We all have fond memories of the TV shows we watched as children, but they’re not really something we’d enjoy watching as adults. But oddly enough, I’ve been really entertained by a Japanese children’s show, PythagoraSwitch (ピタゴラスイッチ).
No, I’m not entertained by the parts of the show with puppets teaching children about the world. It’s the filler in between those segments of the show that really interest me.
In between the educational parts of the show, Rube Goldberg machines fill up time. A Rube Goldberg machine is an elaborate contraption that has a very complex was of doing something very simple.
The Rube Goldberg machines in PythagoraSwitch are short, complicated ways of announcing the show’s title. The machine sets into action, goes through its paces, announces the title, and the show’s theme plays.
On paper, these filler pieces don’t seem that appealing, but the charm of these devices made of household objects and the catchy theme song have made them a hit in Japan and abroad.
It’s amazing to me that creating these machines is somebody’s job. Being paid to build these intricate devices seems like it would be a childhood dream come true.
Homemade PythagoraSwitches
These PythagoraSwitch have become so popular that people have started making their own at home. Japanese kids (no doubt with some help from their parents) have created their own PythagoraSwitch Rube Goldberg machines:
It’s pretty impressive that kids had a part in making these, considering I probably would have been eating glue at their age.
But it’s not just for kids. Adults have also tried their hand an creating their own, PythagoraSwitch-inspired Rube Goldberg machines.
Japanese YouTube sensation Megwin even did their own, very bizarre PythagoraSwitch-style video, called “Pythagora Torture Switch” (ピタゴラ拷問スイッチ):
Rocking Out To PythagoraSwitch
The PythagoraSwitch theme always gets stuck in my head after watching a video or two and apparently, I’m not the only one. Tons of people have whipped up their own covers of the PythagoraSwitch theme.
And it’s not just direct covers of the song; people have played the theme on a range of instruments.
Even on the mighty baritone sax, the theme from PythagoraSwitch is light and catchy.
Algorithm March
Aside from its charming Rube Goldberg machines, PythagoraSwitch is also known for its “Algorithm March.” It’s an elaborate dance where each move complements the next. The Algorithm March is catchy, fun, and complicated.
And the Algorithm March, like the Rube Goldberg machines, has gone far beyond PythagoraSwitch and Japanese children. People across the world have learned the Algorithm March and performed it on their own, including inmates from the infamous Philippine dancing prison.
What’s your favorite part of PythagoraSwitch? Tell me in the comments!