Nakayama Kinnikun’s Attendance at a Suspicious Seminar Highlights Pitfalls for Popular Celebrities

The weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that Nakayama Kinnikun, a now very popular comedian, has been attending suspicious seminars. This news has also been reported by Shukan Post.

 

The seminar Kinnikun attended is called the “Hongen Seminar,” which costs 10,000 yen per session. It teaches that there are people and things in the world possessed by yokai (supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore), and participants learn how to sever these connections.

The idea that bad things happen because “it’s all the fault of yokai” is reminiscent of the catchphrase from the anime Yo-Kai Watch (TV Tokyo).

According to leaked materials from the Hongen Seminar, “All Suntory products are yokai,” and items such as “Dragon Ball” and “Chunichi Dragons” are listed among “things that must be discarded,” with “Yo-Kai Watch” also included in the list.

Some of the teachings include statements like:

“The most important thing is to regularly remove the yokai within yourself at the Hongen Seminar. It is guaranteed to be worth it, so prioritize attending.”

“For quick results, use ‘Yokai Rip-Rip’ (abridged). Get angry and rip the paper into pieces, saying ‘This yokai!'”

It seems that Kinnikun has attended multiple sessions, suggesting that he might have felt something significant from the experience.

“Kinnikun has acknowledged attending the seminar. Among the believers, there are voices of damage such as family collapse, and on social media, there are concerns like ‘How can you trust such a cult-like organization?’

Kinnikun has been thriving since becoming independent from Yoshimoto Kogyo in 2022, but without a robust support system, he is more vulnerable. Generally speaking, the more successful celebrities become, the more they attract various people—from spiritual advisors like fortune-tellers and mediums to anti-social elements—who want to exploit or control them” (sports newspaper reporter).

For example, Toshi from the rock band X JAPAN was brainwashed at a self-improvement seminar run by a music producer, leading him to announce his departure from the band in April 1997. Despite being insulted by members as a monster jaw man, he couldn’t break free from the brainwashing and was swindled out of more than 1 billion yen.

“Former Othello member Tomoko Nakajima also lived with a fortune-teller, resulting in the breakup of her comedy duo and her departure from Shochiku Entertainment. She now lives in Oita Prefecture and is active in the entertainment industry with seven regular TV appearances, thriving. However, because the fortune-teller is from Oita, there is speculation that their ties haven’t been completely severed. As long as she is happy, it’s fine though.” (Wide Na Show insider).

In spiritual circles, it’s common for celebrities to stop listening to their agencies or managers and only heed the advice of spiritual advisors. At Kinnikun’s seminar, those who don’t believe are labeled yokai humans and are encouraged to sever ties.

In the entertainment world, the more successful one becomes, the more riffraff they attract. What decision will Kinnikun make in the end?