Nissy holds non-singing variety shows during vocal recovery

Japanese artist Nissy (Takahiro Nishijima) recently completed a five-day entertainment variety show at Pia Arena MM from September 18 to 23. The event, titled ‘Nissy Entertainment Variety Show – Even if you can’t sing, there is still entertainment!’, drew approximately 63,000 attendees across seven performances, with one show canceled due to a typhoon.

Nissy is currently undergoing rehabilitation following his fourth vocal cord surgery in February 2026. Because he is currently unable to sing, the performances focused on non-vocal entertainment, including magic shows, attraction games, comedy collaborations, and deep music discussions. Nissy expressed his joy in meeting fans but noted that he cannot yet promise a return to live singing.

Following the event, comments from Yudai Takenaka, vocalist of the rock band Novelbright, sparked controversy among fans. While appearing in a video for the show, Takenaka posted on X that for a singer, being unable to sing is ‘as good as death,’ adding that he would consider death himself if he faced such a situation. Although intended as a gesture of respect for Nissy’s struggle, many fans criticized the phrasing as insensitive to Nissy’s current efforts to entertain through alternative means.