#koji kato

[redsamuraiii]

It's like a real life anime with them. 🤣

Be Nice to People (Ep 5)

[redsamuraiii]

Be Nice to People (Ep 3)

[dezainnet]

藤村龍至へデザイン・ジャーナリストの加藤孝司が行なったインタビュー「都市からふたたび建築へ」(ensemble)

[welovefunassyi]

The evolution of Funassyi, part 15: Funassyi is thrown to the ground and becomes an overnight sensation

On February 5, 2013, the popular morning news and entertainment program Sukkiri! had a segment about the Asahi Juuroku Cha (Asahi Sixten Tea) commercial. Although the segment was about the fact that so many yuru-chara were being used in a major TV commercial, to one of the co-hosts, comedian/actor Koji Kato one yuru-chara in particular stood out - a little known yet strangely hyperactive yellow pear fairy.

A week later on February 12, 2013, the program invited Funassyi to the studio; the video above shows that event. Kato is astonished when, during the intro video, the announcer explains that Funassyi is "an individual doing this [being a yuru-chara representing Funabashi] on his own". Later on, when Funassyi challenges Kato to a sumo wrestling match, Kato throws Funassyi across the studio under the table. Funassyi rolls face first into the table legs. Kato even throws Funassyi to the floor a second time. (Kato has a reputation for going all-out and not holding back when performing such stunts on TV; a few months before the Funassyi segment, he was heavily criticised by some fans when he seemed to kick Mayu Watanabe of AKB48 in the head.)

Near the end of the segment, Kato makes a prophetic remark - that "Funassyi may become a big star".

Whether it was all staged or not, Kato's interactions with the pear fairy made Funassyi an overnight nationwide sensation. Offers poured in after this, and Funassyi's life was changed forever.

(Note that Funassyi is still speaking quite oddly, but his speech pattens will change a lot in the coming months.)