MetaFilter posts tagged with Television and japan

Basking in the warm glow of the television.

DoctorFedora — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:42:31 -0800

Sure, we all know that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is broadcast every year in the US as a Christmas tradition, and that Sweden basically closes every year from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on December 24th to watch Donald Duck, but what about other countries? Germany joins the party by showing an obscure British comedy sketch called "Dinner for One" (YouTube link) every year for New Year's Eve, famous enough that the phrase "The same procedure as last year?" will get you the response "The same procedure as every year, James," and that the parody "Dinner für Brot" ("Dinner for Bread" — YouTube links in German) was created with puppets, based on the original sketch. Japan takes an approach less akin to Sweden and Germany's tradition of airing the same program year after year, instead opting for something more along the lines of the US's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, called Kouhaku Uta Gassen ("Red and White Song Battle" — Wikipedia link), featuring two teams of competing musicans, divided by sex. The show is by invitation only, and is such a cultural touchstone that when Jero, the African-American enka singer (Wikipedia link), was invited to perform at 2008's edition, there was hardly a dry eye in the audience when he talked about promising his late grandmother that he'd one day be famous enough to perform on Kouhaku. And of course, in the United States, who could forget the annual broadcasts of such traditions as It's a Wonderful Life, the Christmas Episode,, Frosty the Snowman (and its rather more poorly regarded '90s sequel, Frosty Returns), and, naturally, 1984's A Christmas Story, based on the novel by Jean Shepherd. A distinctly American cultural touchstone, it's been adapted from In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash (Amazon link) into not only a movie, but also into numerous stage musicals and a 30–second reenactment by animated bunnies. The annual 24–hour marathon of a dozen nonstop showings of the movie for Christmas on TNT (and now TBS) has become famous, but this year it's got competition from one of the Swaziest movies ever made. (Previously, and previouslier)

"Samurai spirit-a!"

mrducts — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:45:13 -0800

Quentin Tarantino is the latest American celebrity to be featured in a TV commercial for SoftBank Mobile Corp, a Japanese telecommunications and media company. Tarantino stars as “Uncle Tara-chan” in the bizarre and very popular “White family” commercial series. The Whites consist of the "Mom", the daughter “Me” (a Softbank shop saleswoman played by popular singer/actress Aya Ueto), the "Older Brother" (played by African American actor Dante Carter), and the father, Otosan, who happens to be a white Hokkaido-ken dog named Kaikun.

Everyone needs a hug.

Liver — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:47 -0800

In which a chimpanzee is shown reacting to sleight-of-hand on a Japanese television show. [SLYT. Overuse of sound effects.]

When celebrities and language collide. In Japan!

Rhaomi — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:25:37 -0800

Puzzled by sugary J-Pop bands and their eccentric (and failed) TV shows? Frustrated and confused by the complexity of Japanese and want to see what your inchoate blustering looks like from the other side? Then join "perennially unpopular" gaijin celebrity Thane Camus (grand-nephew of Albert Camus), as he walks a class of fellow pop star clichés through an endearingly awkward English conversation class.

Game Center CX

chunking express — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:56:50 -0800

"[Game Center CX] is comedic, dramatic, even a bit mental, but altogether it’s an unforgettable show about what sounds like a forgettable concept: a guy trying to beat old Nintendo games." A longer description of the show:

This is an unofficial, detailed, episode guide for this Japanese show.Game Center CX is a video game show airing on Fuji TV’s "721" satellite network (and if you’re wondering, the show’s name comes from Fuji’s callsign, JOCX). With a heavy emphasis on retro games, the show appeals mainly to the game otaku set, but can be easily enjoyed by anyone who’s into old games and game culture. In its first season, Game Center CX was more of an interview and history show, as host Shinya Arino (in a seafoam suit typical of Japan’s bubble-era workforce) visited legendary Japanese game companies and interviewed key creators. What turned out to be more entertaining were the chousen (challenge) segments, where Arino laid his unskilled hands at one of the companies’ classic games. By the next season, Game Center CX had made the challenges the centerpiece of each episode, turning the show into something more like the stereotypical Japanese variety/reality show: a little bit louder, intense and ball-bustingly cruel. And it worked. As the seasons went on, the show started to grow in popularity, becoming a "miracle hit" (if you believe the front of the DVD boxes) and climbing to the top of 721’s ratings. From a simple description, it’s easy to call GCCX something lame and dismissive like "Iron Chef with video games," but a viewing or two is all it takes to see it’s a lot more.

last exit

four panels — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:05:59 -0800

Bathing girls. Sort of like the Abbey Road of Japanese television.

One thing leads to another.

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 04:20:00 -0800

The folks from Japanese public TV's excellent children's show "Pythagora Switch" have for several years been creating some of the most delightful and inventive Rube Goldberg-esque contraptions you're likely to ever see. Here's a 9 minute clip featuring lots of these little kinetic masterpieces, guaranteed to entertain.

TV in Japan

myopicman — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:12:16 -0800

TV in Japan. A hyper representation of what airs, or has aired on Japanese TV. Ranging from action packed to truly awesome (and from monkeys to ninjas), set your eyes to "dazzled" and brain to "frazzled".

If on your journey, you should encounter God, God will be cut.

jonson — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:23:13 -0800

'In Japan, the hand can be used like a knife. But this method doesn't work with a tomato". Finally, a blade worthy of Hattori Hanzo, so sharp it can slice a bullet in two.

Octopussy galore

klausness — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 14:31:53 -0800

Gimmie Gimmie Octopus is apparently a Japanese children's television show from the 1960s.
Yes, it's YouTube, but at least there's no lip synching.

Damn Right

ursus_comiter — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 09:47:02 -0800

Who's the teenage supersleuth with the superpowered cell phone who catches all the crooks? Ketai Deka.

You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em ....

anastasiav — Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:18:21 -0800

In February 2003 Jeremy Shafer, BARF leader, performance artist, smartass, and all-around Origami Wunderkind was invited to participate in a competitive Origami championship on the Japanese reality television show TV Champion - here is his story [.pdf file].

A small brown open-mouthed monster

adrianhon — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 02:25:29 -0800

Domo-kun! Domokun is "a small brown open-mouthed monster hatched from an egg who lives with a wise old rabbit underground." In Japan, he's the mascot of the NHK BS2 channel and is the star of a series of stop-motion shorts (100MB .mov), the fun and warmth of which aren't lost in translation. In the western world, Domokun is better known as the monster chasing that cute little kitty.

Happy Store, Visual Paradise TV

son_of_minya — Wed, 18 Jun 2003 12:29:02 -0800

Are you Happy?? I'm so Happy!! LOVE&PEACE Happy Together...! Tune in for 10 hours of high-res streaming Happy Store to get your fix with hosts Tomoe Shinohara and Eriko Sato. Just one program you can catch live on So-Net Visual Paradise TV.

Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot

riffola — Fri, 14 Feb 2003 15:20:49 -0800

"Giant Robot attack!" as spoken by the kid every kid wanted to be, Johnny Sokko. If you haven't already seen "'Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot" aka "Giant Robot", go now and buy it on VHS or DVD.

SHOOWATCHI!

ursus_comiter — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 12:36:09 -0800

If you jonesed for a beta capsule as a kid, and crossed your hands to zap monsters with the specium ray while playing outside, then this site is for you. Shoowatchi!

Tacodog — Wed, 17 Apr 2002 18:35:18 -0800

Jiro Changey Kikaida! Words instantly recognizable to any Hawaii kid in the 70s. Think Power Rangers, but adusted for a low yen exchange rate. The local Japanese TV station is rebroadcasting the show on Sundays. We used to worship this kind and powerful robotronic guy. Trailers, masks and lyrics, it's all here, just as I remembered it.

Kino — Thu, 14 Jun 2001 17:08:23 -0800

Nasubi entered a contest.. A contest that required luck... It soon dawned on Nasubi just what type of luck he had needed to win.

jia — Fri, 16 Mar 2001 21:28:55 -0800

You think American teevee is bad? You ain't seen nothing yet, boy. Japanese teevee, in additional to being obsessed with human degradation and suffering, is also blatantly and inappropriately racist at times. Now the crap they show on Fox doesn't seem so bad in comparison, does it?

CrazyUncleJoe — Fri, 03 Mar 2000 16:08:23 -0800

The Fox Family Channel is going to debut a Hello Kitty cartoon this weekend. Will it be cool in that kitschy girly-pop Sanrio sort of way, or will it just blow major chunks? The only person I know who really really loves Hello Kitty is Leslie, and I'm not even sure she has a tv.