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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Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
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Cast
11 people
Ryu Morioka
Kenji Sanemichi
Known for
Monster
Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Tomoya Maeno
Kazuya Unno
Known for
Napping Princess
On-Gaku: Our Sound
Kensaku Watanabe
Also in
Pistol Opera
Akame 48 Waterfalls
Haru Kuroki
Natsumi Takahashi
Known for
Wolf Children
Mirai
Hirofumi Arai
Takuma Kurosawa
Known for
Blue Spring
100 Yen Love
Mari Yamachi
Hinako Kurosawa
Also in
No Dropping Out: Back to School at 35
Bloody Chainsaw Girl
Hako Oshima
Kaoru Murata
Also in
Love Dou Hua
Heaven's Story
Kenta Kunai
Tairo Murata
No other roles listed
Jyo Hyuga
Also in
Takano Tofu
The Ravine of Goodbye
Yuya Matsuura
Known for
Ju-On: Origins
Last Samurai Standing
Yoshiki Saito
Known for
The Great Passage
Kensaku Watanabe Director
United States release July 24, 2016 · Produced in Japan · Original title エミアビのはじまりとはじまり
Production
Bitters End
Production · Distribution
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
エミアビのはじまりとはじまり
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
United States · July 24, 2016
Japan Cuts
Japan · September 3, 2016
Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.