Where I tell you about the people responsible for the human tetris: Tonneruzu...

Tonneruzu (or Tunnels)

Tunnels was formed by Ishibashi Takaaki (Left) and Kinashi Noritake (Right).  They were high school classmates and as an amateur duo (then called Takaaki & Nortitake), were stars on television shows such as TV Jockey and Owarai Star Tanjyo (Birth of Owarai Star).  In 1980, they officially formed a duo after quitting their job at a Hyatt Hotel and Daihatsu and changed their name to Tunnels.  They soon became a favorite of a television producer; however, after one year, an argument resulted in the producer using his power to prevent Tunnels from being casted in shows.  During this time, they lived a difficult life as a geinin, performing in the parking lot of supermarkets and at department stores.  In 1983, they were given 5 minutes on a midnight show.  Their radical and sometimes violent style gave them huge success in the late night shows, and their fan base started to grow.  Tunnels soon became a charismatic figure especially for young fans.  In the late 1980s, they see even greater success with shows such as Neruton Beni-Kujira Dan and Tunnels no Minasan no Okage desu.  It is on the latter show that many konto characters that were iconic of the time and throughout their career were developed.  These shows were also highly admired by today's younger geinin and had numerous influences on the development of comedy television shows in Japan.  Tunnels, as part of the show, entered the music industry and also became successful as comedic singers.  Tunnels, because they are independent from the large geinin culture centered around Yoshimoto and Osaka, is frequently given the label "Tokyo geinin".  This Tokyo geinin image solidified by Tunnels carries a more pop and modern (or "city") notion than the geinin image of Osaka and Yoshimoto.

It is in the show that followed Okage desu called Tunnels no Minasan no Okage deshita that human tetris made its debut.  It is one of the game in a konto-like program called Moji-Moji kun HYPER.   Moji-Moji kun started while the show was still called Okage desu, and the characters are part of the comedy theme that goes back to the 1990's.  The program is made for the geinin, and therefore, they are not competing to win the game.  They are trying to win the laughter of the audience, and therefore, at times, a ridiculous way of falling into the water, on purpose, is a more "correct" answer than trying to figure out the puzzle.  Again, they are comedians, and they are making the audience laugh.