People who like to entertain others. People who have the guts to do anything without being shy in front of others. People who are mentally tough and will not be discouraged even after a long period of hard work.

The job is to make the audience laugh by performing the traditional Japanese art of "Bokashi" (playful banter) and "Tsukkomi" (playful commentary). Everyone's sense of laughter is different. Manzai performers watch the reactions of the audience at the time of the performance, and then develop their own manzai by improvising on their own material. Manzai is usually performed by two people, but can also be performed by a trio of three or more. Manzai performers can be seen in a variety of venues, including yose theater, theaters, television, and small and large local events (festivals, company parties, senior citizens' gatherings, shopping mall events, etc.).

In the world of comedians, seniority is determined not by age, but by when one entered the world of comedians. The hierarchical relationship is quite strict. If you are not a good performer, you will lose your job, so it is truly a world where ability is the key. It is essential to practice with one's partner to perfect one's manzai before going on stage.

No academic background or special qualifications are required to become a manzai performer. In the past, apprenticeships were taken from senior manzai performers, but nowadays it is common for apprentices to enter a training school run by an entertainment production company. If a comedian works hard at the training school and is judged to be a "likely seller," he or she becomes a member of a production company and receives backing from the company. There are also other ways to get a chance without leaving the training school, such as auditioning for TV programs and entertainment production companies.

In manzai, chemistry with your partner is also important. If two people cannot communicate properly, they will not be able to have a funny exchange. Finding a partner with whom you can have a long-lasting relationship is also essential for success. It is often a long-time friend or someone found at a training school.

Manzai performers basically create their own material. It is important to create material that has individuality and impact, and that successfully incorporates trends and world movements as elements that will be popular. In the performance, they must be able to speak clearly in front of a large audience, read the atmosphere of the scene, and be able to rearrange their material and respond quickly.

The recent comedy boom has spawned a number of new manzai performers. In addition to the traditional kiawasei manzai, skit-style manzai, which is more akin to a skit than a skit, is also popular. Despite the changes in form, manzai is still a form of entertainment that will continue to be sought after for its ability to entertain with laughter. What is important for a manzai performer is that the boom does not end with a single piece of material. It is necessary to keep one's antenna up to the minute, to keep up with the times, and to continue to improve one's art of storytelling.

Even for a mid-level manzai performer, the fee for one stage at a theater is around 10,000 yen. Sales at local events are higher, but not every day, and it is not easy to make a living only as a manzai performer. Some manzai performers earn several hundred million yen a year, but this is made possible by hosting (MCing) variety shows and working with broadcasters and directors on the composition of those shows (making up stories). Only a handful of charismatic manzai performers do so, and in reality, the overwhelming majority of manzai performers earn their income through part-time work.

Basically, work comes first, so they do not know when they will be able to take a vacation. As one becomes successful, it becomes more and more difficult to take time off. On the other hand, unsuccessful comedians are in a state of daily absence.

They operate at yose, live houses, theaters, TV stations, radio stations, and local events. Recently, an increasing number of young manzai performers are filming and distributing videos of their own manzai performances.

It's a chart that shows at a glance the main routes to getting a job as a comic book artist!