On Dec. 26, as the curtain came down on the 10th and final M-1 Grand Prix — an annual comedy competition aired live on TV Asahi — there was a distinct feeling that something special had been witnessed, that the performance of one duo in particular heralded the beginning of something new.
"I started laughing for real," cracked program host Koji Imada.
"My hand was shaking as I pushed the button (to vote for them)," said one of the judges, Hiroyuki Miyasako.