Japan-related stories
Posted Sep 23rd 2009 1:01PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Reality-Free, Dollhouse, Joss Whedon
You can chalk this one up under the "stranger than fiction" category, but if/when the series
Dollhouse is shown in Japan, they can use the subtitle "based on a true story". It seems that a
similar organization exists there in which people hire other people to pose as spouses, partners, etc. to avoid certain social embarrassments. Granted, the whole "memory implant" plot device isn't actually used, but at least they're halfway there.
The organization is called Hagemashi Tai (translated to "I want to cheer you up"). I cannot help but wonder if Joss read an article somewhere about this phenomenon and loosely based his show on it.
On the other hand, isn't this a standard episode plot of every sitcom ever made, in which a character has to pretend to be another character? In America, I'm aware that you can hire actors as characters for parties but not to this level of organization. Truth truly is stranger than fiction.
Posted Sep 5th 2009 2:04PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Video, Children, Reality-Free
Granted, I laughed when I saw this, but I can imagine that some would be appalled. If this ever appeared on American television, it would be pulled in about three seconds. Basically, it's a children's show (geared for boys ages 6 to 11) called
The Ancient Dogoo Girl, and it's about a teen girl (who hopefully is played by someone older) with some sort of ancient magic bra that shoots energy weapons or spikes or magic beams or some such equivalent. No, I am not kidding about this.
I see some Japanimation influence on the show (they have a cute sidekick robot of some sort), and quite possibly some
hentai influence, as well. What does it say about a culture when even its children's television is degrading to women?
Continue reading Japanese children's TV is very different from ours
Posted Jul 30th 2009 9:02AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Pickups and Renewals
G4 has been bringing Japan's
Ninja Warrior to the states for a few years now. And for those of you who haven't seen it, it's one of the most addictive and difficult challenges in the world. The past several runs, they've even worked to send a group of Americans over to Japan to compete in the competition alongside a whole bevy of Japanese personalities and athletes.
Now they're taking it a step further,
creating an all American Ninja Warrior. Unfortunately, the plan is to send ten American competitors over there to compete on Sasuke, the official
Ninja Warrior obstacle course. I'd have much rather them build an American version of the course here. That way, like in the Japanese version, they can have 100 competitors from all walks of American life.
Just imagine. We'd have actors plugging crap giving it a try, and reality show contestants trying to extend their fifteen minutes. And most of them will fail and land in the water. The fear I have is that if we only have ten contestants in Sasuke, what happens if they all blow the first of four stages? Show's over?
Posted Jun 12th 2009 10:00AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, OpEd, Reality-Free, Webisodes
Marvel Comic's website is now offering a look at Spider-Man not seen by many on this side of the Pacific, with a Japanese television show from the 1970s.
Taking an American superhero and blending him with the traditional motifs of Japanese children's TV produces a bizarre mix -- like tossing a hot dog and sushi in a blender set to frappe.
Rather than take on the Green Goblin or Electro, The Land of the Rising Sun's version of
Peter Parker defends precocious Japanese kids from guys in rubber suits, ala
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Continue reading Marvel streaming bizarre 1970s Japanese Spider-Man
Posted May 20th 2008 1:44PM by Anna Johns
Filed under: Video, Game Show, Pickups and Renewals
Human Tetris: It's the stupidest, simplest idea ever for a game show... which makes it frickin' brilliant! (Although, my co-worker, Joel,
does not agree) Audiences in Japan and Denmark are nuts for it. That was enough for Fox to go from ordering one pilot to
grabbing up an entire season, based on the popularity of the shows overseas and on the internet.
The version coming to American television next season is called
Hole in the Wall. This game show is about people contorting their bodies to fit through an odd-shaped hole in a wall. The wall comes flying at them and they have to fit through the hole or be pushed into a pool of water. Simple, right? And it's going to be addictive as hell.
Continue reading Human Tetris coming to Fox - VIDEOS
Posted Mar 10th 2008 4:22PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, Software
Here's a video game that promises to slice up the competition. A cut above. It will serve up a dish full of fun for gamers everywhere. It'll be... All right, you get it. Food cliches. Chop-chop. But, seriously, in a marriage between the Food Network and United Media,
Iron Chef: America is coming to the home market. Destineer today announced plans to publish
the video game Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine exclusively for the Wii system and Nintendo DS. It's based on the popular food network competition show, which in turn is based on the original
Iron Chef in Japan, produced by Fuji Television.
Continue reading Oui, Wii! Iron Chef: America becomes a video game
Posted Jan 26th 2008 9:00AM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Programming, Game Show
For the most part American game shows are pretty tame. Oh sure, we eat a live slug once in awhile, and we take a dip into a pool of rattlesnakes on occasion; however, overall, the craziest thing we do is have our halter tops fall off while running down the stage. And, that's by accident.
The rest of the world, on the other hand...well, they've pretty much thrown off the Puritan shackles that we still bear and, for lack of a better phrase, let it all hang out when it comes to their game shows. Sometimes literally. Some examples of this can be found at Cracked.com, which lists 6 examples of the most insane game shows in the world.
Continue reading World's most insane game shows feature nudists, car theft and nipple clamps
Posted Jan 19th 2008 12:38PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Sports, Video, Web, Game Show
Over in Japan, they have some wild game/reality shows. Some of them are just outrageously crazy (really, how many times can we see Japanese guys whacked in the groin or weird food being eaten?), but sometimes you see something so cool, so clever, that it just makes you shake your head.
This is such a video. It's from the show Kinchan and Katori Shingo's All Japan Costume Grand Prix (yes, that's the real title - take that Jerry Seinfeld's Super Colossal Happy Hour!), and it shows a group of people who put on a live Olympic highlight reel. I really can't describe it better than that, but trust me, it's quite amazing. This is the type of show we should import. Video after the jump!
Continue reading The amazing live Olympic highlight reel - VIDEO
Posted Jan 10th 2008 1:02PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Game Show
Those Japanese sure can innovate when it comes to TV.
A new television show from Japan has a Japanese man sitting naked in a room for a year while being recorded.
He was locked in an apartment with no food, furniture, household goods or entertainment. He was required to write postcards to contests until he won $10,000 in prizes, at which point he was to be released.
Continue reading Japanese man gets $10,000 for being a naked prisoner for a year
Posted Sep 29th 2007 8:00AM by Brad Linder
Filed under: PVR Wire, Hardware
Normally once I find out a cool new gadget will only be available in Japan I try to close my eyes because I know it will never be mine. But the
Sony NW-A910 TV Walkman is just too cool.
The portable device includes a 1seg digital TV tuner for watching and recording Japanese television. It also packs up to 16GB of flash memory, which is enough space to store 16 hours of compressed video. Considering you only get a 2.4 inch display, the video should be crystal clear at that quality. You can also play back videos in most of your popular formats.
There's also an FM tuner in there in case you want to do anything as old fashioned as listening to the radio. The NW-A910 battery should survive about 6 hours of TV viewing or 8.5 hours of recording (with the display turned off). If you turn it into an overpriced MP3 player, you'll get about 36 hours of battery life.
The 16Gb model will set you back about 45,000 Yen (or $390) and will be available in November. There are also 8GB and 4GB varieties selling for 35,000 Yen and 30,000 Yen respectively.
[via
New Launches]
Posted Sep 12th 2007 5:42PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, Animation
As you may have been able to tell from my last name, I am Asian. Anime was a big part of my childhood, especially when I lived overseas in those early years. I even went through that awkward
Sailor Moon phase in third grade. However, by the time the anime craze hit America, I was over it. So while my classmates traded Pokemon cards and donned cat ears, I quietly filled my heart with loathing and silently complained about the newer animes that everyone else seemed to love so much. In my eyes, nothing seemed to deliver.
But just this summer, not only did I manage to tolerate an anime show, I fell in love with it. Enter
Death Note, an incredibly engaging anime that just wrapped up its run in Japan three months ago.
Continue reading Finally, an anime that doesn't fill my soul with loathing
Posted Jun 24th 2007 12:26PM by Anna Johns
Filed under: Video, Celebrities, Talk Show
The Japanese just do some things better. For instance?
Game shows. Japanese television execs understand that people want to see other people perform ridiculous physical challenges for prizes.
Another example? Talk shows.
This one in particular. I have no idea what the show is called, but it kind-of reminds me of a Japanese version of
Wayne's World because it looks like it's on cable access and is filmed in someone's basement. And Johnny Depp went on it. Apparently for the second time. It's weird because A) Depp doesn't speak the language, B) Depp is the only one sitting while two other guys in suits stand around and interrogate him, and C) well, you just have to watch for yourself but let's just say there are little kids dressed as pirates, singing "It's A Small World." Depp, by the way, is the perfect gentleman and reacts to everything with gratitude.
Video after the jump:
[Via
Pop Candy]
Continue reading Johnny Depp on Japanese talk show - VIDEO
Posted Apr 13th 2007 2:01PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: TV on the Bigscreen, OpEd, Celebrities
Much like the new Underdog movie, the Wachowski brothers' bigscreen adaptation of the popular Speed Racer cartoon will not be animated, but considering the Wachowskis were behind the Matrix trilogy, one assumes the new film will be both visually stunning and not especially "heavy" storywise. Of course, it's not as if the original cartoon was all that deep, either, so in many ways this is a good match. If they do it right, it could be the perfect no-brainer, popcorn matinee.
Continue reading Ricci joins Speed Racer movie - VIDEO
Posted Mar 9th 2007 8:01AM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Animation, Anime
First of all, I have to give a big ol' Minnesota-style "thank ya" to those of you who recommend some great anime for me to check out. A Minnesota-style "thank ya" is like a regular "thank ya" except you say it while keeping a herd of rabid moose away from your snow fort with a hockey stick.
Continue reading I want my 24-hour anime
Posted Mar 2nd 2007 8:30AM by Brad Linder
Filed under: HDTV, PVR Wire
Panasonic is having a PVR party. Okay, I'm done with the alliteration now, I promise. The big P is launching five new high definition personal video recorders in Japan. The lowest-end models will sport 250GB hard drives, while the priciest of the bunch will have 1TB of storage.
They've all got DVD burners, and two models also include retro-style VHS recorders. Can you even still buy blank VHS tapes?
Each recorder has HDMI output, S-video and composite inputs, and some have ethernet jacks for downloading program data. The VHS models include one TV tuner each, while the non-VHS models have dual tuners. They're launching in Japan in the next two months for ¥80k to ¥200k ($669 to $1,688) and be available in the US sometime around the fifth of Neveruary.
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