Upcoming Play Canceled: Takahisa Maeyama Faces Crisis with Controversial New Video

Takahisa Maeyama (33), who was in a relationship with Sayaka Kanda, who passed away in December 2021 at the age of 35, has updated his YouTube channel. He is sequentially releasing new short videos of his performances.

So far, Maeyama has posted short videos titled “Peeping Tom,” “The Cheated Man,” and “Desperado School,” but all three were deleted after the comments section became a heated topic. 

Only his apology video, which sparked discussion for appearing to show him laughing, remained. However, he has now changed his approach and has quickly uploaded four new works.

A performance featuring the setting of a character with the ability to read minds.

Among the videos, the one that has received particularly harsh comments is the performance released on October 17, where Maeyama plays a character with the ability to read minds.

Maeyama speaks directly into the camera as if addressing the viewer.

“‘Just shut up already,’ right? ‘Enough already!’ Got it, yay!”

He paraphrases what the other person wants to say, and at the end, as he is leaving, he adds:

“‘Who the heck is that guy!’ right?”

he concludes.  

In response to such a provocative video, the comments section was filled with:

“If you’re aware of it, then shut up.”  

“Is this aimed at us?”

Many harsh comments like these were posted.

“The lines ‘Just shut up’ and ‘You’re thinking, ‘Enough already,’ aren’t just representing the voices of the public; they can also be interpreted as self-deprecating and provocative. Therefore, some are viewing this as a case of inflaming controversy for profit.bIn fact, the three videos he posted previously caused a major uproar and were deleted. Nevertheless, it’s very provocative for him to use such taunting phrases to post videos that seem to rile up the viewers,” commented a sports newspaper journalist.

 

The apology video released on October 9 has already garnered 530,000 views (as of the 22nd). Whether it’s controversy for profit or filled with criticism, there’s a possibility that Maeyama’s YouTube channel could become monetized in the future if he meets certain conditions regarding subscriber count and total watch time.

The internet is the only platform for expression.

Amid strong public backlash that has even led to the cancellation of the stage play he was scheduled to appear in, it seems that Maeyama may have found a new path.

“Recently, there has been an increase in entertainers and actors who operate independently without being affiliated with agencies. With the advancement of social media and video distribution, it’s now an era where talents can earn money directly online. Even the stage, which is a relatively low-barrier way to make a comeback—where only those who want to see it pay—has been forced to cancel performances due to the situation surrounding Maeyama. He is indeed at a dead end regarding his return to the entertainment industry. For him, the internet is arguably the only platform left for expression, and it appears he has resolved to gather attention through controversial tactics. It seems he has come to realize that, at this rate, he won’t be able to return to the entertainment world.” (an insider from the entertainment industry).

In the past, former member of “Rain Up” Hiroyuki Miyasako referred to his critics as “Chari-san” to distance himself from them. From Maeyama’s perspective, it could be that even his detractors are considered valuable viewers.