Kento Kaku, Saito Takumi, MEGUMI: The Double-Edged Sword of Actor Producers in Full Bloom

Netflix’s drama “House of Ninjas,” produced by and starring Kento Kaku (34), has been a mega hit.

Since it was not massively advertised, it did not receive much attention prior to its distribution, but due in part to its globally recognized ″ninja″ motif, it ranked No. 1 in the weekly global Top 10 (non-English series). The fact that Shohei Otani (29) revealed an episode in which he and his new wife watched “The House of Ninja” simultaneously in Japan and the U.S. was also a tailwind” (movie writer).

In recent years, an increasing number of actors like Kaku have been engaged in full-fledged production work. A film writer continues.

MEGUMI (42) produced her first film, “Zero Fall,” which was released in 2011, and then joined the visual image group “BABEL LABEL,” directed by Michito Fujii (37), known for his film “Newspaper Reporter,” as a producer. He has produced two late-night dramas for TV Tokyo.

Incidentally, both Garai and Megumi have one thing in common: both have been active after leaving major entertainment companies.

Megani originally wanted to be a singer, but after working her way up through the gravure industry, she steadily increased her work. When she debuted, she was just a hairy nephew of Chikako Kaku (62), and she was a late bloomer, so much so that she herself says, “I was feeling impatient because I was having a hard time budding. Because they struggled when they were young, they are able to stay behind the scenes. This is their strength.

In addition to them, Takayuki Yamada (40) and Takumi Saito (42) have also entered the producer business. A person involved in the entertainment industry reveals the advantages of producing works by actors.

Since their faces and names are known, they become the talk of the town. For movies, it will be easier to raise funds, and for dramas, it will be easier to get sponsors’ OKs. It’s also great to be able to cast popular actors as ″friendship actors″ through horizontal connections. I have heard that in many cases, because they are actors themselves, they are able to understand the feelings of the actors and the scene runs smoothly.

With the success of Kaku and Megumi, the number of “actor-producers” will increase in the future,” an advertising agency official asserts.

Many actors, such as Shinichi Tsutsumi (59) and Katsuya Maiguma (36), originally wanted to become movie staff or directors. There are many actors who would like to direct or produce if given the chance. The TV industry is currently in a recession. Some station executives and staff are thinking of using popular actors who are interested in behind-the-scenes work to attract sponsors. The interests of both parties coincide.

Of course, there are those who are concerned about the disadvantages of having more “actor-producers.

The popularity and recognition of actors alone can easily attract funds, resulting in the realization of frivolous projects. There is a danger of mass production of inferior productions. Some actors may be self-righteous and cause trouble for the onsite staff. If such a person were to take the helm, it is obvious that trouble would ensue.

It seems that one of the issues in the entertainment industry in Reiwa is how to use “actor-producers” and “actor-directors” to their best advantage.

From theApril5-12, 2024 issue of“ FRIDAY