[2026] What happened when Akihiro Nishino threatened to sue Atsushi Tsutsumishita? Summary of the events

Ryohiro Nishino of King Kong posted a "notice of intent to sue" against Atsushi Tsutsumishita of Impulse on X. The incident stemmed from an exchange on social media regarding a shirtless image, and the latter half of the post shifts to a discussion of Takayuki Kinoshita of TKO. We will explain what happened between the two, the background of the post, and its content in an easy-to-understand way.

[2026] What happened when Akihiro Nishino threatened to sue Atsushi Tsutsumishita? Summary of the events

Akihiro Nishino posted a "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit"
The LINE image that started it all was
Tsutsumishita Atsushi's rebuttal and Nishino's response
Contents of the "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit"
The second half of the discussion will focus on Takayuki Kinoshita of TKO.
Has a lawsuit been filed at this point?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Did Akihiro Nishino really sue Atsushi Tsutsumishita?

A. As of August 26, 2026, no formal lawsuit has been confirmed, and X has only stated that it is "considering legal action."

Q. What was the origin of it all?

A. It started when a screenshot of a LINE conversation posted by a staff member of Nishino's company showed an image of Tsutsumishita shirtless, used like a stamp.

Q. Why is TKO Kinoshita Takayuki's name coming up?

A. This is because the latter half of the "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit" shifted to topics related to Kinoshita's past scandals.

1. Akihiro Nishino posts a "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit"

Ryohiro Nishino (46), a member of the comedy duo King Kong, updated his X account on the evening of August 25, 2026, and posted a lengthy message stating that he is considering "legal action" against Atsushi Tsutsumishita (48) of the comedy duo Impulse.

【2026】西野亮廣が堤下敦に「訴訟予告」何があった？経緯まとめ

👉 "See full text"

The post was titled "[Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit] Regarding Legal Action Against Atsushi Tsutsumishita of Impulse," and was written in a style resembling a signature from the representative director of CHIMNEY TOWN Co., Ltd. While it appeared to be a serious legal dispute, it also contained humor typical of comedians, and became a major topic of discussion around August 26, 2026.

2. What was the LINE image that started it all?

The whole commotion started with a post on X by a staff member of Nishino's company. This post included screenshots of LINE messages exchanged between Nishino and the staff member regarding things like booking appointments for leg hair removal treatments.

👉 "Enter and view all images"

In that screenshot, it can be seen that a part of Tsutsumishita's shirtless image was attached like a stamp. Nishino quoted this staff post and spread it around with comments mocking Tsutsumishita.

3. Tsutsumishita Atsushi's rebuttal and Nishino's response

In response to this, Tsutsumishita responded. Tsutsumishita quoted Nishino's post, I responded with strong words, including a request to my subordinates not to use my photos lightly, and also making a reference to hair removal treatments.

Then, Nishino quotes Tsutsumishita's rebuttal post and begins posting a lengthy message titled "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit."

Timeline	Content
The beginning	A shirtless photo of Tsutsumishita was used as a LINE image posted by a staff member.
Nishino's post	They quote a staff post and tease Tsutsumishita.
Tsutsumishita's rebuttal	Strong objections regarding the use of the photographs.
Nishino's response	Posted a long "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit"

4. Contents of the "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit"

In her post, Nishino said that Tsutsumishita had threatened to "sue" her. "Don't just brush it off as a joke like a comedian would." This stance was shown. Furthermore, it was stated that the side would have no choice but to consider taking appropriate action regarding the series of events that have occurred so far.

The specific reasons Mr. Nishino cited were the following past events:

I was once lifted up by Tsutsumishita-san in the elevator hall of Lumine the Yoshimoto for no clear reason and thrown into a huge trash can filled with discarded materials.
The entire incident was witnessed by his junior comedian, Harisenbon, which damaged his dignity as a senior comedian.
Every time Tsutsumishita appears on King Kong's YouTube channel, he claims to be subjected to severe violence.

These posts were all made from Nishino's perspective and are merely part of an exchange on social media.

5. The second half will focus on Takayuki Kinoshita of TKO.

The "Notice of Intent to File a Lawsuit" was supposed to begin by discussing legal action against Mr. Tsutsumishita, but in the latter half of the document, it gradually shifts to the topic of Takayuki Kinoshita of TKO.

Nishino addressed the issue by saying that while Kinoshita's act of throwing a plastic bottle at a junior comedian had a significant social impact, Tsutsumishita's actions did not seem to be causing any problems. Furthermore, he developed his writing from a unique perspective, suggesting that social evaluation changes depending on "who did it" rather than the act itself. He concluded by referring to Kinoshita by his first name only, and by adding a sentence that resembled the signature of a representative director.

👉 "See full text"

Prior to this, on August 12, 2026, Nishino posted a lengthy apology on X for making fun of Kinoshita in his previous post.

6. Has a lawsuit been filed at this point?

At first glance, this post might appear to be about a legal dispute, but as of August 26, 2026, there has been no confirmation of any reports that either Nishino or Tsutsumishita has actually filed a lawsuit.

item	Current situation
Whether a lawsuit has been filed	No formal lawsuit has been confirmed.
Positioning of the post	They have stated that they are "considering legal action."
Nature of the post	It has a strong aspect as an exchange between comedians.

Therefore, at this stage, it is more accurate to view this as an incident in which a lengthy post in the form of a "notice of intent to sue" became a topic of discussion following an exchange on social media.

7. Online reactions

Nishino's post this time received a variety of reactions, mainly on X. Many people found it amusing that the person he was talking to changed from Tsutsumishita to Kinoshita midway through the conversation, and many praised his humorous way of responding. There were many comments along the lines of, "The person he was talking to changed to Kinoshita midway through," and "It's impressive that he can respond in this kind of style."