Do the Gaki regulars know about their English followers?

[JordansOcarina]

I think they are aware, first reason they deleted all no laughing videos from YouTube so they must know.

Not to mention I think they dont really care. Its not really worth the thousand dollar each plane ticket just to sue someone in the US for distributing illegal copies of a Japanese TV show. I think they like the popularity, but have no intention to release gaki in the US with subtitles. Like one guy said "we wouldn't be able to tell what each DVD has from the cover" which is completely true. I was thinking about buying a downtown DVD and all the DVD look identical, just the colors different. So I had to translate the page to figure out what the DVD actually had. Plus the DVD is probably region encoded also.

Though I think if we had a couple of people from this forum writing, producing, and editing a American version of downtown it would be successful and similar to the Japanese downtown. I would edit cause I absolutely would love that. But seriously, if we did it I'm sure even the downtown team would like it. We could find people with personalities similar to the downtown team. Not some gay boy bands like in MTV's Silent Library.

[Shinpan]

I would like to agree with the idea that it's one of those things that is made in Japan for Japan and really Japan only. Although, I'd like to add that if they did decide to market it in other countries a lot of things might damage Japan's reputation as a whole. Like in the Onigoko batsu, I once saw a subbed version where the subber cut out the section where they had 3 year olds run in naked and rub their butts on Hamada's face... That was probably the most epic part of that batsu, in my humble opinion, just because it really said that Japan is a little more capable of dealing with kids being naked on TV (I would say the Japanese audience is more "mature", but true westerns would argue with me to the death on that). I can just hear the screams of pedophilia coming from half a world away at me now, but since I'm in Japan at the moment all I have to say is: If you really have the time to be questioning my sexual preferences, please, your better off being used as a faulty bungee cord tester or crash test dummy...

So not only as a marketing strategy it might not be worth the $$, it might lessen the uniqueness of Japanese culture, and also it might strain Japanese economical ties with other countries. Probably the US considerably, since naked kids are so taboo in the US, It might become "So THAT is what Japan is about?... I thought anime was rather whorish, but this is a new level" and not immediately but the American-Japan tie might be weakend to some extent (Although on a miltiary level I don't think the US government would give up that strategic advantage even if some sort of rebellion occurred).

A lot of things could go wrong with them trying to market to an international audience, and on top of all that, I wouldn't doubt CEO XYZ would make "Just a few changes" to the show to help it sell in which case just kinda would ruin the show's epicness in all regards.

[sudeshan]

I think it would be better left as " by Japan - for Japan". I think that's what makes it special and unique.
There will never be another Matsumoto or Hamada or coco rico, even if the West tried it, all we as fans of the original would do is compare. I'd rather watch the original and learn something new about Japanese culture, than a group of people that are just out for the money.

[crazy_buffalo]

Though I think if we had a couple of people from this forum writing, producing, and editing a American version of downtown it would be successful and similar to the Japanese downtown. I would edit cause I absolutely would love that. But seriously, if we did it I'm sure even the downtown team would like it. We could find people with personalities similar to the downtown team. Not some gay boy bands like in MTV's Silent Library.

they tried it in spain , to do for example the silent library ...and it...was a complete and disasterous shit.
as the above poster said , i also prefeer the original , japanese ,traditional gaki no tsukai show.
and i really don't think the japanese would like to see their show copied for another countries.
it can work for the wheel of fortune , big brother , etc.. but not for something like GNT.

[0omizuuo0]

Yeah... perhaps they would like to know the ambassadors of this Foreign fanbase and then me, Erhan, Alex & the others in the team would be granted with an exclusive appearance and interview in the original show...

Sweet dreams!

Ehehehe this would be a great honour for what you guys have done since this site was raised!

[DrinkWithMe]

I wouldn't want them to change anything about the show. Westernizing stuff tends to water down the original intent, especially now in the U.S., where everything has become so P.C.

[stargazerx]

Some pranks are not "family-friendly" for the western civilization, so I doubt they would release it.

[sil_musashi]

I totally agree with Drinkwithme. I believe if they keep the way they have been doing with the show and make a good sub will be perfect in many way.

[Tony90]

Well when I found Gaki no Tsukai I wasn't very familiar with japanese culture and still found it to be hilarious. I think they should keep making the shows the way they are doing, I would hate to see they change to appeal more to western cultures, although a lot of what they do already manages to be appealing to such cultures, expecialy the batsu games with all the western references they use. I don't think its an coincidence that they have this huge fan base outside of Japan.

I heard that some people from other countries tried to rip off the shows and failed but looking at the geniousity of the show's format I believe that atleast the batsu games would be extremely successful in other countries using the same format but with references and jokes that appeals more to those countries. I would say the problem here lays more on producers choosing the safety of standardization vs having the guts to try something unusual than the difference between cultures per se.

[iStiRCraZy]

all i have to say is thanks to Shibatabread and Gaki No Tsukai, im now more knowlegable about Japan. I know more about the people, places, and customs.....thank you.

[Sefidum]

Regarding things that would NOT go well outside Japan. I saw a short clip of Hard Gay trying to teach children to eat more veggies the other day. Even though I absolutely adore the Gaki show and Co, seeing Hard Gay thrust his pelvis in the face of some children was too much and I could not finish watching it. And I consider myself to be VERY tolerant to similar things in the face of comedy, like the face-sitting kids. Sadly, but I have to agree with the tought that Japan would suffer seriously reputation-like if Gaki and Co was aired subtitled in the western countries.

[maroonjoe]

i think the regulars are prob aware of their popularity beyond Japan. however, it seems that the shows they make are only catered to the Japanese audience, which is fine by me, as doing otherwise will definitely ruin the whole concept of their, let's say, Batsu Games. for me, i'm not well-versed in the entertainment culture of the Japanese people but i have managed to gain an understanding bit by bit through their shows. i personally hope that the cast members will continue with what they are doing right now and not to drastically change their content to suit the needs of the fans outside of Japan. it will totally change the whole dynamics behind the success of Hamada, Matsumoto and gang.

[paichu]

I want to point out with the videos being taken down--many of the people who upload videos to YT etc are Japanese. On the map on this forum's front page you literally can't see Japan for all the red dots covering it. I think it's as likely, if not more likely, that the videos are being taken down to protect their local DVD etc. sales, more than to spite the foreigners. XD

Legal issues are a big factor in general. It's likely that the main cast and staff know about the foreign fans and even appreciate them, but it might be dangerous to admit it. Say, as a hypothetical example, Matsumoto made an off-hand quip about 'the people writing English subtitles for this' during one episode. This would be awesome! But on the other hand, it could be seen by lawyers etc. as Matsumoto not only knowing that people are watching unofficial subtitled version of Gaki no Tsukai, but having no problem with it, as he isn't making an obvious effort to prevent it.

If anyone with a decent amount of legal clout didn't like this idea, it would not only risk many more videos being taken offline and maybe even legal action for the people uploading/downloading/translating them, but it could get Matsumoto into enormous trouble with NTV, Yoshimoto and the industry in general for implicitly endorsing 'piracy', no matter how he really feels.

The above might be too unrealistic, I'm not sure. But I think the risk of a similar event occurring is enough to prevent official acknowledgement of the foreign fanbase. It stinks, but there you go.

Anyway, I'm happy with the show being aimed at the Japanese audience only. But if I didn't like the show any more, I would simply find other shows that suit me, whatever country they may come from.

I will say one thing... It would be cool if future Gaki no Tsukai DVDs were released with subtitles. :] Or if it got released on a streaming service like viki.com. Actually, I went on holiday overseas recently and my hotel had cable, and I found out its Korean channel (KBS?) has English subtitles for everything, even the variety shows! I'd love if it Japanese channels gave this a try.

[ChocoboXii00]

I have a friend who's going to go to cinema and TV school next year. We seriously thought abotu exporting more ideas from Japan. I mean in France, a show like Suberanai Hanashi ( Matsu and other comedians sit round a table and tell funny stories of their life when the dice shows their name ) would be a blast here in France, we have tons of very popular and funny comedians that people would watch and enjoy no matter what. There's alreay a show that was a bit like it, but they mostly spent their time doing the promo of whoevers on the show acting in a movie or doing a comedy show, wich is quite annoying. The Batsu games could be done here too, i've imagines some scenarios and popular figures of France that could have a small appearance in the show. With all the inside jokes that go with it. It's certainly a lot harder to start than to keep going.
In France, i'm sure that people would welcome a show like Suberanai Hanashi, without all the promo ann annoying stuff they do all the time. People would be really glad to hear more personal stuff from their favorite comedians in a cool and funny way.
I'd love to see the haunted hotel too. we don't have those japanese style inn's here but i'm sure it could work out as one time thing. Doing it repeatedly would be hard becasue the jokes would wear off after 2 or 3 airings.

And just to quote previous post. Mexico also has english subs on Spanish shows ( i guess for the Mexican American audience in southern US and also tons of US channels all with constant Spanish subs. Even in the news. I don't know how they pulled it off but it's not even live transcripts that go wrong ( evacuating soemtiems become ejaculating ... ) it's real subs.