Naoki Nokubo

On January 2012, he was treated as a "public place for the first time in three years" at the production press conference of the stage play Legend of the Galactic Heroes Chapter II: Free Planetary Alliance performed on April of the same year. In September of the same year, he appeared in a television drama for the first time in three and a half years with Tokyo MX's Danshi-ing!!.

In June of the same year, he joined the acting group "Ai no Katamari" (renamed "ai-kata" in 2011), derived from Gekiden Taishū Shōsetsuka, and also started an individual Twitter account, and entrusts fan letters, reception works, etc., to break-point in which the group are doing business alliances. In "ai-kata", in addition to stage performances, they would also be active in the formation and events of fan clubs.

He made a surprise performance at "Hexagon Family Concert 2011 We Live Hexagon," the last live performance of Quiz! Hexagon II, held at Makuhari Messe on 26 November 2011. Shuchishin were also reunited for one day only and their dissolution was announced at the same time.

On 1 April 2010, his profile and blog were deleted from Watanabe Entertainment's official website, and it became clear that he left the same office. A few days later, he was announced to appear on the stage play Kimazuge: Ai no kotoba on the website of Gekiden Taishū Shōsetsuka, and his entertainment activities were reverted with that work.

In 2009, a controversy involving Nokubo negatively affected his career. At the beginning of the year, he was active, acting in stage plays. But his pursuits and exposures have drastically decreased due to a disturbance regarding his office in April of the same year. Shinsuke Shimada was quoted saying Nokubo "left for a bit from tomorrow" in order to study. He also immediately left Hexagon II for the ending of FNS no Hi 26-Jikan TV 2009: Chō Egao Parade Bakushō! Odaiba Gasshuku!! broadcast on 25 and 26 July of the same year.

In 2009, his blog was said to be vandalized and it was temporarily suspended. It published articles regarding a planned independence from his management company, which created an uproar. Although it was updated smoothly after that, the updating of his blog was stopped at the end of the update on 30 March.

Nokubo also made his first appearance on the quiz variety programme Quiz! Hexagon II on 29 November 2006. He later became a regular performer in the summer of 2007, which gave him the break as an "Obaka Tarento." In addition, along with his co-stars Takeshi Tsuruno and Yusuke Kamiji, they formed the obaka unit Shuchishin and made their CD debut, releasing their eponymous single "Shuchishin" on April 2008. The record was a hit and his increasing popularity allowed him to expand to films. He acted on drama shows as an individual actor while continuing his appearances on different Japanese variety shows.

Nokubo appeared in television drama Mother & Lover in October of the same year. In 2005, he appeared in H2~Kimi toita Hibi, which is considered his most notable debut work. He became part of the "Geinō-kai Sensui Senshuken" team in the Quiz Present Variety: Q-sama!! in July 2006. This program is touted as the "entertainment world diving championship". In a two-hour special of the same program aired September, he broke the 115 meters record for the Yasuda Dai Circus' Dancho Yasuda at "No Dynamic, No Apnea, No Swimfin" and established Japan's diving record of 116 metres (381 ft) at that time. Since then, he has regularly appeared in this team of Q-sama!! several times.

After graduating from Kinshin High School, Nokubo wanted to be part of the entertainment industry and went to an acting school in Tokyo. He later became a Watanabe Entertainment affiliate, and in August 2004, became one of the first "D-Boy Audition" recipients. This event selected the members for the upcoming young actor group D-Boys.

Naoki Nokubo (野久保 直樹 , Nokubo Naoki, born 14 May 1981) is a Japanese variety star from Iwata, Shizuoka. He is also in charge of the management work at Breakpoint Inc.