Hikakin

Hikaru Kaihatsu (Japanese: 開發 光, Hepburn: Kaihatsu Hikaru; born April 21, 1989), professionally known as Hikakin (Japanese: ヒカキン), is a Japanese YouTuber, human beatboxer and businessman who is the co-founder of Uuum, a Japanese multi-channel network. He is also a member of the Japanese music group Hikakin & Seikin. His popularity on YouTube and extensive media coverage has made him one of the most prominent online personalities and content creators in Japan, and he has been portrayed in the media as a pioneer of YouTubers in Japan.

Born and raised in Myōkō City, Niigata Prefecture, Hikakin opened his YouTube channel "Hikakin" in 2006, where he mainly posted beatboxing videos. In 2010, he posted "Super Mario Beatbox," a beatboxing medley of Super Mario Bros. background music, which garnered over 3.8 million views by mid-September of that year. He, along with fellow Japanese YouTuber Megwin, quit his job in 2012 to focus on his channel. In 2015, he began producing music with the song "YouTube Theme Song," which he co-wrote with his brother Seikin, and in November of the same year, his channel "HikakinTV" surpassed 2.57 million subscribers, making it the most-subscribed YouTube channel in Japan.

In 2021, the number of subscribers to his channel "HikakinTV" exceeded 10 million. In 2022, "HikakinTV" alone achieved a cumulative total of 10 billion views. In 2023, he launched his own brand "Hikakin Premium" and released cup ramen, "Misokin Rich Miso Ramen," (みそきん 濃厚味噌ラーメン) and cup rice, "Misokin Rich Miso Meshi," (みそきん 濃厚味噌メシ) at 7-Eleven stores in Japan, and reported selling 10 million meals in November 2024.

His six channels boast more than 28 million subscribers and 22 billion views, and his main channel "HikakinTV" remains one of the most subscribed and viewed channels on YouTube in Japan. His online popularity has also boosted sales of the video games he plays and inspired support for charitable fundraising efforts. In 2019, Forbes Japan included him in its "Top Influencers 50" list.