Peter

Ikehata's name (Peter) was given to him from "Peter Pan". When he was about 15-16 years old, he was always dancing with tight shirts and pants at dancing clubs. His style and way of dancing was like "Peter Pan", so he was called "Peter". This is how he got into the entertainment world.

He appeared in a film, "Bara No Souretsu" made in 1968. In the movie, he wore pantaloon suits and make up and so on. Many people thought he was a mysterious handsome young man. He then released his debut song "Yoru To Asa No Aidani". The song was a hit, so he became a popular person as a new Japanese idle.

He said, looking back, "When I was an idle singer, I always thought about everyday clothes because I thought that I shouldn't break my image that is like a "Peter Pan". In that time, I had to be "Peter" when I opened the door of my house." But it was not a pose that he wore ladies clothes and he did make up. Even now, that is base of his stylish policy. And he said, " I began to wear ladies clothes, because I had problems with clothes sizes. Men's clothes were too big for me because I was thin, also my foot size was 23 cm. From childhood, I wore pretty sweaters without a hitch of sex. And also my family thought the same way. From when I was 3 years old, I appeared on the stage with make up and with the nature of my father's job, I had no resistance." His father, a traditional singer, is a living national treasure of Japan.

His variety of changing fashions has been interesting. He introduced a new fashion without a hitch of sex. "When I continued Peter's image, I had policy that I didn't wear skirts, because I thought my unisex image was important. But when I came to wear skirts when I was 27 years old, I started to play the role of woman."

It is a clear that not only with skirts but also since he appeared in the film "Ran", Peter's image was set free . That director was Akira Kurosawa. "I hate being stereotyped when I wear first-class clothes because if I wear suites of Nicole, my hair style and make up are getting Nicole style. I don't want to be like that.", he said flatly. He wears an unbalanced style but that style suits him.

References: Spring p.122-123

This article compliments of Michael Shawback's Internet class at Ryukoku University, Kyoto

Reported by: Takada Nazuki
Data verified by: Takahashi Wakana
Date of Report: October 1998

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