[In Memoriam: Ryotaro Shimizu] “Seeing the audience off until the very end…” This magazine witnessed his “exemplary service” at the theater

A photo captured by this magazine four months ago

On a certain night in mid-April, at a small theater in Ikebukuro, a play—which was opening that very day—appeared to have just ended. The entrance was bustling with cast members who had come out to greet the audience and the audience members themselves. Among them was Ryotaro Shimizu (37).

Dressed in a gray hoodie and jeans—was he still in his stage costume? He was deep in conversation with several female audience members, smiling as they chatted for another five or six minutes. He also posed for photos with a patron accompanied by a child. The child seemed to be about the same age as his own daughter. He spoke gently to the child, put his arm around her shoulder, and took a photo.

Perhaps to change clothes, he stepped back into the wings for a moment. Even after he came out, having finished getting ready to leave, he continued to respond politely and with a smile to each remaining audience member. It was striking to see him attending to everyone right up until the very end.

Ryotaro (37) was found in a horrifying state at his apartment in Tokyo on the evening of August 1. An associate, suspicious that he hadn’t been reachable for several days, visited his home and discovered him. Paramedics rushed to the scene, but he had already passed away. Authorities have stated that the death is not suspected to be a crime.

On the 2nd, his father, Akira Shimizu (72), posted a comment on his agency’s website : “Performing in concerts together as father and son and hearing Ryotaro’s singing voice was my greatest happiness. He was a considerate and very kind boy. I believed that his good health was the greatest way for him to honor his parents, so I am filled with deep regret.”

Ryotaro made his debut in 2006 in the NHK Taiga drama *Kōmyōga Tsuji*. Around the same time, he began working in earnest as an impersonator and quickly rose to stardom. It is said that at his peak, he earned as much as 10 million yen a month from his performances.As an actor, he appeared in hit productions such as the third season of “Gokusen” (Nippon TV, 2008) and the morning drama “Amachan” (NHK, 2013). In May 2016, he married a woman outside the entertainment industry, and his first child was born in November of the same year—everything seemed to be going smoothly.

However, his life was turned upside down when he was arrested in October 2017 for violating the Stimulants Control Act.He was fired from his father’s agency and received a guilty verdict of one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years. After leaving the entertainment industry to work as a mover, he found himself in trouble again in April 2021 when he was arrested and charged with assaulting his wife.

Under normal circumstances, a return to the entertainment industry would seem out of the question. However, thanks to the support of those around him, Ryotaro appears to have been gradually, step by step, making his way back.

“It seems he started out with street performances doing impersonations. By streaming these performances on YouTube and social media, he reportedly began to gradually receive job offers.In May 2023, he won an audition to compete on *BreakingDown8*, which generated a lot of buzz. He resumed his entertainment activities around 2024, and in September of the following year, he held a “Father-Son Concert” with his father, Akira, where their well-coordinated performance was highly acclaimed.

In 2018, the year after Ryotaro was convicted of stimulant drug use, Akira stated categorically, ‘I don’t know how many more years I’ll be able to continue this work, but I don’t think I’ll ever stand on the same stage with him again until the day I die.’“The decision to perform together was likely made because Akira could sense Ryotaro’s determination to make a comeback. There were so many requests for a repeat performance that the concert was held again on June 5 of this year,” said an entertainment writer.

When this magazine spotted Ryotaro in April, he also appeared to be sincerely dedicated to his work and overflowing with gratitude toward the audience members who had come to see him. It is deeply regrettable that he passed away while still halfway through his comeback.