Hamada Kayousai music variety special
Illustration: WhyTrend

What happened

On June 12, 2026, the TBS network aired a two-hour special of *Hamada Kayousai*, a long-running Friday-night music-variety show (a Japanese TV format that mixes singing, games, and comedy) hosted by comedian Masatoshi Hamada. Themed around "cheer songs" timed to the football World Cup, the episode featured a deep guest list, including the idol group (a pop act whose members are marketed individually to fans) FRUITSZIPPER, members of the male group SixTONES, and several pop and idol acts.

Why it is trending now

The special trended because of timing and star power. Rintaro Hachimura, a member of the group WATWING, made his first appearance on the show and sang a Yutaka Ozaki ballad. His slot doubled as promotion for a TBS drama whose finale airs June 14, drawing both drama viewers and his fans on the same night. Separately, SixTONES' Juri Tanaka covered a famous 1980s idol hit, and clips of that performance spread beyond TV onto TikTok.

How fans reacted

The biggest live reaction centered on Bunne Takami, who performs as AYANE in the group ME:I. Viewers found it hilarious that she sings strongly yet visibly struggles with high notes, and that her speaking voice is so quiet the host playfully scolds her. The running gag was popular enough that fans created a dedicated hashtag celebrating her segment.

What to watch next:

The linked TBS drama finale on June 14 is the next beat to track, since Hachimura's musical debut was a lead-in to it. Expect more TikTok clips of the idol-hit cover to circulate, and watch whether recurring guests like SixTONES' members and ME:I's AYANE return, given how strongly viewers responded. The full episode remains available on TVer (Japan's free catch-up TV streaming service).