"Takeshi's Castle" (2002) TV series 2002-2004

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Writers:

Craig Charles (writer)
Ben Mole (writer)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Family

Plot:

Comic highlights from a physical Japanese gameshow presided over and commentated by Craig Charles.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Japanese TV Series | Character Name In Title

Cast

Craig Charles	...	Himself - Narrator
Makoto Dainenji	...	Makoto Dainenji (archive footage)
Great Gidayu	...	Gidayu Great (archive footage)
Hideo Higashikokubaru	...	Sonomanma Higashi (archive footage) (as Sonomanma Higashi)
Rakkyo Ide	...	Rakkyo Ide (archive footage)
Saburo Ishikura	...	Saburo Ishikura (archive footage)
Michiru Jo	...	Michiru Jo (archive footage)
Takeshi Kitano	...	Count Takeshi (archive footage)
Kikko Matsuoka	...	Kikko Matsuoka (archive footage)
Masanori Okada	...	Masanori Okada (archive footage)
Akira Sakamoto	...	Battlefield Reporter
Hayato Tani	...	General Lee (archive footage)
Katsuo Tokashiki	...	Katsuo Tokashiki (archive footage)
Umanosuke Ueda	...	Umanosuke Ueda (archive footage)
Shingo Yanagisawa	...	Battlefield Reporter
Yûrei Yanagi	...	Yûrei Yanagi (archive footage)
Takayuki Yokomizo	...	Takayuki Yokomizo (archive footage)

Country:

Japan | UK

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Black Mole Productions

Movie Connections:

Edited from "Fûun! Takeshi Jô" (1986)

Maybe even more fun than the original release

Takeshi's Castle (2002) is the re-dubbed UK release of cult-classic Japanese show Operation! Takeshi's Castle (1986-1989), an endurance-based game show in which 100+ contestants compete in a series of outlandish assault-course-like challenges until the numbers are whittled down to a select few. From here, the remaining handful of contestants can go on to battle the infamous "Count Takeshi" and his guards for the chance to win up to one million in Yen. The show is notable for at least two reasons; the first is the outright eccentric nature of the events and the seemingly dangerous falls, scrapes and mishaps that befall the contestants during their bid for glory. The second is the appearance of esteemed Japanese actor/filmmaker/comedian Takeshi Kitano, who here plays the titular count (though his appearance is edited down in this particular version). The format of the show mixes the bizarre events alongside some even more bizarre sketch-based moments of typically absurdist Japanese humour, as the contestants put themselves through some of the cruellest and most punishing events ever witnessed on national television.

What was great about the original show was the way that the contestants seemed to be having a great time, even when falling eight feet into shallow water, being smeared in mud or talcum powder and being knocked off a rickety suspension bridge by a barrage of rubber-ball cannon fire. It also benefited from a colourful, larger than life quality, in keeping with the tradition of early Nintendo video games and Anime films; as the overstated supporting characters and continual appearances from General Tani (here renamed General Li) give the events a sense of context and continuity. Ultimately though, the programme works because of its uniqueness; with the nature of the games, the imagination, the willingness and excitement of the contestants and the obviously low-production values (combined with the witty commentary from actor Craig Charles, with his bad puns and sly double-entendres) all adding to the bizarre, subversive glee.