PythagoraSwitch (ピタゴラスイッチ) is a 15-minute Japanese educational television program that has been aired by NHK since April 9, 2002. It encourages augmenting children's "way of thinking" under the supervision of Masahiko Satō (佐藤雅彦) and Masumi Uchino (内野真澄). A five-minute format called PythagoraSwitch Mini is also available. During the beginning and ending of each episode, and between each corner (segment), there are Pythagorean Devices (ピタゴラ装置). "Pythagorean device" is the equivalent Japanese colloquialism for the American "Rube Goldberg machine" and British "Heath Robinson" contraption. The main focus of the program is a puppet show, but the subject is mainly advanced by small corners. World phenomena, principles, characteristics, and the like are introduced in an entertaining way. At the end of each segment, the show's title is sung as a kind of punchline.

Segments

In the show, segments are called "corners".

Today's Topic

A puppet show in which Uncle Encyclopedia (百科おじさん) explains the structure of the world to young penguins, Pita (ピタ) and Gora (ゴラ). A recurring situation is that, while discussing each topic, Encyclopedia will say "The details are here on my Nth page." (詳しくはわしの○○ページに書いてあーる！), to what the penguins, after looking at said page, respond "We're children, so we can't read!" (こどもだから、読めませ～ん！) After that, the three call upon Televi-John (テレビのジョン) an anthropomorphic dog-like TV, who shows them a video about the topic. A mouse called Suu (スー) is also featured.

Underground Gora Switch

A puppet show similar to Today's Topic in which a little mole, who lives underground in Pita and Gora's basement, named Gurao (グラオ) observes the way world works through a periscope. A common occurrence is that Gurao's periscope will run out before he can see how whatever he's looking at works and when this happens, Gurao calls for his father Chikada Mogurou (地下田モグ郎), asking to learn more. The two then call for Tabletton (タブレットン), an anthropomorphic pig-like tablet who shows them a video about the topic. Suu from Today's Topic sometimes appears interacting with Gurao and Chikada Mogurou. This segment appears infrequently.

Pythagora Devices

Pythagora Devices (ピタゴラ装置) are frequently featured.

Algorithm Exercise

Algorithm Exercise (アルゴリズムたいそう) A corner broadcast since 2002. It stars the duo Itsumo Kokokara (いつもここから). It is algorithm themed, so that the movements that are done side by side are related ("crouching motion" combines with "shaking arms", so that the arms avoid the action, etc.). Usually, the duo does the exercise with special guests, such as NHK announcers, baseball players, sumo wrestlers, etc. There are also individual versions for each member: the "Yamada version" and the "Kikuchi version".

Algorithm March

Father Switch

Father Switch (おとうさんスイッチ) A segment in which a father and his child act out sequences and play games based on any of the Japanese letter sounds.

Other Corners

Actors

Dankichi Kuruma (車だん吉), Jun Inoue (井上順), and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅剛), are some of the voice actors who perform and call out the topics. Akira Tokuda (徳田章) provides narration and voices a character named Tokuda Nezumi (徳田ネズミ), a mouse who sometimes introduces the show or introduces segments.

Broadcast

Outside Japan, NHK World Premium broadcasts PythagoraSwitch Mini. In Brazil, TV Cultura has been broadcasting it under the title Viva Pitágoras! since at least 2006. Starting April 2015, an English version of PythagoraSwitch Mini has been broadcast on NHK World TV. In addition, some PythagoraSwitch videos are also available on Google Video, YouTube and DailyMotion.

Awards

At the 30th Japan Prize International Educational Program Contest, in 2003, episode 25 "Let's Look at It Another Way" won top prize, the Prime Minister's award, of the Early Education category. At Prix Jeunesse 2004 in Munich it won top prize in the age 6 and below non-fiction category.