Author: Tim Craig
Published 2020.
Length: 14 pages
Talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo is the king of comedy in Japan, with graduates of its New Star Creation comedian school populating the comedy and variety shows that dominate Japanese television. But in 2019 the agency was shaken by a scandal that exposed low pay rates and “power harassment” within the company and links between Japan’s entertainment world and organized crime.
This case describes the various forms of Japanese comedy, introduces some of Japan’s most popular and influential comedians, and traces the history of Yoshimoto Kogyo from its founding in 1912, through wartime difficulties and its rise to the top, to the 2019 “underground business” scandal. Will reforms made by Yoshimoto in response to public outcry and unrest in the ranks of its performers be enough to save the agency’s reputation?
Topics: Comedy, Yoshimoto Kogyo, Downtown, manzai, owarai, scandal, Drifters
Individual cases from Cool Japan may be purchased from BlueSky Publishing for ¥400 or $4 each. For instructors wishing to use Cool Japan cases in their classes, student copies may be made from a master copy; copyright permissions must be purchased for each student in the class. To inquire or order, please contact: tcraig@blueskyacademic.net.
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