A circle of friends connected by goo touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On October 26, Kenta Kojima, a “cultural person” will appear. We asked him about his rare career that started with studying soccer in Argentina, his manga artist activities, and his secret to surviving in Tokyo.
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From Soccer Study Abroad to a Career in Beauty
Celeina (MC): Let me start with a profile. After studying soccer in Argentina, Kenta Kojima worked part-time at a law firm, as a beautician, and as a manicurist before running a company that supports beauty marketing and startups. He is currently working as a manga artist.
Takano (MC): I think we would run out of time if we delve deeper , but first let me ask you about your study abroad in Argentina. I understand that you went to Argentina to study soccer, but at what age were you?
Kojima：I graduated from high school and worked part-time for a year before heading to Argentina, so I was 19 years old. I went because I wanted to experience the real soccer.
Celeina：How was life there?
Kojima：I struggled because I could not speak the local language, and 20 years ago, it was rare to find Japanese people in Argentina. I joined the team through an agent, but even when I played soccer, I was like, “What the heck is that guy? There were many twists and turns, but eventually we became friends to the point we were close relationship.
Takano: How did you learn Spanish?
Kojima: Strictly speaking, I could not learn it. I was able to hear, but I couldn’t speak it very well, so I could only communicate what I thought in Japanese and somehow get it across.
Celeina: But it seems like you can grow in the area of communication skills.
Takano: I feel like that could be a key word.
Celeina:And what about after you return to Japan?
Kojima: After returning to Japan, I went back to the point where I wondered if being a soccer player was really my dream, and I worked as a general worker and a soccer coach. While I was coaching, I met a hair and makeup master, which made me think that “beauty is nice” and “making people beautiful” and I became interested in beauty, so I worked as a hair and makeup assistant and also as a beautician.
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I got a grade of 2 in art, but became a manga artist.
Takano: After that, you started your own nail salon and nail school, and your career to this point is impressive enough, but Kojima-san, you went on to become a manga artist. What does this mean?
Kojima: Even though I am a manga artist, I draw webtoons, which are vertical-reading manga that you can view on your smartphone. Ryoichi Wada, a director and friend of mine, called me over to a cafe one day and told me that the era of webtoons was already here, that the market was growing in Asia, and that by 2028 it would be a 3 trillion yen market worldwide. That made me decide to become a manga artist, so I bought an iPad and started drawing manga.
Celeina：Did you have any experience drawing before that?
Kojima: No. I had a grade of 2 in art.
Takano: How old were you when you decided to become a manga artist?
Kojima: Two years ago, so I was 37. From there, I won a contest held by Shogakukan and Bandai together with Mr. Wada, and until recently, I was also working on a series of Line Manga as a draft artist.
Takano: Your light footwork and the power to take something from 1 to 100 after you start it are truly amazing.
Celeina: I asked Kojima-san to choose a song that we would all like to listen to together on the radio at this time. What song would it be?
Kojima: Actually, my next ambition as a manga artist is to become a radio personality, so I came up with a song introduction, may I do it?
Takano: Of course! Kojima-san, please introduce the songs.
Kojima: Let me introduce a song here. For those of you listening to “GRAND MARQUEE,” how are you doing at the turn of the day, just before 5 p.m.? This is the time when I am pedaling my bicycle to pick up my child from school. This is an up-tempo song that I like to hum at such times.
Whether you are in the second half of your working day, picking up your children from school or putting them to bed, or just lounging around on your day off, I wish you a wonderful and good day. Two Door Cinema Club“Wonderful Life”.
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Acquire skills to do exciting things with people you like
Celeina: Kenta Kojima’s song of choice is “Wonderful Life” by Two Door Cinema Club. So far, we have heard about Mr. Kojima’s tremendous career, but there is so much more! You have been performing DJ club events since you were in your 20s, and you have even appeared on “Music Station”.
Kojima: I was very lucky.
Celeina：And you mentioned earlier that you wanted to become a radio personality. As part of a career education activity called “Shigoto Pocket,” you also distribute radio.
Kojima：I do a podcast in which I introduce people from all walks of life.
Celeina：Also,I understand that you also provide creative direction and operational advice for a campground?
Kojima: I help out at a campground in Chiba Prefecture, and we recently built a sauna at the campground.
Celeina：What do you think is the secret to surviving in Tokyo, given your varied background?
Kojima: There are many amazing people in Tokyo, and I consider myself a person who can’t do anything. But I am conscious of the fact that when I am about to do something exciting with people I like, I try to acquire new skills because I want to do it with people I like, not because I think I can’t. That’s why I practice manga, and I try DJing, because that’s what I tried to do for something I wanted to do with the people I like.
Celeina: Interesting. Instead of putting a limit on your abilities, you set a goal that you like and are excited about, and then add your own abilities to it.
Takano: So you are saying that you acquire various skills in order to enjoy life, just like installing software.
Celeina: As you get older and experience trial and error, you tend to narrow down your options, but is there a way to break through that?
Kojima：I sometimes think about the reasons why I can’t do something or worry about the significance of what I am doing, but then I ask the people I am working with about the significance again, or I re-establish my own will. I have spent a lot of time and my life is limited, so I think it would be a waste to be lost.
Celeina：I learned something very important.
Takano: Anyway, I don’t have enough time, so I want to go out for a drink (haha).
Celeina： “FIST BUMP” today we welcome cultural expert Kenta Kojima. Thank you very much.
GRAND MARQUEE
J-WAVE (81.3FM) Mon-Thu 16:00 – 18:50
Navigator: Shinya Takano, Celeina Ann
