Elmo is less tutorial, more emotional

TOKYO -- Elmo has undergone something of a metamorphosis in Japan.

Sure, he still has his fuzzy red look, falsetto voice and hearty laugh in Japan's first local production of "Sesame Street." But unlike the Elmo loved by generations of American children, this Muppet wastes little time teaching reading or arithmetic.

In Japan, known for its reserve, Elmo is all about feelings.

"We're going for a deeper kind of character with a wider range of emotions," said Yasuo Kameyama, one of the local producers who works on the show with New York-based Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind "Sesame Street."

Japan's Elmo cries more easily than the U.S. version. The American Elmo wept only once during the entire "Sesame Street" history, when a goldfish died, but Elmo has already had one bout of tears in the Japanese production -- when a friend left without saying goodbye -- and more are planned.

"We want to depict emotional conflict through Elmo," Kameyama said.

The social and emotional development of children is also a key part of the U.S. show, but the version here is more about problem-solving and growing up. Much of the half-hour show is spent on a relatively complex story.

Japan's production is part of an effort at "Sesame Street" in recent years to spread its message globally. It has been shown in 120 nations, and 20 are local productions.

What's stays the same with "Sesame Street" around the world is the authentic look of the Muppets.

The show isn't dubbed, and the puppeteers for the Japanese show were trained by American Muppeteers to deliver their lines while moving the Muppets' mouths in sync with their own voices, just as in the U.S. version.

Kevin Clash, the original Elmo who auditions and trains Muppeteers, believes the Japanese show will catch on.

In Japan, public TV broadcaster NHK used to show the American "Sesame Street" in the evenings, mostly to help adults learn English. NHK, which dominates children's programming, refused to take part in the co-production, which airs Sunday mornings on a different channel.

"Sesame Street" has also made progressive inroads in other nations. But Daniel Victor, Executive Vice President of Sesame Workshop, knew "Sesame Street" had to offer something different in Japan.

"We're quite aware that in terms of cognitive learning, Japan is probably way ahead of most of the world, if not all of the world," Victor said during a recent visit to Tokyo.

Still, the new show has yet to win over viewers, lagging at 2.9 percent ratings.

Children are being bombarded not only with educational shows, but also with doses of TV animation known as manga, as well as a lineup of mascot characters, including Hello Kitty, Pokemon and Mickey Mouse.

It hasn't helped that a manga show is on another channel the same time slot as "Sesame Street," although "Sesame Street" strategically airs between two manga on its channel.

What's definitely the same -- and special -- with "Sesame Street" around the world is the authentic look of the Muppets.

The show isn't dubbed, and the puppeteers for the Japanese show were trained by American Muppeteers to deliver their lines while moving the Muppets' mouths in sync with their own voices, just as in the U.S. version.

Kevin Clash, the original Elmo who auditions and trains Muppeteers, believes the Japanese show will catch on -- once word gets out.

"Elmo is there to teach. Elmo is there to say it's wonderful to be happy about living and enjoying life and the simplest things in life," he said in a telephone interview from Paris, where he is working on another "Sesame Street" co-production.

"I think that's what Elmo represents. And that's a great thing to teach a child."

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On the Net:

www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet