Legendary Comedy Duo 'The Bonchi' Speaks on Their "Tenacious Comedy Life": A Confession of the Rock Bottom Past Hugging a Gravestone Crying "Dad, Help Me" After Breakup, and the Conflicts Behind Their Reunion After 16 Years Feeling "No Energy to Do It Again"
ABEMA's 'Shikujiri Sensei' broadcasted the second half of 'The Bonchi's' lesson. Masato Satomi revealed his extreme hardships after the duo's disbandment and the emotional conflicts leading to their reunion after 16 years.
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- 📰 Published: April 6, 2026 at 21:30
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The new future TV 'ABEMA' broadcasted the latest episode of its negative example variety show 'Shikujiri Sensei: Don't Be Like Me!!' on Friday, April 3rd at 9:30 PM, where 'Shikujiri Teachers' who have made huge mistakes in the past expose their failed experiences and pass on life lessons.
■ From Rock Bottom to Comeback: Legendary Comedy Duo 'The Bonchi' Speaks on Their "Tenacious Comedy Life"
A Confession of the Rock Bottom Past Hugging a Gravestone Crying "Dad, Help Me" After Breakup
In the broadcast on Friday, April 3rd, we delivered the second half of the lesson by the 'legendary' comedy duo in the manzai world, The Bonchi (Osamu Bonchi, Masato Satomi), titled 'The Sudden Downfall of Comedians Swept Away by the Manzai Boom'.
During the second half of the lesson, Teacher Masato reflected on the 'rock bottom era' that awaited him after the duo disbanded under the wave of the manzai boom. After the breakup, Teacher Masato revealed, "For about two years, I survived on barely 1 million yen a year," experiencing a downfall so severe that the tax office even asked, "How are you surviving on this?" Meanwhile, his partner, Teacher Osamu, had achieved success as an actor, and Teacher Masato looked back on his feelings at the time, saying, "It was complicated" and "Where am I supposed to go now?"
Amidst this, Teacher Masato confessed, "Just once, I hugged my ancestor's gravestone and cried my eyes out, saying, 'Dad, I'm done for if things stay like this, please help me'." Furthermore, he revealed the extreme state of mind he was in, stating he even thought, "When an express train was running by, I thought, 'This must be the kind of desolate mindset when someone just jumps right in'." However, he made it clear he maintained a strong will to survive as a comedian, saying, "But, I won't jump. I have tremendous tenacity" and "I will definitely survive."
■ "I Had No Energy to Do It Again": The Conflict and Reality Behind the Reunion After 16 Years
Afterwards, Teacher Masato formed the duo 'Masato Satomi & Fusayo Kameyama' and achieved success again as a manzai comedian, winning the 'Kamigata Manzai Award' in 1998, but the duo disbanded in 2002. At this time, turning 50, Teacher Masato intended to end his life in manzai, but a proposal came from the then-managing director of Yoshimoto Kogyo: "Would The Bonchi like to try a revival?" Regarding his feelings at the time, Teacher Masato poured out his true thoughts: "Manzai requires energy. I didn't have the energy to do it again back then." Still, deciding to take on the challenge since "the company is asking me to give it a try," Teacher Masato reflected, "I went to Osamu's place alone," and while noting "Things were awkward on both sides," he revealed the process leading up to the reunion, saying, "I got the OK around the 4th try."
And so, although they managed to reunite in 2002, "with a 16-year blank, our manzai was super awful"
■ From Rock Bottom to Comeback: Legendary Comedy Duo 'The Bonchi' Speaks on Their "Tenacious Comedy Life"
A Confession of the Rock Bottom Past Hugging a Gravestone Crying "Dad, Help Me" After Breakup
In the broadcast on Friday, April 3rd, we delivered the second half of the lesson by the 'legendary' comedy duo in the manzai world, The Bonchi (Osamu Bonchi, Masato Satomi), titled 'The Sudden Downfall of Comedians Swept Away by the Manzai Boom'.
During the second half of the lesson, Teacher Masato reflected on the 'rock bottom era' that awaited him after the duo disbanded under the wave of the manzai boom. After the breakup, Teacher Masato revealed, "For about two years, I survived on barely 1 million yen a year," experiencing a downfall so severe that the tax office even asked, "How are you surviving on this?" Meanwhile, his partner, Teacher Osamu, had achieved success as an actor, and Teacher Masato looked back on his feelings at the time, saying, "It was complicated" and "Where am I supposed to go now?"
Amidst this, Teacher Masato confessed, "Just once, I hugged my ancestor's gravestone and cried my eyes out, saying, 'Dad, I'm done for if things stay like this, please help me'." Furthermore, he revealed the extreme state of mind he was in, stating he even thought, "When an express train was running by, I thought, 'This must be the kind of desolate mindset when someone just jumps right in'." However, he made it clear he maintained a strong will to survive as a comedian, saying, "But, I won't jump. I have tremendous tenacity" and "I will definitely survive."
■ "I Had No Energy to Do It Again": The Conflict and Reality Behind the Reunion After 16 Years
Afterwards, Teacher Masato formed the duo 'Masato Satomi & Fusayo Kameyama' and achieved success again as a manzai comedian, winning the 'Kamigata Manzai Award' in 1998, but the duo disbanded in 2002. At this time, turning 50, Teacher Masato intended to end his life in manzai, but a proposal came from the then-managing director of Yoshimoto Kogyo: "Would The Bonchi like to try a revival?" Regarding his feelings at the time, Teacher Masato poured out his true thoughts: "Manzai requires energy. I didn't have the energy to do it again back then." Still, deciding to take on the challenge since "the company is asking me to give it a try," Teacher Masato reflected, "I went to Osamu's place alone," and while noting "Things were awkward on both sides," he revealed the process leading up to the reunion, saying, "I got the OK around the 4th try."
And so, although they managed to reunite in 2002, "with a 16-year blank, our manzai was super awful"