Reiwa-Era Female Comedians Breaking Out Beyond Japan After the Naomi Watanabe Era

In early April, Naomi Watanabe (37) announced that she had signed with two major American agencies: United Talent Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

“A presence like Naomi Watanabe’s is growing stronger globally, as seen when she was selected for the BBC’s 100 Women list,” noted a reporter for a sports newspaper’s entertainment desk.

A director at a production company praised how the standing of female comedians clearly changed with Watanabe’s arrival.

“Before Naomi Watanabe, female comedians were often treated as sidekicks to glamorous female talents. But when Watanabe began actively sharing her love of fashion and makeup on social media, it coincided with a cultural shift toward embracing diversity. The old style of comedy that mocked appearances or body types quickly started to feel outdated.”

In 2016, Watanabe successfully completed a world tour, and the following year saw the launch of the Women-Only Comedy No.1 Contest THE W (Nippon TV). Since then, female comedians like 3ji no Heroine have risen to prominence.

“Because it’s women-only, some critics claim the contest isn’t as ‘high-level’ as something like M-1, but the breakout rate for winners is actually the highest. That’s because demand for female comedians has been rising. On the flip side, some argue that, in a society embracing diversity, a women-only contest feels outdated — there’s even talk it might be discontinued,” said a broadcast writer.

Among THE W champions, Benishoga is especially well-regarded within the industry.

“Kumamoto Pro-Wrestling (34), who plays the fool, is adored by fellow comedians. An episode of Ametalk! (TV Asahi) even featured a ‘We Love Kumamoto Pro-Wrestling’ segment. Meanwhile, straight-man Inada Miki (35) is also active as an actress, and a self-funded semi-nude photo exhibition she held was a huge success. Like Naomi Watanabe, they openly embrace femininity while also being genuinely funny, so their names often come up in production meetings.

Sarand’s Saaya (29) has also been broadening her career, going on tour with the hip-hop band Raizan, and thanks to her academic background and articulate commentary, she’s highly valued on programs beyond comedy,” explained a key station producer.

On the other hand, it’s said that comedians who used to trade on chubby or ugly personas are facing a tough time.

“To be honest, it’s tricky to handle now. Back in the day, a classic skit would be a plain or heavyset comedian professing love to a handsome celebrity and getting rejected — but that kind of setup is no longer acceptable,” said the aforementioned production company director.

So, will a new female comedy powerhouse like Kuniko Yamada (64), who once hosted multiple shows, emerge? The answer seems to be no.

“There’s no one with the kind of presence to command a large group of talents, and honestly, I don’t think any female comedians are aiming for that now. Being an MC means you’ll get bashed and attract enemies. Most female comedians today prefer to follow their own path or work in a way that’s fun for them. I doubt any of them want to suppress their personality just to climb to the top of the industry,” the broadcast writer added.

Female comedians of the Reiwa era are no longer confined to the small world of Japanese showbiz.

 

From “FRIDAY”, May 9/16/23, 2025 combined issue