Manzai

Originally based around a festival to welcome the New Year, {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} traces its origins back to the Heian period. The two {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} 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 {{Transliteration|ja|boke}} and the {{Transliteration|ja|tsukkomi}}.

File:Manzai.jpg

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 {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}}, such as {{nihongo||尾張万歳|Owari manzai}}, {{nihongo||三河万歳|Mikawa manzai}}, and {{nihongo||大和万歳|Yamato manzai}}. With the arrival of the Meiji period, {{nihongo||大阪万才|Osaka manzai}} began to implement changes that would see it surpass in popularity the styles of the former period, although at the time {{Transliteration|ja|rakugo}} 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 {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} 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, {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} quickly spread through the mediums of stage, radio, and eventually, television, and video games.[http://japanese.about.com/library/blhiraculture31.htm Hiragana lesson through Japanese culture – manzai][http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/articles/manzai.html Manzai (Double-act comedy)][http://gojapan.about.com/od/japanesetheater/a/yosetheater.htm Japanese yose theater – Japanese comedy shows] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103193307/http://gojapan.about.com/od/japanesetheater/a/yosetheater.htm |date=3 November 2007 }}Corkill, Edan, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ft20120525r1.html Yoshimoto Kogyo play reveals manzai's U.S. roots]", Japan Times, 25 May 2012, p. 13Ashcraft, Brian, "[http://kotaku.com/5846764/ni-no-kunis-funny-bone-has-quite-the-history Ni no Kuni’s Funny Bone Has Quite the History]", Kotaku, 5 October 2011

The kanji for {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} have been written in various ways throughout the ages. It was originally written as {{nihongo3|lit. "ten thousand years" or {{Transliteration|ja|banzai}}, meaning something like "long life"|萬歳}}, using {{lang|ja|萬}} rather than the alternative form of the character, {{lang|ja|万}}, and the simpler form {{lang|ja|才}} for {{lang|ja|歳}} (which also can be used to write a word meaning "talent, ability"). The arrival of {{Transliteration|ja|Osaka manzai}} brought another character change, this time changing the first character to {{lang|ja|漫}}.

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 {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}}. {{nihongo||ボケ|Boke}} comes from the verb {{Nihongo||惚ける/呆ける|bokeru}} which carries the meaning of "senility" or "air headed-ness" and is reflected in the {{Transliteration|ja|boke}}'s tendency for misinterpretation and forgetfulness. The word {{nihongo||突っ込み|tsukkomi}} refers to the role the second comedian plays in "butting in" and correcting the {{Transliteration|ja|boke}}'s errors. In performances it is common for the {{Transliteration|ja|tsukkomi}} to berate the {{Transliteration|ja|boke}} and hit them on the head with a swift smack; one traditional {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} prop often used for this purpose is a pleated paper fan called a {{nihongo||張り扇|harisen}}.[http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C WWWJDIC] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103191356/http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1C |date=3 January 2015 }} Another traditional {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} prop is a small drum, usually carried (and used) by the {{Transliteration|ja|boke}}. A Japanese bamboo and paper umbrella is another common prop. These props are usually used only during non-serious {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} routines as traditional {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} 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 manzai.

The tradition of {{Transliteration|ja|tsukkomi}} and {{Transliteration|ja|boke}} is often used in other Japanese comedy, although it may not be as obviously portrayed as it usually is in {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}}.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

{{Main|M-1 Grand Prix}}

The most funniest {{transliteration|ja|manzai}} duos, according to a web survey by The Asahi Shimbun in 2012 (excerpt):{{Cite news |date=2012-04-07 |work=The Asahi Shinbun |location=Japan |page=b2 |language=ja |script-title=ja:人生で一番笑った漫才コンビ |trans-title=The funniest Manzai duos you have ever experienced throughout your life}} (Participants of survey: subscribers of Asahi Shinbun's web service, where 2,598 respondents voted. Method of survey: voters pick up to 5 from a list of around 100 most prominent pairs.)

• Part of the table: {{Cite web |url=http://www.asahicom.jp/digital_pr/article_images/TKY201204040374.jpg |title= |date=2012-04-07 |access-date=2024-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409172753im_/http://www.asahicom.jp/digital_pr/article_images/TKY201204040374.jpg |archive-date=2012-04-09 |url-status=live |publisher=The Asahi Shinbun |language=ja |script-title=ja:〈ｂｅランキング〉人生で一番笑った漫才コンビ}} (linked from {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408172651/http://digital.asahi.com/20120407/pages/be_business_ev.html|date=2012-04-08|title=朝日新聞 You刊 be 2012年4月7日（土）}})

• Number 1: {{Interlanguage link|Yokoyama Yasushi and Nishikawa Kiyoshi|ja|横山やすし・西川きよし}}
• 2: {{Interlanguage link|All Hanshin-Kyojin|ja|オール阪神・巨人}}
• 3: {{Interlanguage link|Yumeji Itoshi and Kimi Koishi|ja|夢路いとし・喜味こいし}}
• 4: Bakushō Mondai
• 5: {{Interlanguage link|Miyagawa Daisuke and Hanako|ja|宮川大助・花子}}
• 6: Two Beat [ja]: One of them, Takeshi Kitano became a Japanese film director and television host.
• 7: Nakagawake
• 8: {{Interlanguage link|Shishi Tenya and Seto Wanya|ja|獅子てんや・瀬戸わんや}}
• 9: Downtown
• 10: {{Interlanguage link|Ima Ikuyo and Kuruyo |ja|今いくよ・くるよ}}
• 14: Taka and Toshi
• 16: Ninety-nine
• 22: Shinsuke Shimada and {{Interlanguage link|Ryusuke Matsumoto|ja|松本竜助}}
• 26: Summers
• 28: Tunnels
• 29: {{Interlanguage link|Yokoyama Entatsu|ja|横山エンタツ}} and {{Interlanguage link|Hanabishi Achako|ja|花菱アチャコ}}

File:Entatsu_Achako_Scan10036.JPG|{{center|Yokoyama Entatsu and Hanabishi Achako established the talk show-centered {{transliteration|ja|manzai}} style. They were active since 1919.}}

File:All Hanshin-Kyojin IMG 0317-1 20200110.jpg|{{center|"All Hanshin-Kyojin", active since 1975.}}

File:Wagyu_manzai_IMG_1474-1_20180401.jpg|{{center|"Wagyu", regular finalist in M-1 Grand Prix.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/201812020000840.html |date=2018-12-02 |access-date=2024-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210154717/https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/201812020000840.html |archive-date=2018-12-10 |url-status=live |publisher=Nikkan Sports |language=ja |script-title=ja:V候補本命の和牛が1票届かず…3年連続M1準優勝 |trans-title=Expected winner Wagyu lost by a single vote, runner-up for three consecutive years}} Active since 2006.}}

• Kikaku wrote with affectionate mockery a haiku on the {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}} dancers: "The New Year Dancers / Never miss a single gate – / Millet for the crane".L Zolbrod, Haiku Painting (1982) p. 16
• Buson more positively wrote: "Yes, New Year's dancers – / Pounding good and properly, / The dirt in Kyoto".L Zolbrod, Haiku Painting (1982) p. 16
• Naoki Matayoshi's novel Spark (火花, Hibana) is set in the world of manzai comedians and deals with the main characters artistic struggles. The novel was awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Spark by Naoki Matayoshi book review {{!}} The TLS |url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/culture/comedy/spark-naoki-matayoshi-reivew-till-weingartner |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=TLS |language=en-GB}}

{{Portal|Japan}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=35em|

• The Manzai Comics – manga series about a young manzai duo
• {{Transliteration|ja|Nininbaori}}
• {{Transliteration|ja|Kyōgen}}
• {{Transliteration|ja|Rakugo}}
• {{Transliteration|ja|Owarai}}
• {{Transliteration|zh|Xiangsheng}} – the Chinese analogue to {{Transliteration|ja|manzai}}.

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{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Manzai (comedy)}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150404202245/http://japanese.about.com/library/blhiraculture31.htm What is Manzai] 2015 archive
• [https://archive.today/20010504063016/http://mcel.pacificu.edu/aspac/papers/scholars/bensky/bensky.htm "Commodified Comedians and Mediatized Manzai: Osakan Comic Duos and Their Audience"] by Xavier Benjamin Bensky. A study in the cultural effects of manzai.

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Category:Comedy genres

Category:Culture in Osaka

Category:Japanese comedy

Category:Performing arts in Japan

Category:Stand-up comedy