The Masked Singer Japan is a Japanese reality singing competition show that is based on the South Korean television series King of Mask Singer. The series premiered on September 3, 2021, on Amazon Prime Video in Japan.[1] The show features celebrities singing popular songs while wearing head-to-toe costumes and face masks concealing their identities. It employs panelists who guess the celebrities' identities by interpreting clues provided to them throughout the series.[2]
| The Masked Singer Japan | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Presented by | Yo Oizumi |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language | Japanese |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 18 |
| Production | |
| Production company | The Works Co. Ltd.[a] |
| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | September 3, 2021 – August 25, 2022 |
Overview
editProduction
editIn May 2021, it was announced that Amazon had greenlit an order for The Masked Singer to be produced and air on Amazon Prime Video Japan as an exclusive on that site.[3] The show was confirmed to be streamed in September 2021 after being filming completed in February 2021. In-show narration is provided by voice actor, Subaru Kimura.[4]
Panelists and host
editTV personality Yo Oizumi was announced as the main host of the program, while the announced panelists consist of Japanese girl group Perfume, guitarist Miyavi, model Kiko Mizuhara and comedian Bakarhythm.[5][6] Guest panelists included actor Kazuya Kojima for the third and fourth episodes, comedian Hiroaki Ogi for the fifth and sixth episodes, and comedian Hidetsugu Shibata for the seventh and eighth episodes.
Series overview
edit| Series | Contestants | Episodes | Originally aired | Winner | Runner-up | Third place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||||
| 1 | 12 | 9 | 3 September 2021 | 15 October 2021 | Anna Tsuchiya as "Bird" | Crystal Kay as "Miss Television" | Miki Mizuno as "Rose" | |
| 2 | 12 | 9 | 4 August 2022 | 25 August 2022 | Maki Goto as "Venus" | Ahn Mika as "Umbrella" | Koji Yamamoto as "Hero" | |
Season 1
edit| Stage Name | Celebrity | Occupation | Episodes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||
| Bird (Tori) | Anna Tsuchiya | Singer | RISK | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WINNER | |||
| Miss Television (Misu Terebi) |
Crystal Kay | Singer | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | RUNNER-UP | |||
| Rose (Rōzu) | Miki Mizuno | Actress | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | THIRD | |||
| Renjishi (Ren Shishi) | Tomotaka Okamoto | Opera singer | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||
| Neon Panda (Neonpanda) | Minami Minegishi | Singer | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||
| Ninja | Tsukasa Saito | Comedian | RISK | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||
| Wolf (Ōkami) | Takeru Segawa | Kickboxer | WIN | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Escargot (Esukarugo) | Sachiko Kobayashi | Singer | WIN | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Ika King (Ikakingu) | Sunplaza Nakano-kun | Singer | RISK | OUT | |||||||
| T-Rex (T-Rekkusu) | Show Aikawa | Actor | RISK | OUT | |||||||
| Amabie | Saori Yoshida | Freestyle wrestler | OUT | ||||||||
| Dragon3 | Ukon Onoe II | Kabuki actor | OUT | ||||||||
The masked singer won their face-off and remained in the competition.
The masked singer was safe from elimination.
The masked singer lost their face-off and was in the bottom three, but was not eliminated.
The masked singer was eliminated from the competition and unmasked upon their elimination.
The masked singer did not perform.
Episodes
editWeek 1 (September 3)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragon3 | "Saudade" by Porno Graffitti | Ukon Onoe II | OUT |
| 2 | Miss Television | "Evolution" by Ayumi Hamasaki | undisclosed | WIN |
| 3 | Escargot | "Gurenge" by LiSA | undisclosed | WIN |
| 4 | Bird | "Desire (Jōnetsu)" by Akina Nakamori | undisclosed | RISK |
| 5 | T-Rex | "Stay Dream" by Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi | undisclosed | RISK |
| 6 | Renjishi | "Kurenai" by X Japan | undisclosed | WIN |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neon Panda | "Ren'ai Revolution 21" by Morning Musume | undisclosed | WIN |
| 2 | Ika King | "Yellow Yellow Happy" by Pocket Biscuits | undisclosed | RISK |
| 3 | Ninja | "Excite" by Daichi Miura | undisclosed | RISK |
| 4 | Rose | "Love Is Over" by Ouyang Fei Fei | undisclosed | WIN |
| 5 | Wolf | "The Beginning" by One Ok Rock | undisclosed | WIN |
| 6 | Amabie | "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" by Yoko Takahashi | Saori Yoshida | OUT |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neon Panda | "Yeah! Meccha Holiday" by Aya Matsuura | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Rose | "Pride" by Miki Imai | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | T-Rex | "Kanzen Muketsu no Rock'n'Roller" by Aladdin | Show Aikawa | OUT |
| 4 | Escargot | "Ito" by Miyuki Nakajima | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Renjishi | "Homura" by LiSA | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 2 (September 10)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Television | "Itoshisa to Setsunasa to Kokoro Zuyosa to" by Ryōko Shinohara | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Ika King | "Tiger & Dragon" by Crazy Ken Band | Sunplaza Nakano-kun | OUT |
| 3 | Bird | "Tsumi to Batsu" by Ringo Sheena | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Wolf | "Namonaki Uta" by Mr. Children | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Ninja | "Jūnigatsu no Love Song" by Gackt | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 3 (September 17)
edit- Group number: "Joyful" by Ikimonogakari
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Escargot | "Roppongi Shinju" by Ann Lewis | Sachiko Kobayashi | OUT |
| 2 | Rose | "Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru" by Fuyumi Sakamoto | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Renjishi | "Aijou" by Yuki Koyanagi | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Bird | "Gekkō" by Chihiro Onitsuka | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 4 (September 24)
edit- Group number: "Memeshikute" by Golden Bomber
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neon Panda | "Ikuze! Kaitō Shōjo" by Momoiro Clover Z | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Wolf | "366 Nichi" by HY | Takeru Segawa | OUT |
| 3 | Ninja | "Takane no Hanako-san" by Back Number | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Miss Television | "Ride on the Silver Dragon's Back" by Miyuki Nakajima | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 5 (October 1)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Television | "Friends" by Rebecca | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Rose | "Cat's Eye" by Anri | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Ninja | "If…" by Da Pump | Tsukasa Saito | OUT |
| 4 | Bird | "Genkai Lovers" by Show-Ya | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Renjishi | "Flavor of Life" by Hikaru Utada | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Neon Panda | "Flying Get" by AKB48 | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 6 (October 8) - Semifinal
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Television | "Manatsu no Yo no Yume" by Yumi Matsutoya | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Neon Panda | "Akai Sweet Pea" by Seiko Matsuda | Minami Minegishi | OUT |
| 3 | Renjishi | "Wataridori" by Alexandros | Tomotaka Okamoto | OUT |
| 4 | Rose | "Ai wa Katsu" by KAN | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Bird | "Anata no kisu o kazoemashô – You Were Mine" by Yuki Koyanagi | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 7 (October 15) - Finale
edit- Group number: "One Night Carnival" by Kishidan
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Television | "Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me)" by Miki Matsubara | Crystal Kay | RUNNER-UP |
| 2 | Rose | "Kiseki o Nozomu Nara..." by Juju | Miki Mizuno | THIRD |
| 3 | Bird | "Forever Love" by X Japan | Anna Tsuchiya | WINNER |
Season 2
edit| Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation | Episodes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||||
| Venus (Kinboshi) | Maki Goto | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WINNER | ||||
| Umbrella (Kasa) | Ahn Mika | Model | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | RUNNER-UP | ||||
| Hero (Hīrō) | Koji Yamamoto | Actor | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | THIRD | ||||
| Crepe (Kurēpu) | Shoko Nakagawa | Television personality | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||
| Knight (Kishi) | Chris Hart | Singer | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||
| Takopuri | Ryō Katō | Actor | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Diver (Daibā) | Tetsuya Bessho | Actor | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
| Lamb (Kohitsuji) (WC) | Yu Yamada | Model | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
| Rabbit (Usagi) | Daisuke Yokoyama | Singer | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
| Twinstars (Tsuinsutā) | Vamyun | YouTubers | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
| Spider (Kumo) | Reiko Shiota | Badminton player | OUT | |||||||||
| Benkei | Mandy Sekiguchi | Dancer | OUT | |||||||||
Week 1 (August 4)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabbit | "Zenzenzense" by Radwimps | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Twinstars | "Kibun Joujou" by Mitsuyuki Miyake | undisclosed | SAFE |
| undisclosed | ||||
| 3 | Venus | "Hide & Seek" by Namie Amuro | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Umbrella | "Taxi" by Daisuke Inoue | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Benkei | "Rising Sun" by Exile | Mandy Sekiguchi | OUT |
| 6 | Diver | "Amazing Grace" | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crepe | "Yoru ni Kakeru" by Yoasobi | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Hero | "Inferno" by Motoki Ohmori | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Knight | "The Greatest Show" from The Greatest Showman | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Spider | "Glamorous Sky" by Hyde | Reiko Shiota | OUT |
| 5 | Takopuri | "Matsuken Samba 2" by Akira Miyagawa | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hero | "Yuuwaku" by Glay | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Takopuri | "Usseewa" by Ado | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Twinstars | "Koi Oto to Amazora" by AAA | Vamyun | OUT |
| 4 | Umbrella | "Tattoo" by Anri Sekine | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Diver | "Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 2 (August 11)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venus | "Tamashii Revolution" by Superfly | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Rabbit | "Kaitou" by Back Number | Daisuke Yokoyama | OUT |
| 3 | Crepe | "Akeboshi" by LiSA | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Knight | "Evening Primrose" by Novelbright | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Lamb | "Yasashii Kiss Wo Shite" by Dreams Come True | undisclosed | SAFE |
- Group Performance: "Love Machine" by Morning Musume
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Takopuri | "Katte ni Sindbad" by Southern All Stars | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 2 | Venus | "be alive" by Yuki Koyanagi | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Lamb | "Lum's Love Song" by Yuko Matsutani | Yu Yamada | OUT |
| 4 | Hero | "Shirusi" by Mr. Children | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 3 (August 18)
edit- Group Performance: "Zenroyku Shounen" by Sukima Switch
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diver | "Hotel Pacific" by Southern All Stars | Tetsuya Bessho | OUT |
| 2 | Crepe | "Cry Baby" by Official Hige Dandism | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Umbrella | "Mikazuki" by Ayaka | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Knight | "Butter" by BTS | undisclosed | SAFE |
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Takopuri | "Nandakanda" by Takashi Fujii | Ryō Katō | OUT |
| 2 | Venus | "Fragile" by Every Little Thing | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 3 | Umbrella | "White Breath" by Takanori Nishikawa | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Crepe | "Tamashii no Refrain" by Yoko Takahashi | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Knight | "Mela!" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 6 | Hero | "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 4 (August 25)
edit| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knight | "Blue Bird" by Ikimonogakari | Chris Hart | OUT |
| 2 | Crepe | "Haru wo Tsugeru" by Yama | Shoko Nakagawa | OUT |
| 3 | Umbrella | "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 4 | Venus | "Rule" by Ayumi Hamasaki | undisclosed | SAFE |
| 5 | Hero | "Melody" by Kōji Tamaki | undisclosed | SAFE |
- Group Performance: "La La La Love Song" by Toshinobu Kubota
| # | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hero | "Marionette" by Kyosuke Himuro | Koji Yamamoto | THIRD |
| 2 | Umbrella | "For You..." by Mariko Takahashi | Ahn Mika | RUNNER-UP |
| 3 | Venus | "Go! Go! Heaven!" by Speed | Maki Goto | WINNER |
Notes
edit- ^ A subsidiary of Watanabe Productions.
References
edit- ^ "Yo Oizumi takes office as MC." The Masked Singer "delivered in September on Amazon Prime". AV Watch. Impress Co, LTD. May 26, 2021.
- ^ "Yo Oizumi becomes MC, and the world's blockbuster "The Masked Singer" landed for the first time in Japan". Oricon News. May 29, 2021.
- ^ Jake Kanter (May 25, 2021). "Amazon Orders Local Version Of 'The Masked Singer' In Japan". Deadline.
- ^ "Subaru Kimura participates in "The Masked Singer" with narration". Eiga.com. September 3, 2021.
- ^ "MIYAVI, Kiko Mizuhara, and Bakarhythm will appear as gorgeous panelists who infer the performers wearing masks! "The Masked Singer" will be exclusively distributed on Amazon Prime Video from September 3, 2021 (Friday)". Amazon Newsroom. June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Perfume's new song distribution for the first time in about a year, appeared as a panelist on" The Masked Singer "(with comments)". Natalie Inc. June 24, 2021.