Top 25 Japanese Actresses on MDL
This is how I know Shimura Ken, the host of Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen but he had a much longer career than I wasn't exposed to. Here is a video from CNN that shows just how much he was loved.
He co-starred with Masashi Tashiro, Nobuyoshi Kuwano in the Japanese variety show Shimura Ken no Bakatono-sama. He was known as "Japan's Robin Williams." The "bakatono-sama" shtick by Shimura is unusual among Japanese comedians, in that he could satirize the deeds of powerful figures (a company president, a politician, a family head, a school principal, the head of a Japanese yakuza gang) under the garb of a foolish king who lived in the country a long time ago. Another popular shtick of Shimura in the same show was "Henna Oji-san" [weirdo] who entertained himself in the company of nubile girls. After being caught for his pranks, the character regularly ended the shtick with a song 'Sou desu. Watashi wa Henna Oji-san desu'.
Shimura was most famous for starring in Hachiji Da Yo! Zei'in Shugo! with the comedy group The Drifters and Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan with Cha Kato, another former member of The Drifters. - En. wikipedia
Famous Japanese songstress Naoko Ken tweeted of her friend’s death, “I cannot think anything now. I can no longer see Ken-chan. This is too sad.”
“I was happy working with you. Thank you,” Ken, who played Shimura’s wife in TV comedy skits, also wrote.
His death also made headlines outside of Japan. Reuters reported that he “was one of the country’s best-known comedians.” The BBC, CNBC and Turkish state-owned Anadolu news agency also reported the news as did by media in other countries such as Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. - Japan Times
Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen 200307
Aiba Masaki’s, who had been a regular on Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen since right after Arashi's debut, comment on Shimura Ken’s death 20.03.30 "I can not believe this... I have no words. There are countless things that Shimura-san taught me. I have only gratitude towards him. The time I spent with Shimura-san is my treasure, but I only wanted to spend more time with him.”
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"I don't think Shimura himself expected to have to go this way," an Izawa Office staff member told reporters, adding that his comedy shows were still upcoming on TV.
"I hope you will remember him and laugh," he said. "Until the end, he was committed to present laughter to the people." - Fox56
Here is the twitter trend Hashtag if you want to follow it, He will surely be missed.
Shimura was hospitalized for severe pneumonia on March 20, 2020, after having high fever on the 19th, and on March 23 it was confirmed that he had COVID-19. He was the first Japanese tarento to make public a diagnosis with COVID-19 during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Japan.
On March 24, Shimura was transferred to a hospital where ECMO was available. He had been scheduled to star in the film Kinema no Kamisama, but his participation was cancelled on March 26. He was also slated to carry the Olympic torch through part of the city prior to the 2020 Tokoyo games. Shimura died on March 29, 2020, at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
What are your memories of Shimura-san?
The funniest moments that made you laugh?
Edited by: BrightestStar (1st editor), Yuanwei (2nd editor)
