Bankruptcy after bankruptcy! What will be required of entertainment agencies in 2025?

The year 2012 was marked by a string of bankruptcies of small and medium-sized entertainment agencies and the independence or transfer of major celebrities. On November 27, just before the start of the New Year, “Sameday,” the company to which Norika Fujiwara (53) and Mariko Shinoda (38) belonged, announced that it had filed for bankruptcy with the Tokyo District Court.

The company was a subsidiary of the major entertainment agency Burning Productions, which sent shockwaves through the industry. It is said that the COVID-19 crisis caused a sharp decrease in work, but it became clear that even under the umbrella of a major company, the management business alone is risky” (entertainment industry executive).

Shinoda announced that she and her manager would go freelance.

On the other hand, Norika is said to be in the custody of another major office executive. In the past few years, an increasing number of talents have become independent from major agencies, but only at first do they get work because of their name recognition. Ryoko Yonekura (49) also found herself in a difficult situation after becoming independent from “Oscar Promotion. In the end, she left the shrewd staff who had supported her from the previous agency and received support from the Kinoshita Group, which operates a film production and distribution company, “Kino Films Co.

Matsumoto Jun (41) has signed an agent contract with “Moment to Eternity Co. The company served as his point of contact for appearances and interviews.

The CEO of “A Moment and Eternity” is a talented manager who helped develop Masami Nagasawa (37) into a top actor during her time at “Toho Entertainment”. He was also in charge of Mone Kamihiraishi (26) when she was a rookie. He never cut corners, even when it came to checking gravure photos. This attitude has won the support of the talent, and Mirei Kiritani (35) and Atsushi Maeda (24), who became independent from “Sweet Power,” are also being taken care of by the company,” said a producer at a key station.

The key to the survival of the office is “physical strength.

In 1919, the former Johnny’s was warned by the Fair Trade Commission for allegedly pressuring former “SMAP” members Goro Inagaki (51), Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (50), and Shingo Katori (47) not to appear on TV. Since then, the independence and transfer of talents has become more active, which is one of the reasons why small and medium-sized agencies are struggling.

The reason for this is that even if you spend a lot of money and time nurturing them, you can’t stop them from leaving the agency,” said Mr. Kurokawa. In addition, the TV recession has reduced the number of talents being used in TV programs, and their salaries are also going down. If we continue in the same manner as before, we will inevitably end up in a state of poverty.

A director of a production company says, “The company needs to have the vision and strength to develop a separate business.

The big companies like Yoshimoto Kogyo and HORIPRO, which can develop school businesses and produce movies and TV programs, will probably be safe. Although “Fram” is small in size, its strength lies in its ability to discover and nurture talent and to produce profitable talent one after another. The company is also known for its stance of taking good care of Erika Karada (27) even after news of her infidelity broke out. It is understandable that Riho Yoshioka (31) chose Top Court as her new employer.

Top Court” has an elite few. The company patiently managed Nakamura Rinya (37), who had been unsuccessful for a long time, and turned him into a popular actor. Perhaps in recognition of his achievements, Nana Seino (30) joined in 2010, and Fuka Koshiba (27) joined in 2013. Fuka Koshiba (27) will join in 2013, and the group is thriving.

In the entertainment industry of Reiwa, only those firms with true “ability” will survive.

From the January 3, 10, and 17, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY