, sometimes shortened to Ohta Pro, is a Japanese

talent agency A talent agency is a company that represents actors, authors, musicians, model (person), models, professional athlete, athletes, writers, dancers, and other professionals in various industries. Talent agencies specialize, either by creating dep ...

headquartered in

Yotsuya is an area in Shinjuku, Tokyo, that previously was a ward (四谷区 ''Yotsuya-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Ushigome ward of Tokyo City and Yodobashi ...

Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. It was founded in 1963 and focuses on talent management for

actors An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

athletes An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including trac ...

comedians A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop comedy. A comedian who ...

and '. The agency have produced numerous television personalities in the entertainment industry.

Notable talents

Comedians

Aka Plu , better known as , is a Japanese comedian who is represented by the talent agency, Ohta Production , sometimes shortened to Ohta Pro, is a Japanese talent agency headquartered in Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo. It was founded in 1963 and focuses on ...

*Alco and Peace (Kenta Sakai, Yuki Hirako) *

Hiroiki Ariyoshi is a Japanese comedian and singer who is represented by Ohta Production. Saruganseki Born in Aki District, Hiroshima, Japan, Ariyoshi formed the owarai duo Saruganseki with Kazunari Moriwaki in 1994. The pair became famous through the variety t ...

* Dacho Club (Katsuhiro Higo,

Jimon Terakado , better known as , is a Japanese comedian who is represented by the talent agency, Ohta Production , sometimes shortened to Ohta Pro, is a Japanese talent agency headquartered in Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo. It was founded in 1963 and focuses on ...

Ryuhei Ueshima was a Japanese comedian and actor. He was a member of the comedy trio Dachō Club. References

1961 births 2022 deaths 2022 suicides 20th-century Japanese comedians 21st-century Japanese comedians 20th-century Japanese male actors 21st ...

) *

Gekidan Hitori , known by the stage name is a Japanese comedian, lyricist, actor, novelist, and film director. Gekidan is mainly known his improvisational ability and for his style of physical comedy. He is represented with Ohta Production. Early life and c ...

Kannazuki Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the year of the reign of the current Emperor. The written form starts with th ...

Kunihiro Matsumura is a Japanese comedian and impressionist most known for his impersonations of famous figures such as Beat Takeshi and Takanohana Kōji. He was also the original host of the hit comedy reality show '' Susume! Denpa Shonen''. While originally maki ...

* Miyashita Kusanagi (Koki Kusanagi, Kensho Miyashita) *Time Machine 3go (Koji Yamamoto, Futoshi Seki) *

Teruyuki Tsuchida is a Japanese comedian, ''tarento'' and TV presenter. His talent agency is Ohta Production. He has been active as a solo comedian since 2001, but started in the entertainment industry in 1992 as a '' kombi'' called ''U-Turn'' with Morihiro Tsus ...

Kanako Yanagihara (born February 3, 1986, in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress, comedian, and ''tarento'', who has been featured in ''Cartoon KAT-TUN'', the live-action drama ''Otomen'', and collaborated on the music for '' Keroro Gunso the Super Movie ...

Actors

Emiri Henmi is a Japanese actress and singer. Her mother is the singer Mari Henmi. Filmography Dubbing *'' Blow'', Mirtha Jung (Penélope Cruz Penélope Cruz Sánchez (born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress. Prolific in Spanish and English-lang ...

Tsurutaro Kataoka is a Japanese television personality, actor, artist, and former professional boxer. For his role in the 1988 film '' The Discarnates'', he won the award for best supporting actor at the 31st Blue Ribbon Awards, at the 13th Hochi Film Award, and at ...

* Naoki Kunishima * Tatsuya Nōmi * Keiko Saito * Mai Sekiguchi *

Gaku Shindo is a Japanese actor and singer. His debut role was as the Eagle Sazer in the tokusatsu series '' Chousei Kantai Sazer-X'', but he is most well known for playing Harukaze Kurobane in the Prince of Tennis musicals in 2006. Before he debuted in s ...

Reiko Takashima is a Japanese actress. Career Takashima starred in Shinji Aoyama's 1999 film '' EM Embalming''. She has also appeared in films such as '' K-20: Legend of the Mask'', ''Railways'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato''. Filmography Film * ''Like a Rol ...

Takeshi Tsuruno is a Japanese actor, tarento, and musician. Early life Tsuruno is originally from Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture. Career Tsuruno is known for his roles as Shin Asuka/Ultraman Dyna in ''Ultraman Dyna'' and as the leader of the m ...

* Kohei Yamamoto

Idols

Anna Iriyama is a Japanese actress and YouTuber active in Japan and Mexico. She is a former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was a member of Team A. She is represented by the talent agency Ohta Production. She was part of the cast for th ...

(former

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...

) *

Erika Ikuta is a Japanese actress, singer, and former first generation member of the Japanese idol girl group Nogizaka46. In addition to her work with Nogizaka46, Ikuta has appeared in multiple television and stage productions, including playing Cosette, � ...

(former

Nogizaka46 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, created as the "official rival" of the group AKB48. They are the first group from the Sakamichi Series, which also includes sister groups Sakurazaka46 (formerly Keyakizaka46), Yoshim ...

) *

Rie Kitahara is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Japanese idol girl group NGT48 and former member of AKB48 and SKE48. She debuted in 2008 in Team A and was later co-captain of Team K (2014). In March 2015, it was announced Kitahara ...

(former

NGT48 NGT48 (read "N.G.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NGT48 is named after Niigata City of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at the NGT48 Theater which is located in the fourth fl ...

) *

Rika Nakai is a Japanese ''tarento''.NGT48 NGT48 (read "N.G.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NGT48 is named after Niigata City of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at the NGT48 Theater which is located in the fourth fl ...

) *

Kayo Noro is a Japanese singer and entertainer who is represented by the talent agency, Ohta Production. She is a former member of idol groups AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akiha ...

(former

SDN48 SDN48 (read ''S.D.N. Forty-Eight'', short for Saturday Night 48) was a Japanese idol girl group, created and produced by Yasushi Akimoto. SDN48 was created based on an "adult idol" concept. Former AKB48 member Kayo Noro was chosen as the captain ...

) *

Yuko Oshima is a Japanese actress and former member of idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments, she sa ...

(former

) *

Rino Sashihara is a Japanese tarento, singer, producer and actress. She is best known as a former member of idol groups HKT48, AKB48 and STU48, and was the theater manager for HKT48 and STU48. She was also a member of AKB48's unit Not Yet and is the produc ...

(former

HKT48 HKT48 (read "H.K.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. HKT48 is named after the Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Hakata-ku ward of Fukuoka, where Akimoto originally intended to base the group. The group currently performs at ...

) *

Yui Yokoyama is a Japanese actress, YouTuber and former singer. She is a former member of the idol group AKB48. She was the second General Manager of the AKB48 Group. She had served as the captain of AKB48 Team A, and was a former member of AKB48 sister grou ...

(former

)

Athletes

Yoko Gushiken is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1981. He held the WBA light-flyweight title from 1976 to 1981, making a total of 13 successful defences. Following his retirement from boxing, he remains popular in Japan as a ...

(former boxer) *

Takanori Hatakeyama is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2001. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the World Boxing Association (WBA) super-featherweight title from 1998 to 1999 and the WBA lightweight title from ...

(former boxer) *

Toshiaki Kawada (born December 8, 1963) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), whom he worked for from his debut in 1982 up until 2008. In the promotion, he was a five-time Triple Crown He ...

(former wrestler) *

Shinji Takehara is a Japanese former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1996. He was the first Japanese boxer to capture a middleweight title having held the WBA title from 1995 to 1996. Takehara turned pro in 1989 and had a relatively short profess ...

(former boxer) *

Katsuo Tokashiki Katsuo Tokashiki (渡嘉敷勝男, born July 27, 1960, in Okinawa, Japan) is a Japanese former WBA Light flyweight champion. He currently works as an actor and television persona, and runs his own boxing gym in Tokyo, Japan. Childhood & Early ...

(former boxer)

Other tarento

Shinnosuke Furumoto is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Fuchu, Tokyo. He also performed the opening for the anime ''Sorcerer Hunters'' with Megumi Hayashibara in which he voiced the main character. He also performed an insert song for the anime '' H2'' as he ...

(voice actor) *

Kansai Yamamoto was a Japanese fashion designer, most influential during the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and career Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan and he raised in Gifu City, Japan. He focused on civil engineering in high school, and majored in En ...

(fashion designer)

Notable former talents

Bakushō Mondai is a Japanese comedy duo consisting of Yūji Tanaka and Hikari Ōta under the entertainment agency, Titan Inc. The comedians first met when they were students in the Department of Fine Arts at Nihon University, and they formed Bakushō Mondai ...

(

Yuji Tanaka is a Japanese comedian. He is best known as half of the ''owarai'' duo Bakusho Mondai along with Hikari Ota. He also played Mike in the Japanese dub of the Pixar movie ''Monsters, Inc.'', Br'er Fox in the Japanese dub of the Disney movie ' ...

, Hikari Ōta) (comedy duo) * Egashira 2:50 (comedian) * Kenji Haga (actor, businessman) *

Toshihito Ito (February 16, 1962 – May 24, 2002) was a Japanese actor and member of the Tokyo Sunshine Boys theatrical troupe. He was born on February 16, 1962, in Niigata, Japan. Biography He performed on stage, and on television in series such as ' ...

(actor) * Carolyn Kawasaki (model) *

Naomi Kawashima was a Japanese actress, singer and radio entertainer. She was born on November 10, 1960, in the city of Moriyama, Aichi (now Moriyama-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture), Japan and graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University is a private Christian u ...

(actress) * Hiroko Kurumizawa (singer) *

Neptune Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...

(

Taizo Harada is a Japanese comedian and actor who performs '' boke'' in the comedy trio Neptune. He is nicknamed . Harada is represented with Watanabe Entertainment is a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate and a member of the Watanabe Production ...

Ken Horiuchi is a Japanese comedian who performs ''Manzai#Boke and tsukkomi, boke'' in the comedy trio Neptune (owarai), Neptune. He is nicknamed . He also creates stories for the trio. Horiuchi's persona on stage and TV is known to be immature, childish and ...

, Jun Nagura) (comedy trio) *

Mari Okamoto is a Japanese actress and voice actress. Biography Despite being born in Tokyo, Okamoto was actually raised in Hirakata, Osaka, where she also spent her elementary-school years. In 1961, she made her debut for performing arts activities in ...

(comedian) *

Bibiru Ōki , better known as , is a Japanese comedian represented by Watanabe Entertainment. His wife is the singer Akina. Ōki was a member of the comedy duo Bibiru. He graduated from Kasukabe City Tanihara Junior High School and Seibudai Chiba Junior & Se ...

(comedian) *

Erena Ono , is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was in "Team K" and her talent agency was Ohta Production. She was also part of AKB48 subgroups "Honegumi from AKB48", "AKBIdoling !! " and "ICE from AKB48". Career Ono was born i ...

(former

) *

Shun Sugata is a Japanese actor. Career Sugata was born in Yamanashi Prefecture. He starred in the 2006 film ''Confessions of a Dog''. He appeared in Amir Naderi's 2011 film '' Cut''. Filmography Film * ''Seiha'' (1982) as Nakahara * ''Kita no hotaru' ...

(actor) *

Beat Takeshi , also known as in Japan, is a Japanese comedian, actor, and filmmaker. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. During hi ...

(comedian, actor, director) – and all others from Office Kitano *

Atsuko Maeda is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the idol girl group AKB48, and was one of the most prominent members in the group at the time, regarded as the group's "absolute ace", "immovable center", and the "Face of AKB." After ...

(former

)

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
Talent agencies based in Tokyo Mass media companies established in 1963 Mass media companies based in Tokyo Japanese companies established in 1963 Japanese talent agencies