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The Contestant: Where Is The Real Life Nasubi Now? Exploring What Happened To Him After Spending More Than 1 Year On Denpa Shōnen
Before reality TV, Nasubi endured a year in isolation for a famous Japanese show, now his story is featured in a documentary shedding light on his 15 months activity.
Before reality TV became popular in the West, there was a Japanese show called Susunu! Denpa Shōnen. It featured a man named Nasubi, which is a nickname, not his real name.
He was put in a room without clothes, furniture, or food for a year. He had to win everything he needed by entering contests in magazines. The goal was to win 1 million yen worth of prizes (around $8,000) to leave the room.
In 1998, Nasubi thought he was auditioning for a regular TV show. But he was tricked into this challenge by a producer named Toshio Tsuchiya. Nasubi stayed in the room for 15 months without seeing his family. He didn't know that over 15 million people were watching him on TV.
Where is Nasubi now?
After the challenge, Nasubi continued his career as a comedian and actor. But now he spends most of his time as an activist. He helps raise money for Fukushima, his hometown, which was hit by an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in 2011. He wants people to know that Fukushima is recovering and needs support.
During an Associated Press in 2024, he said, “I want everyone to know the people of Fukushima are working hard,” he added, “Life is gradually returning to what used to be in the exclusion zones. Of course, I realize the road to decommissioning the nuclear plants is still a long battle. But I would like people to know the Fukushima of today, feel hope by visiting Fukushima and watch Fukushima rebuild.”
Nasubi's experience on the show taught him survival skills. After 25 years since the documentary aired, Nasubi told TV Insider in an interview, “My instinct for survival kicked in, so I just had to survive and do whatever to get out of this. So I have to achieve this sweepstake goal to get out."
Now, he uses his fame to help others. He visits people affected by disasters and gives them hope. He believes his experience on the reality show, although tough, has helped him make a positive impact on the world.
After years of animosity towards Denpa Shōnen's producer Toshiba Tsuchiya, Nasubi reached out to him for support in funding his Mount Everest climb to raise disaster awareness. Despite past bitterness, Tsuchiya expressed willingness to assist and apologized for past hardships.
Nasubi's resilience led him to summit Everest in 2016 after three unsuccessful attempts. His dedication to aiding others remains a driving force in his life today.
Clair Titley on making The Contestant based on Denpa Shōnen
Nasubi's story is featured in a documentary called The Contestant by British filmmaker Clair Titley. The filmmaker told The Times on the documentary, "A lot of it was almost derogatory about Japanese culture," she added "It was a bit point-and-laugh at the Japanese, look how crazy they are, and that was it. I had all these questions. I wanted to know more about the human side of Nasubi's story both during and after Denpa Shōnen."
Amid the arrival of The Contestant, Nasubi told Time, "It was difficult to revisit the past because I did have a big hole in my heart, so it was a bit traumatic for me."
The Contestant is based on archival footage, news segments, and interviews with Nasubi and more. It's available to watch on Hulu as of May 2, 2024.
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