Japanese comedian “TONIKAKU, AKARUI Yasumura” became the first Japanese to reach the finals of Britain’s God’s Talent (BGT), a very popular audition program in the United Kingdom.
On the BGT stage, TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA became popular under the name “TONIKAKU.
His signature trick of appearing naked by striking various poses while wearing only his underpants and successfully hiding his underpants was a big hit with the audience.
What kind of person is TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA, who gained worldwide popularity through this project?
This article will introduce TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA.
At the end of the article, I will introduce Japanese comedy culture and characteristics, as well as theaters where you can see Japanese comedy in Tokyo.
Before I introduce him, I would like to suggest that you take a look at his work in the UK if you have not already seen it.
The video above is the first time TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA participated in the program, which was broadcast on 4/22/2023.
He then appeared in the semi-finals on 6/2/2023, where he was eliminated, but was selected as a wild card (loser) and advanced to the finals on 6/4/2023.
Although he lost in the finals, he became the first Japanese to participate in the finals at Britain’s God’s Talent, which can be considered an accomplishment.
Who is the comedian TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA?
First, let us introduce who TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA is.
Basic Information
| Real Name | YASUMURA SYOGO |
| Date of birth | 1982/03/15 |
| Birthplace | Hokkaido Asahikawa City |
| Height | 177㎝ |
| Body weight | 90㎏ |
| Belonging firm | Yoshimoto Kogyo (Japanese comedy company) |
| Other Information | NSC Tokyo School 6th term student Hobbies: Watching baseball games, idols (AKB48, Berryz Kobo, etc.) |
He originally worked as a duo called “Armstrong”. After the breakup of the duo, he became a pin comedian under the name “TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA”.
He was born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, and was a baseball boy from an early age.
He was a pitcher and an ace when he was in elementary school.
He had even participated in the Koshien (the National High School Baseball Championship) as a messenger at Asahikawa Jitsugyo High School, a prestigious high school baseball team.
He later moved to Tokyo to become a comedian.
He enrolled in a comedian training school founded by Yoshimoto Kogyo and began working as a comedian in 2000.
As a side note, he once lost his belly fat, which made it impossible to hide his pants, and since that time he has been concerned about his body shape so that he can hide his pants.
What does the name “TONIKKUAKARUIYASUMURA” mean?
What people overseas may be wondering is the meaning of the name “TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA.
The English expression seems to translate directly to “Anyway, Bright Yasumura.
In Britain’s God Talent, he was called “Tonikaku” or “Tony.
How to make people laugh
TONIKAKU’s comedy style is naked art.
He appears in only his underpants and appears naked by posing in various situations so that his underpants are hidden.
After he poses in a pose that makes him appear naked, he says, as a defining line, “Don’t worry. I’m wearing ,” and then return to the posture in which their pants are visible.
His signature line, “Don’t worry. I’m wearing” was chosen as one of the top 10 most popular words of 2015 in Japan, and most Japanese know this line.
What is “OWARAI(Comedy)” in Japan?
Japanese comedy has a very different culture and characteristics from the rest of the world.
Japan has many forms of comedy, but manzai or “konto” is the most famous.
The characteristics of Japanese comedy, which I will now introduce, are often seen in its manzai and konto.
However, the following characteristics may not apply to TONIKAKU and other solo comedians, as each of them has an unusual artistic style.
Incidentally, TONIKAKU also used to do MANZAI and played the role of a tsukkomi.
Now let me introduce you to Japanese comedy.
①Bokeh and tsukkomi
Bokeh is behavior that intentionally makes mistakes, jokes, or performs funny actions to elicit laughter.
Tsukkomi is the act of pointing out or interjecting a response to a bokeh. The clear distinction between “bokeh” and “tsukkomi” and the laughter that results from their successful combination are the most distinctive characteristics of Japanese comedy.
②When making a tsukkomi, he/she may lightly hit the other person or body slam him or her
When a bokeh actor blurts out a joke, it is common in Japanese comedy for the tsukkomi actor to slap the bokeh actor on the head or poke him on the body in response.
It is a common practice in Japanese comedy, but foreign people are often surprised when they see it for the first time.
③Less irony and social satire.
American comedy often uses irony and social satire as its subject matter to elicit laughter, but in Japan, comedy is rarely based on these themes.
In the case of TONIKAKU, there is no irony or social satire at all, and he creates laughter simply by posing in a way that makes him look naked.
In addition to these, Japan has a wide range of other forms of expression, such as manzai, comedy, and “oogiri” (comedy), as well as methods of making people laugh by using musical instruments and cutting paper.
Other features of Japanese comedy culture and characteristics include a competition to determine the funniest comedian in Japan and a theater dedicated to comedy.
Incidentally, Yoshimoto Kogyo, to which Tonikaku belongs, is one of the largest comedy entertainment companies in Japan.
Thus, a unique comedy culture has developed in Japan.
You can see ”TONIKAKU” in Tokyo! “LUMINE the Yoshimoto”
I mentioned earlier that there are theaters in Japan that specialize in comedy.
One of them is in Tokyo.
Its name is “LUMINE the Yoshimoto”
The theater is operated by Yoshimoto Kogyo, Japan’s largest comedy entertainment production company.
The theater is located in Shinjuku, the heart of Tokyo, making it easily accessible to everyone.
TONIKAKU sometimes performs at this venue. Other popular comedians who often appear on TV programs will also make frequent appearances, making this a place where you can enjoy real Japanese comedy.
Basic Information about LUMINE the YOSHIMOTO
| Address | LUMINE Shinjuku 2 [7F], South Exit, JR Shinjuku Station, 3-38-2 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo |
| Telephone number | 03-5339-1112 |
| Number of seats | 458 seats |
| Performance Schedule | 2 weekdays 14:00, 16:10 Weekends and holidays: 11:30, 14:10, 16:50 Weekdays are generally for manzai and comedy only. But sometimes there are slightly different programs and evening performances. |
| Official website | https://lumine.yoshimoto.co.jp/ |
| How to purchase tickets | Tickets can be purchased from the official website. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. |
Lastly
This time, we have introduced TONIKAKU AKARUI YASUMURA, aka “TONIKAKU,” who made it to the finals of a very popular audition program in the UK.
He has been the man of the hour in Japan for some time, and he has finally become world famous.
I am honored if you have learned a little about TONIKAKU from reading this article.
Along with this, I hope that the number of people worldwide who are interested in and enjoy Japanese comedy culture will increase.
Thank you for reading to the end.
