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