Masashi Tashiro facts for kids

Masashi Tashiro (田代 まさし, Tashiro Masashi) (born August 31, 1956) is a Japanese television personality, singer, and actor. He was a founding member of the popular band Rats & Star. Tashiro sang as a tenor with the band. Later, he became a well-known TV entertainer in Japan. He even directed a film after his band, Rats & Star, broke up.

In August 2023, Tashiro started his own YouTube channel called Marcy's Channel.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Masashi Tashiro was born in Saga Prefecture, Japan, on August 31, 1956. He was raised by his mother. In 1961, when he was six years old, he and his mother moved to Tokyo. He went to a missionary kindergarten and then Toyama elementary school in Shinjuku.

High School and Forming a Band

In 1972, Masashi Tashiro started high school at Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School. There, he met Masayuki Suzuki. They became good friends and later decided to form a band together. This band was first called The Chanels.

After graduating from high school in March 1975, Tashiro and Suzuki officially formed The Chanels. This Japanese doo-wop band also included Nobuyoshi Kuwano. Suzuki was the lead singer, Kuwano played the trumpet, and Tashiro sang baritone.

Tashiro also worked at a filling station and later as a trucker for a few years. Even though he had started his band, he continued working these jobs.

Entertainment Career Highlights

The Chanels and Rats & Star

The Chanels began performing as an amateur band in 1976. They quickly gained attention, winning first place on a Japanese TV show called Ginza Now. They also won a music contest sponsored by Yamaha.

Tashiro and his group officially debuted in 1980. They became famous for their rhythm and blues music style. Their first single, "Runaway," was a huge hit, selling over one million copies! In May 1981, their song "Hurricane" was released. This song was later covered by the popular duo Puffy AmiYumi in 2001.

In 1983, the group changed their name to Rats & Star. They did this because their original name, The Chanels, sounded too much like the French fashion brand Chanel. The band continued to be very popular until they broke up in 1986. After the breakup, Tashiro released his own solo song called The Legend of Niijima.

In March 1996, Rats & Star got back together for six months. They covered a song called "If I Could Meet You in a Dream." This song was also a big success. They even performed on NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen, a famous New Year's Eve music show.

Becoming a Comedian

After Rats & Star broke up, Masashi Tashiro's talent for comedy was noticed by Drifters member Ken Shimura. Tashiro then became a popular television comedian. As a comedian, he was known for his clever wordplay and funny props. People nicknamed him the "King of puns" and the "Genius of props."

On July 10, 1988, Tashiro opened a shop called "Marcy's" on Takeshita Street in Shibuya, Tokyo. The shop was named after his nickname. He appeared in many television commercials and hosted TV shows. He also wrote books, including an autobiography and a book about puns. Tashiro even directed a film and was the main character in a video game called Tashiro Masashi no Princess ga Ippai, released in 1989. In October 1993, he appeared in the film Crêpe.

Television Appearances

Masashi Tashiro has appeared on many popular Japanese television shows:

• Monomane Ōza Ketteisen (ものまね王座決定戦, The Mimic Champion Contest) (Fuji Television)
• Star Dokkiri Daisakusen (スターどっきり大作戦, Star candid great Strategy) (Fuji Television)
• Yūyake Nyan-Nyan (夕やけニャンニャン, Sunset Nyan Nyan) (Fuji Television)
• Shūkan Stamina Tengoku (週刊スタミナ天国, Weekly Stamina Heaven) (Fuji Television)
• Takeshi, Itsumi no Heisei Kyōiku Iinkai (たけし・逸見の平成教育委員会, Takeshi and Itsumi's Heisei Board of Education) (Fuji Television)
• Naruhodo! The World (なるほど!ザ・ワールド, Indeed! The World) (Fuji Television)
• TV Crews Tonari no Papaya (TVクルーズ となりのパパイヤ, TV Crew next-door Papaya) (Fuji Television)
• Tokoro-san no Tadamono Dewa nai! (所さんのただものではない!, Mr. Tokoro's You are not ordinary!) (Fuji Television)
• Quiz Derby (クイズダービー) (TBS)
• Tokusō TV Gaburincho (特捜TVガブリンチョ, Special Investigation TV Chomp) (TV Asahi)
• Downtown DX (ダウンタウンDX) (NTV)
• Super J Channel ANN (スーパーJチャンネル ANN) (Friday, TV Asahi)
• Soreyuke! Marcy (それゆけ!マーシー, Let's go! Marcy, A program sponsored by a business enterprise) (MBS)
• Guruguru Ninety-Nine (ぐるぐるナインティナイン, guruguru naintinain)
• It's so cool! (めちゃ2イケてるッ!, mecha-mecha iketeruu!)

Radio Shows and Films

Radio Appearances

Masashi Tashiro also hosted several radio programs:

• Tashiro Masashi no Super Gang (田代まさしのスーパーギャング, Masashi Tashiro's Super Gang) (Thurdsday, TBS Radio) – October 1986 – March 1987
• Tashiro Masashi no Say! Young (田代まさしのセイ!ヤング, Masashi Tashiro's Say! Young) (QR)
• Tashiro Masashi no All Night Nippon (田代まさしのオールナイトニッポン, Masashi Tashiro's All Night Nippon) (LF)

Films Directed and Acted In

Masashi Tashiro directed a film and also acted in others.

• Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999) - He appeared in this film.

Solo Music Works

While he was famous with Rats & Star, Masashi Tashiro also released music as a solo artist or in collaborations.

• Nījima no Densetsu (新島の伝説, The legend of Nījima) (August 27, 1986)
• Paradis Latin no Yoru wa Fukete (パラディラタンの夜は更けて, Late in the night of Paradis Latin) (September 21, 1987, as "Shinnosuke & Marcy")
• Unjarage (ウンジャラゲ) (November 2, 1988, as Ken Shimura & Masashi Tashiro and Daijōbudā family)
• Nettaiya (熱帯夜, Sultry night) (July 1, 1994, as Marcy & Izumi)
• Bāsama to Jīsama no Serenade (婆様と爺様のセレナーデ, Serenade for an old man and woman) (December 17, 1993, as Ken & Marcy)
• Ai ga Natsukashii (愛が懐かしい, Nostalgia for love) (March 8, 1995, as Masashi Tashiro & Kuniko Asagi)
• Ultra Tengu (ウルトラ☆テング, The ultra long-nosed goblin) (August 14, 2010, as Marcy & Frontier Create)

Books Written by Masashi Tashiro

Masashi Tashiro has also written several books during his career.

• Tashiro Masashi no Dōtoku Yomihon (田代まさしの道徳読本, Masashi Tashiro's moral handbook) (May 1988, Kōdansha) – ISBN: 4-06-103101-5
• Marcy no Chōhōsoku (マーシーの超法則, Marcy's super law) (April 1994, Magazine house) – ISBN: 4-8387-0534-4
• Shinema de Aishite―Eiga no kazu hodo, Koishitai (シネマで愛して―映画の数ほど、恋したい, Love me in the cinema―I want to be in love almost as same as the number of films) (October 1993, Japan Literary Arts Company) – ISBN: 4-537-02384-8

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot for kids

See also

• Ken Shimura
• Takeshi Kitano In Spanish: Masashi Tashiro para niños