# 2018 in Japanese television

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Events in 2018 in Japanese television.

## Events

| Date | Event |
| January 30 | Nickelodeon's Japanese channel launches for the second time. |
| April 8 | AKB48 Show! changes its timeslot on BS Premium from Saturday 23:45 JST to Sunday 23:00 JST. |
| May 3 | Boruto: Naruto Next Generations changes its timeslot on TV Tokyo from Wednesday 17:55 JST to Thursday 19:25 JST. |
| September 2 | AKB48 Show! changes its timeslot once again in BS Premium and starts 10 minutes earlier, at Sunday 22:50 JST. |
| October 7 | Boruto: Naruto Next Generations changes its timeslot on TV Tokyo from Thursday 19:25 JST to Sunday 17:30 JST. |
| October 7 | Pokémon Sun & Moon changes its timeslot on TV Tokyo from Thursday 18:55 JST to Sunday 18:00 JST. |
| October 7 | The 2018 Formula One World Championship will be held at 2018 Japanese Grand Prix. |
| October 21 | The 2018 MotoGP World Championship will be held at 2018 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix. |

## Ongoing

| Show | Type | Channel | First aired |
| AKB48 Show! | Variety Show, Music | BS Premium, NHK World Premium | October 5, 2013 |
| AKBingo! | Variety Show | Nippon Television | October 1, 2008 |
| Black Clover | Anime | TV Tokyo | October 3, 2017 |
| Boruto: Naruto Next Generations | Anime | TV Tokyo | April 5, 2017 |
| Chibi Maruko-chan | Anime | Fuji Television | January 8, 1995 |
| Count Down TV | Music | Tokyo Broadcasting System | April 7, 1993 |
| Crayon Shin-chan | Anime | TV Asahi | April 13, 1992 |
| Detective Conan | Anime | NNS | January 8, 1996 |
| Doraemon | Anime | TV Asahi | April 15, 2005 |
| Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!! | Game-Show | Nippon Television | October 3, 1989 |
| FNS Music Festival | Music | Fuji Television | July 2, 1974 |
| Music Fair | Music | Fuji Television | August 31, 1964 |
| Music Station | Music | TV Asahi | October 24, 1986 |
| NHK Amateur Song Contest | Talent Show | NHK-G, NHK World Premium | March 15, 1953 (TV) |
| Nintama Rantarō | Anime | NHK | April 10, 1993 |
| Ojarumaru | Anime | NHK | October 5, 1998 |
| One Piece | Anime | Fuji Television | October 20, 1999 |
| Panel Quiz Attack 25 | Game-Show | TV Asahi | April 6, 1975 |
| Pokémon Sun & Moon | Anime | TV Tokyo | November 17, 2016 |
| Sasuke | Sports | Tokyo Broadcasting System | September 26, 1997 |
| Sazae-san | Anime | Fuji Television | October 5, 1969 |
| Soreike! Anpanman | Anime | Nippon Television | October 3, 1988 |
| Super Hero Time | Tokusatsu | TV Asahi | September 28, 2003 |
| Utacon | Music | NHK-G, NHK World Premium | April 22, 2016 |
| With Mother | Kids | E-TV, NHK World Premium | October 5, 1959 |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS | Anime | TV Tokyo | May 10, 2017 |

## New shows and returning series

| Show | Network | Premiere | Finale | Status |
| Ultraman Orb: The Chronicle | TV Tokyo | January 6 | June 30 | Series Ended |
| Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card | NHK, Crunchyroll | January 7 | June 10 | Series Ended |
| Idolish7 | Tokyo MX | January 7 | May 19 | Series Ended |
| Segodon | NHK | January 7 | December 16 | Series Ended |
| Yowamushi Pedal 4: Glory Line | TV Tokyo | January 9 | June 25 | Series Ended |
| Violet Evergarden | Tokyo MX | January 10 | April 4 | Series Ended |
| Beatless | MBS | January 12 | September 28 | Series Ended |
| Dagashi Kashi – Season 2 | TBS | January 12 | March 31 | Series Ended |
| Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of the Commandments | JNN | January 12 | June 30 | Series Ended |
| Spring Has Come | WOWOW | January 13 | February 10 | Series Ended |
| Princess Jellyfish | Fuji Television | January 15 | March 19 | Series Ended |
| Seven Heavenly Virtues | AT-X | January 26 | March 30 | Series Ended |
| Fate/Extra Last Encore | Tokyo MX | January 27 | March 31 | Series Ended |
| Hugtto! PreCure | TV Asahi | February 4 | January 27, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| Lupinranger VS Patoranger | TV Asahi | February 11 | February 10, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| GeGeGe no Kitarō | Fuji Television | April 1 | March 29, 2020 | Continues 2019 |
| Magic × Warrior Magimajo Pures! | TV Tokyo | April 1 | March 24, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| Hanbun, Aoi | NHK | April 2 | September 29 | Series Ended |
| Uma Musume Pretty Derby | Tokyo MX | April 2 | June 17 | Series Ended |
| Gundam Build Divers | TV Tokyo | April 3 | September 25 | Series Ended |
| Lupin the Third Part 5 | Nippon TV | April 4 | September 18 | Seried Ended |
| Aikatsu Friends! | TV Tokyo | April 5 | September 26, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Inazuma Eleven: Ares | TV Tokyo | April 6 | September 28 | Series Ended |
| Major 2nd | NHK-E | April 7 | September 22 | Season EndedRenewed for 2nd Season |
| My Hero Academia – Season 3 | Nippon Television | April 7 | September 29 | Season EndedRenewed for 4th Season |
| Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online | Tokyo MX | April 7 | June 30 | Series Ended |
| Kiratto Pri Chan | TV Tokyo | April 8 | Currently Airing | Continues 2019 |
| Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File | Fuji TV | April 8 | March 31, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| High School DxD: Hero | AT-X | April 10 | June 27 | Series Ended |
| Yo-kai Watch Shadowside | TV Tokyo | April 13 | March 29, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| Cardfight!! Vanguard: DX | Tokyo MX | May 5 | May 4, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Harukana Receive | Tokyo MX | July 6 | September 21 | Series Ended |
| Ultraman R/B | TV Tokyo | July 7 | December 22 | Series Ended |
| Shingeki no Kyojin – Season 3 | NHK | July 23 | October 15 | Season PausedTo be resumed 2019 |
| Kamen Rider Zi-O | TV Asahi | September 2 | August 25, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Manpuku | NHK | October 1 | March 30, 2019 | Ending 2019 |
| Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin | TV Tokyo | October 5 | September 27, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind | Tokyo MX | October 6 | July 28, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Fairy Tail: The Final Chapter | TV Tokyo | October 7 | September 29, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Sword Art Online: Alicization | Tokyo MX | October 7 | March 30, 2019 | Continues 2019 |
| Senran Kagura Shinovi Master -Tokyo Yōma-hen- | Tokyo MX | October 13 | December 27 | Series Ended |

## Ending

| End date | Show | Channel | First aired | Replaced by |
| January 28 | Kirakira PreCure a la Mode | TV Asahi | February 5, 2017 | Hugtto! PreCure |
| February 4 | Uchuu Sentai Kyuranger | TV Asahi | February 12, 2017 | Lupinranger VS Patoranger |
| March 3 | Banana Zero Music (2nd Series) | NHK | April 23, 2016 | Arita P Entertainer |
| March 25 | Dragon Ball Super | Fuji Television | July 5, 2015 | GeGeGe no Kitarō |
| March 25 | Idol x Warrior Miracle Tunes! | TV Tokyo | April 2, 2017 | Magic × Warrior Magimajo Pures! |
| March 27 | Idol Time PriPara | TV Tokyo | April 4, 2017 | Gundam Build Divers |
| March 29 | Aikatsu Stars! | TV Tokyo | April 7, 2016 | Aikatsu Friends! |
| March 30 | Yo-kai Watch | TV Tokyo | January 8, 2014 | Yo-kai Watch Shadowside |
| March 31 | Warotenka | NHK | October 2, 2017 | Hanbun, Aoi |
| March 31 | Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! | Fuji Television | October 19, 1996 | Sekai! Goku taun ni sunde miru |
| April 1 | Cardfight!! Vanguard G: Z | TV Tokyo | October 8, 2017 | Kiratto Pri Chan |
| April 1 | Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On | Fuji Television | October 2, 2016 | Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File |
| August 26 | Kamen Rider Build | TV Asahi | September 3, 2017 | Kamen Rider Zi-O |
| August 30 | Kamisama Minarai: Himitsu no Cocotama | TV Tokyo | October 1, 2015 | Kira Kira Happy Hirake! Cocotama |

## Sports

| Airdate | Sports | Network | Source |
| October 7 | 2018 Formula One World Championship | Fuji TV Next | |
| October 21 | 2018 MotoGP World Championship | G+ | |

## Special events and milestone episodes

| Airdate | Show | Network |
| January 20 | The 7th AKB48 Kouhaku Taikou Utagassen | BS Sky Perfect |
| March 3 | NHK Nodojiman: Champion Taikai 2018 | NHK |
| March 25 | Masashi Sada Midnight Special: SadaFes 2018 | NHK |
| March 29 | Aikatsu Stars! #100 – Series FinaleTo the Unseen Future | TV Tokyo |
| April 7 | CDTV 25th Anniversary Celebration Special | Tokyo Broadcasting System |
| May 5 | Detective Conan #900Solving Mysteries in a Locked Room | NNS |
| July 10 | AKBingo! #500What is Team 8? (Part 2) | Nippon Television |
| July 25 | FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri 2018 | Fuji Television |
| August 5 | Miitsuketa! – The Stage Show | NHK-E & World Premium |
| August 18 | 50th Melody of Memories | NHK-G & World Premium |
| August 21 | Teacher Itsuki's School of Songs: The Midsummer Special Lesson | NHK-G & World Premium |
| August 25 & 26 | 24 Hour Television 2018 | Nippon Television |
| September 8 & 9 | FNS 27 Hour TV | Fuji Television |
| September 17 | Music Station Ultra Fes 2018 | TV Asahi |
| October 14 | AKB48 Show! #200Party ga Hajimaru yo/Sekai to Hito e/Kimi wa Melody/Sentimental Train | BS Premium |
| October 23 | Utacon #100The 100th Festival - Fall Songs from Sendai | NHK |
| December 5 | 2018 FNS Music FestivalPart 1 | Fuji Television |
| December 7 | Animelo Summer Live 2018: OK!Day 1 (August 24, 2018) | BS Fuji |
| December 12 | 2018 FNS Music FestivalPart 2 | Fuji Television |
| December 14 | Animelo Summer Live 2018: OK!Day 2 (August 25, 2018) | BS Fuji |
| December 21 | Animelo Summer Live 2018: OK!Day 3 (August 26, 2018) | BS Fuji |
| December 21 | Music Station Super Live 2018 | TV Asahi |
| December 30 | The 60th Japan Record Awards | Tokyo Broadcasting System |
| December 31 | 69th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen | NHK |
| December 31 | Johnny's Countdown 2018-19 | Fuji Television |

## Deaths

| Date | Name | Aged | Notable Works |
| February 8 | Makiko Nitta | 56 | Voice actress; aortic dissection. |
| February 21 | Ren Osugi | 66 | Supporting actor; cast of Crying 100 Times: Every Raindrop Falls and Back Street Girls: Gokudols. |
| April 5 | Isao Takahata | 82 | Director, producer, screenwriter and co-founder of Studio Ghibli |
| May 16 | Hideki Saijo | 63 | Singer and songwriter, participated 18 times on annual NHK's Kouhaku Utagassen. |
| June 29 | Steve Ditko | 90 | Original co-creator of Marvel's Spider-Man, a character that had a Japanese live-action series in 1978, and also a protagonic role in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers on 2014. |
| July 6 | Shota Nakao | 22 | Performer and member from LDH's FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE. |
| August 4 | Masahiko Tsugawa | 78 | Actor, film director and critic; Heart failure. |
| August 10 | Kin Sugai | 92 | Actress, noctable for the role of the mother-in-law of the protagonist in NHK's Taiga drama series Inochi; Heart failure. |
| August 13 | Unshō Ishizuka | 67 | Actor, voice actor and director, most notably by providing the voice from Professor Oak in Pokémon, Monarca La Deus in Flashman and Heihachi Mishima in Tekken Series. |
| August 15 | Kunihiro Abe | 50 | Animator, most notably for Gundam Series. |
| August 15 | Momoko Sakura | 53 | Manga artist, most notably for Chibi Maruko-chan. |
| October 17 | Nobuo Tanaka | 83 | Narrator from Super Sentai Series. |
| October 19 | Takanobu Hozumi | 87 | Voice actor. |
| October 23 | Kouji Tsujitani | 56 | Voice actor, most notably for InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho. |
| November 6 | Tetsuo Gotō | 68 | Voice actor, most notably for One Piece and Dragon Ball Super. |
| November 12 | Stan Lee | 95 | Original co-creator of many Marvel Comics characters that were adapted on many Japanese TV shows (both anime and tokusatsu). |
| November 13 | Ken Narita | 73 | Singer most notably for Denshi Sentai Denziman and Cyborg 009. |