Ryoichi Nishino, comedian, children's book author, screenwriter, executive producer, and producer of the film "Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise"

The courage to "wait" for a future that cannot be controlled.

Akihiro Nishino: Comedian, children's book author, screenwriter, film executive producer, and producer.

■ Profile
In "Poupelle of Chimney Town" (2020), he served as the original creator, screenwriter, and executive producer, resulting in a massive hit that attracted 196 million viewers. He won numerous film awards, including the Japan Academy Prize. On Broadway, he also participated as a co-producer in "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," which won three Tony Awards at the 79th Tony Awards. In March 2026, his latest film, "Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise," was released nationwide in Japan.

Released in Spring 2026"Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Promised Clock Tower"We spoke with Ryoichi Nishino, who served as the scriptwriter and executive producer, about his sincere feelings behind this story and his heartfelt message to young people living in the future: "The real challenge is decided in your early twenties!"

■ Depicting the strength of believing and waiting, based on a formative experience of having one's emotions "swung wildly."

Actually, when we first started working on the sequel, my focus was primarily on the marketing aspect of "how to make it a hit." I prioritized "how to make it a success" over the essence of the story when writing the script, and the result was something that even I found completely uninteresting. After much deliberation, I made the big decision to scrap the script that I had spent 10 months writing.
From there, I went back to the basics and asked myself, "Why was the previous film a hit?" The previous film was a personal story that embodied my own experience of being criticized. That's why, for the sequel, I decided to create a story based once again on the most emotionally charged experience in my own life.
That experience was when I was 21 or 2, at the height of my popularity as part of the comedy duo King Kong, and my partner (Yuta Kajiwara) disappeared. He developed a psychosomatic illness and vanished. All of our regular TV shows were canceled in a single day, and I sat alone in my room. When Yoshimoto Kogyo gave me the choice of going solo, I chose to wait. I waited, believing in a future I couldn't control, not knowing when he would return. That was the most courageous "challenge" of my life. This film is based on my own experience and tells the story of the strength and courage to believe in the act of "waiting."

■ A happy-ending adventure fantasy delivered to "my second-grade self"

There's an important rule that I share with the entire team when creating my works: to pursue timeless appeal that transcends trends. In today's world, when you think about "how to get people to watch," the content tends to become overly sensational, but we've decided we absolutely won't do that. What we aimed for is a happy-ending adventure fantasy that everyone can enjoy with peace of mind. Behind this is a pure desire to bring to life what I wanted to see as a child, what truly excited me. And as a concrete persona to convey that feeling, I've created "Ryohiro Nishino, a second-grade elementary school student."
I only think about reaching my younger self, a second-grader living in the rural city of Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture. I know better than anyone what that child liked and what kind of future he hoped for. I don't think about what the times demand, I only think about reaching him. This unwavering attitude is what makes Poupelle unique, and by extension, a major part of the appeal of my work. This also connects to my message to young people: "Take detours." Instead of only pursuing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, I want you to have the courage to step into the unknown and take many detours. I didn't have a clear idea of ​​what I wanted to do from the beginning either. You just have to start running and explore along the way. Instead of making a plan before you start moving, just keep spinning the gacha. I want to convey that this is what will lead to what you want to do in the future and your dreams.

■I didn't go straight home. I spent my youth pursuing "fun things" with my friends.

If someone asks me, "What did you focus on during your school days?", I answer, "Club activities and doing something fun with my friends every single day." In high school, it was important to be with my friends all the time, so even though we had no experience, we all joined the handball club, which was on the verge of being disbanded. Since there were no third-year students, we were able to play in matches from our first year, and since it wasn't a popular sport back then, we could win if we were even a little athletic. It was just so much fun. But my fondest memories are from after club activities. Instead of going straight home, we would get together with friends night after night and ask, "What should we do today?" For all three years of high school, every December, 30 to 40 guys would sneak into the school at night, cut down a tree from the hill behind the school, and build a giant Christmas tree right in the middle of the sports field—a perfect crime we would carry out.
And as for my future career path, I had no doubts. When I was in second grade of elementary school, I saw a professional wrestling tour at a local supermarket, and I was overwhelmed by the tremendous cheers and energy coming from beyond the blue tarp. I decided then and there that I wanted to go to that side (the world of entertainment). That's why, even now, what I value most in my daily life is "never doing anything that would make my second-grade self sad." No matter how much profit I make, I won't create anything that wouldn't excite that little boy. I think it's because I have such a clear persona that I can continue to take on challenges without hesitation.

■Message to university students

You should think of it this way: "The battle of your life is decided in your early twenties." If the total amount of effort you put in throughout your life is 100, you need to put in 80% in your twenties, otherwise you'll lose. If you don't win your first at-bat, you'll end up partnering with people who can't win afterwards, and you'll keep losing. That's the way of the world. That's why what you should do is an overwhelming amount of "quantity." Don't think about pacing yourself; just do as much as you can, whether it's studying or gathering information. And as a lesson in money, try running your own business once. It can be anything, like Mercari. If you experience running a business, you'll acquire an "other-person perspective." Quickly break away from your "self-perspective" and gain an other-person perspective before you enter society. Act now with the intention of deciding the battle by the time you're 25.

Student Newspaper Online, July 10, 2026 Interview with Natsune Koga, 1st year student at Keio University

■ Screening of the film "Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise"

In your town, tooPoupelle of Chimney Town.
Screening events for "Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Movie" and "Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Promised Clock Tower" will be held at event venues throughout Japan!

Aoi Watanabe (2nd year, Hosei University) / Ayatsuki Sakakura (4th year, Tokyo Metropolitan University) / Chiharu Yamada (2nd year, Information Management Innovation Professional University) / Yurie Watanabe (3rd year, Josai International University) / Natsune Koga (1st year, Keio University)