Kaba-chan

Kaba-chan (KABA.ちゃん) is a transgender Japanese celebrity and choreographer, born on June 19, 1969, in Yanagawa, Fukuoka. After studying dance in New York City, she returned to Japan and was a member of the musical group Dos[1] with Taeco Nishikawa and Asami Yoshino.

Kaba-chan
Born
Eiji Kabashima

(1969-06-19) June 19, 1969
Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan
Other namesIchika Kabashima
OccupationTarento, choreographer
Years active1996 -
AgentPlatinum Production

Life and career

As a celebrity, Kaba-chan was open with her sexuality. While she was already known for her flamboyant character in Dos, she came out as a gay man publicly on television on a 2002 episode of the Japanese variety show Dancing Sanma Palace. In October 2014, when appearing on the talk show Uchi Kuru!? with drag queen Mitz Mangrove and transvestite LGBT activist Matsuko Deluxe, Kaba-chan revealed that she had undergone orchiectomy that past June, in addition to having had plastic surgery and begun hormone therapy, and intended to have her gender officially changed in the koseki.[2][3] In July 2015, she revealed while on the television show Non-Stop! that she was preparing to travel abroad to undergo counseling in preparation for sex reassignment surgery, as the Japanese law requires she medically transition before being allowed to have her gender legally changed, saying she may have been born a man but would like to die as a woman.[4] In August, she appeared on a special women's only talk show promoting the release of the film Piece of Cake and announced that she would be going out of Japan to wait for her surgery. She expressed a desire to have her gender change officially recognized in front of a crowd at the National Olympic Stadium and that fellow LGBT celebrities Mitz Mangrove, Matsuko Deluxe, and Ikko were all supportive of her decision and wished her good health.[5] In September 2016, she announced that she had officially changed her legal name to Ichika Kabashima (椛島 一華, Kabashima Ichika) from her birth name Eiji (永次).[6]

Kaba-chan was also a (male performing) contestant on two editions of Japan's Dancing with the Stars entitled Shall We Dance? (シャル・ウィ・ダンス?, Sharu Wi Dansu?), winning its "1 day special" episode with dancing partner Hidemi Yamamoto performing a pasodoble[7] and also winning its second "1 day special" with partner RYOKO performing a salsa.[8]

Choreography

Discography
  • "Challenger!!/Smile" (チャレンジャー!!/スマイル, Charenjā!!/Sumairu, April 28, 2004) performed by Rica Matsumoto/Toshiko Ezaki
    • Track 3: "Pokémon Ieru ka na? 2004" (ポケモン言えるかな? 2004) performed by Kaba-chan with the Dangerous Friends × 3 (KABA.ちゃん with 愉快な仲間×3, Kaba.chan wisu Kiken na Nakama kakeru 3)
  • "Tsuraine Akachan!/Saikin Hayari no Make Uta" (つらいね赤ちゃん!/最近ハヤリのメイク歌, Tsuraine Akachan!/Saikin Hayari no Meiku Uta, July 7, 2004) performed by Chiaki with Kaba-chan
  • "Odorimasenka?" (踊りませんか?, August 24, 2005) performed by C.K.M. (Chiaki, Kaba-chan, & Monroe)

Filmography

Film

Television

References
  1. "KABA.ちゃん - プロフィール - Yahoo!人物名鑑". Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
  2. ＫＡＢＡ．ちゃん去勢「タマ取りました」. nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  3. デイリースポーツ社. "ＫＡＢＡ．ちゃん戸籍変更、結婚も視野/芸能速報/デイリースポーツ online". www.daily.co.jp. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  4. 株式会社スポーツニッポン新聞社マルチメディア事業本部. "ＫＡＢＡ．ちゃん　性別適合手術を決意「女性として死ねたら」 ― スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能". www.sponichi.co.jp. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  5. "KABA.ちゃん、性別適合手術に進展　診断書もらい感動「ジーンとした」 - Ameba News [アメーバニュース]". Ameba News [アメーバニュース]. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  6. "ＫＡＢＡ．ちゃん、本名を「椛島一華（いちか）」に変更 性別変更認められる/デイリースポーツ online".
  7. "シャル・ウィ・ダンス？［オールスター社交ダンス選手権］". Archived from the original on 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
  8. "シャル・ウィ・ダンス？［オールスター社交ダンス選手権］". Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
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