Hostname: page-component-7b9c58cd5d-dkgms Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-15T05:53:47.721Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Watching “I Am A Comedian” (Dir. Fumiari Hyuga, 2022) in a U.S. Classroom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

“I Am A Comedian” (Dir. Fumiari Hyuga, 2022) is a documentary featuring a prominent Japanese comedian, Daisuke Muramoto, who “disappeared” from TV programs despite his popularity and talent, due to the shift of his comedy routine to political satire. The author watched the film with students in a Japanese pop culture class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and also invited Muramoto himself to the class. This essay reviews the documentary within its social context and reports on the engaging class discussion with Muramoto. Creative expression provides people, especially those who are impacted and marginalized, means to contest power. At the same time, we are in an era when political and social conflicts have become exceedingly intense, making it imperative that the manifestation of ideas and opinions be both compelling and sensitive to others. Muramoto's journey in pursuing his comedy provides us with insights to reflect on what true freedom of speech is and the power and responsibility that accompany artistic expression.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2003

References

Abe, Shinzo安倍晋二. 2017. “答弁第111号:衆 議院議員逢坂誠司くん提出安倍政権によるメデ ィアへの圧力強化に関する質問に対する答弁書. [Response document No. 111:Written Response to the Question Submitted by House of Representatives Member Seiji Osaka Regarding the Increasing Pressure on the Media by the Abe Administration.]” 第 193国会、衆議院,[193rd National Diet, House of Representatives.] shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_shitsumon.nsf/html/shitsumon/b193111.htm.Google Scholar
Society, Asia. n.d. What Makes Japanese Laugh? https://asiasociety.org/what-makes-japanese-laugh.Google Scholar
Carlson, Matthew. 2020. “Sontaku and political scandals in Japan.” Public Administration and Policy vol. 3, no.1:3345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Haven, Shawn. 2017. “Woman Rush Hour's Political Routine on the MANZAI Sets the Comedy World on Fire.” Iťs Funny in Japan. 30 December. https://www.itsfunnyinjapanese.com/news-aviator/2017/12/28/woman-rush-hours-political-routine-on-the-manzai-sets-the-comedy-world-on-fire.Google Scholar
De Haven, Shawn. 2020. “Comedians Who Dare: Political Satire in Contemporary Japan.” The Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. vol. 18, issue 16, no. 3. https://apjjf.org/2020/16/dehaven.Google Scholar
HufiPost Japan ノ、フポスト日本. 2017. “ウーマンラ ッシュアワー、THE MANZAIで沖縄米軍基地ネタ 「面倒くさいことは見て見ぬふりをする」[Woman Rush Hour on THE MANZAI: Okinawa U.S. military base joke, ‘People turn a blind eye to troublesome matters.’].” HuffPost Japan [ノ、フポスト日本]. 18 December. https://www.huffingtonpost.jp/entry/the-manzai-wr_jp_5c5a52c3e4b012928a30291b.Google Scholar
Hyuga, Fumiari (director). 2022. I Am A Comedian.Google Scholar
Foundation, Japan. 2023. “Survey Report on Japanese-Language Education Abroad 2021.” https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/project/japanese/survey/result/dl/survey2021/All_contents_r2.pdf.Google Scholar
Kojima Hibino, Aiko. 2021. “Globalizing Japanese Pop Culture.” TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology. https://trails.asanet.org/article/view/globalizing-japanese-pop-culture.Google Scholar
News, Kyodo. 2017. “‘Insta-bae,’ or ‘Instagenic.’ wins 2017 Japan buzzword award.” 1 December. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2017/12/1ce8e-322ecdb-insta-bae-or-looking-good-on-instagram-wins-2017-buzzword-award.html.Google Scholar
Litera. 2017. “ウーマンラッシュアワーが『THE MANZAI』で怒涛の政治批判連発!原発、沖縄基 地問題、コメンテーター芸人への皮肉も[Woman Rush Hour unleashes a torrent of political criticism on ‘THE MANZAI’! Satires on nuclear power plants, the Okinawa base issue, and even jabs at comedian commentators].” Litera.18 December. https://lite-ra.com/2017/12/post-36654.html.Google Scholar
Mochizuki, Isoko望月衣塑子. 2017. “メディアは政 権の支配を脱したか:萎縮·忖度からあるべき姿へ [Has the media broken free from government control?: From repression and sontaku (self-censorship) to its proper role].” Journalism no. 328: 4855.Google Scholar
Mullane, Chadチャド.マレーン. 2017. 世にも奇妙 な日本のお笑い[The Bizarre World of Japanese Comey]. NHK 出版[NHK Shuppan].Google Scholar
Muramoto, Daisuke村本大輔. 2017. “ええええマ ネージャーに確認したらTHEMANZAIのネタ、 原発も被災地も沖縄の基地も全部使われてるら しい!!!フジテレビ観てえええええ.” Twitter, 17 December. twitter.com/WRHMURAMOTO/status/942346812051955714.Google Scholar
Muramoto, Diasuke村本大輔. 2020. おれは無関心 なあなたを傷つけたい[I Want to Hurt you for your Indifference]. タイヤモンド社[Diamond-Sha].Google Scholar
News, Oricon. 2018. “ウーマン風刺漫才4割近く が賛同するが問題点も、お笑い“政治ネダ’への 世間の本首[Nearly 40% approves Woman Rush Hour's satirical comedy, but there are issues too— public opinions on political jokes in comedy.]Oricon News. 25 January, https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2104445/full.Google Scholar
Osaka, Seiji逢坂誠司. 2017. 質問第111号:安倍 政権によるメディアへの圧力強化に関する質問主 意、書.[Question document No. 111:Question Concerning the Increasing Pressure on the Media by the Abe Administration.]第193国会、衆議院,[193 rd National Diet, House of Representatives.] shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdbshitsumon.nsf/html/shitsumon/a193111.htm.Google Scholar
Osaki, Tomohiro. 2018. “‘Country of cowards’: Comedy duo's political satire stands out in gun-shy Japan.” The Japan Times. 31 January. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/31/national/social-issues/country-cowards-comedy-duos-political-satire-stands-gun-shy-japan.Google Scholar
Reporters Without Borders. “World Ranking.” https://rsf.org/en/index.Google Scholar
Soble, Jonathan. 2017. “Bigotry and Fraud Scandal at Kindergarten Linked to Japan's First Lady.” The New York Times. 24 February. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/world/asla/japan-abe-first-lady-school.html.Google Scholar
Times, The Japan. 2017. “The Kake and Morimoto scandals and the bureaucracy.” The Japan Times, 20 October. www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2017/10/20/editorials/kake-moritomo-scandals-bureaucracy.Google Scholar
U.S. Department of State. 2017. “2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Japan.” www.state.gov/reports/2016-country-reports-on-hu-man-rights-practices/japan.Google Scholar