Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!

Regular cast

• Downtown, one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan,^[2][3] who are known for their sarcastic, short-tempered stage personas.
  • Hitoshi Matsumoto (松本人志, Matsumoto Hitoshi), the boke half of Downtown.^[4] Absurdism, sarcasm, and a blunt, ill-tempered persona make up his comedic style. Deadpan is his forté, but he can slip into exaggerated reactions as well. He is often described as an "M", or masochist.
  • Masatoshi Hamada (浜田雅功, Hamada Masatoshi), the tsukkomi half of Downtown.^[4] His quick temper, displays of schadenfreude, and tendency to hit people on their heads are notorious in the owarai world.^[5] He is often described as an "S", or sadist.
• Hōsei Tsukitei (月亭方正, Tsukitei Hōsei),^[6][7] part of the regular cast since 1990. His role on the show is usually divided up between the suberi-kyara (the unfunny character who tries very hard to be funny, but fails) and the ijime-kyara (the underdog who gets bullied and picked on, often physically). Formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki (山崎 邦正 Yamasaki Hōsei) on the show, however at times the rest of the regulars will call him Yamachan or Hosei-san.
• Cocorico,^[6] part of the regular cast since 1997.^[7]
  • Naoki Tanaka (田中直樹, Tanaka Naoki), the boke half of Cocorico.
  • Shōzō Endō (遠藤章造, Endō Shōzō), the tsukkomi half of Cocorico.

Supporting cast

• License (Kazuhiro Fujiwara (藤原一裕, Fujiwara Kazuhiro) and Takafumi Inomoto (井本貴史, Inomoto Takafumi)). A comedy duo that works at the show and has occasionally joined the regular cast. Fujiwara is also known as "Vacuum Fujiwara" because of his eating ability, which is used as a running gag in some skits.
• Hideaki Onishi (大西秀明, Ōnishi Hideaki). Often called by his stage name, 'Jimmy Onishi' (ジミー大西, Jimī Ōnishi). Left the regular cast in 1996 to pursue a painting career. He has subsequently made several appearances in pre-taped segments that are shown to the cast in the "No-Laughing" batsu games, since 2005. In the videos, Onishi portrays an inane version of himself appearing in various roles, saying or doing things that are inane/off-the-wall, usually repeatedly, in an attempt to make the cast laugh.
• Kenji Suga (菅賢治, Suga Kenji). Chief producer. Appears in various sketches often as himself or as various characters during batsu games. As well as appearing in person during these, his likeness is often used for comedic effect in various ways—for instance, appearing on humorous posters, or as a stone bust. The name "Gāsū" (ガースー), a reversal of the kana in his given name, is also referenced in similar ways. He retired from the show in late 2017.
• Toshihide Saitō (斉藤敏豪, Saitō Toshihide). Chief director. Usually referred to by his nickname, Heipō (ヘイポー). Several sketches and games are based on his complete inability to stomach scary things (however silly they may be) and his perverted nature. He also appears whenever the cast needs an extra man around such as in "Silent library" and "No Laughing at the News agency" where he and Tanaka were paired up to do a Blair Witch kind of challenge in a nearby forest. He also took Hamada's place in the "Kiki Ketchup" series when the former was hospitalized.
• Hiroshi Fujiwara (藤原 寛, Fujiwara Hiroshi). Downtown's former manager. Often seen portraying a female character during batsu games, where he meets up with the participants and guides them through the game. He often stutters and speaks incoherently, and generally displays a great deal of incompetence in serious matters.
• Yoshinobu Nakamura (中村喜伸, Nakamura Yoshinobu). Producer of the show, often used when a 6th person is needed for a skit. Has appeared in batsu games and has shown his ability to withstand pain.
• Itsuji Itao (板尾創路, Itao Itsuji). A member of the comedy duo 130R and former cast member of Downtown's Gottsu Ee Kanji. Appears often in batsu games. Itao has had six different women portraying his "wife" throughout the series, one of whom, Sherri, is best known for her dancing along to Madonna (Namely, Material Girl and Like a Virgin) in the No Laughing High School batsu game and the No Laughing at the Police station Batsu game.

Recurring guests

• Ameagari Kesshitai (Hiroyuki Miyasako (宮迫博之, Miyasako Hiroyuki) and Tōru Hotohara (蛍原徹, Hotohara Tōru)). A comedy duo that has occasionally joined the regular cast.
• Obachan Ichigo (おばちゃん一号)浅見千代子 (Asami, Chiyoko) and Obachan Sango (おばちゃん三号)三城晃子 (Mishiro, Akiko); literally, Old Lady #1 and Old Lady #3. Two elderly women who often appear in the batsu games, dressed in strange outfits (on one occasion they dressed as t.A.T.u.) or getting the cast into compromising positions. A running gag is that of cast members being forced to French kiss Obachan Ichigo and Sango under unusual circumstances. Obachan Sango died of multiple organ failure at the age of 65 on 27 July 2011 00:10.^[8]
• David Hossein, known as Konya ga Yamada (今夜が山田 or 今夜がやまだ, literally "Tonight is Yamada"). Former manager of Thane Camus. He played a role as a ringside doctor in Dynamite Shikoku's wrestling matches (Dynamite being a character played by Endō). During the "No Laughing" batsu games, he says "Tonight is crucial" over and over in different variations (sometimes singing it) while the cast try to sleep. "Konya ga yama da" means "tonight is crucial" in Japanese, but Yamada intentionally mispronounces, breaks up, or makes strange mutations of the phrase, such as "Honya ga yama da", translated as "The Bookstore is crucial", etc.
• Africa Chūō TV (アフリカ中央テレビ, Afurika Chūō Terebi) Director role played by Craig Nine. A film crew consisting of a director, sound man, & camera man, who supposedly come all the way from Africa to suddenly interview cast members. While being interviewed, the director shows cue cards for instructions such as "Show your genitals". The Director also has a tendency to cut people off in the middle of speaking, or making them extend their answers for Yes, No questions. Africa Chūō TV has appeared in various Batsu Games, New Year Specials, & Mori Man Yamazaki Wrestling match.
• Hidetoshi Hoshida (星田英利), better known as Hosshan (ほっしゃん。). Another comedian who makes appearances during the batsu games. His signature trick is sticking things up his nose and coughing it out through his mouth. This gag consistently makes the cast laugh.
• Ayako Nishikawa (西川史子, Nishikawa Ayako). A former Miss Japan who later became a physician. She makes a guest appearance as Heipō's "date", as the medical examiner in the police batsu game, and as the anesthesiologist in the hospital batsu game. Her roles tend to be sadistic, often used to great humorous effect. She also appeared in an episode where Endō was trying to find a "new" Chiaki through a "Chiaki Audition".
• Chiaki (千秋). Endō's ex-wife (they divorced in December 2007).^[9] Chiaki usually appears in the No-Laughing batsu games, doing something cute and attempting to make the cast laugh. Since the batsu games frequently have the cast stuck in a waiting room or hotel room between skits, another running gag involves Endō being tricked into opening a desk drawer and finding several pictures of his wife in it. (In the No-Laughing High School batsu game, a recording of Endō shouting "Chiaki! I love you!" was played twice while the cast attempted to sleep, and Endō's PE shirt had "Chiaki LOVE" written in pink letters on a pink tag in lieu of his name.) During the Hospital Batsu Game, she appeared as a nurse to give Endō words of encouragement. Endō states that they had talked the night before about whether or not she had any involvement with the game and she lied to him that she didn't. The divorce of the couple has not put an end to her appearances in the batsu games. In segments mainly targeting Endo, she claims to have found a new husband only known as "Shin-Onii", a play on her old nickname for her ex-husband.
• Shin Onii (新おにぃ, Shin Onii) (Real Name is Maejima Koichi 前島コーイチ).Chiaki's "new" husband featured in the Newspaper Agency game. Although Shin Onii regularly works as an extra, he is known for his notoriously terrible celebrity impersonations during the No-Laughing batsu games. He is also known for his stammer and poor acting in pre-taped sketches during the No-Laughing batsu games.
• Takahiro Matsumoto (松本隆博, Matsumoto Takahiro). Hitoshi Matsumoto's older brother. He makes occasional appearances in the batsu games, sometimes singing and playing guitar. Not to be mistaken for guitarist Takahiro Matsumoto of the popular rock band B'z. In the Hospital Batsu Game, Hitoshi Matsumoto finds a fake book in his drawer written by his brother, titled "Hitoshi, Do You Remember These?"
• Hanako Yamada (山田花子, Yamada Hanako). A strange girl who often tries to talk to the cast (much to their dismay) during the No-Laughing games. She often lures them into mistakenly talking to her (such as calling them to her bathroom in the No-Laughing High School game or making them open a car, only to find her terribly drunk and lingering in the back seat in the No-Laughing Police Station game) and will latch onto some part of their body when the victim tries to leave. Her years as a comedian are often used as a running gag whenever she encounters Endō, as she has been in the entertainment business for a longer period of time.
• Hackam Naronpat. A professional Thai-Kick Boxer. He has appeared in many of Gaki no Tsukai's programs. He is best known for his appearance in the annual New Year's 24-hour batsu game for delivering Thai-Kick to Tanaka.
• Masahiro Chono (蝶野 正洋, Chōno Masahiro). a retired professional wrestler. He debuted in the High School Batsu and has subsequently been a recurring guest. His signature starting from the Hospital Batsu is to shout "GOD DAMN!" upon introduction or when entering a room. A running gag has Chono smacking Yamazaki violently across the face after Yamazaki has apparently crossed him. Yamazaki is in fact the victim of a setup in these cases. Yamazaki reacts with extreme fear of the slap, usually resulting in screaming and begging, to which invokes a lot of laughter in his coworkers and leading to their own punishments.^[10]
• Shōhei Shōfukutei (笑福亭笑瓶, Shōfukutei Shōhei). A rakugo artist. He is also known for the ショウヘイヘイ! (Shōhei-Hey!) phrase said in the police batsu game.^[4] He also appears in person in the hospital and newspaper games. In the episode containing Hamada's trial in 2007 it was suggested that he is Downtown's senpai or senior as Hamada actually bowed in front of him.
• Ichiro Ito (伊藤 一朗, Itō Ichirō). The Guitarist of a pop/soft-rock duo ELT (Every Little Thing) in Japan. He is known in the series for being a soft-spoken person and subjected to being pinched in the nose or ear by a Kuwagata Beetle, known as Stag Beetle.
• Rola (ローラ, Rōra). A Japanese fashion model and tarento. She debuted in 2011's Airport Batsu Game. In the series, she is known to have a childish persona and laughs at almost everything she says in attempt to make the cast laugh. She is seen playing different roles in the series as it progresses. Rola's most notable work in the series is portraying the famous detective character, Furuhata Ninzaburō, in 2015's No Laughing Detective Agency.
• Claudia Umemiya (梅宮 クラウディア, Umemiya Kuraudia). The wife of veteran actor Tatsuo Umemiya and mother of model Anna Umemiya. She is known in the series for her choppy acting during the stage performances and also her inability to remember her lines. Her voice is usually pre-recorded for the performances and played out during her acts. Her most notable performance is when she portrayed Rocky during the 2009's Hotelman series.
• Anna Tsuchiya (土屋 アンナ, Tsuchiya Anna): Appeared in two year end batsu games with comic Yuki Himura as the comedic duo Double Cheesecake, a fictional comedy duo that uses material from other comics. ^[11]
• Shoji Murakami.
• Moriman.
• Piccadilly Umeda.
• Egashira 2:50.

Batsu Games

A popular segment from the No-Laughing High School batsu game, in which Comedian Jimmy Ōnishi struggles with the English language.^[7]

Perhaps the best known Gaki no Tsukai episodes are those dealing with batsu games, or punishment games, in which one or more of the cast members are subjected to after losing bets, major competition, or physical challenges.

The "No Laughing" batsu game itself (broadcast annually during the New Year's Holiday) was first introduced in 2003.^[4] The premise of each "No Laughing"-punishment game is that the losing members of the cast have to endure many compromising, absurd, generally ridiculous situations for a long period of time (up to 24-hours, thus far) but must refrain from laughing at any of them. Whenever someone does laugh the announcer of the game will declare that person as having just become "out" (アウト or a-u-to in Katakana); immediately afterwards, the appropriate number of "hang-men" will come out to mete the rule breaker's punishment. Most of the time, this punishment is a single strike on the buttocks with a weapon,^[12] but some punishments have included a blow dart shot into the buttocks, a slap to the face or a kick to the side of the upper leg by a Muay Thai practitioner.^[4]

To keep the participants on their toes, there have been occasions where other conditions besides laughing had been set that could make them out, if fulfilled; also, the "victors" of the preliminary trial (if there are any) can make appearances during games to wreak further mischief and potentially cause even more discomfort to the losers.

Silent Library

In Silent Library (サイレント図書館, Sairento Toshokan), the cast and a sixth member, usually Heipo, are in a staged library in which one of them has to undergo a punishment upon choosing the card with the skull and crossbones on it (similar to Russian roulette). Although the game requires that they remain silent during the entire segment, the members repeatedly let out bursts of muffled laughter that is loud enough for the occupants of the library to hear.^[23] An example of punishments are being "Outwitted" (having a nose hair pulled from the nostril), "Nose Fishing" (a metal clamp attached to the inside of both nostrils being pulled), and "Hot Earmuffs" (boiled earmuffs put on both ears). Former K-1 champion Ernesto Hoost once made a special appearance, as well as writer and film director Kōki Mitani.

This segment was adapted into an American game show, called Silent Library. The international version of the show is referred to as Fist of Zen. It debuted on MTV on June 15, 2009.

Ōgiri Daigassen

Chinko Machine

A scene from a segment widely circulated on the Internet, featuring the Chinko Machine. In here Tanaka Naoki is preparing to recite a tongue twister (before getting whacked in the testicles).

In a segment from the episode "Ōgiri Daigassen", the participants must recite a long, tongue twister-like promotion for the show without stopping or stuttering. If a participant fails, they are attacked by the "chinko machine", literally the "penis machine", a catapult-like lever with an S&M Whip attached at the end that swings up and hits the participant in the genitals. On this episode, Yamazaki was the only participant who was able to recite the whole tongue twister (although he was not so lucky on other instances). This batsu game was featured on the August 1, 2006 Oddball segment of Countdown with Keith Olbermann as "Reason Number 261 (of 527) why Japanese television is better than ours: When you mess up a tongue twister on a Japanese game show, the punishment is swift and brutal."^[24][25]

7 Henge

Shichi-henge (七変化, literally The Seven Apparitions) is a segment of the show where the cast and crew sit at a table while a comedian attempts to make them laugh. For each round that a person laughs, they must put 1,000 yen into a box; the collected money is donated to a charity of the comedian's choice. Bob Sapp once made a special appearance on this segment in which he collected 53,000 yen, at that time the record for any comedian during this segment. The record is currently held by Koumoto Junichi (河本準一).

A variation on this, "Horror Shichi-henge", involved several members of the cast and crew ambushing Heipō with the intent of causing him to lose his composure and thus be forced to surrender money.

Absolutely Tasty series

This is a series of cooking segments in which the comedians prepare foods, either traditional Japanese dishes like taiyaki, takoyaki, nabe and chawanmushi or foods like pizza, with unusual ingredients to use as fillings or flavors, which is eaten later and given a score ranging from two "skull marks" to ten stars. However, in recent episodes, the cast ignores the rating system more frequently, instead resorting to giving unpleasant dishes various numbers of "ass hairs" and "pubic hairs". The results are usually disastrous and very distasteful. Endo is notorious for using Frisk, a brand of very strong breath mint, in his food. Yamazaki frequently uses junk food such as cheese puffs for rice, onigiri and sausages for taiyaki, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, fries and coke soda for nabe, peanut butter for takoyaki, and jelly beans for tempura. Matsumoto usually introduces very unusual (and occasionally inedible) ingredients such as a bear's paw for takikomi gohan, pig's and tuna's head for pizza, a dried cobra for nabe, a seal's testicle for takoyaki, and toothpaste for pasta. Hamada is notable for using corn bread and corn soup for Tempura, and thus was the only one who ever received the unprecedented Angel mark, although he received the "Full Skeleton" when he made the pasta-filled Chicken (Matsumoto immediately afterwards received two full skeletons for his watermelon pasta). If there was a food item that none of the cast members wanted to eat, chief director Heipo was forced to eat it, always resulting in him spitting the food out or expressing utter disgust except in the case of the individual bee larvae tempura.

Kiki series

This is a series of competitions where each member tastes a randomly selected product, mostly food and drink (although cigarettes and toothpaste have been used for some games), from many different brands blindfolded. After the tasting period, they must find the product they tasted. Anyone who selects correctly will receive a prize money, usually 100,000 yen, otherwise they take a variety of punishments, such as being hit in the groin by a Chinko Machine or getting slapped by a foreigner. These punishments are sometimes themed around the food/drink they are tasting.

Goodbye, Yamasaki

An annual running gag since 2001, the audience is told that Yamasaki is leaving the show (when he really is not). This includes farewell speeches from the cast and some crew members, who give flowers to a distressed Yamasaki. Yamasaki then makes his own speech, but ends up sobbing hysterically and is dragged offstage. However, this always ends with Yamasaki telling them that he's not leaving, because he pulled a prank on Downtown and Cocorico.

High Tension series

This is a series where comedians perform their special high-tension acts. There are two patterns of the show. One is in "The Best Ten" show, which is a parody of countdown shows. The hosts are Hamada and Matsumoto, wearing a black tuxedo and a woman's dress, respectively. The other is in a team competition between Team Hamada and Team Matsumoto.

In "The Best Ten" format, three other regular casts also perform and usually present in certain places; Tanaka at the 10th, Endo, usually with greased hair and wears nothing but white underpants, in the top half, and Yamasaki at the 1st.

Genkai series

The Genkai series is a series of challenges involving foods and how much they can change the pronunciation of these foods while still being able to order them at a restaurant or cafe. For example, for one challenge, they started with ordering "ice coffee" at a cafe, then switched to "ice moffee", "nice coffee", "mice moffee", "nice coach", "aisou warai" (a phrase meaning "pretending to laugh when it's not funny"), "coffee coffee", "atsui coffee" (meaning "hot coffee"), "tansu nouhin" ("dresser delivery"), "aitsu mouii" ("i've had enough of that guy"), "high society", "iron hero", and finally "OuYang FeiFei" (a Chinese singer). Predictably, the waiter/waitress becomes confused and either gives up trying to understand or berates the person ordering.

Other challenges include: Hiyashi Chuuka "cold noodles", Mild Seven "a cigarette brand", Katsu Kare "pork cutlet and curry rice", Chashumen "ramen noodles with chashu pork", Naporitan (Neapolitan) "spaghetti-like noodles", Omuraisu "rice with ketchup and egg"

Hemachido

The cast enter a restaurant where they have to fart to eat the next meal course. Done in a French restaurant and a Sushi restaurant.

Yamasaki VS Moriman

A series of comedic fighting bouts between Yamasaki and Holstein Morio of the female comedian duo Moriman. The main running gag is that Yamasaki has never won a match since 1996.

The event also features Endo's wrestling alter ego Dynamite Shikoku. He is accompanied to the ring by 2 women in kimonos and proceeds to fight in a match. The running gag is that he pulls a leg muscle during the match, and he always loses. After being checked out by the ringside doctor (Konya Ga Yamada), the match ends and Shikoku stands back up to address the crowd. After the speech he invites the crowd to join him in his trademark dance and is promptly taken out of the ring in a stretcher.

Technician Challenge

The Technician Challenge series is a series of sex-related challenges from Matsumoto to the other regular members, expanding in later series to include some semi-regulars. Matsumoto sends a letter, including a hand-drawn map, to the assembled other members through his manager. The manager leads the members to Matsumoto, who explains the challenge. Each challenge is sex-related and comes with an appropriate punishment for the lowest achiever. The first challenge was speed bra-unhooking, where the members had to unhook the bras on a certain number of mannequins as quickly as possible. Other challenges include speed kissing (kissing plastic lips on the walls while traveling through a corridor), speed nipple-play (pressing the nipples of mannequins with bells for breasts), speed hip movement (pumping an air pump using their hips), and speed panty removal (removing the panties from ten mannequins using only their feet). The punishments all followed the theme of the challenge (speed bra-unhooking had the worst achiever walk around town wearing a bra, speed panty removal had the worst achiever walk around town wearing panties on his head).

Shoji Murakami's Class series

A series where the cast learns to be a worker in a specific occupation. Shoji Murakami usually has everyone try out and do absurd or abnormal activities. Some notable occupations include: pilot, green beret, ninja, ghostbusters, geisha, dracula, etc.

500 Questions

The cast is asked 500 questions, which all pertain to the opinions and preferences of the person being interviewed. These questions usually begin with: "What is your favourite?", "Which is the most interesting?", etc. A matching answer will earn them a point. After 500 questions, either the person with the most number of points wins a prize or the person with the least number of points gets a punishment. Notable people who were questioned were: Tanaka, Hamada, Yamasaki's wife Aya, singer Wada Akiko, makeup artist IKKO, Sano Motoharu, Matsuko Deluxe, journalist and broadcaster Tahara Sōichirō, Downtown's former manager Fujiwara Hiroshi and manga artist Kazuo Umezu.

Five Rangers Game

In this challenge, all five cast members enter separate dressing rooms and each randomly dress as one of the five colors of Gorenjai (sentai characters from Downtown's other show, Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji), and they attempt to complete all five different colors in 6 hours. The odds that the five cast members choose all the same colors is 5/3125 (0.16%), while the odds of the cast successfully choosing all different colors is 120/3125 (3.84%). The challenge is based on the main running gag of the Gorenjai sketches: that the team members couldn't decide who wore which colors.

On occasion, Ameagari Kesshitai join the regular cast in a Seven Rangers Game (nanarenjai), featuring two additional colors (black and white) added to the regular Gorenjai color configuration. The odds of winning nanarenjai are 5040/823,543 (0.612%), while the odds of losing are only 7/823,543 (0.00085%).

The rules for all variations of Gorenjai are exactly the same as in a Five Rangers Game.

Cosplay Bus Tour series

The bus series usually includes the main cast plus some of the producers or guests cosplaying or dressing up in drag and playing mini games in a bus going around popular Tokyo locations. When one of the players loses a mini-game, he is dropped off in a public location and forced to walk back to the studio alone and looking quite absurd. Past themes include female anime characters, kogals, SM queens, and Pink Lady (Japanese pop music idols of the late 1970s).

One memorable moment was during the Anime Bus Tour, when Yamasaki (dressed as Arale from Dr. Slump) was dropped off and told to buy take-out spaghetti for the entire cast on his way back. He attempted to walk back without buying any, but on his way, he ran into fellow contestant Miyasako of the comedy duo Ameagari Kesshitai, who had also been dropped off (dressed as Kekkō Kamen). They bought the spaghetti together. Upon arriving at the studio, Miyasako revealed that Yamasaki had tried to return without buying the food. Appalled and outraged, Matsumoto ordered him to go buy spaghetti in Italy—specifically, to go to the "very tip of its heel", referring to the country's distinct boot-like shape. A few weeks later, Yamasaki was forced to fly to Lecce, Italy to buy a plate of spaghetti from a restaurant, all the while still dressed as Arale.

Matsumoto challenges

This series are scenarios where Gaki members help Matsumoto achieve his dreams to break world records. These dreams are physically impossible for Matsumoto to accomplish. Gaki members would dress as Kuroko, stagehands in traditional Japanese theatre, to help Matsumoto break these world records.^[26] Matsumoto is usually limp and un-cooperative so the other Gaki members must also struggle with keeping him in the right position.