Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder

This special is truly great, from relating to every renter, to finding a fun relatable way to speak about mental illness. This has it all, and I laughed the whole time. The way that Atsuko keeps the audience engaged, while setting up a story arc, then surprising you with sudden wit and clever turn of phrase. The laughs come easily and often with this special. It was an absolute pleasure to learn about her family, and not only keeping us caring but laughing through tough topics with ease. Couldn't be more impressed with this comic, and look forward to seeing plenty more of her work in the future!

I was lucky enough to watch Atsuko create this special over the last year AND I managed to grab a ticket to watch the taping of it, and I couldn't be happier with the final result.

Atsuko's warmth and love for the craft of standup shines through in this special as she takes the viewers through the circus-ride that is her brain with hilarious bits about mental health, food, old person socialization, sisterhood & the infamous intruder.

Unlike many other specials I've seen, this one doesn't have any dead pockets of humorless sadness as she milks each bit fully before moving on to the next stop on the Hilarity Express.

Atsuko is fun as hell + a wonderful weirdo and if you like laughing, definitely check this special out!

I randomly saw an instagram video of Atsuko Okatsuka talking about her grandma now being allergic to gluten...& the story of white people & ALLLLL the stuff they are allergic to. IT HAD ME ROLLING. I decided to look her up & saw she had a HBO special. I watched it last nite & she is SO HYSTERICAL. A born storyteller. Adorably awkward, yet confident in a very real way. She takes you on a journey, hopes you are listening & if you are, then the point of it all will click. Atsuko is AWESOME. A new kind of comic that makes the unfamiliar familiar. I cannot wait to see her live when she comes back!!

This was one of my favorite comedy specials of the year. Atsuko blends story telling with zingers and it works... really well. She manages to thread through lines in a way that is really effective. She also strikes a balance of being flippant and being compassionate that creates a hilariously hopeful feeling. The fluidity of the show made it fly by and, as a viewer, I also very much appreciated the obvious care she took to put on a great show. Sure, shows where it seems the comedian is riffing on stage can be fun, but if I'm dedicating my time to watching a longer show, I want it to flow purposefully. Can't wait for the next one!

I loved every minute of this stand-up special. Even though I love standup comedy, I often find specials to be a drag with lots of up and down moments throughout- not the case here with The Intruder.

Each line carefully delivered with exquisite timing and precise pacing throughout the show, Atsuko Okatsuka nails a fresh take on life experiences making content fresh and lively. Put the show on during a whim and it did not disappoint- was laughing the whole time.

I suspect we can continue to expect amazing things from Atsuko in the future. Definitely would recommend to friends and family over and over again.