Yuriyan Retriever’s U.S. Debut Draws Criticism, But Experts Praise Her Talent

Comedian Yuriyan Retriever has made headlines by announcing her move to the American entertainment industry.

The “Sota Fujii” of the comedy world

Yuriyan Retriever graduated at the top of her class from Yoshimoto Kogyo’s comedy training school “NSC Osaka” in 2013. The following year, she won the Grand Prize at the “Newcomer Comedy Amagasaki Grand Prize.” By her second year in the industry, in 2015, she reached the finals of the “R-1 Grand Prix” (formerly known as “R-1 Grand Prix”), which determines the best solo comedian in Japan. In 2017, she won both the “NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest” and the inaugural “Female Comedian No. 1 Competition THE W,” reaching the pinnacle of female comedy in just four years. 

But that’s not all. In 2021, she also won the “R-1 Grand Prix,” making her a top-tier comedian in the industry, comparable to Sota Fujii in the world of comedy.

 

Many within the comedy world hold her in high regard. For instance, Razor Ramon RG, who appeared in a VTR as Yuriyan’s recommender on “Female Comedian No. 1 Competition THE W” (Nippon TV) in 2017, described her as a “monster.” This means she excels not only at eliciting laughs through her talk but also at creating something out of nothing. While it might seem like a given that a comedian should be able to make people laugh through conversation, few achieve this perfectly. Only a handful of comedians can consistently deliver laughs as part of a “panel comedian” role on variety shows. 

Yuriyan’s ability to incorporate humor into any situation is remarkable. For example, even when she is discussing her background in a serious tone, she skillfully uses techniques like making funny faces or breaking the rhythm to ensure that she always manages to elicit laughter.

The phrase “creating something from nothing” likely refers to the ability to develop comedic material. This becomes clear when observing her routines. She skillfully transforms subjects that might not have seemed funny into entertaining and humorous content.