Ryuga Sato and Hidaka Ukisho Steal the Spotlight on Variety Show, Drawing Rave Reviews for ACEes

Refreshing to watch!

Ryuga Sato (23) of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT’s junior unit “ACEes” appeared in a VTR segment on the January 14 broadcast of Nino Nanoni SP (TBS). He took on the challenge of surviving for three days with 1,000 yen, and his behavior and remarks on the program have been drawing attention.

In this segment, Sato faced the scenario: “There are three days left until payday, but you only have 1,000 yen to your name.” The show examined how a young person in the Reiwa era would manage such a situation. A key point was how he would spend his food budget over the three days. From the very first day, Sato visited wholesale supermarkets and local greengrocers, carefully comparing prices and selecting the cheapest ingredients.

He also traveled by bicycle to search for ingredients and to get to work locations in order to save on train fares. On the final day, he used up exactly 1,000 yen and successfully achieved the goal he had set on the first day: to eat steak.

“He’s actually quite skilled at cooking. On the third night, he used up all his remaining ingredients and prepared as many as ten dishes. A ‘life on a budget’ segment could easily end up feeling gloomy, but according to the narration, ‘Throughout the three-day experiment, Sato never uttered a single complaint and faced it head-on,’ praising him highly. Sato himself seemed to gain something from the experience, such as realizing ‘the value of money,’ and at the end he said with a bright expression, ‘It was really fun,’ and ‘I was able to grow,’” said an entertainment writer.

In response to the program, viewers commented:

“I didn’t know Ryuga Sato before, but he’s good at cooking, always positive, and looks like he’s having so much fun! He speaks well, and even the way he eats is neat. I’d love to see him host a cooking show.”

“Even though it was a pretty tough shoot, Ryuga Sato seemed to enjoy it. I thought he was such a good kid.”

“Ryuga Sato is amazing! I applauded when the segment ended. He’s so positive—it was refreshing to watch!”

Many favorable reactions like these were posted.

The Power to Capture Hearts

Speaking of ACEes, the group Sato belongs to, they are a five-member group that has yet to make their CD debut. Among them, Hidaka Ukisho (23) in particular has been increasing his television exposure in recent years, appearing on numerous variety programs.

“In November 2025, he appeared on 1 Oku Nin no Dai Shitsumon!? Waratte Koraete! (Nippon TV, aired on the 1st and 22nd). Ukisho was assigned the first leg of a new segment titled ‘Conquering All 1,230 Stations! Nationwide Roadside Station Ekiden.’ He filmed on location at roadside stations in Ibaraki Prefecture and elsewhere. Making full use of his natural communication skills, he interacted with local residents while taking on the challenge of guessing the No.1 best-selling product at each roadside station. The second leg was then handed over to the comedy duo ‘Time Machine 3-gō,’ and even the program’s MC, Tokoro George (70), praised him, saying, ‘Ukisho-kun really did his best. But since Ukisho-kun was so entertaining, Time Machine will be under a lot of pressure next,’” said the aforementioned source.

In addition, Ukisho participated in the “8-Hour Endurance Serious Hide-and-Seek” segment on the January 12 special broadcast of Honō no Challenger (TV Asahi). Set in Sarugakyo Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, the project featured 31 participants, including idols and comedians, attempting to evade capture for a chance to win 10 million yen in prize money.

“With former detectives and active Self-Defense Force members forming the strongest search team and spreading out, Ukisho hid in the ceiling of a ryokan inn. After each round (90 minutes), participants were allowed about an hour of rest in a break area, but Ukisho chose to remain in the ceiling. Under the rules, challengers who had already been caught could later join the search, so he avoided the break area out of concern that someone might reveal his hiding spot. Tetsuro Degawa (61), watching the footage in the studio, remarked admiringly, ‘This kid’s got guts,’” the source said.

Meanwhile, as Ukisho proved difficult to find, the search team was reinforced and a tightening net was formed around him. Ukisho himself said, “I want to hide to the very end. I want to make ACEes more famous and let more people know about us. That’s what’s driving me,” as he continued to fight on.

Before long, Ukisho became the central figure of the hide-and-seek segment, with the studio cast rooting for him as they watched the footage. However, due to the effectiveness of the latest device capable of detecting human breathing by radar — the “Rescue Radar” — Ukisho was ultimately discovered. Seeing him covered in dust, Toshifumi Fujimoto (55) of the comedy duo “FUJIWARA,” part of the search team, exclaimed in astonishment, “To go this far.” Ukisho’s relentless determination — even continuing to hide without eating — drew high praise on social media:

“I only knew Ukisho’s name before, but seeing him get covered in dust and try that hard really moved me.”

“It was my first time seeing Ukisho, but I was captivated by his guts. I wanted him to make it!”

“I was so impressed by Ukisho on Honō no Challenger. He was the MVP this time.”

There was an outpouring of glowing praise.

At the end of 2025, ACEes had their first terrestrial special on TV Asahi, Nama Hōsō de ACE o Nerae! (December 26), and also headlined Zekkei! Furo Wagon no Tabi (Fuji TV, December 29). With such strong activity, and many fans hoping for their debut, it seems like a positive sign that individual members are earning high marks on variety shows.