Rising in Popularity After Finishing as Runner-Up in Three Consecutive Tournaments! The Secrets to a Major Breakthrough, as Seen in the Highly Sought-After “Don Decorte”

“Easy to use as a duo”—it’s getting rave reviews

On the July 20 broadcast of “Double Impact 2026” (Nippon TV), a competition to determine the No. 1 dual-genre comedy duo (manzai and skits), “Don Decorte” took second place.Ginji Watanabe (41), the “boke” (comic) of the duo, has now finished as runner-up in three consecutive competitions: the “R-1 Grand Prix” (Fuji TV), in which he competed as a solo act, and the “M-1 Grand Prix” (TV Asahi), which marked the start of their breakthrough.

“Even before ‘M-1,’ they were regarded by fellow comedians and sketch show producers as ‘definitely going to make it big!’ While Ginji’s strong presence tends to overshadow him, his straight man, Kyosaku Kobashi (37), also has interesting backstories—such as his family once running a famous adult novelty store in Okinawa.They have a reputation for being ‘easy to work with as a duo,’” said a director at a production company.

Ginji is also in high demand for commercials and TV dramas. McDonald’s web commercial “Dubuchi Again,” released in April, surpassed 30 million views within four days of its release.He has also been cast in the spin-off of “VIVANT” (TBS), “Drum | VIVANT THE ORIGIN STORY” (U-NEXT), which began airing in July.

“It’s well known that Ginji is staying as a lodger in part of the family home of Kohei Masuda (40) from *Kageyama*, but it seems his wide range of hobbies—as shown on the YouTube channel *Soreike Masumaso*, which Masuda runs—is really resonating with creators.Haru Kuroki (36) and Kayo Noro (42) also revealed that they were having a lively discussion about Ginji on the set of the drama *A Vote from the Galaxy* (Fuji TV). He’s increasing his presence across various fields, and some staff members even say, ‘He reeks of money.’” (Advertising agency insider)

The group that ended up bearing the brunt of this was “Takuro,” who beat “Don Decorte” to win the “M-1” Grand Prix.

“Immediately after winning, Yutaka Akagi (34), the group’s straight man, took a brief hiatus due to illness. During that time, it was ‘Don Decorte’ that reaped the benefits of the ‘M-1’ boom through event appearances and promotional work.“However, it would be pointless if they pushed themselves too hard and burned out, and since their talent is undeniable, ‘Takuro’ just needs to make a comeback from here. Since both groups are affiliated with Yoshimoto Kogyo, they can even be marketed as a package deal,” said a broadcast writer.

The advertising agency representative mentioned earlier pointed out, “The thing to watch out for is, of course, scandals involving women.”

“There are quite a few fans of his generation who empathize with Ginji’s line: ‘40 years old, single. According to the standards set by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, I’m considered part of the poverty-stricken class.’It’s precisely because Ginji lives a thoughtful life—enjoying home-cooked meals even without much money—that companies cast him in commercials. Even if it doesn’t go as far as an affair, simply being photographed at a drinking party with flashy women from the Minato Ward ‘gal’ scene could damage his image.”

Perhaps Ginji is aware of this, as he has publicly stated that he “likes the ‘gal’ type.” It seems he’s taking steps to ensure his popularity doesn’t rise too high.

The aforementioned broadcast writer gives him his seal of approval, saying, “All that’s left is for him to land a regular radio or TV show of his own as soon as possible, and he’ll be set.”

“‘Audrey’ also initially drew attention thanks to Toshiaki Kasuga’s (47) offbeat character, but they had their big breakthrough when Masayasu Wakabayashi’s (47) talent became known to the public through radio.”

Now, before they are consumed as “trendy comedians,” is the moment for them to make their mark.

From the August 21 & 28, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*