The Enduring Kimura Takuya Legend—Why His Reputation Keeps Rising Among Insiders

The remarkable quote from Typewriter Project has sparked a reaction

The new members of “timelesz” have finally been decided.

The selection process was streamed on Netflix as “timelesz project-AUDITION-” over six months. With each episode, the show gained popularity, and by the final selection, narrowed down to eight candidates, many fans anxiously awaited to see who would be chosen as the new members.

Amidst this, in the episode just before the final, a figure suddenly appeared and stole the spotlight—none other than Kimura Takuya (52), widely known as “Kimutaku.”

“The candidates were, of course, surprised, but even the three existing members of ‘timelesz’ were taken aback by his appearance. However, he did not act arrogantly at all. Instead, he first expressed gratitude, saying, ‘Thank you for paying attention despite the existing biases toward our agency.’ Even this alone won over the viewers, but what truly stood out were the words he shared with the three members afterward.

He subtly cautioned them, wondering if they had become too accustomed to the presence of the staff supporting the project, saying, ‘If you start thinking that having water prepared for you is just a given, that would be a waste.’ This immediately shifted public opinion to ‘Kimutaku is amazing!'” (Entertainment writer)

Recently, Kimura has been under fire for his comments on social media regarding the Johnny Kitagawa sexual abuse scandal. However, with the recent revelations about fellow former SMAP member Masahiro Nakai (52), Kimura’s reputation has surged in comparison.

But in reality, Kimura’s reputation within the industry has remained consistently high. Over years of covering the entertainment industry, reporters have repeatedly heard the same sentiment: “Kimutaku is truly exceptional.”

A former production staff member at a television station once shared an anecdote from years ago.