SixTONES' Variety Show Sparks Buzz with Actor's Unexpected Compliment

On the evening of May 24, 2026, SixTONES' weekly variety program 'Golden SixTONES' (nicknamed #GOsuto by fans) aired on Nippon TV and trended across Japanese social media. The buzz started well before the 9 PM broadcast, driven by a coordinated series of teaser posts from the official account and a wave of entertainment news coverage. The headline moment came from guest actor Nakamura Tomoya, who praised the six-member idol group by saying, 'I thought, these guys are genuinely incredible.'

He then compared all six members to Ono-kun and Sugiyama-kun — a pair of minor background characters from the classic anime 'Chibi Maruko-chan' — drawing immediate laughter from the studio. The quote was picked up by outlets including Music Natalie and Mainichi Kirei before the episode even aired. The episode featured two main segments.

'Dajare Red Carpet' is a recurring pun-based quiz where contestants must spot wordplay hidden in video clips. This week, Nakamura was paired with SixTONES member Matsumura Hokuto, who reportedly kept trying to crack jokes at every opportunity — leaving Nakamura visibly flustered. Meanwhile, Kyomoto Taiga, who has become the show's self-styled 'Pun King,' competed solo again, with the official account teasing that 'something unexpected' would happen to him.

The second segment, 'Bug Mon Quest,' made its debut this episode. Players must identify computer-generated hybrid monsters — creatures assembled from mismatched real-world objects — adding a tech-novelty hook to the show's usual comedy format.

What to watch next: The episode is available for replay on TVer, and is also streaming on Netflix and Hulu Japan. With the show having passed its first anniversary in April 2026, fan interest in recurring guests and evolving segments remains high. Future episodes are expected to continue the 'Dajare Red Carpet' format with new celebrity pairings.