The reason I started writing one-minute stories was television.
There was a program where Matayoshi Naoki hosted a segment in which comedians wrote one-minute stories. I saw a piece by Kaga from the duo Kagaya, and I found it genuinely interesting. The last line completely overturned everything that had come before.
As I kept writing, I started thinking about the difference between manzai and conte. Manzai is all talk and talk, and then it ends fairly abruptly. Conte is different. Without a punchline, it simply does not work. I think one-minute stories are the same.
I once thought about which comedian had influenced me the most. It was Impulse. [1]
Around middle school or high school, I used to watch Enta no Kamisama regularly. [2] I watched it again recently and saw their “nurse’s office” bit. A yakuza teacher walks into an otherwise wholesome school setting. Something hardcore suddenly intrudes on the everyday. That structure felt close to what I wanted to write.
Come to think of it, comedy showcase programs are almost never on anymore. You either go to a live venue or hunt things down yourself on YouTube. Apparently the fact that comedy is not trending within the comedy world has itself become material for comedians.
The last line flips everything. That is what makes conte funny, and probably what makes one-minute stories funny too.
When I trace where my writing comes from, I end up back at the version of myself who was laughing in front of the television.
I pretend not to notice that the person doing all this comedy analysis is, in fact, the least funny one in the room.
[1] Impulse (インパルス) is a Japanese stand-up comedy duo, formed in 1998 and belonging to the talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo. They are known for their conte-style sketches, which prioritize strong narrative construction and a clear punchline over rapid back-and-forth wordplay.
[2] Enta no Kamisama (エンタの神様, literally “God of Entertainment”) was a weekly comedy variety program broadcast on Fuji Television from 2003 to 2010. It was one of the most-watched comedy showcases of its era, featuring short stand-up and sketch performances by a rotating roster of comedians, and served as a launchpad for many acts who became household names in Japan.
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【1分読了】最後の一文で、全部ひっくり返す
1分小説を書き始めたきっかけは、テレビだった。
又吉がプレゼンターをやっていた番組で、芸人が1分小説を書くという企画があった。かが屋の加賀が書いたものを見て、単純に面白いと思った。最後の一文で、それまでの流れが全部ひっくり返るという内容だった。
書き続けているうちに、漫才とコントの違いが気になり始めた。漫才は話して話して、わりと急に終わる。コントは違う。オチがなければ成立しない。1分小説も、そういうものだと思っている。
どの芸人から一番影響を受けているか考えたことがある。インパルスだった。
中学か高校の頃、エンタの神様をよく見ていた。久しぶりに見直して、保健室のネタを見た。ほのぼのとした設定に、ヤクザの先生が出てくる。日常の中に、ハードコアな何かが突然入り込む。その構造が、自分の書きたいものに近かった。
そう言えば、ネタ番組は、今はほとんど見かけなくなった。劇場に行くか、YouTubeで自分から探すか。お笑い界でお笑いが流行っていないというのが、芸人のネタになっているらしい。
最後の一文で全部ひっくり返す。それがコントの面白さで、たぶん1分小説の面白さでもある。
自分の書くものがどこから来ているかを考えると、テレビの前で笑っていた頃の自分に行き着く。
そうやってお笑いの分析をしている自分自身が、一番笑えない存在であることに私は気づかないふりをしている。