Messenger Kuroda and The Plan 9's Oi Kuma Reunite After 17 Years for New Stage Play

Comedian Kuroda Tamotsu of Messenger (56) and Oi Kuma of The Plan 9 (53) appeared at a press conference on June 22 in Osaka for the new stage production "Talent Agency Full House," marking their first collaboration in 17 years. Both are 10th-generation NSC (National School of Comedy) alumni who were initially regarded as opposites in temperament—Kuroda recalled thinking Kuma "seemed weak and might quit NSC immediately," while Kuma remembered Kuroda attending classes with sake in hand and vowed to avoid him entirely. Their reunion comes through the creative unit "Negipons," formed in 2025 following the stage production "VS."

The new play, running July 10-12 at Shin-Sekai ZAZA HOUSE in Osaka, tells the story of a small talent agency where a young woman takes over after her father's death, managing a roster of unsuccessful comedians and performers. Kuma plays a former comedy partner of Kuroda's character—both portrayed as ex-performers turned actors, inspired by figures like Fujita Makoto and Nakata Naoto. Kuma explained the role requires strong comedic timing as someone "who gives amazing hooks to the lead character." The script remains incomplete, with Kuma noting they have only worked through the first half as of the press conference.

Kuroda, who leads the creative unit alongside actor Murakado Taiyou (Murakado Daichi) of THE ROB CARLTON, described his role as a connector: "The idea is that Kuma is talented at making comedies, Murakado is skilled at documentary-style and dialogue-driven pieces, and I enter as a performer to bridge those two styles together." Murakado, serving as scriptwriter and director, expressed confidence in the material, stating that the comedy contained elements he could not have written himself and that rehearsals would determine how to blend the script's humor with theatrical presentation.

The cast also includes Matsuura Tsukasa, Fujie Moe, Adachi Rieko, and Murakado's colleagues Kovansang from The Plan 9. The production poster was illustrated by Akina Akiyama Kenta. When asked about recent developments in comedy, Kuma reflected on fellow comedian Chidori Daigo's film debut in director Koreeda Hirokazu's "Sheep in the Box," which premiered at Cannes. Kuma praised the performance while humorously speculating on Daigo's off-screen chemistry with co-star Ayase Haruka.