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The story
Within Hello! Project, Juice=Juice alone has seen a sudden surge in popularity, and a thread popped up on 5ch where fans of the other groups raised questions like “Is it even fun watching Hello! Project in this one-group-dominant state right now?” and “How can people put up with this?” In the thread, voices crediting Juice=Juice’s popularity to a viral hit song clashed with voices suspicious of “staged” manipulation, arguing that view counts and chart rankings don’t actually translate into real sales. Posts comparing the venue sizes of each group’s Christmas events also appeared, along with opinions noting that Morning Musume, Angerme, and Tsubaki Factory stayed completely uninvolved in this whole development — highlighting how differently each group is positioned.
What people said
Hasn't the recent decline in popularity of Hello! Project OGs been pretty bad lately?
652 Anonymous 2026/10/10 (Sat) 12:23:26.51 0
Then again, is Hello! Project actually fun right now?
652 Anonymous 2026/10/10 (Sat) 12:23:26.51 0
Then again, is Hello! Project actually fun right now?
Hello! Project used to basically mean 20 years of "we're not selling, but we're having fun" — but now that Juice=Juice suddenly started selling, both fans and members are getting worked up, acting jealous or newly fired up over it.
Nothing's really changed except that Juice=Juice is selling well, so the fact that people are even bothered by it means they're already framing everything around Juice=Juice.
Nothing's really changed except that Juice=Juice is selling well, so the fact that people are even bothered by it means they're already framing everything around Juice=Juice.
Re: #9
Honestly it just makes me think a viral song has this much power — nothing else has really changed. If anything IS different, it's that you guys switched from bashing Hello! Project in general to specifically dragging Juice=Juice. Seriously trash behavior, why are you even alive.
Honestly it just makes me think a viral song has this much power — nothing else has really changed. If anything IS different, it's that you guys switched from bashing Hello! Project in general to specifically dragging Juice=Juice. Seriously trash behavior, why are you even alive.
There's absolutely no way the other groups start selling just because Juice=Juice loses steam — Hello! Project itself just ends.
Re: #11
Gross, lol — sounds like one of those bitter lurkers who actually wants Hello! Project to become washed-up (オワコン, "has-been content"). Gross, lol.
Seriously, Juice=Juice should blow up even harder and turn all of Hello! Project into an "organization of light" that drives out the toxic, bitter fans.
Gross, lol — sounds like one of those bitter lurkers who actually wants Hello! Project to become washed-up (オワコン, "has-been content"). Gross, lol.
Seriously, Juice=Juice should blow up even harder and turn all of Hello! Project into an "organization of light" that drives out the toxic, bitter fans.
Re: #14
Isn't Re: #11 a warning aimed at people who are anti-Juice=Juice but still fans of the other Hello! Project groups? If someone were an anti of Hello! Project as a whole, they'd never think "once Juice=Juice falls off, the other groups will rise back up."
Isn't Re: #11 a warning aimed at people who are anti-Juice=Juice but still fans of the other Hello! Project groups? If someone were an anti of Hello! Project as a whole, they'd never think "once Juice=Juice falls off, the other groups will rise back up."
Angerme still has that vibe that pulls in female fans, so honestly there's nothing to worry about — if anything, a huge viral moment could still happen for them too.
Re: #19
Would that end up being a "glad Tamenaga's here" kind of moment?
Would that end up being a "glad Tamenaga's here" kind of moment?
Juice=Juice has been leveling up by training with top-tier instructors in Korea, learning dance from the fundamentals up.
It's unfair not to let the other groups get this same training — they should rotate each group through a Korea training camp.
It's unfair not to let the other groups get this same training — they should rotate each group through a Korea training camp.
Re: #28
Angerme and OCHA NORMA, yeah — those two should get to go.
Morning Musume, Tsubaki Factory, and Rosy Chronicle don't need to.
Angerme and OCHA NORMA, yeah — those two should get to go.
Morning Musume, Tsubaki Factory, and Rosy Chronicle don't need to.
Re: #28
Oh, so you actually had that perspective too. But Juice=Juice got this opportunity because they properly sold and have the drive to take the job. Groups that don't sell don't get the opportunity, and groups without ambition would just end up on a Korean food tour and call it a day.
Oh, so you actually had that perspective too. But Juice=Juice got this opportunity because they properly sold and have the drive to take the job. Groups that don't sell don't get the opportunity, and groups without ambition would just end up on a Korean food tour and call it a day.
Re: #30
Somehow I can picture Ikuta Erina literally just doing a food tour and ending it with "Korea is the best!"
Somehow I can picture Ikuta Erina literally just doing a food tour and ending it with "Korea is the best!"
Re: #32
Morning Musume already did exactly that — on a Hulu special last year or so they just did a food tour in Korea and came straight back, so it's already a proven fact.
Morning Musume already did exactly that — on a Hulu special last year or so they just did a food tour in Korea and came straight back, so it's already a proven fact.
You can put up with it, can't you? Morning Musume was the dominant, favored group forever.
Re: #37
There was this half-resigned mood of "well, it's Morning Musume, so what can you do" — and I think Juice=Juice suddenly selling broke that whole balance.
There was this half-resigned mood of "well, it's Morning Musume, so what can you do" — and I think Juice=Juice suddenly selling broke that whole balance.
Re: #1
For starters, they're not even in the running for the awards judging. Their sales are worlds apart from the other groups. Almost all of Juice=Juice's numbers are just rigged online figures (yarase). Their real-world sales are miles behind AKB or iLife.
"Selling" literally means something has to actually sell —
fake internet votes don't mean anything actually sold.
For starters, they're not even in the running for the awards judging. Their sales are worlds apart from the other groups. Almost all of Juice=Juice's numbers are just rigged online figures (yarase). Their real-world sales are miles behind AKB or iLife.
"Selling" literally means something has to actually sell —
fake internet votes don't mean anything actually sold.
Re: #38
Exactly this. I get that fans want to hype their group up, but the other side's fans do the exact same thing. Adults aren't stupid — everyone already discounts for that. When it comes down to real numbers, Juice=Juice is clearly behind.
Exactly this. I get that fans want to hype their group up, but the other side's fans do the exact same thing. Adults aren't stupid — everyone already discounts for that. When it comes down to real numbers, Juice=Juice is clearly behind.
To sum up, it's a cynical jab meaning something like: "Even if you desperately inflate the numbers behind the scenes with a pile of phones to fake a huge viral moment, there's not a single real, living person who's actually interested — doesn't that feel hollow to keep doing?" (along with a mocking sneer at the whole situation).
Re: #44
Seriously, this. Pumping up YouTube and TikTok view counts doesn't mean anything if it doesn't translate into actual sales — pie in the sky.
Seriously, this. Pumping up YouTube and TikTok view counts doesn't mean anything if it doesn't translate into actual sales — pie in the sky.
With this whole thing, it's the method itself that's getting rejected by Hello! Project fans. Proof of that: even within the same Hello! Project fanbase, the people pushing back are the overwhelming majority.
Re: #48
This whole thing is a massive blow to Hello! Project.
Hello! Project fans hate this kind of stuff more than anything — if this is fine, you might as well just be an Akimoto fan (producer behind AKB48-style idol groups). If it's just shady adults working backstage to game the entertainment industry, then that's Akimoto's whole game, not Hello!'s.
We hate Akimoto's approach — we're Hello! Project fans because we love pure music and pure idols.
Juice=Juice is about to take damage they won't recover from.
This whole thing is a massive blow to Hello! Project.
Hello! Project fans hate this kind of stuff more than anything — if this is fine, you might as well just be an Akimoto fan (producer behind AKB48-style idol groups). If it's just shady adults working backstage to game the entertainment industry, then that's Akimoto's whole game, not Hello!'s.
We hate Akimoto's approach — we're Hello! Project fans because we love pure music and pure idols.
Juice=Juice is about to take damage they won't recover from.
This whole thing really put Hello! Project fans' sense of integrity to the test.
Only Morning Musume, Angerme, and Tsubaki Factory stayed completely uninvolved with "Moremi" (a mocking nickname fans gave the viral song/campaign at the center of this).
The most impressive were the Morning Musume members and their fans — totally unfazed, acting like Juice=Juice didn't even exist.
Only Morning Musume, Angerme, and Tsubaki Factory stayed completely uninvolved with "Moremi" (a mocking nickname fans gave the viral song/campaign at the center of this).
The most impressive were the Morning Musume members and their fans — totally unfazed, acting like Juice=Juice didn't even exist.
Re: #50
I'm going to remember this "Tripartite Pact" (a joking nod to the WWII alliance) well — these three groups are the real deal.
I'm going to remember this "Tripartite Pact" (a joking nod to the WWII alliance) well — these three groups are the real deal.
The reality: "Moremi" hasn't gone all that viral either.
TikTok post counts:
Moremi: 63,000 posts (12 months since release)
"Cute na Kyuutai": 117,000 posts (4 months since release)
"Koi Hajimemashita" ("I Started Falling in Love"): 175,000 posts (1 month since release)
Getting crushed by new songs from Cutie Street (nicknamed "Kyuusuto") and =LOVE — neither of which even gets called "viral."
TikTok post counts:
Moremi: 63,000 posts (12 months since release)
"Cute na Kyuutai": 117,000 posts (4 months since release)
"Koi Hajimemashita" ("I Started Falling in Love"): 175,000 posts (1 month since release)
Getting crushed by new songs from Cutie Street (nicknamed "Kyuusuto") and =LOVE — neither of which even gets called "viral."
Re: #53
"Selling" means, literally, that something has to actually sell.
This is ugly. Nothing's actually selling.
"Selling" means, literally, that something has to actually sell.
This is ugly. Nothing's actually selling.
It was staged: off-share purchases juiced the first-week numbers to fake a viral moment, and then the newbie "line-up enthusiasts" (people who like showing off standing in queues) jumped on the bandwagon. That's the real story here. Look at the actual numbers and nothing's really selling.
Re: #55
…But from there, if they've got real skill, they'll stick around! If they've got real charm, they'll stick around! And that's not just the members, or just the songs, or just the costumes — it's the strength of the whole package.
It feels like they've finally gotten onto the same playing field as K-pop idols, so let's not trash-talk it — morale's finally up, after all.
…But from there, if they've got real skill, they'll stick around! If they've got real charm, they'll stick around! And that's not just the members, or just the songs, or just the costumes — it's the strength of the whole package.
It feels like they've finally gotten onto the same playing field as K-pop idols, so let's not trash-talk it — morale's finally up, after all.
Juice=Juice's numbers are rigged, so their numbers are the last thing you can trust.
Re: #57
Uh, hey boss — I'll lend you Dambara (member Ruru Dambara) for one job, so can we just make this work somehow?
Uh, hey boss — I'll lend you Dambara (member Ruru Dambara) for one job, so can we just make this work somehow?
Re: #57
So what IS the most trustworthy thing, then?
So what IS the most trustworthy thing, then?
I've never once thought Juice=Juice was the sole dominant group.
Re: #62
1 Anonymous 2026/09/30 (Wed) 17:11:13.43 0
Christmas events
Morning Musume.'26
2026/12/16 [1,207 seats] Zepp Haneda — evening show only, sold out
Angerme
2026/12/17 [1,758 seats] Ichikawa City Cultural Hall Main Hall — both shows, 2nd-round reservations
Juice=Juice
2026/12/09 [1,758 seats] Ichikawa City Cultural Hall Main Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
Tsubaki Factory
2026/12/03 [1,000 seats] Nissho Hall — evening show only, sold out
BEYOOOOONDS
2026/12/04 [1,000 seats] Nissho Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
OCHA NORMA
2026/12/14 [*,802 seats] Hitotsubashi Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
Rosy Chronicle
2026/12/07 [*,933 seats] Setagaya Egret Hall — both shows, 2nd-round reservations
1 Anonymous 2026/09/30 (Wed) 17:11:13.43 0
Christmas events
Morning Musume.'26
2026/12/16 [1,207 seats] Zepp Haneda — evening show only, sold out
Angerme
2026/12/17 [1,758 seats] Ichikawa City Cultural Hall Main Hall — both shows, 2nd-round reservations
Juice=Juice
2026/12/09 [1,758 seats] Ichikawa City Cultural Hall Main Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
Tsubaki Factory
2026/12/03 [1,000 seats] Nissho Hall — evening show only, sold out
BEYOOOOONDS
2026/12/04 [1,000 seats] Nissho Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
OCHA NORMA
2026/12/14 [*,802 seats] Hitotsubashi Hall — both shows, 1st round, sold out
Rosy Chronicle
2026/12/07 [*,933 seats] Setagaya Egret Hall — both shows, 2nd-round reservations
Re: #62
Right now there's a real chance to become a national sensation through a viral song — even if it makes you "public enemy number one" too (a pun on 国民的, "nationally beloved," vs 国民敵, "national enemy").
Right now there's a real chance to become a national sensation through a viral song — even if it makes you "public enemy number one" too (a pun on 国民的, "nationally beloved," vs 国民敵, "national enemy").
The reality: "Moremi" hasn't gone all that viral either.
TikTok post counts:
Moremi: 63,000 posts (12 months since release)
"Cute na Kyuutai": 117,000 posts (4 months since release)
"Koi Hajimemashita" ("I Started Falling in Love"): 175,000 posts (1 month since release)
Getting crushed by new songs from Cutie Street (nicknamed "Kyuusuto") and =LOVE — neither of which even gets called "viral."
TikTok post counts:
Moremi: 63,000 posts (12 months since release)
"Cute na Kyuutai": 117,000 posts (4 months since release)
"Koi Hajimemashita" ("I Started Falling in Love"): 175,000 posts (1 month since release)
Getting crushed by new songs from Cutie Street (nicknamed "Kyuusuto") and =LOVE — neither of which even gets called "viral."
Re: #86
………It's not about the numbers for Juice=Juice.
Just watch — they're going to be on Kōhaku.
………It's not about the numbers for Juice=Juice.
Just watch — they're going to be on Kōhaku.
Background and Key Points of This Topic
Hello! Project is structured so that multiple groups belong to the same agency, so when one group’s popularity suddenly outpaces the others, fans of the other groups tend to feel that “the whole atmosphere has changed.” This time, the trigger was Juice=Juice’s song going viral, and the thread captures a mixed, complicated reaction from fans of the other groups — a recurring fault line that’s long been common on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. What particularly split the thread was the question of which metric to trust as the true measure of popularity: one side points to TikTok post counts and social media reaction, while the other emphasizes traditional numbers like CD sales and live venue capacity, and the two sides talk past each other without meeting. It’s worth noting that the view counts, post numbers, and chart rankings cited in the thread all come from anonymous posts, with no primary sources provided to back them up.
※This article is compiled and summarized from a 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread: “Is today’s Juice=Juice-dominated Hello! Project actually fun? Wondering how other groups’ fans can stand it“.
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