TV Tokyo's drama "Warau Salesman" began streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on July 18, 2025. The lead actor, Robert Akiyama Ryuji, has been creating a buzz for his flawless performance as Moguro Fukuzo. Akiyama Ryuji has the rare talent to transform into a variety of characters, including those featured in the "Creator's File" series. A look at the watches he wears in various scenes reveals a surprising side to him.
Text by Yukaco Numamoto
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
Edited by Takashi Tsuchida
[Article published on January 8, 2025]
A perfect match! Visuals that are too faithful to the original "Warau Salesman"
The original work of "Warau Salesman" is a classic darkly humorous manga by Fujiko Fujio A. The story revolves around a mysterious salesman named Moguro Fukuzo, who dresses in a black suit and hat and grants the small wishes of troubled characters, but when they break their promises or don't heed his advice, he mercilessly makes them pay the price.
This work first became popular when it was made into an anime in 1989, and has since been adapted into various media, including games and live-action films. The story was aimed at adults and aired at a relatively late time, but the anime version was immensely popular with elementary and junior high school students at the time.
A typical punchline is when a customer who "violates the contract" is punished by pointing at their face with a "BOOM!" technique, leading to ruin. The scene, which concludes with Fukuzo Moguro's cold-hearted yet convincing words after witnessing the customer's fate and his loud laughter of "Oh ho ho ho...", is surely etched in the memories of many people.
The latest production, in which Robert Akiyama plays Moguro Fukuzo, is made up of a diverse 12-episode series, with some episodes updated to modern society and others completely original. The production is suited to the current era and can be enjoyed by fans of the previous series as well as those who are yet to discover Moguro Fukuzo, and when it was announced that Akiyama Ryuji would be playing the lead role, social media was flooded with comments such as "The visual is too good! He's totally Moguro!" and "When I went to see the visual, all I can say is I agree", with people expressing their expectations for "Akiyama Moguro", focusing on the level of realism, and it became a big topic of conversation.
The talent to make people laugh with a bizarre yet relatable perspective
After graduating from high school, Akiyama Ryuji moved to Tokyo from Kitakyushu and interviewed at various general stores, but was rejected because he "wanted to work somewhere that felt like Tokyo." Later, while working part-time cleaning ducts in a building, he happened to come across the comedy magazine "Ajapa" (published by Heiwa Publishing), which is where he learned about NSC (Yoshimoto Comprehensive Performing Arts Academy).
Akiyama considered enrolling, but was worried about going alone, so he invited his childhood friend Robert Baba, who was unemployed at the time, to come sightseeing in Tokyo. After letting Baba see the sights so much that he ran out of money to go back home, he invited him to work part-time cleaning ducts to earn money for the NSC entrance fee. This episode gives us a glimpse of Akiyama's considerable preparation.
In 2012, when he was struggling with the direction he wanted to take as a comedian, he first performed a "body impersonation" skit on "Haneru no Tobira," in which he silently placed masks made from drawings and photographs of the faces of people like Umemiya Tatsuo and Ozawa Ichiro on his face one after another. However, Umemiya Tatsuo encouraged him, saying, "If you're going to do it, don't do it half-heartedly, go all out. Whatever you do, just do a good act!" This encouragement led to Akiyama Ryuji's current style of comedy.
One day, he forgot his mask and came up with the idea of "why not just stick it on my body?", so he came up with the idea of putting a photo of his face on the back of a T-shirt and turning it inside out to reveal his face. This T-shirt invention has been patented.
We discovered Ryuji Akiyama, who loves Prospex!
An essential part of Robert Akiyama's material is his "impersonation," a performance in which he takes on the role of a fictional character, such as a celebrity or creator, and behaves as if they were a real person. In the fourth installment of the "Creator's File" series, "Kibune Shin, Earth Photographer and Photo Advisor for the Monthly Magazine 'Photography Planet,'" he was spotted wearing the Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster SBDL027.
In this video, he plays the role of an earth photographer, but the fact that he chose the Seiko Prospex, which he also uses in his private life, seems to reflect his attachment to the brand.
The basic concept of the Seiko Prospex is "a watch for challengers." It is not just a tool for displaying time, but is designed as a device to support the activities of professionals, based on Seiko's brand philosophy. With a water resistance of 200m and full-fledged functions for outdoor activities such as diving and trekking, it is highly practical for "earth photographer Shin Kibune," who spends days in the jungle, and it is likely that this model was a perfect fit.
Solar-powered quartz movement (Cal. V175). Stainless steel case (diameter 48.0mm, thickness 13.0mm). Water resistant to 20 bar. Discontinued.
What kind of watch would that character choose?
Outside of the Creator's File, Ryuji Akiyama has been spotted wearing a Seiko Prospex watch in multiple scenes. For example, at the press conference for the 2008 film "Detroit Metal City," he was seen wearing the Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster SBEP003.
The character he played in this scene was Nishida Terumichi, a stereotypical otaku character who is quiet and has a sharp tongue, often in a low voice. The Seiko Prospex Fieldmaster SBEP003 is a digital watch that belongs to the Seiko Fieldmaster series, and choosing a digital model for this scene was surely a result of Nishida's pursuit of his own unique style.
Solar-powered quartz movement (Cal. S802). Plastic case with aluminum accents (diameter 49.5mm, thickness 14.1mm). Water resistant to 20 bar. Discontinued.
He is also frequently seen posting private photos of himself wearing a Prospex with a blue dial on social media. The model worn by Robert Akiyama is a diver's watch with a case shape that mimics the "Turtle" diver's watch, a reproduction of the Reference 6306 released in the 1970s. His deep affection for Prospex is evident.
Akiyama Ryuji chooses a variety of Seiko Prospex timepieces for key occasions. In fact, he seems to be a big Seiko Prospex fan as a comedian. For Akiyama Ryuji, who plays a variety of characters, the models used by professionals in each field are probably essential tools for him to "get into character." For Earth Photographer, he chooses a rugged model with outdoor specifications, and for his otaku character, he chooses a model with a geeky digital display... Akiyama Ryuji's comedic spirit, which is reflected in the details of his character settings, is clearly evident in his choice of watches.
It almost feels as though each character of Akiyama Ryuji is real. The Seiko Prospex strapped to his wrist undoubtedly enhances the character's persuasiveness. Wearing a professional-grade watch enhances the level of perfection in his role-play, which is truly impressive. We look forward to seeing what other Prospex looks he will show us with his diverse characters in the future.
