Karma is a former popular YouTuber with over 1.7 million subscribers, and is currently active as an actor. In the Super Sentai series "Number One Sentai Gojuger" (TV Asahi), which aired its final episode on February 8th, he played the role of Ring Hunter Garude/Quon. While boasting ruthlessness and overwhelming strength, he brought tension to the story as an enemy character who has a twisted affection for his younger brother, Gojuwolf/Ho (played by Fuyuno Shino), and left a big impact. Looking back on his time in the role, he said, "It was a year in which I was determined to perform to the best of my ability."
◇ The strong character of Quon: "In the end, it was a very good role."
"Honestly, I was quite worried at first." While excited to be appearing in a special effects film he has been familiar with since childhood, he was also initially hesitant about the role of Quon. "As Red's older brother, and a strong character at that, I had imagined him as a cool character, but I realized that while the other Brydan members were well-liked, it would be a role that people would dislike (laughs). To be honest, I thought it would be tough to keep doing this for a year," he revealed.
However, he resolved to "see it through. If Kuon only tried to be half-hearted in her popularity, the story would lose its appeal." In order to create tension in the story, a "strong enemy" was necessary. He felt that taking on that role was the mission he had been tasked with.
After she made up her mind, viewers' reactions also began to change. Her impactful lines, such as "Let's get married, roar!", became a hot topic, and the reactions became more positive as the show continued. She also says that she has been receiving more calls from children in the city and parks saying, "It's Kuon, transform!" There is a hint of pride in her expression as she says, "I'm lying and telling them I can't transform right now because I'm in the middle of a battle for the ring (laughs)."
At the event venue, next to children clutching toy transformation items, a young female fan held up a sign reading "Karma is for dinner tonight," giving a real sense of the support that transcends generations. After reconciling with Hou towards the end of the series, Kuon "exited" once, becoming the weapon "Garyu Deka River 50," but reappeared in the final episode in human form. In the fierce battle against the "final boss" Fire Candle, he was depicted encouraging his younger brother as he fought, and looking back, he commented, "In the end, it may have been a pretty 'good' role."
During the broadcast period, he also attracted attention by voluntarily promoting Garyuud toys. He says that he was sometimes approached by people saying, "Thank you for saving me then." "A lot of things happened during the broadcast of Gojuger, but as the enemy, I thought it didn't matter to me (laughs). I was only thinking about how to make the show more popular. In the end, I thought it was amazing that Gojuger became even more popular from there."
After a year, he feels he has "grown as an actor." "It's not often you get the chance to play the same role for a year. I've learned to look at the work as a whole and think about how I can improve it."
◇The villain is "a hero to me"
He is currently appearing in the Nippon Television drama series "Punch Drunk Woman - Days Left Until Jailbreak" (Sundays at 10:30pm), starring Ryoko Shinohara. He plays Kawakita Ryuma, the former leader of a special fraud group who is being held in the detention center where the story is set.
He joked that the contrast between his role in a Super Sentai hero series and playing a villainous prisoner might "make some people catch a cold." He was offered the role by a producer, and said, "Gojuger was also offered to me by a producer who had seen 'Legendary Head Sho' (TV Asahi, 2024), and 'Punch-Drunk Woman' was also offered to me by someone who had seen 'Legendary Head Sho' and 'Love Me to Death' (ABEMA, 2025). I'm really grateful that people asked me to appear after seeing my previous work."
He often plays villains, but says, "I want to push myself to the point where people say, 'This is Karma,'" while also saying, "I want to use that as a gateway to try out all kinds of roles." He says that playing villains has broadened his own possibilities, and blushes, "For me, they're like heroic roles."
He is set to hold his first fan event in February. "I want to interact as closely as possible. My events never go according to the script, so I want everyone to enjoy the various happenings," he said with a grin. As an actor and as an artist, Karma's progress seems set to accelerate even further.
◇Profile
Born August 26, 1996, in Fukuoka Prefecture, he moved to Tokyo at age 16 with the goal of becoming an actor. In 2018, he began posting videos to YouTube to raise his profile, and his eccentric projects became a hot topic. His subscriber base exceeded 1 million in a year, garnering attention as a popular YouTuber. In 2021, he joined his current agency and has since focused on his acting career. His first photobook, "Karma 1st Photobook (working title)" (KADOKAWA), is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2026.
