Ryoko Hirosue’s Bizarre Behavior and Obsession with Mayonnaise Witnessed at a Club

Hirosue came alone to a club in Tokyo.

Ryoko Hirosue (44) was arrested for assaulting a nurse at a hospital in Shizuoka Prefecture, causing injury, which surprised many and caused a stir in society.

Looking at the photos of the accident scene reported in the news, the front of the car Hirosue was driving was severely crushed, indicating the severity of the accident. The passenger was seriously injured, but fortunately, neither Hirosue nor the truck driver that rear-ended her car were severely injured.

Certainly, it’s possible to panic after causing such a major accident, but reports also mentioned strange behavior at a parking area she stopped at before the accident, and her continuing erratic state during police questioning led to speculation that it may not have been just a simple panic reaction.

Later, reports surfaced that the police had conducted a drug test, which led to suspicions, but it seems no illegal drugs were found.

This led to a resurfacing of her past strange behavior.

One of the most well-known incidents was the big strange behavior reported by FRIDAY in July 2001. She took a taxi from her home in Tokyo to Shirahama, Chiba, 150 kilometers away, where incomprehensible behavior was witnessed. Why would she go to such a place? According to a sports newspaper journalist who had interviewed her at the time:

“It seemed like it was the location for a drama shoot. She probably headed there for filming. She didn’t have her wallet, so it was likely that the staff or manager was supposed to pay on site. Fans probably gathered because they knew it was a shooting location. However, due to bad weather, the shoot was canceled, and she found that out when she arrived. Afterward, she chatted in a cafeteria, borrowed a cassette deck from the staff, and partied with the fans, which might have been her way of showing appreciation.”

The journalist testified that it wasn’t strange behavior, but I personally witnessed her very lively appearance.

This was around the time when her strange behavior was being talked about, and when I got the information that Hirosue was at a club in Tokyo, I went to check it out, and sure enough, she was dancing on the floor.

Looking around to see if she had any companions, it seemed she was alone. However, when she left the club, I noticed Ken Kaneko, who was rumored to be dating her at the time, standing alone outside the club, fiddling with his phone.

A four-panel comic drawn about future dreams when I was in middle school

Inside the club, Hirose kept taking off and putting on the sweatshirt she was wearing, twisting her body and dancing enthusiastically. Eventually, perhaps tired from dancing, she came to sit next to me at the counter, ordered tequila, and drank it in one go. Then, she wrapped her arm around mine and said:

“The drinks aren’t enough. Drink more.”

Whether it was friendliness or eccentric behavior, I wasn’t sure, but I remember being forced to toast with her.

At another time, while waiting at a studio in Tokyo, I noticed something strange sticking out of the back pocket of Hirose’s jeans as she got out of the car. It was a red-capped container, unmistakably mayonnaise.

It was around the time when mayonnaise lovers were a topic, but I was surprised to see that she was one. Moreover, it was a large container, which made it even more surprising.

It may not qualify as eccentric behavior, but there’s no doubt that it was a bit unusual.

“Around Hirose, I’ve never seen her act in an incomprehensible way or say something odd while working. Whether on talk shows or interviews, I’ve never heard her say anything strange. She seems normal. But maybe that’s not her true self, and the pressure of that is big, so when she’s away from work, she might let loose as a reaction.” (Casting company employee)

Also,

“Since the beginning, I’ve thought that actors who are a little quirky and have their own traits are better than those who are overly polite and seem like perfect students. Directors and producers who want to make great work tend to choose them.” (Same casting company employee)

It’s well known in the industry that Hirose has many fans. Now that she’s in her 40s and 50s, many television and film industry professionals, who admired her during their youth, are now in positions of power and want to work with her.

“That’s why, no matter how many scandals she faces, she won’t lose all her work. In fact, after the scandal cooled down, offers for movies and dramas came in.” (Sports newspaper journalist)

When Hirose was in middle school, she drew the following in a four-panel comic about her future dreams:

“Debut in showbiz at 18, win the Record Award at 20, win a film award at 22, and at 100, a funeral like Misora Hibari’s.”

Her dreams in showbiz came true, but it seems that affairs, divorce, and arrest were not things she could have predicted.