“I’ll Turn Even a 100-Million Debt into Laughter”: The Real-Life Inspiration Behind the Drama “The Man Who Can’t Give Up Hope” Talks About His Comeback from Rock Bottom

From program success to a dramatic turnaround… Homeless with 100 million yen in debt

“I’ve been through a 100 million yen debt, driven a truck for eight years, and even ended up homeless—I’ve been through a lot, so I don’t get flustered by just anything.”

The words of a man who had tasted the very depths of despair carried overwhelming conviction and a boundless positivity.

The drama *The Man Who Can’t Give Up Hope* has been airing on Kansai TV since Thursday, September 17.Set in the television industry of the ’90s and ’00s, this roller-coaster comedy follows a man who rose to become a company president through his natural bluster and charm, only to fall into debt and homelessness—and then claw his way back up.The compelling performance by lead actor Shunsuke Daito (40) and comedian Metal Bat’s first-ever acting role in a drama have generated a lot of buzz.

You might think the plot—which includes an assistant director driving around in a Porsche, being held captive by the yakuza, escaping only to be chased and nearly run over by a car—is just dramatic license, but this story is actually based on a true story.We interviewed Takuji Okugawa, the real-life inspiration for the protagonist and author of the original non-fiction book *The Man Who Couldn’t Despair* (Kodansha). (All quotes in “” below are from Mr. Okugawa.)

“Back then, the TV industry was a glamorous world where all kinds of desires swirled. All I could think about was, ‘I want to be popular with women!’ (laughs).I’d walk around Shinsaibashi wearing an earpiece, or get close to a campaign girl and try to hook up with her at the office—only to get caught by the president. Almost every day was filled with events that made me think, ‘Does stuff like that really happen?’ It was full of excitement and suspense, and even looking back now, it was a great, stimulating era.”

It was an era when television was more central to culture than it is today, and the energy on television production sets seemed to be much higher.Just as the music show I’d poured my passion into—and which I’d launched myself—was starting to take off, the sponsor pulled out midway. To cover the production costs, my debt ballooned. The amount? A whopping 100 million yen. Unable to repay it, I was hounded by the yakuza and eventually ended up homeless—but even during that time, I say I had only one thing on my mind.

“I kept thinking, ‘Just imagine how much of a hit this story will be when I tell people about it someday.’ I thought of it as a period of gathering material, so to speak.When I think about it that way, everything—from running away from the yakuza to being homeless, and even the job as a truck driver I took on as a way to get back on my feet—was a treasure trove of material. And now that it’s turned into a book and a TV drama, you really never know what life has in store for you.”

Today, Mr. Okugawa has made a spectacular comeback to the television industry. Did he ever feel any fear about returning to a place he’d once left behind? And what is the driving force behind his overflowing energy?

“Ultimately, it’s about human connections. Even though I hadn’t seen them for eight years, there were friends who sought me out and encouraged me to make a comeback. I’d had a hiatus, and the atmosphere in the industry had changed, butI never changed my approach: ‘I don’t turn down any job. Once I decide to do it, I give it my all.’ That trust built up little by little, and now I’ve been supported to the point where I’m running my own company. I’m constantly juggling multiple projects, and every day is a bit of a struggle. But that’s fine. If that were to disappear, it would be time for me to die.”

The drama’s finale is scheduled to air on Thursday, October 8, at 1:25 a.m. Stay tuned until the very end to see how the story of this man with a tumultuous life will conclude.