Cyril Takayama: The most popular street magician in Japan
If you are a regular reader of Japan Probe, you might have seen my old update in which I featured a video of a Japanese street magician dressing up like an old man. The magician in that video was Cyril Takayama, a japanese-speaking American magician who enjoys immense popularity in Japan. Here’s what his official site has to say:
Born and raised in Hollywood California to an Okinawan father and French-Moroccan mother, Cyril first encountered magic at age 6 when a family friend took him to Las Vegas to see a magic show. He was immediately hooked and began to practice magic everyday, often to the dismay of his parents and teachers. As a young teenager Cyril was accepted into the youth program at California’s famous Magic Castle where, surrounded by his magic mentors, he began to gain skills that would help him to become a professional performer.
Cyril is an award-winning magician of the highest order. In 1994 F.I.S.M.(Federation International Society du Magique) awarded Cyril top prize in the Grand Illusion Category. It was this prestigious award, in what is known as the “Olympics of Magic” that broke Cyril onto the international stage.
It seems that his site hasn’t been updated very recently, but it does say the following about his career in Japan:
Cyril is quickly establishing himself as one the hottest new stars in Japan. In June of 2004 Cyril completed his third two-hour magic special in just two years for TV Tokyo and the response to his shows has been phenomenal. In his latest magic special Cyril blew away viewers by bungee diving headfirst off a Las Vegas Hotel, sword in his hand, to successfully pierce a previously chosen card floating amongst a full deck in a pool of water below. Incredible ? not to mention a bit crazy! Television audiences were once again treated to a visit by Cyril’s magical relative, the charming Grandpa Cyril, perhaps the oldest professional performing magician. Viewers also met one of Cyril’s magical friends, the talented but annoying Dero. Cyril’s magic is original, highly visual and stylish in its presentation and he is envied and admired among his magician peers.
That bungee jumping magic trick sounds pretty cool. Let’s check it out:
It seems pretty neat. (Watch it here)
While I’m at it, I might as well post a bunch of other Cyril magic videos:
Some amazing magic involving hamburgers
Bottle cap tricks at Mos Burger
Making half of his body disappear
Moving cards with his shadow & changing katsudon into udon
Taking a cell phone out of a magazine advetisement
Flying cards and a vanishing staff
Magical Cup Noodle preparation
Grocery store chocolate manipulation
Cyril’s appearance on French TV
I don’t believe in Magic, but I believe Cyril is a pretty cool guy. His street magic tricks are pretty neat, and his Japanese is top notch as well. He also injects coolness into his Japanese by using lots of English phrases and pronouncing katakana words as English. I wouldn’t be surprised if he often used his fame and magic tricks to nanpa lots of chicks at clubs in Tokyo. I’ve heard that he does occasionally visit clubs in Roppongi. Has anyone seen him at work?
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