Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Singer milet Reveals Depression Struggle: “Between Life and Death Is Just the Thickness of One Gyoza Wrapper” — Late-Night Post Sparks Reaction

    In the early hours of October 1st, singer milet posted on her personal X (formerly Twitter) account, writing “Between living and dying there’s really only a thin layer about the thickness of one gyoza wrapper” and “Damn it, I’ll live,” opening up about her struggle with depression. Because the post came from a heavyweight singer who has performed at the Kohaku Uta Gassen (NHK’s prestigious New Year’s Eve song contest) four times, and because it was posted in the dead of night, it drew wide attention, even getting picked up by Yahoo! News. On 5channel (5ch) threads, reactions ranged from surprise at her distinctive “gyoza wrapper” metaphor to concern over the unexpectedly harsh realities of life as an entertainer — though opinion split over the sincerity of the post and her past career.

    Red-and-White Singer Reveals Depression: “Between Life and Death Is One Gyoza Wrapper,” “Damn It, I’ll Live” — Late-Night X Post

    Singer milet updated her X account on the 1st, sharing her thoughts on life and death.

    At 3:08 AM on the 1st, she began: “Between living and dying there’s really only a thin layer about the thickness of one gyoza wrapper. Pull on it even a little and it feels like it’d tear right through. Give me a break. This is so pathetic. Where does this feeling even come from. Gyoza wrapper, just go flutter around somewhere else.”

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

    4AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:50
    Gyoza, 'damn it'… is she channeling Horiemon? [Takafumi Horie, a famous entrepreneur known for blunt, profanity-laced commentary]
    5AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:50
    She's fallen from that mystery 'Olympics singer.' Her agency's to blame.
    14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:53
    I think she meant 'hanging by a thread' (lit. 'one layer of neck skin') [a set Japanese idiom, 首の皮一枚, for barely surviving].
    35AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:57
    Re: #14 Being an adult means NOT pointing that out!
    119AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:14
    Re: #14 I think she was expressing the idea of a 'razor-thin margin' through the image of a gyoza wrapper.
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:54
    Depression and social media seem like a terrible mix.
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:54
    Never heard of her despite being a Kohaku performer. Guess that's what getting old does to you (^o^)
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:55
    'Gyoza wrapper' isn't exactly a beautiful lyric lol
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:55
    It's unpleasant to read — write that stuff on the back of a flyer instead [i.e., keep it to yourself].
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:55
    Back in her Niconico utaite (cover-singer) days she went by 'Rascal.' Most people who come up through Niconico are pretty thick-skinned and quick to rationalize their own behavior, so I figured she'd be the same, but… guess not.
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:56
    At one point her agency was pushing her hard — she even landed a movie heroine role.
    32AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:56
    milet and Maria Nishiuchi are kind of similar — good raw material, but the people backing them push too hard and it breaks them.
    33AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:56
    This might really be the end, who knows. [a well-worn ironic meme phrase implying something's finished]
    36AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:57
    I'm an unmarried, non-regular-employed, not-great-looking guy in my 50s, and even I'm having a decent time living — what happened to her?
    37AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:57
    I keep mixing her up with 'Aimar.' [likely a mix-up with footballer Pablo Aimar, due to the similar-sounding name]
    38AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:57
    Checked her Wikipedia page — she lands a ton of commercial tie-ins every single year. Even with that kind of star treatment, she still gets depressed?
    41AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:59
    That movie was a huge flop — it gave her an uncool image. Kind of the same pattern as [singer] miwa. She's done for.
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:59
    Give 'Nanmo Nee' [one of her songs, title means 'Nothing At All'] a listen — the fan chorus version. Seriously, for real.
    43AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:59
    I think she's just overthinking it. Get some sun, exercise, go travel to a developing country or something — it'll make the worrying feel silly.
    46AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:59
    You're more than just your music. You can live without singing. It'll be okay. Even if you can't sing anymore, you're still wonderful.
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:59
    So even being beautiful, a great singer, a top-university grad, and successful at work doesn't stop you from getting depressed.
    77AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:05
    Re: #47 Maybe she feels singing is all she has. People who end up struggling mentally usually have low self-esteem and self-worth — even though from the outside she looks like pure talent.
    60AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:02
    You wouldn't know how big that gap really is unless you were already dead.
    61AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:02
    'Gyoza wrapper, go flutter around somewhere else' — it's not laundry hanging on a line! [playing on her 'flutter/wave' wording]
    62AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:02
    From people I know, it really does seem like the ones everybody fawns over are more prone to depression. Well, it's easier when no one expects anything of you.
    63AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:03
    A lot of these 'alphabet-named' female singers [stage names in Roman letters, like milet, LiSA, Aimyon] turn out to be kind of a letdown.
    92AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:08
    She's gorgeous — surely she could just get married.
    96AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:09
    I mean, aren't you not supposed to tell depressed people to 'hang in there'? It's hard to know how to react. Though I do feel for her.
    101AnonymousOct 1, 2026 10:11
    Re: #96 'Hang in there' is fine to say. It's 'push yourself even if it kills you' that's off-limits.

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Celebrities disclosing mental health struggles on social media has become fairly common in recent years, and this case spread widely once news outlets picked it up. On the thread, most of the reaction centered on milet’s choice of words — rendering a “razor-thin margin” (紙一重, kamihitoe) as a “gyoza wrapper” — but what stood out was the split between posters who sincerely worried about her and those who questioned the post’s sincerity. Several commenters also pointed out that self-esteem can run low behind the glamorous facade of showbiz work. That gap in understanding — that success and mental/physical struggle can coexist — is arguably part of why online confessions of distress are so often met with suspicion of being a “publicity stunt” or a “cry for attention.”

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Depression confession, four-time Kohaku performer milet: “Between life and death is one gyoza wrapper,” “Damn it, I’ll live” — late-night X post.”

  • LA-Based Actress Yuma Nakamura’s $6.19 Egg Sandwich: 5ch Says ‘Only in Japan’

    Los Angeles-based actress Yuma Nakamura (56) sparked discussion on 5ch after posting on Instagram about buying a convenience-store egg sandwich — a favorite among foreign tourists — and remarking on how expensive it was. The photo showed a price tag of $6.19. Thread commenters were split between those who said it only looks expensive because of the weak yen, and those who pointed to America’s own inflation driving up prices. The conversation also expanded into how Japan’s style of egg sandwich — fluffy white bread with mayo-mixed egg filling — is a food culture rarely seen overseas.

    US-based Yuma Nakamura buys a convenience-store Japanese-style egg sandwich popular with foreigners — “The price really surprises you, huh~”

    Yuma Nakamura (56), who lives in Los Angeles, updated her Instagram on the 30th, expressing surprise at the price of the egg sandwich, which is popular in the US as well.

    Nakamura wrote, “Went to the Japanese consulate downtown. Applied for my passport,” and posted a smiling photo holding her passport.

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

    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:51
    Every US soldier at Yokota base says 7-Eleven is the best
    70AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:17
    Re: #7
    The photo in Re: #1 is an egg sandwich from a 7-Eleven in the US, you know
    10AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:52
    Re: #2
    Not even knowing that Yuma Nakamura (56), who lives in LA, posted this on the 30th — that's seriously bad
    87AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:26
    Re: #10
    Speak Japanese, please (i.e., "that made no sense")
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:54
    Bought a convenience store sandwich

    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:57
    Re: #14
    Bought a strawberry sandwich

    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:55
    $6 is a totally normal price
    It only looks crazy expensive once converted to yen because of the weak yen
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:57
    Re: #20
    A while back I used to go to Hawaii every year, and convenience store sandwiches were under $3 back then.
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:56
    Bought an egg sandwich

    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:59
    American prices are getting more "dang dang" worrying by the day

    This person and Yasuha are probably the two whose reputations got rewritten by the city pop boom
    57AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:08
    Re: #37
    La Mu, once written off as a novelty act, is finally — more than 30 years later — getting the fair recognition she deserves as a pioneer of Japanese "brocon" (brother-complex) music
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:01
    I forget which country it was from, but a supermarket used to sell European-made cookies, and out of curiosity I bought some — they were spectacularly bad. Europe is supposed to be the home of fine confectionery, so that awfulness was baffling. Southeast Asian cookies are way tastier than that.
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:05
    Re: #38
    Just my personal take, but I think Japanese makers make the best chocolate…

    If you compare absurdly expensive overseas brands with cheap Japanese chocolate, the imported stuff sometimes wins, but at the same price point, Japanese chocolate is better.

    It doesn't get talked about much, but Japanese snacks and sweets are seriously high quality.
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    ✕ American prices are high
    ○ The yen has lost its value
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:05
    Re: #45
    Even at ¥100 to the dollar that's still ¥619, so American prices must be abnormally high
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    Re: #45
    Don't you know America's inflation rate? Prices have shot up like crazy.
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    The $6.19 egg sandwich
    https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2026/09/30/jpeg/20260930s10041000372000p_view.webp
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    If you made it yourself it wouldn't even cost you a few dozen yen, and anyone can make it easily — charging the equivalent of ¥1000 for this, even abroad, is just insane
    54AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:08
    Re: #47
    Probably comes down to a difference in how much value people place on labor

    Over there even a kid's packed lunch is just a Snickers bar (´・ω・`)
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:05
    Wasn't it the Kazama three sisters?
    76AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Re: #51
    I know about Yumi and Toru
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    Re: #50
    Europeans don't complain that American prices are high even when they travel there, because the euro-to-dollar rate hasn't really moved — if anything the euro's stronger now than it used to be. It's only Japan that's wheezing in shock over US prices.
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:11
    Japanese convenience store egg sandwiches are moist and delicious because they're made with soft, fluffy white bread
    73AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Re: #62
    Most Westerners don't actually think soft, moist white bread tastes good — a lot of them say they dislike the bread in Japanese egg sandwiches, so it's probably more like their regular bread back home. It's just a different bread culture.
    68AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:14
    Her best-known role

    Sukeban Deka (Delinquent Girl Detective)

    That's it
    74AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    What's actually different between a Japanese egg sandwich and an American one?
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:22
    Re: #74
    Mashing boiled egg and mixing it with mayonnaise is a style of eating that's unique to Japan
    83AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:23
    If they're this thrilled over an egg sandwich, eating a hot sandwich — the upgraded version — might actually kill them from how good it is
    84AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:24
    Re: #83
    Hot sandwiches came to Japan from the West. The egg sandwich is a food culture unique to Japan. Ignorance really is scary.
    95AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:29
    Even if you made it in America, you couldn't replicate that moist bread and mayo
    102AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:34
    Re: #95
    "Moist" just means bad bread. And mayo is perfectly normal over there.
    100AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:34
    Re: #73
    Even if plain white bread by itself isn't popular, the fluffy convenience store egg sandwich made with it IS popular with tourists. Or do you personally know a ton of Westerners who all say they hate convenience store egg sandwiches?
    104AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:37
    Re: #100
    A lot of foreigners who say Japan's egg sandwiches are tasty actually say the egg filling is good but the bread isn't that great — or rather, they say it barely counts as bread

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Japan’s egg sandwich is made in a distinctive way — mashing boiled eggs, mixing them with mayonnaise, and sandwiching the filling between soft, moisture-rich white bread — a food culture rarely seen abroad. In recent years, this soft texture and egg flavor have become popular among foreign tourists visiting Japan, drawing more attention to it as a convenience-store item. Within the thread, however, opinions clashed over why prices look high in America: some argued it “only looks expensive once converted into yen because of the weak yen,” while others pointed to “inflation driving up prices in the US itself.” In reality, currency fluctuation and local price increases are both happening at the same time, and it’s easy to mistakenly attribute the effect to just one cause. There were also comments noting that egg sandwiches sold in America differ from Japanese convenience-store egg sandwiches in bread type and texture — a nuance that’s easy to miss from the article alone, since the same name “egg sandwich” doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] US-based Yuma Nakamura buys a convenience-store Japanese-style egg sandwich popular with foreigners — “The price really surprises you, huh~”“.

  • Morning Musume。’26’s New Single Lands at #4 in Early Sales, Falls Short of Hinatazaka46, Kyanchu, and Tokimeki Sendenbu

    The early-sale-day numbers for Morning Musume。’26’s new single “Lonely…But not Alone/Yes ka No ka Watashi ka” came in at No. 4, trailing Hinatazaka46 (371,479 copies), Kyanchu (176,674 copies), and Tokimeki Sendenbu (105,410 copies) — a result that became a hot topic on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. With the single also marking the last for members Sakura Oda and Maria Makino, the thread debated the sales structure propped up by one-on-one meet-and-greet events, the shift from CDs to streaming, and the circumstances behind Makino’s individual sales not being counted in the tally.

    2AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:00
    371,479 — Hinatazaka46
    176,674 — Kyanchu
    105,410 — Tokimeki Sendenbu
    #4 — Morning Musume。'26
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:12
    Re: #2
    I don't know how Kyanchu sells its stuff, but I'm shocked the number's this low. The 'wolf' fandom (their diehard fan nickname) hypes this group so hard everywhere, I figured they were insanely popular.
    39AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:15
    Re: #32
    My bad, typo — I meant Kyanchu.
    131AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:43
    Re: #32
    Kawalabo (their management/label) is already past its peak.
    All anyone talks about is the controversies.
    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    Losing to Hinatazaka46 is just par for the course.
    Losing to Kyanchu was also likely given Kawalabo's pull.
    But losing to Tokimeki Sendenbu — who've been brainwashed by Momoiro Clover Z's bad influence into thinking CD-stacking is evil — that's just over.
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:06
    Re: #7
    Guess you think of us as a top idol group if losing to Tokimeki Sendenbu feels like 'it's over' to you — thanks for that.
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    Re: #7
    In that case, Momoiro Clover Z are the ones in the right lol
    15AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    It's Tokimeki Sendenbu's last single, of course fans are stacking copies.
    Meanwhile Morning Musume's doing full meet-and-greet pushes and still only gets this — that's the real issue.
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Re: #15
    If this really is Tokimeki Sendenbu's last single, they never once hit No. 1 on the Oricon weekly singles chart.
    (They did hit No. 1 with an album, but their best for a single was No. 2.)
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:09
    They deliberately shifted the release date right into a losing matchup —
    proves the agency doesn't care one bit about Oricon rankings anymore.
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:10
    Re: #24
    Back in the day they had Michishige chanting '3 straight No. 1s' like it was a sutra.
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:10
    The agency's shifted its focus to streaming.
    The era of competing on CD sales is over.
    61AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:23
    Re: #27
    The way you put it makes it sound like they used to win on CD sales and are now popular on streaming instead.
    But they've been losing to other idol groups on CD sales for ages, and they're losing on streaming too.
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:14
    This is it, for Oda and Makino's last single, huh…
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    Re: #37
    And apparently the copies from Makino's own individual meet-and-greet push aren't even counted in this number.
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:18
    Re: #42
    Wait, what do you mean?
    Will it get added later?
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Re: #45
    No idea.
    Morning Musume fans were making noise about how the sudden release-date change made Makino's efforts count for nothing, or something like that.
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:23
    Re: #45
    Makino's events don't count because they were held more than 3 months before release, while the title was still unannounced.

    > Pre-order events must be held within 3 months of the release date,
    and each eligible product must have had its details officially announced by the time the pre-order event begins.
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    They're still using Tsunku♂ for the songs, so
    fans need to step up and buy to support them.
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:18
    Re: #43
    That's exactly why I said they need to keep doing high-volume, low-margin sales like before — selling 'talk tickets' (event-voucher bundles) — instead of pushing streaming.
    There's no way they can just funnel everyone onto streaming.
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:19
    Spotify monthly listeners (in ten-thousands)
    Hinatazaka46 22.9
    Kyan(chu) 66.1
    Tokimeki Sendenbu 37.7
    Musume。26 2.1

    Why are they even competing?
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:21
    Re: #50
    Maybe we should also compare the play counts for each new single —
    though obviously Morning Musume。'26 would come in last there too.
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:19
    Isn't this kind of thing basically just down to pricing and how many release events they run?
    64AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:24
    Re: #51
    Basically, for Hello! Project groups, the one-on-one meet-and-greet sales are what matters most.
    Release events play a part too, but it's tough unless you either run a ton of them or push insanely hard to sell endless CDs at a single event.
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Even their release event today was just a half-hearted, one-off affair.
    At this point the agency's real flagship group has to be Juice=Juice.
    71AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:27
    Re: #55
    Morning Musume having few release events is nothing new, it's always been that way.
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:22
    100,000 copies just to land 3rd place?
    They dropped it into a brutal release week.
    72AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:27
    Re: #59
    Two years ago, the summer week when Naniwa Danshi, Me:I, and Noimi all dropped on the same day also had all three top contenders posting huge numbers — a seriously stacked week. This week Morning Musume barely squeezes in too, so I guess that makes it a 'big four' week?
    73AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:28
    Re: #72
    Maybe you mean the week with Tsubaki Factory and NGT48?
    143AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:45
    Re: #72
    Even without going back two years — this February had a week with M!LK, Naniwa Danshi, RIIZE, and ≒JOY where 4th place still opened with 276,000 copies.
    66AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:25
    Re: #62
    That's exactly it.
    So Makino's individual meet-and-greet sales were for the fans' sake, not something that actually gets added to Morning Musume's official sales total.
    70AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:27
    Re: #66
    It's outside the Oricon counting window, sure, but they were still sold, so it still contributed to actual sales.
    75AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:29
    I've heard Tokimeki Sendenbu fans only ever buy one copy each, so the real No. 1 here is actually Tokimeki Sendenbu.
    89AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:32
    Re: #75
    Pretty much every idol group drives sales by fans stacking multiple copies for meet-and-greets — can Tokimeki Sendenbu fans just not stack?
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:30
    Re: #56
    Hinatazaka46 / 'Icha Icha Mushi' — 362,007
    Morning Musume / 'Lonely…But not Alone' — 276,554
    Kyanchu / 'Soui♡So Free' — 264,144
    Tokimeki Sendenbu / 'Oomori Happy' — 237,040
    86AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:31
    Re: #80
    So everyone's play counts are kind of weak across the board.
    Looks like Kyanchu's controversy-bait marketing didn't pay off.
    101AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:36
    Oda-kaba's great calamity is still ongoing.
    107AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:37
    Re: #101
    'Zero wolves' has been sitting there for way too long.
    117AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:40
    Re: #101
    It's been going on nonstop ever since Sato graduated, right up through Sugihara's early joining.
    Once a group's structure gets this warped, fixing it takes huge sacrifice and a long time.

    Background and Key Points of Discussion

    CD sales for Hello! Project groups have largely been propped up by a culture in which fans ‘stack’ copies at each member’s individual meet-and-greet and bonus-goods events. Under Oricon’s counting rules, pre-order events only count toward official sales if they’re held within three months of release and after the product’s details have been publicly announced. The thread’s claim that Makino’s individual sales weren’t reflected in the final number appears to stem from a violation of this rule. Opinions in the thread split between the traditional view that CD sales measure a group’s momentum, and the counterpoint that the agency has shifted its focus to streaming distribution — with posters repeatedly comparing copy counts and Spotify play counts against other groups like Hinatazaka46, Kyanchu, and Tokimeki Sendenbu. Some also noted that Tokimeki Sendenbu’s count was inflated by this being their final single, suggesting it may be premature to use this single ranking alone to compare each group’s usual momentum.

    ※This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Breaking] Morning Musume。’26’s New Single “Lonely…But not Alone/Yes ka No ka Watashi ka” — Early-Sale Figures Not Disclosed, Lands at No. 4“.

  • Shuto Inomata’s Contract Terminated — 5ch Reacts: ‘Did They Dump Him Without Hesitation Because He’s a Newcomer?’

    On October 1, talent agency STARTO ENTERTAINMENT announced it had terminated its contract, effective September 30, with timelesz member Shuto Inomata (25), who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman he knew. Inomata was released on September 25, and it appears he admitted to the allegations and reached a settlement with the victim. On 5ch’s Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ board, users debated why a “newcomer” so soon after his debut was cut loose so quickly, questioning whether it was a move to protect the group, with many comparing it to how past celebrity scandals have been handled.

    timelesz’s Shuto Inomata Contract Terminated — Agency Announces: “We Deeply and Sincerely Apologize” | FNN

    Thursday, October 1, 2026, 9:06 AM

    Regarding Shuto Inomata (25), a member of the popular idol group “timelesz” who was arrested on suspicion of punching a woman he knew in the face and injuring her, and who was released on September 25, talent agency STARTO ENTERTAINMENT announced on the morning of October 1 that it had terminated its contract with Inomata as of September 30.

    Source: fnn.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:20
    So basically… what, dattebayo?! (catchphrase borrowed from Naruto, used here as a reaction meme)
    203AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:42
    Re: #2
    The outer moat's being filled in (idiom for 'he's being boxed in before the final blow')
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:21
    Huh? After he went to all that trouble doing his makeup perfectly for the apology?
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:23
    Re: #6
    Maybe after seeing the public's reaction to the apology, they decided not to keep him after all.
    111AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:31
    Re: #6
    If doing your makeup nicely is enough to be forgiven, this world's way too easy lol
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:21
    If they kept him in the group, the whole group goes down with him,
    but he's not popular enough to make it as a solo act either.
    49AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:26
    Re: #9
    ??? "I'm not a rotten orange!" (iconic line from the Japanese teen drama 3-nen B-gumi Kinpachi Sensei)
    11AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:22
    Did they dump him without hesitation just because he's a newcomer?
    205AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:42
    Re: #11
    If he'd been a popular member, they probably wouldn't have cut him.
    Most non-fans only even heard of him because of the arrest.

    Might be different if he'd come up through the Johnny's Jr. system,
    but he's from a YouTube-audition idol group with no ties to Johnny's.
    231AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:46
    Re: #11
    He committed an actual crime, so there was never any way around it.
    Well, if he'd been a bit more famous, they might've let him off with just leaving the group.
    12AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:22
    Thought they'd cook up some excuse to keep him around,
    but they actually cut him loose.
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:23
    Re: #12
    Yeah, that was never gonna happen.
    189AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:41
    Re: #12
    There was a woman involved (bad look for an idol),
    he hit her (bad look for society),
    it happened in a car parked at a convenience store (lame),
    and he played dumb, claiming his
    "hand just brushed her" (zero remorse).

    With all that, keeping him around was a dead end no matter what lol
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:23
    Leaving the agency was unavoidable,
    and he probably won't even touch social media anymore,
    he's done with the public stage for good.
    In exchange, they'll probably cover his penalty fee.
    29AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:24
    Re: #23
    There's probably hush money involved too.
    30AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:24
    A fan was saying this guy's a distant relative of Kōshō Inomata (the famous songwriter),
    so I figured there'd be no firing out of favoritism.
    227AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:46
    Re: #30
    Even if that's true, I doubt in this day and age STARTO gets any benefit from being connected to Kōshō Inomata — if he were like a grandson, maybe, but being some distant relative isn't exactly a card you can play.
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:24
    He said his hand just brushed her, so why did this even happen…?
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:25
    Re: #31
    If you stabbed someone with a blade and
    claimed "the tip just touched her,"
    and that actually worked, Japan would be a lawless wasteland.
    190AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:41
    Re: #31
    Inomata "admitted to the allegations and settled."
    He himself admitted it wasn't just his hand brushing her.
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:25
    Is this punishment heavier than Richard's?
    Or did he ask to leave on his own?
    55AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:26
    Re: #42
    That case didn't have a victim, though. That's a huge difference.
    64AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:27
    Re: #42
    You don't see the difference between a guy who just exposed himself and a guy who hit a woman?
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:26
    Stuff like 'Love Jouto' (an ABEMA dating-reality show) would probably still have him on.
    60AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:27
    Re: #53
    More suited for one of those 'become a host' reality shows.
    56AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:27
    Getting fired just for hitting your own girlfriend? Unthinkable at a normal company.
    84AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:30
    Re: #56
    Since it became a police matter, wouldn't a normal company end up with the same result too?
    75AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:29
    Fuma Kikuchi used to say the members are family, but he cut him loose without a second thought.
    85AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:30
    Re: #75
    They really blew the whole concept.
    If they were really family, you'd never abandon them in the end no matter how much you hated them deep down.
    112AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:31
    Re: #75
    He's the one who betrayed the family that trusted him, though.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    timelesz, the group Inomata belonged to, debuted through a YouTube audition project rather than the traditional Johnny’s Jr. pipeline, and this difference in background came up in the thread in the form of comments like “he never did his training.” The contract termination came after a settlement had already been reached, and the fact that the agency acted before any criminal proceedings were finalized is the kind of thing that invites comparison with how past celebrity scandals were handled. At the same time, details about the victim’s identity and her relationship to Inomata have not been reported, so it’s worth noting that much of the speculation in the thread isn’t confirmed fact.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “timelesz’s Shuto Inomata Contract Terminated — Agency Announces: “We Deeply and Sincerely Apologize” | FNN.”

  • “Obocchama-kun” Returns After 35 Years — 5ch: “Remakes Only Succeed Once or Twice, So Why Keep Doing This?”

    To mark the 40th anniversary of the manga “Obocchama-kun,” it was announced on September 30 that a new anime, “Obocchama-kun REBORN,” will air on the TV Asahi network next year — the franchise’s first new anime in 35 years. Given the scale of an entirely new production from start to finish, reactions on 5ch were mixed: some were enthusiastic, while others voiced skepticism about whether it could be “acceptable by today’s standards.” The thread ranged from debates over whether recent remakes tend to succeed or fail, to concerns about how much of the original’s trademark crude humor could survive under current broadcast standards, to discussion of production trends aimed at overseas markets.

    Trailer video

    “Obocchama-kun” Returns After 35 Years — Airing Next Year on TV Asahi, Marking the Manga’s 40th Anniversary, With an All-New “REBORN” Series

    It was decided on the 30th that the popular manga “Obocchama-kun,” which just marked the 40th anniversary of its serialization, will get an anime broadcast on the TV Asahi network next year for the first time in 35 years. It will air as the entirely new production “Obocchama-kun REBORN.”

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

    5AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:06
    This time he'll wear clothes — no more baring skin
    72AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:18
    Re: #5
    Binbocchama… (the poor-kid parody spin-off character)
    8AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:07
    Probably a case of some elementary schooler who watched it back in the day growing up to become a producer and digging it back up.
    103AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:21
    Re: #8
    Yeah, exactly.
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:09
    Remakes like this really only succeed once or twice, so why doesn't it ever stop?
    And who's even asking to watch this, anyway?
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:11
    Re: #18
    India funded it, so it's already profitable from the get-go.
    138AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:26
    Re: #18
    Coming up with something new is a pain, and people probably figure a remake carries less risk.
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:10
    The old anime was a hit in India, so it's being made with Indian money.
    It already aired in India last year.
    India had already cut the "Tomodachinko" gag (a pun combining "friend" and slang for penis) when airing the old anime, so the new anime drops it from the start.
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:13
    Re: #23
    Why India, of all places?
    26AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:10
    "Stand-in Narudaka" — lol, that brought back memories
    93AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:20
    Re: #26
    In the PC Engine game version he's actually useful as a wall-hack item.

    Nah, if Namco's going to bother making that, they should just port Marvel Land instead lol
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:15
    I see it a lot on YouTube, but Binbocchama is actually an admirable kid who raises his little siblings with real love.
    A lot of those episodes will make you cry.
    186AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:35
    Re: #53
    His sense of pride is great too.
    64AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:17
    This is probably going to get heavily censored.
    They probably can't even say "Tomodachinko" anymore.
    71AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:17
    Re: #64
    There was an anime airing just recently that kept saying "chinko" over and over, though.
    80AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:18
    Dodge Danko is cool, so it'll be fine!
    100AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:21
    Re: #80
    It's really the characters' sexual-harassment and power-harassment behavior that counts as a compliance violation —
    just saying "chinko" by itself might actually be fine.
    81AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:18
    "Pokkun is a walking ransom" — what a wild lyric that is.
    108AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:22
    Re: #81
    And that was back when ransom kidnappings were still happening fairly often, too.
    85AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:19
    Kimengumi was hilarious in my childhood memories, but when I watched the remake I was shocked at how boring it was.

    I wonder how this one will fare? I was obsessed with it as a kid, but will it still be funny watching it now?
    139AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:27
    Re: #85
    Classic case of nostalgia goggles.
    I was obsessed with Chrono Trigger back in the day too, but when I replayed it recently it was dead boring.
    99AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:21
    I bet feminists will end up tanking this.
    The way the heroine gets treated is pretty rough.
    106AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:22
    Re: #99
    Was there even a heroine?
    I remember even his earwax was made of gold.
    113AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:23
    Apparently in the original there was a stretch where the lead was voiced by a stand-in — how weird did that feel?!

    Gobō Chama
    Voice: Chie Kamishiro (during Kamishiro's maternity leave, episodes 135-137, filled in by Chisa Yokoyama)
    136AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:26
    Re: #113
    Didn't feel weird at all.
    115AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:23
    Didn't Ninja Hattori-kun also get remade because of overseas popularity?
    The anime industry is leaning on overseas demand now, just like the tourism industry.
    Apparently isekai reincarnation shows are popular abroad for the same reason.
    148AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:28
    Re: #115

    Even if it's popular overseas, that's really just a subset of otaku and kids — over 80% of revenue still comes from the domestic market, so it's still nowhere near the game industry, which has actually captured a real overseas market.
    125AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:24
    Even calling it a "hit in India" really just means it's one of the Japanese anime kids watch there — it's not like everyone knows it.

    Bobobo was popular there too, so maybe that kind of fast-paced gag comedy is what goes over well.
    181AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:33
    Re: #125
    After Bobobo got cancelled from the national network, it dropped down to local broadcasts, and depending on the affiliate station, the ending of the "final national episode" came in two versions — one implying no local continuation, one implying it would continue locally.
    Though there were also stations that aired the "no continuation" version and still ended up continuing it locally anyway.
    127AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:24
    When it was streaming on d-Anime I watched a bit out of nostalgia and ended up laughing at how crude it was.
    Tsurupika Hagemaru had stuff in it that was basically dog abuse — that one made me recoil.
    151AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:28
    Re: #127
    That bit where they generate electricity off the dog Pes would probably get called abuse nowadays.
    128AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:24
    Did the original series end with the fight against Shadow Chama?
    172AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:30
    Re: #128
    It actually kept going a bit after the Shadow Chama arc.
    Wasn't it cancelled over the cross-network thing instead?

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    “Obocchama-kun” is a manga by Yoshinori Kobayashi, and the original anime also aired on the TV Asahi network, so this marks a kind of “homecoming” to that same station. Opinion in the thread split over the track record of recent remakes — some pointed out that successful remakes are rare, while others countered that such impressions are just nostalgia bias affecting how people judge things. Some posts claimed the production involves overseas capital, but there is no such mention in the official announcement, so this could not be confirmed. There is also strong interest in how much of the original’s trademark crude humor can survive under today’s broadcast standards, with attention focused not just on nostalgia but on “how it will be remade for the current era.”

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Anime] “Obocchama-kun” Returns After 35 Years! Airing Next Year on TV Asahi, Marking the Manga’s 40th Anniversary, All-New Episodes Throughout.”

  • Sasaki Rikako’s Fan Club Event Crowd Sparks Debate — 5ch Asks ‘Why Are There Old Guys Here?’

    A thread reporting on the crowd at a fan club event for Sasaki Rikako, a Hello! Project graduate (OG), appeared on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. According to one post, the venue’s capacity was around 78 people, but only about 10 male fans showed up, sparking a split among thread posters over why so few male otaku attended. Some wondered in confusion, “But she’s so cute,” while others pointed out that she spends too long engaging with specific favorite fans, driving casual fans away.

    3AnonymousOct 1, 2026 06:57
    There weren't even 10 old guys total.
    5AnonymousOct 1, 2026 06:59
    Why are there old guys here at all?
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:11
    Re: #5
    Because old guys won tickets too, that's why.
    7AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:03
    Seriously, why is she this unpopular with guys?
    10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:13
    Re: #1
    First session, huh.
    Sounds like the otaku crowd didn't hype it up at all.
    12AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:15
    She's just not that endearing.
    This might have a higher female ratio than Kudo Haruka's bus tour.
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:21
    Re: #12
    She's a bundle of cute.
    What happened to the makeup the day before yesterday though? But yesterday she looked normal-cute.
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:19
    Max capacity was 78 and there were 10 guys there.
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:21
    What did everyone do with their umbrellas? Was there somewhere to stash them?
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:22
    Re: #16
    Mine was a folding one — double-bagged it in plastic and just shoved it in.
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:24
    The elite few who didn't drift off to Juice=Juice (a fellow Hello! Project group)?
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:30
    Re: #19
    There were people there acting like TO regulars (TO = "top oshi," the most devoted front-row fans) even though they've clearly moved on elsewhere.
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:26
    It was really fun, but I think the small venue size had a lot to do with that.
    Please do it again!
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:38
    I only got into the first session, but somehow ended up front row like it was nothing.
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:38
    She said she's doing an event at Hello! Shop Osaka next.
    27AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:39
    The only guys who showed up are probably the type who are into her female fans, not her.
    28AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:41
    The person in front of me was probably young, but with the clothes and everything, from behind they looked exactly like a gray-haired old lady.
    30AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:46
    Where's TO "Sawami auntie" (a well-known regular top fan)?
    33AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:49
    Re: #30
    This was the second session.
    "Yumeriai auntie" was front row at the first session.
    32AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:47
    What was the big giveaway for the second session?
    The first session had a yellow cat T-shirt and a navy-and-white checked tote bag.
    35AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:51
    She's so cute, why are there so few male otaku?
    39AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:53
    Who'd have thought she'd end up less popular than Tamenaga…
    40AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:54
    She was originally a model, so the ratio isn't that strange. There are even high schoolers among the guys there.
    41AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:57
    In Rikako's case, her events cater way too heavily to her "omaitsu" favorites (regulars she always dotes on), leaving casual fans behind, so they keep disappearing one by one — can't help it. She reaps what she sowed.
    43AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:57
    People keep saying it's few, but aside from Fukumura, Ishida, Sato, Miyamoto, and Inaba, the other OGs aren't much different.
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:58
    Re: #43
    Morito probably pulls in around 300.
    61AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:25
    Re: #43
    Those names at least pull 300 to 600 for an FC event around Tokyo.
    44AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:57
    She was an exclusive CanCam model for years, but it never translated into popularity from that crowd.
    46AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:58
    If Ange (ANGERME, a Hello! Project group) goes viral, her otaku numbers will grow too.
    49AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:01
    She's so adorable, why are there so few male otaku?
    tps://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTW70uAakAAvArJ.jpg
    tps://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTXQOmJbkAAKL2r.jpg
    tps://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTXDwlPaUAAf-Qq.jpg
    tps://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTXDwDMb0AA-TbS.jpg
    51AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:01
    Re: #49
    Did she say something discriminatory against old guys at some point or something?
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:05
    Re: #51
    No, she didn't.
    She's an equal-opportunity sweetheart to everyone regardless of age or gender.
    It's just that she spends way too long on her favorite fans while leaving everyone else behind, and it kills the mood.
    52AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:03
    Her CanCam-related events are favoritism-driven too — this is an FC event, but it's the same vibe.
    54AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:10
    Those favorites are probably all women, aren't they.
    55AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:10
    https://x.com/katsumaru__/status/2105270498087329860
    Apparently that was given out to everyone at an event where they screened her graduation concert footage in a movie theater.
    Someone go let them know.
    59AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:23
    When they announced they'd give this to whoever got the quiz question right, it felt too intimidating and I thought "nah, I don't want it" — I couldn't even take care of it properly.
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTdmD72acAA23Ky.jpg
    https://youtu.be/8xDGXCVCptg?t=7m53s
    60AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:23
    Isn't the crowd even smaller than Koseki's?
    62AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:28
    Even at Bar Event Square Ebara, tickets for both sessions didn't sell out.
    Wonder what they'll do if they hold it again next year.
    If they switch to somewhere like TFM, the floor's flat, so even fewer people will show up.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Sasaki Rikako, a Hello! Project graduate, has continued to hold fan-club-organized events on an irregular basis since leaving the group. It’s worth noting that the figure cited in the thread — “about 10 male fans out of a venue capacity of roughly 78” — comes from an attendee’s visual estimate, not an official number released by the organizers. The debate centered on why male fans were so few, with some arguing it has nothing to do with her looks, while others claimed she spends too much time with specific favorite fans, driving casual fans away. Since venue size and turnout for Hello! Project graduate events vary widely depending on each member’s current activity level, simple numerical comparisons with other members’ events should be made with caution.

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Image] The Crowd at Sasaki Rikako’s Fan Club Event wwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • Xbox Chief Denies ‘Preparing for Sale’ Rumors — 5ch: ‘They Should Drop the Console to ¥30,000 and Game Pass to ¥100’

    Xbox head Asha Sharma revealed that she’s repeatedly fielded the same question from industry insiders and fans at multiple events, including BlizzCon: “Is Microsoft preparing to sell off Xbox?” In an interview with windowscentral.com, she addressed the speculation directly and pushed back against it. When the story reached Japanese gaming forums, opinions split between those who see the barrage of questions itself as “proof Xbox is cornered” and those who dismiss it as “just one of those questions that comes up all the time.” The discussion also branched into a debate over how differently Microsoft and Sony each position their gaming businesses.

    At the last several Xbox-related events I’ve attended, including BlizzCon, I’ve gotten the same question over and over from industry people and fans: “Is Microsoft preparing to sell off Xbox?”

    One question that’s been coming up a lot from journalists lately concerns the theory that Xbox is “up for sale” — and Sharma addressed that theory head-on today.

    At the last several Xbox-related events I’ve attended, including BlizzCon, I’ve gotten the same question over and over from industry people and fans: “Is Microsoft preparing to sell off Xbox?”

    Source: windowscentral.com / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:08
    So that means the 'Trash-tation' (ゴミステ, a derogatory nickname for PlayStation) is the one getting sold off, huh?
    4AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:11
    If you trust Totoki, a PS sale is seriously plausible. The guy's a corporate liquidator, after all.
    5AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:11
    Sony-did-it-too!!

    Sony-did-it-too!!!!


    Things have gotten so bad Asha herself had to step in and put out the fire directly, and yet here on Geha (5ch's hardware/industry board) everyone's still cheerfully yelling 'but Sony did it too!'
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:14
    Asha: 'Oh damn, guess I really am selling off the shitbox.' (クソ箱, "shit-box," is forum slang for Xbox)
    8AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:17
    I see, so the PS business sale really is getting close.
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:25
    If 'They said they won't sell it but it's actually baaaad!' counts as logic, then by the same token you could say the same thing about Sony: 'Concord bombed and now Wolverine's bombing too, so it's baaaad!' And you could just as easily say the same nonsense about Nintendo: 'Switch 2 raised its price and sales are dropping, so it's baaaad!' That would have to be allowed too.

    Ridiculous.
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:28
    Re: #15
    That's exactly the point — the fact that the negative narrative is being believed at all IS the problem.
    Consoles get bought based on their perceived future, and games get made the same way, so once people think there's no future in it, it's over.
    27AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:38
    Re: #15
    That's just the level game media operates at.
    Japan's bad, but overseas outlets are, by any measure, way worse.
    There are a bunch of so-called 'leakers' (lol) running around who never face any consequences — that shouldn't even be possible.
    That whole racket only works because nobody involved is ever held accountable, it's basically just vibes.
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:30
    This is gonna boomerang right back on Sony, isn't it.
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:32
    Is Sony gonna buy them out?
    104AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:00
    Re: #24
    Nice one.
    30AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:41
    Asha's downsizing really gutted the first-party lineup.
    Should've just scrapped the subscription service instead.
    57AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:20
    Re: #30
    First-party got weaker? Where? They literally just announced they're concentrating budget on their popular IPs.
    35AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:45
    Honestly, down the line it's plausible they pull out of consoles and go all-in on Xbox PC, but there's no way they're selling the whole thing off.
    Minecraft alone sells like crazy and is generating synergy in all kinds of directions.
    40AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:50
    Re: #35
    What synergy could there even be from Minecraft, when it's multiplatform by default anyway?
    44AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:53
    Re: #40
    I mean, there's plenty.
    Minecraft isn't even on Steam, after all.
    84AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:40
    Re: #40
    Go check out the Minecraft section at a bookstore sometime — it's basically a funnel steering kids toward Windows.
    37AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:48
    Honestly, I can't help but think questions like that come up all the time anyway.
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:51
    Re: #37
    Fair point.
    Well, the reason Xbox is struggling is closely tied to the fact that the whole 'big studio, big-budget title' business model is hitting its structural limits — and that's not something SIE is immune to either.
    It's a bit different, but the same goes for Nintendo now that the one-console-per-person model is getting harder to pull off.
    41AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:51
    If anything, it's arguably the most momentum any platform has right now.
    With Play Anywhere it's going head-to-head with Steam directly, and they've pulled in Kojima's games too.
    Doesn't matter much in Japan, but they also just announced a disc-to-digital feature so Xbox One-era disc libraries don't go to waste.
    None of that is something Sony can pull off.
    If it still doesn't sell after all that, well, there's not much more they could do.
    51AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:00
    Re: #41
    None of that means anything to new customers.
    Now's exactly the time they should sell the Xbox console for 30,000 yen and drop Game Pass to 100 yen.
    50AnonymousOct 1, 2026 07:58
    The fact that Sony's pet media outlets are the ones pushing stories like this…
    that tells you everything you need to know, lol
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:08
    Re: #50
    Top to bottom, you guys really do have a sixth sense for this stuff, huh.
    What's written in the article is basically describing PlayStation to a T.
    Totoki and Nishino can't go anywhere these days without getting grilled about pulling out of the business.
    64AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:25
    Re: #53
    Sony today is fundamentally an entertainment-content company, so there's basically no scenario where they let go of the gaming business.
    For Microsoft, gaming is just a peripheral business — a money-losing albatross around their neck.
    Of course Xbox is the one getting asked about a sale.
    66AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:30
    Re: #64
    If things were really that good, cost-cutter Totoki wouldn't need to step in, declare the business unsustainable, and go on a studio-closure-and-layoff spree while selling off treasury stock.
    75AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:35
    Re: #64
    The core of Sony's entertainment business is film and anime — visual content — not games.
    56AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:19
    Apparently there's a console called the PS5 Pro that sold worse than the Xbox Series X this week.
    58AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:22
    Re: #56
    If they actually sold it at that price I'd buy as many as I could afford, lol
    90AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:45
    Selling off Polyphony Digital and having some Chinese studio make Gran Turismo instead — Totoki would totally do that, lol
    93AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:48
    Re: #90
    Once Forza goes multiplatform, there's just no way GT can compete, however you slice it.
    Smarter to sell off the studio before suffering a humiliating defeat.
    96AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:51
    Re: #93
    You mean Forza Motorsport?
    99AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:56
    Re: #93
    Turns out FM (Forza Motorsport's studio) got disbanded first though 🥺
    95AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:51
    Sucker Punch ← Period-piece games are hard to sequelize, and they just released a new title, so it's an easy one to shut down

    Polyphony Digital ← Can't beat Forza, so they should sell it off sooner rather than later

    Naughty Dog ← Seven years without a new game, time to cut their losses and close up shop
    97AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:55
    Re: #95
    The thing is, Xbox is the one that actually went and did exactly this to its own studios.
    100AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:57
    Re: #95
    You mean Halo Studios, Turn 10, and Bethesda, lol
    101AnonymousOct 1, 2026 08:59
    If 'downsizing the business = preparing to sell' is the logic we're going with, PlayStation is the one in actual trouble, lol

    PS fanboys know it deep down too, right?
    Honestly, all we've heard out of SIE lately is downsizing talk.
    105AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:01
    Re: #101
    Xbox cut 3,200 jobs.
    How many did PlayStation cut?
    109AnonymousOct 1, 2026 09:04
    New York Times demands Asha apologize to Sony for poaching Kojima

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTfOegRW4AA28h8.jpg

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    These remarks stem from an interview with the English-language gaming outlet windowscentral.com, in which Xbox chief Asha Sharma moved to tamp down speculation by stating she has no intention of selling. It’s easy to misread the headline “Xbox is being sold” in isolation, but it’s worth stressing that she’s denying the rumor — this isn’t a report confirming that a sale has been decided. Opinion in the thread split over whether the sheer volume of repeated questions is itself “a sign Xbox is in trouble,” or “just one of those questions that comes up all the time.” The discussion also branched into the differing positions of the two companies: gaming is a secondary business for Microsoft, while Sony treats its entertainment business, games included, as a core pillar of revenue. Note that figures like layoff counts mentioned in the replies are unverified hearsay from posters, not facts confirmed within the article itself.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “[Sad News] Asha Admits She’s Being Asked by Multiple Insiders Whether ‘Xbox Is Preparing for a Sale’.”

  • Table Tennis Star Tomokazu Harimoto Accused of DMing Multiple Female Announcers, Report Sparks Mixed Reactions

    Bunshun Online reported that table tennis player Tomokazu Harimoto (23) has been sending direct messages on social media to multiple female TV announcers. The story blew up on 5ch’s live-commentary board, with posters speculating that one of the announcers herself may have been the source of the leak, while others argued there’s nothing wrong with it if both parties are single. At the same time, some brought up his relationship with fellow player Hina Hayata, and others compared his DM habits to those of athletes in other sports like soccer, splitting the thread between defenders and critics.

    “Cho-rei!” to the Announcers — Table Tennis’s Tomokazu Harimoto (23) and His “Serial DM Flirting” (Cho-rei is his signature victory shout)

    Source: bunshun.jp / Read the original article here

    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:37
    Obviously one of the female announcers ratted him out, huh
    4AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:38
    If they're both single, what's the problem?
    5AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:38
    So we're just done talking about Hina Hayata now?
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:40
    They just wanted to make the 'Cho-rei!' → 'Charai!' (flirty) pun, didn't they
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:41
    He probably wants to lock down marriage while he's still at his peak
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:41
    Apparently J2/J3 soccer players ('ball-kickers') DM celebrities nonstop too

    that's exactly why they're stuck in J2
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:44
    It's not like he's cheating, let the guy shoot his shot lol
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:44
    Even Harimoto does this kind of thing?
    He's supposed to be one of Japan's top athletes
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:45
    I guess table tennis really needs that moment of letting out a crazy yell when you score a point
    Same goes for tennis, though there are plenty of players who don't do it that much
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:46
    Guess athletes really do have strong libidos
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:47
    Don't end up like Mizutani, getting tricked by a honey trap and blackmailed
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:50
    Re: #28
    Yeah, he was mixed up in something like that too
    Table tennis players seem like the type to keep pushing even after being turned down
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:50
    A country where a single guy asking out a single woman is enough to make headlines
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:52
    Re: #36
    Well, if you're not smooth about it you get sold out, I guess
    Maybe it was an approach from someone she wasn't happy to hear from
    Same logic applies to sexual harassment accusations too
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:51
    ｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:55
    Honestly, in terms of popularity with women, a top table tennis player is barely on par with a J3 soccer player
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:57
    Re: #44
    If you're gonna go for it, targeting announcers at a local TV station is probably about the right level
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:55
    Cho-rei! turns into Charai! and any girl who falls for it is Choroi! (an easy catch) — nice rhyme
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:56
    He's single and young, so who cares
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:00
    Nothing's creepier than hitting on someone cold in their DMs
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:00
    Go for the love smash, Harimoto!
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:01
    Thought he was more of an introvert, kinda relieved he's actually pretty easygoing
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:04
    Re: #53
    Nah, if anything DM-hitting-on is more of an introvert move
    Yonezu's way more of an extrovert than that
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:06
    Re: #58
    Well, if we're talking about cold-approaching someone you've never met and don't have contact info for, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other
    He does seem like the type to skip a bunch of steps and just go for it
    Maybe a guy with a broken sense of social distance
    65AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    Re: #58
    Yonezu and his 100 red roses 🌹(´；ω；｀) (referencing his infamous grand romantic gesture)
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    So this is why celebrities use social media — so they can slide into DMs
    68AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:11
    Re: #55
    If she's already following him, he knows she's at least somewhat interested — that clears step one, and he's a medalist after all
    Meanwhile a J2 player DMing someone who doesn't even follow him back takes some serious nerve
    76AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    Re: #55
    Former idols who've spilled the beans on this say baseball and soccer players do it a lot too
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    Happened to catch a video on YouTube or somewhere of him shopping with his sister — surprised to see he's just a normal young guy
    72AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:13
    Honestly I don't get why men's volleyball, another 'introvert sport' like table tennis, is so popular
    75AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    Re: #72
    Tall, fair-skinned, lean and toned — they're basically a bundle of male attractiveness
    79AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:18
    Re: #72
    I think volleyball actually has a lot of extroverted guys, though it still ranks lower on the social ladder
    Lately they've got good looks, so they've started marketing them idol-style toward middle-aged women, haven't they
    Also broadcast rights are cheaper, so it's probably easier for media to push
    94AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:34
    No joke, table tennis and Puyo Puyo (the puzzle game) might be the only things where an elementary schooler can actually compete with the best in the world
    95AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:35
    Re: #94
    What about figure skating?

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    Bunshun Online is a publication that frequently covers scoops about celebrities’ and athletes’ relationships and DM habits, and this article, too, appears to be based on secondhand information rather than direct interviews with Harimoto or his team. The thread split over where to draw the line on reporting private exchanges between two single people — some argued there’s no issue as long as both parties are unmarried, while others saw the act of hitting on someone via DM as inherently sleazy. Some posters also brought up a past incident involving a money-related scandal tied to a table tennis player, but it’s worth noting that was a separate, unrelated event from this report.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nanademo Jikkyo G) thread “[Bunshun] Tomokazu Harimoto Says “Cho-rei!” to Female Announcers in Serial DM Flirting.”

  • Central League Pennant Race Reaches Final Stretch — Giants Fan Thread: ‘Whoever Wins the Hanshin Game Might Just Take the Pennant’

    On September 30, 2026, as the Central League pennant race entered its final stretch, a 5ch thread packed with Giants fans buzzed with chatter about how the Hanshin game would play out. Meanwhile, news broke that catcher Shiro Nogami (19), who had joined Orix as a 7th-round draft pick, had suddenly passed away, sending shockwaves through the thread. Talk also turned to reports that Masumi Kuwata had suddenly emerged as the frontrunner to become Chunichi’s next manager, along with news of roster cuts from the Giants, DeNA, and Lotte — blending pennant-race tension with wider news from the baseball world.

    1AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:58
    Previous thread
    Giants Acting-Manager Thread 156
    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:03
    [Orix] Catcher Shiro Nogami, a 7th-round draft pick, dies suddenly at 19 — team announces; had played 32 games in the farm system this season
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e761e681eb8537df077d033365f9543243b7db57
    4AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:07
    Damn, Hanshin's winning.
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:08
    Re: #4
    Actually, I've got a feeling that whichever team wins this one is going to be the one that takes the pennant for our team ("our team" = OP's affectionate nickname for the Giants).
    5AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:08
    We're not stringing hits together, so this is going to be tough unless the other side hands us their mistakes.
    10AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:09
    Announced starters for Thu 10/1:
    (T-G) Shoki Murakami vs. Kazuyuki Takemaru
    (C-D) Hiroki Tokoda vs. Yudai Ohno
    (E-H) Ryota Takinaka vs. Naoyuki Uwasawa
    (M-F) Long vs. Koki Kitayama
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:09
    [Giants] Fateful head-to-head showdown — starter is first-round pick Kazuyuki Takemaru: "I want to pitch in a way that lets the team win." He's 3-1 against Hanshin, a favorable matchup, and leads the team with 11 wins.
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/f91ef045c9c0b907266406cebac1b7ba30dbe6d9
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:10
    Central League pennant scenarios (as of Sept 29)
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:11
    Is our team's "scouting squad" in the stands today? (5ch slang for fans who go watch a game live to report back to the thread)
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:12
    [Roster Cuts Announced on the 30th] Three teams hand the cold notice to 15 players total — the Giants release 9 development-contract players, DeNA cuts 5 including Shinichi Onuki, and Lotte lets go veteran Shogo Nakamura
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/7ea84f9802847ae14c9d4081a245af6a32de7c03

    ◆ Giants
    ☆ P Yugo Bando
    ☆ P Ryu Tomita
    ☆ P Hayate Matsui
    ☆ P Hayato Ishida
    ☆ P Yusaho Yoshimura
    ☆ P Tessei Morimoto
    ☆ C Ryusuke Kita
    ☆ IF Yuya Tagami
    ☆ IF Rune Kitamura

    ◆ DeNA
    ★ P Shinichi Onuki
    ★ P Tatsuya Hashimoto
    ★ C Kyosuke Mashiko
    ★ C Junpei Tozuma
    ★ OF Shonosuke Hama

    ◆ Lotte
    IF Shogo Nakamura

    (☆ = development-contract player; ★ = expected to move to a development contract)
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:17
    Re: #19
    Kita…
    Guess it didn't work out for him.
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:13
    A 19-year-old Orix Buffaloes rookie has died under mysterious circumstances
    http://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1790761762/
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:14
    Toshio Kurosawa (Giants, 33) — June 23, '47, typhoid fever
    Minoru Nishikura (Takahashi, 26) — Dec 19, '55, cause still unknown
    Takeshi Kato (Chunichi, 20) — Jan 4, '65, car accident
    Osamu Tsuchihashi (Hanshin, 22) — Dec 21, '66, car accident
    Kazuo Usami (Nishitetsu, 18) — Mar 14, '69, struck in the left chest by a batted ball
    Jackson (Atoms, 33) — May 27, '69, cancer
    Toshihiko Yuguchi (Giants, 20) — Mar 22, '73, cardiac arrest
    Mineo Itazawa (Seibu, 19) — Dec 3, '80, acute heart failure
    Yuji Kubodera (Nankai, 26) — Jan 4, '85, acute heart failure
    Masao Fujii (Daiei, 31) — Oct 13, 2000, cancer
    Del Toro (Seibu, 29) — Oct 6, 2001, car accident
    Hiroyuki Kose (Orix, 24) — Feb 5, 2010, fatal fall
    Yusuke Kinoshita (Chunichi, 27) — Aug 3, 2021, fulminant myocarditis
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:15
    Re: #24
    Is this Kurosawa guy's number retired?
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    Re: #24
    Guess Tsuda's left off since he wasn't an active player.
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:14
    Re: #20
    And here our team's got both a coach and players in that same boat.
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:15
    Hanshin — a bit sloppy? Baserunning blunders stand out: Shota Morishita, who drove in an insurance run with a clutch hit, gets thrown out on the bases; he was also picked off and thrown out on the bases in the first inning
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/843f467be81d219ad4bbdde1d16b3abab63faf12
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:17
    Honestly, with a farm-team-level lineup that's even worse than the Giants', Yakult clearly isn't even trying to win.
    At least use Nagaoka and Uchiyama.
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:21
    Re: #32
    Hiroshima was about the same, lol.
    33AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:17
    Hanshin's lineup from the 5-hole down is genuinely garbage.
    And it's not like their defense is any good either.
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:19
    Re: #33
    Once Sato's gone, next year's our chance.
    Morishita's the only one who can hit.
    Ohyama barely hits against the Giants anyway.
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:18
    It's just disrespectful to the fans who came out to watch.
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:19
    [Exclusive Scoop] Frontrunner to replace Chunichi manager Kazuki Inoue suddenly emerges: "Masumi Kuwata is the clear favorite" — with a plan reportedly in the works to bring in Kazuyoshi Tatsunami and Kazuhiro Kiyohara as coaches…
    https://www.asagei.com/excerpt/349750

    "The clear frontrunner at this point is former Giants farm-team manager Masumi Kuwata. With the Dragons plunging into a serious dark age, further decline can't be tolerated. Owner Uichiro Oshima and team GM Kensuke Asada are reportedly willing to stake their own positions on bringing in outside blood, with a plan taking shape to entrust the rebuild to Kuwata. There's even talk of bringing in fellow PL Gakuen alumni (a famed high school baseball powerhouse) like Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, Kazuhiro Kiyohara, and Hideaki Matsuyama as coaches."
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:22
    Re: #37
    Why not just go with Tao? Is he too old now? Guess the front office hates him too much for that, lol
    39AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Well, even our team's first-stringers are farm-team level anyway.
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:20
    Hanshin's looking rattled (a derisive 5ch nickname pokes fun at the Tigers here).
    We'd win this if it were anyone but Yakult (another mocking nickname aimed at the Swallows), lol
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:23
    Getting swept three times really hurt.
    Even if each of those sweeps had gone 1-2 instead of 0-3, the Giants would've clinched, right?
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:24
    Hanshin's young hitters aren't developing at all either — once Sato and Saiki leave, won't they just end up relying on imports?
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:26
    Hanshin's starting rotation is all good-looking guys, huh.
    54AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:27
    Wasn't Oda sent to Chunichi as compensation when Noguchi came over via free agency?
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:28
    So Yakult's going to field a full-strength lineup for the Giants' next game at Jingu, huh — how sly.
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:28
    Wait, the guy doing commentary, Noguchi — he's a pitcher?
    Thought he was a catcher.
    Guess it's Yakult-Hanshin, so that tracks.
    61AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:31
    Orix's Shiro Nogami, 19, passes away… team GM holds emergency press conference — a first-year pro straight out of high school, he'd played in a farm-team game just on the 27th
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/aed678ad9c96d3e5d1a7339159dc3e9381ef00f8
    64AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:33
    The Giants had a first-round pick die too, way back — apparently he roomed with Awaguchi.
    66AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:34
    Didn't realize Yakult's Masuda is 3rd in the batting average rankings.
    He's doing great.
    81AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:36
    The reason Nishi chose Hanshin in free agency:

    "Because it's close by."
    95AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:41
    Re: #81
    The reason Maru chose the Giants in free agency:

    "Dreams and admiration."

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    Shiro Nogami had appeared in 32 farm-team games for Orix this season and had just played in a minor-league game on the 27th, which made the team’s sudden decision to call an emergency press conference with its GM all the more striking. The circumstances of his sudden death had not been disclosed as of this report, and it’s worth noting that the thread was buzzing with speculation even without any confirmed details. Separately, the report naming Masumi Kuwata as the frontrunner for Chunichi’s next managerial post comes from an observational piece by Asagei Plus, not an official team announcement. The Central League pennant race is heading into its final stretch with Hanshin, the Giants, and Yakult all still in contention, and a sense of tension over how head-to-head results could shift the standings ran through much of the thread. Some posts mocking specific teams or individuals also appeared, but comments that couldn’t be factually verified or that amounted to personal attacks have been excluded from this article.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary from the 5ch (“Hello! Project” board) thread “Giants Acting-Manager Thread 157.”

  • Yasei Bakudan’s Cookie!: “If There Are 100 People, Making 5 of Them Laugh Is Enough” — Comedy Philosophy Sparks Debate

    Cookie! of Yasei Bakudan made a guest appearance at the “TikTok Creator Summit Japan 2026,” held in Tokyo on September 30, where he opened up about his personal philosophy on comedy. Asked how he balances public demand with his own artistic commitments, he answered, “If there are 100 people, I figure it’s fine if I make 5 of them laugh.” On 5channel, the remark split opinion — critics called it “low ambition” and argued “a pro should satisfy all 100,” while defenders countered that “comedy that cuts deep with a narrow slice of people is exactly what makes it a niche business” and that “he ends up getting the whole venue roaring anyway.”

    Yasei Bakudan’s Cookie! Reveals His Comedy Philosophy: “If There Are 100 People, I Think It’s Fine to Make 5 of Them Laugh”

    Cookie! of the comedy duo “Yasei Bakudan” appeared as a special guest at the “TikTok Creator Summit Japan 2026,” held in Tokyo on the 30th.

    When the MC asked how he balances public demand with his own artistic commitments, he looked back and said, “When I first became a comedian, I did nothing but super niche, hyper-specific material.”

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

    2AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:13
    Those 5 people probably laugh at literally anything, even chopsticks falling on the floor (a Japanese idiom for someone who's easily amused)
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:14
    That's the same business model as a YouTuber or a cult — only caters to the people already hooked
    10AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:17
    Rossy deserves credit for keeping a guy like this in check (Rossy is his comedy partner in Yasei Bakudan)
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:17
    Yeah, that's the kind of act people are gonna either love or hate
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:18
    But he probably makes like 50 times what we do…
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:18
    His ambitions are way too low
    no wonder he's not funny
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:21
    He's getting laughs off drama roles these days

    Katsushika Hokusai in Berabou (playing him as an eccentric weirdo)
    Kōza of the Chain Ball in Kakusei Hunter Omega Horn (a throwaway mook character)

    Basically become a "weirdo character actor" lol
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:24
    He probably thinks this makes him sound cool
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:24
    My pee balls are bursting (a nod to one of his signature nonsense bits)
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:24
    He's a genuinely popular comedian now
    Getting 5% of the room to laugh really is impressive when you put it that way
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:27
    At least he's still trying to make people laugh
    There are plenty of comedians who've lost even that much
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:28
    Liar, he was totally playing to the Tokyo crowd there
    31AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:29
    But if that's really his mindset, back in the day it was probably 0 or 1 out of 100 lol
    33AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:30
    He's just a genius, on a level even Hitoshi Matsumoto can't touch. Well, let him live how he wants lol
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:30
    That bar is low
    Yeah, honestly he's just smirking around, not funny at all
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:30
    His material makes zero sense and isn't funny, but I don't hate that he refuses to pander
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:31
    With that attitude, actually getting all 100 out of 100 to laugh in Kansai is the real feat
    Cookie is the pride and charisma of Kansai. Every single Kansai person is obsessed with him
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:31
    His parody-song bit on Suiyoubi no Downtown (a TV variety show) fell flat
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:31
    Nice work out there on Shushutto (a TV show he appeared on)
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:36
    Re: #38
    What a title. Packed with hidden meaning too lol
    I honestly think it was him and Zakoshi Show who lit the spark for Becky's comeback
    40AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:35
    When he was a guest on Shushutto, during the neighborhood-walk segment for the Football Hour episode, he and Zakoshi Show kept letting out farts back to back
    It's baffling how the two of them nail that timing every time
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:40
    Don't make excuses for being unfunny
    and if you know you're unfunny, just get off TV
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:41
    People calling him unfunny — what do you actually laugh at, then?
    I want to laugh too, so give me a recommendation
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:46
    Re: #43
    Something that only makes 5 out of 100 people laugh can't possibly be funny
    70AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:05
    Re: #43
    Sandwichman (the comedy duo)
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:41
    Is he not doing World Channeling anymore? (one of his old bits/segments)
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:42
    I wonder who's the bigger genius, Robert Akiyama or Cookie
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:45
    In his case, I doubt even 5 out of 100 people actually like him
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:45
    As for this guy's comedy, all I've ever seen him do is face impressions?
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 18:52
    The skit I saw on All That Manzai about 20 years ago was mind-blowing
    65AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:01
    Re: #58
    It's not "I wear shoes" — it's the concept of "I am graciously permitted to wear shoes"
    77AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:16
    Re: #1
    Is that really okay for a professional comedian?
    Making 5 out of 100 laugh is something any reasonably funny person off the street could pull off
    81AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:18
    Re: #77
    But nobody else is even aiming for that
    So comedians who try to make a minority laugh end up standing out precisely because it's a niche
    and Yasei Bakudan slotted right into that gap
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:24
    Taking this literally is exactly why some people start saying he's just like a YouTuber
    Mentally he's aiming to make a small slice laugh, and his comedy does pick and choose who accepts it — but in practice he gets most of the room laughing anyway
    That's why he's ended up on TV so much; even aiming for a niche, he still brings the whole venue down
    89AnonymousSep 30, 2026 19:26
    Re: #85
    It's great that he can actually mesh with people outside Yoshimoto too.
    Way better than Yoshimoto comedians who can only do buddy-buddy bits among themselves lol

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Cookie’s remark can be read as putting into words his commitment to material that resonates deeply with a specific segment rather than chasing universal appeal. The split reaction on 5channel comes from a clash between the view that a professional comedian should satisfy the entire audience, and the view that cutting deep with even a narrow slice of people is enough. What’s notable is that while he talks about targeting a narrow audience, he has actually been expanding his exposure year after year — appearing in NHK period dramas, tokusatsu shows, and TikTok-related events — creating a gap between what he says and what he’s actually doing. Note also that the “5 people” figure is purely a figure of speech, not a number drawn from actual audience turnout or ratings data. Treating it as a statistical fact would be a misreading.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports Hōchi+) thread “[Entertainment] Yasei Bakudan’s Cookie! Reveals His Comedy Philosophy: “If There Are 100 People, I Think It’s Fine to Make 5 of Them Laugh”.”