Fuwa-chan (フワちゃん, Fuwa-chan) is a Japanese comedian and YouTube celebrity. Since August 2020, she has worked as a freelance entertainer. She is known for her unique way of speaking, which is considered frank by most Japanese. She is also known for her hair style, which often features paired "devil horns."[1] In 2022, Fuwa-chan became a professional wrestler and is currently signed to World Wonder Ring Stardom.[2]

Fuwa-chan
Birth nameHaruka Fuwa (不破 遥香, Fuwa Haruka)
Native nameフワちゃん
Born (1993-11-26) November 26, 1993 (age 30)
Hachiōji-city, Tokyo, Japan
MediumTelevision, SNS
EducationToyo University, Watanabe Comedy School
Years active2018–present
Fuwa-chan
YouTube information
Channels
Years active2018–present
Genres
Subscribers1,04M
Total views813,69 Million
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers

Last updated: 14 July 2023
Fuwa-chan
Born (1993-11-26) November 26, 1993 (age 30)
Hachiōji-city, Tokyo, Japan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Fuwa-chan
Trained byHazuki
DebutOctober 23, 2022

Biography edit

After her birth in a suburb of Tokyo in 1993, Fuwa-chan followed her parents to Los Angeles, where she lived from second to fourth grade in elementary school before returning to Japan in 2003. Her father was self-employed in the import/export business and her mother was a full time homemaker.[3] Throughout her childhood, Fuwa-chan enjoyed devising new games and pranks. For example, she came up with an idea for a game that combines volleyball with shoe throwing. The voice actress, Ayane Sakura, who was one of her high school classmates, remarked how Fuwa-chan "was like a typhoon."

Career edit

In March 2017, Fuwa-chan graduated from Toyo University with a B.A. degree in Chinese philosophy.[4] During her second year at university, Fuwa-chan enrolled in the 18th class of the Watanabe Comedy School in Tokyo.[5] Fuwa-chan decided to launch a career as a comedian because it seemed to be her natural forte. She formed a comic duo with another female high school classmate. However, this partnership ended in 2014.[6] After that, she formed another partnership with another classmate, creating a comic duo named "SF Century Space Child." After graduating from the Watanabe Comedy School in 2014, Fuwa-chan joined the Watanabe Entertainment Company, but left that company after three years following a heated argument with an agency executive.[7]

In September 2017, Fuwa-chan launched her own YouTube channel, "Fuwa-chan's Woo-woo" with TV Asahi director Takuro Samukawa. Then April 2018, she launched another channel known as Fuwa-chan TV/FUWACHAN TV.[8] That YouTube channel reached one million subscribers in April 2023. In July 2020 Fuwa-chan met with Tokyo Governor Koike and Fuwa-chan broadcast some messages in English and Japanese about ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19.[9] [10]

In recent years Fuwa-chan has been working as a freelance comedian, mainly as a solo performer. In 2020 she participated in Japanese entertainment events such as the "R-1 Gran Prix" and in the "Final Battle of the W Competition" for the best female entertainer, an event jointly operated by Yoshimoto Kogyo and Nippon Television. As a result, Fuwa-chan's TV appearances increased sharply.[11] She also became general MC of the TVTokyo show, "Shichōsha-sama ni kawaretai!" [I want to be kept by my viewers!] in August 2020.[12]

In July 2020 Fuwa-chan received the Japan Council for Better Radio and Television's monthly "Galaxy Award" for "Notable Talent."[13] [14] As a testament to her popularity, Jiyu Kokuminsha recognized "Fuwa-chan" as one of the most popular Japanese buzzwords in 2020 along with "Abenomask" and "Ai no Fuchaku".[15] [16] The noted sociologist Shōichi Ōta summarized Fuwa-chan's status by stating, "Fuwa-chan is like a mirror that reflects contemporary [Japanese] TV and society. We should keep an eye on her."[17]

Professional wrestling career edit

World Wonder Ring Stardom (2022-present) edit

Fuwa-chan made her professional wrestling debut in World Wonder Ring Stardom on the first night of the 2022 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League which took place on October 23, where she teamed up with Hazuki in a losing effort against Queen's Quest's Saya Kamitani and Hina.[18]

References edit

  1. ^ "Fuwa-chan 'wakamono kara chō shiji-sareru' miryoku no shōtai" フワちゃん「若者から超支持される」魅力の正体 [Fuwa-chan's true stance of being 'super-supported by young people']. 東洋経済オンライン (in Japanese). Toyo Keiza. April 26, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ 【スターダム】フワちゃんのプロレスデビューはテレビ企画だった. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). September 25, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "[Jitsuwa sugoi] Fuwa-chan no keireki matome! Eigo perapera? Daigaku ya kazoku mo" 【実はすごい】フワちゃんの経歴まとめ!英語ペラペラ?大学や家族も [[Actually amazing] Fuwa-chan's career summary! English fluent? University and family] (in Japanese). A kara Z made shirabete mimashita!. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "Fuwa-chan's profile!" フワちゃんのプロフィール! [Fuwa-chan no purofīru!] (in Japanese). LogTube. July 16, 2021. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ "Fuwa-chan no kōkō ya daigaku no gakureki shusshin jōhō! Eigo peraperadakedo shōgai?" フワちゃんの高校や大学の学歴・出身情報!英語ペラペラだけど障害? [Fuwa-chan's high school and university educational background and roots! English fluent, but handicapped?] (in Japanese). Resumedia. January 25, 2021. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Fuwa-chan no honmyō nenrei purofīru keireki! Daigakusotsu de eigo perapera?" フワちゃんの本名・年齢プロフィール経歴!大学卒で英語ペラペラ? [Fuwa-chan's real name, age, profile, and career! English fluent after graduating from university?] (in Japanese). Nomada. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Kobayashi, Yuriko (December 14, 2021). "Tarento Fuwa-chan ga kataru, watashi no hyaku dokuhon 'jibun wa jibun no mama de, jūbun suteki'" タレント・フワちゃんが語る、わたしの百読本「自分は自分のままで、じゅうぶん素敵」 [Talent Fuwa-chan comments on a recently read book by stating, "I'm just myself, it's good enough."]. Brutus (in Japanese). Magazine House. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "Sashihara Rino mo fanda to kataru YouTuber geinin Fuwa-chan ni semaru" 指原莉乃もファンだと語るYouTuber芸人フワちゃんに迫る [YouTuber entertainer Fuwa-chan says that she is also a fan of Rino Sashihara] (in Japanese). Japan Music Network. April 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ "Message from Fuwa-chan". Tokyo Metropolitan Government. August 13, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ "Governor Koike Yuriko and Fuwa-chan discuss the "new normal"". Tokyo Metropolitan Government. August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ Shūkan josei puraimu henshū-bu (August 10, 2020). "Fuwa-chan, hitto no haikei ni aru 'migotona senryaku'" フワちゃん、ヒットの背景にある「見事な戦略」 [The 'superb strategy' behind Fuwa-chan's success] (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ St. Michel, Patrick (23 January 2021). "The social media creators in Japan to keep an eye on in 2021". Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ "Fuwa-chan, gyarakushī-shō gekkan-shō de irei no kojin jushō 'tokuhitsu subeki sainō'" フワちゃん、ギャラクシー賞月間賞で異例の個人受賞「特筆すべき才能」 [Fuwa-chan wins the exceptional individual award at the Galaxy Awards for her 'Notable Talent'] (in Japanese). Mynavi. August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ "Fuwa-chan, 7-gatsudo gyarakushī-shō "Tetsuko no Heya" "Mizu-dau SP" de no katsuyaku 'terebi to netto o mikiwameta, tokuhitsu subeki sainō'" フワちゃん、7月度ギャラクシー賞 『徹子の部屋』『水ダウSP』での活躍「テレビとネットを見極めた、特筆すべき才能」 [Fuwa-chan's success in the July Galaxy Awards 'Tetsuko's Room' and 'Mizu-dau SP' considered "A remarkable talent for identifying TV and the Internet"] (in Japanese). Oricon News. August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ Osumi, Magdalena (December 1, 2020). "Viral hit: 'Sanmitsu' — the 'Three Cs' — declared Japan's buzzword of 2020". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ "2020-nen shingo ryūkōgotaishō kettei toppu ten o happyō <jushō-go ichiran>" 2020年新語・流行語大賞決定 トップテンを発表<受賞語一覧> [2020 New Words / Top Ten Buzzwords Announced <List of Winners>] (in Japanese). Netnative. December 1, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ^ "[Gyarakushī-shō terebi bumon 7 tsuki-do gekkan-shō] - 'GALAC' 2020-nen 10 tsuki-gō" 【ギャラクシー賞テレビ部門7月度月間賞】-「GALAC」2020年10月号 [October 2020 MonthlyGalaxy TV Award] (in Japanese). Hōsō Hihyō ondan-kai. December 1, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ Edwards, Scott (October 23, 2022). "STARDOM Goddess of Stardom Tag League Day 1 Results (10/23/22): KAIRI, Mayu Iwatani, And More". fightful.com. Retrieved October 27, 2022.