Sasuke
Cabel Sasser recently posted Japan: Muscle Park & Ninja Warrior; it illustrates some interesting differences between there and here, partly by discussing a TV game show called “Sasuke”:
And to give you an idea of how challenging the fourth and final course is, Sasuke has run for twenty seasons, and only two people have ever actually won. (Cultural note: can you imagine how quickly, say, Deal or No Deal would have been cancelled if there had only ever been two winners in 10 years? But it’s genius: when someone fails you feel it in your gut, and if someone wins it feels like you’ve just watched history unfold.)
As usual, I must ask if Sagert has seen this show? Thoughts?
Comments
Markoe +1
Dude, I watch that show all the time!! There are all these guys that have trained for months to compete in it and then they’ll just throw in a female sumo wrestler or a 75 year old man just to see them break their faces. Its more Japanese than Godzilla eating sushi.
Sagert +1
Wow, I’ve got a tag! I’m honored. I’ve seen it once or twice here, but more often in the States. It is an entertaining spectacle. I’ve got to say, Cabel’s “cultural note” seems off - feeling it in your gut and watching history are elements universal to spectator competitions (Dan, Patriots). I’m not sure if there’s even that much to it, culturally; rather, it’s just good TV. But I prefer more daily fare, like…
Human Tetris: http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1849
Genius Chimps: http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=2501
Chimps challenging Sasuke: http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=2921
Japanese women DO NOT AGE from 18-45: http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3787
eating eating eating: http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=2476
If you look around that site, they have lots of good videos and links.
Dan McKeown +1
I do love the Human Tetris. My little sister introduced that phenomenon to me and whenever I need a good laugh I just watch that really huge Japanese man blast through the styrofoam shapes as the tiny ones look emasculated on the sidelines. He might just be 5’10” but he looks like a monster, much like Sagert must have his first year there.
Also, when it comes to me and my Pats, I was able to wear a Patriots jersey outside for the first time since the catastrophe about two weeks ago. I figured it would be safe to wear a Welker shirt bowling.
When I was in Japan I watched a show with three “hosts” jabbering on about Lord-knows-what. They were laughing and carrying on until, suddenly, the one on the far left (stage left) took out a gigantic folding fan and socked the man on the right (again, stage right) so hard he knocked him off the chair. The other two continued to laugh and for the rest of the show the one man continued to get beaten with all sorts of objects until he was crying. My Japanese host family was laughing so hard they could not even explain the show to me. Shocking stuff.
Alexander Micek
I suppose sushi for Godzilla would be something the size of whales, etc. Food for thought (har!). *ahem*
Interesting that good TV can be a more universal thing — the spectacle does seem to be visually driven. So, just as music is a cultural universal, I suppose people smashing things/themselves up is a good touchstone across nations. Also. Sagert. I clicked the “Japanese women” link at work and the page comes up like “hot schoolgirl Moms” or something and I’m thinking AHHH don’t fire me 3M I simply was clicking the link! It’s my own fault, I suppose.
I’m unfamiliar with Dan’s catastrophe? Was he the one who got hit with the humongous folding fan?
IMPORTANT QUESTION:
I’ve noticed, where we seem to fill with “like” and other words, the (very limited) footage I’ve seen seems to have Japanese filling with laughter. Am I imagining this?
Sagert
Whale is delicious, though I wouldn’t recommend it raw. Remember, it’s a mammal.
Sorry about the hot mom thing, it’s actually not nearly as scandalous as it sounds.
Japanese hesitation devices: etto: like an English ummm… nanka: like “somehow” or “something” ano: also “ummm…” jaa: “well…” there are some others i can’t remember, but they’re along the lines of “let’s see” and “how do you say…”
Nils
I totally called that the 3rd mom was going to be voted the hottest. She sort of looked like Lucy Lu.