The Kuricorder Quartet -- Theme from "Pythagora Switch" （ピタゴラスイッチ）

When I was but a wee (figuratively speaking) lad, I used to catch this ad for this wacky game called Mouse Trap on TV which was ostensibly a board game. However what made it interesting was that the rules called for the kiddies to create a Rube Goldberg contraption to capture the plastic rodent. I have to admit that I was fairly intrigued in getting this game but, gosh darn it, I never got around to it.

No worries. All I had to do was wait a few decades and head for Japan to watch TV. Good ol' NHK started up a nifty educational program from 2002 titled "Pythagora Switch" which aimed to have the children look at things such as problem solving in new ways. However, the most famous segment on the show is the various Rube Goldberg devices which start and end each episode. Every time I see one of those get launched, the creators get my respect. They don't necessarily need my time since it's apparent they already have a lot of that on their hands.

Plus, there is the famous theme by the Kuricorder Quartet with all of the recorders whimsically tooting out. The song was composed by the leader of the quartet, musician Masaki Kurihara（ 栗原正己）. It's pretty much Pavlovian now...as soon as I hear it, I immediately start thinking of a particularly convoluted trap.