Shintaro Morimoto Attends Taiga Kyomoto’s Stage Play — The Hidden Meaning Behind His Feelings for Bandmate Richard Kusama

There were times when I almost lost heart.

On a pleasantly breezy evening in late September, Shintarō Morimoto (28) of SixTONES was spotted leaving a Tokyo theater wearing shorts.

That day, the musical Once was being performed at the Nissay Theatre in Chiyoda Ward, with his bandmate Taiga Kyomoto (30) starring in the lead role.

“The show is based on the 2007 Irish film Once, later adapted into a musical that made it to Broadway and won eight Tony Awards. This production featured a Japanese original staging, with Kyomoto playing the street musician ‘Guy’ and performing nine songs live on guitar. In a pre-show interview, Kyomoto admitted, ‘Honestly, there were many times when my spirit was on the verge of breaking.’ He said it was his SixTONESbandmates who helped him through those moments,”

explains a theater magazine reporter.

Kyomoto shared that during breaks from filming their variety show Golden SixTONES (Nippon TV), he would pull out his guitar in the dressing room while everyone was relaxing, and force them to listen as part of his practice routine.

Though it may not have been for the purpose of checking his performance, Morimoto was clearly moved after watching the show. Speaking to his manager as they exited the theater, he said with satisfaction:

“What’s great is that it’s not just a simple happy ending.”

He then got into a waiting car and left the venue.

According to fans’ posts on X, other SixTONES members—including Hokuto Matsumura (30), Jesse (29), Juri Tanaka(30), and Yugo Kochi (age undisclosed)—had also attended the show during its month-long run, which began on September 9.

“That’s actually quite remarkable,” notes an idol magazine writer. “Even among Japan’s busiest idol groups, SixTONES stands out for their unity. They’re genuinely close and dedicated to their craft. Their continued success comes from the way they quietly support each other behind the scenes.”

What about his appearance on The Tetsuwan DASH?

This year marks the 10th anniversary of SixTONES. In a radio appearance on March 28 (J-WAVE “START LINE”), Juri Tanaka reflected on the group’s strong bond and the mindset they shared at the time of their formation:

“I think each of us made up our mind once and for all back then. We never tried to match our pace, and we’ve never done so — nor will we in the future. But there was that one moment when our steps aligned, and we all thought, ‘These six — we just have to see this through together.’”

Currently, Shintarō Morimoto appears regularly on The! Tetsuwan! DASH!! (NTV). The show also featured Richard Keita Kusama (29) from Aぇ! group, who was arrested on October 4 on suspicion of public indecency. His agency has since announced an indefinite suspension of his activities.

“In the September 21 broadcast, viewers praised the heartwarming teamwork between Morimoto, TOKIO’s Shigeru Joshima (54), and Kusama as they collaborated on a handmade boat project. Given that both Morimoto and Kusama endured long years of struggle before debuting as idols, this incident likely came as a serious shock to him. With Kusama’s return uncertain, Morimoto’s appearances on the show may increase,”

— said a Tetsuwan DASH!! staff member.

Morimoto’s compassion for his friends is well-known — but hopefully, he won’t push himself too hard.

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