Jiro Todoroki

Jiro Todoroki (August 19, 1954 - August 2, 2020), born as Koichi Miura, was a Japanese comedian, television personality, and fight choreographer. Hailing from Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Todoroki was involved in gymnastics and table tennis during his school years. He achieved victory in a billiards competition during high school. After graduating from Nihon University Mishima High School, he joined Wakakoma Pro in 1973, initiating his entertainment career as a fight choreographer (third-degree black belt in Iaido) and stuntman.

Todoroki gained popularity with his appearances on the TV show "Kin'yo 10-ji! Uwasa no Channel!!" (NTV), becoming a household name. His stage name "Todoroki" was coined during a meeting for the show when one of the staff members casually mentioned it. He also regularly appeared on "Bikkuri Nippon Shin Kiroku" (Yomiuri TV) under his real name, gaining recognition as the "Challenge Boy" and contributing to his rising fame.

In addition to his TV work, he made strides as an actor, contributing to series like "Tonda Couple" (Fuji TV), where he popularized the catchphrase "Boki (boku) wa ne." Forming a duo with Mizushima Bin in 1980, they established "Konto Hyakurenppatsu" and won the Silver Award in a comedy competition. However, the partnership dissolved the following year.

Todoroki continued his career as an MC for weddings and regional TV programs. He suffered a stroke and returned to his hometown in Shizuoka Prefecture for treatment and recovery. From 2014, he hosted the morning live broadcast "Morning Splash" on FM Numazu. He also wrote a column for the Shizuoka Shinbun (until March 2016). He remained active in radio and contributed to his official blog, as well as writing a weekly column for the Niiiche website.

On August 2, 2020, at 7:15 AM, Todoroki passed away at the age of 65 in a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture due to colon cancer. He had been battling the illness for a year and a half. He participated in a public event, the Setsubun festival, held at Arai Yakushi in Tokyo in February of the same year, which became his last public appearance. He was surrounded by his wife and two children at the time of his passing.

Source: "轟二郎" - Wikipedia