Intl Japanese Comedy Fanbase Growing with Streaming; Original Programming, English Subtitles Broaden Accessibility

By Kiyohito Yoshida / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:00 JST, August 29, 2025

Streaming services are increasingly playing a key role in Japanese comedy programs reaching overseas audiences. Using techniques cultivated in comedy and variety show production, these services’ original programming is seeing a rise in viewership.

“The Golden Combi” has been distributed since last October by Amazon Japan’s Prime Video. Popular comedians pair up to perform improvised skits based on prompts, in order to win the most votes from the 200 audience members.

One episode featured 16 comedians, including Shohei Osada of comedy duo Chocolate Planet and Seiya (of Shimofurimyojo). Comedy duo Chidori serve as hosts.

In a skit set on the moon, Hiromasa Yashiki (of New York) dressed as an astronaut encounters Ken Horiuchi (of Neptune) wearing rabbit ears. Horiuchi said, “It’s time to make mochi [to pound steamed rice into cakes],” but started draining hot water from ramen noodles, eliciting laughter with his nonsensical humor (rabbits make mochi on the moon, according to Japanese folklore).

The total of five episodes run about 30 to 50 minutes each. Each duo’s material includes parodies of TV dramas, in a sense making it an extension of Japanese broadcast comedy.

However, with the inclusion of English subtitles, the show becomes accessible to international audiences.

“Streaming could serve to showcase Japan’s comedy with meticulous [production value] to the world,” said Kazuaki Hashimoto, the director, expressing his hopes.

Prime Video already offers programs that have proven popular overseas.

“Fuun! Takeshi-jo,” a hit in the 1980s in Japan, was remade under the English title “Takeshi’s Castle Japan” in 2023 in collaboration with TBS, the broadcaster behind its production. Subtitles have been made available in 35 languages, catering to many international fans. As with comedy variety show “Hitoshi Matsumoto Presents Documental,” “local versions” have also been produced in over 25 countries and regions around the world, including Asia and Europe, with participation from local comedians. Netflix also has a comedy program featuring Chidori and others, with English and Korean subtitles.

Do Japanese comedy programs have what it takes to take the world by storm? “It won’t happen at once,” Hashimoto determined. What people find funny is culturally and linguistically specific, meaning humor varies from country to country, he said.

“We need to humbly study how comedy is received in each country and what their needs are,” said Hashimoto.

However, he is not pessimistic. “There is no country where comedy has become as much of an integral part of daily culture as in Japan. It would be a sheer waste to produce content only catered to domestic audiences. Our generation needs to take the lead in getting the word out,” he emphasized.

In recent years, it’s been reported that an increasing number of users in English-speaking countries watch subtitled Japanese and Korean anime and dramas via streaming services.

“With the right circumstances, Japanese comedy content could also be well-received overseas,” said Motohiko Tokuriki, a blogger with expertise on the entertainment industry. “People engaged in the comedy industry need to actively work on experimenting and spreading the word.”