Emi-Abi (2016): cast, story & where to watch
2016 · Film
Released in 2016, Emi-Abi is a comedy and drama film directed by Kensaku Watanabe, running about 88 minutes.
What it’s about. Up-and-coming manzai stand-up comedy duo Emi-Abi has lost consummate funny man Unno (a surprisingly touching Tomoya Maeno) to an accident, leaving conceited straight man Jitsudo (Ryu Morioka) to contend with his diminished career prospects as a bland, pretty face entertainer. Guided by his manager Natsumi (Haru Kuroki), who demonstrates stronger comedy chops than her own star, Jitsudo comes to learn the circumstances of his friend's passing, as well as the life-and-death stakes of a career in comedy. Demonstrating a careful balance of tone across tragedy and deadpan and gross-out humor, writer/director Kensaku Watanabe expands "Emi-Abi"'s hilarious premise into a strikingly assured meditation on artistic rivalry and self-actualization.
Who’s in it. Emi-Abi stars Ryu Morioka as Kenji Sanemichi, Tomoya Maeno as Kazuya Unno, Haru Kuroki as Natsumi Takahashi and Hirofumi Arai as Takuma Kurosawa, among others.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Emi-Abi page.
If you liked it. Fans of Emi-Abi tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Emi-Abi (2016)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Emi-Abi change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Who stars in Emi-Abi?
- Emi-Abi stars Ryu Morioka, Tomoya Maeno, Haru Kuroki, Hirofumi Arai and Mari Yamachi.
- When was Emi-Abi released?
- Emi-Abi was released in 2016, with a runtime of about 88 minutes.