Still not a regular duo? The breakout comedy duo “Kishitaka no Kishitaka” talks about their “surprising secret story of formation.

I hope this interview is not a surprise.　I’ve been getting so many surprises lately that I suspect everything, and it would be scary if someone told me it was a FRIDAY interview (laughs).

The interview with the comedy duo “Kishitakano” began with such a comment from the comedian Masanari Takano (34).

Kishitaka Kano, 33, a comedian, and Masanari Kishi, 34, a comedian, were classmates in junior high school when they formed their comedy duo in 2012. Kishi’s humorous, subtle humor and Takano’s “angry tskkomi” are their main attractions. In 2010, they started a YouTube channel called “I want to make Mr. Takano angry. His videos, in which he uses all kinds of surprises to elicit “angry tsukkomi” from Takano-san, have attracted a lot of attention and have become very popular content, consistently recording more than 1 million views.

Their YouTube activities have also encouraged them to make more media appearances over the past year, including “Wednesday’s Downtown” (TBS) and “Chance no Jikan” (Abema TV). We caught up with the enigmatic face of “Kishitano,” who is about to get her big break.

–I heard that you have been classmates since junior high school.

Kishi: “We were in the same class for the first time when we were in the first year of junior high school, and I heard from people that Takano was a “comedy genius” in elementary school, so I was curious to know what he was like. I was curious to know what kind of guy he was.

Takano: “He was the funniest guy in elementary school.

K: “But there was no one watching late-night shows, so he was just doing gags from late-night shows in front of everyone. They were laughing just because they ate school lunch and said ‘mai-sai’ (delicious).

Takano: “At that time, people said I was funnier than TV people (laughs).

K: “When I was in junior high school and Takano and I were together, I was also watching late-night shows, so I recognized him at once. Since then, we became friends because we shared a common love of comedy.

–Did you have the desire to form a comedic duo since you were in junior high school?

Takano: “Actually, we never talked about becoming a comedian together (laughs). When I was in college, I was getting my teaching license, so I planned to go straight into teaching.”

K: “I was a swimmer until college, and I had decided to become a comedian after quitting the club, and I told that to Takano. A few days later, he brought me a brochure for a training school without my permission. I didn’t invite him, but he thought I did (laughs).

Takano: “What do you mean he brought it without permission? When Kishi announced his decision to become a comedian in front of his friends, they thought he was asking me out, so I brought the pamphlet to him.

Kishi “That’s why we’re not officially a duo even now (laughs).”

Takano: “If we were, there’s no way we would have lasted this long.”

Q: Were you really happy when Mr. Takano gave you the pamphlet?

Kishi “No, I really wanted to be a comedian like “Sissonne” or “Kagaya” now, so I thought it would be nice to have a shticky partner.

Takano “You’re supposed to be chic, aren’t you?

Kishi “When Takano brought me a pamphlet, I couldn’t say I didn’t like it because we were friends. …… But when I tried to imagine us working together, for some reason the image of Takano in a bath of boiling water came to me naturally. I thought, “I might be able to do something interesting with this guy. That was actually my real intention.

Takano said, “Don’t say that like it’s so cool. Was it decided from that time on that you were going to be forced to do a lot of physical work (laughs)?”

–(laughs) – So your position of being physically demanding was already decided right after the formation of the group.

Takano: “But unlike Kishi, I didn’t have a yearning for stylish comedians. I used to laugh out loud when I saw someone like Tanaka-san (Takashi, 47) from Angie’s Angie’s being beaten up.

Kishi: “You felt sorry for him and watched him?”

Takano: “Why?　I felt sorry for you, but I thought you were funny!

–This year marks the 11th year in your career. Looking back, has it been smooth sailing?

Takano: “When I became a comedian, I thought I would sell in about three years, and I was talking with Kishi about something like a plan for the future, which hasn’t come true at all.

Kishi “Originally, when I joined the agency, we talked about a three-year contract, and we agreed that if I couldn’t appear on TV after three years, I would quit, or if I couldn’t get a regular TV show, I would quit.

Takano: “I set a short-term goal and ran as fast as I could, and in the third year I got a regular spot on an Internet program. I said that the next three years would be commercials, and I got a small role in a commercial, just walking behind the lead actor. …… It was like a contract renewal.

Kishi: “So it hasn’t been smooth sailing. It was really a series of small steps.

–K: “This year you have been making more appearances in the media.

Takano: “Until one or two years ago, my income as a comedian was basically zero. Compared to that, my income has increased, so I feel more like I’ve finally become a comedian than that I’ve sold well.

Kishi “But I still don’t feel like I’ve made it. I still worry about whether I’ll be able to make a living.

Takano “Seriously, I don’t know when I will disappear. I feel like I’ve survived this month by chance, and I keep repeating that every month.

Kishi “I used to work part-time, so I used to be happy when I got paid a little more as a comedian, but lately I’m dreading payday.

Takano “But you know, I can just get another part-time job (laughs).

(laugh)” — What is your goal for the future?

Takano: “I’m grateful to be invited to variety shows, but since we are manzai comedians, I’d like to win the M-1 competition.

Kishi “A guy who says he wants to win is not going to win.

Takano “What do you say?”

Kishi “You’re going to win, aren’t you?

Takano “I’m going to win, I’m going to be the M-1 champion.

Part 2 [YouTube has 1 million views across the board! In the second part, ” Behind the Scenes of the Million-Hit Streak,” Kishitakano reveals the story behind his YouTube activities, which led to his breakthrough.