Ryuchell

Ryuji Higa[2] (比嘉 龍二, Higa Ryūji, September 29, 1995 – July 12, 2023), known professionally as Ryuchell[3] (りゅうちぇる, Ryūcheru), was a Japanese social media personality, model, singer, and activist. In the mid-2010s, Ryuchell gained a social media following through modeling in Harajuku and later became an influential figure in the Japanese genderless fashion subculture. In 2018, Ryuchell also debuted as a singer with their first song, "Hands Up!! If You're Awesome."

Ryuchell
りゅうちぇる
Ryuchell in 2019
Born
Ryuji Higa

(1995-09-29)September 29, 1995
Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
DiedJuly 12, 2023(2023-07-12) (aged 27)
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Other namesRyuchell
Education
  • Okinawa Prefectural Ginowan Junior High School
  • Kitanakagusuku High School
OccupationModel
AgentStarray Production
Height172 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2016; div. 2022)​
Children1

In 2022, Ryuchell began advocating for LGBT rights on Japanese television. This, compounded with Ryuchell's announcement that they no longer identified under male gender roles and had divorced, opened them up to scrutiny and harassment.

Early life

Ryuchell was born in Ginowan, Okinawa, on September 29, 1995.[1][4] Ryuchell's older sister was the singer Chiharu Higa.[5] Ryuchell also attended the same high school as JO1 member Sho Yonashiro,[6] as well as The Rampage from Exile Tribe members Kenta Kamiya and Rui Yonamine.

Career

After graduating from high school, Ryuchell moved to Tokyo and began working in clothing stores in Harajuku while modeling at the same time.[7] On February 14, 2018, Ryuchell debuted as a singer with their first song, "Hands Up!! If You're Awesome."[8] For the music video, they worked with make-up brand NYX Professional Makeup.[8] On August 15, 2018, they released their second song, "Link", dedicated to their son.[9]

After a four-year absence in music, on January 11, 2023, Ryuchell released their second album, Time Machine, independently.[10] Ryuchell described the album's lead track, "Never Say Never Again", as "melancholy melodies" from the 1980s and 1990s.[10] The music video was also filmed with the image of a "cute rock band from the late 80s."[10] Ryuchell also embarked on a tour from February to March 2023 in Tokyo to promote the album.[10]

Public image

Ryuchell originally spelled their stage name in hiragana, but began using the romanized version in 2018 after debuting as a singer.[8] Ryuchell was one of the key influential figures for the genderless fashion subculture in Japan, due to their penchant for androgynous and colorful clothing.[11] Ryuchell's fashion was heavily influenced by fashion from the United States in the 1980s and 1990s.[11]

Ryuchell eventually became a prominent LGBT figure in mainstream Japanese media, making regular appearances on variety shows and at LGBT-themed events in Japan.[12] As their popularity grew, they were also subjected to numerous harassment campaigns on Japanese social media, which primarily criticized Ryuchell's divorce and gender nonconformity.[13]

Personal life

On December 31, 2016, Ryuchell married model and fellow Japanese social media personality Peco.[14][15] In July 2018, they announced the birth of their son,[14] named Link after Link Larkin from Hairspray.[16]

On August 25, 2022, Ryuchell announced through Instagram that they no longer identified with male gender roles regarding their marriage, and that they would rather be considered as a "life partner" and "parent" to Peco and their son instead.[14][17] Ryuchell and Peco's agencies confirmed that the two divorced, but initially denied the couple was living separately.[18] In the months following the divorce, they made numerous appearances on Japanese talk shows advocating for LGBT rights in Japan.

Ryuchell participated in Tokyo Rainbow Pride since 2018.[19] In the final months of their life, Ryuchell had begun to present as female,[20] but they had never publicly stated that they identified as transgender.

Death

On July 12, 2023, Ryuchell was found unconscious by their manager in a talent agency office located in the Sasazuka neighborhood of Shibuya.[4][21] They were pronounced dead shortly afterward, at age 27. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the cause of death was believed to have been suicide.[22][4]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2019Crayon Shin-chan: Honeymoon Hurricane ~The Lost Hiroshi~Themselfvoice[23]
2022Safe WordTsubaki[24]

TV series
Title Network Notes
Peke PonFuji TVQuasi-regular appearances[25]
Yasashī Hitonara Tokeru Quiz Yasashī neFuji TVQuasi-regular appearances[26]

Stage
Year Title Notes
2015Arikanashika

Discography

Albums
Title Details Peak Sales
JPN
[27]
Super Candy Boy
Track listing
  1. Super Candy Boy
  2. Hands Up!! If You're Awesome
  3. Ima Sugu Kiss Me
  4. Link
  5. Diversity Guys
  6. Beautiful Dreamer
  7. You Are My Love
 45
Time Machine (♡T愛me Ma心n♡) — —

References
  1. りゅうちぇる (in Japanese). Starray Production. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  2. 「原宿の神」モデル、ちぇるちぇるランド出身彼氏との同棲暴露 さんまと「建築関係トントントン」新ネタも披露. Modelpress (in Japanese). September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  3. "RYUCHELL" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  4. "ryuchellさん死去 27歳 事務所で死亡している状態で発見". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  5. りゅうちぇる 比花知春の弟だった！本名もバラされ、スタジオ騒然. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 10, 2016. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  6. ryuchell、JO1與那城奨に“速攻電話”した出来事「でーじ嫉妬して」 エピソードに反響. Modelpress (in Japanese). February 3, 2022. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  7. St. Michel, Patrick (July 12, 2023). "TV personality and LGBTQ advocate ryuchell dies at 27". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  8. りゅうちぇる、アーティストRYUCHELLへ！デビュー曲はケンモチヒデフミ作曲. Natalie (in Japanese). February 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  9. RYUCHELLが息子に伝えたい愛詰め込んだ新曲「Link」リリース、作詞作曲はヒャダイン. Natalie (in Japanese). August 15, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  10. ryuchell新曲MV公開、ツアー開催も決定「あなたの心に愛を届けられるようにがんばります！」. Natalie (in Japanese). January 18, 2023. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  11. Rich, Motoko (January 5, 2017). "With Manicures and Makeup, Japan's 'Genderless' Blur Line Between Pink and Blue". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  12. ryuchell、LGBTQイベントで“愛する”ことについて語る 「決まった形はない」（日テレNEWS） (in Japanese). Nippon TV. April 24, 2023. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  13. "ryuchellがイクメンからLGBTQの代表者ポジションに？ やはり消えないネガティヴな反応｜日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL". 日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL. December 11, 2022. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  14. ryuchellが夫であるつらさ告白 peco「最高の旦那さんだった」新しい家族の形構築. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). August 26, 2022. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  15. "Ryuchell: Japanese TV personality found dead at agent's office". BBC News. July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  16. りゅうちぇる、息子の名前「リンク」にキラキラネームという批判も…どんな思いを込めたのか？. J-Wave (in Japanese). August 31, 2018. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  17. "ryuchellさんpecoさんがVERYに語っていた「夫婦じゃなくても一緒に子育てをする」決断への葛藤 | インタビュー | VERY［ヴェリィ］ 公式サイト｜光文社". VERY［ヴェリィ］ (in Japanese). September 6, 2022. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  18. ryuchellとpecoの所属事務所、２人の離婚を認めるも別居は否定「家族３人で同居する」. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). August 26, 2022. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  19. ryuchell、LGBTQイベントで声詰まらせ「自分の心にしかない愛や幸せがある」訴え. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 23, 2023. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  20. ryuchell、27歳の激変した姿...体にフィットした大胆ワンピに「マリリンモンロー」「美女すぎる」. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Yahoo! News.
  21. "Japanese TV personality Ryuchell found dead at agency's office". Mainichi Daily News. July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  22. タレントryuchellさん死亡 東京・渋谷区の事務所で (in Japanese). Nippon TV. July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  23. 「映画クレヨンしんちゃん」ゲスト声優に木南晴夏！小島よしお、ぺこりゅうは本人役. Natalie (in Japanese). January 21, 2019. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  24. "愛してる！". eiga.com. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  25. 【イチ押し！フジテレビ】「ペケポンプラスなぞなぞ新ステージ大熱戦！ベストセラー作家もお受験参戦スペシャル！」. Sankei Sports (in Japanese). December 22, 2015. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  26. 藤田ニコル、ぺこ&りゅうちぇるら16人が激突 いい人の"仮面"を被っているのは誰？. Modelpress (in Japanese). March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  27. RYUCHELLの売上ランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  28. オリコン週間 アルバムランキング 2019年04月22日付 > 41～50位 (in Japanese). Oricon. April 22, 2019. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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