Nagiko Tono Remembered as Respected Pro Sanma Wanted on His Show

Ms. Tono’s beloved cat had been protected

On July 17, it was revealed that actress and TV personality Nagiko Tono had died in an accident. Her family updated her blog on the same day to announce the news. She was 45.

On the evening of July 3, fire trucks and ambulances arrived at Tono’s condominium. Shortly after, an unidentified body was removed from the scene. For about two weeks following the incident, those close to her continued to express concern for her safety.

“Writer Bambi Yoshikawa posted on X (formerly Twitter), asking if anyone knew the whereabouts of Tono’s beloved cat, Shuu-kun, who had been reported missing. Yoshikawa, who was in contact with Tono, said they had made a promise that if anything happened to her, Yoshikawa would take Shuu in. Thanks to help from editors and acquaintances, it was later confirmed that Shuu-kun had been safely rescued and was doing well. Yoshikawa posted a message of gratitude to everyone who helped,” said a reporter.

Russian-born talent Brass Kohara (33), who had co-starred with Tono on Out x Deluxe (Fuji TV), shared a story during a July 9 livestream on his YouTube channel Brass Kohara no Shiran Kedo. Tono was following only 13 accounts on her official Instagram, and one of them was his. He recalled frequent exchanges via LINE and dining together. The last time they spoke was in late June.

During that conversation, they discussed Yoshitaka Suzuki (44), the producer of Out x Deluxe who had been arrested on suspicion of habitual gambling. Tono reportedly said, “We may be part of the ‘Out Army,’ but let’s at least not cause trouble for society.”

Although Out x Deluxe had ended its regular run, Tono had continued to appear biweekly on Mondays since 2015 as a regular on Barairo Dandy (TOKYO MX). In recent years, she had been openly enthusiastic about Shohei Ohtani, passionately speaking about him and earning support from viewers.

“Tono was known for her rapid-fire marriages and her openness about her mental health challenges. That honesty made her a source of hope for others going through similar struggles. She had a good reputation among viewers. It’s heartbreaking that such an accident took her life,” said a television producer.

Even Akashiya Sanma appreciated him

Actually, at that time, there was a prominent TV host who found Tono’s behavior amusing and had hoped to appear on a show with her.

“It was Sanma Akashiya (70). Sanma-san, who is often teased by younger comedians for still loving love talk even at 70, reportedly told staff things like, ‘Why not bring Tono on?’ It seems he genuinely wanted to talk with Tono about love and marriage. He might have envisioned doing so on one of his regular shows, like Odoru! Sanma Goten!! (NTV) or Tsuukai! Akashiya Tenshindai (MBS).

However, both shows have set talk themes and are essentially team-based with other talents, so after considering the balance, the staff ultimately decided not to pursue it. I also heard that Shukan Sanma to Matsuko (TBS), which featured Matsuko-san, who had co-starred with Tono on Out〜, had considered having her on as well, but in the end, none of it came to fruition,” said a variety show director.

Tono was well-liked by program producers, co-stars, and even big-name talents, and was always on their minds. Regarding her potential as a variety show talent, Takahiko Kageyama, a professor at Doshisha Women’s College and a media critic, shared the following:

“I think she was a very clever person. She had a strong understanding of the delicate line between what was acceptable for TV and what crossed the line—she would slightly go over just enough to be compelling. She had the intuition to instantly grasp what television creators expected and would respond accordingly—that was her brilliance. I would’ve loved to see her banter with Sanma-san again.”

It is truly regrettable that we will never again see Tono shine on a variety show. We offer our deepest condolences.