Actor and musician Mitsuhiro Oikawa

Once you have a vision for the future, work backwards to think about what you should do now and make an effort.

actor/musician　及川光博(Oikawa Mitsuhiro)

■ Profile
He debuted as an artist in 1996 with the single "Morality." His unique musicality and individuality attracted attention, and he began his acting career in the 1998 drama "With Love." Since then, he has toured the country every year, and has been active in dramas, movies, commercials, and more. He will be holding a national solo show tour starting on May 3rd.

■Please tell us how you got into the entertainment industry.

I started seriously aiming to become a professional when I was in high school. At university, I was in a band, attended acting school, and worked part-time jobs. After graduating, I worked in planning at an event production company while aiming to make my debut. I had promised my parents that if I didn't make any progress by the time I was 25, I would give up, so I was relieved when I made my debut at 25. However, my contract was only for three years. I thought that if I didn't make it in those three years, there would be no more, so I worked hard every day.
I thought a lot about how I could achieve results. First of all, I needed to stand out in the entertainment industry. Standing out would increase opportunities. I also made it a point to always set goals. Once I had a detailed vision of what I wanted to become in the future, I would work backwards to think about what I needed to do now and work hard towards my ideal. I continue to do this over and over again.

■Please tell us your future goals.

If I were to give myself a title, I would say "entertainer." The appeal of entertainment is that it can be enjoyed by many people. When I see people laughing, I feel happy myself. I would like to continue with music and acting in the future.
I'm also interested in being on the creative side, writing a script and directing. I've been involved in a variety of work up until now, including songwriting, stage productions, TV dramas, movies, and variety shows, so I'd like to create a work that brings all of that together.

■Please give us a message for students

Your time as a student is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I hope you will approach everything with a sense of purpose. And make lots of wonderful memories. If you have wonderful memories, you will be able to persevere even when times are tough.

■After the interview　
Oikawa made a grand entrance, greeting us with "Ciao!" Even in the short time we had for the interview, he answered each question carefully and with a touch of humor. Throughout the interview, we could sense Oikawa's passion as an entertainer who has been active for many years.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2024 Issue by Tsuda University 4th Year Student Satoshi Okawa

Photography: Kaga Ryugo