Episodes called "eccentric", interactions with senior comedian The Mummy, and behind-the-scenes stories of the duo formation!
We delve into the true face and charm of Spicy Garlic, who continues to steadily expand their fan base with unique comedic sense and witty character.

● The mime-infused routine "Zombie" hit

ZAIKO: Spicy Garlic is in their fifth year since formation, but three years ago they already won at 'Arabiki Dan' and 'NHK Newcomer Comedy Awards'. Has it been smooth sailing from the duo formation until now?

Katayama: No, during the first year of teaming up, we didn't achieve any results. We were eliminated in the first round of the King of Conte. Both John and I had better results when we were with other partners, but as soon as we became Spicy Garlic, we fell in the first round, which made us very anxious. Even though we only did skits, we hastily entered M-1 and tried stand-up, and we lost in the first round there too.

John: That's right.

Katayama: I thought this was bad, so I created new material one after another and presented it live. That was when we finally got some reactions at 'Arabiki Dan' in our second year.

ZAIKO: There seems to be a contrasting image between the late-night program 'Arabiki Dan' and the orthodox 'NHK Newcomer Comedy Awards', did you adjust your material according to each program?

Katayama: Actually, it's the same material.

John: It's a routine called "Zombie" which uses an escalator mime.

Katayama: "Zombie" has received good reviews at both venues, and it feels like… we might have made some incredible invention.

ZAIKO: You're the one responsible for creating the material, Katayama. What are the characteristics of Spicy Garlic's material?

Katayama: There are three important things I prioritize in material creation. The first is that John's facial expressions are my favorite. So, it's material that brings out his expressions.

John: There’s a possibility that it only appeals to one person in the world.

Katayama: Sometimes the audience isn’t laughing, but I still find myself laughing at John's face. He has such a funny face. The second is that the material involves large movements. The third is that the punchlines and responses aren't clearly separated. There are a lot of such elements.