Why is Krillin from DB still used in comedy routines (Nankai Candies, Chocolate Planet, etc.)?

Hello. I am Go Takada, and I host a culture school called the Osaka Comedy Cram School. I work as a rakugo writer and a comedy writer.

When studying comedy, the perspective of "why this phrase has been used for so long" is very important. Whether it's a gag, a tsukkomi, or a catchphrase,there is a reason why words survive.

The subject I will take up this time is an expression related to Krillin, a character who appears in the national manga "Dragon Ball".

Why do phrases like "Are you talking about Krillin?" and "This is for Krillin!" still work as comedy, even in skits and variety show segments?

In this article, I will analyze that structure and organize it into a form that can be used for creating skits and expanding your repertoire of jokes.

Where does "This is for Krillin!" come from?

First, let's organize the source material.

In the manga "Dragon Ball," there is a scene where Frieza takes the life of Krillin, Goku's best friend.

Goku's anger explodes, and he awakens as a Super Saiyan for the first time. It was Krillin's death that triggered this.

After that, there is a scene where Goku reacts in anger when Frieza makes a remark insulting Krillin. A famous phrase known among fans is,

is the shout from Goku.

In a routine performed by Nankai Candies at M-1, there is a scene where Shizu-chan shouts, "This is for Krillin!" and attacks Yama-chan.

Strictly speaking, "This is for Krillin!" is not a line used in the manga, but rather an arrangement.

However, because it is remembered in conjunction with the context of "Goku getting angry when Krillin is insulted," it has come to be used as a joke.

The "For Krillin" syntax that comedians keep using

This phrase has been quoted many times by comedians.

For example,

• Chocolate Planet's YouTube project
  - The "Are You Talking About Krillin? Championship" is held

• Nankai Candies' manzai
  - Shizu-chan suddenly shouts "This is for Krillin!" while trying to hit Yamazato

What these examples have in common is that the comedy works even though Krillin himself does not appear point.

Krillin is already treated as the 'one being defeated,' and his name is only spoken by the characters.

That alone is enough for the audience to understand, 'Oh, that's a parody of that scene.'

Why is 'Krillin' so easy to use for comedy?

A question arises here. Even among the characters in 'Dragon Ball,' why is it Krillin, a non-protagonist character, who is used in these routines?

While he was active as Goku's rival early in the series, he doesn't possess exceptional strength.

Nevertheless, Krillin is favored by comedians.

The reasons can be summarized into the following three points.

1. Because he is the symbol of the 'victim' in the story

Krillin takes on the role of being defeated by enemies many times, establishing a position as a 'victim of battle.' This position creates a structure that is easy for viewers to remember.

2. Because his relationship with the protagonist is clear

Since his relationship as Goku's childhood friend and best friend is clear, the image of 'Krillin = important companion' is shared. Therefore, just mentioning Krillin's name provides the emotional foundation for the audience.

3. It conveys meaning without needing to explain the story

The composition of 'Goku getting angry because Krillin was defeated' is so famous that it has the advantage of being able to set the stage for comedy without any prerequisite explanation. In other words, the information cost is low.

The comedic mechanism of 'Krillin Syntax'

There are patterns in jokes and projects that use Krillin.

Example structure: 1. Set up someone who became a victim: 'This is for [Name]!' 2. Declare revenge: 'I will never forgive you!' 3. Excessive emotion: Get excessively angry or cry.

This structure can be applied in various ways.

Application examples

For example, you can create developments like this in episode talks or short manzai comedy routines.

• A story about a colleague who got fired from their part-time job
  'This is for Suzuki, who worked hard for 980 yen an hour!'

• A story about a friend who betrayed you at a drinking party
  'Hey Sato, I won't forgive you anymore. This is for Tanaka's unread LINE messages!'

In this way, just by swapping out the 'Krillin' part, a comedic bit about anger is established.

An important point not to be forgotten

There is an important point here.

Even when there isn't actually much damage done, just by using the expression 'This is for [so-and-so]!', you can create a dramatic battle scene.

By using this structure, you can transform small daily frustrations into dramatic expressions.

Exaggerating small events to make them epic becomes comedy.

Summary: Comedy techniques learned from Krillin

• Citing a famous context allows you to skip explaining the premise

• The name alone can evoke emotions and situations

• The 'This is for [so-and-so]!' syntax is excellent for everyday exaggeration

• Using parodies of stories allows for improvised comedy bits

'Are you talking about Krillin?' is not just a famous anime quote, but can be used for comedy.

If you understand the structure, you can apply it to everything from manzai and skits to improv comedy and storytelling.

By the way, the nickname for Kuribayashi-san, a girl who served as class representative in my elementary school days, was 'Krillin'!