When did I begin to feel a sense of longing or romantic fascination toward Japanese manzai? I am not sure exactly how old I was, but the single most impactful manzai moment for me was the Bicycle Bell one from 2006. Even now, when I watch it again, it still moves me. The intensity may have softened slightly over time, but I would like to believe that the core feeling remains alive. The acting, the dialogue, the situation, and the emotional escalation all feel exceptional to me. The central idea itself is brilliant. I have watched many other manzai performances since then, but I have never felt the same level of power that I experienced with that 2006 routine. It was a long time ago, and sometimes I wonder whether I am still living within that past moment. I have watched more recent performances as well, but without English subtitles, it is still difficult for me to fully grasp everything. And among Americans, very few people would even know this routine. In simple terms, manzai typically involves two performers: one plays the fool, and the other points out or reacts to the foolishness. This particular routine begins with a man claiming that he has lost the bell from his bicycle. He exaggerates the incident as if it were an enormous catastrophe. He then recounts how he rode his bicycle to a bookstore, returned outside, and discovered that the bell was gone. He searches for it, asks people nearby, and gradually his life falls apart. The story escalates absurdly, to the point where he even travels to India in pursuit of some greater meaning. The routine keeps intensifying until, in a near-mad conclusion, the two performers suggest that they should become the bell for each other, ending with grotesque, exaggerated physical movements. Tokui Yoshimi’s performance in the fool role is extraordinary. In fact, I was so inspired by this routine that I once wrote my own manzai script because of it. I am considering sharing that script. A: Hello, I’m OOO. B: Hello, I’m OOO. A: (Looking at the audience) The weather’s been crazy unpredictable lately, right? (Turns to partner) It poured yesterday too, didn’t it? B: Oh yeah, it really did. A: On a rainy day like that, you just crave something warm and comforting, right? I went to this super popular seafood pancake place yesterday. You know it, right? That busy brunch spot downtown where there’s always a line at lunchtime. B: Oh yeah, I know it! The place where you have to wait outside forever because it’s packed? A: Exactly. It was pouring at lunch, so I went there. I put my umbrella in the stand by the entrance, ate, paid, and came back out… and it was gone. Someone took it. I had to walk home in the rain. B: What? Your umbrella was gone? (Serious, shocked pause.) A: Yeah. B: Your “that” umbrella? A: It wasn’t special, just the one I always use. B: No, this is a huge deal! Are you okay? A: I’m fine. B: Don’t just stand there, sit down for a second. A: Sit down? We’re in the middle of a comedy routine! B: I can’t believe you’re performing after something like that. A: It’s not that dramatic. B: Actually… the exact same thing happened to me once. A: I don’t know if I’d call it an “incident.” B: This was when I was in college. A: Uh-huh. B: It was raining hard that day too. After class, I grabbed my umbrella and went to an internet gaming café to play a round of League of Legends. A: Of course you did. B: As usual, I carried the team. Got compliments from everyone. I walked out feeling great… and my umbrella was gone! A: Oh no… B: I had left it in the umbrella stand by the door with the others. But it wasn’t there. In that moment, I felt something inside me disappear… like a piece of my soul had broken off. A: You lost an umbrella, not your soul. If it was that important, you should’ve kept it next to you. B: I asked everyone inside. “Excuse me! Has anyone seen a red umbrella? Sir? Ma’am? Did you see my umbrella?” I checked every umbrella in the stand. I asked everyone gaming. A: That’s embarrassing. B: A few guys stood up together and dragged me outside. A: I’m not surprised. B: I stumbled out into the rain and started walking. No destination. Just walking. A: How long? B: I walked from Manhattan to Newark. A: What?! That’s hours! B: About eight hours. A: You completely lost it. B: I took the last train back. A: At least you found the train station. B: My feet were killing me. A: Obviously. B: I couldn’t stop thinking about that umbrella. I ended up taking a leave of absence from school. A: Over an umbrella? B: My life fell apart. I drank every night and wandered around in the rain looking for umbrellas. A: That’s not normal. B: One night I drank too much and fell asleep. In my dream, the umbrella appeared. A: Oh boy. B: It spoke to me. “Why can’t you find me?” A: The umbrella talked? B: I said, “I’m sorry. I’ve been searching only for you!” A: You apologized to an umbrella? B: It looked at me with sad eyes and said, “Find me. I’m waiting for you.” A: Umbrellas don’t have eyes. B: I reached out to grab it, but it turned into light and disappeared. A: Wow. B: I woke up crying. A: That was probably just a hangover. B: One day I saw a guy walking in the rain with a red umbrella. The same color as mine. A: And? B: I ran up and asked, “Excuse me, is that my umbrella?” He shoved me and I fell. A: Yeah, because you’re harassing strangers. B: A girl I was kind of dating told me to stop looking for umbrellas and just stay with her. A: And? B: I rejected her. A: Why? B: Because my umbrella came first. A: That’s terrible. B: I even slept with the barista from the café. A: What does that have to do with anything? B: To forget the umbrella. A: That makes no sense. B: But she couldn’t replace it. A: You’re the worst. B: I moved to Seattle. A: Of course you did. B: I joined a support group for people who lost umbrellas. A: That’s not a real thing. B: I left after three minutes. A: Why? B: They were talking about actual trauma. Mine was just an umbrella. B: That’s why I understand your pain. Don’t pretend you’re fine! A: I said I’m fine! B: I thought time would heal everything and take me to some magical place. But it didn’t! A: What, like Disneyland? B: (Staring into the distance) Wait… there it is. My umbrella. A: Where? B: Right there! I won’t lose you again! A: There’s nothing there! B: I have to grab it before it disappears! A: Stop it! B: (Softly) At last… we meet again. It’s fate. I’ll never let you go. A: Are you dating an umbrella? You’ve lost your mind. B: Here. (Turns to partner.) Let’s share one together from now on. A: I’m not sharing anything with you. Thank you. B: Thank you. (They bow.)