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When you find yourself trying to remember a show (or any works) that's on the tip of your tongue but just out of reach, come here - the collective brain of the TVTropes community can probably help. Post all the details you can remember (examples help). If you're looking for a trope, head over to Trope Finder. Have general questions about tropes? Visit Ask The Tropers!

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TheUnsquished Since: Nov, 2014
2016-01-02 10:51:04

One of the things I can find is Japanorama, but it was on TV later than the time span you gave. It was hosted by Jonathan Ross, though. Something closer to the time frame is something called Manga!

Either of these help?

(Annoyed grunt)
Aspectifer Since: Apr, 2014
2016-01-18 14:49:45

Sorry about the delay in replying to this. Thanks for the suggestions The Unsquished, but I actually came across it on one of my old VHS tapes!

The theme night was broadcast in 1991 and was called "A Night in Japan". It was connected with that year's 'Japan Festival' which took place in London. The programmes were introduced by a middle age presenter I did not recognise. I'd probably assumed that anything Japan related would be presented by Jonathan Ross, especially on Channel 4.

The programme was called Mystery Tales. There was an introductory prologue hosted by a man standing next to a copy of Edvard Munch's "The Scream".

The first segment was called "The Touch of Horror" and wasn't as straight a telling of the Danger Takes a Backseat myth as I'd remembered - the protaganist has psychic powers that can detect the past of an object. She thinks the man who has given her a ride from her broken down car is a serial killer after touching a pendant belonging to a murder victim she finds in his car. She forces him off the road and flags down another car and gets into it. She then has another vision from the pendant and this time she sees the murderer's face. Of course, the driver of the car she had flagged down is the murderer. And it turns out the man she had been with earlier is a police officer hunting him.

The second segment was called "The Makio Rumour" and again wasn't quite how I remembered.

Rumours and urban myths are all the rage at school. A schoolgirl finds that her younger brother has been compiling a list of these rumours on his computer. She decides to add one of her own and concocts a story about "Makio", a boy who haunts the playground at night. If he asks to play with you, you are never heard from again.

She is surprised to hear the rumour at school the next day - her brother denies having read it. The rumour receives embellishments, and then children start to disappear, including eventually her brother. She goes to look for him, only to encounter "Makio" at the playground, who asks to play.

The final shot is of the playground at night, with the swingset seat swinging, followed by another.

"The Touch of Horror" was even worse than I remember (the 'policeman' acted so suspiciously that anyone would have fled from his car), but "The Makio Rumour" was even better than I'd remembered.

Edited by Aspectifer
TheUnsquished Since: Nov, 2014
2016-01-24 05:51:37

I'm glad you found what you were looking for. :)

(Annoyed grunt)
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