Documental (Japanese Comedy Show)

[Minami Minegishi]

Cuh, as of we of all people need this explained.

Sorry for my ignorance - do write ups of the in-jokes/Japanese specific references exist for all series? Whose Patreon do I sign up with to get these?

You don't need to sign up for anyone's patron unless you want to watch DoD2. Everything else is available to download or stream for free, so you can download seasons 1-8 of Documental with detailed fan subs and annotations on-screen. These mostly pre-date Amazon's English subs. If that's what you want. Eventually, The Silent Library will add text annotations to the files so they can be read on-screen, but for now Thanos is posting them separately, probably to encourage Patrons (in which case I should keep it on PM also).

[Minami Minegishi]

Massive fan. I KNEW the hose was going to come out of his shirt, I KNEW Kukky was going to sporadically turn the tap on and off, but it was utter gold.

I love the fact his comedy group is called "Robert".

Yeah, all of that. He's my wife's favourite after Jimmy and she loved that silly shot of him holding the mini-hamburger and gazing into the sky. For me he is the best zombie as well, and I don't even mean his sexy massages! Also, the way he brought that shy woman into his bit was perfection and hilarious.

[fit bird]

Anyone else massive fans of Akiyama?

He's so great, he's got that little cheeky twinkle in his eye that makes everything he does funny.



Finally finished S8 now, after avoiding this thread to resist the temptation of watching before they were all out.
Found it quite weak considering how great the lineup seemed. Maybe they felt pressured to tone things down, but even with that in mind it seemed like

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Fujimon and Kobayashi

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were struggling to do their usual thing...
& Once again, as funny as it was

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Cookie's game

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gave me a similar feeling to

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Hollywood's videos

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. That kind of prepared passive activity still sort of feels like cheating to me.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Anyone else massive fans of Akiyama?

He fucking rules. You can tell he's trying not to laugh because his eyes get really wet, and yeah as fit bird says he's got a real cheeky way about him. His zombie exercise routine with the lady is brilliant.

[C_Larence]

Also starting season 8 tonight! I hate that guy

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Junior!

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Haven't got to Season 8 yet (so probably shouldn't be reading spoilers) but if that's the same

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Junior from season 5

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then I thought he was quite funny, maybe just because he reminded me of a japanese version of jaws from james bond.

[amateur]

Haven't got to Season 8 yet (so probably shouldn't be reading spoilers) but if that's the same

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Junior from season 5

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then I thought he was quite funny, maybe just because he reminded me of a japanese version of jaws from james bond.

Don't really know where we are in spoiler territory but to be safe

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yeah that's the same guy. I didn't find him funny then and I don't find him funny now - too geeky and not beinging any offence other than trying to make people look at stuff. Not for me.

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Also in series eight, episode two -

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the bit where everyone gets a yellow card for watching the video game?

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Not sure about that, but no one protests so I guess they must have all felt it. It seems like with that and

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Fujimon getting a yellow so quickly

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they're determined to get things going faster?

Also, for the Japanese speakers in the thread, any idea why Fujimoto is changed to Fujimon? I guess it's an honorific like -chan or -kun but I'm interested in the etymology.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Couple of episodes into Season 6. Having four women has given it a really different energy. So far Jimmy is the only guy willing to stoop to the usual levels of depravity. Some classic Fujimon - cracking himself up. All four of the girls are really funny but Tomochika's deadpan delivery is so good. My favourite newcomer at the moment has to be Shoji though. Great great lineup.

[amateur]

Couple of episodes into Season 6. Having four women has given it a really different energy. So far Jimmy is the only guy willing to stoop to the usual levels of depravity. Some classic Fujimon - cracking himself up. All four of the girls are really funny but Tomochika's deadpan delivery is so good. My favourite newcomer at the moment has to be Shoji though. Great great lineup.

This was such a good season. I need to watch it again and take it all back in.

[Minami Minegishi]

Also, for the Japanese speakers in the thread, any idea why Fujimoto is changed to Fujimon? I guess it's an honorific like -chan or -kun but I'm interested in the etymology.

I don't speak Japanese beyond a tiny group of words that I have mainly picked up from Japanese music, film and TV. But that seems to be added to the name in a way that shows parity respect. So, Matsumoto would say Fujimon rather than Fujisan. I could be wrong!

Couple of episodes into Season 6. Having four women has given it a really different energy. So far Jimmy is the only guy willing to stoop to the usual levels of depravity. Some classic Fujimon - cracking himself up. All four of the girls are really funny but Tomochika's deadpan delivery is so good. My favourite newcomer at the moment has to be Shoji though. Great great lineup.

I've seen it twice and must watch it again soon as it is just terrific.

Put me down as another Shoji fan. Older comedians brings the show a really interesting dynamic, something that is enhanced by the fact that Japan has such a hierarchical structure and expectation of respect. So, seeing older people (men or women) in strange situations or doing inappropriate things for their ages seems to really tickle the contestants. The same goes for showing disrespect towards an elder - it is such a taboo that it leads to both parties cracking up. A good example is Fujimon's constant undermining of Shoji that nearly works like self-sabotage, and later Shoji admits it was making it really tough.

Another advert for the No-Laughing Batsus where Shoji appears more than once. In one case, doing his 'kettle tied to his ankle' skit that is pulled off even more amusingly.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Just started Season 7, feeling a bit sad that I'm catching up now but can't stop watching this insane shit. I always like it at the start of a season when Matsumoto comes in and they all start going about his muscles.

[Ja'moke]

Just started Season 7, feeling a bit sad that I'm catching up now but can't stop watching this insane shit. I always like it at the start of a season when Matsumoto comes in and they all start going about his muscles.

I love those bits. The one where he runs into the room. "So angry."

[Minami Minegishi]

I love his whimsical, soft focus musings during the start of his invitation letters.

"The bird chirped in the dusk light, and I was reminded of my youth...Anyway..."

[Minami Minegishi]

DoD ep.2. dropped a day early.

You know what to do.

[Ja'moke]

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That whole tofu game madness was ace. "What do you mean 'bounce'?"

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[Minami Minegishi]

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That whole tofu game madness was ace. "What do you mean 'bounce'?"

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It's hard to find a better justification for the Documental format over the LOL format. Completely pointless, just slowly building tension but going on for too long as well, with no pay-off. Jimmy's confused face will always be my favourite thing about this programme. He's like an alien.

I've seen this before without subs, but I assume that

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everybody else braced themselves for abject depravity when Kubota stepped up for the straw penis/balls 'game'. The tension is building each minute of this season.

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[Ron Superior]

LOL Canada is now up on Prime. I got 22 mins in to the first episode, had to turn it off. Going to immediately start watching season 6 of Documental instead.

[Ja'moke]

LOL Canada is now up on Prime. I got 22 mins in to the first episode, had to turn it off. Going to immediately start watching season 6 of Documental instead.

Yeah... I watched the first two episodes. Just not very good.

The editing style of LOL just takes all the fun out of it.

[Minami Minegishi]

My expectations were pretty low after trying and failing to watch most of the other LOL shows. It's more of the same but I think the presence of Green and Foley makes it interesting enough for me to persevere.

I liked Green's shitty monologue jokes.

[amateur]

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That whole tofu game madness was ace. "What do you mean 'bounce'?"

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Loved episode two of Documentary. Just good old fashioned Documentaling. It just makes sense.

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Jimmy really is terrible at this, it's incredible how he has learned literally nothing from the five hundred times he's been in it.

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[Swoz_MK]

I reckon Matsumoto picks up his tab each time.

[amateur]

Me, struggling to get through season 8:

[Minami Minegishi]

I think it's fair to say that Season 8b really is the weakest by a long way. I could analyse it and figure out why but nothing obvious comes to mind, except maybe too many comedians doing pre-prepped 'bits. It also compares extremely bad with the first Season 8a which I am absolutely adoring.

Episode 3 (of 4!) just dropped YKWTD

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I really loved this episode for too many reasons to list but in particular all the little, subtle moments between Kukky and Kubo, and the way Jimmy's bits just kept being so wrong.

Akiyama's love-egg song was brilliant - and on any other, earlier season would have killed. I feel they are all seasoned and prepared, and even the first timers have seen the show enough to know how to steel themselves.

So, you will know by now that this is NOT the notorious episode, so of course it is next. However, this has some of the most stomach churning content I've seen, next to the feet sucking. Really gag-worthy stuff!

On chiki-chiki tube there is a contest where contestants have to keep licking their finger and wiping it on the nose of the other person, back and forth, waiting to see who will crack first. It is truly revolting and a part of Japanese humour that is not always easy to watch. Yet, still I laugh.

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[Ja'moke]

The latest episode of Documentary of Documental is an all-timer. So many hilarious (and hilariously disgusting bits).

[Jerzy Bondov]

LOL Canada. Why is there a band. What the fuck is this. This is such a good line up and it's being wasted on this misunderstanding of what makes the concept good. Constant music playing underneath everything, cutting over to interviews with the comedians every time something happens, people saying 'this situation is so crazy!', studio is way too big and busy. Send the raw footage to the Japanese team and let them edit it into something good. Even the sound effects are shit. Get a grip Canada I thought you were better than this.

[Ja'moke]

LOL Canada. Why is there a band. What the fuck is this. This is such a good line up and it's being wasted on this misunderstanding of what makes the concept good. Constant music playing underneath everything, cutting over to interviews with the comedians every time something happens, people saying 'this situation is so crazy!', studio is way too big and busy. Send the raw footage to the Japanese team and let them edit it into something good. Even the sound effects are shit. Get a grip Canada I thought you were better than this.

It's frustrating isn't it? I bet a lot of these LOL versions could be really good if they were produced in the same style as Documental.

I really hope they stick with the Documental format if a UK version ever happens. That's kind of why I want Dave to get it instead of Prime Video, as I feel Dave would give it a 1 hour time-slot, therefore the Documental style would make more sense.

[Minami Minegishi]

This post was put up a few days ago and it is a really well-written and useful breakdown of why LOL gets this format so wrong compared to Documental. Worth a read, and echoes many of the views made in this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/GakiNoTsukai/comments/t1ai2t/why_documental_is_great_and_lol_is_terrible/hyfha2z/?context=3

I often think about UK equivalents for a British Documental (rather than a LOL please). Retaining the awkwardness, down, silent moments, and the organic move into absurdity and the extremities of comedy, found in Documental would be great. I guess it depends on how successful the Canadian and Australian LOLs have been, which I suspect is 'very well' given that they are on Prime.

[Ron Superior]

Anyone heard anything about this?

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81484461?s=a&trkid=13747225&t=more&vlang=en&clip=81565838

Netflix trying to get in on the Documental game. Plenty of people from Documental involved, can't get my head around the premise.

[Swoz_MK]

Oh wow! Yeah, premise is odd, but so many of my favourite faces.

[amateur]

This post was put up a few days ago and it is a really well-written and useful breakdown of why LOL gets this format so wrong compared to Documental. Worth a read, and echoes many of the views made in this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/GakiNoTsukai/comments/t1ai2t/why_documental_is_great_and_lol_is_terrible/hyfha2z/?context=3

This is great, thanks for linking. I think one of the core reasons Documental works is because of the self-policing approach to fair play - everyone pays attention to each other. If you've got to put a rule in to ensure everyone gets a turn, you're losing a lot of the magic.

I've described the show as being like the first series of Big Brother (also ostensibly an experiment) which was similarly shot, very stark and utilitarian. You just don't see anything like that on TV any more, which is a shame as Documental has shown how engrossing it can be.

[Jerzy Bondov]

I was trying to come up with a dream lineup for a UK version (won't post it as it's a bit of a wanky exercise) and I was trying to think of a good pick who's a bit of a "oh shit how did they get THEM" choice, and who the others would be like "I'm in big fucking trouble" about and now I'm gutted that the UK Documental with Rik Mayall will only exist in my head