A Bunraku aquarium is performed on Japan’s Kasou Taishou.

Something that really seemed to really catch on in a big way on the web this past year was Kasou Taishou (see earlier post), a sort of semi-annual costume contest on Japanese TV that features amateur groups and solo artists performing short skits which frequently utilize Bunraku-style puppetry. Kasou Taishou is actually a fairly old show (it first aired back in 1979), but didn’t really become well known outside Japan until a clip of its now-famous “Matrix Ping-Pong” sketch became a hit viral video on the web a few years ago.

To get an idea of just how creative some of the performances on Kasou Taishou are, check out this montage of 79 grand prix winning sketches from the show’s 30 year history (one of my personal favourites is Chameleon, a runner-up in one of the most recent competitions).

Kasou Taisho seems to be slowly, but surely growing in popularity and has a dedicated cult following around the world. It has provided the inspiration for a Japanese Pepsi commercial as well as the Scissor Sisters’ music video for She’s My Man. Clips from the show also appear in the Pet Shop Boys’ Flamboyant music video. An adaptation called It’s Showtime airs on TV in Singapore and I’ve heard rumours that a North American adaptation is being developed.