Kagaya Kaga’s Photobook: Showcasing the Diverse Hobbies and Skills of Reiwa’s Stars!

Shou Kaga (31) from the comedy duo “Kagaya” has released a photo book titled “Mawaru Futari” (Shogakukan), for which he served as the photographer.

“His hobby of photography was featured on “Lavit!” (TBS), leading to an increase in his photography work for shows and events. In May of this year, he did a photoshoot for Masaya Yamaoka (19), Miss Magazine 2021, for the web section of “Young Magazine” (Kodansha). Additionally, his second photo book, “Geisha Chizu” (Tokyo News Communications), is set to be released in November. His work is impressive, rivaling that of professionals. Nowadays, cameras are so high-quality that as long as you have basic skills, you can take beautiful photos. However, the key to capturing great images is the relationship with the subject. Because Kaga knows the comedians well, he can bring out their best expressions,” explains a television writer.

Like Kaga, more talents are turning their hobbies and skills into professional work. Yoshimoto Kogyo launched a new project called “Bukatsu!” in 2019, which connects comedians’ hobbies and skills to their work in drama and hosting.

“Until the mid-Heisei era, the entertainment industry was dominated by so-called ‘yo-kas,’ but after Shoko Nakagawa (39) rose to fame with her love for anime, many cultural talents emerged. The success of the ‘kakuri’ projects on ‘Ame Talk!’ (TV Asahi) has led to niche hobbies like manga, reading, railways, and rugby, which previously received little attention, being viewed positively and embraced by more talents,” says a producer from a major network.

Former Johnny’s talents are no exception. Shigeaki Kato (37) from NEWS debuted as a writer in 2012 and has been nominated for the Naoki Prize in 2020 and 2023. Keiichiro Koyama (40) has started a show related to his hobby of camping.

“Yuichi Nakamaru (41) from ‘KAT-TUN’ also debuted as a manga artist. It’s a shame that he’s on hiatus, but the potential to restart in manga is a strength for him,” adds a director from a production company.

What are the currently in-demand hobbies that are gaining popularity?

The increase in online streaming programs has led to a rise in demand for hobby-based talents, as noted by the aforementioned television writer.

“Anthony (34) from ‘Matenroe’ has the skill to win at one of Asia’s largest poker events. He hosts a poker-related program on the radio station interfm. Public gambling is putting more effort into streaming programs, so talents known for their love of keirin (bicycle racing), like ‘U-Jikken,’ are being actively employed. Da (44) from ‘Grunge’ has become so in-demand that he topped the list of Yoshimoto comedians for the most performances in the first half of this year. It’s hard to believe he was once seen merely as the kept man of his wife, Tsubaki Oninou (52).”

Among the hobbies and specialties that are currently in demand is marathon running.

“There have always been projects featuring talents participating in marathons, but with the aging of celebrity runners, there’s a shortage of talent. Young runners like Ike (31) from ‘Moshi Moshi’ who won the ‘100km Survival Marathon’ on ‘FNS 27-Hour TV’ (Fuji TV), are valuable. Once he gains more recognition in his main profession, there will likely be a competitive bidding war for him,” said the aforementioned production company director.

It seems we will see even more opportunities for hobby and specialty-based talents in the future.

From the October 18-25, 2024 issue of FRIDAY