Manzai

A pair of performers at a New Year celebration; the at front, the behind him (artist unknown, 19th-century Japanese painting)

is a traditional style of comedy in Japanese culture comparable to double act comedy.

usually involves two performers ()—a straight man () and a funny man ()—trading jokes at great speed. Most of the jokes revolve around mutual misunderstandings, double-talk, puns and other verbal gags.

In 1933, Yoshimoto Kogyo, a large entertainment conglomerate based in Osaka, introduced Osaka-style to Tokyo audiences and coined the term "" (one of several ways of writing the word in Japanese); see § Etymology below). In recent times, has often been associated with the Osaka region, and comedians often speak in the Kansai dialect during their acts.

History

Originally based around a festival to welcome the New Year, traces its origins back to the Heian period. The two performers came with messages from the kami and this was worked into a standup routine, with one performer showing some sort of opposition to the word of the other. This pattern still exists in the roles of the and the .

Print depicting two comedic actors, also in a New Year setting; c. 1825

Continuing into the Edo period, the style focused increasingly on the humor aspects of stand-up, and various regions of Japan developed their own unique styles of , such as , , and . With the arrival of the Meiji period, began to implement changes that would see it surpass in popularity the styles of the former period, although at the time was still considered the more popular form of entertainment.

With the end of the Taishō period, Yoshimoto Kōgyō—which itself was founded at the beginning of the era, in 1912—introduced a new style of lacking much of the celebration that had accompanied it in the past. This new style proved successful and spread all over Japan, including Tokyo. Riding on the waves of new communication technology, quickly spread through the mediums of stage, radio, and eventually, television, and video games.

Etymology

The kanji for have been written in various ways throughout the ages. It was originally written as , using rather than the alternative form of the character, , and the simpler form for (which also can be used to write a word meaning "talent, ability"). The arrival of brought another character change, this time changing the first character to .

and

Similar in execution to the concepts of "funny man" and "straight man" in double act comedy (e.g. Abbott and Costello; Martin and Lewis), these roles are a very important characteristic of . comes from the verb which carries the meaning of "senility" or "air headed-ness" and is reflected in the 's tendency for misinterpretation and forgetfulness. The word refers to the role the second comedian plays in "butting in" and correcting the 's errors. In performances it is common for the to berate the and hit them on the head with a swift smack; one traditional prop often used for this purpose is a pleated paper fan called a . Another traditional prop is a small drum, usually carried (and used) by the . A Japanese bamboo and paper umbrella is another common prop. These props are usually used only during non-serious routines as traditional requires there to be no props in terms of routine and in competitions. The use of props would put the comedy act closer to a conte rather than .

The tradition of and is often used in other Japanese comedy, although it may not be as obviously portrayed as it usually is in .

Notable acts

Winners of M-1 Grand Prix

The M-1 Grand Prix is an annual competition planned by Shinsuke Shimada and run by Yoshimoto Kogyo. As of 2024 it is the most prevalent competition in Japan.

Asahi Shimbun web survey 2012

The funniest duos, according to a web survey by The Asahi Shimbun in 2012 (excerpt):

• Number 1: Yokoyama Yasushi and Nishikawa Kiyoshi
• 2: All Hanshin-Kyojin
• 3: Yumeji Itoshi and Kimi Koishi
• 4: Bakushō Mondai
• 5: Miyagawa Daisuke and Hanako
• 6: Two Beat: One of them, Takeshi Kitano became a Japanese film director and television host.
• 7: Nakagawake
• 8: Shishi Tenya and Seto Wanya
• 9: Downtown
• 10: Ima Ikuyo and Kuruyo
• 14: Taka and Toshi
• 16: Ninety-nine
• 22: Shinsuke Shimada and Ryusuke Matsumoto
• 26: Summers
• 28: Tunnels
• 29: Yokoyama Entatsu and Hanabishi Achako

• 
  Yokoyama Entatsu and Hanabishi Achako established the talk show-centered style. They were active since 1919.
• 
  All Hanshin-Kyojin, active since 1975.
• 
  Wagyu, regular finalist in M-1 Grand Prix. Active from 2006 to 2024.

Others

Gen Takagi is a famous comedian who brought comedy to Finland and even had his own competition.

Literary associations

• Kikaku wrote with affectionate mockery a haiku on the dancers: "The New Year Dancers / Never miss a single gate – / Millet for the crane".
• Buson more positively wrote: "Yes, New Year's dancers – / Pounding good and properly, / The dirt in Kyoto".
• Naoki Matayoshi's novel is set in the world of comedians and deals with the main characters artistic struggles. The novel was awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2015.

External links

• What is Manzai 2015 archive
• "Commodified Comedians and Mediatized Manzai: Osakan Comic Duos and Their Audience" by Xavier Benjamin Bensky. A study in the cultural effects of .