7 Japanese Comedy Prank Shows That’ll Bring You to Tears

We’ve gathered some of the funniest moments from Japanese Comedy Prank Shows, Comedy Sketches and Game shows. You’ll just never guess what they get away with in Japan, Hillarious!

Japanese Comedy! OWARAI!

Owarai is what is known as Japanese comedy in Japan, Owarai translates to ‘have a laugh’ (Warai). Ironically, many specifically Japanese comedy television shows have made it to the UK and USA – anybody remembers Takashi’s Castle?

Japanese Comedy Prank Shows still continue to be a major hit online, featuring thousands of views on YouTube. You may have seen the Manzai style comedy featured in Anime, typically the typically squabbling Oji-san pair (Old Uncles). Sometimes, their acts become so famous that they become a typical Owarai Kombi – Laughter Combi-Nation, you could think of this as the Japanese equivalent of Ant & Dec!

We’ve found some of the greatest Japanese comedy show clips that our Nakama have enjoyed over the years
– We Suggested that you do not eat while watching these – Choke Hazard – You have been warned!

Mite Goran Kudasai! 🙂

SUDDENLY CHASED BY A CROWD PRANK – FLASH MOB

A hilarious series of attempts to scare random strangers on particular streets in Japan. This Japanese Comedy Prank Show has victims walking down an empty street, minding their own business, when suddenly from around corner, a mob of 100+ people begin chasing them!

Each person has their own reaction, but most often bolt in the opposite direction as if their life was dependent on escaping!

A MAN POPS OUT OF THE FLOOR PRANK

This Japanese Comedy Prank Show features people minding their own business, literally, in a place of business – an office corridor.

Then suddenly a man dressed in a bright green tight-suit pops out from the floor. Sometimes the green assailant chases the surprised victims as they run for their lives!

DINOSAUR ATTACK!

This Japanese Prank Show tries to recreate that famous scene from Jurassic Park where raptors chase the main characters.

Another surprise prank show where unsuspecting office workers after being frightened and chased by people in Dinosaur costumes.

LIFT FLOOR BREAKS OPEN

You may have seen the video where the Lift floor falls away but turns out to be multiple screens on the floor. Well, this Japanese prank show ACTUALLY breaks the floor open.

The victim walks into the lift and suddenly the floor splits in two as they fall down into a bright white shoot and slide into a pool of gooey slime!

Yes, officially “Next Level” pranking.

The funniest part of this prank is the slow-motion camera which captures the shocked expressions of the victims as they plunge into their impending doom!

DISAPPEARING BEAM WITH NO FLOOR – DERO GAMESHOW

A Japanese challenge show called DERO or aka Escape Game challenges its competitors to stand on a thin support beam after the floor below has been retracted! All that can be seen below is an ‘infinite’ drop into black nothingness! (Think Indiana Jones!).

Competitors must use their strength (A plunger’s suction against the wall) and intellect (Questions asked to stop the beam disappearing) to escape the room before they fall!

A high-pressure situation! It’s very dramatic to watch the competitors fall into nothingness!

A GHOST IN A TAXI

So cruel… but yet so funny! This Japanese prank show features various Japanese celebrities taking a taxi from their work locations to the next. It’s just them and the Taxi driver and seemingly no one else.

However, from a hidden trap door in the front seat appears a terrifying ‘ghost woman’. When the victim sees the ghost they’re very frightened! The ghost often slowly turns around to talk to the victim, “You can see me?”, “What is your name?” “Answer me!”

The taxi driver plays along, “What’s the matter?”. “You see a girl? Where?”  So cruel! … yet so entertaining!

NO LAUGHING! – DOWNTOWN NO GAKI NO TSUKAI YA ARAHENDE!

A Japanese game show called “Downtown no gaki no tsukai ya arahende” which in Japanese (And a Kansai accent too) means, “Can’t use the kids from Down Town”. This show has been running since the 1980s, a very popular variety comedy show hosted by an Owarai duo Hosei Tsukitei and Cocorico.

This particular section is what the Japanese call a “Batsu Game” or a game with a punishment! The hosts and guests are in a high school classroom situation, the aim is not to laugh! If they do laugh, they’ll have to be whacked on their ‘rear posterior’ with a bat!

As the “class” proceeds, hilarious scenarios are played out, often which are impossible not to laugh at! Imagine a Japanese man who doesn’t speak much English, attempting to count to 100 in English by counting to 10 … 10 times over! – Batsu geimu da ne!?