the $1000 answer being Attack on Titan is laughable
SouekiSennoSTM2026-01-21 07:22
It makes sense from a general knowledge and audience demographic perspective. Many of the regular viewers of Jeopardy! wouldn't be able to answer a single question in the anime category, down to the lowest dollar/point value one.
I've never watched a single episode of Naruto, yet know the basic premise, have seen pictures of it and its characters, and know its name and general info pertaining to it just by watching a lot of other anime and being active on anime-related spaces on the internet. Yet you see here the three contestants, probably all intelligent and knowledgeable individuals in their own right, didn't have a clue.
AdmirHiddleston2026-01-21 07:32
I just feel like even the Totoro question was harder than the one about one of most popular anime of the last decade.
rocky_iwata2026-01-21 07:39
Ghibli boom started at Spirited Away so any movies before that can stump those contestants.
BillBraskeyDota2026-01-21 14:45
Yeah that was the only question I got wrong.
afuajfFJT2026-01-21 17:37
I don't know, I think Totoro is more a kind of family movie that many people may have seen that don't watch any anime at all otherwise, whereas Attack on Titan is probably only appealing to audiences that watch Anime at least causally.
MasterTotoro2026-01-21 22:03
From a Jeopardy standpoint I would say the Totoro question is meant to be easier because of the Miyazaki mention in the clue. There are a lot of Jeopardy clues are designed as such, you see the name Miyazaki and that gives you 90% of the answer. It's not trying to stump you on lesser known works. Without even reading the rest of the question, just guessing his most famous films is likely correct. In the same game for example under Iowa for $200 you could literally look at only the last word "capital" and get the correct answer. The first 18 words are almost misdirection.
Whereas the Attack on Titan clue requires you to know the show details and bring up the title from that. Another way to think about it is seeing Miyazaki is like a multiple choice question, but for the $1000 it's much more open.
AdmirHiddleston2026-01-21 22:08
They do guess his most famous film and are incorrect (one of them says “Spirited Away”) to know the attack on titan question you just need to have seen any of its advertising in the last 10 years that shows a giant nude guy looking over a wall which is exactly how they describe the show in the question. It actually takes them less time to answer the AoT question than the Totoro one
MasterTotoro2026-01-22 21:08
You are misunderstanding the point. As some background, I've competed and moderated in trivia leagues for many years, and I know people who have competed on Jeopardy. It's not easy to answer Attack on Titan just because you happened to random come across some advertising. That's not how studying for these events work.
It's much easier to answer Totoro because there is a clear reference point in the clue. When it says Miyazaki, you can immediately narrow down the possible answers. The fact that someone answers Spirited Away is a sign of how these players operate. That player has probably not seen Totoro or even Spirited Away. Certainly they are not familiar with them or they would've have attempted. The reason they attempt is because they see the name Miyazaki and just guess a work they know he made.
I'm also pretty sure the player who got Totoro correct didn't know the answer either based on the tone of his voice. A lot of players have this habit when they are just guessing. A lot of times it's not about straight up knowing the answer, but rather being able to piece it together from what you do know.
saga9992026-01-22 06:52
Depends on the demographic. The Totoro question was very easy for me and I last watched it over 30 years ago and I've only ever watched it once. Totoro was very popular at its time, just not in the west.
For r/anime, yeah, probably that's the hardest question. But like someone else said, that's a family movie for people who aren't specifically anime fans.
Mitosis2026-01-21 13:45
That is basically every Jeopardy category. It's a trivia show; it rewards some knowledge about a lot of things, not being an expert on anything in particular.
aimglitchz2026-01-22 01:18
Thank u for explaining that anime is not mainstream. This sub is delusional when they say that
Emi_Ibarazakiii2026-01-22 06:25
> It makes sense from a general knowledge and audience demographic perspective
Does it?
I don't think OP is not saying "The question is way too easy"; OP is saying "This question is probably the easiest of the 5"...
My brother (who watched exactly 1 anime in his life) would know the answer to exactly 2 of these questions; What they do with the Death Note (because he watched it) and what's the anime about the man-eating giants.
SouekiSennoSTM2026-01-22 07:20
I think it sort of depends on which demographic you're most closely picturing as the prospective audience members. I never watched this series (Jeopardy!) regularly but have seen a number of episodes on and off since early childhood since my parents (mainly my mom) were into it.
And I'm mainly picturing Americans in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, watching it (in other words, my folks' age in the past and now), thinking that they might in some instances have a clue about Dragonball, Pokemon, Sailor Moon, some Ghibli film titles, etc. - pop culture juggernauts from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s when anime was even a lot more niche than now in North America. But less so titles from the past 10 - 15 years. That's just a vague inkling and impression I have though and obviously is difficult to gauge.
IceSmiley2026-01-21 14:36
Jeopardy's main audience is old/elderly people well versed in current events, history and science who may have never even watched anime
SpaghettiPunch2026-01-21 20:03
I think this XKCD is relevant to us here [https://xkcd.com/2501/](https://xkcd.com/2501/)
AdmirHiddleston2026-01-21 22:13
They sell attack on titan merch at Walmart it’s hardly “expert”
level to have heard of it or seen any of it’s advertising
UnfilteredCatharsis2026-01-22 00:23
They were all pretty much as easy as they possibly could have been.
westraz2026-01-21 07:25
I got all buit one of them, lol how is AOT the $800?
AdmirHiddleston2026-01-21 07:29
Dragonball was the $800 lol
westraz2026-01-21 07:40
oh it the $1,000 owy
Most-Artichoke61842026-01-21 07:52
I knew three out of the five.
smilysmilysmooch2026-01-21 08:43
I was thinking way too hard trying to come up with the movie name for Dragonball Z: Broly - the Legendary Super Saiyan when the answer was just "Dragonball"
andoryu1232026-01-21 09:11
Alex Trebec would of expected Dragon Ball Z.
AdmirHiddleston2026-01-21 10:14
They asked for the Franchise name though and that would make the correct answer Dragon Ball as Z is only a specific part of that franchise. In fact the movie they used in the question is a Dragon Ball Super movie and not Z.
Peter-Za2026-01-21 11:31
Well it could also be any of the other three Broly movies from Z
Most_Tangelo2026-01-22 00:24
It could not. Because Frieza also has to be in the film for the question's answer.
Peter-Za2026-01-22 02:11
What? Did you even watch the video?
“Goku and Vegeta” Freeza isnt mentioned
Most_Tangelo2026-01-22 03:55
I one hundred percent did, but for whatever reason my mind registered it vividly as saying they encounter Frieza and Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan.
saga9992026-01-22 06:44
That's why memory is not reliable. Whenever someone say they remember it very vividly, never be so sure that is true even if they are not lying.
actionfirst12026-01-21 08:44
That was devious of them requiring the contestants to say *"Attack on Titan the Final Season Part 3 The Final Chapters Part 2 Dream Drop Distance"* for the $200 question
nicostein2026-01-21 19:57
& Knuckle's RE:VOngeance 3χIV.0/2 Final Mix+ \[Definitive Digital Deluxe\] B-Side
fireassbarz2026-01-21 09:40
Knowing aot by plot synopsis but not recognizing Naruto is kinda wild
aztech1012026-01-21 12:51
You can really feel see guy who answered thinking 'wow I really wish I didn't know this answer'
Deruta2026-01-21 13:48
Even Ken was like “…really guys?” lol
InternationalReserve2026-01-21 19:36
Attack on Titan is probably one of the most popular anime among non-weebs outside of Ghibli films
0800872026-01-22 05:21
I think people prep by literally reading wiki articles and similar.
So they would know the plot, but may never have seen any of the imagery.
IvanSemushin2026-01-22 08:41
Anime appears on Jeopardy so rarely that I'm pretty sure no one ever brushed up on anime before playing.
Emi_Ibarazakiii2026-01-22 06:18
It's so strange!
I've never watched any Naruto (not even clips) but I knew it just from the description without seeing the picture... How can they not know it WITH the picture?
EPLWA_Is_Relevant2026-01-22 07:39
That's Aaron Levine, the sports anchor for Fox 13 in Seattle. Kinda wild seeing him on Jeopardy.
yetanotherwoo2026-01-22 08:32
I don’t know anything about Naruto except there’s a kid with yellow spiky hair.
lemonmop2026-01-22 23:08
I'm assuming he just reads a lot of shit on the internet and what not, hence how he knew what shows are about but doesn't actually watch anime
Infodump_Ibis2026-01-21 11:44
Despite Naruto Shippuden OST winning the JASRAC International Award (largest amount of royalties from foreign copyright societies) five times (2013, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2021) if an image of Naruto is triple stumper he has really fallen off. I guess that's the problem with timeskips, changing appearance then shifting focus to his son (shame one of them didn't answer Boruto's Dad, I know potentially losing Jepordy over a meme answer probably isn't a good idea).
Anyway there's a fan-created archive of Jepordy games and players if you want to see the questions for [the full game](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=9360) (hover/tap/click your cursor over the money amount to see stuff like the answer, who answered what) which gives you an idea of the general knowledge level. As it has a search function this was [another anime one](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=2516) from 2008 [(I didn't know what century the "Princess" was from)](#hideintoilet) and there's nothing stopping these things being in [regular categories](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4428).
wloff2026-01-21 12:18
> another anime one from 2008
I read "this classic 5-letter anime" and was thinking 'Akira' without even reading the rest of the question
[](#tomboyshades)
Didn't get the princess one either though, despite it being my favorite Miyazaki movie.
[](#shatteredsaten)
Scholarly_Koala2026-01-21 13:46
Doesn't he have to write your name *and* manner of death down?
Retsam192026-01-21 14:03
No - he has to write your name *and* picture your face. (The second rule probably exists to avoid things like writing "John Smith" killing thousands of people)
The manner of death is optional (and if omitted will just be a heart attack, IIRC)
Scholarly_Koala2026-01-21 14:06
Ah, OK. I couldn't remember the specifics.
HFwhy2026-01-21 15:28
So there’s a chance the death note is real and someone with face blindness has found it?
InfanticideAquifer2026-01-22 07:15
Or just someone who doesn't want to be a murderer? You'd be surprised how few people want to go on killing sprees.
Xatu442026-01-21 21:34
How did they not know Naruto?????????
shapular2026-01-21 21:48
They're normies
UnfilteredCatharsis2026-01-22 00:24
no anime cred
Emi_Ibarazakiii2026-01-22 06:26
So weird.
That was my guess even without the picture (when I saw the text on the website) and I've never watched an episode/clip of Naruto.
Emi_Ibarazakiii2026-01-22 06:15
Love seeing hobbies I like on Jeopardy (it was hockey couple weeks ago). Makes you realize how 'entry level' some of these questions may be too hah.
I wonder, why do they start with 800, is there a strategical reason or is it just random like "We have to do them all anyway"?
Vatrix-322026-01-22 08:23
> I wonder, why do they start with 800, is there a strategical reason or is it just random like "We have to do them all anyway"?
They're fishing for Daily Doubles. They show up more often on the high end.
RAMAR7132026-01-22 12:15
Non-American here, can anyone explain why they say "what is..." instead of just saying the name of the show?
bapakeja2026-01-22 13:02
Because the board shows the answers and contestants are supposed to say what the question would be.
For instance on the board would be the answer 3.14. The question would be “what is pi?”
Commentaires
I've never watched a single episode of Naruto, yet know the basic premise, have seen pictures of it and its characters, and know its name and general info pertaining to it just by watching a lot of other anime and being active on anime-related spaces on the internet. Yet you see here the three contestants, probably all intelligent and knowledgeable individuals in their own right, didn't have a clue.
Whereas the Attack on Titan clue requires you to know the show details and bring up the title from that. Another way to think about it is seeing Miyazaki is like a multiple choice question, but for the $1000 it's much more open.
It's much easier to answer Totoro because there is a clear reference point in the clue. When it says Miyazaki, you can immediately narrow down the possible answers. The fact that someone answers Spirited Away is a sign of how these players operate. That player has probably not seen Totoro or even Spirited Away. Certainly they are not familiar with them or they would've have attempted. The reason they attempt is because they see the name Miyazaki and just guess a work they know he made.
I'm also pretty sure the player who got Totoro correct didn't know the answer either based on the tone of his voice. A lot of players have this habit when they are just guessing. A lot of times it's not about straight up knowing the answer, but rather being able to piece it together from what you do know.
For r/anime, yeah, probably that's the hardest question. But like someone else said, that's a family movie for people who aren't specifically anime fans.
Does it?
I don't think OP is not saying "The question is way too easy"; OP is saying "This question is probably the easiest of the 5"...
My brother (who watched exactly 1 anime in his life) would know the answer to exactly 2 of these questions; What they do with the Death Note (because he watched it) and what's the anime about the man-eating giants.
And I'm mainly picturing Americans in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, watching it (in other words, my folks' age in the past and now), thinking that they might in some instances have a clue about Dragonball, Pokemon, Sailor Moon, some Ghibli film titles, etc. - pop culture juggernauts from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s when anime was even a lot more niche than now in North America. But less so titles from the past 10 - 15 years. That's just a vague inkling and impression I have though and obviously is difficult to gauge.
level to have heard of it or seen any of it’s advertising
“Goku and Vegeta” Freeza isnt mentioned
So they would know the plot, but may never have seen any of the imagery.
I've never watched any Naruto (not even clips) but I knew it just from the description without seeing the picture... How can they not know it WITH the picture?
Anyway there's a fan-created archive of Jepordy games and players if you want to see the questions for [the full game](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=9360) (hover/tap/click your cursor over the money amount to see stuff like the answer, who answered what) which gives you an idea of the general knowledge level. As it has a search function this was [another anime one](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=2516) from 2008 [(I didn't know what century the "Princess" was from)](#hideintoilet) and there's nothing stopping these things being in [regular categories](https://j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=4428).
I read "this classic 5-letter anime" and was thinking 'Akira' without even reading the rest of the question
[](#tomboyshades)
Didn't get the princess one either though, despite it being my favorite Miyazaki movie.
[](#shatteredsaten)
The manner of death is optional (and if omitted will just be a heart attack, IIRC)
That was my guess even without the picture (when I saw the text on the website) and I've never watched an episode/clip of Naruto.
I wonder, why do they start with 800, is there a strategical reason or is it just random like "We have to do them all anyway"?
They're fishing for Daily Doubles. They show up more often on the high end.
For instance on the board would be the answer 3.14. The question would be “what is pi?”
So they have to say it in the form of a question.