Kabukicho, Memory of Light: The Glory and Exit of the Name Hikaru (Early 2010s)

Kabukicho, Memory of Light: The Glory and Exit of the Name Hikaru (Early 2010s)

Hikaru was a charismatic host who achieved the number one group sales ranking at Kabukicho's host club Majesty for two consecutive years, and was a symbol of the nightlife district in the first half of the 2010s. The era in which he was active was a turning point when host culture began to be visualized and diffused through SNS and videos, and the dawn of the "self-branding era" was dawning, in which individuals were directing themselves and communicating to the outside world. He gained popularity not through conventional charisma, but through a new style that combined fashion, conversation, and video, and can be considered the first generation to ride the wave of digitalization. Behind his success, however, was the pressure to maintain sales and attention, long hours, and physical and mental limitations. Gradually, the reality that "numbers drive people away" spread, and Hikaru, too, chose to retire after a period of exhaustion. His words, "I wanted to regain my true self, n
ot for the sake of numbers," resonate as a poignant question to humanity that is being consumed by the digital competitive society.