The highly anticipated finals of the "M-1 Grand Prix 2024," Japan's premier comedy competition, aired live on December 22 at 6:30 PM on TV-Asahi, drawing attention with a record-breaking entry of 13,300 teams since the tournament's inception.
This year's competition featured ten teams competing for the grand title, including notable names such as Reiwa Roman, Everus, Shinkuu Jessica, Jock Rock, Daitaku, Tom Brown, Batterys, Mamatart, Yarelens, and returning champions Mayurika, who fought their way back through elimination.
Making their debut on the finals stage, Jock Rock entertained the audience with their skits incorporating elements such as health care drama and My Number cards. Despite this creative approach, they scored 819 points, landing them temporarily at sixth place out of the six competitors and leading to their elimination.
After their performance, the members of Jock Rock expressed their enthusiasm, stating, “We had fun out there!” and “It was exciting, wasn’t it?” They added, “It was our first M-1, and we’ll definitely come back next year with even more exciting performances!” which reflects their optimistic outlook and readiness to improve.
The judges' scores for Jock Rock included the following: Reiji Nakagawa from Nakagawa family awarded them 93 points, Tomoko Uehara from Uehara Yasuyo Tomoko gave 95 points, Eikichi Shibata from Untouchable rated them at 88 points, Kenji Yamauchi from Kamaitachi offered 93 points, Akira Ishida from NON STYLE scored them 89 points, Masayasu Wakabayashi from Audley gave 90 points, Tetsuo from Laughing Rice awarded 91 points, Nobuyuki Hana from Knights also rated them at 91 points, and Hiroshi Hakata from Hakata Hanamaru & Daikichi gave 89 points. This variety of scores highlights the diverse opinions of the judges and perhaps reflects the dynamic performance styles present this year.
Jock Rock, comprising members Yujiro, born January 26, 1998, from Oita Prefecture, and Fukumoto Yusho, born July 15, 1987, from Osaka Prefecture, officially formed as a duo under Yoshimoto Kogyo in 2022. This was their first time competing at the finals of the M-1, marking their ambitious path to stardom.
The M-1 Grand Prix has seen significant evolution since its launch, becoming not just a competition but also a cultural phenomenon, capturing the essence of Japanese humor. The competition aims to find the nation’s best manzai duo, accentuating the art of rapid-dialogue comedy which is so uniquely celebrated within Japan's entertainment industry.
This year's overall event not only showcased established comedic talents but also introduced fresh faces eager to make their mark on the comedy scene. The future continues to look bright for competitors like Jock Rock, who are dedicated to honing their craft and returning to the stage with renewed vigor.
