Adapted from the novel Hibana by Naoki Matayoshi this series of Spark on Netflix is a quietly captivating drama. Drawing on Matayoshi's own experience of the manzai comedy circuit in Tokyo. It takes its time, the pace is slow from the start, so you have to relax and be with it. Manzai are usually comedy duos, but are a very particular Japanese twist on that format. Comedy routines involve a lot of weird word play, snappy often ludirous repartee that to English ears don't come across as remotely amusing. Manzai performers vary from crowd pleasing slapstick all the way to extremely out there alternative performance comedy.
Tokunaga is in a manzai act Spark with his childhood friend. He's always wanted to be a comedian, though lacks confidence and has an dorky way of being and looking at the world. Their act, however much they rehearse, is just not firing on all cylinders yet. At a comedy festival he meets Kamiya a more seasoned performer. Kamiya is an intense, self possessed, narcissistic man, who is quite wild. His act is edgy and socially confrontational, he takes a lot of risks. Tokunaga is in awe and is inspired and requests to be in a mentor relationship with him. Kamiya agrees on the basis that Tokunaga should note everything down, he must write his biography.
Manzai acts like Spark want to get a regular spot on TV, to get their upward career trajectory established. Though there is often a trade off in conforming to popular comedy tropes, and a loss of personal integrity. Kamiya, never willing to stick to a predictable format, self sabotages repeatedly. Hibana Spark has real moments where it deftly shifts from being wacky and funny, to revealing, to extremely moving. Its about the very identifiable human struggle to stay true to yourself. To not allow your creative integrity to be eaten up by your desire for success. In an entertainment industry that does not mind one way or the other if you exist.
On a personal level Tokunaga wants to have Kamiya's restless devil may care attitude. But never can quite do it. As Kamiya's own career and life goes down the pan, he comes to realise there is a cost to holding too tightly to one's integrity. Kamiya actually has few allies or real friends. Is he admiring someone who can't even hold himself together, an individualist, who is actually a complete loser in life?
The street singer shown in this clip becomes a sort of conduit for unspoken feelings. Tokunaga always gives him money that the street singer then returns to him later. Its an arrangement he has with Tokunaga in order to encourage more street donations. But this is indicative of the poignancy tucked away in the backstreets of Hibana: Spark. A drama with lots to say about the often flawed nature of male bonding, friendship, admiration and ambition in contemporary Japan, but also universally. I loved it. As do Netflix who have commissioned a second series.
Still available to steam on Netflix.
CARROT REVIEW 6/8
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