<figure id="attachment_282082" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-282082" style="width: 1869px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="1d35d01e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/12/001_r-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-282082" class="wp-caption-text">His trademark black-rimmed glasses were not glasses, and were for character building.</figcaption></figure>
<p> On October 19, Mr. Ken Nakamoto (81 years old), a superstar of the Showa era &#8220;Drifters,&#8221; passed away. On the previous day, October 18, he was hit by a wagon at an intersection without a traffic light in Yokohama City&#8217;s Nishi Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, striking his head hard, and acute subdural hematoma was the direct cause of death. After Nakamoto&#8217;s death, there has been a lot of talk about his &#8220;separation&#8221; from Junka, a 27-year-old enka singer whom he married for the third time in 2012, and the fact that he was forced to live a solitary life in a trash house. However, what should not be forgotten are the accomplishments that Ms. Nakamoto left behind in the entertainment world.</p>
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<p><strong> He was the first entertainer to make gymnastics comedy a reality. All Together! (TBS), where he performed a perfect backflip using his experience in gymnastics, and then struck a pose with a powerful fist at the end.　All the children in the TV room imitated him,&#8221; said a person involved in the production of a variety show on commercial TV.</strong></p>
<p> A graduate of Tokyo Metropolitan Aoyama High School, she was a dual-brand athlete with a promising future as a gymnast. However, because Gakushuin University did not have a gymnastics club, she taught herself to play the guitar, and when she happened to enter a jazz cafe, she jumped in and sang, which led to her joining a jazz band. The drummer of the band was Cha Kato (79). 1966, the Drifters opened the Beatles&#8217; concert at the Nippon Budokan. Mr. Nakamoto was also the lead singer of the band. However, after the Drifters became comedians, he consistently played supporting roles.</p>
<p><strong> Mr. Nakamoto played the role of a silent comedian who never uttered a single line. But these were the only times that Mr. Nakamoto played the main role in a comedy. And even in gymnastics, he always gives flowers to the guest talent at the end. He always played a supporting role to complement the leading actor in any situation,&#8221; said a writer for a commercial variety show.</strong></p>
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<p> After her marriage to Junka, she released duets and made her YouTube debut, but she always played a supporting role for Junka. Such a life must have been comfortable for Ms. Nakamoto.</p>
<p> Drifting would not have been possible without Mr. Nakamoto, but now Cha Kato and Boo Takagi are the only two members of Drifting. This thought makes me even more sad.</p>


 On October 19, Mr. Ken Nakamoto (81 years old), a superstar of the Showa era "Drifters" passed away. On October 18, the day before his death, he was hit by a wagon at an intersection without a traffic light in Yokohama City's Nishi Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, and hit his head hard.

22 Years of Epitaphs: In Memoriam, Mr. Ken Nakamoto, a “supporting role” comedian left behind “not at all plain” achievements.

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