Format

Nippon TV’s in-house production studio Gyokuro Studio is heading to MIPCOM 2026 with three new unscripted formats as it celebrates its first anniversary. The studio, which focuses on developing unscripted content for global audiences, will present Ultra Mission, Love on the Menu and Never Look Back, with episode numbers and running times adjustable to local scheduling and adaptations.

Ultra Mission will take centre stage at MIPCOM’s Treasure Box Japan event on Monday, October 12 at Hi-5 Studio, where the format will be showcased in detail. The title is based on a Japanese primetime hit that has aired on Nippon TV every New Year since 2011. The format takes world-class specialists — ranging from World Cup footballers and Olympic archers to golfers and crane operators — out of their usual arenas and places them in everyday environments, where their skills are tested in unexpected ways. Each episode sees two rival teams compete across three escalating rounds staged in real streets, malls and public buildings, racing against the clock. The format requires no studio builds and instead combines specialist talent, local locations and skill-based challenges, including footballers attempting to kick a ball through an open window of a moving bus and archers trying to extinguish a candle from three rooftops away.

Love on the Menu is a reality dating format that puts professional chefs in search of romance, with food at the heart of the journey. The show begins with the First Impression Dish, as contestants interpret each other’s personalities through a single bite. Further culinary challenges explore their character, professional pride and romantic chemistry, while chefs anonymously vote after each challenge for the dish that captured their hearts. In the Final Dish, contestants turn their partner’s most meaningful memories into one ultimate plate, using their culinary skills to express their feelings.

The third title, Never Look Back, is a celebrity comedy format built around a simple rule: contestants must not turn around, regardless of what happens behind them. Across ten escalating rounds on a large stage, celebrities face a series of temptations, from major performances and unexpected reunions with long-lost connections to revelations of embarrassing secrets. Each successful round increases the prize pot, while looking back means losing everything.

"This MIPCOM marks Gyokuro Studio's first anniversary and we are very proud that in this time we have been able to introduce ten original formats, including the very successful Majority Rules which is garnering much buzz around the world. Our new slate builds on that momentum. Whether you are looking for a spectacular gameshow that pushes the world's greatest specialists to their limits, a dating format where love is served one dish at a time, or a comedy that catches audiences completely off guard, we are ready to co-create with partners around the world and bring these stories to new audiences," said Ken Aiyama, Head of Gyokuro Studio.