<h2>The &#8220;Heisei Boom&#8221; continues on TV!</h2>
<figure id="attachment_438864" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2214px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-438864"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fd615da7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/09/f86986d0e5b52a206364a93fc28d0875.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-438864" class="wp-caption-text">RIP SLYME performing passionately at “JAPAN JAM 2025,” held in a Chiba City park this May. The group is actively performing as part of their one-year limited reunion.</figcaption></figure>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="70">The phrase “Heisei single digits” has been trending on social media.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="70"><strong>“It’s a slang term referring to people born in the early Heisei era — implying they’re now ‘old’ or ‘uncool.’ At the same time, content celebrating or revisiting what that generation grew up with has been spreading rapidly,”</strong> explained a reporter for a sports newspaper.</p>
<p data-start="347" data-end="470">A music writer points out that behind this nostalgia trend lies the <em data-start="415" data-end="467">revival of artists who once defined the Heisei era</em>.</p>
<p data-start="347" data-end="470"><strong>“On July 2, ORANGE RANGE released a new Reiwa-era music video for their hit ‘Ikenai Taiyō,’ packed with 72 ‘Heisei throwbacks.’ It became a huge hit, especially among those in their 30s and 40s, and quickly topped multiple music charts.”</strong></p>
<p data-start="715" data-end="1152">RIP SLYME also reunited in April for a one-year limited comeback. In August, a group of former high school students — who had gone viral 11 years earlier with a parody video of RIP SLYME’s hit <em data-start="908" data-end="937">‘Nettaiya’ (Tropical Night)</em> — released an updated “working adult” version that racked up 3.9 million views. Their appearance on the popular YouTube channel <em data-start="1066" data-end="1082">THE FIRST TAKE</em> further boosted attention, bringing RIP SLYME back onto the charts.</p>
<p data-start="715" data-end="1152"><strong>“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, hit songs from the Showa and Heisei eras have been trending on TikTok, and the TV industry has followed suit,”</strong> said a broadcast writer.</p>
<p data-start="1325" data-end="1645">The music show <em data-start="1340" data-end="1358">Music Generation</em> (Fuji TV), which features hits from the Reiwa, Heisei, and Showa eras, became a regular program in 2024. Similarly, <em data-start="1475" data-end="1556">80 Songs That Supported the Japanese People Over 80 Years: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa</em> (Nippon TV), aired in August, reflects the growing number of nostalgia-based specials.</p>
<p data-start="1325" data-end="1645"><strong>“The fact that this year marks the 100th year of the Showa era plays a big role. From a broadcaster’s standpoint, reusing old footage helps cut production costs, and since people of all ages can enjoy it, ratings are stable. It’s cost-effective. You only need one writer, and there’s little compliance risk. It’s become a new goldmine for the TV industry,”</strong> said a production company director.</p>
<p data-start="2045" data-end="2132">Riding the Heisei nostalgia wave, artists and entertainers are also seeing more work.</p>
<p data-start="2045" data-end="2132"><strong>“Since RIP SLYME’s reunion is time-limited, they’re accepting nearly every offer — they’re in high demand. There’s a strong chance they’ll appear in this year’s <em data-start="2297" data-end="2316">Kōhaku Uta Gassen</em> (NHK New Year’s Eve special) in the ‘Heisei Hits’ segment. As for younger talent reacting to the Heisei boom, <em data-start="2427" data-end="2436">Yuchami</em> (24) has become a go-to. She’s well-versed in Heisei pop culture and has a good rapport with <em data-start="2530" data-end="2550">Toshifumi Fujimoto</em> (54), which makes her easy to use,”</strong> said a producer from a key TV network.</p>
<p data-start="2629" data-end="2712">Of course, not everything is positive. The same broadcast writer raised concerns:</p>
<p data-start="2629" data-end="2712"><strong>“Many younger staff members don’t fully grasp the feel of the era. They’ll overhype songs that weren’t actually big hits. Cost-cutting has made research sloppy. Even if nostalgia programming is cheap and gets decent ratings, the current oversaturation makes it look like a stopgap — and viewers are starting to get tired. Unless networks invest more time and money into nurturing new staff and shows, variety programs will lose ground to online streaming content.”</strong></p>
<p data-start="3184" data-end="3332" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">As television continues to live off the past, one has to wonder: what will be left when that legacy runs dry? It may be time to pause — and reflect.</p>
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<p>From the September 26, 2025 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221;</p>


 The TV industry is mass-producing nostalgic programs in response to the boom of the "Heisei 1-digit" generation, which has become a hot topic on social networking sites.

Heisei Nostalgia Strikes Back! RIP SLYME’s Return and the TV Industry’s New Gold Rush

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