First Look at the Love and Lies of ‘Is She the Wolf?’

“Most of the women are suspicious,” isn’t something you’d hear on a typical dating show. That’s why Is She the Wolf?, which will be available on Netflix every Sunday beginning June 11th in Japan, is set to be riveting reality television. Outside of Japan, all episodes will be available on Netflix in September 2023.

The premise is that five men and five women are looking for true love while going on dates and working on a group project. The twist: among the female participants are an unknown number of ‘lying wolves’ who are not allowed to fall in love and must complete the game without being discovered or accepting anyone’s confession of love.

That means that all of the contestants who aren’t ‘wolves,’ as well as the audience, are constantly trying to figure out whether the connections that are blossoming on the show are truly the beginnings of true romance, or simply the ‘wolves’ deception.

One of the show’s studio commentators (and the source of the opening quote above), actress Nako Yabuki, says of these ‘wolves,’ “If the ‘wolf’ falls in love with someone, that must be difficult for her.” But it would also be entertaining to try to see through other people’s lies.”

This show was created in collaboration with ABEMA based on their series Who is the Wolf, which had over 300 million total views across 13 seasons. Is She the Wolf?, which is now available on Netflix, will feature participants aged 22 to 32 who work as actors, artists, models, and athletes.

The studio commentators include comedian Natsuko Yokosawa, model Karen Takizawa, RIKU from the dance and vocal group THE RAMPAGE, and Nako Yabuki.

“The Netflix version is much more mature. The contestants are adults, so it has a much different vibe from the other seasons. It will leave you speechless and on the edge of your seat,” says Yokosawa, who has been a commentator for every season of the Who is the Wolf series.

Takizawa, who joined the panel in 2020, says of the series: “It reminds me of my own experiences. It’s heart-wrenching at times and gratifying at others. It’s like a photo album that makes you think back on your blissful days and gives you a glimpse into the future.”

As for new commentator RIKU, here are his impressions after taping the two episodes: “I’m exhausted in a good way with emotional ups and downs! But that just goes to show how wonderful this series is. It’s great seeing everyone’s passion.”

Is She the Wolf? begins exclusively on Netflix in Japan on June 11 at 10:00 p.m., with new episodes streaming every Sunday at the same time. Outside of Japan, all episodes will be available on Netflix in September 2023.