Wii TV Friend Channel launched in Japan

I think it's funny how the Wii Remote has come full circle. It started off as something that looked like a television remote control, and now it works like one.

The newly launched Wii TV Friend Channel is an interactive community TV guide. It lets you flip through television channel listings and find what you want to watch. You can mark your favorites(with your Mii marker), and then the Wii Remote gets back to its roots -- it changes the channel on your TV for you. Volume, too! Check out the teeth-grittingly annoying clip above.

CVG says that by using Friend Codes, you can check out what your friends are watching. This enables you to view each others' show star ratings and habits. For mine you'd just see pervy late-night game shows and sappy evening J-dramas.

Registering your email address or mobile phone number will let you receive alerts before your favorite shows air.

As nifty as this is, I don't think it would fly here in the US -- and that's probably why there is no release date.

We have our DVRs and Tivos set up to do all of this dirty work. And another channel changer would be pointless in many of our home theaters. I do like the social features, but if you all are anything like my co-workers, I'll be wading through lists of countless reality shows, American Idol, and Lost. I'll stick to my sappy J-dramas, thank you.

Would you use something like this? Would you benefit from a Wii-based TV Guide? 

[Video via GoNintendo]