GameCenter CX, Kacho ON

Hello everyone, today I wanted to share with you one of my favourite shows of all time, and certainly my favourite show associated with video games. It's called GameCenter CX (or Retro Game Master) and hopefully, many readers will have heard of it, but for those who haven't, let's do a little introduction.

The show features this fellow here, a hilarious Japanese comedian by the name of Shinya Arino, also known as the "Kacho" (Chief). Essentially, GameCenter CX consists of his attempts to complete (mostly) difficult and (mostly) retro games within the space of a day. Each episode is essentially a montage of his progression, highlighting the funniest moments, the most brutal challenges, and ultimately, his triumphant success or miserable failure. 

Arino's amusing commentary as he plays is one of the show's main draws

He is assisted by the shows "ADs" (Assistant Directors) in a variety of ways, and episodes will also contain bonus "corners" or segments in which Arino will, for instance, visit an arcade, interview a famous developer, narrate a manga, or investigate classic pieces of gaming hardware.

If any of that sounds interesting to you, then you should already be scrolling down and clicking on the related links to download/watch some episodes, but if you'd like to know more, then let's continue.

The show even has its own official DS game series

GameCenter CX is pretty huge in Japan, as is Arino, but unfortunately attempts to sell the license overseas have been rather disappointing. In the US, the show has been retitled Retro Game Master with an English narration and professional subtitles, however the future of this version is very sketchy for the time being. 

The website Kotaku was allowed to stream episodes in English for a brief period a few years ago but that agreement ended and the rights for Retro Game Master are being passed around all over the place. I don't know the details but trust me, it's probably going to be quite a while before you can walk into a random media shop and pick up the DVDs outside of Japan.

The sight you look forward to at the end of each episode

Anyway, luckily for us, the internet exists and so do hardcore fans who can speak Japanese. Thus, a decent majority of the episodes have been given English subtitles and can be found online (again, scroll down for links). 

So why should you watch? Well, I suppose the major draw of the show (aside the obvious fact that it's all about games) is the humour. Arino himself is a one-liner machine, with his reactions a never-ending source of chuckles. He's not a bad player, but he's by no means a pro either, and every episode is riddled with comedy as he struggles again and again with tricky controls and troublesome enemies.

Action replays are yet another amusing feature

Recurring comedic elements will make their mark on you as you progress through the seasons. Arino's terrible habits of raising his fists in celebration before the game is actually finished (and thus dying) or forgetting to input the secret code to continue (and thus having to restart entire games over) are just some of the reasons you'll finish in hysterics.

The ADs and staff similarly provide a ton of laughs. New ADs are introduced regularly, each with their own amusing personalities, from the wrestling warrior Inoue (humorously nicknamed Inoko MAX by Arino) who says he likes games "a normal amount" to the desperately shy Nakayama, who has an accompanying sound effect every time he bows (which is rather often).

Multiple ADs will often arrive to help Arino, and his huge stock of snacks is always funny to see

As Arino struggles, the staff will often chime in with their own amusing remarks and criticisms, and there's a real family atmosphere throughout each episode. I suppose that's another of its draws: it really feels as though you're right there with these guys, all sitting together and enjoying a game like when you were young. It's a simple pleasure, but a powerful one.

Despite such a relatively basic premise (heck, half of YouTube is filled with guys playing games and commentating on them), the way the show, in perhaps that typically Japanese way, loves to make everything sound far more serious than it actually is, is another wonderful attraction, particularly for us Westerners. "His ultimate nemesis has returned!", "Choosing the right character is the true secret to completing this game!", "The real Super Mario Bros. begins now!" are just a few examples of the sort of phrase you'll hear time and again from the show's deep-voiced narrator.

I can't be the only one who adores phrases like this

Watching someone play a game for an extended period of time can become a little grating, as perhaps many who have watched "Let's Plays" online can attest to. Thus, the "corners" of GameCenter CX provide welcome moments of respite to balance out each episode. My personal favourite is the 'TamaGe' or 'You Should Visit this Game Center Sometime' section. It not only offers a fascinating look at the arcade scene in Japan, but is often wonderfully touching as Arino shares his prizes with local children, makes store-owners laugh, and gathers a small crowd of new friends as he challenges various machines

As with the humour, the more emotional side of the show can be found throughout. It's a simple thing to finish a game, but the show often adds a sentimental slant to things as young fans send letters and pictures of encouragement to Arino, their hero, and he vows not to let them down. Special episodes feature the comedian going to events or foreign countries and exchanging gifts with strangers. It's the sort of thing you have to watch to appreciate but make no mistake, Gamecenter CX can make you feel very fuzzy inside.

And in that classic Japanese way, there's nearly always some text plastered across the screen

So, have I sold it enough yet? If not, know that I'm barely scratching the surface. The show can make you laugh and cry, can open your eyes to the incredibly rich world of what is now "retro" gaming, gives a fantastic insight into Japanese culture and gaming traditions, and is full to the brim with wonderful, hilarious people. It's a real treat and I would implore anyone, even those who have but a passing interest in video games, to give it a watch.

Et voilà, the links you've been waiting for:

To download individual episodes, I recommend this forum thread:
http://www.gaki-no-tsukai.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=2653
Of course I wouldn't normally condone this sort of downloading, but most people outside of Japan literally cannot see this show any other way. If it comes out on DVD in Europe, I'll certainly be making my purchase and I encourage other fans to do the same.

To simply watch episodes, there's no better place:
http://www.gamingcx.com/p/gccx-videos.html
This is a fantastic site run by some very good people who do their best to host every episode of the show they can get their hands on. Now and then you'll see blanks in their list, but there's close to two hundred fantastic episodes to get you started.

Don't miss the Kacho!