ichi ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁in ▁Ky oto ▁Pref ect ure , ▁Japan , ▁but ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁K aw as aki , ▁Kan ag awa ▁Pref ect ure . ▁He ▁played ▁baseball ▁in ▁elementary ▁school ▁and ▁junior ▁high ▁school ▁as ▁a ▁pitch er . ▁According ▁to ▁himself , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁reb elli ous ▁te en ager ▁and ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 . ▁He ▁then ▁started ▁to ▁do ▁different ▁part - time ▁jobs , ▁including ▁d ish ▁was hing ▁at ▁a ▁r amen ▁shop , ▁and ▁spent ▁his ▁w ages ▁playing ▁with ▁the ▁p ach ink o ▁and ▁slot ▁machines ▁in ▁his ▁free ▁time . ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁and ▁a ▁half , ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁friends , ▁a ▁construction ▁worker ▁in ▁the ▁neighbor ing ▁city , ▁invited ▁I ma ichi ▁to ▁work ▁together ▁at ▁his ▁company ▁and ▁become ▁a ▁construction ▁worker ▁too . ▁I ma ichi ▁chose ▁to ▁special ize ▁in ▁pressure ▁w eld ing ▁since ▁the ▁job ▁paid ▁a ▁higher ▁sal ary ▁than ▁for ▁a ▁normal ▁construction ▁worker . ▁He ▁achieved ▁to ▁ear n ▁all ▁the ▁required ▁lic enses ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁wel der . ▁ ▁I ma ichi ▁became ▁a ▁big ▁fan ▁of ▁A ts ush i ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁when ▁he ▁saw ▁him ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁As ay an ▁talent ▁search ▁TV ▁show . ▁When ▁A ts ush i ▁deb uted ▁as ▁the ▁vocal ist ▁of ▁Ex