Kasou Taishou
Encyclopedia
Kasou Taishou is a semi-annual show on NTV
in which various amateur
groups (or solo artists) perform short skits, which are rated by a panel of judges. Especially in recent years, many of the skits have revolved around clever methods of "faking" cinema
tic special effects on a live stage. The show is hosted by Kinichi Hagimoto
and Katori Shingo. Worldwide, the most famous of these skits, and among the most successful at "fake special effects" was a skit which is widely known as "Matrix ping pong".
with Ping Pong, using kuroko
s -- stagehands in kabuki
theatre—to hold the props up, facilitating humorous and otherwise impossible movements. Most of the elements in the performance are set against black, rendering the stagehands invisible at first. In fact, the scene appears to be a normal game of ping pong at first sight, until the incredible feats are performed. This performance, led by team captain Hideki Kajiwara (梶原比出樹), won the competition on March 31, 2003. The movie clip became an internet meme
for a while.
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
in which various amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
groups (or solo artists) perform short skits, which are rated by a panel of judges. Especially in recent years, many of the skits have revolved around clever methods of "faking" cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
tic special effects on a live stage. The show is hosted by Kinichi Hagimoto
Kinichi Hagimoto
is a Japanese comedian.He is active as a stage performer, emcee, and manager of the amateur Ibaraki Golden Golds of the Japanese Baseball Association ....
and Katori Shingo. Worldwide, the most famous of these skits, and among the most successful at "fake special effects" was a skit which is widely known as "Matrix ping pong".
Matrix ping pong
Matrix Ping Pong is the name of a popular movie clip from the show showing performers mixing moves in the style of The MatrixThe Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
with Ping Pong, using kuroko
Kuroko
are stagehands in traditional Japanese theatre, who dress all in black.In kabuki, the kuroko serve many of the same purposes as running crew. They move scenery and props on stage, aiding in scene changes and costume changes. They will also often play the role of animals, will-o-the-wisps, or other...
s -- stagehands in kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
theatre—to hold the props up, facilitating humorous and otherwise impossible movements. Most of the elements in the performance are set against black, rendering the stagehands invisible at first. In fact, the scene appears to be a normal game of ping pong at first sight, until the incredible feats are performed. This performance, led by team captain Hideki Kajiwara (梶原比出樹), won the competition on March 31, 2003. The movie clip became an internet meme
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
for a while.