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Top 10 Amazing Facts about Chosuke Ikariya

A photo of Chosuke Ikariya. Courtesy: Facebook

Chosuke Ikariya was a Japanese comedian and film actor, and leader of the comedy group The Drifters. His nickname was “Cho-san”. 

During the war, while still a young man,  his family moved from their home in Sumida, Tokyo to the countryside in Shizuoka.

He tried different jobs before he could land a regular job. Chosuke also took up playing the double bass, a hint at his performer nature. He started by learning how to play the double bass and became good at it performing.

Let’s take a look at some of the most amazing facts about him;

1. The Audience always singled Him Out

During his days with Jimmie Tokita & His Mountain Playboys band, the audience often singled him out for never smiling, and always picked him for amusement.

Chusuke was during that time in his life one of the tallest members of the band, so he stood out. In 1962, Ikariya joined The Drifters, an aspiring pop band that featured comedy routines in its performances of rock and roll music. 

The band was able to scrape by though appearing on television afterwards, with Ikariya writing most of the material for the performances.

2. Ikariya started his Acting Career in 1987

First a factory worker, he aspired to be an artist. Chosuke Ikariya started his acting career in 1987 appearing in the Taiga drama Dokuganryu Masamune, he started his acting career in earnest. 

Ikariya had won the public’s adoration by then and played a variety of fatherly roles on television and in movies.

His part in the drama Odoru Daisosasen, which later went on to inspire two movies, though, led him to what was the peak in his career. 

3. Chosuke Won Several Awards in his Career

Chosuke Ikariya won several awards including the Japanese Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his performance of Heihachiro Waku in the movie Bayside Shakedown in 1999.

He also won Ikariya won a Japan Academy Award in that same year for his role in the film Odoru Daisosasen. 

4. He Acted in more than 30 Movies and TV Series in his Career

He took part in more than 30 movies and tv series in his career last sing decades. These movies include; the Dreams in 1990 as The crying demon, My Sons in 1991 as Jiro Kato and Odoru daisosasen in 1998 as Heihachiro Waku. 

Tv series also by him include renowned tv series like; Dokuganryu Masamune in 1987 as Oniniwa Yoshinao, Bayside Shakedown in 1997 TV Movie as Heihachiro Waku and the dreams in 2003.

5. Chosuke was the Leader of the Drifters Band 

Chosuke joined the drifters which was then an aspiring pop band that featured comedy routines in its performances of rock and roll music. 

However, members joined and quit the band over the next two years until Ikariya, persisting, became the leader of the five-member group.

In 1966, The Drifters opened for The Beatles at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, they later met a producer from TBS who offered Ikariya and his Drifters a regular spot on a weekly show. 

6. During his Days with the Drifters, They were Popular with Children 

Chosuke and his group became popular when the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) offered The Drifters a regular weekly show Hachiji dayo, Zenin Shugo.

The band’s low-brow humour and slapstick comedy made it popular for children, much to the dismay of parents at the time.

However after the show was over in 1985, Ikariya virtually left the Drifters and all members went on to pursue their own goals.

7. His Talent was Brought to Light by Scouts

Chosuke Ikariya was scouted by  A very tall person, who was always prone to antics, he could in no way remain unnoticed, nor was he by talented scouts who detected his acting abilities.

Not too sure of his talents, Chosuke Ikariya thought his career was just bass playing and hesitated but finally tried his luck and soon discovered he was as good an actor and a musician when he joined the band.

8. Chosuke was the Force behind the Drifters’ Success Story

Ikariya was the force behind the Drifters’ success and even when they faced instability with members leaving while others joined Ikariya was persistent.

Between 1962 and 1963, those two years were the turning point of the Drifters and Ikariya became the leader of the band.

When they were allowed to make tv appearances Ikariya wrote almost all of their performances. He helped the band stay alive before they finally dissolved it, going different ways.

9. Chosuke was Diagnosed with the Cancer of the Lymph Nodes

He complained of neck pain towards the end of his career and was diagnosed with lymph node cancer. He was hospitalised for almost a whole year between June 2003 to March 2004.

Between that time he only left the hospital once, in July 2003 during the official release of the movie Bayside Shakedown 2. This was described as one of the most difficult periods in his life.

He never really made it back to his career after this and spent most time away from the set and always supported other actors after this.

10. Chosuke Died at Aged 72 in 2004

Chosuke Ikaria died of lymph node cancer aged 72 years in 2004. His most remarkable role in acting was the Crying Demon who haunts Akira Kurosawa as a young man in his 1990 “Dreams”.

He was a respectable actor in his own right and starred in over 25 successful movies and at least 11 TV dramas. His career would still have grown and flourished but he suffered cancer, which caused his death.

Chosuke was a very tall person and always prone to antics, he could in no way have remained unnoticed when he was starting his career.

He started from amateur Hawaiian music one to a country and western one to the fabulously successful “The Drifters”. Chosuke also gave the band a slapstick comedy with lowbrow humour.

He became a famous actor loved by his fans mostly for his acting as a father on television and in movies. Chosuke was also one of the best actors during his time and could have done more if not for cancer.