No matter when you meet them, the Ōyama couple exudes calm. Even their names, “Shungo” and “Junko,” seem in sync. Shungo Ōyama had paint on various parts of his clothes and arms. “When I was drinking with friends at an izakaya, someone suggested, ‘Let’s draw Doraemon.’ So I drew a kind of dark, fallen version of Doraemon, and it really got everyone excited. It was fun, so I started doodling sketches in my planner and posting them on social media. Then I wanted to start adding color to the drawings. I half-jokingly posted, ‘Can someone teach me how to paint?’ That’s when Professor Fumihiko Nishioka from Tama Art University gave me advice: ‘Ōyama-san, your drawings are amazing. Absolutely do not take lessons in painting.’ He also said, ‘Ōyama-san, your drawings should be preserved for posterity, so make sure to draw on proper paper.’ That was in February.” Ten months later, Ōyama would hold a solo exhibition that drew a total of 900 visitors in just one week—something the then 51-year-old Shungo Ōyama could not have imagined. Ōyama is a former PRIDE fighter who fought legendary bouts against the “Knee of Terror” Wanderlei Silva, “The Most Fearsome Tyrant of the 20th Century” Peter Aerts, and the Gracie family. Yet, he had felt a sense that a new life was beginning. He remembered being praised by his judo teacher in second grade: “You’re really good at the shoulder throw.” “That one comment flipped a switch in me—I fell in love with judo, and my life as a fighter began. Right after receiving Professor Nishioka’s words, I went to an art supply store and bought a sketchbook. I started by asking the clerk, ‘What’s the difference between watercolor and oil painting?’” Junko Ōyama, a former idol, sleep consultant, and gut-brain therapist, married Shungo in 2010 and naturally accepted her husband’s transition into the arts. (For the story of Junko’s marriage to Shungo, see:“80s Idol Junko Kawada Marries the Gracie Hunter”) “He adds messages to his work, and I’ve long known that he is someone meant to be a messenger. Even using the same words, what he communicates can change people’s lives. We’ve known each other for 20 years, and I’ve seen that repeatedly. I’ve been telling him for five or ten years, ‘You should express more of your own words.’” Junko recalled, however, that oil painting was refreshing. “The day after he said, ‘Professor Nishioka praised me,’ he already started drawing. Within a month, he was working with oil paints. I heard that a painter would be doing an event at a nearby bookstore, so we went to study, but basically he taught himself. He learns as he draws. If something didn’t work, he’d paint over it and draw again. The way he frames his subjects or composes his pieces might seem impossible to professionals, but I think that’s part of his personality.” The solo exhibition held in mid-December in Tokyo attracted 900 visitors, from fellow fighters like Hidehiko Yoshida (56) and Genki Sudo (47) to diverse figures like Akie Abe (63) and Sahel Rosa (40). Junko was pleased that most attendees were moved by Shungo’s messages. “I realized again that he really is a messenger. People said, ‘This is the first time I’ve cried looking at a painting,’ with tears in their eyes. Many of his early works feature crying boys, representing his inner child. They reflect the suffering and sadness he experienced as a child. After processing those feelings, the paintings became more joyful—smiles, flowers, brighter themes. Yet even in the bright works, there’s still a trace of sadness, and people seem to resonate with that.” Originally, 120 paintings were planned for the exhibition. However, with demand high, works stored at home were rushed to the venue. Including clay pieces, the total number of works reached 162, and all 152 paintings on display were sold.