The producers behind NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" are expanding their partnership with a new competition format. Tokyo Broadcasting System and A. Smith & Co. Productions are developing "Dumb Luck," a U.S. adaptation of the Japanese series "Kisuke," for American television.
The collaboration marks another international format play for the creative team. A. Smith & Co. has become a powerhouse in competition programming, shepherding "American Ninja Warrior" into a cultural phenomenon that spawned multiple international versions and a film deal with Netflix. The producer's expertise in translating Japanese competition concepts for U.S. audiences makes them the natural choice for TBS's catalog.
"Dumb Luck" pivots toward pure chance rather than athletic skill or endurance challenges. The format centers on luck-based competition, tapping into a different audience appetite than the parkour-heavy "Ninja Warrior." Networks continue hunting for fresh competition angles as the genre saturates. Fox's "Physical: 100" and Amazon's various competition entries show streamers and broadcasters racing to fill slots left by aging reality franchises.
TBS holds one of Japan's deepest competition format libraries. The company has licensed dozens of concepts globally, though not all translate successfully. "American Ninja Warrior" stands as the exceptional success story, delivering consistent ratings and sponsorship opportunities for NBC, now in its 16th season.
A. Smith & Co. also produces "Ellen's Game of Games" and "The Weakest Link" reboot, diversifying beyond pure athleticism. Adding a luck-based entry broadens their competition portfolio and reduces reliance on physical performance formats vulnerable to injury shutdowns or athletic saturation.
The deal signals confidence that competition television remains viable despite streaming disruptions. Where audiences once gathered for game shows, they now fragment across platforms. Yet competition series perform consistently, particularly when they offer novel