Emerging from a working-class Tokyo background, Kitano entered Meiji University to study engineering before abandoning his studies at nineteen and training as a comedian in the Asakusa France-za strip theater under Senzaburo Fukami. He first gained national attention as half of the manzai duo Two Beat, later achieving television fame with programs such as Oretachi Hyōkin-zoku and the slap-slap gam…
