ABEMA Announces 2026 First-Half Most Popular Program Rankings: 'Aikora' Series Dominates Top Two Spots in 10th Anniversary Year

ABEMA, 'the new future television,' announces its 2026 first-half most popular program rankings based on viewing data from programs broadcast and streamed between January 1, 2026 (Thursday) and June 30, 2026 (Tuesday).

Aikora Series Claims #1 and #2 in 2026 First-Half Overall Rankings!

In the 2026 first-half overall rankings, the original romance reality show 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara' (hereinafter 'Aikora'), which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026 and enjoys immense popularity among female middle and high school students, has secured the top two positions. The series, themed around a 'romantic school trip,' follows the authentic and relatable 'love' and 'youth' of current high school students. Notably, 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara: Summer Break 2025,' aired in July 2025, set new records for both weekly viewers (※1) and total program viewers (※2) across all 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara' series ever aired. It also achieved the highest weekly viewership among all ABEMA original programs since the platform's launch in 2016 (※3), demonstrating sustained viewer loyalty.

Additionally, 'Super Nobishiro Time by Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara' (hereinafter 'Supanobi'), a sister variety show where growing 'Aikora' members step out of school to tackle new challenges with new people in fresh environments, ranked 4th. This highlights that audiences not only followed the romantic developments of 'Aikora' members but also embraced the real-life challenges of high school students during the first half of 2026.

Coming in 3rd is the original variety series 'Ai no Hyena,' where the comedy duo New York and Saraba Seishun no Hikari's four members explore human 'desires' under the theme of 'love,' capturing irresistibly voyeuristic 'moments.' During the Season 5 broadcast, ABEMA held its first live event, 'Mikai: Only the Tight-Lipped Need Apply Presented by Ai no Hyena,' on March 17, 2026 (Tuesday), with on-site tickets selling out within seconds of general release, proving a solid fanbase. Additionally, the long-running variety show 'Chance no Jikan,' hosted by the comedy duo Chidori, secured 5th place, maintaining its strong popularity since ABEMA's launch. This lineup, showcasing original programs committed to 'highest quality or one-of-a-kind' content since day one, is fitting for ABEMA's 10th anniversary.

(※1) Number of viewers who watched 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara: Summer Break 2025' between Monday, September 8, 2025, and Sunday, September 14, 2025 (excluding duplicates).

(※2) Number of viewers who watched 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara: Summer Break 2025' between Monday, July 21, 2025, and Sunday, September 14, 2025 (excluding duplicates).

(※3) Number of viewers who watched 'Aishiteru, Kono Hi Kara: Summer Break 2025' between Monday, September 8, 2025, and Sunday, September 14, 2025 (excluding duplicates). This is the highest viewership recorded for any ongoing series program (excluding specials) in ABEMA's history.

'Aikora' Series Also Tops the '2026 First-Half SNS Video View Ranking'

Next, ABEMA announces the 2026 first-half total view ranking for official SNS videos related to its programs. In the '2026 First-Half SNS Video View Ranking,' the 'Aikora' series and 'Supanobi' claimed 1st and 2nd place, respectively. Particularly popular videos included Haruka's introduction video from 'Aikora Incheon-hen,' posted on June 16, and videos of Sumire struggling to babysit children, featured in 'Aikora Summer Break 2025' and 'Aikora Chiang Mai-hen,' posted in January 2026.

Furthermore, 'Ai no Hyena' and 'Chance no Jikan' followed in 3rd and 4th place, respectively, mirroring the overall program rankings. This lineup exemplifies ABEMA's strategic approach to original content, where creators and marketers work as one to seamlessly integrate 'creation' and 'delivery.' Rounding out the top five is the audition program 'WORLD SCOUT: THE FINAL PIECE,' a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records aimed at discovering Japan's top talent for global debut. Its innovative concept of finding 'the final piece—the one and only' person, combined with world-class coaching from HYBE and Geffen Records, captivated audiences as candidates demonstrated astonishing growth. Related videos posted on ABEMA and its official SNS channels surpassed 400 million total views, generating significant buzz.

(Link to ranked video on X: https://x.com/ABEMA/status/2077674536426946934?s=20)

As ABEMA celebrates its 10th anniversary, it remains committed to producing and operating programs that exceed viewer expectations. Moving forward, it will continue to build an accessible environment where high-quality or one-of-a-kind content can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, free of charge, further enhancing its value as a social infrastructure.

*When using images, please credit: (C) AbemaTV, Inc.