Inside Tomoaki Makino's "Two-Way" Life After Retirement: What Makes His Halten Brand and Rare Trading Cards So Captivating?
It was just the other day that a venue in Shizuoka was buzzing with excitement. The man who once electrified stadiums with his "over-the-top" celebrations, Tomoaki Makino, is now captivating people on a completely different field. Several years after announcing his retirement from professional soccer, he’s thriving in a true "dual career"—not only as a soccer commentator but also as the face of his own brand, "Halten." Following his latest moves, it’s clear that even off the pitch, his unique knack for being "the man who has it all" hasn’t faded one bit.
The Professional Pride Infused into "Halten"
What really turned heads at the event was the hair care line he personally produces. As any soccer fan knows, coming from a man who constantly made headlines with his hairstyles even during his playing days, you’d expect top-notch quality—and he certainly delivers. The "Halten Tomoaki Makino Produce Fragrance Shampoo & Treatment Set" has been winning over fans regardless of gender.
Getting hands-on with it, the first thing that hits you is the scent. It’s like a high-end perfume, yet the fragrance is refined and never overpowering. It offers salon-quality results while being gentle on the scalp with organic ingredients, and the 300ml bottle is as stylish as it is generous. As a professional series that’s meticulously designed to moisturize the scalp—especially crucial during this dry season—it’s quickly becoming a staple among beauty enthusiasts.
- Passion for Fragrance: Three distinct scents, crafted like a fine perfume, create a relaxing atmosphere from morning to night.
- Salon-Quality Performance: Formulated with amino acid-based cleansers and naturally derived moisturizing ingredients for gentle care of hair and scalp.
- Unisex Design: The sleek, minimalist bottle is perfect for anyone, adding a touch of style to any bathroom.
The "Value" of a Legend, Encapsulated in a Phantom Limited Edition
Drawing even more intense attention at the event was the "[Limited to 20] 2018 Japanese National Soccer Team SE Tomoaki Makino Patch Jersey Card." This card features a patch made from an actual piece of the national team jersey worn during the 2018 Russia World Cup. With only 20 available nationwide, as the numbers suggest, it’s a rare piece of art that transcends the realm of regular trading cards.
During his playing career, he was relentless in his pursuit of being seen. His flashy hairstyles, unique fashion, and those powerful fist pumps—his style, sometimes even called "provocative," was a way to draw attention and rally his team and those around him. Since retiring, that talent for self-expression has been poured into the Halten brand. The premium value of these limited cards isn't just about him being a "former player"; it's proof that a growing number of fans genuinely connect with the unique world he creates.
Whether it was his intense play on the pitch or his sincere approach to beauty and lifestyle today, at the core lies a sense of pride as a "professional." At the Shizuoka event, I saw him making direct eye contact with each fan, carefully handing over products. In that moment, you could clearly see the new sense of purpose of a man who had fully dedicated himself to his career as a soccer player, now embracing his next chapter.
Tomoaki Makino continues to create new value even after retirement. I can’t wait to see what move he’ll surprise us with next.