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March 29, 2024, 04:01:48 PM

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Documental (Japanese Comedy Show)

Started by fit bird, October 11, 2021, 10:36:36 PM

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Minami Minegishi

Quote from: Swoz_MK on January 20, 2022, 09:14:11 AMWatched 1-4 of S8 last night, really happy to see some faces again but it really started to lose me around ep3, plus I found myself really disliking
Spoiler alert
Seiji
[close]
, get a really weird vibe from him. Glad to hear ep5 is good though.

It's certainly the weakest of the seasons, in my opinion. I put that down to a few reasons, partially derived from Reddit chatter. Firstly, they might have gone into this season with a tad less gusto because of the Amazon wrist-slapping which has forced the 'anything goes' ethos into more of a 'most things go, but not multiple dicks slapping someone's face'. I feel this hobbled them a little bit, and maybe affected the energy. Add into that a lack of Jimmy, no women (a real problem after season 6 and Joshimental), and the fact that Kukky had stayed up all night making his stupid videogame (making him visibly tired) - all adds up to a slightly below par season.

However, I've also seen some vociferous defence of the season, particularly those who are familiar with Japanese comedy and like seeing unusual fringey/culty acts such as Chance Oshiro.

Swoz_MK

Yeah it really misses the women. Especially my beloved Tomochika.
Just remembered some really grim comments about Fujimoto's divorce, ugh.
Kukky's "game" is ridiculous, level 3's ending especially.

Swoz_MK

Wow, episode 5 REALLY picked up. The opera songs, more Fujimon self-sabotage, Kukky pulling out all the stops.

amateur

Is episode 5 the final one of the series?

Soon as that drops in the folder I'll get involved.


amateur


Jerzy Bondov

I'm back here in Season 5 having a nice time.
Spoiler alert
What a gentle penis
[close]

I really like Akiyama and Kobayashi so it's nice to have them back, although Akiyama has been quiet up until now. Yamauchi is great so far. His toe sucking routine was cruel.

Minami Minegishi

Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on January 21, 2022, 01:47:21 PMI'm back here in Season 5 having a nice time.
Spoiler alert
What a gentle penis
[close]

It's one of the many lines that pops into my head at weird times. I almost always say it to myself now when he is looking particularly small due to cold, exercise and/or genetics.

QuoteI really like Akiyama and Kobayashi so it's nice to have them back, although Akiyama has been quiet up until now. Yamauchi is great so far. His toe sucking routine was cruel.

Koba is a really anchoring presence, like Fujimon or Goto. Akiyama has become one of my favourites, partially because he voice-overs so many other Japanese Matsumoto associated shows, and appears a few times on the no-laughing batsus. His song is a real favourite of mine, but being a Zombie is where he is most lethal.

Jerzy Bondov

Yeah just after I said he'd been quiet he did his song and then
Spoiler alert
stripped fully naked and washed his cock in a small bowl
[close]

Minami Minegishi

Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on January 21, 2022, 02:22:46 PMYeah just after I said he'd been quiet he did his song and then
Spoiler alert
stripped fully naked and washed his cock in a small bowl
[close]

That made me properly laugh, so thanks. This?

https://www.reddit.com/r/GakiNoTsukai/comments/i13kj2/song_of_order_perfect_mimic_from_documental_s5/

Jerzy Bondov

Song of Order, that's it. Really stupid and funny.

The Mollusk

I've only watched the first two seasons of this so far but am loving it. It feels like less of a comedy show and more of a psychological experiment surrounding the concept of comedy. I've always believed that there's something to be said for extracting humour from forced repetition of a bit, or completely "straight" material deployed at the most opportune moments, but in that room the atmosphere is so strained and scrutinised that it's extremely difficult to know when anything you're doing is going to be funny. The dynamic is constantly changing, and there's a drastic shift in mood whenever there's a restart, especially when it involves someone leaving.

Performing a comedy routine to a crowd is difficult enough when a joke fails and you have to struggle to regain your grip on the audience whilst also delivering your material professionally, but Documental is like an endlessly shapeshifting organism and you can plainly see how agitated and uncomfortable these professional comedians find that environment when they can never fully read the room. There's little to no respite from having to reevaluate whether to keep hammering away at something or let it go, to be involved in a group or do your own thing, to be cool and calm or extreme and over the top. The energy in the room during the last 10 mins of season 2 is one of the most stressful, bizarre and compelling things I've seen in a long time. Fascinating stuff. Cannot wait to watch the rest.

Mrgeebus

Quote from: Swoz_MK on December 29, 2021, 09:13:16 AMThe wife drew this for me, I can't look at it, makes me feel ill.



That's brilliant!

Swoz_MK

Ha! Thank you, everyone in fact. Cherry Boys, all of you.


Jerzy Bondov

The last episode of Season 5 is a banger.
Spoiler alert
Making the last man suffer through the zombies is a really good change. You see a really different side to Zakoshi once he can't go on the offensive any more. But he still joins in and makes jokes with the zombies. Nerves of absolute steel and a well deserved win.

I also love how Koba says he lost because he was having a nice time with his friends. What a sweetie.
[close]

Minami Minegishi

Quote from: Swoz_MK on January 25, 2022, 10:05:10 AMHa! Thank you, everyone in fact. Cherry Boys, all of you.

Chair-ree-boi plays in my head with too much regularity.

Quote from: The Mollusk on January 24, 2022, 11:20:42 AMI've only watched the first two seasons of this so far but am loving it. It feels like less of a comedy show and more of a psychological experiment surrounding the concept of comedy. I've always believed that there's something to be said for extracting humour from forced repetition of a bit, or completely "straight" material deployed at the most opportune moments, but in that room the atmosphere is so strained and scrutinised that it's extremely difficult to know when anything you're doing is going to be funny. The dynamic is constantly changing, and there's a drastic shift in mood whenever there's a restart, especially when it involves someone leaving.

It's one of the only comedy shows I can think of that seems to (and I know this sounds pretentious in context) unpack and demystify the very nature of comedy and what we have evolved to find funny. But it is tapping into the universals of comedy and humour whilst also doing so using quite obscure Japanese comedy conventions and traditions, alongside a dizzying array of references to comedy from Japan that most of us know fuck-all about.

It is forensic in its analysis of comedy and humour, but at the same time it is surely one of the most puerile and stupid shows ever made.

Actually, I am currently rewatching the 24-hour Tag Batsu from the early 2000s that pre-dates the 24-hour No-Laughing Batsus that informs much of Documental. Incredible stuff for those that are interested, but I don't know that all the tangential shows warrant their own threads.

Swoz_MK

I think we're going to start Wednesday Downtown from the start but the special naughty link only has one episode prior to 2021. The Wednesday Downtown Project site goes a little further back (2016), I wonder if the 2014+ shows are being worked on?

Minami Minegishi

Yes, the earliest I have is 2016 (1 June specifically). These are being worked on but many subbers lose steam, or perhaps the will to live, and often stop after 6months - 2-years.

I think the first episodes do go back to 2014 as you suggest, but there are close to 300-episodes altogether so a massive job for even the most dedicated subber.

Minami Minegishi

So, for those that care (some of you it seems) Thanos has decided to sub Documentary of Documental 2 which is about the unaired season 8. He is doing this despite most people wanting season 9. But that season has quite a lot of spoilers for the unaired season due to the presence of
Spoiler alert
Kubota
[close]

To say I am happy would be an understatement. I am also going to take the tiniest sliver of pride that my constant requests for this have been answered (although many others were hassling Thanos for this too so....).

PM me for the link or wait a couple of weeks for the links to go up on Reddit.

Start-o!

Swoz_MK

It got to the end and we both shouted "WAS THAT IT?!" but then the trail for ep2 appeared! Phew.

amateur

I can't wait for the next episode.

The conceit of "was this why Amazon cancelled it?" is a brilliant one, feigning innocence until we get to something absolutely disgusting.

What a show, what a world.

Also starting season 8 tonight! I hate that guy
Spoiler alert
Junior!
[close]

Minami Minegishi

Quote from: Swoz_MK on February 01, 2022, 09:06:00 PMIt got to the end and we both shouted "WAS THAT IT?!" but then the trail for ep2 appeared! Phew.

Four episodes in total which is magnificent, but sadly it means that we won't see some of the scenes until the middle of March.

Quote from: amateur on February 01, 2022, 09:33:41 PMI can't wait for the next episode.

The conceit of "was this why Amazon cancelled it?" is a brilliant one, feigning innocence until we get to something absolutely disgusting.

What a show, what a world.

This is basically a normal season of Documental but they have tagged on the drama of the cancellation, plus some of them reacting to those original scenes!

My cup runneth over with how perfect this is. And the line-up is super-strong, although I will always miss the presence of dear Fuji-chan.

QuoteAlso starting season 8 tonight! I hate that guy
Spoiler alert
Junior!
[close]

He is shiiiiiiit. It's astonishing to imagine that he could actually be a successful comedian.

amateur

Fair play, I actually lolled when I realised they'd

Spoiler alert
programmed "chaaaa?" into the keyboard
[close]

in the very first episode of series 8. Lovely little call back.

Ja'moke

I really enjoyed the first episode of Documentary of Documental. As others have said, the format of having a group of them watch the episodes back and react to why Amazon might have pulled the season is a great conceit.

Minami Minegishi

I'm rewatching it now and the studio reaction stuff is hilarious.

Matsumoto immediately and without explanation talking about himself in the third person as Matsuhito. Also, suddenly getting angry with them for no reason.

I don't like how much both Jimmy and Kukky seem to be struggling though. Jimmy's reaction to Kukky's porn image was golden.

Anyone else massive fans of Akiyama?

Minami Minegishi

Sorry to those on PM. I should have also posted this info and annotations as Thanos tends to avoid too much on-screen text.

Documentary of Documental
Season 2 Episode 1
"The Worst Battle Ever"

-------

• Editor's Note: 1 - R60 is basically saying "only people aged 60 and above should be allowed to watch this"

• EN: 2 - Oguri Shun is a famous actor and voice-actor. He looks very similar to Soshina, which is why Koumoto said that he's doing an impersonation.

Wiki which includes a picture: https://asianwiki.com/Shun_Oguri

• EN: 3 - In 2018, Kubota Kazunobu tweeted that one of the judges of the M1 competition, Emiko Kaminuma, was "an old hag in menopause" out of frustration.

While he did apologize immediately, the damage was done. Kaminuma has been in the industry for a long time and has a lot of connections, so it was thought that Kubota's duo (Toro Salmon) would be blacklisted and unable to work as comedians ever again.

This was the same M1 competition in which Soshina and Seiya won. Kubota having said this really sullied the win since more people were talking about the controversy than the winners.

Link to a mini article talking about it - http://www.itsfunnyinjapanese.com/news-aviator/2018/12/12/whats-with-all-the-comedy-tournaments-sorting-out-japans-comedy-taikai-battlegrounds

• EN: 4 - They're most likely talking about betting on the boat races.

The track's website: https://omurakyotei.jp/

• EN: 5 - Medical condition where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back. Normal for babies and toddlers.

• EN: 6 - Jinnai Tomonori. Popular comedian who has been in Documental before.

• EN: 7 - This show gives profitable, interesting and practical information on delicacies, fashion, popular places. The show featured a series of regular members who only appeared on a particular day of the week. These regular members were changed periodically.

Endo Shozo was a regular at one time.

Ja'moke

Trailer for the Canadian version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxftdPugc3w

It doesn't fill me with a lot of hope. Seems to have the same editing style as the other LOL's and I just don't find that as compelling as Documental's more real-time, documentary feel.

amateur

Quote from: Ja'moke on February 02, 2022, 01:05:57 PMTrailer for the Canadian version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxftdPugc3w

It doesn't fill me with a lot of hope. Seems to have the same editing style as the other LOL's and I just don't find that as compelling as Documental's more real-time, documentary feel.

That's a shame but not unexpected. Could still be some fun with Tom Green though.

Swoz_MK

Quote from: Minami Minegishi on February 02, 2022, 12:32:51 PMAnyone else massive fans of Akiyama?

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".

Quote from: Minami Minegishi on February 02, 2022, 12:43:08 PM• EN: 5 - Medical condition where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back. Normal for babies and toddlers.

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?