From Heartbreak to Bestseller? Kuro-chan’s Bold Romance Novel Debut!

“I never thought I would be rejected. If I had, I wouldn’t have bought a ring worth 1,634,600 yen!”

Kuro-chan (48) of the comedy trio “Yasuda Dai Circus” reveals. The recent hot topic surrounding Kuro-chan is his proposal to his ex-girlfriend, Richi, whom he had been dating for two years. Most viewers watched the broadcast of Wednesday Downtown (TBS) thinking, “So even Kuro-chan is finally getting married.” only for him to be unexpectedly rejected.

Moreover, Richi voiced her true feelings, saying, “Kuro-chan has looked down on me for the past two years,” and “I think he doesn’t truly love me—he just loves the idea of being in love.” Her words struck like a sharp attack.

Kuro-chan denied her claims, insisting, “Of course, I loved her!”

“After the broadcast ended, I went to a cabaret club in Roppongi with my friends. Normally, I don’t request specific hostesses because it’s expensive, but one of them was exactly my type, so I did. Then my friend looked at her and said, ‘She looks just like Richi!’ Since she had blonde hair, I didn’t notice at first, but when I looked closely, she really did resemble Richi. At that moment, I realized ‘I really did love Richi after all,’ and I felt incredibly sad.”

Amidst this heartbreak, Kuro-chan is set to make his debut as a romance novelist on March 19 with Kuro Koi. (Futabasha).

“I received the offer to write the book when my relationship with Richi was going great. I’ve always loved romance manga like Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, and I had wanted to write something about love, so I was genuinely happy. But at the time, I assumed that by the time the book was released, Richi and I would still be together. So right now, I can’t fully celebrate this moment.”

Kuro-chan wrote the novel based on his ideals and real-life experiences. When asked about his romantic history, he shared some stories that went far beyond expectations.

“Until I was 20, I had no interest in real-life girls. I was in love with anime and manga heroines. When I woke up in the morning, I would compare my height with the life-size ‘Sailor Moon’ poster in my room. I also had a ‘Urusei Yatsura’ calendar, and kissing Lum-chan became part of my daily routine.

But on my 20th birthday, my mother tearfully begged me, ‘Please, just fall in love with a real girl.’ (laughs) That’s when I consciously tried to shift my interest to actual people. But I wasn’t popular at all. My first real relationship was at 27. Since then, I’ve considered the 15,000 hostesses who have served me at cabarets to be my girlfriends!”

Having rarely read novels himself, Kuro-chan initially felt unsure about writing. However, receiving praise from prominent figures gave him the confidence to fully engage in the writing process.