Kasou Taishou

*Kasou Taishou*
Kasou Taishou
Also known as	Masquerade ; ALL JAPAN KASOH GRAND-PRIX
Presented by	Nippon TV/NNS
Release	December 31, 1979 –; present

Kasou Taishou (欽ちゃん＆香取慎吾の全日本仮装大賞, Kinchan ando Katori Shingo no Zen Nihon Kasō Taishō, All Japan Kasoh Grand Prix, internationally known as Masquerade

Nippon TV

and first aired in 1979.

The program shows various amateur groups (or solo artists) performing 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" cinematic special effects on a live stage. The show is hosted by Kinichi Hagimoto and Shingo Katori. 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".

On the 98th edition (February 6, 2021) of the program, Kinichi Hagimoto announced that this would be the last time that he will present the program. However, he ended up returning in the 99th edition (2023).^[2]

Matrix ping pong

Matrix Ping Pong is the name of a popular movie clip from the show featuring performers playing

ping pong with moves in the style of The Matrix, using kurokos—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 to visibly obscure the stagehands. This performance, led by team captain Hideki Kajiwara (梶原比出樹), won the competition on March 31, 2003.^[3] The clip became an internet meme

.

Screenshot of the Matrix Ping Pong skit from Kasou Taishou showing the use of black-dressed stagehands for special effects

International broadcast

The show is also aired internationally in some countries.

Sony Gem TV

aired every Christmas Day.

In the Philippines, the version of the show airs on GMA Network as part of Bilib Ka Ba Nights (transl. Do You Believe? Nights) block of the network under the name of Masquerade and hosted by Ariel Villasanta and Maverick Relova, it ran from August 20, 2008 until March 11, 2009.^[5]

In other popular culture

The show was featured in the music video for the 2004 single "

billiards

.

References

Nippon TV
. Retrieved September 6, 2021.

^ "欽ちゃん「今回で私、この番組終わりね」…日テレ系「仮装大賞」収録で爆弾発言". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). January 30, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.

^ Lucas, Dean. "Famous Pictures Magazine - Ping Pong". Retrieved April 30, 2013.

^ "超級變變變". 超級變變變 (Mandarin Wikipedia). Retrieved March 13, 2023.

^ Almo, Nerisa (August 18, 2008). "GMA-7 features breathtaking videos in "Bilib Ka Ba Nights"". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

External links

Official "Kinchan and Katori Shingo's All Japan Costume Grand Prix" homepage (in Japanese)

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[1] Nippon TV
. Retrieved September 6, 2021.

[2] "欽ちゃん「今回で私、この番組終わりね」…日テレ系「仮装大賞」収録で爆弾発言". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). January 30, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.

[3] Lucas, Dean. "Famous Pictures Magazine - Ping Pong". Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[4] "超級變變變". 超級變變變 (Mandarin Wikipedia). Retrieved March 13, 2023.

[5] Almo, Nerisa (August 18, 2008). "GMA-7 features breathtaking videos in "Bilib Ka Ba Nights"". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

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