The lineup of judges for “M-1 Grand Prix 2025” (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Loser’s Resurrection 3:00 p.m. / Final 6:30 p.m.), a competition to determine the best manzai comedians in Japan to be aired on January 21, was revealed on January 14. The announcement was made during the special program “M-1 Grand Prix: Even We Are Funny! The Story of 10,000 Entries” (0:55-1:55 pm) broadcast on ABC TV and TV Asahi on the same day. Continuing from last year, the nine-person field consisted of Reiji (Nakagawa Family), Kenji Yamauchi (Kamaitachi), Nobuyuki Hanawa (Knights), Daikichi Hakata (Hanamaru Daikichi), Tetsuo (Laughing Rice), Hideshi Shibata (Untouchable), Takashi Komaba (Milk Boy), Teruki Goto (Football Hour), and Tomoko Uihara (Yasuyo Tomoko Umehara). The 21st champions will be decided by nine comedians who continue to produce exceptional laughs and are admired by M-1 warriors: Reiji, the 2001 champion, for the 11th time this year; Hanawa, for the 8th time; Oyoshi, for the 6th time; Tetsuo, the 2010 champion, and Tomoko Umihara, for the 3rd time; Shibata and Yamauchi, the 2004 champion, for the 2nd time; 2003 champion Goto and 2019 champion Komaba will be first-time judges. After the semifinals on the 4th, nine finalists will be selected. The nine finalists were: Captain Gokai, Don Decorte, Mezon, and Takuro, who were making their first appearance in the finals; Jessica Vacuum, who has been in the finals for five consecutive years; Yoneda 2000, who was in the finals for the first time in three years; Evers, who placed 4th last year; Yarens, who placed 5th last year; and Mama Tart, who placed 10th last year. A total of 10 groups, including the losers’ resurrection groups, will compete in the finals for the top spot among the 11,521 manzai groups, the largest number in the history of the competition. The final and the losers’ resurrection will be broadcast on the 21st (losers’ resurrection at 3:00 p.m. and the final at 6:30 p.m.). From the loser’s bracket to the finals, the program will be broadcast live for approximately 7 hours. The MC for the final will be Koji Imada and Aya Ueto, who have worked together for the 14th time, and the MC for the losers’ revival will be Tomonori Jinnai and Kyoko Saito (live on ABC TV and TV Asahi). Last year’s judging panel changed from a “seven-judge panel,” which had been the basic format since the start of the competition in 2001, to a “nine-judge panel” for the first time since 2015, when the previous champions judged the competition. The lineup included Masayasu Wakabayashi (Audrey), Reiji (Nakagawa Family), Kenji Yamauchi (Kamaitachi), Nobuyuki Hanawa (Knights), Daikichi Hakata (Hanamaru Daikichi), Tetsuo (Laughing Rice), Hidetsugu Shibata (Untouchable), Tomoko Uihara (Yasuyo Tomoko Uihara), and Akira Ishida (Non Style). 7 out of 9 members continued to serve, with Wakabayashi and Ishida were not in charge this year.
