1. Positive Stories- The number of uplifting, positive stories on the news and in prime time outnumber the stories of tragedy. I can't tell you how much better it is to hear and see the good that goes on the world around us rather than the bad. I think it is much more worthwhile to see stories on how individuals overcame hardship from the Tohoku earthquake to debilitating injuries or illness.
2. Politics- It was a great relief to come to Japan and not find any political commercials. It was a bigger relief to find discussion of politics on the news mainly limited to news reporting at its finest, clear accounts of what was going on with a minimum of spin rather than talking heads, and longer clips and explanations of the actions of politicians rather than sound bites. While Japanese politics is just as convoluted and probably more infuriating than American politics in the actual conduct on the bureaucrats and politicians it is nice to not have a constant reminder of it in the latest campaign advertisement. As an added bonus, political campaigns prior to elections are only a few weeks rather than years long.
3. Commercials- Japanese commercials are generally distinguished by their upbeat and bright nature. Many commercials have a song and dance to go with the advertisement and invariably the music to them gets stuck in my head. I appreciate Japanese commercials for the musical flair, even though hours of agonizing over which melody advertised what product can be mighty frustrating.
4. Game Shows- Japanese game shows have been advertised in the US as generally wild and comedic. From my experience in Japan, they can definitely can be hilarious, but often the amusement plays out alongside a smart, engaging, diverse, and engaging game. A few examples are in order. The first game show that I remember in Japan featured two teams of eight celebrities who answered trivia questions in competition against each other. The game show was composed of a series of rounds (games) that featured different types of questions and setups. Points were accumulated in each round to determine who won. These features are all fairly standard in trivia shows like Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Jeopardy. The difference came in the specifics. Each game featured a tic tac toe theme that forced the teams to coordinate who answered the question in the team to get the points. As some of the celebrities were well known comedians by nature this led to some rather hilarious, but endearing results, primarily because even though certain members of the team had more book smarts than others, all team members did their best at answering the questions even if they were making fun of themselves while doing so. Additionally each round featured different challenges, from testing cultural knowledge while a clock counted down, to quizzing about Japan's prefectures while aiming to score three in a row, to competing head to head with the challenging team choosing the subject of the trivia. Another game featured trivia competitions designed around a theme of an ancient Egyptian pyramid. The contestants were tested both physically and mentally as they tried to escape the pyramid or avoid falling into bottomless bits. A third game that stood out was similar to the game show Minute to Win It. It featured contestants attempting to carry a metal bearing ball on a spoon through a series of obstacles with challenges like throwing the ball through rings and catching it. While the impression the game shows made on me might have a lot to do with them being new and different for me, I also felt that the depth and breadth of engagement they required in fresh new circumstances made for great and instructive television entertainment.
5. Celebrities- Most Japanese shows include a host and then a slew of celebrities from various areas of fame that provide commentary, discussion, or competition in many of the shows. Oftentimes the celebrities watch along with the TV audience to the program and then later provide commentary or better amusement. Many of the shows are akin to the American variety shows of old and the celebrities provide recognition, familiarity, and unique flavor to each show. The interaction between celebrities is also great and I feel like I have learned more about the Japanese celebrities than I have about their American counterparts.
6. International Flavor- One of my favorite Japanese shows features Japanese speaking celebrities of various countries talking with a Japanese host and panel of celebrities about various rankings of countries internationally on different questions. Example questions are "at what age do parents first send there children shopping alone" and "what country uses bicycles the most?" The discussions and television clips are often quite enlightening. Featuring different cultures and countries is something I wish American shows would do more of. The international flavor stretches throughout many shows and especially the news. Events in China and America are featured the most due to their global significance. As I type this blog post, the Japanese news is doing a feature on the American election and commenting on the significance for China and Japan. In general, I think the international flavor is something that American shows can feature more than admittedly American news does a fair job of commenting on events abroad.
7. Music- One of the most shocking features of Japanese television is the amount of foreign music featured, in particular American movie music. While it surprised me at first, it is a delight to hear the Indiana Jones theme being played during the game show featuring Japanese celebrities trying to escape from an Egyptian pyramid, or the Imperial March being played while a bicycle with monster truck wheels rolls down the street.
8. Learning- From game shows to variety shows to news to the rankings show I mentioned earlier almost every prime time Japanese television show gives its viewers an opportunity to learn something new and exciting. I have learned much about both traditions in Japan and abroad from these television shows and they have influenced what I have chosen to do abroad. Segments on Atsuta and Ise Shrines, likely the two most important Shinto shrines in Japan, were a major reason that I visited those two locations. Each show inspires me to learn more and fuels that inquisitive spark that has for many years has been at the center of my being. Television that asks questions of us or enlightens us will always be better than television that is just passively received and garners its viewers through emotions and drama.
