Pink foam walls reveal national character.

August 13, 2008 7:47 AM

Tunnels no Minasan no Okage Desu is a Japanese game show where contestants strike poses to fit through cutouts in pink foam walls. International reproductions of this game show reveal much about national character; reproductions exist in Italy, Russia, France, Denmark, Hong Kong, Korea, and Australia.

Though this game show has popped up before, it's popularity has grown to a worldwide scale. Next up is the United States.

posted by Alison (19 comments total)

skein?
posted by yhbc at 8:05 AM on August 13, 2008

The Italian one was shooting for a different kind of entertainment from all the others. Denmark was the least entertaining. The Australians had the best set and was the most fun.
posted by Daddy-O at 8:10 AM on August 13, 2008

Skein.
posted by Alison at 8:11 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'd love to see a British version : You could use the normal overweight & alcoholic sort, and expect them not to spill their beer too. Maybe call it "Don't spill you beer"?
posted by jeffburdges at 8:35 AM on August 13, 2008

If you are keen you can use the game as inspiration for a bit of interior re-modelling.
posted by rongorongo at 8:38 AM on August 13, 2008

The danish version with them facing the wrong way and needing to be instructed was great.
posted by Mitheral at 9:01 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sorry to be picky but this isn't a game show here (Japan) as much as just a segment of a comedy show. Tunnels is the name of the 2 man comedy team who star in the show. They have a bunch of different challenges that appear on the show - and the "contestants" are always other Japanese celebrities.
posted by gomichild at 9:09 AM on August 13, 2008

What gomichild said. Here it's a segment of a game show called Distraction, and IIRC the linked clip was the one time that the host of the show made the veline do the hole in a wall thing, hence the jiggle factor. Normally it's the plain-jane contestants, fully clothed.
posted by romakimmy at 9:21 AM on August 13, 2008

So they made a comedy/game show out of that Amigara Fault comic? Creeeeeeepy...
posted by FatherDagon at 9:35 AM on August 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

As long as this concept (WTF, Japan!) doesn't catch on.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:50 AM on August 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I found it interesting that several of the countries seemed to be producing the bit using the same/similiar equipment, even so far as the CG counter and music between the Japanese and the Italian show. So did one group go around and sell these IP's to different production companies or were they all ripping each other off?

And yeah. I knew exactly what Italy's take was going to be before I clicked on it.
posted by cavalier at 11:02 AM on August 13, 2008

And the Italian version was so quiet... like in a porno movie theatre or something, the sound of a room full of very attentive men deep in silent contemplation. Ick.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:51 AM on August 13, 2008

FatherDragon, I had the same thought.

However, unlike the Amigara Fault, I think that Tunnels would be fun to participate in.
posted by lekvar at 1:46 PM on August 13, 2008

And the Italian version was so quiet... like in a porno movie theatre or something, the sound of a room full of very attentive men deep in silent contemplation. Ick.

It also seems to also be the only country were the producers have said "Hey - I think the girls can manage without all that safety equipment".
posted by rongorongo at 2:36 PM on August 13, 2008

I saw an ad for this the other night and my partner and I looked at each other and said, "Japan."

Didn't follow up on checking it out, but I guess we were right.
posted by Weighted Companion Cube at 4:18 PM on August 13, 2008

As long as this concept (WTF, Japan!) doesn't catch on.

...the HELL?

"Hey - I think the girls can manage without all that safety equipment".

I kind of don't understand the need for safety equipment here at all. Slow-moving breakaway styro blocks and a pool of water. Uhh...
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:44 PM on August 13, 2008

gomichild: The Australian version uses comedians and local TV "personalities" - you know, vaguely famous people who can't get work less strenous than being pushed into a shallow pool of water by a multicoloured styrafoam wall. We stole the UK's tradition of using game show formats for comedy programs. (See also Good News Week, Thank God You're Here, Spicks and Specks.)
posted by Jilder at 8:22 PM on August 13, 2008

Good call FatherDragon, Amigara Fault was the first thing I thought of, too. Kinda makes me wonder if that actually did have something to do with the idea for this show...
posted by Clamwacker at 5:19 AM on August 14, 2008

Another WTF Japan gameshow concept.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:05 PM on August 18, 2008