The Drifters (ザ・ドリフターズ, Za Dorifutāzu) are a Japanese rock and roll band and comedy group.

Its low-brow humour and slapstick comedy made it popular with children much to the dismay of parents.

In the late 1970s, between 1977–1978, The Drifters were often linked to the singing duo Pink Lady through a series of popular fumetti style manga and Yanmar Family Hour Fly!

Son Goku (ヤンマーファミリーアワー 飛べ!孫悟空, Yanmā Famirī Awā Tobe!

ended in 1985, the group virtually disbanded but continued to get together for their occasional hour and a half specials (see ドリフ大爆笑).

In 1999, Chosuke Ikariya won the Japanese Academy Awards of Best Supporting Actor for his performance of Heihachiro Waku in the movie Bayside Shakedown.

He announced his illness in June of the previous year, and left the hospital once in July afterwards for the opening of the movie Bayside Shakedown 2.