Show-ha Shoten!, Vol. 1

Show-ha Shoten! #1

by Akinari Asakura

"Me diga algo engraçado", foi o que Shijima ouviu naquele dia em que não conseguiu responder à altura... Um dia que jamais esqueceu, que o fez jurar aprender mais sobre comédia até conseguir reencontrar aquela pessoa! Mas como poderia se tornar um comediante se tem medo do palco? Seu colega de escola, Taiyo, pode ajudar com isso, prometendo que, juntos, ambos se tornarão os maiores comediantes do mundo, com o objetivo de reencontrar as pessoas importantes para eles e trazerem sorrisos aos seus rostos.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Comedy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Humor, Young Adult

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2022

Reviews

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weirdly fascinating series, one I'm glad I took a chance on... but also one I really don't understand.

Japanese comedy is, when divorced from slapstick or sex jokes, fundamentally impenetrable to the Western mind; and given that this is a series ABOUT comedy -- writing it, performing it, etc. -- I read chapter after chapter, understanding the words but not why any of it is supposed to be funny. I can watch "El Chapulin Colorado" and understand the humour in the wordplay; I can read Aristophanes's "Ornithes" and understand the humour in the narrative and the songs; but I'll be buggered if I can understand why ANY of the comedy skits the protagonists and their rivals perform in this manga are supposed to be humorous.

Yet it's a tribute to the quality of the writing and the characterizations and the art that I do keep reading, appreciating the relatability of the struggles towards excellence and the developing friendships between the various cast members. I may never laugh, but I absolutely do care.

Crazy.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read 3 volumes of manga last night and Show-ha Shoten! was one of them. Viz Media sent me a copy and ... tbh it's still insane I say Viz Media has sent me something lmaooo. NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS. Ok, moving on.

Show-ha Shoten! is a comedy manga about two high schoolers who wants to be the best stand-up comedian duo. Each of them have their own reasons for why they want to become the best, but they decide to pair up in order to achieve success.

This manga is SUPER FUNNY oh my god. I was laughing way too hard. It's also really wholesome and adorable. Both Azemichi and Taiyo are the best. I love getting to know them in this first volume. I also love seeing the meet, especially because it's clear they don't have any friends to hang out with. So, it's obvious I'm going to be emotional about it because they've found a friend in each other. It's still pretty early on but I know the friendship is going to be amazing in this one.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I feel like this really has promise. Maybe I am just drawn in because of Obata’s art but I am vibing with the characters and I think it’s such a novel premise.

I will definitely check out the next couple of volumes and see how I feel, if there is enough to keep me hooked. Picked it up on a whim with low expectations and maybe that’s what worked in its favor. Definitely reminds me of Bakuman.

[bea 🪴 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was actually a fun read wasn’t sure how i would feel about it but very excited to what shijima and higashikata come up with

[Lucille · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome !! Les personnages nous touchent rapidement, entre Shijima qui souffre d’anxiété sociale mais qui a un talent certain pour écrire des sketch humoristique, et Higashikata qui a un passé d’acteur et tente de réaliser le rêve de son ami décédé. Leur duo est mignon et émouvant, je sens une belle histoire d’amitié en plus de ce parcours pour devenir les meilleurs humoristes ! Les personnages secondaires sont bien ébauchés dès ce premier tome et j’ai hâte de lire la suite

[Warruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Comedy, especially stand up comedians, but this is all coming from a modern western background and when a Manga that was focused on standup comedy came out I was both pleasantly surprised and somewhat confused.

To put it bluntly, Japanese comedy is different, and as someone who doesn't always find Japanese comedy to my taste, I struggle to put to words exactly what makes it different. Initially I would say it's the focus on the absurd with a lack of consideration of what is common, but that's not exactly true either. But as a westerner I feel like the actual jokes the characters tell while doing their standup is the weakest part of this manga.

If this is all this was I would have given this a lower score; thankfully that's not the case. There is a heavy focus on the technical aspects of telling jokes/performing standup and the scenarios outside of the actual jokes told during the stand up portions are fairly funny. The characters are well developed and unique enough along with the shonen style story to blend together into a very enjoyable manga, I'm just unsure if the jokes told in the manga when the characters are performing standup will ever land with a western audience.

If it did, this would easily be a 4/5, and truthfully that's where I think this belongs if the jokes made more sense to western pallets. But since that isn't the case, a 3/5 is more in order and I will continue this for another volume or two. Perhaps it will be good despite that issue that is likely impossible to correct without changing the whole story.

We shall see!

[Eyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if I was going to check this one out but I don't regret it. Obviously the art is great, but I'm not into comedy and while I've liked Obata's works in the past, I wasn't necessarily sold enough on name alone.
That said, this first volume was quite a bit of fun. I enjoyed how it talks about the more technical aspects of comedy and the characters are interesting enough. The pacing was a bit quick but I think that allowed for the story to get to the point, it wasn't dawdling. The characters have their time to shine in their acts themselves, they don't really need much time outside of it. I think I'm actually going to continue to the next volume.

[kaitlphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a battle manga and the fighting style is comedy.

I didn't find any of the jokes funny, which made this hard to continue, but the manga then addresses how jokes are for specific audiences. I found that very insightful and re-contextualizes the jokes for me.

I liked the new friendship and quick trust between the two characters, as well as the support they get from other characters. Volume 1 ends on enough of a charming cliffhanger that I'm interested in volume 2.

[AJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A unique concept, but it is hard to pull off. If the jokes aren't actually funny. I've seen funnier stuff in something like Black Clover. But regardless, I think we should leave the jokes to the stand up comics, or at least hire one to further help you write the jokes.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

baca di mangaplus..
suka awal2nya tapi dua chapter terakhir agak lost in translation, semoga bisa membaik

[shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

no audio is a downside for this one, the jokes need sound to work. other than that, characters are solid.

[Shane Stanis · Rating 4 out of 5]

IRCB 2024 Challenge

Read for a buddy comedy about comedy, and relatable depictions of social anxiety.

[ollei · Rating 5 out of 5]

most endearing set of main characters theyre so silly reading the second book immediately

[Trin (: · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first book! Its a different take on the “follow your dreams” story line. I like the fact that it’s comedy.

[Michelle Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love manga and anime that teach me something. Yuri on ice taught me about ice skating competitions and training. I learned about volleyball with Haikyu. Now I can learn about comedy and competitions in Japan with Show-ha Shoten! Akinari sensei is a new manga author and I am excited to learn more about Shijima and Taiyo. Two very different boys with an intense passion for comedy. Shijima is on the path to Tokyo U and is very shy. He dreams of being a comedy writer but is scared to tell his family. He can’t even speak up in class how could he ever get on stage. Taiyo finds out Shijima is really Everday Shijimi. Everyday Shijimi has won lots of radio comedy writing challenges. This excites Taiyo who is looking for a comedy partner for the school festival.

I learned so much about performing and writing comedy in volume one I can’t wait to learn more. I hope Shijimi can convince his family and I hope we learn about Taiyo’s past in volume two.

Highly recommend this new series for your collection.

[〔 ✿ 〕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hope this series continues to sell well in jp and doesn't get cancelled

[Enairolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce manga traîne depuis un bon moment dans ma PAL et il était temps que je me plonge dedans. Surtout que j’ai plusieurs tomes, ça me permet au moins de pouvoir avancer un bon coup dans la série en une seule fois. J’ai beaucoup aimé ma lecture pour le coup, c’est drôle, c’est léger, c’est rafraichissant, clairement le genre de lecture qui fait beaucoup de bien à lire. Ce premier tome m’a beaucoup plu et j’ai très hâte de continuer cete série avec les autres tomes.
Dans ce premier tome, au lycée, Azemichi Shijima n’ose pas parler en public… Pourtant, il est l’un des lycéens les plus drôle du pays ! Connu sous le pseudonyme « Everyday Shijimi », il a remporté de nombreux concours d’humour à la radio. Son envie de monter sur scène se concrétise lors de sa rencontre avec Taiyô Higashikata, qui rêve d’être le meilleur humoriste du Japon ! Après avoir conquis les élèves lors du festival de l’école, ils se lancent dans les concours de stand-up régionaux. Mais de redoutables adversaires les attendent !

J’ai tellement aimé cette histoire! Déjà, je me suis pas mal reconnue dans le personnage de Shijima, surtout pour son anxiété sociale d’ailleurs. Je suis clairement comme lui sur ce point alors je comprends complètement sa réticence à l’idée de devoir monter sur scène avec Higashikata! N’empêche respect parce que moi j’en aurais été clairement incapable! J’adore le thème de l’humour, je ne me souviens pas avoir déjà vu ce thème être exploité dans une autre histoire. Ça change de ce que l’on a l’habitude de voir et ça, ça me plaît beaucoup. Je trouve ça chouette de voir ces deux lycéens se donner à fond pour réaliser leur souhait. D’ailleurs, j’adore le duo qu’ils forment ces deux là! Ils sont très différents l’un de l’autre au niveau du caractère et pourtant ils se complètent à la perfection! J’adore le dynamique entre les deux et j’aime le fait de voir Shijima réussir à combattre son anxiété de cette manière. Avec ce qu’il se passe à la fin, je suis impatiente de me plonger dans la suite. Je sens que ça va être excellent à voir!

Un premier tome qui m’a complètement conquise. J’aime les personnages, j’aime l’histoire que je trouve passionnante. C’est drôle, sur ce point j’ai envie de dire heureusement d’ailleurs pour un manga qui parle d’humour ça serait le comble si ce n’était pas drôle! Je suis hyper curieuse de voir le numéro de nos deux humoristes!

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since failing to cheer up a childhood friend when she needed it most, Shijima has been honing his comedy skills.

He responds everyday to comedy prompts online and is even regularly featured, known as Everyday Shijimi. But, that’s about all he can do. See, Shijimi is terribly shy. Performing live, though integral to comedy, is something Shijimi can’t bring himself to do. He can barely speak up in class or reach out to students in his role as a student council representative.

When Shijima’s tasked with following up with a student about their comedy routine in a school wide sketch show though, he may just have found the partner he needs to find his nerve.

Higashikata is outgoing and not afraid of being laughed at. Coming from a background in child acting, he’s long since overcome stage fright. That said, he struggles a bit with perfecting his material.

When Higashikata discovers that Shijima is a local online comedy genius, he believes it’s fate that they collaborate and become a duo!

But, will Shijima be able to overcome not only his introverted nature but also his own self doubts about the quality of his comedy? More, can Shijima convince his family to support him in following his passions rather than following his family’s wishes to go to a prestigious college?

This is an unexpectedly great read!

The premise is unique and, to be honest, one I feared wouldn’t translate very well to the page. But, I found myself really invested in this story and these two characters who have this great charm and chemistry and these fairly legible motivations. This feels like a believable story.

I think the approach this story is what really helps it along. The comedy is an aspect of the story, yes, but it’s really a coming of age story about these two young boys identifying their passions and making choices about their futures. The comedy could be a stand in for anything really.

Definitely recommend for fans of unique, coming of age stories or for fans of manga series who are looking for a “palette cleanser”—I.e a story that’s not necessarily a romance or an action-packed thriller but still compels you along~

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this was a breath of fresh air. I tend to favor the more realistic stories that could happen in real life over fantastical stories where the fate of the world is in the protagonist's hands. I always yearn for the more mundane, slice-of-life moments in series, so reading Show-ha Shoten after so many zany stories was quite refreshing. The story focuses on Azemichi, a boy who starts studying and writing comedy after failing to make his middle school friends laugh before moving away. He's shy, but still writes in to different comedy radio and TV shows, which amass a small online following. But all that changes after Taiyo Higashikata learns that he's Everyday Shijimi and tries to team up with him, but Azemichi rejects him because of his stage fright. It's not until Higashikata's new partner seemingly ditches him right before their first performance that Azemichi finally opens up and decides to perform the routine with him. Of course, their performance was spectacular and now the duo is trying to make their way to the top and send a wave of laughter all the way up to Heaven. I thought this first volume was so fun. I really want to see more of Higashikata and Azemichi's dynamic and I hope to see their friendship blossom as Azemichi embraces his comedy skills. I'm not to familiar with Japanese comedy, so I think some of the jokes went over my head. Maybe I should start reading more comedy series. I know that a lot of Japanese comedy, especially in manga, involves wordplay and puns and that doesn't necessarily translate well to english. I love the art in this series. I really need to read more series where Takeshi Obata does the art, because his art is always so beautiful. Reading this almost made me feel a bit nostalgic. I remember when I was in elementary school and I wanted to be a stand-up comedian, but had no clue how to even write a joke! I've learned a bit more about comedy and stand-up, but I've since let go of that dream to pursue something else, so this series felt oddly relatable in a sense. I can't wait to read the next volume!!

[Kayt O'Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review of volumes 1-2

A shy boy secretly loves comedy and does well with write-in shows, but freezes up in real life. His outgoing classmate dreams of being a comedian and has the charisma, but no sense for stage timing. When they team up, will they [insert standard shounen-manga goals here]?

The plusses: It's an intriguing concept! Take the passion you normally see in series about sports or even games, and replace the subject with comedy instead. The art (by Takeshi Obata, who illustrated Death Note) is well done, making it a genuinely pleasurable reading experience--characters emote, are easy to differentiate, backgrounds show up where we were; there's no chance you'll get confused, which can be a problem with some graphic novels.

The neutrals: Shijima (shy boy) and Higashikata (outgoing boy) are familiar stock characters. That's not a bad thing, but I found it easy to predict plot beats because...how these types of characters interact is just. so. predictable.

The negatives: Stand-up comedy and skits are really hard to translate to a book, and frankly, it fails. I mean, it would be hard enough for someone writing in English, for English readers, and not having to worry about cultural barriers. But add in those cultural differences, and I spent two volumes being actively bored during every comedy bit. The book is telling the reader, "this part was at least a little funny" and it never is.

The stock main characters, while having tropes and types isn't in itself a bad thing, when you combine their predictability with the dull comedy--the parts that are supposed to show you how they're doing--and I began actively disliking them. It's a bad sign when you find yourself frequently wishing the stars of the show were side characters!

[The Book Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shijima is a shy potato who got into comedy after he failed to make a girl laugh on command. But he's got major stage fright (can relate) so his killer jokes only see the light of day as write-ins on TV and the radio.

Higashikata is all in on being a comedian, but is lacking when it comes to writing jokes. But he's a great actor and can ad-lib like a pro (cause he was) so when he finds out his classmate is amazing at comedy, he practically demands that they team up to become a duo.

Two boys team up to chase a risky dream; one is the writer, the other the talent; the family is against it; and the writer is supposed to go to Tokyo U... and the whole thing is drawn by Takeshi Obata... This story is just a different flavor of Bakuman. It's comedy instead of manga.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean it's boring by any means. It's actually an intriguing story and you want to see these boys succeed. The comedy in it is not half bad either considering this is a "shonen draped in gag" manga (as opposed to a gag manga wearing a shonen mask, like Mashle: Magic and Muscles ) Gag manga is usually hit-or-miss because (as it talks about in the story) not every joke is funny to everybody so building a series that uses being funny as its main source of drama is challenging.

Looking forward to the next one.

[Valérie Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai été surprise par l'efficacité de ce titre centré sur l'humour. Bien sûr, ce manga fait rire, par les histoires drôles (ou pas, ils apprennent!) que racontent les deux héros. Mais ce n'est pas seulement cela: on réfléchit aussi à ce qui nous fait rire, au contexte qui crée (ou non) l'ambiance nécessaire, et aux effets du rire. Les réalisations des héros sont très pertinentes (comme quand ils doivent faire rire la famille de l'un d'entre eux pour être acceptés). C'est fascinant.

Je croyais que c'était un manga sur le manzai (un type d'humour en duo très populaire au Japon), mais le tome 1 parle uniquement de l'humour en général, alors que dans le tome 2, on se penche plus précisément sur les particularités du manzai (qu'on explique aux héros et lecteurs d'ailleurs).

De lire une aussi bonne série n'aurait pas dû m'étonner. Obata (Death Note, Platinum End, Bakuman) aussi a illustré Hikaru no Go, une série qui rend le jeu de go fascinant, même pour des non-initiés. Le mangaka Asakura a beaucoup de talent comme scénariste, il a certainement beaucoup réfléchi aux mécanismes pour faire rire avant de raconter son histoire.

Comme dans Bakuman, on utilise parfois des péripéties artificielles pour amener de la tension (du type: si on ne réussit pas à gagner tel petit concours, on va abandonner). Heureusement, Asakura ridiculise lui-même ce procédé dans son tome 2!

Un bon départ pour cette série au titre difficile à saisir pour les francophones... Mais il ne faut pas bouder cette lecture, surtout si vous avez aimé les autres titres d'Obata, c'est tout à fait dans ses cordes, un excellent mix entre dessins dynamiques et textes réfléchis (d'Asakura cette fois!)

[thea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Show-ha Shoten is about two high schoolers who love comedy and dream of becoming comedians. They have different ways of performing this. Azemichi sends answers to joke prompts on the radio, which later turns him into a famous comedian writer, aka Daily Shijimi. Sadly he has stage fright, so the only way for him to practice his art is by writing to a radio corner. Whereas Toiya is amazing with comedy and has a great presence, but it is difficult for him to develop prompts and transition his improvs effectively.

There is a comedy sketch event at their school that Toiya would join, but he is missing his other half for the improvs. By accident, he would find out that the famous Daily Shijimi goes to his school and rope him into doing the comedy sketch together — or pranked him if I’d say.

Reading this was such a delight. I enjoy comedy, so reading a story about upcoming comedians was revitalizing. Despite its lightheartedness, I loved the underlying matters they included in this story. Choosing your passion/dreams over mainstream life to succeed is difficult. I love how the parents explained this to them before encouraging them to choose a path that could lead to happiness or misery. I feel like this is something anyone or almost everyone can relate to, especially since only a few people are born with the privilege to live the way they desire.

I am excited to see how Azemichi will conquer his stage fright again and develop an amazing prompt that will send waves of laughter to heaven. I can not wait for the next volume to see more of this duo!

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun start to a manga series about two high schoolers who want to be the next big comedy duo.

I was worried going into this because it seems very difficult to write about comedy and make it engaging and, more importantly, funny. But, it kind of becomes one of those non-battle battle manga where it's mostly about the duo figuring out how to make specific audiences laugh and whatnot. The focus seems less on being a comedy/gag manga and more about the art of working together as two very different people and fusing your personalities to create a singular vision. Something I would have liked to see more of in Bakuman, one of Obata's previous series also about artistic collaboration.

Speaking of Obata, his art is great here. I forget what a wonderful artist he can be when not confined to working on aggressively serious titles. Also nice to see him drawing women that don't just look like his typical inhuman, doe-eyed creatures. (misa from death note is an exception though her design still rules)

Side note: It's weird that Jump is currently running two manga about stand-up comedy. I guess Akane-banashi is more specifically about Rakugo storytelling and technically Show-ha Shoten is running in Jump Square but still, weird. Not bad though. I'm glad they aren't tripping over themselves trying to find the next Naruto and instead are just putting out weird stuff to see what sticks.

[Mily （＾ν＾） · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite thoroughly enjoying whenever Death Note is on TV, rewatching Saiki K every month, and having a boatload of friends I’ve met through My Hero Academia, I’ve never once considered myself a shonen fan. However, when finding myself with almost nothing to read in the manga section one day, I picked up a copy of this even with the big Shonen Jump logo printed on the spine, because there’s never been an SJ comedy I haven’t liked. Show-ha Shouten allows me to keep that trend going. The concept of shy character and extrovert character joining forces for a common goal has been done a multitude of times before, however, it’s a classic dynamic that breaks conventions by advancing both Azemichi and Taiyo into such a comedic duo and a great cast. Of course, not only as an American reading translated material, but also as an avid anime enjoyer with an impartial view towards manga, the jokes and skits don’t always hit the same as they might’ve when released in Japan, however, there were also pages that I had trouble keeping a straight face when I was reading. All in all, I would recommend this to any comedy fan, critic, or young person interested in reading a bit more manga.

[Alex Richey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a lot of doubts going in, but I am pleasantly surprised by how strong this starts.

I've seen plenty of anime and manga fall flat with localized puns and humor, and when I heard this series was getting an official English translation, I had my doubts. Takeshi Obata, the artist, is highly renown for his work on Death Note and Hikaru No Go, so it made sense financially to bring this series to an English speaking audience who would throw money at it regardless of its worth.

But this is actually pretty good. The comedy is the weakest part, admittedly, but the tension and drama are keeping me hooked on the plot. The writer knows a lot about the nuances of comedy, and I'm learning a lot about how comedians research, plan, and deliver their art. I didn't know anything about comedy going in, but I have a new appreciation for comedians just after reading volume 1 of this manga.

I'm excited to continue!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this title through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I thought this was an interesting start to a manga. I liked how each main character had their own reason for enjoying comedy and wanting to achieve their goals in being comedians. I find it interesting how the main character can explain the fundamentals of comedy and know how to apply them. I would never have viewed comedy that way, so the idea that his brain has absorbed all that information is truly intriguing.

For me, personally, I had a hard time following the comedy routines and how they were funny. It may be a personal thing and just something I need to adjust to. But I found other parts funny, especially with convincing the family that they wanted to do comedy.

I would give volume 2 a chance. I was sad when it ended because I was just starting to get into the story.

[Elly Hatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The manga has a unique subject and was fun to read, but the story feels rather formulaic - just imagine a typical sports manga but replace all mention of sports with sketch comedy. Despite the manga's main topic being performative comedy, the routines shown were basic and not that comedic for the average reader. I think the manga should have put more time and thought into the main characters' routines and make them laugh-out-loud funny, but most of the book's humor seemed to be outside of the performances rather than during. I enjoyed some parts of the manga - e.g., I liked how they thoroughly captured the feeling of being nervous before going on stage but then feeling comfortable once the audience reacts positively. However, for being a manga about comedy, it wasn't humorous enough - it was enjoyable, but it didn't make me laugh out loud.

[Swampscott Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The manga, Show-Ha Shoten! by Akinari Asakura, is a good book. I suggest reading this book because it talks about how the main character, Azemichi Shijima, tries to overcome his fears of stage-fright with his new friend, Taiyo Higashikata. Azemichi is a famous Japanese online comedian, and Taiyo takes the chance to make him his partner so they can both work together to go above and beyond in the entertainment industry. For me, the book gets confusing throughout, but it’s still a good read. I recommend this book for ages 12 and up since it can encourage younger audiences to try out things they’ve never done before and they can get rid of their fears that way. This manga contains lots of life lessons that are good for teens to know about. In my opinion, I rate this book a 6/10.

--Teen Volunteer Amna, 8th grade

[Sol · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not a fair criticism since this is definitely a shonen, but I just didn't like how "shonen-y" this was. Like, the characters being like "I'm going to be the very, very best, and I'm doing it all for my dead friend/friend who moved away" -- it just didn't sell for me. I didn't think that this manga needed such a big scope of things in order to be enjoyable - after all, it's not One Piece or anything, we can have the characters' goals build gradually over time and have the stakes not start so high, since they're just characters who are interested in comedy at a ground-level. I would have liked to watch the main character's passion build over time, and see more instances of him being naturally funny. Also, I found the main character's family kind of obnoxious.
It wasn't the worst thing I've ever read by the longshot, it's just not for me.