Okamura’s Busy Comedy – Breakdancing and Anpanman Voice Work Despite Special Circumstances

In mid-January, a filming was taking place around the reception area of a sports gym in Yoyogi, Tokyo. There were numerous staff members and large lighting equipment. At the center of it all was a petite man with a lapel microphone attached by the staff. It was Takashi Okamura (53) from “Ninety-Nine.”

After a while, a man wearing a cap with the Red Bull logo appeared, and Okamura was seen guiding him, saying, “Here he is.” It seems that Okamura was the MC, and they were recording a talk show with this man as the guest. While Okamura appeared nervous, the man had a relaxed atmosphere and a smile on his face.

“The man is Shigeyuki Hanai (21), a top dancer in dance sport, specifically breakdancing, known by his dancer name ‘Shigekix.’

Hanai, who is also a representative athlete for the Paris Olympics, currently holds the top spot in the world rankings (as of February 24, 2024). He’s considered the athlete closest to winning the gold medal. Prior to the 5th All Japan Breakin’ Championship held on February 17th and 18th, it seems that Okamura interviewed Hanai, who aims for his fourth consecutive title.” (Sports newspaper reporter)

On the other hand, Okamura himself has been said to have breakdancing skills comparable to those of top dancers.

“When he was in the sixth grade, he encountered breakdancing and joined a famous dance team in Kansai. By the time he was in junior high school, he was well-known as the top dancer in Osaka under the name ‘KID’ (Okamura’s dancer name at the time). The duo name ‘Ninety-Nine’ also comes from the difficult breakdancing move ‘1990’.” (Previously mentioned reporter)

Okamura has appeared on many dance programs in the past, showcasing his impressive skills, but this was the first time the two met. Despite being a veteran comedian, Okamura seemed quite nervous being in the presence of a “world champion.”

He appeared as a guest at the breakdancing championship venue and was encouraged to MC and perform a dance, but he declined due to still being in rehabilitation after rupturing his Achilles tendon last October.

On February 27th, it was announced that Okamura would voice a guest character in the latest Anpanman movie, “Let’s Go! Anpanman: Baikinman and the Ruler of Books” (to be released on June 28th). This marks Okamura’s first attempt at voice acting in an anime film. When asked about his feelings when he got the role, he mentioned his family,

“My kids really love ‘Anpanman! Anpanman!’ and my wife also said, ‘I really want you to do it.’ I’m not sure how much my children will understand, but I really want to show it to them.” (ORICON NEWS)

This shows a glimpse of Okamura as a loving husband and father.

“At present, ‘Nainai’ has only one regular comedy program, ‘Guruguru Ninety-Nine’ (Nippon TV), and discussions about its cancellation seem to arise almost every year. While their television activities are gradually declining, their radio program, ‘Ninety-Nine’s All Night Nippon’ (Nippon Broadcasting System), remains popular and has a high favorability rating. Considering their activities outside of television, they seem to be extremely busy.” (Television magazine writer)

It’s said that Okamura used to repeatedly joke with figures like Akashiya Sanma and Tamori, saying things like, “Please die already. You’re getting in the way,” all in a bid to increase his own regular golden-time programs. However, now that he’s married with children, it seems he’s enjoying his work at his own pace.