A very easy to notice difference between Japan and the UK is the comedy when watching TV. Japan actually has different types of comedy whereas the UK only has two (from what I know). One of Japan’s most famous types of comedy is Manzai, which is where one person is the serious character (straight man) and one is the silly / funny character. The jokes involve a small slap on the back of the head by the serious character whenever the silly character says something silly. It’s an interesting style and easy to follow, unlike UK comedy.
In the UK, comedians mostly use satire and sarcasm to make jokes. For some people, it can be difficult to understand sometimes and it sometimes requires us to think more about the joke to understand it. But at times British comedy shows get so popular that they become international hits. One example of this is “The Office” made by Ricky Gervais, a famous British comedian. In my opinion, Japanese comedy is more interesting because it involves more aspects and I feel there are more ways to create a funny joke than in the UK. But it’s interesting that many foreign people also become interested in Japan’s comedy and start to prefer it, just like me. Although I have talked to some Japanese people who say they prefer British comedy. Actually one person told me they really love “The Office”.
There are also differences between American and British comedy but it’s a long story. Basically, I think British comedy is a bit more complex or difficult to understand for foreign people.
- Do you like comedy? Which do you prefer?
- Do you think foreign comedy is difficult or easy to understand?
- How would you summarise or describe Japanese comedy?
- Do you know any popular comedy shows? Do you enjoy them?
- Do you think comedy can be offensive sometimes? Give some examples.
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