The transmission of international aquatics competitions, World Cup football matches, and creation of popular late-night TV programs contributed to a rise in ratings for TV Asahi, and lifted the TV station from its popularly ridiculed "perpetual fourth place" finish into second place, right behind Fuji TV, by 2005.
The station also launched its own mascot, , also known as Gō-chan is currently seen on TV Asahi's opening sign-on ID.