[All] [2026] Ichikawa Danjuro completely shuts out 24 comedians—What is the true power of a Kabuki actor as shown in "Make them laugh and win 10 million yen"?

On April 12, 2026, Ichikawa Danjuro appeared in the "Make Them Laugh and Win 10 Million Yen" segment of ABEMA's 10th Anniversary Special Program, "30-Hour Limit Break Festival." We will thoroughly explain his impenetrable, expressionless demeanor that completely shut down all 24 comedians, and the behind-the-scenes story.

 

Ichikawa Danjuro completely shuts out 24 comedians—What is the true power of a Kabuki actor, as demonstrated in the "Make them laugh and win 10 million yen" challenge?

Ichikawa Danjuro never laughed even once in front of some of the world's top comedians. The segment "Make Ichikawa Danjuro Laugh and Win 10 Million Yen," which aired on April 12, 2026 (Sunday) as part of the special program "30-Hour Limit Break Festival" commemorating ABEMA's 10th anniversary, has become a huge topic of conversation, especially on social media.

 

table of contents

1. Who is Ichikawa Danjuro? Profile and Family Lineage
2. Outline of the "Make Ichikawa Danjuro Laugh and Win 10 Million Yen" Project
3. 24 participating comedians and their main highlights
4. Ranjatai's FUJIWARA Haranishi... What was the moment of his greatest crisis?
5. Which comedian did Ichikawa Danjuro say was "the funniest"?
6. Summary of reactions on social media and the internet
7. Overall reaction to the "30-Hour Limit Break Festival"
8. Basic information about Ichikawa Danjuro, including his height, family tree, and children.

1. Who is Ichikawa Danjuro? Profile and Family Lineage

 

Ichikawa Danjuro Ichikawa Danjuro is one of the most prestigious names in the Kabuki world, and the current head of the family is The 13th Ichikawa Danjuro He succeeded his father, the 12th Ichikawa Danjuro, after his death in 2013, and became the 13th in 2022.

 

item	detail
Real name	Takatoshi Horikoshi
date of birth	December 6, 1977
Birthplace	Tokyo
height	Approximately 180cm
Family lineage	The 13th head of the Ichikawa family (Narita-ya)
child	His eldest son, Kangen Horikoshi, and others.

 

 

The twelfth Ichikawa Danjuro died of leukemia in February 2013. The current thirteenth Ichikawa Danjuro inherited his father's name and, while active as a Kabuki actor, also makes frequent appearances on television and in the media. His daughter, Reika Horikoshi, also works as a model, and glimpses of the family can be seen on Ichikawa Danjuro's Instagram.

 

 

 

2. Outline of the "Make Ichikawa Danjuro Laugh and Win 10 Million Yen" Project

Broadcast date: April 12, 2026 (Sunday) Broadcasting platform: ABEMA
Broadcast URL: https://abema.tv/now-on-air/30h-1

This project is a special program commemorating the 10th anniversary of ABEMA's launch. "30-Hour Limit Break Festival" It was created as an original project. The rules are simple: if you can make Ichikawa Danjuro laugh with a joke within a one-minute time limit, you win a prize of 10 million yen.

MC is Koji Higashino and Miyu Honda He took on the role, and the comedian team provided support. Floor plan (Shintaro Moriyama and Lily) were in charge. The tension of whether Ichikawa Danjuro, who is required to not show his emotions on the Kabuki stage, could withstand the onslaught of laughter added to the climax of the 30-hour festival.

 

 

3. The 24 participating comedians and their main highlights

The 24 participating groups are listed below (in alphabetical order).

 

Imai Raipachi / Wes P / Oda Ueda / Carnation / Kaname Stone / Kitsune / Green Peace / Konno Buruma / Shishigashira / Shinomiya Akira / Shimada Tamayo / School Zone / Seken Shirazu / Tatsuro / Tom Brown / Champions / Hollywood Zakoshisho / FUJIWARA Haranishi / Mama Tart / La Parfait / Ranjatai / Riimoko-chan / Lucifer Yoshioka / Razor Ramon RG

 

The event brought together talented individuals active in various fields, including winners of the R-1 Grand Prix and comedy duos who reached the finals of the M-1 Grand Prix.

The first up to perform is Champions He packed a variety of jokes, including rhythmic gags and facial expressions, into one minute, but Ichikawa Danjuro's expression remained unfazed. After the act, Danjuro commented, "That was incredibly funny. I would have been in trouble if I'd been pushed."

Tamayo Shimada He showed his gravitas with his signature raunchy jokes, but Ichikawa Danjuro restrained himself, saying, "There are children watching, so I absolutely can't laugh," and only managed a faint smile.

 

4. Ranjatai's FUJIWARA Haranishi… What was the moment of his greatest crisis?

Ichikawa Danjuro revealed, "That was the most interesting. It was a close call at the end." Ranjatai This was part of the skit. The long silence at the end of the skit, which mimicked an eye exam, was effective, and we saw Ichikawa Danjuro's face stiffen in a rare moment.

Also, FUJIWARA・Haranishi Then he appeared saying, "Danjuro, it's me!" and unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of jokes that could be described as a trillion. Immediately after it ended, Ichikawa Danjuro looked impressed and said, "That was hilarious, it was amazing," but even then, he couldn't bring himself to smile.

moreover Hollywood Zakoshisho In response, Ichikawa Danjuro surprised the studio by confessing that he had watched about six videos beforehand to prepare. Hollywood Zakoshisho also chimed in, "Don't keep an eye on me!"

Oda Ueda In the skit, Ichikawa Danjuro, with a deep frown, recalled, "It was a bit dangerous when (the two of them) came out," highlighting the skit's high level of execution.

 

5. Which comedian did Ichikawa Danjuro say was "the funniest"?

After all 24 acts had finished their routines and there were no prize winners, Hollywood Zakoshisho suddenly performed his "Exaggerated Middle Schooler" routine as an extra. Ichikawa Danjuro maintained a serious expression and did not laugh until the very end.

At the end of the program, when asked "Who was the funniest comedian?", Ichikawa Danjuro's answer was...

"Hollywood Zakoshisho was amazing."

In response, Hollywood Zakoshisho commented, "Winning is fine! 5 million yen (is enough)!" which sent the audience into fits of laughter.

MC Koji Higashino declared emphatically, "We can't let it end like this. We definitely want a second season!", bringing the show to a close and raising expectations for a sequel.

 

6. Summary of reactions on social media and the internet

After the broadcast, we received a lot of feedback, mainly on X (formerly Twitter).

 

"Ichikawa Danjuro seriously didn't laugh even once?! The mental fortitude of Kabuki actors is incredible!"

"It's extraordinary that they were able to endure that silent performance by Ranjatai. That's what you'd expect from the Naritaya family."

"I endured Hollywood Zakoshisho's barrage of impersonations, but having watched six of his videos beforehand to prepare was practically a form of training."

"Since Higashino-san was so insistent about a second installment, I really hope it happens."

"The way he furrowed his brow during the Oda-Ueda segment was the most human moment, lol."

 

Many similar comments were posted using the official hashtag #Abema30Hours, and it continued to trend the day after the broadcast.

 

7. Overall reaction to the "30-Hour Limit Break Festival"

ABEMA celebrates its 10th anniversary. To commemorate this, a special program, "30-Hour Limit Break Festival," was broadcast nonstop on three channels simultaneously from 3 PM on Saturday, April 11th, 2026 to 10 PM on Sunday, April 12th, 2026.

The total number of views for videos related to the program will be calculated from 3 PM on the 11th. Over 30 million views ABEMA has announced that they have done so.

One of the main events, "Get a 3-count pinfall against Wolf Aaron and win 10 million yen," featured a former judo athlete who has since become a professional wrestler. Aaron Wolf He defeated all six challengers and successfully defended his 10 million yen prize. Social media was flooded with comments such as "Aaron Wolf is the strongest!" and "His match against Takato was amazing!"

Also, in "Today's Love Dance Battle One-Night-Only Artist Collaboration SP," Hey! Say! JUMP Daiki Arioka and Kei Inoo She made her first appearance on ABEMA as an MC, attracting a lot of attention.

 

8. Basic information about Ichikawa Danjuro, including his height, family tree, and children.

The Ichikawa Danjuro family tree The family traces its lineage back to the Ichikawa family (Narita-ya), which has continued since the Edo period, making it one of the most prestigious families in the Kabuki world. The succession from the twelfth to the thirteenth generation took place formally at the succession performance in 2022, nine years after the death of the father.

 

• height : Approximately 180cm
• Her marital history He had children with his ex-wife, and his eldest son, **Kangen Horikoshi**, is currently working as a Kabuki actor. His daughter... Reika Horikoshi She works as a model.
• Instagram : We are sharing updates about our stage performances and daily life on our official account.
• Cause of death (12th generation) : Leukemia (passed away in February 2013)

 

 

current The 13th Ichikawa Danjuro They actively participate in television and streaming media beyond the realm of traditional performing arts, and their appearance in this ABEMA project is part of that effort.

 

 

[Source/Reference Links]

 

ABEMA Official: https://abema.tv/now-on-air/30h-1
ABEMA 10th Anniversary Special Website: https://contents-abema.com/10th /

Ichikawa Danjuro's official Instagram (Please check the image and add the link directly)

 

 

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