Hitoshi Matsumoto made his first public appearance in two years. His return to the stage, not on terrestrial TV but on the pay TV channel “DOWNTOWN+,” is a major departure from the old formula of “apology press conference, then return to terrestrial TV. In the current Internet age, the route for celebrities to return to the stage is changing. Matsumoto Hitoshi’s choice symbolizes this turning point. (Kazuka Kamada, freelance writer) ● Matsumoto Hitoshi returns after a year and 11 months away Declaring victory over the high number of subscribers Matsumoto Hitoshi is back with his pay TV channel “DOWNTOWN+”. It was his first appearance in front of his fans in about a year and 11 months since he declared a hiatus due to a trial with the Weekly Bunshun. The Internet was divided on both sides of the issue, and on November 1, the first day of the paid distribution, several related words trended on X, showing the high level of attention to the event. The number of registered users reportedly exceeded 500,000 within 20 days of the start of registration. In a live broadcast of the contents, she revealed that “hundreds of thousands of people” had registered, and although she was told before the broadcast that the price was “high” and “aggressively priced,” she declared victory, “I won! he declared. He was applauded by the fans gathered at the live event. The people who have always been Matsumoto’s fans and continue to be fans even after the riot naturally responded, “We’ve been waiting for you! and “I’ve been waiting for this! On the other hand, those who were critical of the show said, “I won’t watch it,” and “Why is he coming back without even holding a press conference? Some netizens, who may be fans of the show, are seen sending comments to those who post negative comments about the show’s return, saying, “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to watch it. The opinion is that since this is not a return to terrestrial broadcasting, but a place where only those who have paid their bills can see the show, people other than the fans who are watching should not interfere.
It has happened before that celebrities have taken a hiatus or sometimes retired in the wake of a scandal. However, this is probably the first time that a celebrity who has reigned over terrestrial broadcasting for as long as Matsumoto has, after a scandal, returned only within a pay-per-view service. It is a method of comeback only possible today, when Internet distribution services have evolved so much (while the authority of terrestrial broadcasting and mass media is not as strong as it used to be). Matsumoto’s comeback may become a touchstone for the future of how entertainers who have temporarily lost their reputations can make a comeback. Although Matsumoto’s comeback is only on the Internet, where only those who have paid for the service will be able to watch it, if the service is well received and an atmosphere is created that says, “Matsumoto is great after all,” and “whatever he says, he is necessary for TV,” there is a possibility that he will return to terrestrial broadcasting. If this reputation can be built up, and an atmosphere of “I knew Matsu-chan is great” and “I don’t know what to say, but he is necessary for TV,” then a return to terrestrial broadcasting is a possibility. DOWNTOWN+” is a content that Yoshimoto Kogyo has put a lot of effort into, and one can sense that they are determined to make Matsumoto’s return an absolute success. As mentioned above, with the development of the Internet, it is now possible to distribute videos without relying on terrestrial broadcasting. That is why there are a wide variety of YouTubers and influencers, each with their own fans. In this day and age, the mass media is not the only information dissemination device, and even if a certain segment of the population is extremely critical of youtubers, it is possible for youtubers to regain their popularity by using the Internet to reach a different segment of the population. I will not name names here, but think of some of the politicians who have made headlines in the past few years. In today’s world of seemingly endless information, the world can be seen in very different ways depending on which outlet you are at. In other words, it is possible to match only a certain number of clients, even if they are strongly disliked by a certain segment of the population. The evaluation of Matsumoto’s case has been split in half between his devoted fans and his critics.