Yoshimoto Kogyo Launching ‘Comedy Squad’

Yoshimoto Kogyo, an Osaka-based expertise company and Japanese media firm that celebrates its one hundred and tenth anniversary this yr, has introduced the launch of “Yoshimoto Comedy Squad,” a YouTube channel that options non-verbal comedy movies and comedian ‘challenges’ throughout a spread of subjects. The intention is to broaden the worldwide fan base of Yoshimoto’s roster of comedians, the most important within the Japanese leisure business.  

Among the many abilities showing on the channel is Uekusa Kazuhisa, higher identified by his stage names of Wes-P or Mr Uekusa, whose movies have gone viral on Twitter and TikTok, and has appeared on TV exhibits, commercials and occasions in 14 nations, together with the U.S., whereas accumulating 14 million social media followers. He’s making content material solely for the channel.  

Additionally on board is Haranishi Takayuki of the comedy duo Fujiwara, who will ship movies within the internationally infamous ‘punishment sport’ style, fashionable plus-sized expertise Watanabe Naomi, who has transferred the bottom of her operations to New York, and feminine comedian Yuriyan Retriever, who has appeared on the present “America’s Bought Expertise.”
      
“We hope that the Yoshimoto Comedy Squad will function a catalyst for the world to know extra in regards to the energy of Japan’s nice comedians and selection exhibits,” says mission supervisor Tsuchiya Tatsuhiko. “All through its 110-year historical past Yoshimoto has constructed a wealthy tradition of comedians who’re sincerely devoted to comedy. We imagine that the methods, spirit, and performances that Japanese comedians have honed and handed on to the following era can be accepted all through the world.”  

Yoshimoto will not be taking exhibition area within the TIFFCOM market this week in Tokyo. However earlier this month it had a sales space on the MIPCOM TV rights market in Cannes for the primary time. With Japanese comedy exhibits having fun with revived worldwide curiosity – “Final One Laughing” has been bought as a franchise in nations as various as Mexico, Italy and Australia – the corporate sees a vivid future for format rights gross sales.