Discovery #5: what the hell is up with japanese television?!?!?

so japanese television is one of the most ridiculous things i have encountered while being in japan.. and let me tell you, i've encountered some really ridiculous stuff. for example, i am currently switching between the most overly dramatic boxing match hosted by a guy straight out of the 70's cowboy look.. except japanese, a show that matches up the top competitors from Ninja Warrior against a chimpanzee on an insane course, a show that has gone from seeing if two vegetables can grow together if cut in half, stapled to each other and left for some time to seeing if you can build a boat to hold 4 people purely out of leaves, and my personal favorite, people cooking gigantic food-- like a sushi the size of a football and a plate of soba about a foot tall. Now all of these shows, except for the boxing match, are accompanied with a small picture in the corner of people in the studio watching these things happen, incredibly dramatic music and intense replays, and a variety of japanese subtitles at all times. another enigma for me is then these shows end or if they end at all. ending on the hour or half hour is not an issue and they often blend into the next show (or maybe that's because all these shows seem exactly the same). Some other of my favorite: Matching up elementary schools against each other to see who can make the most extreme domino courses- meaning dominoes that fall and create a davinci across the gymnasium or that hits a ball that ignites a flame that heats water that pushes over.. etc. they show these students working on it day and night for a whole week- and when a part messes up at least 7 of them erupt in tears. And the other, although my japanese isn't perfect i believe it's called "crazy shit that happens". it ranges from cop chases to a guy smashing watermelons with his head, to dumb burglars, to BASE jumpers, to a guy that can catch jumping insects, to a crazy indian festival.. ok.. ive already written too much on such an inane subject.. i gotta get my vcr working....