Ryutaro Hazuki’s Dance Livestream After ‘Zombie Cigarette’ Conviction Sparks Controversy — 5ch: ‘I’d Dance My Ass Off Too’

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The story

Ryutaro Hazuki (26), who left the Hiroshima Toyo Carp after being convicted of using the designated drug “zombie cigarettes,” has been drawing attention as a popular TikTok livestreamer — and his latest stream, in which he turned his tatami room into a makeshift club and danced wildly, became a hot topic. The timing was awkward: it came right after news broke of disciplinary action against four former teammates implicated in the same drug scandal. On 5ch, criticism (“this stream isn’t okay”) clashed with defenders (“what’s wrong with dancing in his own room?”). Part of the backlash stems from the fact that Hazuki was caught and convicted after a family member reported him, while the other four were never formally charged — leaving some with the impression that he effectively sold out his friends.

While his former Hiroshima Toyo Carp teammates reel from being cut from the roster, Ryutaro Hazuki (26) is thriving as a popular TikTok livestreamer…

Hazuki turns his tatami room into a makeshift club to dance

Ryutaro Hazuki (26) left the Hiroshima Toyo Carp after being convicted of using the designated drug “zombie cigarettes.” Since retiring, he’s unexpectedly found popularity as a TikTok livestreamer — but his latest broadcast is now stirring controversy.

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

What people said

2AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:06
Honestly, watching Showa-era retro exploration videos on YouTube is way more fun than watching "Peace-kun" from Omiya Park.
6AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:07
Apparently this is some old couple's house out in the sticks.
8AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:08
He's probably making more money now than he did as a baseball player.
10AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:09
Is he still on something?
12AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:09
He's clearly got some pent-up energy.
Go ahead, name the other guy too.
14AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:10
Well, he's the only one with a criminal record now.
20AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:12
It's not like he's innocent and got falsely accused — he just comes off as pathetic.
21AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:12
Embarrassing to wreck your life over "zombie cigarettes."
22AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:12
Maybe he'll show up as a guest at Yokogawa Zombie Night?
https://y-zombie.com
23AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:12
Since we're at it, let's dance to Thriller.
83AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:31
Re: #23
If he'd done that, it would've gone viral for sure.
30AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
Classic victim mentality.
He's the one who chose to use illegal drugs, yet this is his attitude.
His life keeps going while he shamelessly cashes in on other people's misfortune — what a classless move.
31AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
Well, once he's forced to quit baseball he's just an ex-con with nothing saved up, so let's cut him some slack.
33AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
I know it's a bit childish, but…
I kind of get the urge to do this myself…
34AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
It's not that you actually rose up — everyone around you just fell to your level, and it feels like you climbed higher (^^)
35AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
There's a chance
he's still
using.
36AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:15
Of course he's dancing —
he clung to his accomplices and dragged them all to hell with him.
38AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:16
Why's he getting flak just for dancing like a maniac in his own room?
39AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:16
Well, he was the only one who actually got fired,
so he's probably thrilled the whole "zombie squad" ended up released too.
53AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:21
Re: #39
Apparently there were 6 of them including Hazuki, so there's still one more left.
68AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:25
Re: #39
Well, this guy used it after it became illegal, got reported by his own family, and ended up convicted.
The other players never got caught up in that.
Though he brought it entirely on himself.
41AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:17
Sunday Japon and 5-ji ni Muchuu! (Japanese tabloid talk shows) have found themselves an instant asset.
42AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:19
If this guy hadn't sold out his friends,
the other four would probably still be playing baseball without a care.
So I guess from your perspective it's a "well done!" situation,
even if it didn't go as far as arrest.
47AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:20
Re: #42
Yeah, exposing everyone and taking them all down together is the best.
49AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:20
But seeing this,
there might be teams interested in picking up guys like Kozono,
but you never know who might fire the next shot.
101AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:36
Re: #49
If you sign all four as a set, that risk goes down.
Take just one, and the other three might spill everything.
71AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:26
They probably tried to pin it all on this guy and it backfired.
86AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:31
Re: #71
There's literally a dealer involved — thinking they could just cut Hazuki loose as the scapegoat and get away with it
is the crazy part.
72AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:26
Of course he would.
I'd dance my ass off too.
75AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:28
Re: #72
Yeah, you really would want to dance like crazy.
81AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:30
Yeah, it's messed up that he's the only one who got fired.
87AnonymousOct 6, 2026 19:31
Re: #81
This guy got busted after his family reported him and the actual drugs were found.
Whether the other guys kept using even after it was banned is unclear.

Background and Points of Contention

“Zombie cigarettes” are synthetic designer drugs whose chemical makeup changes frequently, and both possession and use are regulated as a designated substance. Hazuki was caught and convicted after being reported by his own family, while the four former teammates whose names also came up were never formally charged — they simply left the team after being cut from the roster. That gap in how severely each was treated is the main point of contention in the thread. Supporters argue that the dance livestream itself is a perfectly legal activity and that dancing alone in his own room is his business, while critics point to the fact that Hazuki’s case effectively exposed his teammates’ names, and react to that on an emotional level. There’s no evidence he was under any influence during the stream, so comments suggesting he’s “still feeling the drug’s effects” remain pure speculation.

*This article was compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports News+) thread “[“This stream isn’t okay”] Ryutaro Hazuki stirs controversy with “dance livestream” after four players implicated in zombie-cigarette scandal are let go — turns tatami room into a club and dances wildly [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”

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