'Nika Game' 1st Anniversary! Exclusive Interview with 'Three-man Cell' Takashi Nikaido, Kemuri Matsui, and Shuto Inomata! Includes Past Questions 'Nika Drill'!!
Tokyo News Service released 'TV Guide PLUS vol.59' on April 2. The main highlight is the 1st-anniversary feature of the popular variety show 'Nika Game', packed with interviews and a drill book.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 06:07 (447h 35m after Collected)
Tokyo News Service, which publishes television information magazines such as "Weekly TV Guide," released "TV Guide PLUS vol.59" today, Thursday, April 2. It is a TV information magazine without a program guide that features large-volume special features full of photos, including high-quality gravure. It is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide and online bookstores.
"TV Guide PLUS vol.59" is a book that condenses the passion of "current" entertainment, covering trending programs, actors, live performances, and stage plays. The biggest highlight of this issue is the 1st-anniversary special feature of TV Asahi's popular variety show "Nika Game," featuring Kis-My-Ft2's Takashi Nikaido, Reiwa Roman's Kemuri Matsui, and timelesz's Shuto Inomata.
"Nika Game" started in a late-night slot in April 2025 and suddenly became a hot topic as a unique "educational death game." Its one-of-a-kind format, which simultaneously stimulates laughter and intellectual curiosity triggered by English misreadings and bizarre answers, has garnered support, evolving at an unprecedented speed with regular broadcasts and event hosting. In this magazine, the relationships built by the three people who support the program as a "three-man cell" are deeply explored through newly shot gravure and cross-talks.
Under the theme of "NICE," which is also written on the clothes of the program's character Rako-chin, a project where each of the three expresses the charm of the others in "four kanji characters" highlights Nikaido's humanity, Inomata's innocence, and Matsui's intelligence and tolerance. It is also packed with must-see episodes for fans, such as a cake surprise celebrating the 1st anniversary and the recreation of famous scenes from English vocabulary quizzes that symbolize the program. Furthermore, in an interview with director Takaoki Kakihara, he talks about the secret story behind the program's birth, the philosophy put into the project, and the exquisite balance that can only be established by these three people.
In addition, a "Nika Drill (past question collection)" that allows readers to review the questions presented in the program is also included. The composition allows readers to relive on paper the chemical reactions produced by the bizarre answers of Nikaido & Inomata and the professional straight-man remarks of Matsui in quizzes on English, abbreviations, and lyrics.
In addition to this, this issue features an interview for "Sand & Kis-My's Curious Man," which is a hot topic due to the program renewal. Drama gravure features Takashi Nikaido ("Revenge of the Betrayed ~Wives Who Formed an Alliance~"), Mai Fukagawa & Kento Senga ("The Secret of Weekend Travel 3 ~Do I Have to Get Married?~"), Ryota Miyadate & Kaito Matsukura ("If I Fall in Love with a Terminator"), and Taiki Konno ("That Genius is Obsessed with His Fake Girlfriend"). Live reports of timelesz, Naniwa Danshi, King & Prince, B&ZAI, and Kansai Juniors are also published. It captures the heat of the venue, the attention to directing, and the words of the members, sealing the excitement of the stage in the magazine.
Stage play features are also fulfilling. For "The Crucible" co-starring Masayuki Sakamoto and Yusuke Matsuzaki, and the stage play "Ripley" starring Tatsuya Ueda, in addition to the highlights of the works, interviews delving into the actors' resolve and how they face expression are published. It conveys the tension and charm unique to "live acting," which is different from video.
Variety, drama, music, stage—crossing genres, enterte
"TV Guide PLUS vol.59" is a book that condenses the passion of "current" entertainment, covering trending programs, actors, live performances, and stage plays. The biggest highlight of this issue is the 1st-anniversary special feature of TV Asahi's popular variety show "Nika Game," featuring Kis-My-Ft2's Takashi Nikaido, Reiwa Roman's Kemuri Matsui, and timelesz's Shuto Inomata.
"Nika Game" started in a late-night slot in April 2025 and suddenly became a hot topic as a unique "educational death game." Its one-of-a-kind format, which simultaneously stimulates laughter and intellectual curiosity triggered by English misreadings and bizarre answers, has garnered support, evolving at an unprecedented speed with regular broadcasts and event hosting. In this magazine, the relationships built by the three people who support the program as a "three-man cell" are deeply explored through newly shot gravure and cross-talks.
Under the theme of "NICE," which is also written on the clothes of the program's character Rako-chin, a project where each of the three expresses the charm of the others in "four kanji characters" highlights Nikaido's humanity, Inomata's innocence, and Matsui's intelligence and tolerance. It is also packed with must-see episodes for fans, such as a cake surprise celebrating the 1st anniversary and the recreation of famous scenes from English vocabulary quizzes that symbolize the program. Furthermore, in an interview with director Takaoki Kakihara, he talks about the secret story behind the program's birth, the philosophy put into the project, and the exquisite balance that can only be established by these three people.
In addition, a "Nika Drill (past question collection)" that allows readers to review the questions presented in the program is also included. The composition allows readers to relive on paper the chemical reactions produced by the bizarre answers of Nikaido & Inomata and the professional straight-man remarks of Matsui in quizzes on English, abbreviations, and lyrics.
In addition to this, this issue features an interview for "Sand & Kis-My's Curious Man," which is a hot topic due to the program renewal. Drama gravure features Takashi Nikaido ("Revenge of the Betrayed ~Wives Who Formed an Alliance~"), Mai Fukagawa & Kento Senga ("The Secret of Weekend Travel 3 ~Do I Have to Get Married?~"), Ryota Miyadate & Kaito Matsukura ("If I Fall in Love with a Terminator"), and Taiki Konno ("That Genius is Obsessed with His Fake Girlfriend"). Live reports of timelesz, Naniwa Danshi, King & Prince, B&ZAI, and Kansai Juniors are also published. It captures the heat of the venue, the attention to directing, and the words of the members, sealing the excitement of the stage in the magazine.
Stage play features are also fulfilling. For "The Crucible" co-starring Masayuki Sakamoto and Yusuke Matsuzaki, and the stage play "Ripley" starring Tatsuya Ueda, in addition to the highlights of the works, interviews delving into the actors' resolve and how they face expression are published. It conveys the tension and charm unique to "live acting," which is different from video.
Variety, drama, music, stage—crossing genres, enterte