Why Everyone is Talking About timelesz New Member Takuto Teranishi
Magazine industry insiders become so immersed that they forget the boundary between work and personal life
The “timelesz project,” which caused a huge sensation and became a social phenomenon, ended in February. Nearly two months have passed since the announcement of the new members, and the excitement continues to grow, rather than settle down.
At the center of this excitement is the new member, Tera, aka Takuto Teranishi (30). Right now, Tera is extremely popular within the women’s magazine industry.
Articles about talents from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (formerly Johnny’s) are essential content for women’s magazines. Therefore, staff members of these magazines are always tracking their movements, conducting interviews, and taking photos. For them, checking their movements is part of their job, not something to get overly excited about. However, as a sports newspaper entertainment reporter says, “Tera is different.”
“Covering the timelesz project was initially just work for the staff. But from the moment Tera appeared, the boundary between work and personal life started to blur. The women’s magazine staff were personally charmed by him.
When asked ‘Who’s your pick?’ 90% of them say ‘Tera.’ The remaining 10% mention Daiki Shinozuka (22). When asked what’s so great about Tera, everyone says, ‘His character is on another level.'”
Teranishi joined the former Johnny’s agency at the age of 14 but, unable to belong to any group, mostly worked as a stage actor. In the Johnny’s world, where being part of a group and debuting is considered the mainstream, he walked a less recognized path.
When he applied for the timelesz project, he was already close to the age limit of 29, which meant this was his last chance. Perhaps that’s why the comments from women’s magazine industry insiders supporting him are so passionate. Here are a few:
“Tera is someone who had to make it now. His personality—gentle, sincere, but never sycophantic—doesn’t cross any compliance lines. He’s dependable. Until now, the era was dominated by people with aggressive ambition, so he couldn’t shine. But now, it’s finally Tera’s time.” (Fashion web magazine editor)
“This project made me realize that you never know when the peak of your life will come. Tera probably didn’t expect these days after turning 30. I too, without giving up, decided to keep training until that day comes.” (Stylist)
“The words he spoke to the youngest candidate, Noga Asai (18), were incredible. I’m older than Tera, but I can’t imagine saying something so perfect and accurate in the same situation. His human nature, shaped by the struggles he’s faced, really stood out. The ‘timelesz’ project was a rare audition where the focus was on the candidates’ human nature more than their performance skills. I think that’s the main reason why it succeeded.” (Interview writer)
For insiders in the women’s magazine world, Tera’s fashion sense also seems to be one of his key charms.
“Tera is just incredibly stylish. Especially during his trainee days — the way he wore his practice clothes was outstanding, and the sweats he wore during practice ended up selling like crazy. But I think that sense of style came from the fact that, even though he couldn’t debut for so long, he never let himself get bitter and kept refining himself for the day his chance would come. If his heart had soured, there’s no way he could have radiated that kind of effortless, polished style. Everything about this was meant to be!” (Fashion magazine editor)
Why is everyone so eager to talk about Tera with such passion?
A flood of passionate comments so intense it almost makes you chuckle. It seems that when it comes to Teranishi, everyone feels compelled to talk about his character.
Is this Teranishi fever just a passing craze, or will his popularity take root for the long term? Entertainment reporter Kaoru Shimada offers this analysis:
“I’ve been watching his stage performances for years, and he’s truly skilled. He’s not the type who frequently stands at center stage, but he has a good grasp of the whole picture and reliably fulfills his role within each production. He’s an actor you can trust to elevate a piece.
Among the people around me — regardless of gender — there are so many who talk about him passionately. Even those who’ve never met him feel like he’s family. That sense of familiarity is one of his charms. Idols typically don’t resonate with people who aren’t interested, and they tend to divide opinions. But with Teranishi, no matter who you mention him to, they’ll respond, ‘He seems like a good person, and he’s talented too.’ That’s why everyone wants to talk about him.
I believe his popularity will continue. He was already well-liked, but as more people learn about him, his fan base grows. Even if those fans later support other talents, I doubt they’ll ever come to dislike Teranishi. That’s why he’s been nicknamed the nation’s ex-boyfriend — someone who lingers in your heart, like an old flame you’ll never fully forget.”
A figure everyone can agree on, Teranishi’s addition to the group promises to spark new chemistry with the other members. It looks like we won’t be taking our eyes off Teranishi and timelesz anytime soon.
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Interview and text by： Nanako
