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.
“When I was in the second year of junior high school, I nearly died from appendicitis. That was the first time I became aware of ‘death.’ Wanting to leave behind my thoughts, I started writing poems. The first one I wrote was a poem from the perspective of the ogres in the story of Momotaro. The ogres were bullied by humans and, in the end, had their treasures taken away, yet they endured it all in silence. I wanted to become as strong as those ogres—that was the theme of my poem.
At the time, I was ridiculed for it, but as time passed, Hyadain (44) and Enon Kawatani (36) from ‘Gesu no Kiwami Otome’ praised my work. I always thought I had no literary talent, but receiving compliments from such talented individuals gave me the confidence to take on writing a novel.”
There are people who say things so infuriating that it makes me want to file a disclosure request
Kuro-chan’s social media posts have caused controversy every time, but regarding the release of his novel, he smiled and said, “Because I fully understand how to navigate social media, I don’t let it get to me negatively.”
“If I post one thing, about 200 insults come in. Even with the Richi situation, I received a lot of hateful messages. Still, I make it a point to read all the replies. When I actually look at them, there aren’t many that really hit the mark. At first, being told things like ‘Go die’ or ‘Get off TV’ hurt, but now I’m used to it. I’ve come to think, ‘They insult me because they’re interested in me.’ I don’t get hurt anymore, but there are definitely people who say things that make me want to file disclosure requests against them (laughs).”
He has frequently stated in interviews that he wants to get married in the future, but what is the reality?
“I really do want to get married. But until I turn 50, I’ll keep having fun. I’ll keep going to cabaret clubs in Kabukicho, Ikebukuro, and Ueno. Maybe even Kichijoji and Kinshicho. Many of the girls working in places a bit outside the city center are the ones who got lost in Kabukicho. I want to comfort them.
Come to think of it, before the episode of my proposal to Richi aired, I got messages from many hostesses saying, ‘It’s sad that Kuro-chan is getting married.’ So I thought that if my proposal failed, I’d get a bunch of messages from them afterward—but not a single one came. What was that all about? (laughs)”
Comedian, idol producer, and now novelist—Kuro-chan continues to showcase his diverse talents. His new ambition is to be called “Professor Kuro-chan.”
“For now, I want to win an award with this book and become a cultural figure known as ‘Professor Kuro-chan’ instead of just ‘Kuro-chan.’ And if the book becomes a hit, I want to turn it into a movie and try my hand at directing. That way, more and more girls will be drawn to me, and I’ll start dating again. No matter how much people mock me, I’ll make it happen!”
Turning even a major heartbreak into motivation, Kuro-chan charges forward.
Interview and text by： Hirotsuru Fujiyama
