Banzai

Cast

Mr. Banzai: Masashi Fujimoto

Cheeky Chappie: Jit Loi Chong

Lady One Question: Shizuka Hata

Shake Hands Man: Ryozo Kohira (series 1), Tadao Tomomatsu (series 2-4)

Commentators: Bert Kwouk, Eiji Kusuhara

Broadcast

Radar for E4/C4, 2001-2004

Synopsis

This is more like it! Who says all light entertainment is derivative with shows such as Banzai around? Who can stay underwater longer - Pat Sharp or a genuine German? How much does Shaun Ryder off of Black Grape weigh in Coca-Cola cans? Who is better - a one-legged footballer or a one-handed goal keeper?

All these and more topics of national importance are considered in this Japanese-orientated madcap betting sensation-type thing.

Mr Cheeky Chappie (official title) considers a wager

This show is absolutely bonkers, and as such it transcends the genres of comedy and game show. A proposition is put to you. You have to bet on it. Now, you can have a fun bet at home with your mates, in the kind of You Bet! "Hope you're having a bet at home" stylee. BUT! It's even better than that! Much better!

It isn't explained very well (since most people we've talked to have found it by accident), but if you're eagle-eyed enough to spot a little "Play: Red" icon in the top corner of the screen then... well, waddaya know? You can actually play along at home using your digital remote. It's not really gambling in the sense of betting money, but it keeps track of your score on a percentage scale and at the end of the show it gives you your result depending how many you get right. It's great!

Less great is the fact that you can play via the web but only on the repeat showing, it seems. Boo. Alternatively, you can bet using your mobile phone but to us just shouting at the screen is the best way to participate.

Challenge examples? How about...

The Old Lady Wheelchair Chicken Challenge: Two old women in electric wheelchairs drive towards each other. Using the information revealed beforehand about the women, who do you think will chicken out first and veer off course?

Clash of the Orange Badges

The Animal Experiment: Have you ever wondered how many helium balloons it would take to make an animal fly? Well let's find out! We're assured that the animal is still alive and well by the announcer at the end of the show. Funny and disturbing simultaneously.

Mr Shake Hands Man: Mr Shake Hands man is very good at shaking hands. How long do you think he can shake hands with a particular celebrity whilst interviewing them? Utterly stupid and made funny by the commentators comments and Mr Shake Hands Man's inane questions.

Can this fat man eat 12 fish fingers in 60 seconds?

The Trolley Jump Trial: How many chocolate cakes can somebody in a supermarket trolley clear after being pushed off a ramp at high speed by his friend? Almost certain to be something tried by drunk people around car parks on a Friday and Saturday night...

The Nancy Lam Breast Weigh Gamble: How much does Nancy Lam's ("She's a big celebrity, she's been on Channel 5") left breast weigh? The same as a large parsnip? Some broccoli? Or a turnip?

A good smattering of game-for-a-laugh TV personalities also get in on the fun. This works well, because - very much like Japanese culture itself - it's strange how some stars we pigeon-hole as B-list celebs are actually a lot more fun/versatile/talented than the Western world takes them for.

Peter Purves is the Prince of Darkness. Now you mention it, that makes a lot of sense.

Some of the games are illustrated by superbly observed Jap-style cartoon animations that could have just come out of the latest Pokemon-style craze. Also, the rounds are punctuated by segue graphics, with the announcer screaming at you "COME ON, BET BET BET! Betting ends."

The computer animation for the Shaun Ryder Coke Conundrum

This is You Bet meets Monty Python meets any Japanese telly programme you can name. It's not, it has to be said, a show to watch if you're after depth because essentially it's just a random series of events interspersed with random resident characters shouting "Banzai!" The only thing that might "get" people is that some of the challenges seem unnecessarily crude, but they are done in a fun Eurotrash sort of way so that's all right then.

The Kung-Fu bloke

We are pretty fond of this because it's so utterly stupid and - even if there is a risk that it's going to have quite a short shelf life - it's offering something different. To be metaphysical for a moment, maybe it also offers a view on different types of society and their cultures. Because these things matter, y'know?