He’s a Comedy Legend, But… “The Greatness of Ken Shimura” as Felt by Hidehiko Ishizuka of “Honjama-ka” Through Their Collaboration

At 8:00 p.m., the entire Ishizuka family gathers in front of the TV

Hello, everyone. This is Hidehiko Ishizuka—even though I was given a plastic raincoat to keep me dry during a rainy shoot, my overalls ended up soaking wet from sweat.

Now, in this post, I’d like to write about Ken Shimura.

I’m part of the “Drifters” generation. Ever since I was a child, at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday nights, the entire Ishizuka family would gather in front of the TV.

My heart would race whenever I saw Chosuke Ikariya, Boo Takagi, Cha Kato, Koji Nakamoto, and Chu Arai come down the stairs at the venue wearing their happi coats.

My older brother and I would watch the set and make predictions together: “This time, Mr. Ikariya is playing the landlord,” or “This time, he’s the ninja master.” We’d burst out laughing whenever Mr. Ikariya was treated roughly, and we’d laugh just as hard when Mr. Chu said, “This is a pen.”Just seeing Boo-san walk slowly would send the audience into fits of laughter. It was such a funny show that it was frustrating it only aired for an hour.

On *It’s 8 O’Clock! Everyone Gather Here!* (TBS), a show that could be called the “youth” of us kids, Ken Shimura appeared to replace Mr. Chu.

At first, I was sad that we wouldn’t be seeing Mr. Chu’s gags anymore, but gradually, Mr. Shimura won over the kids’ hearts. I, too, was quickly drawn in by Mr. Shimura’s brand of humor, which included his sharp comebacks directed at Mr. Ikariya and Mr. Kato.

He was both the “Demon of Comedy Sketches” and an “Angel”

As time went on, “Shimura’s World” continued to evolve in various forms, from *Zennin Shūgō* to *Kato-chan Ken-chan Gokigen TV* (TBS), *Ken Shimura’s Daijōbu Daa*, and *Ken Shimura’s Baka Tonosama* (both on Fuji TV).

Amid all this, I had the opportunity to co-star with Mr. Shimura on a show called *Ken-chan’s Oh My God!* (Fuji TV). It felt like a fan getting to see their idol once a week.

At first, I was completely focused on memorizing the script thoroughly and making sure I didn’t get in the way of the skits. However, after we’d finished filming two or three times, Mr. Shimura said to me, “Ishizuka-kun, you write skits, right?　We have a sketch meeting every Wednesday at Fuji TV—would you like to join us, Ishizuka-kun?” That was probably the moment my heart rate spiked the highest in my entire life.

Since I love drawing, I wrote the script and storyboard and headed to the Fuji TV conference room. When I walked in, a shocking sight greeted me. The tables were arranged in a U-shape, with a single tatami mat in the center. There, Mr. Shimura was lying face-down, reading the script.

He was surrounded by the show’s producers, directors, and writers. Not a single person spoke until Mr. Shimura said something.

After quite some time had passed, Mr. Shimura said to me, “Ishizuka-kun, show me what you wrote,” and I replied, “Yes, here it is!” as I handed him the script with hands that were visibly shaking.After a brief pause, Mr. Shimura said, “That’s good. Let’s go with this.” What’s more, he let me play the role that was originally written for him. It wasn’t just like a dream—it was a scene I’d never even dreamed of.

While Mr. Shimura was a demon when it came to comedy sketches, he was also an angel who gave young performers opportunities. After the recording, I was invited to join him for drinks, and Mr. Shimura even asked, “Ishizuka-kun, what would you like to drink next?” showing concern for my drink. It made me realize once again what an amazing person he was.

The man who rode in a limousine after dedicating his life solely to sketch comedy. The genius who wore a denim jacket embroidered with Mickey Mouse. The fact that Mr. Shimura called me by name remains a treasure to me to this day.

From the July 31, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*