In this interview with Nasubi from The Contestant, as well as director Clair Titley, the star of Denpa Shonen: A Life in Prizes explains why he didn't.

Tomoaki “Nasubi” Hamatsu wanted to be a famous comedian. He wound up on a game show that humiliated him and almost led to a nervous breakdown, as seen in Hulu’s “The Contestant.”… ...

Before shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and Naked and Afraid became American pop culture mainstays, there was Japanese reality TV series Susunu! Denpa Shōnen. Known for placing participants in ...

Hamatsu was jokingly given the nickname Nasubi, Japanese for "eggplant," due to his long face. Born in Fukushima, Japan, on Aug. 3, 1975, Hamatsu became a household name when at 22 years old, he ...

Although Nasubi knew he was being filmed, he was told that the footage would air at a later date, and most of it would not be used. In reality, his grueling experience was being broadcast in ...

This stunning documentary explores social media and reality TV through the story of Nasubi, the unwitting centerpiece of a cruel Japanese game show. CNN values your feedback 1.

T okyo, 1999. A large studio audience watches breathlessly as a man is led, blindfolded, into the middle of the stage. The man is 24-year-old comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu (nicknamed Nasubi), and for ...

Tsuchiya did help, and Nasubi made it to the top of Everest, once again dedicating his climb to the people of Fukushima. “Helping people in the Fukushima situation helped me,” Nasubi told Decider.

Hulu’s new documentary The Contestant is like a real-life Truman Show. We talked to contestant Nasubi and the director about why he didn’t just leave and more.

Watching Hulu’s mesmerizing documentary The Contestant, it’s hard to believe Park and Oldboy manga writer Garon Tsuchiya didn’t take some inspiration from its subject, Nasubi. Starting in ...

‘The Contestant’ Review: Doc About Japanese Reality Star Tells a Good Story Too Superficially. Clair Titley's documentary is about Nasubi, who spent 15 months naked, stuck in a small room and ...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Contestant. Before shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and Naked and Afraid became American pop culture mainstays, there was Japanese reality TV series ...