Veteran Comedy Duo Urutora Boogies eyes King of Conte 2025 Crown after Two Decades in Entertainment
TOKYO – After 21 years navigating Japan’s competitive entertainment industry, comedy duo Urutora Boogies is poised to make a serious run for the championship in “King of Conte 2025,” broadcast live on October 11th by TBS. The pair,comprised of Sasaki and Yagi,are riding a wave of momentum - and a peculiar pre-competition ritual – as they chase a victory that has eluded them for two decades.
Sasaki revealed a unique superstition surrounding saunas, stating, “I have a jinx and I like saunas, but when I got excited before the qualifying round, I went to the sauna and then I got a jinx that ended up falling the next day.” This year, Sasaki declined a pre-results sauna invitation from Shizuru Ikeda, a decision that proved fruitful, propelling them to the finals. He described the outcome as “very passionate” and attributed it to avoiding the sauna.
The duo’s journey has been marked by both perseverance and financial realities. Yagi shared a personal milestone tied to their success, noting his wife resumed making his favorite katsudon after he reached the finals, a tradition halted during previous unsuccessful attempts. “My wife would make katsudon every year, but I couldn’t make it to the finals so I stopped making it. But yesterday when I got home, I had made a fist!!”
Despite sharing the stage and industry with established acts like Oriental Radio, Trendy Angel, Hannya, and Fruit Punch, Sasaki admits to a degree of starstruck nervousness. “We didn’t make any noise and didn’t get along very often,and we didn’t get into a relationship with our brilliant classmates. We’ve only spoken to Oriental Radio about four times in 15 years (laughs). Three years ago, we went out drinking once with Fujimori and about five of us, and I was really nervous (laughs). Even now, when we meet, it makes me excited.”
The financial strain of pursuing their comedic dreams is eased, in Sasaki’s case, by ongoing support from his parents, who provide 80,000 yen monthly. This allows him to continue competing, even after setbacks. Sasaki’s parents are also deeply involved in supporting his career, creating and distributing merchandise - buns and clear files featuring the duo’s faces – at his solo live shows.
As Urutora Boogies prepares for the live broadcast, Yagi enjoys his wife’s katsudon while Sasaki contemplates a return to the sauna. The question remains: can this veteran duo finally achieve their long-awaited first victory in “King of Conte”? Fans are already anticipating celebratory merchandise from Sasaki’s devoted parents should they claim the championship title.
