Kokkei No Kenkyu (Kodansha Gakujutsu Bunko)

[Machine Translation] What is the meaning of "funny"? The master of "Norakuro" has earnestly explored this question. He continued his research while writing, and published this book on the occasion of his US death. He has traced the history of the comic since ancient times and pursued its theoretical backbone by consulting aesthetic and logical treatises both in Japan and abroad. He also seeks the origin of comedy in the historical sources of performing arts, literature, and paintings. He attempts to interpret difficult theories from the viewpoint of an actual author by quoting abundantly from his own works and those of his contemporaries.

滑稽とはなにか。『のらくろ』の巨匠が真摯に探求した。執筆の傍ら研究を続け、米寿に際して発表した書。国内外の美学、論理学等の論考を渉猟、古代以来の軌跡を追い、理論的バックボーンを追究する。また、芸能・文芸・絵画の史料に滑稽の発祥を求める。難解な理論も、自身や同時代作家の作品を豊富に引用し、実作者ならではの視点で解釈を試みる。