Note: This Article is from a Tabloid
Former Mistress Dies Alone... Katsura Bunshi VI's Chances of Becoming a "Living National Treasure" are Nil
On May 2nd, FRIDAY reported that Enka singer, Shien passed away around March 10th at her home in Tokyo where she was living alone. She was 41. FRIDAY wrote that at the time of her death, Shien was taking several medications, including sleeping pills. According to autopsy results, Shien died a natural death.
Shien's "Lonely Death"* has attracted renewed interest in her "affair scandal" with rakugo artist, Katsura Bunshi VI (75). On February 2016, Shien confessed in a pictorial magazine that she had been in a relationship with Bunshi for twenty years, starting from when she was 18. With this, Bunshi's reputation as a devoted husband crumbled. However, for some reason, this issue was ignored by the major media outlets and TV Asahi's "Welcome Newlyweds" the long-running program which Bunshi hosts, also continued on as if nothing happened. Because of this, this "suspected affair" remained ambiguous.*.
*Lonely death - Japanese phenomenon of people dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time.
According to Friday, Shien was discovered by her landlord on the 11th March after her mother contacted her landlord because she hadn't been able to get in contact with Shien since March 7th. Shien always gave her mother a phone call every day.
*When Shien confessed their relationship in 2016, Bunshi held a press conference, and denied their relationship. He explained that he supported her like she was his daughter. He also said that the last time they met was in 2014, and before that, they hadn't seen each other for 10 or 12 years.
Quotes from FRIDAY Tabloid Article: Source
Katsura Bunshi "Speechless" at 20 Year Mistress Shien's Lonely Death at Age 41
May 02, 2019
"Starting from when I was an ignorant 18 year old, I respected Master [Bunshi], trusted him, and devoted everything to him..." (Shien)
"Right after Shien was thrown away by Bunshi-san, Shien-san was in a horrible mental state. It seems she cut her wrists over and over again. She was with him for 20 years, from 18 to 38 years old, and she once tearfully told me that Bunshi-san was the first person she fell in love with. However, entering this agency would be her new start, and she would work hard to forget about him. After that, I never heard that she tried to commit suicide again." (Record Company Staff)
"I knew that she was taking medicine because of her weak mental state. She had been taking that medicine since I first met her. She didn't touch a drop of alcohol but possibly because of her medication, there was a time the effects were especially horrible, and she couldn't speak clearly. I heard for the first time from the police that she appeared to have been regularly visiting some hospital. There was a lot of medicine in her room. It's possible that she took a bad mix of medications and lost her life" (President of the Entertainment Agency Shien joined after she broke up with Bunshi)
"Due to the TV stations circumstances, it is likely that "Welcome Newlyweds" will continue as if nothing has happened this time as well. Bunshi once declared that he wanted to be a "Living National Treasure" as soon as possible. However, I think that his chances of becoming a "Living National Treasure" are nil now. His suspicion of infidelity with a woman in her 50s in 2017 has also left negative aftereffects." (Entertainment Journalist, Asami Rin)
A person who has been recognised as a "Living National Treasure" is issued a special yearly Government subsidy of 2 million yen ($20,000). It is not surprising that he will not be able to win the nation's sympathy.
Source: Yahoo! News Japan
1. [+31133/ -675]
A person who thinks that they want to become [a living nation treasure] isn't going to be able to become one.
2. [+27618 / -996]
I don't know what criterion is used to choose someone as a living treasure(?)
For people who are barely surviving on their pension, 2 million yen would be something that would make them green with envy. That's why a suitable criterion is necessary. I don't think that Katsura Bunshi is suitable. His image is too bad.
3. [+24639 / -776]
It might be good if he gives up the Bunshi name.
*Katsura Bunshi VI's former stage name was Katsura Sanshi. He received the Bunshi name from his master Katsura Bunshi V, a postwar Kamigata Rakugo great.
4. [+11492 / -119]
A living national treasure... Preposterous.
He toyed with that woman's life.
His sin is deep.
5. [+11378 / -83]
I don't think he ever had the skill to become a national treasure in the first place.
6. [+9887 / -67]
I've watched Katsura Bunshi-san since I was little but he doesn't have the aura to become a living treasure.
There should be plenty of rakugo artists around Kyoto who are more suited as a national treasure than him.
7. [+9746 / -75]
He doesn't have the skill of a living national treasure in the first place, right? I won't say, don't have a mistress, but since he couldn't marry her, he should have at least given her happiness. As a man and as an artist, his calibre is too low. Stingy.
8. [+9142 / -69]
He thinks he can become one?
No matter what angle you look from, he's not cut out for it.
9. [+6797 / -63]
My condolences to her.
It is true though that it's impossible for him to become a living national treasure.
He only has himself to blame though.
10. [+5507 / -94]
This might be divine punishment.
11. [+3775 / -51]
Rather than adultery, he kept a woman who was considerably younger than him and did whatever he pleased with her. For 20 years. I wonder if it was it something like house-arrest?
I get the feeling that this wasn't reported in talk and variety shows for some reason... Miyane is also doing the same thing*.
*Also has a mistress
- [+212 / -20]
He's old enough to be Shien-san's dad. I wonder why he couldn't introduce her to one or his disciples or followers, or assist her into becoming independent.
- [+284 / -5]
In her 20 years of allowance, she got 200 thousand yen ($2000) every month for the first four years, and got 150 thousand yen ($1500) every month for the remaining 16 years. I wonder how she felt when he came to tell her he was reducing her allowance. I feel sorry for her. She liked him, and he's a influential figure in the entertainment world so, as a woman and as a singer, she probably couldn't part from him. Bunshi's too stingy.
- [+111 / -1]
Bunshi, who has an extreme fondness for young girls, probably laid his hands on girls one after the other, and tossed them when they became middle-aged.
From what I can remember, he immediately set his hands on Okazaki Yuki, who is the same generation as me, when she was at her peak as an idol.
He's old enough to be Shien-san's dad. I wonder why he couldn't introduce her to one or his disciples or followers, or assist her into becoming independent.
- [+284 / -5]
In her 20 years of allowance, she got 200 thousand yen ($2000) every month for the first four years, and got 150 thousand yen ($1500) every month for the remaining 16 years. I wonder how she felt when he came to tell her he was reducing her allowance. I feel sorry for her. She liked him, and he's a influential figure in the entertainment world so, as a woman and as a singer, she probably couldn't part from him. Bunshi's too stingy.
- [+111 / -1]
Bunshi, who has an extreme fondness for young girls, probably laid his hands on girls one after the other, and tossed them when they became middle-aged.
From what I can remember, he immediately set his hands on Okazaki Yuki, who is the same generation as me, when she was at her peak as an idol.
Source: Girls Channel
1. [+1372 / -10]
Above Article: Former Mistress Dies Alone... Katsura Bunshi VI's Chances of Becoming a "Living National Treasure" are Nil
2. [+4287 / -8]
Of course!
3. [+3065 / -16]
Piece of sɦıt
4. [+3500 / -12]
I can't believe he's still allowed to appear on TV
7. [+3523 / -13]
A stark naked*, adulterous, gross geezer becoming a national treasure? You've gotta be kidding me.
*As well as the 2 shot photo above, Shien appears to have also provided a naked photo of Katsura Bunshi as evidence - which can be found in the Girls Channel above (post number 49). I will save your eyes by not posting it here.
8. [+3243 / -35]
What he did is even more vicious than what Becky did.
20. [+975 / -13]
>>8
His lowlife super viciousness can't be compared to Becky's in the same sentence.
>>8
His lowlife super viciousness can't be compared to Becky's in the same sentence.
9. [+3973 / -5]
>A person who has been recognised as a "Living National Treasure" is issued a special yearly Government subsidy of 2 million yen ($20,000).
What?! I never knew that!
I'll be damned if 2 million yen per year of our taxes is used on this man!
11. [+2088 / -13]
Welcome Newlyweds is going to continue on like nothing happened???
13. [+2800 / -5]
He didn't have the ability to become a living national treasure in the first place.
17. [+2505 / -16]
In adultery, both sides are at fault, but considering the fact that she was with this old man since she was a minor, I feel that it's entirely the old man who's in the wrong. Gross
19. [+1533 / -45]
She passed away, huh
I've met her several times
She had a powerful voice. She was more suited for pop than enka.
She was a diligent and serious girl.
25. [+2632 / -8]
Reading this now, it was the right choice for Shien-san to expose him at that time.
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