Haraiichi’s Yuki Iwai Reflects on Success by Not Conforming to Others

Neither contrarian nor conformist—

 

The once-reclusive comedian known as the ‘rotten comedian’ has, before anyone realized it, become a familiar face on daytime TV.

“I sometimes hear that I’m ‘edgy’ or have a ‘unique sensibility,’ but I don’t feel like I’m being contrarian at all. Being contrarian means forcing yourself to go against the grain, right?”

Yuki Iwai (38) from the comedy duo “Haraichi,” known for his role as the comic relief and for writing their material, doesn’t read the room or bow to expectations. His words, which are true to his own sensibility, are sharp and cutting. Although there was a time when he was labeled a rotten comedian, he is now firmly regarded as a genius. 

On July 31, his 38th birthday, Iwai published his third essay collection, “This Flat Road, I Can’t Walk Straight” (Shinchosha). The book, which captures his sharp observations on everyday oddities and questions, has been praised for its ‘addictive’ quality.

 

His unique perspective prompts curiosity about its origin.

 

“When asked if I keep my antennae up all the time, I honestly don’t. I’m not consciously aware of it, but I can’t help but notice small gestures from people around me or seemingly insignificant parts of the scenery. I actually think it would be easier to live if I weren’t so sensitive.”

 

Iwai describes his hobby as “endlessly thinking about one thing.” At the core of this is his desire to uncover the root causes of everything.

 

“I’m always curious about how things work, whether it’s the universe or what’s considered common knowledge. I also apply this curiosity to interpersonal relationships. When we have an argument, I’m interested in understanding why the other person is angry, so I always ask for the reason.

Sometimes, depending on how it’s received, it might come across as pressing or might even make the other person angrier. My partner, Yū Sawabe (38), is a prime example of this. He gets upset quickly even if I just ask a little bit, so I try not to dig too deeply with him (laughs).

 

The impact on comedy.

Because he doesn’t easily conform to others, disagreements are not uncommon.

“For instance, even on stage, if people around me say something is ‘good,’ that alone isn’t enough for me to feel that it was ‘somewhat interesting.’ I remember when I went to see The Phantom of the Opera, I didn’t have the preconception that it was a masterpiece. So I ended up noticing things like, ‘Why is the Phantom so angry over such trivial reasons?’ and ‘The Phantom’s behavior seems too awkward around women.’ Being able to interpret things in my own way might actually be an advantage.”

Iwai began writing essays in 2018. Given that his editor suggested making it a trilogy, this latest work might be the final installment.

“I enjoyed the thrill of abandoning my work to go out and have fun. Even when I could only write a few lines and the deadline was looming, I’d end up inviting someone out for dinner. The pleasure came from the agony of the deadline, and I really liked that.”

When asked at the end of the interview about the benefits of writing essays, Iwai gave a cynical smile.

“Maybe I’ve become a bit better at writing. but honestly, there’s really nothing else (laughs). I haven’t been able to translate it into anything for comedy. In fact, there have been more downsides. Essays focus on ‘interest’ and ‘emotional depth’ rather than direct humor, and when I tried applying that approach to comedy scripts, they didn’t get any laughs at all (laughs).”

Thus, Iwai remained candid and unyielding in his opinions during the FRIDAY interview.

 

From the September 6 and 13, 2024 issue of ‘FRIDAY’.