Rising Star Comedian Hyōroku Unveils His Enigmatic Private Life and the Senior Who Helped Him Out

“I wanted a two-character stage name because it’s easier to remember. Something like ‘Rumi,’ for example. But the scriptwriter said it wasn’t a good idea. At that time, the scriptwriter was eating a confection called ‘Hyōroku Mochi,’ so we decided to go with that.”

 

Hyōroku (37), a comedian known for his distinctive character and unforgettable appearance, consistently leaves a strong impression on variety shows. Recently, he has made remarkable appearances on Wednesday Downtown and the Saraba Seishun no Hikari YouTube channel. 

 

His success isn’t limited to just the comedy scene. Recently, he appeared in a web commercial for the green tea drink Iyemon, and has received much praise online, with comments such as “he stands shoulder to shoulder with Masato Sakai.” Despite increasing exposure, his true self remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, prompting an interview to delve deeper. When he mentioned having “no interest at all in comedy,” he revealed the origin of his name as stated earlier.

 

“I was invited to become a comedian, but originally, I was working as a salaryman in Chiba and Fukuoka. I didn’t watch variety shows at all as a child, and when I became a comedian, I was dismayed by how many funny people there were in the world.”

 

The turning point in his comedy career was meeting “Saraba Seishun no Hikari.”

 

“The two members of ‘Saraba’ changed my life. They bring out 120% of my charm, but I feel like I’m subtracting 60% of it myself. Despite all they do for me, I can’t keep up with their humor, conversational speed, or timing. After each recording, I always think, ‘If Morita-san says something, I’ll come back with a reply,’ but I end up just saying ‘Daa’ or ‘Fe’ without any real comeback.

 

I thought I was saying ‘Aa,’ but they’ve turned it into something funny, for which I am truly grateful. Even when I appear on other shows, I don’t contribute much, and everyone else makes it interesting, so I don’t feel like I’m contributing anything funny myself.”

Currently, he is not affiliated with any agency and works as a freelancer, but his liaison is handled by the manager of Saraba Seishun no Hikari. He isn’t affiliated with The Mori Higashi, the agency of Saraba Seishun no Hikari.

 

“I owe so much to Manager Yamane, who brings me work despite my not being affiliated with them. He handles all the money negotiations and other troublesome matters, so I just show up at the job. I feel more apologetic than grateful. Even though I receive 100% of my earnings because I’m not with The Mori Higashi, I feel it’s truly too much. I genuinely wish he would take most of my salary.” 

 

Although his work has been steadily increasing and his salary has risen accordingly, when asked about how he spends his money, he tilted his head and began to explain.

 

“I really have no interest in saving money and don’t even check my savings. I’m essentially stingy, so I don’t spend much. I buy clothes at thrift stores for under a thousand yen. Even in winter, I used to wear very light clothing, which made me catch a cold every year. But since I don’t want to get sick anymore, I bought a slightly more expensive down jacket two years ago. The only fashion detail I pay attention to is avoiding brown clothes because they make me look older. That’s the only fashion consideration I have.”

 

While his professional life is going well, he spoke with a sense of melancholy about his private life.

 

“I really don’t have much to talk about. Recently, I had a week off, so I thought I’d do something with it, but I just ended up lounging at home the whole time. I stayed under the covers and, before I knew it, it was evening, and then it was night. I got some acting work for dramas, so I intended to watch movies and study acting, but I ended up doing nothing. So, while people say I’m shrouded in mystery, the reality is that I’m just empty.”

When asked about what he wants to try in the future, he smiled and said:

 

“I’d like to appear in overseas B-grade movies as a quirky Japanese character. I enjoy all the work I do, so I hope to continue appearing on many shows. Personally, I love traveling, so I want to travel more. I actually want to visit North Korea, but a friend who also enjoys traveling advised me to visit more countries first, so I hope to go to North Korea someday.”

 

Hyōroku, aiming for global expansion, is likely to continue standing out with his unique flair.