TDK teams mad for modifications on reality show

"The devil comes down. The engineers awaken from the madness that lurks in their hearts and begin to engage in mad modifications. Is it possible? What would happen if we go down the path of mad modifications? Do not be alarmed. Don't hesitate to go. Welcome to the night of mad modifications. … Enter the demon technicians."

That is how the Japanese TV show "Night of the Makaizo Society" begins. And the "demon technicians" on two recent episodes were TDK colleagues. We competed the race with two fellow fierce “demon” teams.

?"Makaizo" (魔改造) can be translated as "mad modification" or "demonic alteration." The term is often used in the context of modified or customized objects, particularly in the realm of anime, manga, video games, and toy collecting.

In each episode, three teams of top-notch engineers perform extreme engineering arts at a mysterious midnight party. They turn toys and home appliances into monster machines!?

Moderators on the engineering reality show have celebrity status and included appearances by Sputniko!, a contemporary artist; Keisuke Nagafuji, associate professor at the University of Tokyo; Hikaru Ijuin, show talent; Takeshi Yano, the announcer; and Atsuko Tanaka, a voice actress.

This TV show is not just about showing up and completing challenges. The challenges were sent to each company in advance, and we had 1.5 months to use our engineering skills and teamwork to find solutions. Our team members spent 60 percent of their workday on the show's efforts. At showtime, about 150 employees from the three companies competed in two competitions.

'Rocking Tiger Hopping Bunny 50m Relay'

Our first team of employees sat in arena anticipating what was under a blanket covering a table.

Gasps came as the blanket was lifted, revealing a small tiger and bunny stuffed animal.

Instructions were then given for the "Rocking Tiger Hopping Bunny 50m Relay" competition.

The stuffed animals were to be turned into monster machines and had to move like these animals normally. As this was a relay, the tiger had to pass a baton to the bunny in a red takeover zone, and the bunny needed to complete the 50m race in the fastest time possible.

The cost allowed for all the monster modifications was $349.20 (50,000 yen).

Tomoko Kitamura from Production and Engineering HQ at TDK was chosen as the team leader for this challenge.

"Members who had never met each other before worked toward the same goal and gradually discovered their roles, discussed the issues thoroughly, and finally created something by working together earnestly," she says. "We were able to share the joy together."

You can see our teams brainstorming and trying new ideas at TDK on the show. Some worked, some didn't, but we always encourage trying new things for the best possible outcome.

"In order to understand the feelings of our customers, we ourselves have to make things that work," says Shunya Sato, from Marketing & Incubation HQ, who was appointed the project manager at TDK for this effort.

Kitamura was always shown pumping up the team.

"As team leader, we have no choice but to win now," she says. "All I can say is let's win."

When it was showtime, we were ready to compete after another team got stuck on the track and struggled to complete the race.? Nerves were high, and our bunny and tiger were put on the track.

"It looks quite different from the (previous) team," says someone on the show. "This one looks a little more like something you would find on the roof of a department store, a little more like a vehicle or so."

The bunny and tiger were transformed from cuddly stuffed animals to monsters, with mechanical legs, feet, and mouths. The tiger had to run, and the bunny had to hop. There was a lot of interest in the decisions our team made.

"It was a shock to me that they didn't use sensors," says one moderator.

And what was going to catch the baton? An upcycled Japanese PET (recyclable polyethylene terephthalate) water bottle that was cut in half and into a circle (ingenious!).?

"It just happened to be on hand, so I thought, 'Why not use it?'" says Naoki Ota from Technology and Intellectual Property HQ, on the show.

The baton launch mechanism was created by Taisuke Miyaji, who normally develops control software for flash memory and other devices at TDK.

Each team had two chances to complete the race. Our first attempt failed, as we were disqualified when the baton did not complete a pass. There was a 10-minute interval for us to make changes, and after looking at the slow-motion replay, we determined the tiger was too fast, causing it to crash into the bunny, which sent the baton in the air, not the bottle capture.?

We decided to reduce the tiger motor output by 10% and were ready to compete.

That split-second decision is what clinched the victory for TDK!

"We set a world record with a brilliant performance," says Kitamura. The tiger handed off the baton to the bunny, who hopped to the finish line in the fastest time, and the crowded warehouse went wild!

'Cuckoo Clock? Cuckoo Toss'

The mission: Send 100 toy cuckoos from a clock into a basket 8 meters high in 1.5 minutes.

Our TDK team, led by Ryohei Kikuchi from the Technology & Intellectual Property HQ, accepted the challenge from the "Night of the Makaizo Society."?

Was this project too cuckoo?

The team worked on ejecting small cuckoos from a clock into a basket with a 45-centimeter diameter and posted 8 meters high. The team with the most cuckoos in the basket would be crowned the winner.?

"I was happy to see everyone coming up with so many ideas," says Kikuchi. "I was also very happy to see the active discussion."Angles and aerodynamics were key.? After many grueling hours, our team was ready to compete.

"The ironclad rule in our magic club ... It doesn't matter if you fail," says an announcer on the show. "Attention engineers who have spent a month and a half of happy living hell. … Expose the demons that lurk in your heart and unleash your monster on the world."

Each company struggled with this demonic challenge.

"The combined sales of these three companies exceed 5.5 trillion yen," says a show moderator. "Isn't this the first time? I'm looking forward to a fierce battle between these three companies."

Our cuckoo clock was unveiled in a dramatic fashion, and each team was intrigued to see what we did. Our team used a combination of air and rollers to power the cuckoos into the basket.

"The design of your monster is very good," says a show moderator. "The design is unique to TDK, a company that makes parts, because you can see what's inside. It's really nice."

Kikuchi, is known for his nontraditional shaggy hair, got excited when the competition was about to start.

"I'm already about 100 percent excited", he says.

In the first attempt, our team was the only company to secure a cuckoo in the basket and score points. The second attempt did not go as expected, so the final result was one point.

Winning Everyone's Heart

Watching everyone react to our teams online made TDK extremely proud of how they competed, how they worked together, and how they showed respect for competitors.

Sato, the project manager, had the unique experience of overseeing both teams.

What are two of his favorite things in this experience?

The first was watching teams who didn't know each other beforehand grow and work together.

The second was a pep talk given by Kitamura to the team.

"It was a big surprise to me," says Sato, who thought seeing a positive female engineer lead the team was so important. "It was a really great speech."

One of the biggest challenges wasn't finding a solution, working long hours, or getting used to all the cameras.

"We had to keep it all a secret," he says.?

Once the show aired, the cuckoo was out of the bag, so to speak, and the "birds" all tweeted on Twitter.

"A lot of Twitter posts with #魔改造の夜 and I couldn't follow with my eyes," says Kitamura. "People who didn't even know us (or maybe even TDK) were getting excited, and their feedback was all positive. I was fully aware that the program had a lot of fans, but I had a feeling I was just hoping that my colleagues at work and my parents would enjoy the show.

Sato agreed.

"The response from kind viewers is actually quite overwhelming," he says. "It was much more than I expected or imagined. During the real-time broadcast, we were watching the Twitter stream, and it was kind of really overwhelming in a good way."

You're Going to Want To See This

We have an extra special treat for fans of TDK and "Night of the Makaizo Society." You can see our tiger, bunny, and cuckoo clock on display at our technical center in Yawata (Chiba prefecture in Japan) until Sept. 29.??

Also ready for viewing? A bedazzled wrench was used to win the tiger and bunny relay.? All monsters are welcome to check out the exhibit and share some photos.

Episodes of "Night of the Makaizo Society" are aired in Japan on a regular basis. If you've seen the show or just want to show your support, please show your support in the comments.