USO!?ジャパン (USO!? Japan)
A Japanese variety show that ran on TBS from April 14, 2001 to September 13th, 2003. The show’s title, “USO,” is an abbreviation for [Unconfirmed Story Object] and also [Unconfirmed Stories Organization].
In its early days, the show covered topics such as paranormal phenomena, urban legends, and bizarre books, presenting strange scoops and mysterious spots submitted by viewers in a ranking format. The members of the research institute included Kokubun Taichi, some members of Tackey & Tsubasa, Arashi, and Kanjani Eight, Yamashita Tomohisa and Nishikido Ryo, who became members of NEWS after the program ended, and actor Ikuta Toma.
Starting on October 11, 2003, the show was revamped as “Exploring! Homunculus: Mysteries of the Brain and Body,” an “intellectual entertainment program” that explores the mysteries of the human brain and body.
◽Episodes
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Eps 01-20
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Eps 21-40
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Eps 41-60
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Eps 61-80
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Eps 81-94
- (2001.04.14) EP 01
Scary CD ("Please listen to me") + 10000 Yen Ramen (Kazama, Murakami) + Reverse Gravity Slope (Yokoyama, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos + Boy's ghost in "Three Men and a Baby" + Bathroom's Hanako Part 1 (Sakurai) - (2001.04.21) EP 02
Scary CD (groaning voice) + Instant Ramen Sommelier (Yamashita, Hasegawa) + Spirit Photos and Scary Videos + Nurse Hanako + Bathroom's Hanako Part 2 (Sakurai, Ninomiya) - (2001.04.28 ) EP 03
Scary Videos + Flying Snake Rumour (Shibutani, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos + Dog Sommelier (Yokoyama, Ikuta) + Urban Legend feat. Phone Call from Mary + Cursed Voodoo Doll Part 1 at Okayama Ikurei Jinja & Hachidai Jinja (Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2001.05.05) EP 04
Scary CD ("Sempai") + Man who can make clouds disappear + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. The girl on the fourth floor + Cursed Voodoo Doll Part 2 (Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2001.05.12) EP 05
Scary CD ("Hey, take me with you") + Kagome kagome + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Under the bed + Bathroom Hanako Part 3 (Sakurai, Ninomiya) + Snake Mountain (Shibutani, Ikuta) - (2001.05.19) EP 06
Phone call you can receive alien powers from + Winding string technique + Scary Videos + Urban Legend feat. Radio in the middle of the night + Spirit Photos + Kitsune Possession (Matsumoto, Ninomiya) + Huge King Cobra (Shibutani, Ikuta) - (2001.05.26) EP 07
Scary CD ("Thank you") + Hanger Paralysis Technique + Woman who can speak in an alien language + Curry Expert (Yamashita, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Reincarnation + Tsuchinoko (Shibutani, Kazama) + Y Hospital's Red Room Part 1 (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.06.02) EP 08
Urban Legend feat. Four people on a mountain top + Extremely stingy woman (Matsumoto, Ohno) + Spirit Photos/ Infallible Bikkuriman Technique Part 1 (Murakami, Shibutani) + Scary Video + Y Hospital's Red Room Part 2 (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.06.09) EP 09
Scary chain mail + Osaka's fastest delivery restaurant (Shibutani, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Devil Navigator + Y Hospital's Red Room Part 3 (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.06.16) EP 10
Scary phone call + Psychic photography (Yokoyama, Jimmy) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Eternal Revenge + The world after death (Matsumoto, Ninomiya) - (2001.06.23) EP 11
Sure win arm wrestle technique + Weight changing rock (Yamashita, Murakami) + Super cappuccino maker (Yamashita, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Answering Machine +The doll with growing hair Part 1 (Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2001.07.14) EP 12
Sudden Diet Technique to lose 30kg + 100 year Curse + Infallible Bikkuriman Technique Part 2 (Nishikido, Murakami) + Tape of correspondence with an alien + Spirit Photos + The doll with growing hair Part 2 (Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2001.07.21) EP 13
Mysterious Curry (Nishikido, Murakami) + Take copter (Yamashita, Yokoyama) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Stalker + Poltergeist at Nanatsu House (Sakurai, Aiba) - (2001.07.28) EP 14
Goldfish scooping town (Murakami, Nishikido) + Death upon meeting your Doppelganger + Flying skateboard (Hasegawa, Yokoyama) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Fourth floor's mirror at 4:44 + World's Most Beautiful Mummy Part 1 (Aiba, Sakurai) - (2001.08.04) EP 15
Fifteen Metre Kendama (Yokoyama, Hasegawa) + 100,000 Yen Ramen (Yamashita, Jimmy) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Message + World's Most Beautiful Mummy Part 2 (Aiba, Sakurai) - (2001.08.11) EP 16
Scary Video feat. Fourth floor's mirror at 4:44 + Spoon bender Hashimoto (Hasegawa, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Midnight Drive + Amusement Park M Land's Haunted House Part 1 (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.08.18) EP 17
Miracle Survivors + Cuttlefish flavoured gum (Ikuta, Yokoyama) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Happy Chain Mail + Amusement Park M Land's Haunted House Part 2 (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.08.25) EP 18
Man who can run on water (Jimmy, Yamashita) + Hashimoto live in studio + Urban Legend feat. If we're friends + Spirit Photos + 13 Graves of N Cemetery (Aiba, Sakurai) - (2001.09.01) EP 19
Qigong power technique + Chameleon man (Yokoyama, Ikuta) + Huge Bloodsucking Bats (Yokoyama, Murakami) + Hashimoto Analysis (Hasegawa, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Witness + Reverse Bermuda Triangle Phenomenon - (2001.09.08) EP 20
Urban Legend feat. Death Anniversary + Hashimoto's Rival Kawaguchi (Shibutani, Yokoyama) + Spirit Photo SP
- (2001.09.15) EP 21
Old Rapper (Murakami, Nishikido) + Urahana Ichimonme + Urban Legend feat. Reason for Nightmares + Spirit Photos + Underground Bathhouse at F Mine (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.09.22) EP 22
Cell Phone Lie Detector Device (Yamashita, Murakami) + Kawaguchi Analysis (Shibutani, Nishikido) + Spirit Photos + Ghost Hotel (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2001.10.20) EP 24
Getting Your Crush's Mobile Phone Number w. Dr USO + Bone Fish (Shibutani, Nishikido) + Scary CD ("No!") + Hashimoto on Attaching Spoons and Credit Card (Yamashita, Hasegawa) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Reunion + Curse of Pharaoh Tutankhamen - (2001.10.27) EP 25
Illusion Whirlpool w. Dr USO + Scary CD ("Aoi chan") + Cell Phone Secrets feat. Special Mode Rumour (Kazama, Yamashita) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Another Me + S Ghost Apartment Channel 77.5 Part 1 (Aiba, Ohno) - (2001.11.03) EP 26
Grated Daikon Fireworks w. Dr USO + Scary CD ("It hurts") + Woman who speaks Backwards (Hasegawa, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Promise with Nacchan + Reincarnation Mystery - (2001.11.10) EP 27
Telepathy and Disappearing Card w. Dr USO + Galaxy Drink Rumour (Hasegawa, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Coincidence of Dreams and Reality feat. Dreams that come true + S Ghost Apartment Channel 77.5 Part 2 (Aiba, Ohno) - (2001.11.17) EP 28
Speedy Calculation w. Dr USO + Kansai Specialty Masai Drink (Hasegawa, Yamashita) + Air Crayon (Ohno, Ninomiya) + Spirit Photos + Extremely Fast Mochi makers (Jimmy, Yamashita) + Doppelganger Mystery - (2001.11.24) EP 29
Clock Technique w. Dr USO + Man who draws on Sushi (Shibutani, Murakami) + Urban Legend feat. In the Lake + Spirit Photos + Horror at 2 A.M. at Old K Tunnel (Sakurai, Matsumoto) - (2001.12.01) EP 30
See through Technique w. Dr USO + Eyeball Old Man from Ge Ge Ge Kitarou (Ikuta, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. Hanging Room + International Case File feat. Twins - (2001.12.15) EP 31
Making a Cup Disappear in Oil w. Dr USO + Background for Iroha Song + Strange Pets feat. Floating Dog (Ikuta, Jimmy) + Spirit Photos + Edible Bubbles (Murakami, Yokoyama) + International Case File feat. Cursed Number - (2001.12.29) Extended SP
Best 44 USO SP + Egg Experiment w. Tsubasa and Dr USO + Best 5 Amazing People + Mini Drama with Backwards speaking Woman and Yamashita + Spirit Photos SP + International Case File feat. Nostradamus + Poltergeist Apartment (Ohno, Aiba) + Mini Drama with Taichi and Tackey - (2002.01.19) EP 32
Standing a juice can on its side w. Dr USO + Man who makes terrible bread (Murakami, Yokoyama) + Spirit Photos + Well where 10 people committed suicide (Matsumoto, Ohno) - (2002.01.26) EP 33
Card trick w. Dr USO + Turning your neck the opposite way + Spirit Photos + Urban Legend feat. The one behind you is + International Case File feat. Teleportation - (2002.02.02) EP 34
Tour from Heaven to Hell w. Dr USO + Mysterious Curry w. 1 serving a day (Shibutani, Murakami) + Mysterious Pirated CD (Shibutani, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Best 5 Animal USO feat. Super Dogs (Number 1 with Murakami, Yokoyama) - (2002.02.09) EP 35
Standing a 10 yen coin on a 1000 yen bill w. Dr USO + Miracle Fruits Rumour (Ikuta, Murakami, Sakurai, Okada) + Spirit Photos + Terrifying Ramen (Aiba, Ninomiya) + International Case File feat. Choices of Fate - (2002.02.16) EP 36
Karaoke Version with CD Player w. Dr USO + True Story feat. B Level News + Seiza sitting cat (Shibutani, Murakami) + Spirit Photos + Aomori Johnny’s feat. ShimoyamaP (Jimmy, Ikuta) + Mysteries from Newspaper Articles - (2002.02.23) EP 37
Emptying a plastic bottle instantly w. Dr USO + Miyazaki Mystery Spot (Jimmy, Nishikido) + Voice on a Radio Commercial + Super Cell Phone Secrets (Kazama, Hasegawa) + Mysterious Ramen Investigation (Aiba, Ninomiya) - (2002.03.02) EP 38
Pet Slime w. Dr USO + Urban Legend feat. Crying Doll + Extremely Fast Bicycle Mystery (Shibutani, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos + Dial 111 for a Call from a Dead Person (Ninomiya, Aiba) - (2002.03.09) EP 39
Removing carbonation from Cola w. Dr USO + Urban Legend feat. Proof of a Curse + Most Foolish Ramen (Aiba, Ninomiya) + Mystery Museum (Ikuta, Kazama) + Spirit Photos + International Case File feat. Disappearance from the Paris Expo - (2002.04.13) EP 40
Making Cola undrinkable with ice cream w. Dr USO + Mysterious Beauty Salon (Ikuta, Jimmy) + New Mobile Phone Secret Goods (Hasegawa, Nishikido) + Man held prisoner for 50 years (Ohno, Aiba)
- (2002.04.20) EP 41
Making Pearls from Mayonnaise w. Dr USO + Most Foolish Ramen (Aiba, Ninomiya) + Man who makes flowers bloom with wood (Ikuta, Yokoyama) + Daredevil Expert Driver (Shibutani, Murakami) + International Case File feat. Predicted Future - (2002.04.27) EP 42
Winning on Chocolate Bats w. Dr USO + Japanese Worst Interviewer, Mochi kun (Murakami, Yokoyama) + Next Generation Cell Phone D Mode (Yokoyama, Murakami) + Japanese Spiderman (Yokoyama, Murakami) + Scary CD (I"t's hot! It's hot!") - (2002.05.04) EP 43
USO SP feat. Best 5 Super Kids (Number 1 with Sakurai, Ninomiya) + Best 5 Animal USO (Number 1 with Nishikido, Murakami) - (2002.05.18) EP 44
Make a crab walk straight w. Dr USO + Terrifying Spirit Photos SP (Glaring Woman Ghost Photo Investigation with Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2002.06.01) EP 45
Make a chick fall asleep instantly w. Dr USO + USO Naniwa Branch + Singing Saw (Shibutani, Yokoyama) + Scary CD ("Die") + Mysterious Game Software "Super Mario X" (Sakurai, Ohno) + Best 5 Amazing Treasures ("Dangerous Rock" Number 1 with Ohno, Ninomiya) - (2002.06.15) EP 46
Making Cola invisible w. Dr USO + The man who can call a UFO above Tokyo (Murakami, Yamashita) + International Case File feat. Disappearing Millionaire Imbert - (2002.06.28) EP 47
Ensuring your beetle wins w. Dr USO + Spirit Photos + Rock that speaks to people (Ikuta, Nishikido) + Best 5 Videos from Viewers - (2002.07.06) EP 48
Trick SP w. Disappearing Mona Lisa + Two Layered Alibi Part 1 - (2002.07.13) EP 49
Mini Fireworks Made From Oranges w. Dr USO + Recent Cell Phone Secrets (Jimmy, Ikuta) + Best 5 Super Kids (w. Nishikido Murakami, and Aiba Sakurai) + Two Layered Alibi Part 2 - (2002.07.20) EP 50
Making a fireball with a tea bag w. Dr USO + USO Naniwa Branch + International Case File feat. Kronberg Tragedy + Best 5 Super Artists (Chikuwa man with Shibutani and Murakami, Paper cutter with Jimmy and Yamashita) - (2002.07.27) EP 51
Making fish lenses camera w. Dr USO + Super Hero Aggressive Girl Mili (Shibutani, Yokoyama) + Tragedy called from an Invention - (2002.08.03) EP 52
Waking anyone in less than 10 seconds w. Dr USO + Rejected Videos from Viewers feat. Exorcist Man (Ikuta, Hasegawa) and Adventure Skier (Ikuta, Hasegawa) + Spirit Photos + Best 5 Super Manias feat. Firefighter Enthusiast (Aiba, Ohno) - (2002.08.10) EP 53
Surprising World w. Dr USO + Mysterious Sushi (Jimmy, Hasegawa) + Scary Videos + Drying clothes instantly (Yamashita, Jimmy) + Y Primary School Pond of Tears (Ohno, Aiba) - (2002.08.17) EP 54
Flavoured Fish Eggs w. Dr USO + Kizara Mystery Spot feat. Dinosaur Park (Jimmy, Hasegawa) + Man who defies time (Jimmy, Hasegawa) + Spirit Photos + Best 5 Super Artists (Trash Musician with Ikuta and Kazama, "A Bug's Life" Artist with Sakurai, Ohno) - (2002.08.24) EP 55
Catching a fly with chopsticks w. Dr USO + Bogus Discovery feat. Fake Japan Info (Yamashita, Hasegawa) + People Disappearing in a Dangerous Pond Mystery (Jimmy, Kazama) + Pearl Theft Case - (2002.09.07) EP 56
Making a magic mirror w. Dr USO + Best 10 Spirit Photos SP - (2002.09.14) EP 57
Gymnastics for everyone w. Dr USO + Scariest Spirit Photos + Disappearing Footprints - (2002.10.12) EP 58
Trick SP feat. Killer dialling from afar + Vanishing Killer on the Night Train Part 1 - (2002.10.19) EP 59
Getting a Hit on Putamen Noodles Part 1 w. Dr USO + Scariest Spirit Photos SP + Vanishing Killer on the Night Train Part 2 - (2002.10.26) EP 60
Getting a Hit on Putamen Noodles Part 1 w. Dr USO + “Dark Sunday” Cursed CD that will kill you if you hear it (Sakurai, Aiba) + CD that ordered them to kill + Vanishing Bank Robber Part 1
- (2002.11.02) EP 61
Best 10 Animal USO + Vanishing Bank Robber Part 2 - (2002.11.09) EP 62
Miracle Water that revived 66 People from Death + Chosen Path to Death Part 1 - (2002.11.16) EP 63
Running faster w. Dr USO + Magic Battle w. Yuuma, Hiroki (Ikuta, Yokoyama) + Chosen Path to Death Part 2 - (2002.11.23) EP 64
Best 10 Super Animal USO feat. Poodle Rangers (Yamashita, Ikuta) + Psychometrer feat. Osanami Toshie Trial and Taguchi Yoshihisa (Ninomiya, Aiba) - (2002.11.30) EP 65
Killer Who Manipulated Time + Spirit Photos - (2002.12.07) EP 66
Enlarging Marshmallows w. Dr USO + Vanishing Legendary Diamond + X File feat. Man who shone Blue (Ikuta, Murakami) - (2002.12.14) EP 67
Magic Battle w. Yuuma (Jimmy, Ikuta), Seiha (Yokoyama, Ikuta) and Ichiro (Jimmy, Ikuta) + Spirit Photos - (2003.01.11) EP 68
Aokigahara Forest (Aiba, Ninomiya) + Devilish Murder on the Snowy Mountain - (2003.01.18) EP 69
Breaking an egg with two fingers w. Dr USO + Best 5 Animal USO feat. Dog and Monkey SP + Magic Battle w. Subaru and Hiroki (Yokoyama, Shibutani) - (2003.01.25) EP 70
Spirit Photos + X File feat. Woman who Attacked America through Poison Gas + X File feat. Curse against 1498 People - (2003.02.01) EP 71
USO World Millionaire Legends feat. He Became a Millionaire in 5 Seconds and A Great Reversal feat. An Idea Born From a Mistake + Spirit Consultation on a ghost taking over a body (Aiba, Ohno) - (2003.02.08) EP 72
USO World B Level News + Best 5 Terrifying Videos + Magic Battle w. Ichiro (Shibutani, Yokoyama) and Hama chan (Jimmy, Yamashita) - (2003.02.15) EP 73
Strange poses that can only be done by Women w. Dr USO + Best 5 Animal USO + USO World Millionaire Legends feat. Huge Reversal From the Edge of Death w. The 1/60 Billion Man, Pleading to a Winner, World Inventor - (2003.02.22) EP 74
Scary Spirit Photos + Spirit Consultation feat. Crisis of a Family Breaking Down (Matsumoto, Aiba) + X File feat. Heart that Remembers - (2003.03.08) EP 75
Foods erasing the spiciness of wasabi w. Dr USO + Best 5 Animal USO + World Millionaire Legends feat. Treasure from a trash can and 0.1 g of the most valuable garbage, Wonder that swoops down with the bluebird - (2003.03.15) EP 76
Scary Spirit Photos + Spirit Consultation feat. Mother possessed by an evil spirit (Ohno, Aiba) - (2003.04.12) EP 77
Strange discoveries by children (Sakurai Nino, and Ohno Aiba - Aiba Ohno team wins) + USO TV Scoops from Anime + Best 5 Animal USO - (2003.04.19) EP 78
World Millionaire Legends feat. Getting Rich Quick with a Snack and Toy invention that made it big + X File feat. Man who lied for 18 years + Strange discoveries by children (Sakurai Nino and Ohno Aiba - Aiba Ohno team wins) - (2003.05.03) EP 79
Golden Week Best 5 Strongest Animal USO + Magic Battle w. Akira, Ryota (Kazama, Yamashita) - (2003.05.10) EP 80
Unknown
- (2003.05.17) EP 81
Best 10 Terrifying Videos and CDs + Magic Battle II w. Ryota, Hiroki (Yokoyama, Murakami) - (2003.05.24) EP 82
Surprising Anime and Heroes Videos Best 10 (Lupin, Rascal, Yamato, Machiko Sensei, Mahou Shoujo Raraberu, Hana no Ko RunRun, Galaxy Express 999, Ultraman, Patariro, Urusei Yatsura, Ninja Hatorikun, Dame Dame Hero, Debiru Man, Kyojin no Hoshi) - (2003.05.31) EP 83
Best 10 Animal USO + X File on Forbidden Testing on Humans - (2003.06.14) EP 84
Best 10 World Millionaire Legends - (2003.06.21) EP 85
Unknown Convenience Store and Best 10 Family Restaurant Gourmet Foods (Number 1 with Ikuta, Kazama) + Best 3 Surprising Convenience Store Services - (2003.06.28) EP 86
Strongest Magic Battle SP 1 feat. Block A (Yokoyama, Murakami, Tackey) w. Sanshirou, Jin, Ryota, Mask Man, Richard Fortune - (2003.07.12) EP 87
Strongest Magic Battle SP 2 feat. Block B (Ikuta, Yamashita) w. Issei, Akira, Toto, Monsieur Pierre, Sakai - (2003.07.26) EP 88
Best 10 Midsummer Animal SP - (2003.08.02) EP 89
Best 10 Surprising Anime and Hero Videos - (2003.08.09) EP 90
Best 10 Scariest Urban Legends - (2003.08.16) EP 91
Seven Wonders of the World - (2003.08.23) EP 92
Strongest Magic Battle SP 3 Final - (2003.09.06) EP 93
Last Special Part 1 - (2003.09.13) EP 94
Last Special Part 2
◽Cast
The USO?! Institute
Taichi Kokubun (TOKIO): Director
Takki & Tsubasa
Hideaki Takizawa: Leader
Imai Tsubasa : Dr.USO
Arashi
Satoshi Ohno
Sho Sakurai
Masaki Aiba
Kazuya Ninomiya
Jun Matsumoto
Johnny’s Jr.
Tomohisa Yamashita
Toma Ikuta
Shunsuke Kazama
Jun Hasegawa
Jimmy Mackey
Ryo Nishikido ( 関ジャニ∞ )
Yutaka Yokoyama (Sekijani∞)
Shingo Murakami (Sekijani∞)’
Shibuya Subaru (Sekijani∞)
Hiroko Ogura Announcer
Kaiho Chiri announcer
The Dr. Copa
Bob Sapp
Narration
Hirohiko Kakegawa
Ryoko Raimiya
Kenji Sato
◽Corners
Dr. USO
Broadcast at the beginning of the show, Dr. USO uses science to introduce mysterious experiments and useful tips. For a while, Bob Sapp appeared as his assistant. Dr. USO’s true identity is Tsubasa Imai. He initially denied it, but in the final episode, he removed his wig and revealed that it was Imai himself.
Urban Legends
Urban legends are introduced in dramatic video clips. 32 episodes in total.
The Most Strange Sounds
Introducing mysterious voices that have been recorded on CDs, cassette tapes, etc. 15 episodes in total.
Animal USO
Introducing animals with extraordinary talents from all over the country.
Exploring Haunted Spots
Laboratory members visit haunted spots rumored to be haunted, investigating whether they behave exactly as rumored.
The Most Terrifying Haunted Photo Studio
Broadcast midway through the show, photos sent in by viewers that appear to be haunted are published and appraised. The appraiser is Minoru Kuroda, founder of the Sukou Kouha Sekai Shindan cult.
Director Kokubu’s Scoop No. 1
This broadcast airs at the end of the show. It showcases funny photos sent in by viewers (including strange signs and photos of typos).
