The comedian that gaslit Japanese TV into popularizing his made up sport

Today we sit down with Wakkyai, a Japanese comedian and content creator who grew up in California before returning to Japan. Wakkyai shares what it’s like to grow up in Japan with an international background. We explore his experiences teaching Japanese, how he navigates identity and culture, and the unique challenges and rewards of living in Japan as someone who’s both an insider and outsider. -- 00:00 Intro 00:54 Meet Wakkyai 02:19 Return to Japan 03:32 Differences in University Systems 08:46 Cultural Differences 09:57 Alter Ego 15:58 Cap Throwing 25:20 Commercial Success 27:06 Comedy 30:41 Video Skits 33:05 Getting No Laughs 38:27 Dreams 40:46 Stepping Away From Social Media 42:36 Identity and Culture 44:14 Being the Cool Kid 46:18 Comedy in America 49:25 Final Thoughts -- Liked this episode? Check out our interview with Tristan, Co-Founder of Kaikoku Co & YouTube channel Around Akiba, who talks about Akihabara's unique Otaku culture!    • What people don't understand about otaku c...   -- Follow Wakkyai: ‪@wakkyai‬   / wakkyai   https://x.com/wildkumada Follow us: https://unpacking.jp/   / unpacking_japan     / unpackingjapan     / unpackingjapan      / @unpackingjapanshorts   https://www.x.com/unpacking_japan https://creators.spotify.com/pod/prof... Subscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/