Atsushi Tamura
Encyclopedia
is a famous Japan
ese comedian
from Hiko Island near Shimonoseki
in Yamaguchi Prefecture
, Japan
.
He and his partner, , form the known as . Though the two share the same surname, there is no family relation. The pair started their career by performing comedy on the streets of Tokyo
.
or pufferfish
, a dish famous in the region. Atsushi eventually teamed up with Ryo Tamura after relocating to Tokyo. They chose to go by the name of “London Boots” initially because it was the name of a fictional comedy team. While “London Boots” does not have any particular meaning in English, in Japanese it refers to the knee length platform shoe
s worn by some Japanese girls.
As London Boots, Atsushi and Ryo also serve as the hosts of many shows and special programs on Japanese television. These programs often derive humor from tricking and humilliating other people, often in very cruel and calculated ways. An example of this could be seen on a former segment known as "Stinger". This segment begins with a man who comes forth with doubts over his girlfriend's faithfullness. In an attempt to settle these doubts, a hired actor known as the stinger is brought to the program. The stinger's objective was always the same. He must introduce himself to the unsuspecting girlfriend in public and quickly try to seduce her in to accompanying him to "his home". Secret cameras and microphones follow the progress of the stinger to see if he is successful. If this is the case, the woman will step in to a room and unexpectedly find herself standing in front of her boyfriend, London Boots and a camera crew. Atsushi will use this and other similar opportunities to instigate shame and callously assign blame. Not even Japanese television personalities and other celebrities are exempt from Atsushi's trickery. Another example of Atsushi's style of humor is when he filmed and exposed his partner Ryo going to a Japanese style brothel
.
historical drama. Atsushi, who loves Japanese castle
s and the Japanese Middle Ages (characterized by civil wars), also collects Japanese swords
. He once wanted to become a voice actor
, but audition judges often pointed out that he has a hard time changing his voice. However, he finally landed a major role as voice actor for Yoichi Hiruma
(Eyeshield 21
), who, like Atsushi, often tricks people, and has as a "servant" like Ryo. He is currently the host of his own show "London Hearts", along with his partner Ryo. He is also the Japanese voice of Butthead from Beavis and Butthead and the voice of Bart Simpson in The Simpsons Movie
only, Junko Hori
being the regular Japanese voice of Bart. He also provides the voice of Paradox in Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time.
, making his indie debut with the song "metronone", which made it to the top of the indie charts. He performed live with his band on April 2007 and made their major debut with the song Chikai, released on October 31, 2007. He is the leader and singer of the band and the band as so far released 9 singles and 2 albums.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
from Hiko Island near Shimonoseki
Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....
in Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
He and his partner, , form the known as . Though the two share the same surname, there is no family relation. The pair started their career by performing comedy on the streets of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Early life
Before he was famous, Atsushi attended an Industrial high school in his hometown of Shimonoseki. He was suspended twice during that time, once for smoking and once for cheating on a test. Atushi was also a member of a band before becoming interested in comedy. For his first comic act, Atsushi teamed up with a classmate from school. They called themselves Umaseki Fugutarō and Fugunosuke, a name they derived from Shimonoseki, and fuguFugu
is the Japanese word for pufferfish and the dish prepared from it, normally species of genus Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides, or porcupinefish of the genus Diodon. Fugu can be lethally poisonous due to its tetrodotoxin; therefore, it must be carefully prepared to remove toxic parts and to...
or pufferfish
Pufferfish
Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the Tetraodontiformes order. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called pufferfish, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab...
, a dish famous in the region. Atsushi eventually teamed up with Ryo Tamura after relocating to Tokyo. They chose to go by the name of “London Boots” initially because it was the name of a fictional comedy team. While “London Boots” does not have any particular meaning in English, in Japanese it refers to the knee length platform shoe
Platform shoe
Platform shoes are shoes, boots, or sandals with thick soles at least four inches in height, often made of cork, plastic, rubber, or wood...
s worn by some Japanese girls.
London Boots
The act is typical of Japanese comedy duos in the sense that one person in the duo criticizes and abuses his partner who in turn plays the part of a stooge. While Atsushi was once on the receiving end of the duo's jokes, he has since taken the dominant role and does not hesitate to subject Ryo to severe acts of embarrassment.As London Boots, Atsushi and Ryo also serve as the hosts of many shows and special programs on Japanese television. These programs often derive humor from tricking and humilliating other people, often in very cruel and calculated ways. An example of this could be seen on a former segment known as "Stinger". This segment begins with a man who comes forth with doubts over his girlfriend's faithfullness. In an attempt to settle these doubts, a hired actor known as the stinger is brought to the program. The stinger's objective was always the same. He must introduce himself to the unsuspecting girlfriend in public and quickly try to seduce her in to accompanying him to "his home". Secret cameras and microphones follow the progress of the stinger to see if he is successful. If this is the case, the woman will step in to a room and unexpectedly find herself standing in front of her boyfriend, London Boots and a camera crew. Atsushi will use this and other similar opportunities to instigate shame and callously assign blame. Not even Japanese television personalities and other celebrities are exempt from Atsushi's trickery. Another example of Atsushi's style of humor is when he filmed and exposed his partner Ryo going to a Japanese style brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
.
Acting
Recently, Atsushi has gained a role as an actor in a large NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
historical drama. Atsushi, who loves Japanese castle
Japanese castle
' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...
s and the Japanese Middle Ages (characterized by civil wars), also collects Japanese swords
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
. He once wanted to become a voice actor
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, but audition judges often pointed out that he has a hard time changing his voice. However, he finally landed a major role as voice actor for Yoichi Hiruma
Yoichi Hiruma
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Eyeshield 21. His Japanese voice actor is Atsushi Tamura .-Conception and development:...
(Eyeshield 21
Eyeshield 21
is a manga about American football written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Yusuke Murata. It has been adapted into an anime movie in 2004 , an anime television series in 2005, several video games and a trading card game from Konami. The manga is serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump...
), who, like Atsushi, often tricks people, and has as a "servant" like Ryo. He is currently the host of his own show "London Hearts", along with his partner Ryo. He is also the Japanese voice of Butthead from Beavis and Butthead and the voice of Bart Simpson in The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
only, Junko Hori
Junko Hori
is a Japanese actress and voice actor represented by Production Baobab.She is known as the voice of the protagonists in 3 Fujiko Fujio works, Obake no Q-tarō, Ninja Hattori-kun, and Chinpui...
being the regular Japanese voice of Bart. He also provides the voice of Paradox in Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time.
Singing career
On May 31, 2006, Atsushi privately became the vocalist of JealkbJealkb
Jealkb is a Japanese visual kei rock band made up of seven members, all of them comedians including London Boots Ichi-go Ni-go's Atsushi Tamura. Their debut single Metronome hit number 1 on the indies Oricon chart and sold out the same day. The band's name itself is a joke...
, making his indie debut with the song "metronone", which made it to the top of the indie charts. He performed live with his band on April 2007 and made their major debut with the song Chikai, released on October 31, 2007. He is the leader and singer of the band and the band as so far released 9 singles and 2 albums.