The R-1 Grand Prix, Into a New Era: Koharu and Tsumugi's Tournament Analysis

※Note
This article avoids touching on the specific content of the routines.
However, if you have not yet watched the tournament, I recommend watching it first.

Laughter is, after all, most powerful in that 'first encounter' moment.

⸻

Club room. Evening.
The lingering excitement of the broadcast still remains.

⸻

Tsumugi
“...Honestly, without any flattery,
it was hilarious.
This might be the first time
I've felt satisfied watching the R-1.”

(A short pause)

“...But you know,”

“I had a feeling it would turn out like this.”

Koharu
“Yes. Very much so.”

⸻

Tsumugi
“It felt kind of strange, didn't it?”

Koharu
“Strange, you say?”

Tsumugi
“All three of them were winners, weren't they?”

⸻

Koharu
“That's right. It wasn't a battle of 'who is the best,' but rather a battle of 'which laughter to choose.'”
Tsumugi
“Exactly! Ginji, O-Matcha, and Raipachi—they all—”

Koharu
“They were all complete.”
Tsumugi

“Right? They all made us laugh properly.”
⸻

Koharu
“That's why the audience wasn't comparing, but—”
Tsumugi

“Starting from a place of 'liking' them.”

Koharu
“Yes. It shifted from relative evaluation to absolute evaluation.”

Tsumugi
“That's a stiff way to put it!”

Koharu
“It was a state of 'everyone was good.' So, it became a battle of comedic preference.”
Tsumugi

“That's it, that's it!”
⸻

Tsumugi
“But why did it suddenly become like this?”
Koharu

“I don't think it was sudden.”
Tsumugi

“Hm?”

Koharu
“Until now, the R-1 was a tournament where you could win with an invention.”

Tsumugi
“Ah... I get that.”

Koharu
“You could reach the finals with a new character or format.”

Tsumugi
“But it wouldn't last after that.”

Koharu
“Yes. The level of perfection wasn't really questioned.”

⸻
Tsumugi

“In other words?”
Koharu

“The brand doesn't grow.”
(Pause)
Tsumugi

“...There it is, the essence.”

⸻
Koharu

“That's why this time—”
Tsumugi

“They 'aligned' it.”

Koharu
“Yes. They didn't just raise the level; they passed a high level.”

Tsumugi

“Wow, that's it.”
⸻

Tsumugi
“Ginji, that was something, huh.”

Koharu
“It was the completed form of storytelling.”
Tsumugi
“How can he talk so passionately like that?”

Koharu
“The 'explanation' itself functioned as the punchline.”

Tsumugi

“Though the underwear bit is a bit niche.”
Koharu

“Yes. It was an element that limited the audience.”
⸻

Tsumugi
“What about O-Matcha?”

Koharu
“The forefront of invention.”

Tsumugi
“That character, I'd never seen anything like it.”

Koharu
“However—”
Tsumugi

“Here it comes.”

Koharu
“The polish was just one step short.”

Tsumugi
“Even though the first round got the biggest laughs.”

⸻
Tsumugi

“And then, Raipachi.”
Koharu

“The completed form of technique.”
Tsumugi

“That bit at the end!”
Koharu

“There was a 'gasp' from the audience as the foreshadowing paid off.”
Tsumugi

“He completely took control of the atmosphere.”

Koharu
“It was a structure that reached everyone.”

⸻
Tsumugi

“That's why he won.”
Koharu

“Yes. This time, 'perfection' was chosen.”
⸻

(A short pause)
Tsumugi

“But—”
Koharu

“Yes.”

Tsumugi
“They were all correct, weren't they?”

(Pause)
“...But when it gets like this,”
“there won't be anyone left to be 'wrong' anymore.”

(A short pause)

“...Is that even interesting?”

⸻
Koharu

“Yes.”
(Pause)

“It becomes difficult.”
⸻

(Quiet atmosphere)

⸻

Koharu

“This R-1 was—”

Tsumugi

“Hm?”

Koharu
“Not just about the winner,”

(Pause)

Tsumugi

“Yeah.”

Koharu

“The tournament itself was one that raised the bar.”

Koharu
“Years like this happen in other tournaments too.”

Tsumugi
“Hm?”

Koharu
“Speaking of King of Conte—”

“The victory of Kuki Kaidan in 2021.”

(A short pause)

Tsumugi
“Ah...”

Koharu
“The champions before that were also interesting.”

“But from that year on,”

“the perfection of the tournament went up a notch.”

Tsumugi
“I get it... the air changed there, didn't it.”

Koharu
“Yes.”

“I felt something similar with this R-1.”

Tsumugi
“...That's great, that's great! Shoo!!”
Koharu

“Come to think of it,”
“Zakoshi-san was very active.”
Tsumugi

“He kept making comments that hit the core without breaking his character.”
Koharu
“Though he didn't vote for the champion.”

Tsumugi
“That's a separate matter.”

(A short pause)
“I hope they all make it big...”

Koharu

“That is a challenge for the organizers, too.”

Tsumugi
“Well, let's watch over everyone's success.”

Koharu
“Indeed.”

The pinnacle of solo comedy
...I'm intoxicated by it.