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Emi-Abi
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Emi-Abi

2016-09-03 · 88 min · Not rated

Drama · Comedy

Up-and-coming manzai stand-up comedy duo Emi-Abi has lost consummate funny man Unno (a surprisingly touching Tomoya Maeno) to an accident, leaving conceited straight man Jitsudo (Ryu Morioka) to contend with his diminished career prospects as a bland, pretty face entertainer. Guided by his manager Natsumi (Haru Kuroki), who demonstrates stronger comedy chops than her own star, Jitsudo comes to learn the circumstances of his friend's passing, as well as the life-and-death stakes of a career in comedy. Demonstrating a careful balance of tone across tragedy and deadpan and gross-out humor, writer/director Kensaku Watanabe expands "Emi-Abi"'s hilarious premise into a strikingly assured meditation on artistic rivalry and self-actualization.

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Production details

Directors
Kensaku Watanabe
Production companies
Bitters End
Countries
Japan
Status
Released

Top Cast

Ryu MoriokaRyu MoriokaKenji Sanemichi
Tomoya MaenoTomoya MaenoKazuya Unno
Haru KurokiHaru KurokiNatsumi Takahashi
Hirofumi AraiHirofumi AraiTakuma Kurosawa
Mari YamachiMari YamachiHinako Kurosawa
Hako OshimaKaoru Murata
Kenta KunaiTairo Murata
Jyo Hyuga
Yuya MatsuuraYuya Matsuura
Yoshiki SaitoYoshiki Saito

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