After high school, Tsuchiya avoids full-time employment, devoting himself to writing jokes he sends to comedy programs. He finally hires on as an apprentice at a comedy theater, but his single-minded devotion to laughter and lack of social skills bring him into conflict with his co-workers, and he is let go. In despair, he throws himself into submitting material to a national radio program, one of whose stars invites him to Tokyo. Working for a figure he greatly admires, Tsuchiya throws himself into his work, but again his lack of social skills leaves him in dire straits.