Nippon TV has greenlit a second season of the first Talpa Studios’ game show “The Floor” in Japan, turning the format’ adaptation to make it into a weekly series in Asia. The new run debuts Oct. 21, and it moves to 32 all-celebrity contestants.
Okada Junichi returns as host. The actor’s international profile has risen since starring in the Netflix series “Last Samurai Standing.” “The Floor” first launched in Japan this March as a three-hour prime-time celebrity special, marking the format’s first adaptation in Asia.
The Prize and the Game
A grid of 100 glowing tiles forms the arena for these contests, with each tile bearing its own field of study, from sports figures to landmark architecture. Contestants advance by defeating a neighbor in a knowledge duel, absorbing the loser’s tile and extending their control over the grid. Defeat here means elimination.
The winner of the full eight-episode run walks away with a prize of €100,000, which works out to $116,383. In the Japanese edition, the cast comprises top comedians, celebrities, YouTubers and Olympic medalists, all locked in head-to-head contests against one another.
Nanzai Misaki, creative director at Nippon TV, said the competition demands more than knowledge. “Knowledge alone is not enough – it also takes unwavering mental strength, strategic thinking, and the ability to make split-second decisions under pressure,” she said. “I am truly delighted to bring audiences the genuine emotion and human drama that only a competition as intense as ‘The Floor’ can draw out of its contestants.”
Why Nippon TV Ordered a Second Season
Oi Shuichi, managing director of programming and platform strategy in Nippon TV’s content strategy headquarters, said the first broadcast landed hard with viewers. “Nippon TV’s edition of ‘The Floor’ received an overwhelmingly positive response when it first premiered this March; its fast-paced gameplay and strategic psychological battles set it apart from traditional Japanese quiz shows,” he said.
“Following that success, we are delighted to bring the show to Japanese audiences as a regular weekly series. ‘The Floor’ goes beyond the boundaries of a conventional quiz format to deliver compelling human drama, laying bare the contestants’ raw emotions and relentless determination. We believe it will become must-watch weekly viewing for Japanese audiences from October onward.”
A market where foreign formats rarely get a second life makes the recommission stand out. Japan ranks among the world’s most competitive entertainment markets, and securing a recommission for an international format there is far from assured.
The Global Reach of ‘The Floor’
Talpa Studios, the independent production company set up by John de Mol, has had its format “The Floor” sell into more than 30 territories around the world. Alongside that, its non-scripted lineup includes “The Quiz With Balls,” “Caught in the Middle,” “The Alliance” and “The Tribute – Battle of the Bands,”. It also develops shows with partners, including “Trivial Pursuit,” “99 to Beat,” “Let’s Play Ball,” “Most Wanted” and “A Party to Die For.”.
The Japanese renewal stands out as a standout achievement, according to Sebastian van Barneveld, who directs global distribution at Talpa Studios. He said so directly. “A second season in Japan is an exceptional achievement and something we’re incredibly proud of,” It is a matter of record. “Japan is one of the world’s most competitive entertainment markets, where recommissions for international formats are far from guaranteed. Seeing ‘The Floor’ return so quickly is a fantastic endorsement of the format’s universal appeal and a testament to the outstanding collaboration with Nippon TV.”
Nippon TV’s Expanding Footprint
In Japan, Nippon TV operates the streaming service Hulu and controls nearly 90% of its intellectual property. It has grown beyond domestic borders by building a portfolio of anime, ready-made programming, formats and joint productions.
Gyokuro Studio was set up by Nippon TV in 2025, with a Los Angeles business office also put in place at the same time to manage co-development and sales for the U.S. and Latin America.
Season 2 at a Glance
This new season follows a weekly format with an all-celebrity group of 32 contestants. That represents an expansion over the show’s original Japanese start, which aired just once as a single special episode.
The show gains added weight with Okada Junichi back as its host. His part in “Last Samurai Standing” has pushed his name past Japan’s borders, and his presence gives the second season a steady point of reference for those who watched the March special.
Here is how the season breaks down:
- The season premieres Oct. 21 as a weekly series on Nippon TV’s national network.
- Thirty-two celebrity contestants compete, up from the March special’s cast.
- Contestants duel on a 100-tile grid, each tile tied to a specific subject area.
- Contestants who win duels absorb losers’ tiles; losers are eliminated outright.
- After eight episodes, the contestant controlling the entire grid wins €100,000 ($116,383).
The Oct. 21 premiere will test whether the weekly format holds the audience the special attracted. For Talpa Studios, the Japanese renewal is proof the format travels.
Source: variety.com
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