On TV, Japanese comedians are called upon to be funny in both prepared standup routines and in ad-lib conversational settings, but few seem to be able to combine these two skills into improvisational routines.
This week, the comedy team of Utchan-Nanchan will host the "Unnan Kyokugen Neta Battle (Utchan-Nanchan's Ultimate Improv Battle)" (TBS, Tuesday, 9 p.m.), a two-hour special featuring 15 of Japan's most popular comedy acts competing with improvisational routines. Each act is given a subject or situation and must come up with a routine instantly. Any group that makes the audience laugh five skits in a row wins a prize of one million yen.
One of the most popular "shojo manga" (girls' comic) of all time is Suzue Miuchi's "The Glass Mask," which, since it was launched in 1976, has sold more than 40 million complete sets in book form. It was first animated in 1984, and in 1988 the basic story was adapted for the stage and directed by kabuki superstar Bando Tamasaburo with Shinobu Otake in the lead. In the late '90s, it was made into a live action TV serial starring Yumi Adachi.