Money Tigers was the first Japanese television programme that inspired the British show Dragon's Den.
Money Tigers, also translated as Tigers of Money, was the Japanese original behind the international Dragon's Den franchise. It presented entrepreneurs to wealthy businesspeople who could choose whether to invest in their proposals.
The central idea travelled well because the format creates clear dramatic stakes without requiring a scripted storyline. Founders must state how much money they want, what percentage of the company they will offer and why the business can grow. Investors then test the claims through questions and negotiation.
The British title uses “dragons” rather than “tigers,” but the change is a localisation choice rather than a different underlying concept. Several international editions use their own animal-themed names while preserving the investor-pitch structure established by the Japanese programme.