Kanji Magic

As many of you know I love Japanese comedians, and I watch a lot of Japanese TV programs that feature Japanese comedians doing their acts. Japanese comedians also have a big appeal through all age groups in Japan. So being a performer I watch them closely and watch as to why people like them and why some of them have become popular. From watching them I leaned a few things which I am going to share with you now. I noticed two basic kinds of comedians. Those who have become famous and stayed famous and those who became a hit then disappeared after a year. This is common in the Japanese entertainment business. One act becomes famous and appears on TV all the time then suddenly they they are gone. The Japanese entertainment market moves fast and if you don’t change, you get old and then your out.

So what did I learn? And how did I fit it  into my magic? Well a big part of a Japanese comedians act is their slogan or tagline that becomes their ”brand”. Basically this is some one liner, song, dance, catchphrase, or something else weird that they do that takes them into the spotlight. A good catchphrase  takes the country by storm and everyone will know it. So what I have learned is that to have a good catchphrase in Japanese entertainment is very important. For some comedians it defines their comedy brand. For magic I have tried this for my Japanese shows. I have created my own catchphrase that I use during my show and by the end people start saying it with me. So I know this works. The key is to find something that fits you and your show and makes sense and is funny. There are many magicians in the western world that use this method and I really understand it much better now.

Now remember that I mentioned that some comedians stay famous and popular while other suddenly disappear?  Well the secret I think is to be able to adapt that catchphrase to new things. The comedians that ride their sudden rise to fame because of their catch phrase that don’t change and adapt it, well they go bye bye. So the other thing I learned is that you can’t rely on the catchphrase as your main brand point. The catchphrase should be a part of your brand but not your brand because it will limit you. So I have created my catchphrase so I am able to easily adapt it and it is not the main part of my magic show. It is a thread that links between routines and effects that carries the audience from one part of the show to another.  So from watching Japanese comedians I have learned this and used this idea in my own show and it has been very well received. It is also something I hope to continue using and adapting into the future to try  perfect and create a  good balance with my magic.
Do you have any thoughts on tag lines or catchphrases? Let me know!
Aaron