Editing Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo

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{{episode
|image=Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo.png
|Episode Number= 226
|productionCode=AABF20
|originalAirdate=May 16, 1999
|blackboardText="I am so very tired"
|couchGag=The family sinks into the couch and emerges as shredded pieces of paper a la a paper shredder.
|billboard= 
|specialGuestVoices=[[George Takei]] as [[Wink]]<br/> [[Denice Kumagai]] as Japanese mother<br/> [[Karen Maruyama]] as Japanese stewardess<br/> [[Gedde Watanabe]] as Japanese father/waiter<br/> [[Keone Young]] as Fish
|Written By=[[Donick Cary]] <br/> [[Dan Greaney]]
|Directed By= [[Jim Reardon]]
|DVD features=yes
}}

'''Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo''' is the twenty-third episode of the [[season 10|tenth season]]. It originally aired on May 16, 1999.

== Synopsis ==
The [[Simpsons family]] travel to [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]. After losing their last million yen, they agree to participate in a dangerous Japanese TV game show in exchange for air fare back home.

== Plot ==
Lisa learns that a new [[The Java Server|Java Server]] cyber-cafe is opening downtown and asks Homer to take her. She unsuccessfully tries to bribe him into taking her, when Bart walks in and says that he knows a website that shows monkeys "doin' it". Homer immediately agrees to go and eagerly jumps in the car. At the Java Server, Homer spends all of the money in the family's checking account, but still with $1,200 in their savings account. Snake walks into the cafe with a gun and cyber-robs Homer, leaving no money for their family vacation. To earn some money, Homer sneaks into [[Ned Flanders]]' house in the middle of the night to steal his possessions. Ned catches him, but informs him of a savings seminar, which Homer steals his tickets to. The family then attends the seminar to help with their problems, the seminar is presented by a man who while he does give useful tips on saving could stand to be a little less tight with his money (i.e. scrounging through trash for food). They find out that they can get cheap plane tickets to anywhere when there isn't anyone occupying the seats. The flight they get onto (screwing over the [[Flanders family|Flanders]]) is heading for [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]].

At the hotel, Homer discovers that the Japanese are years ahead of America, having a talking toilet in the bathroom that sprays fountains of muti-colored water and Bart discovers that the TV has a camera that shows footage from the toilet much to his, Marge and Lisa's horror.

They start buying various things that cost a fortune there. [[Lisa]] wants to do something Japanese but [[Homer]] and [[Bart]] blatantly refuse, and would rather ignore the wonders of another culture, running off when Lisa suggests something traditional. After visiting America Town, an American-themed restaurant, they are forced to go to the [[wikipedia:Sumo|Sumo]] fights, where Homer is arrested for attacking the [[wikipedia:Akihito|emperor]] (he thought he was a sumo wrestler). After being freed from prison (where Homer and Bart learn of Japanese culture and the secret to inner peace), the Simpson family is down to their last 1 million [[wikipedia:Japanese yen|Yen]], which they need to get home. Homer folds a flying crane origami to show Lisa "something Japanese", which is then blown away in the wind, Homer cries "D'oh!" in Japanese.

They try to earn money by gutting fish at the [[Osaka Seafood Concern]]. While working, they see on the work TV an advert for the ''Happy Smile Super Challenge Family Wish Show'', which grants the winners anything they wish for.

They go on the game show to win plane tickets back to [[Springfield]], but go through a series of painful and humiliating tasks including Homer being tied to Tokyo tower during a lightning storm. To get the tickets in the final round, the Simpsons have to grab them off a bridge that's suspended above a volcano. Meanwhile back in Springfield, [[Moe]] sees Homer on TV and he, [[Lenny]], and [[Carl]] find out [[Barney]] was disguised as Homer to put beers on Homer's tab. Back in Japan, the Simpsons get the tickets, but fall in the lava, which turns out to be Orangeade loaded with {{W|Wasabi}}. When taking off for their return trip home, the Simpsons' plane is attacked by [[Godzilla (character)|Godzilla]], who happens to also be battling [[Rodan]] and [[Mothra]], and [[Gamera]]. Their plane wriggles free, and they return to Springfield without further incident.

{{season 10}}

[[Category:Episodes]]
[[Category:Season 10]]
[[Category:1999]]
[[Category:Travel episodes]]
[[Category:Season finales]]
[[Category:12-rated episodes]]

[[sv:Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo]]