TKO’s Takehiro Kimoto and Takayuki Kinoshita Make a Comeback After Finding Insight in Their 50s from Life’s Low Points

On the small four-person table, there are only stationery, A4 sheets densely printed with text, and tissues. There are no expensive furnishings, and the handwritten messages from fans displayed on the wall are the most eye-catching.

From this modest office, TKO’s Takehiro Kimoto (53) and Takayuki Kinoshita (52) set out to perform in all 47 prefectures nationwide.

Their goal for the year-long comedy tour was set on the “King of Comedy.” They challenged themselves with new material honed during live performances, but they were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

Even so, the sparkle in their eyes was undeniable.

 

“We are happy.”

Kimoto: “We were getting laughs and thought, ‘We can do this!’ But when I looked at the results, the groups that got big laughs were neatly lined up in the top 35 that moved on to the semi-finals. The reality is that we didn’t make it into that ranking. It was a harvest to be able to reconfirm our current position. This was our first appearance in 11 years, but regaining the feeling of ‘being in a contest’ was also significant.”

Kinoshita reportedly cried when he realized they were eliminated.

Kinoshita: “I think there are people who were teased or criticized just for supporting TKO. I felt sorry for the fans, staff, and organizers who supported us. I wished I could have shown them a good scene… and that made me unable to hold back my tears. I’ve never felt such emotions before. But when I think about how many comedians at 52 or 53 can genuinely do comedy and feel this frustrated, I realize we are happy.”

The two expressed that during their time as regular finalists in the King of Comedy, TKO was “unable to become anyone.

Kimoto: “Back then, there was a vibe like, ‘TKO, please don’t perform anymore,’ and I also felt like, ‘Maybe it’s enough.’ Even though we hadn’t won, we placed ourselves on a higher pedestal for no reason.”

Kinoshita: “We were allowed to appear in dramas, do theater, and occasionally show up in variety shows. I thought, ‘Since we’re getting some work, that’s fine,’ and I was escaping from facing comedy seriously. There was a part of me that couldn’t proudly say, ‘We are comedians.’ I didn’t want that to be exposed or to be teased about it. So, I played it safe. By appearing in dramas, I felt like I was standing shoulder to shoulder with other comedians. I wasn’t being aggressive at all. The moment I was on defense, my skills as a comedian were steadily declining. I was aware of that, yet I pretended not to notice.”

The tea envelope that didn’t work.

Kinoshita continued, “As TKO gradually became nobody, scandals inevitably arose.”

In 2019, Kinoshita’s “pet bottle incident” came to light, followed by Kimoto’s “700 million yen investment trouble” in 2022. They were forced to halt their activities and leave Shochiku Geino, the agency they were with.

After the incidents were revealed, Kimoto isolated himself at home. Without showering, he sat on the sofa, repeatedly questioning, “How did it come to this?” When Kinoshita visited Kimoto’s home, he was shocked by the transformation.

Kinoshita: “He was in a completely dark room with the lights off, looking emaciated… It wasn’t the Kimoto I knew, and it was scary. Even when I suggested, ‘Let’s do some comedy,’ he said, ‘I don’t have that motivation anymore.’ Still, I knew Kimoto would get interested in something funny, so I said, ‘Okay, I’ll write some material,’ and I went home that day.”

Kimoto: “I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to continue as a comedian… I was in darkness and couldn’t think of anything. Then Kinoshita just dropped a plain, flimsy tea envelope and left. Inside, there was cash.”

Kinoshita: “I was scared to stop. If I wasn’t at the plate, I’d forget all the tension and everything else, and I thought I might just disappear. That’s why I started YouTube and eagerly accepted offers for gigs that came through social media. I had a little bit of income from this ‘playing comedian’ thing.”

Kimoto: “The envelope was plain and flimsy, like it wasn’t anything special, which was a relief. Even though Kinoshita wasn’t in a position to be generous… It was money, but it felt like a letter. I thought I would repay him someday, so I haven’t touched it and have carefully stored it in a drawer.”

The big step was the press conference.

Every time an article came out, including in Friday, Kimoto felt down. Even if the content was unfounded, he had no way to respond or argue back. He thought it was better not to do so and had been advised against it by others involved. However, when he mustered the courage to respond about the “former comedian” who had testified in various media being a fake, the tide began to change.

Kimoto called publishers and television stations himself, speaking directly with reporters. By answering and countering the claims, the negative articles drastically decreased. A major step toward his comeback came with the press conference held in January 2023, which attracted many media outlets, including general newspapers.

Kimoto: “I decided to just answer everything that was asked and took my seat. I can’t forget the scene I saw from there. All the media had ‘zero faces.’ They weren’t angry or smiling. It was as if they were saying, ‘Let’s hear what this guy has to say with a neutral face.’ It was really scary. I kept telling myself, ‘I’m talking to humans,’ and I looked everyone in the eye as I spoke. As I communicated the information, their expressions softened more and more. More people nodded along.”

Kinoshita: “While there are many celebrities who have a messy press conference, he was standing tall with confidence. Kimoto appeared larger than life. I was cautious, thinking about what I would do if I were told again that ‘you can’t do comedy.’ But seeing him like that made me feel okay.”

Kimoto: “It sounds strange, but as I spoke at the press conference, I got into the flow. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to earn a living again, but I remembered what it meant to speak in front of people. Even in the middle of the conference, I thought, ‘This press conference is the first act of my comeback live,’ and decided that rather than returning to my original position, I would start over as if I had just entered Shochiku’s training school.”

Kinoshita was also invited to the venue. Kimoto had asked him to come out at the end of the conference.

Kimoto: “As my emotions surged during the conference, I vividly recalled the days when my best friend Kinoshita and I talked about nothing but becoming successful since we entered the training school together. Then, the urge to see Kinoshita waiting on the other side of the door exploded—I wanted to see his face, to have him come out. Back when we were in training school, I looked forward to seeing Kinoshita. We talked about our dreams, our future, and passionate topics at the same intensity. I wanted to talk with Kinoshita again with that feeling. That was the moment the switch turned on inside me.”

There was no hesitation left.

“I will compete as a comedian. I will earnestly compete in comedy.”

High school students showed us the view.

It was quickly decided that traveling to all 47 prefectures and making the goal the King of Comedy would be the plan.

The manager is Kimoto’s sister. They promoted and announced it through the duo’s social media. Securing venues was also quite challenging, and there were nights when they performed comedy in community centers and live houses.

Kimoto: “Live houses aren’t places meant for comedy. There were no black curtains in the wings of the stage. We even had to make a handmade screen for the projector to use during intermissions. When the lights went out, we set it up, but sometimes the cord would come out and it would go completely dark…”

Kinoshita: “You know, I used to hate the words ‘trying hard’ or ‘effort.’ I thought, ‘That doesn’t suit me.’ But when the situation turned into one where I couldn’t say that anymore, we ended up selling tickets ourselves. However, when we did, I began to see the fans who supported us. I watched a high school student take out 3,500 yen from their wallet right in front of me, and I thought, ‘This kid can’t afford luxuries this month.’ Until then, we had only seen the numbers adding up on the ticket site, but this felt like a real appeal. Plus, I could see that high school student was actually at the venue, and when we met again at the merchandise booth after the show, they said, ‘I’m glad I came.’ It’s a pathetic thing to admit, but I thought it was cool to keep a distance from fans. Now, I can remember their faces and genuinely feel thankful and sorry. I think this is a treasure. It’s pretty uncool to miss out on such a dazzling view.”

Kimoto: “When the music starts and the curtain goes up, we’re dressed in white costumes, bowing our heads. Given the circumstances we’ve been through, the moment we look up, we hear a huge cheer: ‘We’ve been waiting for you!’ Tears start flowing, and I can’t immediately lift my head. I have to hold back the emotions before finally looking up, and it just so happens that the timing is the same as Kinoshita’s (laughs).”

It has been decided that the “Round TKO” comedy tour will enter its second round. They will also be making another attempt at the King of Comedy. Kimoto said reflectively:

Kimoto: “Misconduct is absolutely unacceptable, and I vow never to do it again, but because I’ve seen the very bottom, I’ve realized that this is the person I am and that this kind of view exists. In the depths, there was a shining treasure.”

Kinoshita: “We may have lost to the King of Comedy, but there are dramas that arose because we lost. This time, we received many messages saying, ‘I will also take on this challenge’ and ‘I was inspired by your courage.’ We never had this kind of response before.”

Who are we? Now, TKO can say this with pride.

From the September 27 and October 4, 2024 issue of ‘FRIDAY.’