TV ASAHI and Artificial Life Launch Mobile-Controlled Avatar Quiz Show this Weekend

TV ASAHI, one of Japan's major broadcasters, is airing a pilot this Saturday night for a"one hour interactive mobile participation TV show," Hoshi-ichi Owarairyoku Test.  Artificial Life, a mobile entertainment provider, is adding its 3D scene engine and mobile TV interface technology, SMS Galaxy, letting audience members at home chime in with their own 3D avatars, competing against up 100,000 other contestants' avatars and answering quiz questions for TV ASAHI-sponsored prizes.

"We are extremely pleased to introduce such an adventurous entertainment project to our Japanese audience tied with Artificial Life, Inc," Naoto Ueda, TV ASAHI Corporation, Co-Director, Intermedia Programming, Programming Department, said in a statement. "In this age of demassification and diversification, it is vital for us to redefine ways to enjoy TV programs such as by combining them with other media devices. Now that a mobile phone has literally become an alter ego, particularly for the young generation, I am convinced that they will truly enjoy the excitement of virtually appearing on TV as a 3D animated avatar, thanks to SMS Galaxy."

I think you can check out the trailer here. I can't promise it's the same show since it's in Japanese, but it looks similar--and the fact that I don't understand the language hasn't stopped me from watching Japanese game shows so far.

The pilot sounds like some of the projects that Worlds.com CEO Thom Kidrin has discussed, one with  British Sky Broadcasting and CellCast and at least one more with an unnamed company.  While those haven't produced pilots yet, there's at least some interest in this merging of virtual worlds, mobile technology, and interactive TV. It seems like a step up in interaction--and, with the game show element, activity and interest--than some of the party line TV shows that pop up on late night television (e.g., our local version, which lets users send in, for a fee, text messages to be displayed with an anonymous handle).

"This is a great opportunity for us," said Eberhard Schoneburg, Artificial Life's Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to be airing our first interactive TV show in Japan. The format of the show is very unique even for Japan in that viewers will be able to interact with live 3D representations of themselves in the form of cute animated avatars as well as to participate and interact with the show's hosts in real time. Our SMS Galaxy is already successful in Europe and we are now entering the Asian markets as well as live sports entertainment arenas with this unique technology. We are very thankful to TV ASAHI for the positive and promising cooperation we now have together."