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PythagoraSwitch

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PythagoraSwitch (ピタゴラスイッチ, Pitagora Suitchi), airing on NHK since 2002, is a 15 minute Japanese educational television program where childrens' "way of thinking" is augmented under the supervision of Masahiko Satō (佐藤雅彦) and Masumi Uchino (内野真澄). Also, 5 minute format PythagoraSwitch Mini is available.

The devices that appear during the beginning, ending, and between each corner (segment) are called Pythagorean Device (ピタゴラ装置, Pitagora Sōchi) in the program; these devices are of a kind that people in the US might recognize as "Rube Goldberg machines", or which British people might consider "Heath Robinson" contraptions. The main focus of the program is a puppet show, but the subject is mainly advanced by the small corners. World phenomena, principles, characteristics, and the like are introduced in an entertaining way. As a feature of the show "Pitagora Suitchi" is sung to catch and focus attention on an important point.

Dankichi Kuruma (車だん吉), Jun Inoue (井上順), Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅剛), et al are voice actors who perform and call out the topics.

Often Switch (スイッチ, Suitchi) and Mechanism (しくみ, Shikumi) appear on the show to mainly form new interests and learn new information.

At the 30th Japan Prize International Educational Program Contest, episode 25 Let's Look at It Another Way, won top prize, the Prime Minister's award, of the Early Education category. [1] At Prix Jeunesse 2004 in Munich it won top prize in the age 6 and below non-fiction category. [2]

Outside Japan, NHK World Premium broadcasts PythagoraSwitch Mini. In Brazil, TV Cultura is broadcasting it with the title Viva Pitágoras.

In addition, some PythagoraSwitch videos are also available on Google Video, YouTube and DailyMotion.

Corners

  • Today's Topic
    • Pita (ピタ) - Mai Hoshikawa (星河舞) (formerly Miwa Matsumoto)
    • Gora (ゴラ) - Tomohiro Nishimura (西村朋紘)
    • Sū (スー) - Yūji Ueda (うえだゆうじ/上田祐司)
    • Mr. Encyclopedia (百科おじさん, Hyakka-ojisan) - Akira Nagoya (名古屋章) then Kiyoshi Kawakubo (川久保潔) then Dankichi Kuruma
    • TV John (TeleviJohn) (テレビのジョン, Terebi no Jon) - Jun Inoue
    • Narrator - Akira Tokuda (徳田章)
Two young penguins, Pita and Gora, are playing with something, but become puzzled by some concept of science. Fortunately, Mr. Encyclopedia comes by and explains the concept to them. Mr. Encyclopedia says "The details are written on my page X," but Pita and Gora say, "We're children so we can't read!" So they call in their dog, TV John, to explain the story on his screen. At some opportune moment, their mouse friend Suu appears carrying something with him that helps explain today's topic.
  • Algorithm Exercises/Arugorizumu Taiso - The comedy group Itsumo Kokokara (いつもここから)
The 2 man team performs exercises.
The exercises from Algorithm Exercises are developed. Lines of more than 2 people are formed, and they begin moving canon style one at a time. The movements of the first and last person become connected.
  • Father Switch (Father Switch 2 in 2003, Father Switch and Grandpa Switch too after 2003)
    • How to make Father Switch - sung by Toshiaki Chiku (知久寿焼) (originally by Tama (たま))
The children push a switch which has a 5 character column from the Japanese syllabary, and Father makes a corresponding move.
  • What are you doing, Mister? - performed by Kentaro Kobayashi (小林賢太郎) of Ramens (ラーメンズ), and others
  • Framy - voiced by Jun Inoue
The main character, Framy, is transparent dog represented as a square frame. The other characters are represented by simple figures as well but aren't transparent.
10 sticks combine and transform into many different things.
  • Snap Snap Anime - voiced by Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
A stick is bent into various forms with a snap.
  • Sugar Cube Anime
  • Today's Switch - narrated by Akira Tokuda
A Rube Goldberg machine is put into motion and set to music, narrating the movements of the machine.
  • Today's Robot - narrated by Akira Tokuda
Various robots (mainly industrial robots) are introduced.
  • What's After?
  • What is the Dot Doing?
A motion capture of just the movement of a marker is displayed.
  • What is the Person Doing? - sung by Toshiaki Chiku
A person and his or her actions are outlined by moving lights; the person's original appearance and background are then restored to show what he or she is doing.
Children dubiously watch an adult under the influence of eccentric rules.
A goldenrod-colored cube has a teddy-bear face on one side and text on the rest. He rolls along a printed path, pronouncing the text facing the camera whenever he stops. His friend Inuten (いぬてん) is a smaller, magenta-colored cube, who follows a similar path but only barks "Wan!".
  • Running Letters - narrated by Ittoku Kishibe
An overhead camera shows figures running across a playground; trajectory video replay reveals hiragana produced by their movements.

In addition, there are songs that expand upon various ideas.

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