Sho Ayanokoji’s Encounters with Real Stars and Tough Guys in the Entertainment World

Nice to meet you. I’m Sho Ayanokoji from the band “Kishidan.”

When I think of FRIDAY and my memories with it, well, there have been a few instances of being photographed and taking photos in the past. Usually, when it comes to such things, celebrities tend to keep quiet, but for me, I’ve often ended up making a lot of noise, and I’ve even gotten into trouble with follow-up interviews. On the flip side, there were times when they helped promote me, and over time, we’ve developed a bond that’s almost like long-time comrades. I feel that way at least. (Though, if there’s a romance or some scandal, I’m sure they’d mercilessly publish it without hesitation.)

So, FRIDAY reached out to me with the suggestion, “Let’s do something together,” but to be honest, I didn’t have any idea what to do.

What fun things would that person think of?

What fun stories would that person tell?

While thinking about that, I realized that maybe I should talk about the amazing people I’ve met along the way.

It’s a somewhat sneaky idea, in true Ayanokoji Sho fashion, “Taking sumo with someone else’s loincloth” or “Saturday night swindler” as people might know me.

However, well, this is all just my subjective perspective and memory, so if any of it turns out to be different from the actual facts or history, I truly apologize.

Whether they’re famous or not, I’d like to share heartwarming stories about the wonderful people I’ve met.

But, if I end up getting complaints from all directions with comments like “Don’t talk about whatever you want!” then there’s a good chance this series will be immediately canceled, so if the article gets deleted, please just understand.

With that said, for the first installment, I’ll be talking about the legendary figure from my hometown—completely without permission!

The place of birth, birthday, and blood type were all supposed to be X

Recently, there was a TV segment on local rankings by prefecture. In that segment, YOSHIKI (who is 52 years old) took the glorious top spot for Chiba Prefecture, surpassing famous figures like Takuya Kimura (52), Masaki Aiba (42) from “Arashi,” and even Matsuko Deluxe. (By the way, we, “Kishidan,” were second place. We are truly honored).

When we were kids, the star of Chiba was Shigeo Nagashima (89). In terms of subculture, JAGUAR was also quite popular. YOSHIKI is technically from “X” in terms of his background—X as in birthplace, birthday, blood type, age, everything is X.

However, YOSHIKI’s childhood friend, ToshI (59), who was with him from elementary through high school, is from Tateyama, Chiba. ToshI’s birth year and age are public knowledge. Even after “X” broke big, ToshI would always return to Tateyama every summer, carrying the mikoshi (portable shrine) during the festival.

The photos from those times are widely circulated. His hair, which is usually styled in a dramatic fashion, is let down, and he sports a golden long-haired look with a gentle expression that contrasts sharply with his usual aggressive makeup. Despite this softer look, his distinct facial features make it clear that the man in the photo carrying the mikoshi is indeed ToshI.

I have one of those photos at my house too. Given that this was taken with a disposable camera, it’s amazing how much it spread back then. Now that smartphones are common, I can only imagine how much more widespread it would have been.

Anyway, it was YOSHIKI who taught me the importance of yearbooks. One time, YOSHIKI’s graduation photo appeared in a weekly magazine, and I was stunned by how he had such a rebellious yet cool visual, completely different from the more delicate look in his earlier manga-inspired appearance.

On the other hand, ToshI was in the volleyball club and looked like a straightforward, boyish figure with a buzz cut. The contrast between the festival photos and this yearbook photo was huge. The gap between their looks back then was quite striking, but their directions were polar opposites. I admired how the yearbook photos turned out, so for my own high school graduation album, I made sure to stand tall and take a posed photo with my hair styled.

 

 

For more details on “The Warriors of Friendship: The Giants, Great Men, and Tough Guys I Met in the Entertainment Industry” and original illustrations by Sho Ayanokoji, check out the paid FRIDAY subscription. Don’t miss Sho Ayanokoji’s own personal stories and illustrations as he recounts his encounters with legendary figures and strong warriors in the entertainment world.

Enjoy Sho Ayanokoji’s tales of the giants and heroes he met in the entertainment industry, starting from his hometown of Chiba.