Love Power Kingdom
ラブパワーキングダム
Storyline
The whole story, ending included.
Sixteen self-declared love experts compete on 'love power' with rankings and eliminations.
Love Power Kingdom is ABEMA's contest for people who say they have always been wildly popular. Sixteen men and women vote on each other again and again; a ranking shows everyone who is most wanted and who least, and the lowest go home. The man and woman on top at the end become King and Queen and share five million yen. Seiya, the television personality YOU, Takanori Iwata and Maria Tani comment from the studio.
The first season (February to April 2025) is set in Turkey. The model Reika, joint first among the women on first impressions, is voted last hours later on an Istanbul cruise, and goes home with Asaya, the youngest man. Akane, an ABEMA announcer, learns on day one that long talks with one man cost votes, and plays with open calculation. Hiroki, a Kansai man given to romantic aphorisms, falls for her, is voted out and returns through a revival round. Hiroyasu, a YouTuber, wants Misaki alone, even after she is eliminated.
In the final vote each has one ballot, for the one they truly want. Hiroki admits he no longer knows what he feels for Akane. Meru gives up the crown to follow Issei rather than Keiichi. The men tie between Issei and Ari, and the revived Reika gives Ari the deciding vote; the women tie between Aoi and Akane, and Issei's vote makes Aoi Queen. Akane says words meant to confuse the men were the only way she had. At a last party Hiroyasu confesses to Misaki and she kisses him; Issei and Miho, a former idol, and Yuji and Ayaka also leave as couples. Hiroki kneels to confess to Aoi and is turned down.
The second season (February to April 2026) moves to Malta, with Fuma Kikuchi replacing Iwata. Mariya, formerly of AKB48, falls from joint first on first impressions to joint last, yet ends as Queen, with the fighter Taiju as King, the first pair to vote for each other; back in Japan they start dating. Taisei and Hazuki, voted out and revived together, and Yuki and Kano also leave as couples.
Starring
SeiyaPanel
Of the comedy duo Shimofuri Myojo, one of four studio hosts, commenting on a dating show for the first time.
AriParticipant
One of the eight men, who lasts to the final vote and is crowned King when the returning Reika breaks a tie in his favour.
AOIParticipant
Aoi, the first Queen after the opening vote, who wins the crown again at the end on Issei's deciding vote.
Akane TakiyamaParticipant
Akane, a serving announcer who plays the game with open strategy, ties for Queen and loses the run-off.
Hiroki TanakaParticipant
Hiroki, a Kansai man full of romantic one-liners who tops the first vote, is later eliminated, returns, and loses his feeling for Akane at the last.
Hiroyasu MoriyamaParticipant
Hiroyasu, a YouTuber devoted to Misaki alone, who confesses to her at the final party after she has been voted out.
Why it matters
Most dating shows keep quiet about the fact that some people are wanted more than others. Love Power Kingdom turns it into a scoreboard. Rankings are read out to the whole house, and a woman can fall from first to last in an afternoon. Before it began, one of its hosts said that calculated charm was simply the rule here. What lifts it beyond a game show is how it ends: the final vote allows one ballot each, for the person each most wants, so a strategy of pleasing everyone collapses into a single choice. Real Sound's critic concluded that the season ended up defining popularity as loving one person wholeheartedly and being loved back, the opposite of where it started. Akane, who lost the crown, put the cost plainly: charm used as a tactic was the only method she had. Clips of the show passed a hundred million views, and a second season followed.