Is Soshina the Next Big Star of Reiwa-Era Variety? The Reason Behind His Soaring Industry Reputation

Soshina (32) of Shimofuri Myojo is making waves as the aftermath continues from popular YouTuber Hikaru (33) blatantly copying his popular YouTube series “Hitori Sanpi”, where Soshina comments on current affairs.

“Hikaru openly admitted to copying it. He even imitated the thumbnail design — it was that obvious. Other YouTubers have also started doing current event commentary, and Soshina’s presence in the online world is growing stronger by the day,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Fearless about backlash, Soshina is known for his frank, unfiltered remarks. When he served for the first time as a judge at the “ytv Manzai Newcomer Awards” (Yomiuri TV) held on March 2, he received widespread praise.

“He repeatedly gave strict scores in the 70s out of 100. While many avoid controversy and stick to safe, moderate judgments, he stood out. What’s especially notable is that he isn’t just harsh for the sake of it. He properly reviews the material shown in the preliminaries and delivers sharp, on-point criticism and advice. The comedians being judged and viewers alike had no choice but to accept it. His judging style even trended on social media. You could sense his genuine love for comedy, and his reputation in the industry is rising rapidly,” said a TV production company director.

He runs one YouTube channel with his comedy partner and two solo channels, and a broadcast writer notes that his strength is in his deep understanding of online trends.

“Many celebrities dislike so-called ‘kotatsu articles’ — online write-ups made from cherry-picked TV comments — but for production teams, as long as it doesn’t cause excessive controversy, it’s welcome publicity. Soshina seems to deliberately make remarks that are easy for these articles to pick up, and sure enough, his comments often become articles.”

On “All-Star Thanksgiving 2025 Spring” (TBS), aired on March 29, he fearlessly heckled Yuji Oda (57), sticking to his bold, unflinching style.

“His daring remarks get attention, but he’s also incredibly considerate — like when he noticed a terminally ill fan at a live show and called out encouragement from the stage. Despite frequent controversies, his presence continues to grow because his underlying kindness and warmth come through,” said the same broadcast writer.

Among young comedians and TV station staff, a generation of “Soshina Children” is reportedly emerging.

“At showcase events, you can easily tell which young comedians have been influenced by him through their sharp-tongued material. There’s also a growing number of young directors pitching bold projects, saying ‘I want to work with Soshina!’” said a key station producer.

Having achieved the rare feat of winning both the M-1 Grand Prix and R-1 Grand Prix titles in his 20s, Soshina also has a track record that makes him appealing to sponsors.

“He’s skilled at generating buzz, has proven talent and achievements, and is well-regarded by sponsors. Many TV insiders have high hopes for him. If there’s one drawback, it’s that he doesn’t seem particularly committed to terrestrial TV. I’ve heard he makes hundreds of millions of yen just from YouTube. Since the internet offers more freedom than the compliance-heavy world of TV, it’s understandable,” said the same production company director.

Soshina is steadily becoming the leading candidate for the title of “Variety King of the Reiwa Era.”

 

From “FRIDAY” magazine, April 18, 2025 issue