Those unforgettable puppets At NHK, children's programming was part of the mix from the beginning, with Children's Hour broadcast each day at 6:30 p.m. The six o'clock hour has been dedicated to children ever since. Puppet shows provide a great mode of expression for children’s programs. In 1956, Tirolin Village and the Walnut Tree featured characters inspired by fruits, vegetables and animals. They acted out stories in a wacky, slapstick style. This popular show ran for eight years and 812 episodes. It was followed in 1964 by Pop-Up Gourd Island, an enormous hit characterized by lighthearted satire and such friendly fellows as Don Gabacho. Animation revolution The first animated program to appear on television was Astro Boy, which ran on Fuji TV in 1963. Ten years after the start of TV broadcasting in Japan, animation became a staple of children's programming overnight by bringing popular comic book characters to life right before kids' eyes. In 1978, NHK broadcast Future Boy Conan, created by today’s king of Japanese animation, Miyazaki Hayao. Animation has been a core feature of children's television on NHK ever since. In 1998 NHK launched an animated program developed in-house, Prince Ojaru-maru, which also proved very popular. |
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Starting the day With Mother With Mother started in 1959. A viewer who was three years old then would be 47 now, and those who married young may even be watching the show with their grandchildren. The show has given birth to many popular characters over the years. In 1960, The Three Little Pigs featured actors wearing animal costumes. With Mother constantly pioneered new approaches, including the animated Do You Know Someone Like This? and In Pajamas, which featured a child dressing for bed. In 1999, a song called "Three Dumpling Brothers" featured in "This Month's Song" became a smash hit. You! makes youth tune in You!, the show that put NHK on the map with teenage viewers, started in 1982. It featured Itoi Shigesato as host, theme music by Sakamoto Ryuichi, and a title sequence by noted animator Otomo Katsuhiro. These elements contributed to a pop vibe that set the program apart from any previous NHK show and drew in many young viewers. Using an English word as the title was also an unprecedented departure. Since then NHK has created many interactive programs for teens, including the recent programs Top Runners (1997) and Teenage Debate (2000). |