wouldn’t have been able to play aggressive sax at this age.  To be honest, I never had this image of a muscular Takeda Shinji.  I worked out hard all the time but I never thought my body was worth showing and I didn’t think it was good to show it off publicly on TV”.

But Takeda in the interview realizes because of the exposure because of his muscular physique, it has led to new opportunities.

Takeda said, “When I was suffering from temporomandibular disorders and when I was feeling depressed, I saw on TV that Tokoro-san said. ‘Working in my 40s will be easier’.  Even though I was wondering if it was true, I remembered to do my best until then.  As a result, what he said was true”.

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