for a country that puts out some of the bizarre concepts for television/comics/etc. (Midori no Hibi, "Yatta!" singers, Arnold Schwarzeneggar advertising an energy drink, etc. anyone?
) the populous sure does like some rather boring shows...i can't think of any parent around where i live that would willingly subject their child to a series of documentries...or any kids that would pick a quiz show over Spongebob, Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh, or Power Rangers...maybe that just reflects how different the two cultures are
"Dobutsu Kiso Tengai", a variety show about animals, didn't surprise me...what kid doesn't like animals? I know i loved em
Anyway back to Crayon Shin-chan: If you don't want your kid to watch it, then don't let them. The same thing happened with Ren and Stimpy, i know my mom didn't let me watch that (she also didn't let me watch Rugrats for about a year because "that one girl was too mean")
oh and it's a bit different than the simpsons situation: The Simpsons is aired before and after regular sitcoms like Seinfeld, That '70s Show, King of the Hill, Oliver Beene, and other fox shows.
besides, most american TV watchers know that anything and everything fox produces is like a stab at how far you can go at things (New fox special! When Animals Attack XXIV!)