Taketo Kamei (亀井丈人 Kamei Taketo, born November 11, 1999 in Tottori, Japan), currently known as Jacky Kamei (ジャッキー カメイ Jakkī Kamei), is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for the Dragon Gate (DG), where he is a former two-time Open The Triangle Gate Champion and a former one-time Open The Twin Gate Champion.
Kamei was trained in the Dragon Gate Dojo and made his debut in June 2020. Kamei worked as a rookie, alongside Kento Kobune and Madoka Kikuta, before being placed on Dragon Gate's mid-card for under a year. After Kobune and Kikuta turned heel, Kamei remained face and joined the Natural Vibes stable in January 2021, renaming himself to "Jacky "Funky" Kamei", before winning the Open The Triangle Gate Championship in February 2022, holding it for a month. He would renamed himself to just "Jacky Kamei" after joining Big Hug in May 2024.
Professional wrestling career[]
Dragon Gate[]
Early career (2020)[]
Kamei trained for his professional wrestling career in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate's wrestling school called "Dragon Gate Nex", wrestling several exhibition bouts before making his officially debut teaming with YAMATO in a losing effort against fellow rookie Kento Kobune and Naruki Doi on December 22, 2019. As is customary for most professional wrestlers, Kamei spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give Kamei some in-ring, televised, experience. Throughout the year, Kamei often faced off against fellow rookie Madoka Kikuta, with both men trading victories in both singles and tag team competition, before eventually forming a team. On November 15, at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Dragon Gate's biggest show of the year, Kamei and Kikuta faced Team Boku (Bokku R Shimizu and Ryo Saito) in a winning effort. Their team disbanded on December 2, after Kikuta turned on Kamei to join R.E.D.
Repackaging (2021–Present)[]
On January 17, 2021, Natural Vibes held an audition to determine the newest members of the stable, with Kamei, Don Fujii, Dragon Kid, Punch Tominaga, and U-T. At the end, Kamei and U-T managed to win the audition, after impressing Kzy, Genki Horiguchi and Susumu Yokosuka, becoming the newest members of the stable. Later that month, Kamei suffured a shoulder injury, which sidelined him for almost three months. Kamei returned from injury on April 22, renaiming himself to Funky "Jacky" Kamei as a resemblance to movie actor and martial artist Jackie Chan, due to Kamei's addition into the Natural Vibes stable. On October 16, Kamei last eliminated U-T to win the Royal Sambo battle royal, becoming the number one contender to the Open The Brave Gate Championship. The following day, Kamei received his title match, unsucessfully challenging SB KENTo for the Open The Brave Gate Championship. On October 18, Kamei renamed himself to Jacky "Funky" Kamei to reflect the lyrics of his new theme song. On December 1, Kamei once again unsucessfully challenged SB KENTo for the Open The Brave Gate Championship.
On February 20, 2022, Kamei, Kzy and U-T first defeated High-End's Ben-K, Dragon Kid and YAMATO in the semifinals and then Z-Brats' BxB Hulk, H.Y.O and Shun Skywalker in the finals to win the vacant Open The Triangle Gate Championship. They lost the titles to Gold Class (Kaito Ishida, Kota Minoura and Naruki Doi) on March 5 at Champions Gate in Osaka. In May, Kamei took part in the 2022 King of Gate, being eliminated in the second round to Shuji Kondo. On July 30 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Kamei and Natural Vibes stablemate Jason Lee defeated Diamante and Shun Skywalker to win the Open The Twin Gate Championship. They lost the titles to Dragon Dia and Madoka Kikuta on September 19 at Dangerous Gate.
In February 2023, Kamei and Lee took part in the 2023 Rey de Parejas, finishing the tournament with a record of two wins, one draw, and two losses, failing to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On May 20, Kamei, Kzy and Big Boss Shimizu defeated Gold Class (Ben-K, BxB Hulk and Kota Minoura) to win the Open The Triangle Gate Championship. They lost the titles to Gold Class (Kota Minoura, Minorita and Naruki Doi) at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival on July 2. On December 6, Kamei unsucessfully challenged Hyo for the Open The Brave Gate Championship. Afterwards, Hyo stated that he felt something from Kamei and that he was wasting his time in Natural Vibes. On December 19, Luís Mante, who was alligned with Hyo, and D'Courage's Madoka Kikuta tried to convince Kamei to join them, but he refused stating that he was part of Natural Vibes. In January, Mante and Shun Skywalker continued pressuring Kamei to join one of their stables. The storyline continued throughout the 2024 Rey de Parejas tournament the following month, after Natural Vibes began experiencing a result crisis. On March 30, Jason Lee who was fed up with the stable's antics and lack of results, decided to turn on Kamei during their league match against Shun Skywalker and ISHIN and join Z-Brats, revealing himself to be Mask de Z. Shortly after, Lee began going after Kamei's hair, leading Kamei to do the same to Lee on April 10. Afterwards, Hyo saved Natural Vibes from an attack by Z-Brats, before stating that he sided with Natural Vibes with the goal of "protecting Kamei", leading Dragon Gate's General Manager Ryo Saito to set up a five-way Mask vs. Hair steel cage survival match at Dead or Alive on May 5. At the event, Hyo, had the chance to leave early in the match, but chose to stay and assist Kamei from a Skywalker and Lee assault, leading Kamei to be the first wrestler to escape the cage. After the match, he decided to leave Natural Vibes to join Big Hug, with Kzy accepting and Kamei joining Natural Vibes for one final dance. On May 9, he renamed himself to just " Jacky Kamei". On November 3, at Gate of Destiny, Big Hug was forced to disband after being defeated in a Loser Disbands match, also involving Gold Class and Z-Brats.
On January 11, 2025, Kamei was announced as the newest member of Gold Class. In March, Kamei and Riiita took part in the 2025 Rey de Parejas, finishing the tournament with a record of three wins, one draw and one loss, advacing to the semifinals of the tournament. On March 20, they were defeated in the semifinals by Z-Brats (Homare and Shun Skywalker).
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Jacky Knife (Running jackknife pin)
- Project A (Wheelbarrow victory roll driver) - 2022-present; signature from 2019-2021
- Torbellino Crucifix (Spinning headscissors takedown twisted into a single arm DDT, transitioned into a crucifix pin) – adopted from Masato Yoshino; 2021-present
- Signature moves
- Arm trap single leg Boston crab
- Corkscrew roundhouse kick
- Corkscrew plancha
- Forearm smash
- Multiple chop variations
- Knife edge
- Open-handed
- Multiple dropkick variations
- Missile, sometimes from the second rope
- Standing
- Satellite hurricanrana
- Springboard bulldog
- Nicknames
- "Funky"
- "Jacky"
- "Pa Ri Pi Pow! Pow!"
- "JFK (J! F! K!)"
- Entrance themes
- "Dragon Storm 2019 (Instrumental Version)" by Dragon Gate
- "Party Anthem 〜Come back sound〜" by Masako Honjo (feat. Kzy)
- "JACKY FUNKY BABY" by Ayaman Japan
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Dragon Gate
- Open The Twin Gate Championship (1 time) – with Jason Lee
- Open The Triangle Gate Championship (2 times) – with Kzy and U-T (1), Kzy and Big Boss Shimizu (1)
- Royal Sambo (2021)
