TBS’s Kyoko Nango and TV Asahi’s Akari Matsuoka Among the God Eleven 2026 Shaping a New Era
Special Report [Part 1] Selecting the industry's hottest young hopefuls! The stars who will follow in the footsteps of Mami Mizuto and Ayaka Hironaka are among them!
The anticipated successor
The rush of popular female announcers leaving their stations shows no signs of stopping. Fuji TV saw its top announcers Yumi Nagashima (34) and Marino Fujimoto (30) depart last year, while TBS’s Risa Unai (34) also left. Even Erina Iwata (30) of Nippon TV, who had been expected to be the post-Maemi Miura ace, is reported to retire this March.
Who are the new-generation star candidates poised to carry the future of each station? Are young talents being nurtured? Industry insiders familiar with female announcers have selected noteworthy prospects—the “Kami Eleven.”
Among them, many experts and TV staff are confident that Kyoko Nango (25) of TBS will break out this year. Nango was the first 21st-century-born female announcer to rank in the “22nd Favorite Female Announcer Ranking” announced late last year, placing 7th.
“She’s already served as a caster and host on popular programs like THE TIME, and Ousama no Brunch. Last year, when she filled in for Mako Tamura (30) on Love it!, she performed impressively in the show’s signature ‘Biri Biri’ segment, with reactions rivaling professional comedians. She even did an impersonation of Katsumi Yamada (60), the ‘Mr. SASUKE.’
Most impressively, she flawlessly hosted the program while getting laughs, displaying skills and composure uncharacteristic of a second-year announcer. With her stunning looks, when she hosted fashion events, she was called model-level beautiful. She’s undoubtedly the top contender as Tamura Mako’s successor,” said female announcer critic Daijiro Maruyama.
Television Tokyo has also found a highly anticipated successor ace in Yo Saito. Saito appeared as a student caster on Weekly Prime Online S (BS Fuji) while attending Keio University and joined TV Tokyo with great expectations last year. TV producer Hiromichi Shizume analyzes her strengths:
“Her TV debut was in July of last year during the live broadcast of TV Tokyo Music Festival 2025 ~Summer~. That same month, she succeeded Hitomi Tanaka (29), TV Tokyo’s ace, as the fifth assistant on Moyamoya Summers 2. This succession proves the station’s expectation for her as the post-Hitomi Tanaka.
Unlike Tanaka, Saito has a lower-key energy. Yet, the two hosts of Summers appear amusingly perplexed by her, which works well on screen. Typically, they throw risqué jokes at female announcers, but with Saito, they can’t. It almost looks as if the rookie Saito is running the show. She’s the most noteworthy among young announcers.”
Rising Young Talent Who Impressed Shinichi Hatori
Following announcers Nango and Saito, the next names to watch are TV Asahi’s Juli Matsuoka (24). She made headlines as a prodigy selected to appear on the network’s morning flagship, Shinichi Hatori Morning Show, from her very first day at the station.
“Thanks to this unprecedented early promotion, she’s among the most visible of the young announcers. Her clear, smooth delivery aligns with the classic image of a news caster. On Morning Show, when co-host Toru Tamagawa (62) commented, ‘There are women who like the smell of aging,’ she immediately responded with a witty retort, showing she can hold her own with strong personalities.
She also demonstrates comedic sense, jokingly calling a video of a dog rolling in sand a masochist, huh? Shinichi Hatori (54) has said, ‘She’s going to be a big star.’ She may grow into a distinctive announcer following Ayaka Hironaka (35), who also stands out for her individuality,” said a TV Asahi insider.
Although less well-known compared to the three previously introduced, NTV’s Moka Namiki (24) is also drawing attention as a promising young talent. In high school, she volunteered to deliver shoes to Indonesia, and in college participated in the PiO PARK Ambassador Project, aimed at revitalizing regional industries. At 148 cm, she is petite and considered healing type, but according to Professor Takahiko Kageyama of Doshisha Women’s University, her strength lies in her announcing skills.
“She currently serves as a field reporter for news zero. Her strength is her announcing ability during live coverage. Whether reporting from disaster sites or covering the Hakone Ekiden, she quickly summarizes key points within a short time, never going over. Watching her energetically run around on-site appeals to viewers. In 2024, she cosplayed Lum from the popular anime Urusei Yatsura on Gurunai, which drew huge attention for being too cute. She has the talent to succeed in both news and variety shows.”
Niika Igarashi (23), one year behind Namiki, is another rising star at NTV. She hosts the American football program Audrey’s NFL Club, a well-known stepping stone for announcers previously handled by Masami Miura (38) and Erina Iwata.
“Among the usually modest newcomers, Igarashi stands out with her glamorous, wild presence. Last September, during the ceremonial first pitch at the Giants vs. Hiroshima game, she wowed the audience with a powerful, no-bounce pitch. She even performed co-host Toshihide Kasuga’s (47) signature gag ‘Tooth’ upon leaving the field. Her composure is remarkable for a first-year announcer. Later, when teased about this on NFL Club, she replied, ‘Don’t make fun of someone who’s serious,’ and had the studio laughing. She’s a rare, unique-type announcer to emerge at NTV in recent years,” said announcer critic Daijiro Maruyama.
[Read the second part here] Talented announcers waiting for their chance! The new era’s “Kami Eleven 2026”
From the March 6, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”