Yo Oizumi

Early life and career beginnings

Oizumi was born at the Ebetsu City Hospital in Ebetsu, Hokkaidō.^[2] He has been living in Sapporo since 1984. After graduating Sapporo Moiwa High School, he failed his entrance exams^[3] and did nothing but "play around".^[4]

After failing his entrance exams two years in a row, in 1994, he entered the Hokkai Gakuen University to study business. Oizumi did not wish to enter the university, and was so depressed that his mother worried that "he might die". However, realizing that he cannot just let himself rot away, he entered the university's theater club.^[5] In 1996, he organized the theatrical company TEAM NACS with his friends, Hiroyuki Morisaki, Ken Yasuda, Shigeyuki Totsugi, Takuma Otoo.^[6] The company disbanded after Morisaki and Yasuda graduated, but reunited after the two quit their jobs to join again.^[7][8]

In 1995, through the recommendation of Totsugi and Morisaki, Oizumi joined the Inada Troupe organized by Hiroshi Inada, and was a member until 2004.^[9] According to Oizumi, Inada taught him "how to stand on the stage".^[10]

Career

In October 1995, when Oizumi was still in university, he debuted as an entertainer through his portrayal of 2nd generation Genki-kun on the late-night program Mosaic nights aired on HTB. He was chosen after the program staff were searching for Mamoru Tanaka, the original Genki-kun, and Oizumi was introduced to the director by Ito Ayumi, the wife of Takayuki Suzui. Oizumi joined the entertainment agency Creative Office Cue directly after this.^[11]

Oizumi first made a name for himself in a Hokkaidō-based TV variety series How do you like Wednesday? and has been actively appearing on various media programs in Hokkaidō since then. TEAM-NACS had run their first national tour with their 11th original play COMPOSER during spring and summer 2005. After this, they held their 12th tour HONOR in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo, through March to May 2007. In 2007, he provided the voice of Professor Hershel Layton in the puzzle video game Professor Layton and the Curious Village as well as its sequels and movie.

Along with the increasing popularity of How do you like Wednesday? and TEAM-NACS not only within Hokkaidō but throughout Japan, he expanded his works in various fields by appearing on nationwide TV dramas and films, portraying character voices on animated films and releasing CDs as a singer. In addition to voice acting, he has also been active as a writer and painter.

He calls his fans "Koneko chan tachi", which means "kittens" in Japanese, although he does not like cats.^{[citation needed]}

Private life

On May 30, 2011, he became the father of a baby girl. On his website he joked saying, "Today I successfully became a father!"^[12]

Film

TV dramas

Japanese dub

Variety shows

• How do you like Wednesday? (水曜どうでしょう,1996~2002, Hokkaidō Television Broadcasting)
• Onigiri Atatamemasuka (おにぎりあたためますか, 2003~, Hokkaidō Television Broadcasting)
• Hanatare NACS (ハナタレナックス, 2003~, Hokkaidō Television Broadcasting)
• Ippachi ikouyo (1×8いこうよ, 2000~, Sapporo Television Broadcasting)
• Songs (2017~, NHK)

Video games

• Professor Layton and the Curious Village (2007) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (2007) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (2008) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton and the Last Specter (2009) – Professor Layton
• Ni No Kuni (2010) – Swaine
• Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (2011) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2012) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (2013) – Professor Layton
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (2026) – Professor Layton^[48]

Others

• 66th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2015, NHK), judge
• 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2020, NHK), the white team captain^[49]
• The Masked Singer Japan (2021, Amazon Prime Video), MC
• 72nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2021, NHK), host^[49]
• 73rd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2022, NHK), host^[50]
• Everyone's Best Kouhaku 100th Anniversary of Broadcasting Special (NHK, 2025) (host)^[51]