In media interviews, he appears very humble and low-key. Is this his true personality or a deliberate act?

Regarding the Humility of Takashi Ogawa (BNF): Genuine Trait or Crafted Persona?

Hey, really glad we can talk about this because it's a big question on many people's minds who follow Takashi Ogawa (we often call him BNF). This legendary investor who earned over 10 billion yen yet lives like a regular otaku definitely has that contrast appeal.

My view is:it's overwhelmingly driven by his genuine personality, with perhaps a touch of opportunistic strategy woven in.

Let's break this down for clarity:

I. Why it leans towards being his "Genuine Personality"

High Consistency & Longevity He didn't start "acting" humble after becoming famous. From his early forum posts and first media interviews, to after his wealth exploded, his demeanor and lifestyle remained remarkably unchanged. It's incredibly difficult and high-maintenance to play a role for over a decade, especially with little public scrutiny (he spends most of his time at home). A genuine personality is the least effortful.
The Focused Traits of a "Trading Nerd" Think of him as someone who reached the pinnacle in the "game" of trading – the ultimate "tech geek" or "pro gamer" of the market. What defines such people? They pour almost all their energy, passion, and mental focus into that one field they love. Material possessions, fame, social interactions? They often disregard these, seeing them as distractions.
- Limited Time & Energy: For him, spending time choosing outfits, planning fancy meals, or crafting social media posts feels like a waste of precious time that could be spent watching the markets or analyzing data. Instant noodles and simple meals are quick "power-ups," like devouring a health potion while gaming.
- Different Values: His joy and sense of achievement come from growing his account balance and accurately predicting market moves, not from the satisfaction of owning luxuries. That Akihabara building? To him, it's likely more like a massive "trophy" or a solid "asset allocation," not somewhere for lavish living.
Lack of Motivation to "Perform" This is crucial. Why would he deliberately act humble?
- He doesn't manage assets, teach students, sell courses, or release financial products.
- He doesn't need a persona to attract clients or monetize attention.
- He even tends to avoid the media, granting very few interviews. For someone who doesn't profit from his public image, why expend huge effort maintaining a false persona? It just doesn't make sense logically.

II. Is there any "Deliberate Amplification"?

I think there's a little, but it's more of a defensive strategy than active "performance."

The Wisdom of "Laying Low and Getting Rich" Being a pure solo trader with massive wealth is inherently risky. Flaunting it invites trouble: harassment, kidnapping threats, endless people wanting loans or investment "opportunities." Staying low-key and appearing unassuming and unobtrusive is highly effective self-protection. It might not have been a calculated start, but upon realizing the burdens of wealth, he likely saw his natural "otaku" tendencies as the perfect camouflage and became even more comfortable embracing it.
A "Low-Effort" Approach to Handling Media Once the media initially painted him as the "otherworldly trading god" and the public bought it, sticking with that image was the easiest path. If he suddenly started driving sports cars and hitting nightclubs, media and public reaction would be messy, forcing him to waste energy explaining. Maintaining the status quo—telling reporters things like "I'm not interested in money," or "I just focus on trading"—keeps everyone satisfied and interviews brief, letting him quickly get back to his screens.

Summarizing

To sum up, here's an analogy:

Takashi Ogawa is like the top student who prefers silence.

Genuine Personality: He's innately introverted, finds interacting with books (the market) far more interesting and comfortable than dealing with people. This is his core.
Deliberate Amplification: Later, after becoming top of the class, he got annoyed by constant questions, small talk, and requests to "copy homework." He realized that maintaining his quiet demeanor and saying "I just want to study quietly" made most people leave him alone. So, he leaned into the "quiet top student" persona because it effectively shielded him from distractions, allowing him to focus on his work.

Overall, his humility and modesty are:90% rooted in his authentic personality: intensely focused and indifferent to material excess. The remaining 10% stems from discovering, post-fame, that this very personality effectively deflects a lot of trouble, leading him to lean into it as a highly efficient "social firewall."

Therefore, the person you see in interviews is almost certainly his most authentic and comfortable self.