Overview - Gaki no Tsukai No Laughing Batsu Game

Overview

After participating to a previous show where they have to bet or be challenged to any kind of competitions, the losing members of the Gaki no Tsukai are selected to spend 24 hours in a setting which they have no knowledge of the theme nor the course of the events. They are exposed to various absurd and crazy situations nonstop for 24 hours and must refrain from laughing. If they do so, hang-men appear and hit the rule breakers with a weapon (the weapon varies every year).

Seasons

• Name: Specials

  Episode: 10

  Date first aired: 2003-08-05

• Name: No Laughing in a Hot Spring Inn

  Episode: 1

  The first No-Laughing Batsu Game, shot in Yamanashi, it served as the punishment for Matsumoto, Yamasaki, Endō, and Tanaka, for losing to Hamada in a 4 vs. 1 bowling match (which aired on May 18, 2003). Getting caught laughing during this game resulted in having a dart from a blow-gun shot into the buttocks. Given the newness of the concept, this punishment game was carried out in a somewhat "primitive" way: the Watchers were more lenient with enforcing the rule, and the auto sound blared rough over the sound-system that was set up through the facility.

  Date first aired: 2003-07-27

• Name: No Laughing in Yugawara Inn

  Episode: 1

  In a Russian Roulette style game involving sushi, Yamasaki, Tanaka, and Hamada lost and were punished in the second spa-themed no-laughing batsu game, filmed at Yugawara, Kanagawa. A riding crop was the punishment device employed. Matsumoto and Endo joined the game half-way as "The Mad Brothers." This batsu game features Endō's luchador character Dynamite Shikoku.

  Date first aired: 2004-12-31

• Name: No Laughing in a High School

  Episode: 1

  Matsumoto, Yamasaki, Endō, and Tanaka are punished after losing another Russian Roulette style game where they shocked themselves. This time, they are sent to 'high school' for one day. The punishment weapon for this game is the shinai, and Hamada participated as one of the hang-men, frequently delivering a strong kick along with the regular punishment. It was revealed that this game was shot during Matsumoto's birthday.

  Date first aired: 2005-12-31

• Name: No Laughing at a Police Station

  Episode: 1

  This batsu game premiered as a three-hour special. The losing players were Yamasaki, Hamada, and Endō, who lost at a Russian Roulette style game using large tubs suspended from the studio ceiling, and cutting loose the one's that fell, thus earning them a spot in the Batsu Game. Matsumoto and Tanaka avoided the batsu, and later appeared in the game, visiting the three punished players. The hang-men were especially rough when giving discipline to offenders.

  Date first aired: 2006-12-31

• Name: No Laughing in a Hospital

  Episode: 1

  For this special, Downtown, Yamasaki, and Cocorico all took part of the most infamous punishment game — and they were forced to cross-dress as nurses for the game's duration. Yamasaki, who had just completed a hospital stay after being treated for enteritis, was permitted to take some absences during the game. Among the famous guests who performed here were Sonny Chiba, Masahiro Chono and many other comedy duos in Japan. (As a side note, it was during this game that the record at the time for most punishment-strikes ever inflicted was set, with Hitoshi Matsumoto having received a total of 259 of them.

  Date first aired: 2007-12-31

• Name: No Laughing at a Newspaper Agency

  Episode: 1

  For the second time around, all five members of the regular cast took part in the annual punishment game. This year the chosen setting was a newspaper agency. The members had to go to a number of mock press conferences dressed as journalists. Endō's ex-wife Chiaki made a guest appearance in a conference about her "new husband." In keeping with the theme of the punishment game, giant latex pencils were used to strike anyone who had been declared out.

  Date first aired: 2008-12-31

• Name: No Laughing at the Hotel

  Episode: 1

  For the third consecutive time, Yamazaki, Downtown, and Cocorico took part in the annual punishment game. The setting was a hotel and it aired on New Year's Eve at 6:30pm until 12:30am on New Year's Day. Numerous cameo and guest appearances were made, including Masahiro Chono, Masahiro Tanaka, Natsumi Ogawa ( Hamada's wife ), Endō's ex-wife Chiaki, Jyunji Endō ( Endō's younger brother), Masako Mori, Ayumi Nakamura, Monta Yoshinori, and Yoshimi Iwasaki.

  Date first aired: 2009-12-31

• Name: No Laughing at the Spy Agency

  Episode: 1

  The members of Gaki no Tsukai partake in their fourth annual punishment game. Filmed in Ibaraki prefecture, this Batsu's setting was a spy school and it was aired on New Year's Eve at 6:30pm to 12:30am on New Year's Day. Over 100 celebrities were involved with the filming including Itao Itsuji, Matsuko Deluxe, Masahiro Chono, Bibari Maeda, Claudia Umemiya and Tatsuo Umemiya.

  Date first aired: 2010-12-31