Part1: http://japan-through-my-eyes.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-words-describing-japan-of-2010.html
Part:2:http://japan-through-my-eyes.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-words-describing-japan-of-2010_05.html
Part3: http://japan-through-my-eyes.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-words-describing-japan-of-2010_06.html
Part4: http://japan-through-my-eyes.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-words-describing-japan-of-2010_08.html
Have you heard of Manzai/漫才? This is a Japanese tradition and a sort of stand-up comedy. Generally, two people form a group and name it. They make up funny stories and perform talks about the stories. We refer to the people as Manzaishi/漫才師(Manzai comedians in English). The stories, speaking styles and speaking tempo, and rhythms will decide how funny Manzai comedians and Manzai groups are. It usually takes at least ten years to be able to make a living as Manzai comedians. Please see the You Tube video below. One of the two Manzai comedians (the shorter one) there is what Takeshi Kitano/北野武 was about 30 years ago. Although he is currently well known as a film director in foreign countries, especially France, he became very popular as a Manzai comedian in Japan. He insists that he is still a comedian.
Anyway, Japanese people always love Manzai, regardless of the times. In the past 15 years, Manzai comedians have become necessary for TV shows. Popular comedians tend to be used as MCs there. In variety TV shows, their humor greatly helps the shows gain popularity. Under these circumstances, a lot of Manzai comedians are struggling to survive. New styles of Manzai pop up one after another. This year, the Manzai group called Wコロン/W koron, which consists of two people, has become very popular by means of using the Japanese traditional word game called 謎かけ/nazo kake. The aforementioned phrase/ととのいました is the one which a member of the Manzai group always says before presenting 謎かけ.
As for 謎かけ/nazo kake, I'll try to explain it a little, although I'm not sure if my explanation is good enough to help you understand it. As I mentioned above, 謎かけ is a sort of word game. Homophones are often used in 謎かけ. When you play 謎かけ, you instantly have to present two short phrases and what the two phrases have in common. There is a patten to 謎かけ
The patten is:
XXXとかけて/XXX to kakete,
XXXと解く/XXX to toku,
その心はXXX /sono kokoro wa XXXX
EX:
「テレビ」とかけて、
「TV sets」とかけて、
「抜け毛が気になる人」と解く。
「people who care about their hair loss」と解く。
その心は「どちらも、どんどん”薄く”なってく」
その心は「Both TV sets and their hair are becoming thin.」
Part4: http://japan-through-my-eyes.blogspot.com/2010/12/top-10-words-describing-japan-of-2010_08.html
Have you heard of Manzai/漫才? This is a Japanese tradition and a sort of stand-up comedy. Generally, two people form a group and name it. They make up funny stories and perform talks about the stories. We refer to the people as Manzaishi/漫才師(Manzai comedians in English). The stories, speaking styles and speaking tempo, and rhythms will decide how funny Manzai comedians and Manzai groups are. It usually takes at least ten years to be able to make a living as Manzai comedians. Please see the You Tube video below. One of the two Manzai comedians (the shorter one) there is what Takeshi Kitano/北野武 was about 30 years ago. Although he is currently well known as a film director in foreign countries, especially France, he became very popular as a Manzai comedian in Japan. He insists that he is still a comedian.
Anyway, Japanese people always love Manzai, regardless of the times. In the past 15 years, Manzai comedians have become necessary for TV shows. Popular comedians tend to be used as MCs there. In variety TV shows, their humor greatly helps the shows gain popularity. Under these circumstances, a lot of Manzai comedians are struggling to survive. New styles of Manzai pop up one after another. This year, the Manzai group called Wコロン/W koron, which consists of two people, has become very popular by means of using the Japanese traditional word game called 謎かけ/nazo kake. The aforementioned phrase/ととのいました is the one which a member of the Manzai group always says before presenting 謎かけ.
As for 謎かけ/nazo kake, I'll try to explain it a little, although I'm not sure if my explanation is good enough to help you understand it. As I mentioned above, 謎かけ is a sort of word game. Homophones are often used in 謎かけ. When you play 謎かけ, you instantly have to present two short phrases and what the two phrases have in common. There is a patten to 謎かけ
The patten is:
XXXとかけて/XXX to kakete,
XXXと解く/XXX to toku,
その心はXXX /sono kokoro wa XXXX
EX:
「テレビ」とかけて、
「TV sets」とかけて、
「抜け毛が気になる人」と解く。
「people who care about their hair loss」と解く。
その心は「どちらも、どんどん”薄く”なってく」
その心は「Both TV sets and their hair are becoming thin.」
