June 5, 2024: Female Comedy Duo, Ima Kuruyo-san （女性漫才師、今くるよさん）
It was with great sadness that I heard that my favourite comedian, Ima Kuruyo-san, passed away on the 27th of May. She was a part of the comedienne duo Ima Ikuyo Kuruyo. When I was young, I used to see their double act on stage and on TV. I was grateful that they made me laugh a lot with their great performances.
Looking back on their career, they were pioneers of female comedy duos. They made me laugh a lot with not only their talk but also with their colourful costumes. They also made me feel close to them because they were from the same city as me, Kyoto. But the other part of the duo, Ikuyo-san, died of cancer in 2015, nine years ago. Since then, Kuruyo-san has been performing alone, which must have been very tough for her. She had also been supporting a lot of her younger comedians. Among them was the comedy duo, Nakagawa-ke, whom she supported as much as possible. She had a lot of fans and endeared herself to her younger comedians. So, it is too early for her to pass away, and I seem to need some time to heal my grief.
I do not know if it was a coincidence or not. But I was surprised to find that she passed away just one day before the 9th anniversary of Ikuyo-san’s death. And she died of the same disease as Ikuyo-san, cancer. They seemed to try to prove to the last that they were two of a kind and the best female comedy duo.
I thank you, Kuruyo-san, very much for making me laugh a lot with your great performances. I hope that you enjoy double acts with Ikuyo-san in heaven.
May she rest in peace!
大好きなお笑い芸人の今くるよさんが、5月27日に亡くなったと聞き、とても悲しい気持です。くるよさんは今いくよ・くるよというお笑いコンビの一員でした。若い頃は、舞台やテレビでよくお二人の漫才を拝見しました。素晴らしいパフォーマンスでたくさん笑わせていただき感謝です。
思えば、お二人は、女性漫才コンビの草分け的存在でした。話だけでなく、カラフルな衣装でも大いに笑わせてもらいました。同じ京都出身ということもあり、親近感がありました。でも、相棒の、いくよさんが9年前の2015年にがんで亡くなってしまいました。それ以来、くるよさんはひとりで活動を続けていました。また、彼女は多くの後輩芸人を支えていました。その中で、彼女が一番支えたのが漫才コンビの中川家です。ファンも多く、後輩芸人たちにも慕われた方でした。そんな方が亡くなるのは早すぎです。この悲しみが癒えるには、時間がかかりそうです。
偶然かどうかはわかりませんが、くるよさんが亡くなったのが、いくよさんが亡くなって9年になる前日でした。しかも、いくよさんと同じ癌という病気で。お二人は、最後まで、自分たちが似た者同士で、最高の女性漫才コンビであったことを証明しようとされていたようです。
くるよさん、素晴らしい演技でたくさん笑わせてくれて本当にありがとうございました。天国でもいくよさんと漫才を楽しんでください。
ご冥福をお祈りします！
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