It's strange that the Wired article is implying that these types of pickup workshops are a "crazy Japanese thing", when the reality is that this stuff has been happening in the States for 10 or 15 years now.
If the pickup school teacher gives his students the courage to approach women (even if it is with a pre-packaged ice breaker), I think that's a significant step: they are initiating and finding that the encounter didn't kill them. And like anything in life, taking a class is just a start - it's up to the student to continue learning (by taking initiative and gaining experience). I think (assuming you are single) that approaching an attractive human of the opposite sex whomps public speaking on the hierarchy of fear or stress-inducing situations.
"Since joining Mr. Fujita's school, I have had five successful relationships," says Hachioji Robocop, a 27-year-old civil servant who has been taking the course since 2004. "I lost my virginity six months into the course, and now I can now communicate with women. I'm very grateful."
Seems similar in plot to that book outlining pickup artists (PUAs) in "The Game". In that book, PUAs were also teaching students in the LA area, and it got to a point where their students were mimicking all their best lines, thus rendering their teachers' routines ineffective. I figure the same story will play out here.
If women respond to making them laugh, then like comedians, being original has all its perks.
Whether or not you want to get involved in the "pick up" scene, "The Game" is a great book. It's an entertaining read, mostly for the characters involved, but Neil Strauss is a pretty funny writer as well. There were several points in the book that literally had me laughing out loud, and I must say there aren't too many things that do that for me. I'd highly recommend picking it up.
Slightly unrelated, but the word 'nampa' means to pick up women, but also has a second meaning of 'to be shipwrecked'. An infinite wealth of puns are available between the two.
