Sashihara and the 30-Year-Old Barrier: Challenges for Female MCs

The entertainment variety show Zeroichi (NTV) closed its two-and-a-half-year history with the September 30 broadcast.

The program was hosted by Rino Sashihara (30), and the program she was also the MC of, “TSUGASHI TO TIME” (TBS), also came to an end in early September. Is this the end of Sashihara? (A person related to an advertising agency).

 

While Sashihara’s performance itself remains unchanged, some say that the reason why there are few female talents who are big-name MCs with their own TV shows is because of the 30-year-old barrier.

The main reasons are that many women get married around the age of 30 and are forced to save their work for childbirth and childcare, as well as changes in demand.

Until they are in their 20s, they are in constant demand as spokespersons for young people, but once they enter their 30s, either mama-talents or self-deprecating characters like Masami Hisamoto (65), who used to sell her lack of attractiveness to men, become more useful. Sashihara is single, but she also produces cosmetics, so she is not a self-deprecating character. This may have made her look somewhat half-hearted.

MEGUMI (42) also began to focus on acting and producing after giving birth. The fact that female talent who want to master variety itself is rare may be a contributing factor.

 

Even so, a mid-level broadcaster points out that Sashihara’s reputation has not changed.

She is the only female talent in the entertainment industry today who can MC at the young age of 30. However, there is an aspect that she has become so useful that it has become difficult to differentiate her from other programs.

This fall, Johnson by Kamaitachi and New York will start as a successor to Lincoln (TBS), in which Downtown and others appeared, and a generational shift in the comedy world is underway. There’s an impression that Sashihara has been eclipsed by the MC candidates of the Arapaho generation.

However, the demand for female talent itself is increasing every year.

 

“As the idea of gender equality has taken root, the number of programs centered on female talent, such as Girl’s Barking Night  (Nippon Television Network Corporation), has increased. As viewers have become more aware of compliance, even statements made in variety shows have come under fire.

While many male celebrities have wilted under this trend, the value of female celebrities such as Chinatsu Wakatsuki (39), who can make offensive remarks with a fine sense of balance, is increasing,” said a producer at a key station.

 

In Reiwa, there is a female MC candidate who is expected to become the post-Sashihara MC.

Kanna Hashimoto, 24, will host the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen for the second year in a row. In addition to being well-known and well-liked, she is quick-witted and can speak on the edge of her seat like Wakatsuki. There must be many TV people who would like to have her on their shows. The only drawback is that she is an actor by profession.

A realistic choice is Ahn Mika (51), who became one of the MCs of Saturday Plus (TBS). She has a strong character, but she can take a step back and be an MC, and above all, her positive character is in tune with the current era of stagnation.

It is true that Ahn Mika’s TV exposure has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Is she going to replace Sashihara as the new variety queen?