[Learning from Koji Higashino, MC of "THE SECOND 2026"] ~Surprising Commonalities with the "Presence" of a Training Instructor~
Hello. “Osaka x Comedy x Human Resource Development” is the concept, I am Imajiri, a
professional instructor specializing in “Course Feedback Coaching.”
I often say that “Manzai and training are similar.” That is because I simply view them in this way:
“Manzai material and structure” = Training design and content
“Performer” = Instructor
This time, it is not about techniques or skills. Whether it is a comedy stage or a training session, it is about the [presence] of a professional who creates the scene. I will write about how Koji Higashino’s presence as an MC and the presence of a training instructor share the exact same
“structure of love.”
Not "managing," but "entering together"
On the note of Mr. Takada,
representative of the “Osaka Comedy School,” who our manzai duo is very indebted to, there is an article written about Koji Higashino’s MC work.
“THE SECOND 2026” (a tournament for manzai performers with 16 or more years of experience). It is an article explaining how wonderful Koji Higashino’s MC work was in the finals, and there was a word that appeared there many times. That word is
“love.”
In that article, his presence as an MC was described as follows.
Higashino is not an MC who organizes comedians from the outside, but an MC who jumps into the vortex with them.
When I read this, I couldn't help but groan, “I see!” At the same time, my
“This is the same as feedback!” “instructor brain” reacted instantly. As I read further, the essence of it was exactly written there.
In this “THE SECOND 2026” as well, when veteran comedians threw unexpected jokes, he could have stayed in the safe position of an MC and smartly “managed” and moved on.
But Higashino does not do that. He jumps into the vortex where he himself might get hurt, goes along with the other person in earnest, and retorts in earnest.
Instead of neatly managing from the safe outside, he clashes with his own raw self to make the other person shine. It is explained that within this unrefined attitude lies “respect and affection for the comedians,” and this is exactly what “love” is.
When I saw these words, a shock ran through my mind, and my “instructor brain” and “manzai brain” clicked together. And what I had been vaguely thinking turned into conviction!
“It really is the same as training feedback...”
★Please see Mr. Takada’s explanation here👇
Feedback is a job where you sweat together with the other person
“Feedback” in training is not just pointing out mistakes.
Feedback is important communication to promote growth by concretely commenting on “good points” and “points for further improvement” based on observed facts.
That is precisely why the “presence” of the instructor delivering it is questioned above all else.
Points for improvement sometimes include things that are painful for the other person to hear or difficult to accept. Even so, if you just wrap it up smartly with safe, manual-based analysis and evaluation, it will not resonate with the other person’s heart, no matter how logical it may be.
Feedback that reaches the heart and encourages growth is exactly like the MC style of Koji Higashino.It is not about being a 'detached critic' who delivers logical arguments from a safe distance, but about the instructor themselves diving headfirst into the vortex of the other person's words and reactions.
In other words, it is a job of sincerely standing by the other person's side and sweating together with them.
Without love, you cannot dive into that vortex.
Standing at the same eye level as the other person and sweating together like this is actually very energy-consuming.
Because...
✔ Carefully observing the other person's words and actions,
✔ Sensing the atmosphere of the moment,
✔ Valuing timing,
✔ Choosing words and accepting reactions,
you are engaging in a way that helps that person improve.
If it were just about analyzing and summarizing things smartly, how easy would that be...
Even so, the reason I pour all my energy into diving straight into the other person's heart is because I have intense 'love' for them!
It is the same in the world of comedy.
A 'tsukkomi' (straight man's retort) without love looks like mere attack or criticism, and it makes the audience feel uncomfortable. But when a 'tsukkomi' with love is delivered, the whole place is instantly wrapped in laughter, and the comedian being retorted to shines in an instant.
An instructor's feedback has the exact same structure.
Because you engage with them with the affection of 'I want this person to grow even more!' a solid relationship of trust is born.
Only with this relationship of trust can feedback become effective.
The power of 'sweating together' that AI cannot replicate
This time, I have written about how Koji Higashino's way of being as an MC and the way of being of a training instructor share
the exact same 'structure of love'.
Even if the genres are different, I am convinced that the professional 'way of being' that makes people shine ultimately leads to the same place.
When it comes to accurate analysis or smart evaluation, AI is overwhelmingly better.
But standing by someone's side, diving into their heart, and engaging with 'love' while sweating together is something AI could never do, even if it stood on its head. (Though AI can't stand on its head anyway... haha)
(Even though I'm always indebted to AI... sorry about that, haha)
Trusting the other person and engaging with them in earnest.
This is the essence of feedback that only we humans can provide.
#InstructorHelpDesk #ManzaiAndTrainingAreTheSame