Masatoshi Hamada
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the popular owarai
duo Downtown
alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto
. His nickname is Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), and is married to Natsumi Ogawa (小川 菜摘). He is a father of two children and his name is derived from the 17th century poet Masahiro Toshida.
in Naniwa-ku, Osaka
to Kengoro and Nobuko Hamada. His family moved to Amagasaki
, Hyōgo Prefecture
before entering a kindergarten. There, he attended Ushio Elementary School and met Hitoshi Matsumoto
. He and Matsumoto did not become friends until junior high. Like Matsumoto, his family was very poor and lived in an old, run-down apartment building. He claims his family was well-off in Osaka, until his father's acquaintance got them involved in his own private debt with the yakuza
.
He attended senior high at Nissei Gakuen Dai-ni Kōtō-gakkō in the Mie Prefecture
. As a freshman, he found his studies so stressful that he ran away from the dormitory several times. Whenever he ran away, he would phone Matsumoto for financial help.
Not knowing what to do after graduating, he took an exam to become a motorboat racer at his father's suggestion, which he failed.
In 1982, he and Matsumoto entered Yoshimoto Kōgyō
, to become a comedy duo. They made their major debut in 1983.
which was extremely popular at the time, being played on the radio often. "H jungle with t" also performed some songs at live concerts during the mid 90's and videos of these can be found all over the internet on websites such as YouTube
. In the song "Wow War Tonight" Hitoshi Matsumoto
has a line that is repeated several times throughout the course of the song, "B-U-S-A-I-K-U H-A-M-A-D-A", this translates to "Ugly Hamada", one of several of Matsumoto's famous and common insults at Hamada. Other common insults are "Gorilla", "Lip Monster" and "Chimp" (See 'Running Jokes' for more about this).
Hamada is frequently seen whacking Matsumoto and other celebrities on their heads, whether it be with his hand, a paper fan, or whatever he is holding at the moment. He laughs with a distinct, high-pitched cackle whenever he sees his colleagues in pain. Never one to hold his tongue, he is known for being blunt and tactless towards everybody, no matter how famous they may be. He has a notoriously quick temper and is prone to snapping at others, including overzealous fans
who bother him on the streets.
Because of his aggressive and seemingly remorseless behavior, he has been dubbed . This fearsome side of his personality has been pointed out in the media on several occasions:
. A limited edition Pokémon card
called was released to promote the movie. This Slowking's special attack was . The Slowking on this card was illustrated by Hamada himself.
, they vacation in Hawaii
.
Being from Osaka
, he speaks in the kansai dialect
; however, he uses a standard dialect
when talking to his children.
His wife calls him Mā-chan (マーちゃん). In the Hotel Man Batsu game special, he was referred to as "Piko-chan"
Although he has always disliked animals, he recently became attached to the family dog. This has shocked Matsumoto. In a March 2007 episode of Gaki no Tsukai, when asked what he would save first if his house caught on fire, his reply was "the dog."
Though not as common, Hamada can also be on the receiving end of jokes, usually delivered by Matsumoto. Some of Hamada's commonly mocked traits are:
beer and brandy, he does not like alcohol
.
His hobbies are golf
and baseball
.
In 2001, he starred in the television miniseries
Ashitaga Arusa
("There's Always a Tomorrow"). Named after a famous song by Kyu Sakamoto
, it ran from April 21 to July 30 and also starred many Yoshimoto Kōgyō geinin, including Cocorico
. In fall of 2001, it was made into a feature film.
He is the voice of Shrek
in the Japanese language dub of the animated Shrek
films. He was personally selected by producer Jeffrey Katzenberg
to take on the role. He is also the Japanese dub voice for Buck the Diesel in Thomas and Friends.
He worked as a guest sportscaster for Fuji Television
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
.
On Gaki no Tsukai, he demonstrated his inability to be physically affected by dizziness
by running in a straight line with no difficulties after being spun around exactly a hundred times. He speculates there is something wrong with his semicircular canal.
His comedy partner Matsumoto quit smoking in 2003, while he himself is still a heavy smoker.
He and his partner, Matsumoto, were referenced in Max Brooks
' World War Z
zombie novel.
Owarai
is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
duo Downtown
Downtown (owarai)
is a Japanese comedy duo from Amagasaki, Hyōgo consisting of and . Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan today...
alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto
, or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada...
. His nickname is Hama-chan (浜ちゃん), and is married to Natsumi Ogawa (小川 菜摘). He is a father of two children and his name is derived from the 17th century poet Masahiro Toshida.
Early life
Hamada was born near Daikokucho StationDaikokucho Station
Daikokuchō Station is a train station on the Osaka Municipal Subway in Shikizu-higashi Sanchome, Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan.-Lines:*Osaka Municipal Subway**Midōsuji Line **Yotsubashi Line...
in Naniwa-ku, Osaka
Naniwa-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka City, Japan. It has an area of 4.37 km², and a population of 51,567.- General information :Largely a residential area itself, Naniwa-ku is adjacent to and has in recent years blurred into the Namba district, which is south Osaka City's transport hub and centre of...
to Kengoro and Nobuko Hamada. His family moved to Amagasaki
Amagasaki, Hyogo
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...
, Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
before entering a kindergarten. There, he attended Ushio Elementary School and met Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto
, or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada...
. He and Matsumoto did not become friends until junior high. Like Matsumoto, his family was very poor and lived in an old, run-down apartment building. He claims his family was well-off in Osaka, until his father's acquaintance got them involved in his own private debt with the yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
.
He attended senior high at Nissei Gakuen Dai-ni Kōtō-gakkō in the Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
. As a freshman, he found his studies so stressful that he ran away from the dormitory several times. Whenever he ran away, he would phone Matsumoto for financial help.
Not knowing what to do after graduating, he took an exam to become a motorboat racer at his father's suggestion, which he failed.
In 1982, he and Matsumoto entered Yoshimoto Kōgyō
Yoshimoto Kogyo
is a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate, with its headquarters based in Osaka. It was founded in 1912 as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai talent, producing and promoting the shows they...
, to become a comedy duo. They made their major debut in 1983.
Music
In 1995 and 1996, Hamada was also part of a musical duo with Tetsuya Komuro called "H jungle with t" (where the 'H' stands for Hamada and the 't' stands for Tetsuya) and produced several songs including their most popular song "Wow War Tonight"which was extremely popular at the time, being played on the radio often. "H jungle with t" also performed some songs at live concerts during the mid 90's and videos of these can be found all over the internet on websites such as YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. In the song "Wow War Tonight" Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto
, or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada...
has a line that is repeated several times throughout the course of the song, "B-U-S-A-I-K-U H-A-M-A-D-A", this translates to "Ugly Hamada", one of several of Matsumoto's famous and common insults at Hamada. Other common insults are "Gorilla", "Lip Monster" and "Chimp" (See 'Running Jokes' for more about this).
Hamada the Super Sadist
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
who bother him on the streets.
Because of his aggressive and seemingly remorseless behavior, he has been dubbed . This fearsome side of his personality has been pointed out in the media on several occasions:
- On an episode of Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!, often abbreviated , is a Japanese variety show hosted by the popular Japanese owarai duo, Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Yamasaki and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on Nippon TV since its pilot episode on October 3, 1989, and continues to this day, celebrating its...
, Hamada was put on a mock trial (where Matsumoto jokingly demanded the death sentence) for his countless acts of physical abuse and shameless schadenfreudeSchadenfreudeSchadenfreude is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. This German word is used as a loanword in English and some other languages, and has been calqued in Danish and Norwegian as skadefryd and Swedish as skadeglädje....
on the show over the years. - Downtown pulls numerous pranks on their colleagues on Gaki no Tsukai. A common prank is to have Hamada pretend to lose his temper during a filming and become furious towards the unwitting victim. In the past, he has violently attacked the victim, including kneeing him in the face, giving a headbuttHeadbuttA headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
, and pulling his hair. His act is so convincing, it has brought his victims to tears. This prank has been pulled on Naoki Tanaka of the comedy duo CocoricoCocoricoCocorico may refer to:* The Brazilian TV program, Cocoricó* The French art magazine, Cocorico * The Puerto Rican soda drink, Coco Rico* A Japanese comedy act, Cocorico...
, a regular on Gaki no Tsukai. Tanaka testified during the mock trial, "I cried on someone's chest for the first time in my life." - On a 2005 episode of LINCOLNLincoln (variety show)LINCOLN is a Japanese variety show. It premiered on October 18, 2005, and airs on TBS every Tuesday nights. Hosted by Downtown, it features seven other owarai geinin in its regular cast, and has several recurring younger, more inexperienced comedians as guests.The show uses Abraham Lincoln as its...
, Matsumoto offered a "gift" to the younger comedians on the show: he had Hamada restrained upright and gave them the option of throwing a pie in his face or kissing him on the lips, to help them "overcome [their] fear." The younger comedians were afraid of both options. One stated Hamada would bite his tongue off if he tried to kiss him. - On another episode of LINCOLN, while being recorded by a hidden camera, comedian Shinji Uchiyama spoke of a time he saw Hamada angrily scolding his son at a video game store for not being able to decide which game to get.
- TsunkuTsunku, better known professionally as , is a prolific Japanese record producer, songwriter, and vocalist.He is best known for having two major roles in the Japanese music landscape: first as the lead singer of the popular rock group Sharam Q, and now as the producer, primary composer, lyricist and main...
of the rock group Sharan QSharan Qis a Japanese pop rock band composed of lead singer , on guitar, on drums and on keyboards.- Biography :They debuted with in 1992. They were not an instant hit initially, but their fourth single broke the top 50 of the Oricon charts. Eventually, the single got a lot of attention since it...
claims he got his first big break when Hamada hit him on Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ. Tsunku has been quoted as saying "A musician will always make it big after being hit by Hamada."
Pokémon
Hamada provided the Japanese voice of Slowking in Pokémon: The Movie 2000Pokémon: The Movie 2000
Pokémon: The Movie 2000, originally released in Japan as , is a 1999 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama as the second Pokémon feature-length film, complementing the Orange Islands saga of the series and featuring several new Pokémon, including Lugia and Slowking...
. A limited edition Pokémon card
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998...
called was released to promote the movie. This Slowking's special attack was . The Slowking on this card was illustrated by Hamada himself.
Hamada the family man
Contrary to his intimidating persona, Hamada is proper and well-mannered off screen, and has been praised by Matsumoto for being a devoted father. He is often spotted in public with his family, and every New Year'sNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
, they vacation in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Being from Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, he speaks in the kansai dialect
Kansai-ben
The is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region of Japan. In technical term,it is called ; Kansai is also known as "Kinki", hence the alternative term. They are typified by the speech of Osaka, the major city of Kansai, which is referred to specifically as Osaka-ben...
; however, he uses a standard dialect
Standard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
when talking to his children.
His wife calls him Mā-chan (マーちゃん). In the Hotel Man Batsu game special, he was referred to as "Piko-chan"
Although he has always disliked animals, he recently became attached to the family dog. This has shocked Matsumoto. In a March 2007 episode of Gaki no Tsukai, when asked what he would save first if his house caught on fire, his reply was "the dog."
Running jokes
- His comically extreme lack of drawing skills. On two separate occasions, Gaki no Tsukai regulars played a game where a subject is presented and their drawing must predict what Hamada's interpretation will look like.
- His childish taste in foods. He enjoys foods that are perceived in Japan to be normally preferred by children, such as hamburger pattyPattyA patty is a flattened cake, often of meat.Patty may also refer to:* Patty , a family name* Patricia, a female given name, in all forms of English* Patrick , a male given name, in Australian English and Hiberno-English...
, karaageKaraageis Japanese cooking technique in which various foods — most often meat, and specifically chicken — are deep fried in oil. Small pieces of the food are marinated in a mix of soy sauce, garlic, and/or ginger, then lightly coated with a seasoned wheat flour or potato starch mix, and fried in a light...
, milk teaMilk teaMilk tea may refer to* Tea with the addition of a small amount of milk*Bubble tea, one of famous categories of bubble teas is "pearl milk tea"...
, fast foodFast foodFast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
(the Mega Mac in particular), and his all-time favorite, yakisobaYakisoba', literally "fried noodles", is a dish often sold at festivals in Japan, but originates in China. The dish was derived by the Chinese from the traditional chow mein, but has been more heavily integrated into Japanese cuisine like ramen...
. Matsumoto says he has "the taste of a high school freshman" and claims one can improve his mood by putting a fried egg on top of his steak (this is usually only done for children). Despite having once done a series of ads for GeorgiaGeorgia (drink)is the name of a popular brand of coffee-flavored beverages sold by The Coca-Cola Company. It was launched in 1975 by Coca-Cola Company, a Japanese subsidiary of the company. It has since expanded to markets in Singapore, South Korea, India and Bahrain. Georgia enjoys the most success in Japan,...
, he dislikes coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
. His least favorite food is tomatoTomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es. - His appearance. Matsumoto frequently calls him ugly and pokes fun at his large lips. Names Matsumoto has called him in the past are "monkeyMonkeyA monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
child," "chimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
," "baby gorillaGorillaGorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
," and "lip monster."
Trivia
Although he has starred in television ads for SuntorySuntory
is a Japanese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drinks to sandwich chains...
beer and brandy, he does not like alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
.
His hobbies are golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
In 2001, he starred in the television miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Ashitaga Arusa
Ashita Ga Arusa (TV series)
is a Japanese television drama series first aired on NTV in 2001.-Cast:* Masatoshi Hamada* Izumi Inamori* Takashi Fujii* Kōji Higashino* Naoki Tanaka...
("There's Always a Tomorrow"). Named after a famous song by Kyu Sakamoto
Kyu Sakamoto
was a Japanese singer and actor, best known outside of Japan for his international hit song "Sukiyaki", which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies...
, it ran from April 21 to July 30 and also starred many Yoshimoto Kōgyō geinin, including Cocorico
Cocorico
Cocorico may refer to:* The Brazilian TV program, Cocoricó* The French art magazine, Cocorico * The Puerto Rican soda drink, Coco Rico* A Japanese comedy act, Cocorico...
. In fall of 2001, it was made into a feature film.
He is the voice of Shrek
Shrek (character)
Shrek is a fictional character from the children's book Shrek! and the Shrek films. He is the main protagonist of both the book and the films...
in the Japanese language dub of the animated Shrek
Shrek
Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. Loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!...
films. He was personally selected by producer Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. He is perhaps most famous for his period as chairman of The Walt Disney Company's film division, and for producing DreamWorks animated films such as Shrek, Antz, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken...
to take on the role. He is also the Japanese dub voice for Buck the Diesel in Thomas and Friends.
He worked as a guest sportscaster for Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
On Gaki no Tsukai, he demonstrated his inability to be physically affected by dizziness
Dizziness
Dizziness refers to an impairment in spatial perception and stability. The term is somewhat imprecise. It can be used to mean vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness....
by running in a straight line with no difficulties after being spun around exactly a hundred times. He speculates there is something wrong with his semicircular canal.
His comedy partner Matsumoto quit smoking in 2003, while he himself is still a heavy smoker.
He and his partner, Matsumoto, were referenced in Max Brooks
Max Brooks
Maximillian Michael "Max" Brooks is an American author and screenwriter, with a particular interest in zombies. Brooks is also a television and voice-over actor.- Early life and education :...
' World War Z
World War Z
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is a 2006 post-apocalyptic horror novel by Max Brooks. It is a follow-up to his 2003 book The Zombie Survival Guide. Rather than a grand overview or narrative, World War Z is a collection of individual accounts in the form of first-person anecdote...
zombie novel.
External links
- H-dream.com (official home page)
- http://www.fujitv.co.jp/js/index2.html
- Hamada Gahaku, a gallery of Hamada's artwork
- Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!! official site
- LINCOLN official site
- HEY! HEY! HEY! Music Champ official site
- :ja:H Jungle with t