Chad Mullane

Chad Mullane (born 28 November 1979 ) is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, director, translator, academic and producer based in Japan.

Career

Chad became the first non-Japanese comedian to enter Japan's highest-profile comedy college Yoshimoto New Star Creation (NSC) and join Yoshimoto Kogyo in 1998. As an award-winning manzai artist he has since hosted, co-hosted and made guest appearances on thousands of comedy and variety television shows. Having ranked among the top 50 comedians in Japan by reaching the semi-finals of the prestigious M-1 Grand Prix for a record eight-years consecutively, he still performs live at theaters across Japan as one part of his comedy duo (which is also called "Chad Mullane.")

As an actor Chad has performed in many award-winning films, drama series and he has also been featured in several advertising campaigns. As a writer he has frequently contributed to publications at NHK Publications and The Japan Times, and he has also authored the book The Peculiar Case of Japanese Comedy. As an academic he teaches comedy at NSC, guest lectures at universities throughout Japan and will be one of the founding lecturers at Tokyo's 'i University' opening in 2020. Chad has been an advisor to the Japanese government and its promotion of Japanese culture through the Cool Japan initiative since March 2019.

Influences

Growing up in Australia, Chad was exposed to American, British and Australian humor, but developed an interest in owarai (Japanese comedy) after a student exchange program took him by chance to Osaka (a.k.a. "The City of Comedy.") Having been exposed to the rich culture of uniquely Japanese comedy (including manzai, conte, shinkigeki, oogiri and batsu game,) and being particularly fascinated by the talent of comedy duo Downtown's Hitoshi Matsumoto, Chad joined NSC, after which he spent two years as an apprentice to The Bonchi's Osamu (the first manzai artist to sell out the 14,000 capacity Nippon Budokan.) By taking Osamu as his mentor, Chad became one of only three "brothers" to cult comedian Jimmy Onishi (of Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!-fame) and shinkigeki leader Hiro Yoshida. Chad was recognized by Hitoshi Matsumoto in 2006, and after being nicknamed "The Osaka-ralian," was invited to appear on the bi-annual TV show all comedians aspire to be on: Hitoshi Matsumoto no suberanai hanashi. Chad has since collaborated with Matsumoto on several TV shows and films.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2004 Moon & Cherry Paul 2007 Ten Nights of Dreams Yassan 2007 Honeystar Groom Written & directed by 2008 Lala Pipo Mr. Lala Pipo 2009 Elite Yankee Saburo First Guy to Die 2009 Nodame Cantabile: The Movie Paul Dubois, Jane Dubois, Jean Dubois, Claude Dubois 2010 Nemuriba Chad 2010Not Enough Hands Chicken Ball Boy Written & directed by 2012 Grafreeter Toki Jack Hanma 2012 Space Brothers Raleigh Cuomo 2012 Paper Rabbit Rope Jose the Alpaca (voice) 2014 Judge! Alex Moylan 2014 Dogeza Japan Mr. Mediocre Written & directed by 2015 Samurai of the Dead Zombie George 2015 Sideline Nabihiko Tsuji 2016 Kamen Rider Ghost: The 100 Eyecons and Ghost's Fated Moment Thomas Edison 2017 Zen and Bones: Henry Mittwer John Mittwer 2017 The Stand-In Thief Dave Ross 2018 Movies: Mr. Fukyô vs eiga-tachi Mr. NEET 2018 Jesus Jesus Won New Director's Award at 2018 San Sebastián International Film Festival 2019 Roots Tommy Short film

Television

Drama Series Year Broadcaster Title Role Notes 2001 MBS Hitori Janai No Mark 3 episodes 2003 MBS Drama Damas Conman 1 episode 2007 NHK Imo Tako Nankin Eddie Spencer 5 episodes 2008 NHK Hitomi Jason 2 episodes 2009 NHK Ghost Friends Ryan 1 episode 2010 YTV Kinoshita Bucho to Boku Emcee 1 episode 2011 NHK Haha ni nattari, naranakattari Chad 1 episode 2011 NHK Kumajiro: Otoko-tabi Okami-san 5 episodes 2012 NHK Seishun Nine Kotaro 5 episodes 2013 NHK Takanashi-san Tom 1 episode 2015 YTV Itsutsu-boshi Tourist Mark Houston 1 episode 2015 NHK Sono Otoko, Ishiki Takai-kei Tom 2 episodes 2015 MBS Tonari no Seki-kun to Rumi-chan no Jisho Chef Bob 2 episodes 2018 NTV Hotel on the Brink Pierre Tanaka 10 episodes 2018 NHK Babysitter Gin! Steve Fever 1 episode 2019 TV Tokyo Secret × Heroine Phantomirage! Art 1 episode

Daily Shows Year Broadcaster Title Role Notes 2013-2016 NHK Shigoto no Kiso Eigo Chad 2015- NHK Eigo de Asobo with Orton Peachy (voice) Also written by

Weekly Shows Year Broadcaster Title Role 2003-2005 TVK Kyanagawa Himself 2004-2005 Fuji TV Quiz! Hexagon Himself 2006 Fuji TV Impact! Himself 2006-2007 Fandango TV Itadaki∞ Himself (host) 2006-2008 Fuji TV Bakusho! Red Carpet Himself 2007 TV Tokyo Webtama ww Himself 2007-2008 Tokai TV Morisugi Himself 2007-2008 NTV Kuchikomi! Johnny Himself (co-host) 2007-2009 NHK Kyou kara Eikaiwa Himself (co-host) 2007-2009 TV Tokyo Honban desu: Chad's Shanghai Walker Himself (co-host) 2008 KTV Tsukai! Everyday Himself (co-host) 2010-2011 NHK Matsumoto Hitoshi no Konto: MHK Narrator 2010-2012 TV Tokyo Ohasta 645 Chad-mushi 2011-2013 TBS Power Pulin Narrator 2011-2016 NTV Nep & Imoto's Sekai Banzuke Himself 2012-2013 LaLa TV Everybody! Good Gakuen Himself (co-host) 2012-2013 Nerdist Channel Weird S*it from Japan Himself (host) 2012-2015 NHK Bitworld Takeshi Tanaka 2014-2015 TV Tokyo Hakkutsuberry Narrator 2014-2015 TV Tokyo Ohasta 645 Go! Go!! Narrator 2014-2015 Dlife Chad & Kids Omoro-English Himself (host)

Music videos Year Artist Title Role 2007 JYONGRI Hop, Step, Jump! Himself 2009 100s Sorya Sou Da Himself

Advertising Campaigns Year Company Title Role 2006 Kirin Beverage Namacha Panda to Kuraso (Lyrics sung by) 2008 Coca-Cola Japan Aquarius Vitamin Guard Vitamin C/Himself 2009 Keihan Electric Railway Okeihan Music Story Noel Morinoshoji 2010 Nihon Wasou Kareshi wa Gaikokujin, Kyoushitsu no Hi Himself 2012 LOTTE Fit's Sijo Saikyo! Kakurenbo Campaign Himself 2014 Konami World Soccer Collection Himself 2019 Osaka Gas Natsu no Eikaiwa Kyoushitsu Himself

Publications

Books Year Publisher Title Notes 2017 NHK Publications Strange Tales: Japanese Comedy

Regular Contributions Year Publisher Magazine/Paper Title Language 2007 NHK Publications Kyou Kara Eikaiwa "Chad's Body Language Lesson" Japanese 2007-2008 NHK Publications Kyou Kara Eikaiwa "Chado-Chado-ish Failures" Japanese 2007-2008 INFAS Publications Ryuko Tsushin "Chad's Moteru Eikaiwa" Japanese 2007-2008 Shueisha Margaret "Chad's Operation: Margaret" Japanese 2008 NHK Publications Shin Sankagetsu Topics "Chadotta Tales" Japanese 2009 NHK Publications Shin Sankagetsu Topics "Chad's Japan-Australia, Go!" Japanese 2009-2010 NHK Publications Jissen Business Eigo "The English Triangle" Japanese 2011-2014 NHK Publications Jissen Business Eigo "Growing Up in Australia" Japanese 2015-2017 The Japan Times The Japan Times ST "Chad's Thoughts" English 2015-2017 The Japan Times The Japan Times ST "Chad's Omoro People Journal" English 2018- The Japan Times The Japan Times Alpha "How Do You Say That!" English 2021- Yomiuri Shimbun Yomiuri Kodomo Shimbun "Chad's Showtime" Japanese

Translation Works

Feature films Year Title 2006 Chromartie High the Movie 2007 Big Man Japan 2009 Yatterman 2009 Symbol 2010 Farewell, Mr. President 2010 What a Life!! 2010 The King of Jail Breakers 2011 Omrice 2011 Deadball 2011 Moonlight Mask 2011 Saya Zamurai 2012 TSY: Time Slip Yankee 2012 Typhoon Family 2012 All Tied Up With My Own Rope 2013 Abductee 2013 SEIZA 2013 Jelly Fish 2013 R100 2014 Oh! Father 2014 The Mole Song: Undercover Agent Reiji 2015 Samurai of the Dead 2015 At Home 2015 Mr. Maxman 2015 Secret Breaths 2016 CHIN-YU-KI: Journey to the West with Farts 2016 What if you can talk to your belongings 2016 Hentai Kamen: Abnormal Crisis 2017 MINT 2017 Carton MOOn 2017 The Stand-In Thief 2017 Jojoen 2017 Spark 2018 Watashi no Jinsei Nanoni 2019 Violence Voyager 2019 Kuso Mitai na Eiga 2019 Little Miss Period 2019 Dosukoi! Sukehira 2019 Tokyo Adios 2019 Tonde Saitama 2023 Shin Kamen Rider

Web series Year Broadcaster Title Notes 2016 Netflix Hibana: Spark 10 episodes 2018 Netflix Jimmy: The True Story of a True Idiot 9 episodes 2018- Amazon Prime Hitoshi Matsumoto's Documental Seasons 1–5

Illustrated Books Year Title Author 2009 Dr. Ink's Starry Sky Cinema Akihiro Nishino 2010 Zip & Candy Akihiro Nishino 2012 The Music Box Planet Akihiro Nishino

Impressions Haley Joel Osment Sylvester Stallone Michael Schumacher Setsuko from Grave of the Fireflies Celine Dion Paris Hilton Disney Witches Zlatan Ibrahimović Diego Forlán Carles Puyol