Nagano and Kuruma Evolve Comedy

This may be sudden, but everyone, what is "comedy"?

If you think about when laughter occurs, you can find the answer.
Laughter often happens in these kinds of moments.

• Betrayal of perception Physiological laughter caused by surprise
• Betrayal of expectation Laughter from the gap of things being different than thought
• Betrayal of anticipation Laughter from unexpected success or failure
• Betrayal of common sense Laughter from the sense of relief in ignoring rules or ethics

This is based on the theory proposed by the second Katsura Shijaku that laughter is "tension and relaxation"; he categorized the structures that make rakugo and manzai successful, effectively giving shape to the mechanics of comedy, much like Bach did for music.

New program, Hikkakari Nietzsche

By the way, a new program featuring Nagano and Kuruma from Reiwa Roman, "Hikkakari Nietzsche," has started.

The two of them talk extensively based on a theme, and their arguments become so incredibly funny halfway through that I really want you to watch it.

The comedian Nagano doesn't have award titles like Reiwa Roman, and with all due respect, he doesn't have many major works, yet he is a huge hit on every program he appears on.

In many cases, he becomes funny by cutting down public opinion or his co-stars, and while his extreme views may frighten those around him, when you think about it, you find yourself convinced by the logic, which makes it funny all over again due to that gap.

He is surely the person we absolutely need in this world where we can't even say what we want to say...

Because of this, he is apparently often scolded by people in high positions, but his popularity and the expectations from viewers are growing ever higher.

And as for Kuruma from Reiwa Roman, his talent and ability have already been proven, and I had been waiting for when he would start succeeding on mainstream programs, and that time has finally come.

He has a brain that analyzes the world with frightening calmness, yet he possesses a strength of character that allows him to speak brightly about the future rather than taking a cynical, negative stance.

He has the speed of speech characteristic of someone who is too smart, and while there are moments where his perspective shifts so quickly between subjective and bird's-eye views that those around him are almost left behind, that situation itself is also very much like him and funny.

It is also great that he possesses the kind of purity often found in such geniuses.

The two who embody the comedy of tension and release

I have always felt that the comedian Nagano, whose very way of life as an underground comedian who couldn't sell for a long time is full of contradictions, and who is now trying to resolve the regrets of his life through comedy, is the very definition of a comedian.

That is truly a way of life defined by 'tension and release'.

A self whose sensibilities are always slightly off, a self who wants to move to Tokyo and become famous but makes no effort, a self who hides underground and only speaks ill of others, but then rushes to TV when he gets a hit with Lassen, only to be mocked and betrayed by the public, and then finally, at 50, a self who has managed to become successful in his own way...

Behind that intense performance style, I feel a sense of stability that comes from having overcome true turmoil that peaceful, ordinary people do not experience.

And then there is Kuruma.

He is currently charging ahead and active as a symbol of university comedy, but while he possesses genius-level intelligence, he also appears to be the type who is extremely particular about things.

He gives the impression of a charismatic entrepreneur, simultaneously possessing the coldness to evaluate people rationally as if they were mere objects, and the intensity of a passion that can explode into deep affection.

If I had to say, couldn't we say that 'tension' and 'release' coexist within a single personality?

This program has only aired once, but while it features Kuruma's sharp problem-posing and presentation of solutions, there is also the surprise of seeing Nagano, of all people, take on the role of the one who restrains Kuruma when he gets too impatient and overly enthusiastic.

I hope it grows into a fun program where both of their strengths continue to shine: Kuruma speaking freely without limits to demonstrate his genius, and Nagano delivering radical yet convincing, logical arguments to wrap things up from an adult perspective.

And if a flow develops where announcer Tsumugi Mitani can also receive those things and facilitate the show using her own words, I find myself hoping that it might even turn into something huge, so please take a look if you'd like.

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