[US] Japan, the game show

In a recent column for the Nichi Bei Times, Ben Hashimoto wrote, “In the last decade or so, there are a handful of things that most Americans have come to associate with contemporary Japan. Aside from raw fish, high-tech electronics and action-packed animation, wacky game shows, for some reason, are pretty high up the list. They have been spoofed on “The Simpsons,” excerpted on the “Colbert Report,” and even dubbed into English as Spike TV’s popular “Most Extreme Challenge.”"

“It seemed only a matter of time before the networks would take notice and try and cash in on the interest.”

“ABC is debuting not one, but two Japanese-inspired game shows: “I Survived a Japanese Game Show” and “Wipeout.” The latter is a pretty straightforward transplant of Japanese ideas into an American format. However, the one for Asian Americans to keep their eyes on will likely be “I Survived,” which involves a group of Americans jetted out to Tokyo to compete in a game show.”

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