PythagoraSwitch 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 and Masumi Uchino. A five-minute format called PythagoraSwitch Mini is also available. During the beginning and ending of each episode, and between each corner, there are Pythagoras. "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.
A puppet show in which Grandpa Encyclopedia explains the structure of the world to young penguins Pita and Gora. A recurring situation is that, while discussing each topic, Encyclopedia would often say "The details are on my Nth page", to what the Penguins, after looking at said page, respond "We're children, so we can't read..." After that, the three call upon Televi-John an anthropomorphic dog-like TV, who shows them a video about the topic. A mouse called Suu is also featured.
Pythagora Devices
Pythagora Devices are frequently featured.
Algorithm Exercise
A corner broadcast since 2002. It stars the duo Itsumo Kokokara. It is algorithm themed, so that the movements that are done side by side are related. 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
Otou-san Switch
A segment in which a father and his child act out sequences and play games based on any of the Japanese letter sounds.
Botejin: A potato shaped like a dice moves forward and backward and to the left and right in the tiles drawn on the ground, with words written on each side of him. He can move even if he is out of the tiles.
The Circles and Triangles
Do Your Best!! Product Test: This segment introduces the stages of product testing before the shipment of industrial products.
Framy: Animated shortsabout a dog named Framy, who is made out of clear squares. Other characters that are composed of simple figures, but they are not transparent.
How the Trick Works! By Ms. Hammer Critic! aka Ms. Hammer Critic's Time: a critique of Pythagorean Devices by Ms. Hammer Critic, in some segments a dissection of the Pythagora Devices are demonstrated to “how the trick works”.
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.
