MANGA REVIEW | "Show-ha Shoten!" - Volume Nine
We’re getting down to the wire in the Wara-1 Koshien Finals. Although Show-ha Shoten! is all about One Way Ticket to the Top, this climatic battle has shown that the manzai world is filled with heavy hitters. As the ninth volume shows, two more newcomers in the comedy game are itching to take the top prize. But do the likes of Rising and Shiba Inu World Tour have what it takes to unseat Sprechchor?
After the finale of their back story, Rising hits the stage with a comedy bit involving a zombie outbreak. The main focus is how one should prepare for the greatest emergencies, whilst showing kindness to everyone without judgment. It’s a bit that takes a little bit to get the ball rolling, but when the scenario has both Bunta and Atsushi locked inside a supermarket, that’s when the comedy goes into full gear. That’s also when the other competitors see why Rising is so strong: they’re both playing the “boke” part, as they aim to top one another with the most laughs.
Sometimes having partners compete to see which is the funniest is a recipe for disaster. Toxic relationships can build, and it could even spell the end of a comedic duo’s chance of stardom. However, where Rising shines is in their ability to improvise at the snap of one’s fingers, with their supermarket scenario opening up to other ideas such as taking advantage of theme parks during a zombie apocalypse. While it’s still not great to attempt to one-up your partner, if it results in bigger laughs, then why not go for it?
The act leads Rising to reach a very, very high score, to the point where Sprechchor is left speechless. However, even when the top is dethroned, it still makes the other competitors jealous of them and Broken Glass Slipper. As the beginning of this arc stated, when people perform is key to whether or not they’ll get a great score. When Broken Glass Slipper started off the championship with a super high score, it gave everyone the opportunity to see what sort of comedy fight this would be. As a result, everyone couldn’t just bring their A-game; they had to go full S on it!
Which leads to the mysterious duo known as Shiba Inu World Tour. Their back story has some Haikyū-like elements to it, as Onozuka aims to be the best volleyball player out there. But when an injury ends his chances, the team manager Mimomi comes in to rescue him from a champion-less life. With his aid, Onozuka finds another way to be at the top of the world, where he can spike jokes at the crowd rather than balls at his opponents.
Thus, Shiba Inu World Tour arrives on the stage, with a bit about preparing for a reunion dinner. It has a lot of good gags in there, ranging from Mimomi’s pet hawk and sea otter gifts to the exact sort of part Mimomi’s going to. Onozuka reacts to each twist and scenario with a hilarious reaction, with the crowd eating up their routine like it was a cheeseburger buffet. However, what matters is when the final score is tallied, and its number leaves quite a few comedians — especially Shiba Inu World Tour — shook.
Show-ha Shoten! has done an amazing job with showing just how tough of a world comedy is. Volume Nine delivers some solid performances, leaving crowds laughing and some partners weeping. However, the moment readers have been waiting for is just around the corner, as One Way Ticket to the Top finally hits the stage. But can they top Rising? Most importantly, will they be able to show Passionate Sandbag who’s the boss?
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
