Arashi ni Shiyagare

From April 2010 to December 2020, Nippon Television aired a Saturday night variety show starring the Japanese boy band Arashi. The program, whose title roughly translates to "Do as You Please, Arashi," gave the five members free rein to tackle offbeat challenges, celebrity interviews, and cooking segments. Each episode featured a mix of studio games and location shoots, with the group often interacting with guests from the worlds of music, sports, and comedy. The show became a staple of Arashi's television presence, running for over a decade and amassing more than 500 episodes. Its relaxed, chaotic tone contrasted with the polished image of the group's concert tours and record releases, offering fans a glimpse of their unscripted chemistry. Viewership remained strong throughout its run, and the finale in December 2020 marked the end of an era as the band went on hiatus the following month.

The show's loose structure meant no two episodes were alike. One week the members might attempt to replicate a five-course meal blindfolded; the next they would face off against professional sumo wrestlers. Celebrity guests were never safe either, they were roped into eating bizarre foods, competing in physical challenges, or sitting for impromptu portrait sessions led by leader Satoshi Ohno, whose artistic skills became a recurring highlight. The result was a program that felt less like a polished production and more like a group of friends messing around in front of cameras. [edit]

The premise of Arashi ni Shiyagare was deliberately simple: each week, the five members of Arashi, Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto, would gather in a studio and, with minimal direction, create entertainment on the fly. The title itself, a cheeky imperative meaning "Do as You Please," captured the show's spirit. There was no fixed format; instead, segments emerged from the members' own ideas or from challenges thrown at them by producers. This spontaneity became the show's defining feature.

The members brought distinct personalities that fueled the show's dynamics. Ohno, the group's leader and main dancer, was famously laid-back, often dozing off between takes, but he would surprise everyone with sudden bursts of artistic brilliance. Sakurai, the intellectual news anchor and rapper, naturally fell into the role of MC, steering conversations with sharp wit. Aiba, the energetic "idol" type, wore his heart on his sleeve, laughing and crying freely during challenges. Ninomiya, the actor and guitarist, played the sarcastic cynic, delivering deadpan commentary that cracked up the others. Matsumoto, the youngest and most fashion-conscious, brought a competitive drive, getting genuinely invested in winning games. Their chemistry was the engine of the show.

Recurring segments gave the show structure. "Kikaku" (企画) segments were elaborate, often absurd challenges, cooking competitions, endurance tests, or artistic endeavors. "Guest" segments were never standard interviews; celebrities were invited to participate in games or eat strange foods alongside the members. Location shoots took the group outside the studio: they visited foreign countries, navigated language barriers, and competed in professional sports. The show's producers would escalate the absurdity over time, pushing the members to their limits while cameras captured every unguarded moment.

The central tension was not between heroes and villains but between the show's chaotic premise and the members' desire to entertain. They frequently sabotaged each other during games, leading to hilarious betrayals and shifting alliances. Behind the laughter, there was an underlying pressure: the show had to fill a 54-minute slot every Saturday with content that felt fresh. The members often improvised their way through segments, and the crew learned to follow their lead. This collaborative, seat-of-the-pants approach gave the show its warm, unpredictable energy.

Across eleven seasons, the show evolved. Season 1 (2010) established the template with simple studio games. Season 2 (2011) expanded with location shoots abroad. Season 3 (2012) introduced "Arashi's Kitchen," where cooking disasters became a fan favorite. Season 4 (2013) embraced physical challenges against real athletes. Season 5 (2014) brought international guests, including Hollywood actors and K-pop stars. Seasons 6 through 10 (2015-2020) refined the formula, with segments becoming more polished but retaining the core chaos. The final season in 2020 was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, with socially distanced segments and virtual guest appearances, adding a reflective tone as the band prepared for their hiatus.[edit]