AI Avatar of Rakugo Artist Sanyutei Gohantsubu Debuts on Stage at the National Young Rakugo Artist Championship 'Eve Festival'

Sincerely Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Chisato Kunimoto) produced and operated 'AI Gohantsubu,' an AI avatar of Rakugo artist and 3rd tournament champion Sanyutei Gohantsubu, at the 'Kosui-kyo Cup National Young Rakugo Artist Championship Eve Festival' held at the Curian Small Hall in Oimachi, Tokyo, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The AI avatar appeared in a special segment during the eve festival, engaging in live dialogue, including talk sessions and comedy improvisation (Ogiri), with the MC and co-stars.

Event Overview - Event Name: Kosui-kyo Cup National Young Rakugo Artist Championship Eve Festival - Organizer: Japan Arts and Culture Association - Grant: Public Interest Promotion Association - Event Production: Union Eiga Co., Ltd. - Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 19:00 start - Venue: Curian Small Hall (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo / Oimachi) - Performers: Sanyutei Wanjo (1st Champion), Sanyutei Gohantsubu (3rd Champion) - Guests: Sanyutei Mankitsu, Ryutei Kochiraku (Titles omitted) - MC: Ayano Nishikawa - AI Avatar Production & Operation: Sincerely Inc.

Event Highlights After performances by the respective Rakugo artists, the special segment 'AI Gohantsubu' began at 19:45. The venue erupted in excitement as MC Ayano Nishikawa spoke to the screen on stage, introducing 'AI Gohantsubu,' who then offered profound comments on topics surrounding AI and entertainment.

Immediately after, the real Sanyutei Gohantsubu appeared from stage left. He interjected to the AI, saying, 'Ayano-san, who are you talking to? I am the real Gohantsubu,' which filled the audience with immense laughter. Subsequently, Sanyutei Mankitsu, Sanyutei Wanjo, and Ryutei Kochiraku joined the stage for a 15-minute talk and Ogiri session that mixed human performers with the AI avatar. The audience was lively throughout, enjoying how the real Gohantsubu and senior Rakugo artists skillfully parried the AI's unique timing and off-beat responses.

'AI Gohantsubu' uses digital human technology to replicate the appearance, voice, and speaking style of Gohantsubu himself, responding in real-time to stage interactions. This provided an opportunity to showcase not only technological novelty but also the potential for a new form of expression that naturally integrates with the live entertainment of Rakugo.

Comments from Sanyutei Gohantsubu 'Having my AI avatar appear on stage, speaking freely with a face and voice just like mine—to be honest, it was a strange and rare experience. However, as I joked around with "AI Gohantsubu" alongside my co-stars and the audience, I realized that AI could indeed become a "co-star." I sincerely thank the team at Sincerely for bringing this new endeavor into the traditional arts space of Rakugo, and the audience for their warm reception. The final competition on the 22nd is also an important venue for young Rakugo artists to showcase their skills, so I hope many people will tune in.'

Comments from Chisato Kunimoto, CEO of Sincerely Inc. 'As an "AI Work Transformation Company," our mission is to introduce "new workforces" to society, such as AI agents and AI virtual humans. The "AI Gohantsubu" project was a challenge to step beyond the business realm and materialize this initiative in the highly human field of live entertainment, Rakugo. We went through numerous dialogues with Mr. Gohantsubu, co-stars, and stakeholders to refine the design on how to naturally incorporate "AI's unique quirks" into the world of Rakugo, which relies heavily on reading the room and timing. Our entire company is incredibly honored to have received such warm laughter from the audience at today's stage.'

Technical Background 'AI Gohantsubu' combines digital human technology and generative AI. Sincerely independently handled the character design, system prompt design, and response control. By generating an avatar based on his photos and recorded audio, the goal was to replicate his tone as a Rakugo artist, his knowledge, and the 'depth' of his conversational engagement.

Key technical considerations include: - Detailed definition in system prompts regarding first-person pronouns, verbal tics, and naming conventions for related individuals. - Control mechanisms to switch response lengths and tones depending on the scene (e.g., talk sessions vs. Ogiri). - Risk mitigation by explicitly defining anticipated restricted topics.