Campaign Profile

Ken Akiyama, head of Nippon TV’s Gyokuro Studio, and Sayako Aoki, head of international sales at the Japanese broadcaster, outline their plans for the recently launched studio, the latest trends in Japanese entertainment and what it is launching at Content Europe.

What was the strategy behind launching Gyokuro Studio last year?

Ken Akiyama: Gyokuro Studio was established as part of a strategic initiative to significantly expand Nippon TV Group’s global business. With growth in linear advertising revenues slowing, our aim is to accelerate the global roll-out of Japanese IP. Leveraging the creative capabilities cultivated over our 70-year history, along with our extensive library of content and IP, we launched Gyokuro Studio as a development and production hub specialising in unscripted formats.

How did the market respond to the Gyokuro formats unveiled at Mipcom last year?

Akiyama: At Mipcom, we released Mega Catch and Secret Little Assistant. Mega Catch, a one-concept, non-verbal gameshow, is currently being co-developed with a major North American studio aiming for a local adaptation. Secret Little Assistant is a heartwarming reality show featuring children as the main characters, following in the footsteps of our previous hit Old Enough!, and is attracting interest from several territories.

What new unscripted formats are the studio launching at Content Europe?

Akiyama: Our flagship unscripted formats for Content Europe are Majority Rules, alongside The Balance and Cooking Rush!. Heading the line-up is Majority Rules, for which we have partnered with Blue Ant Studios to launch the format for the North American market. It is a high-stakes social experiment show where 13 strangers are dropped into an isolated warehouse for 18 intense days.

In this ‘pressure-cooker’ environment, democracy rules everything and there is no such thing as free will. Every hour, life inside – from meals to rest –is decided by absolute majority vote. To build their prize bank, competitors face missions where they must choose between two radically different strategies.

In missions such as Frozen Fortune, they must decide whether to retrieve a treasure from ice using a single ice pick or multiple water guns. By day 18, only four competitors remain to face one last mission. Their ultimate fate is then decided by a final vote from the very people they previously cast aside, determining who walks away with the money they’ve earned.

The Balance, meanwhile, is a family gameshow where contestants of all ages compete solely on their sense of balance. It provides a level playing field where children and grandparents can shine through simple yet tense challenges, like maneuvering an umbrella on their palm or using kitchen tools as game equipment. It’s a true test of family teamwork and concentration.

Lastly, Cooking Rush! is a fast-paced culinary battle featuring a sushi-style conveyor belt. Two teams of chefs must serve a variety of dishes at lightning speed, with the winner determined simply by the number of plates consumed by the judges. There’s no complex critique – just a visual, instantly understandable judging system based on the pile of empty plates.

How is Gyokuro Studio using YouTube to develop and distribute its formats?

Akiyama: Focusing on Instagram and TikTok, we post clipped highlights from the original versions of the Gyokuro Studio formats – scenes that are eye-catching, engaging and highly shareable. Our priority is to showcase the appeal of the Japanese broadcast versions in short, easily consumable clips. Some posts have already surpassed 400,000 views.

To further expand our reach, we have also begun trial operation of a YouTube Shorts channel called Crazy Crops Japan Produced by Gyokuro Studio.

What role does AI have in the creation and production of Nippon TV formats?

Akiyama: We position AI strictly as a tool for exploring initial ideas and visual directions, while the final creative work is completed through human judgement and editing. We use AI when creating pitch decks and summaries, but the final output is always refined by hand.

What unscripted genres are hot and not so hot in Japan?

Akiyama: In Japan, while original concepts are highly valued, success still relies heavily on celebrity presence. The real draw isn’t just the game itself, but the chance to see the unfiltered side of a star. Even in gameshows, the real draw is the personality-driven nature of the programme, where watching top idols struggle through tough challenges allows viewers to see an authentic, personal side they rarely show on stage.

A perfect example of blending this celebrity-driven nature with a unique concept is the Japanese adaptation of The Floor, which aired this March. We took Talpa Studios’ globally successful format, known for its simple rules and dynamic stage, and reimagined it with an all-celebrity cast.

How has global demand for Japanese formats evolved since the early days of Dragons’ Den?

Akiyama: For many years, Japanese content was often labelled as ‘crazy japanese gameshows,’ but recently I sense a growing demand for expressions that blend that uniqueness but taking it a notch higher or giving it a twist with elements of coolness and elegance – something that audiences are looking for now.

Beyond high-energy spectacles, there is a significant shift toward formats that prioritise human connection. A prime example is Old Enough!, which recently saw successful local adaptations in multiple territories including Mongolia and Canada. Standing as the exact opposite of a flashy gameshow, its appeal lies in capturing the heart-melting, authentic innocence of children. Similarly, formats like Ants, which focus not only on competition or conflict but also on cooperation and co-creation, seem to align well with today’s global values and are attracting increasing interest.

Sayako Aoki: Beyond shifting trends, we feel the global market looks to Japan for conceptual breakthroughs. We are committed to delivering formats rooted in a uniquely Japanese ingenuity – offering a fresh perspective entirely distinct from anything else in the global landscape.

What is Nippon TV’s strategy for cracking the North American market?

Akiyama: Co-development and coproduction are essential for global expansion. The key to success lies in optimising Japan’s unique ideas and creative strengths to fit the needs of each market. Partnering with local studios is crucial for accelerating that process.

Aoki: Securing a North American version is a true gamechanger that significantly boosts the global equity of a format. By opening our Nippon TV office in LA, we’ve moved closer to the heart of the industry to accelerate this process, ensuring our Japanese IP is positioned for maximum impact in the world’s most competitive market.

How important is co-development and coproduction to Nippon TV’s global plan?

Akiyama: Collaboration with overseas studios, broadcasters, and streamers through co-development and coproduction is extremely important. Japan’s unscripted content is diverse and uniquely conceptual, but when taking it global, customising it to meet local needs and sensibilities is crucial. To create content with global potential, we must tune our Japanese ideas and sensibilities for international audiences – efficiently, without detours and in a way that leads directly to a viable format. At this stage, co-development and coproduction are essential to achieving that.

What is Nippon TV’s mission while at Content Europe?

Akiyama: Our main objective is to turn the formats currently in development into concrete sales. At the same time, building relationships with partners for co-development and coproduction is another key mission. Ultimately, we believe that establishing a trusted network of people forms the foundation of our business.

Aoki: We are approaching Content Europe with an eye on market discovery – assessing which of our strategies best resonates with European buyers. Our goal is to advance discussions not only for our new slate, including Majority Rules, but also for established global hits like Old Enough! and Silent Library, which continue to draw significant interest from our extensive library.