Development Hoshino and Wakabayashi had collaborated on several works prior to
Lighthouse, spanning back to 2011. In June 2021, Hoshino guest appeared on Wakabayashi's
variety show Achikochi Audrey, where they discussed what
QJWeb described as their "ugly" or "murky" emotions. Hoshino's guest appearance inspired
Lighthouse series director and producer , who was working on
Achikochi Audrey at that time, to create a show hosted by the two. The original idea of the show was titled ''Gen Hoshino and Masayasu Wakabayashi's One Year
, and would feature a similar format to the final product but instead spanning a full year. However, a one-year recording period proved too timely in regards to scheduling and translation, especially since all episodes were to receive a same-day release, and it was shortened to six months. It was renamed to Lighthouse'', a name Sakuma had come up with for the duo of Hoshino and Wakabayashi. Sakuma had learnt the English word for lighthouse through short stories by
Ray Bradbury and again saw the word in the title of a play he had viewed around the time of writing the talk show's proposal. He subsequently recalled the 2019 film
The Lighthouse and then thought that the word was a perfect name for the duo, symbolizing Hoshino and Wakabayashi as lighthouses that shine light for many people whilst their own footsteps remain dark. Sakuma thought that this period (late 2022), when the
coronavirus pandemic began to calm, was important for Hoshino and Wakabayashi as creators, and would thus make it easier for them to open up on the show. Since he assumed the show would cover heavy subjects, Sakuma wanted to preserve its entertainment value through comedy. Sakuma was the staff member located closest to the presenters during filming, which he commented put him in charge of important mood making. He said that when he laughs, the atmosphere becomes comic, but if the seriousness reaches him it would become "truly heavy." Though Sakuma believed that Hoshino and Wakabayashi's conversations alone would make the show a hit, he prepared the 1-Line Diary as a single quality insurance. Rather than long essays, he imagined that messages with a single punchline would reach more people. stress, resentment, ego, and
creative block, The topics discussed on the show spans the presenters' past, present, and future. In the third episode "Christmas Present", Wakabayashi writes in his diary: "Someone please tell me what the present Wakabayashi should do." In response, Hoshino asks Wakabayashi if he might be feeling bored, nearly bringing Wakabayashi to tears. The scene has been noted in analysis of the show, and was transcribed by
Oricon's news department as the completion of
Lighthouse "first chapter" in interviews with Sakuma and Hoshino. He initially attempted to utilize a style on all tracks, but abandoned this after finding it boring. Using conversations from the show as inspiration, Hoshino adopted a method of production he compared to "messing around", composing through what he felt was natural. This resulted in varied genre, including
rock,
hip hop, and
hikigatari. Since the songs would play after the talk show's episode, Hoshino felt comfortable taking use of "harsher" lyrics and composition. Since the show would provide context, he believed the music would be prevented from appearing narcissistic and subsequently uninteresting. == Release ==