No, I won’t die!” …Akashiya Sanma, who is working at full capacity during the year-end and New Year holidays, immediately responds, “You’ll die,” in a “healthy monster” manner.

The opening performance of Yoshimoto Kogyo’s theater “IMM THEATER,” which was newly built on the grounds of the Tokyo Dome in January of this year, was “Prince of Ikaruga: A History of Prince Shotoku” (January 10-31), starring Akashiya Sanma. At the end of the performance, Sanma came out of the backstage entrance and waved to the many fans who were waiting for him. He waved to the many fans waiting for him.

The director was Nobuo Mizuta of NTV, who has worked with Mr. Sanma many times on serial dramas, and the script was written by Yasuhiro Koshimizu. The cast includes Takashi Matsuo, Yoichi Warmizu, Atsushi Yamanishi, and Akiyoshi Nakao, all of whom are part of the “Sanma Family. The performance lasted three hours without intermission, which was tough for the audience. There were even two performances in one day.

From February 11 to 18, there were performances in Osaka, and four of those days were also two performances a day without a day off. Some people around Mr. Sanma were worried that he might die. When one of the staff jokingly said, ‘If you work at such a pace, you will die,’ he immediately replied, ‘No, I will not die! (A veteran staff member of a variety show).

The drama “Heart is Lonely, Feelings are …” (Fuji Television), in which he will star, is scheduled to air in April of this year. This is a comedy-drama series created by the production staff of “Ore-tachi Hyokinzoku” and Ryoichi Kimizuka, who later wrote the scripts for the “Odoru Daisousasen” series and “Kyobaba” (Bayside Shakedown).

It is said to be the brainchild of President Koichi Minato, who has been reviving a number of past programs. The overall director is Keisuke Miyake, who was one of the “hyokin directors. The gag in the drama is devised by Shōsuke Oiwa and Megumi Fujisawa, two broadcasters who can also be called the sit-down writers. Mr. Sanma appears in the drama under his real name, Takafumi Sugimoto.

In other words, the year-end and New Year holidays were packed with what could be called “high-calorie” work for Sanma.

He took time off even though he was extremely busy, and it seems that he went to his vacation home in Australia at the end of last year with Miyoko Asada and other members who are good friends of his. Mr. Sanma will turn 69 years old on his birthday this July, but instead of saying ‘I’m going to die,’ he is more and more enthusiastic” (production company staff).

Although Sanma had previously said that he would retire at the age of 60, Hikaru Ota of Bakusho Mondai told him, “It’s too cool. Show me the fall” and here he is.