You’ve probably heard about “Japanese game shows”, right? Sorry, but after my trip to Japan and seeing their television shows up close and personal, I’m telling you they aren’t what you think. Sure, there’s all types of nonsense that go on mostly during variety shows and season-ending specials, but those aren’t the true Japanese game shows. The true Japanese game shows are, well, a lot like ours. Hell, some of them even were ours. (They were even on the Millionaire bandwagon). Japan has a quiz history that dates back quite far, and some of their offerings have been around longer than I have: Panel Quiz Attack 25 has been running continuously since 1975; Quiz Time Shock has been off and on since 1969 (originally for civilians, now just for celebs); and arguably the longest-running music competition on Earth, NHK Nodo Jiman, started on radio in 1946!
Obviously those aren’t the only games and quizzes to grace Japanese TV screens, which means there’s plenty for MelloPanther Productions to adapt for convention play. After all, what would be cooler than competing on an actual Japanese quiz for actual cash and prizes? There are already a few in the works, so if you want some authentic Japanese flavor to a convention near you, tell me where to go, or better yet, tell the convention.
