N-Sta Kicks Off Strong with New Caster Mai Demizu Runs Akasaka 5-Chome Marathon

“Starting today, it’s ‘Horan-Demizu’.”

As expected of a seasoned veteran──

Mai Demizu (41) of TBS, who replaced Chiaki Horan as the new anchor of “N Sta” starting March 31, has had a strong start.

“When Demizu was announced as Horan’s successor in February, there were voices inside and outside the industry saying things like ‘Will this really boost the ratings?’ or ‘She’s stable but lacks freshness.’ However, once the show actually began, her unique humor appeared here and there, and TBS seems to be receiving feedback from viewers like ‘Demizu-san is really good’ and ‘Her pairing with Inoue (Takahiro Inoue, 40) is fantastic.’

On the April 1 broadcast, tied to the company entrance ceremony, she was visibly surprised when presented with a panel featuring her photo from when she joined TBS. A picture of Inoue was also introduced, which left them both flustered, but Demizu, known for being ‘resilient to trouble’ and ‘mentally strong,’ smoothly carried on with the introduction,” said a TV magazine writer.

On the April 2 broadcast, during a cross-talk with the preceding program “Gogo Suma” (TBS), when MC Ryoji Ishii (48) said, “Now moving on to N Sta. Inoue-san, Horan-san.” Demizu quickly retorted, “It’s De-mi-zu!” Then, when Inoue called her “Horan-san” again, she instantly responded,

“From today, I’ll go by Horan Demizu,”

eliciting laughter from the studio.

“Inoue, who joined TBS one year after Demizu, was already said to have good chemistry with her, but their combination has exceeded expectations. It even felt like Inoue’s mistake of calling her ‘Horan-san’ was intended to bring out Demizu’s witty comment. Demizu is highly supported by F3 and M3 demographics (women and men over 50) who are at home during that time slot, and thanks to her long-time role as an assistant on ‘Sekai Fushigi Hakken!,’ she is also popular among F4 and M4 demographics (women and men over 65). She perfectly fits the desire of viewers who want to watch news programs in a calm atmosphere,” said a news program staff member.

Right before her debut on N Sta, on March 29, Demizu participated in the “TBS All-Star Thanksgiving Festival 2025” Akasaka 5-chome Mini Marathon. A famous segment since the spring of 1993, the course was five laps of 900 meters each, with 750 meters consisting of a grueling slope with a 12-meter elevation difference, totaling 4.5 kilometers. Yet Demizu finished the race with a constant smile, earning loud applause from the roadside spectators.

The program’s official X account posted images of Demizu and Inoue, who ran together. While Inoue was crouching exhausted in a hallway corner, Demizu posed with arms wide open and a huge smile. With this powerful energy, there’s no doubt that she will push N Sta’s ratings into a soaring trend.