manzai
is a traditional style of comedy in Japanese culture comparable to double act comedy.
usually involves two performers ()—a straight man () and a double act, funny man ()—trading jokes at great speed. Most of the jokes revolve around mut ...
(stand-up)
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
Sapporo
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...
consisting of a.k.a. "Taka" as boke and a.k.a. "Toshi" as
tsukkomi
The following glossary of words and terms (generally of Japanese language, Japanese origin) are related to ''owarai'' (Japanese comedy). Many of these terms may be used in areas of Japanese culture beyond comedy, including television and radio, ...
. They are under contract to the entertainment agency,
Yoshimoto Kogyo
is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate. It was founded in 1912, Osaka, as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai (comedy) talent, producing and ...
. Formed in 1994, they are best known for their
stand-up
Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...
acts and as TV
tarento
Television personalities in Japan, known as in Japanese, are celebrities who regularly appear in mass media in Japan, especially as panelists on variety shows. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, bankable stars in the United States were descri ...
s in variety shows.
Sketch comedy
As the boke, Taka is prone to silly comments, while Toshi is the more reasonable of the two, often criticizing Taka's remarks, shooting tsukkomi saying "such-and-such ka!" (i.e. "Ōbei ka!"), and hitting Taka on the head for his silly response.
"Ōbei ka!" (pronounced "oh-bay-ka!") is their most known tsukkomi gag. It is a sarcastic way of saying, “Are you Western?"
One example of their skits has the following lines:
Toshi: Let's have a drink. I'll have a beer.
Taka: Then I'll have a Diet Coke.
Toshi: You're not an American! Have a beer! And what would you like to eat?
Taka: I'll have a
cherry pie
Cherry pie is a pie baked with a cherry filling. Traditionally, it is made with sour cherries rather than sweet cherries. Sour Cherry, Morello cherries are one of the most common kinds of cherry used, but other varieties such as the black cherr ...
.
Toshi: You're not an American!
Taka: A meat pie.
Toshi: You're not an American!
Taka: A chocolate bar.
Toshi: You're not an American!
Taka: Sushi and
tempura
is a typical Japanese dish that usually consists of seafood and vegetables that have been coated in a thin batter and deep-fried. Tempura originated in the 16th century, when Portuguese Jesuits brought the Western-style cooking method of ...
! (with an American accent).
Toshi: You're not an American!
Manzai
Taka and Toshi also perform
manzai
is a traditional style of comedy in Japanese culture comparable to double act comedy.
usually involves two performers ()—a straight man () and a double act, funny man ()—trading jokes at great speed. Most of the jokes revolve around mut ...
stand-up comedy, implementing similar routines and gags into their stand-up material, often resembling their sketch material and gags. In 2004, they reached the final of the M-1 Grand Prix and finished in 4th place.
Biography
The comedians first met in 1990 at Nishioka-kita Junior High in
Sapporo
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...
when they were both in the 8th grade. In 1994, they passed an audition held by Yoshimoto Kogyo. Initially working in Sapporo, the two moved to Tokyo in 2002 to work nationwide.
Members
;
* Date of Birth: April 3, 1976
* Birthplace:
Sapporo, Hokkaido
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...
* Manzai Role: ''Boke''
;
* Date of Birth: July 17, 1976
* Birthplace:
Asahikawa
is a Cities of Japan, city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core cities of Japan, core city since April 1, 2000. The city i ...
, Hokkaido
* Manzai Role: ''Tsukkomi''
Awards
*Nationwide Yoshimoto Young Manzai-shi Awards presented by Television Shizuoka (テレビ静岡主催 全国吉本若手漫才) 1st place (1997)
*The 10th Warai no Kin-medal - Neta Battle (笑いの金メダル - ネタバトル) Gold medal (2004)
* M-1 Grand Prix (M-1グランプリ) 4th place (2004)
*The 7th Bakushō On-air Battle Championship (爆笑オンエアバトルチャンピオン大会) 1st place (2005)
*The 8th Bakushō On-air Battle Championship (爆笑オンエアバトルチャンピオン大会) 1st place (2005)
*The 45th Golden Arrow Awards, Broadcasting Award (Variety Section) (2008)
*The 8th Beat Takeshi's Entertainment Awards, Japan Show Biz Award (2008)
Media
TV
Regular
*Monday
**Otameshika! (お試しかっ!) --
TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as , and better known as , is a Japanese television station serving the Kanto region as the flagship station of the All-Nippon News Network. It is owned-and-operated by the a subsidiary of , itself controlled by ...
**Hoko Tate (ほこ×たて) --
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as or , is a Japanese television station that serves the Kantō region as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network System (FNS). The station is owned-and- ...
*Tuesday
**
Waratte Iitomo!
was a Japanese variety show aired every weekday on Fuji TV. The show was hosted by Tamori (Kazuyoshi Morita) and ran from 1982 to 2014. The show was produced in the Studio Alta building in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The show featured a series of regular m ...
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.Chūkyō TV
*Thursday
**Iknari! Ōgon Densetsu. (いきなり!黄金伝説。) -- TV Asahi
*Friday
**Game & Quiz Variety Peke Pon (ゲーム&クイズバラエティ ペケ×ポン) -- Fuji TV
**Gekkan Soccer Earth --
Nippon TV
JOAX-DTV (channel 4), branded as (NTV) or Nippon TV, is a Japanese television station serving the Kantō region as the flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned and operated by the , a sub ...
*Every 4th Friday
*Saturday
**Tensai! Shimura Dōbutsuen (天才!志村どうぶつ園) -- Nippon TV
*Sunday
**Waratte Iitomo! Zōkan-gō (笑っていいとも!増刊号) -- Fuji TV
**Dōda! Presents Taka Toshi Bokujō (どぉーだ! Presents タカトシ牧場) --
Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting
is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS) serving in Hokkaido, Japan, headquartered in Sapporo, established in 1971.
Through its Hakodate translator, UHB functions as the default FNN/FNS affiliate ...
Semi Regular
*SmaStation—TV Asahi *Saturday
*
SMAP×SMAP
''SMAP×SMAP'', often referred to simply as ''Sma-Sma'', was a Japanese television variety show hosted by boy band SMAP. Debuting on April 15, 1996, it was produced by Kansai TV and Fuji TV and aired on Fuji TV every Monday from 10:00 p.m. ...
--
Kansai TV
JODX-DTV (channel 8), branded as or , is the Kansai region key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS), owned-and-operated by the . Its studios and headquarters are located in Osaka and the broadcaster is an affi ...
, Fuji TV *Monday
*
Tunnels
A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...
no Mina-san no Okage Deshita (とんねるずのみなさんのおかげでした) -- Fuji TV *Thursday
Irregular
*Taka Toshi & Nukumizu ga Iku Chiisana Tabi Series (タカトシ&温水が行く小さな旅シリーズ) -- Fuji TV
*Special Program Bakushō Sokkuri Monomane Kōhaku Utagassen Special (爆笑そっくりものまね紅白歌合戦スペシャル) -- Fuji TV