Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Emergency Aboard Dubai-Departed Flight: Co-Pilot Stabs Captain — 5ch Says ‘Autopilot Only From Now On’

    On September 30, a passenger plane that had departed Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, sent out an emergency signal and made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. According to Israeli media, the co-pilot appears to have stabbed the captain with a knife, and there is a possibility he was plotting a “terrorist attack” to crash the plane. On 5ch’s Breaking News+ board, reactions ranged from relief that the passengers were safe, to questions about how a knife got onboard, to speculation about what might have happened had the hijacking continued mid-flight.

    9/30 (Wed) 22:18

    Kyodo News

    [Jerusalem, Kyodo] On the 30th, an aircraft flying from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Tel Aviv in central Israel sent out a signal indicating an emergency and made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. According to Israeli media, the co-pilot appears to have stabbed the captain. There is a possibility he was plotting a “terrorist attack” to crash the aircraft.

    Source: topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:50
    If the pilot himself is the terrorist, what are you even supposed to do about that?
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:54
    If pilots can turn out to be terrorists now, autopilot's the only way to fly from here on.
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:54
    Flight attendant: "If you two are going to fight, please take it outside for the safety of the cabin."
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:54
    Feel bad for the captain, but glad the passengers made it out okay
    If it had actually crashed, it would've been a disaster.
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:22
    Re: #11
    Seriously, what was the air marshal even doing?
    What's the point of having one if not for this?
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:00
    Re: #1
    The Reiwa era is terrifying. (Reiwa = Japan's current imperial era, since 2019)
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:00
    Re: #25
    Have you forgotten about 9/11?
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:05
    Saw it on X (Twitter) — apparently they got into the cockpit to rescue him using an access code.
    125AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:44
    Re: #38
    The access code:
    G-R-I-D-M-A-N (joking reference to the tokusatsu hero Gridman)
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:09
    Oman Air terror attack
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:11
    https://www.mk.co.k
    r/jp/world/12165279
    >According to a broadcast on Israel's Channel 12, flydubai revealed that this hijacking incident turned out to be a brawl between two pilots — one Ukrainian, one Russian.

    You really shouldn't have crewed those two together lol
    130AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:50
    Re: #49
    So this is how the Ukraine-Russia war ends up sparking World War 3… (´・ω・`) (a downcast emoticon face)
    133AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:53
    Re: #49
    Huh, surprised they managed to get along fine until now.
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:13
    Is this what that report from a little while back about a possible terror attack was referring to?
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:17
    Today could have gone down as one of the darkest days in history.

    Fly

    dubai's Boeing 737 flight FZ1073 had a Russian pilot who stabbed the Ukrainian co-pilot with a pocket kn*fe.

    He then tried to crash the plane into a building in a 9/*1-style attack.
    https://x.com/Xking332/status/2105231233303314617

    Where's the Israeli military even going to retaliate against??
    110AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:34
    Re: #63
    Might as well hit Russian intelligence services while they're at it
    In the end countries all over the world are going to end up having to root out Russian intelligence operations everywhere.
    138AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:57
    Re: #63
    Info's all over the place.
    Is it actually confirmed that the captain's Russian and the co-pilot's Ukrainian?
    There are conflicting reports on which one was plotting the attack and which one did the stabbing.
    76AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:21
    Re: #1
    Why he was able to bring a knife onboard
    How a passenger got into the cockpit and managed to restrain him
    How the stabbed captain managed to subdue the attacker

    Three big mysteries here.
    117AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:37
    Re: #76
    Dubai airport's security screening is full of holes
    Apparently a plastic paper kn*fe doesn't get picked up by the scanners.
    91AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:25
    So it's '副操縦士' (co-pilot), not '副機長' — huh, didn't realize there was a difference.
    Guess I don't really understand how airplane job titles work.
    98AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:27
    Re: #91
    That's bad.
    120AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:40
    Maybe he was trying to charge the plane straight into an Israeli military target?
    127AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:44
    Re: #120
    I mean, if it were an actual military base they'd shoot it down instantly.
    The target was probably something more like the Prime Minister's residence.
    141AnonymousSep 30, 2026 23:59
    Well, well —
    a little disagreement over flight safety could've turned into something huge.

    Like, shot down by the Israeli military VS shot down by anti-Israel forces,
    that kind of thing.
    148AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:05
    Re: #141

    "NAZA"
    a term used internally by the Israeli military, referring to civilian deaths accepted as collateral damage in a strike.
    Reportedly, up to 500 civilian deaths were approved as acceptable collateral just to kill a single target.

    If the plane had stayed hijacked and kept heading for Israel, it would've been shot down.
    159AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:36
    If it had headed toward a city, would fighter jets have shot it down?
    164AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:41
    Re: #159
    Definitely… like how the plane heading toward [rendered here as "Kyuwabu," possibly a garbled reference to the Capitol] on 9/11 mysteriously crashed before reaching it,
    I bet they'd have shot it down — or maybe deliberately forced it to crash within the city instead.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    Cockpit incidents threatening flight safety aren’t unprecedented — the 2015 Germanwings crash mentioned in the thread (in which the co-pilot locked the captain out of the cockpit and deliberately crashed the plane into the French Alps, killing 150 people including one Japanese national) is a well-known example. This time, an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia appears to have averted the worst-case outcome, but early reports were inconsistent on details like the captain’s and co-pilot’s nationalities and which of the two did the stabbing versus which allegedly plotted to crash the plane — none of this should be treated as confirmed yet. Commenters also raised pointed questions about aviation security, including how a knife got onboard and how someone managed to get into the cockpit.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Breaking News+) thread “[International] Dubai-to-Israel flight sends emergency signal — co-pilot may have stabbed captain, possible terror plot suspected.”

  • 1,048 File Sexual Abuse Compensation Claims, 231 Deemed Ineligible — 5ch: ‘No Way This Was Just One Man’s Crimes’

    On September 30, SMILE-UP. updated its official site with the latest status on compensation for sexual abuse committed by the late Johnny Kitagawa. Since claims opened, the number of applicants has reached 1,048, with 581 having received compensation payments and 231 informed they would not be compensated. Reportedly, 226 applicants have not responded despite repeated attempts to contact them. On the thread, opinions clashed over the 231 deemed ineligible — some speculated it was a response to false claims, while others pointed out that some cases involved abuse that didn’t go through the agency, making it impossible to confirm affiliation and thus disqualifying them. Alongside this, many voices also questioned the stance of TV networks and the government, who failed to report on the issue while Kitagawa was alive.

    【SMILE-UP.】 Compensation for Sexual Abuse by the Late Johnny Kitagawa: 1,048 Claimants, 581 Already Paid, 4 “Currently Being Processed”

    SMILE-UP. Inc. reported the latest status on its official site on September 30 regarding compensation for sexual abuse committed by the late Johnny Kitagawa.

    The official site posted: “As of today, since accepting compensation claims began, the Victims Relief Committee has received a total of 1,048 compensation claims. Of these, 226 people have not responded despite repeated attempts to contact them.”

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

    7AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:49
    Is this where Johnny's side turns around and sues the self-proclaimed 'victims' for fraud?
    8AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:50
    So there are 200 people who tried to cash in without actually being victims, lol
    40AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:12
    Re: #8
    Apparently some of them were claiming: scouted directly by Johnny → molested and fled before the agency even got involved → couldn't confirm affiliation, so they're ineligible.

    They said they'd consider it if a third party could testify to having been in the "play room" (yariheya) at the time, so they were looking for witnesses.
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:58
    How is it that even the government kept looking the other way and even paid money?
    Were they getting entertained/bribed too?
    58AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:33
    Re: #19
    Way back, Shincho ran an article about Johnny's pedophilia toward boys, and it even came up in the Diet.
    But for some reason, there was a guy close to Johnny nicknamed "Daikun'i" (the "Grand Cordon," a nickname for former PM Nakasone, Japan's highest honoree)…
    Setting the whole predilection thing aside, rumor had it that Johnny and Daikun'i were connected through the GHQ (the postwar Allied occupation authority).
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:58
    How many victims are there even.
    Is this Epstein or something?
    29AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:04
    Meanwhile there are cowards on TV right now who've decided to just stay silent about it
    35AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:07
    Re: #29
    Don't force that on the victims.
    Though I do think the Johnny's talent side should be doing everything they can to stop fans' out-of-control harassment and slander.
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:05
    Give me a break, pay enough compensation to shut the agency down if that's what it takes.
    You clean up after "Epstein Kitagawa" yourselves.
    That's money you made by preying on kids for years.
    41AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:13
    Staying silent this whole time is something else.
    Classic vested-interests Japan.
    Even the ignorant masses pretended not to know.
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:19
    Re: #41
    Local Kansai TV has been trashing him for ages.
    They used to call him "that homo old man."

    Just from what I know, Hamamura Jun, Kamioka Ryutaro, Takajin, and Uenuma Emiko all criticized him by name way back when, and Yokoyama Knock even had a former member of Four Leaves (an old idol group) who'd written a tell-all book on his show for a special feature.
    56AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:31
    Why didn't they come forward while he was still alive?
    61AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:35
    Re: #56
    The TV networks knew too and just stayed silent.
    Nothing was going to change unless it came from overseas.
    Truly horrifying.
    68AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:42
    What's horrifying is that every network was providing him with "play rooms."
    73AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:48
    Re: #68
    Come on, that can't be true.
    Why would he need to specifically bring his own talent to the TV station to do that?
    72AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:48
    Isn't it only Japanese people letting this case fade from memory?
    Overseas, Japan's entertainment industry is basically known for the horrifying Johnny's scandal (there's barely anything else it's known for).
    We should be taking this a lot more seriously.
    76AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:50
    Re: #72
    Even if it's fading, the perpetrator is already dead, so there's nothing more that can be done anyway.
    87AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:10
    He probably abused practically every talent in the agency, so the real number of victims is likely way bigger than this.
    93AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:18
    Re: #87
    It wasn't just signed talent — he went after trial-basis Juniors too.
    In fact, even before he started the talent agency, he'd already formed a boys' baseball team and been preying on kids through that.
    There's no way it stops at 1,000.
    88AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:11
    There were probably some who lied, and some who just couldn't speak up.
    If the entertainment world and the agency had done their jobs properly, he could've faced justice while he was still alive.
    92AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:15
    Re: #88
    It's not about the agency.
    This could've been prevented if the police and TV networks had done their jobs.
    Even NHK has executives who parachuted in from Johnny's connections.
    They knew and just let it slide.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    This issue came to light in 2023, when overseas media reports triggered the public revelation of the late Johnny Kitagawa’s years of sexual abuse. The former Johnny’s agency subsequently changed its name to “SMILE-UP.” and shifted its focus entirely to supporting victims. Since compensation claims opened, the number of claimants and payment status have been announced periodically like this. On the thread, opinions were divided over why 231 people were deemed ineligible for compensation — some suspected “these must be false claims,” while others pointed out that cases where the agency can’t confirm affiliation are running into review difficulties. That said, the latter is just an unconfirmed explanation from within the thread, and it’s worth noting that this report alone doesn’t clarify how SMILE-UP. officially explains its criteria for denial.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou Sports Breaking News+) thread ‘[Entertainment] Compensation for Sexual Abuse by Johnny Kitagawa: 1,048 Claimants, 581 Already Paid Compensation… 231 Informed They Will Not Be Compensated.’

  • Which Hello! Project members are secretly attending university? 5ch: “Don’t underestimate how low-profile we are”

    A thread titled “Which Hello! Project members are secretly attending university right now?” went up on 5ch’s Hello! Project board, and posts speculating about individual members’ schools kept rolling in. Some claimed that members who skip college to devote themselves fully to the group get, upon leaving, the right to study abroad on the agency’s dime — though that’s never been confirmed. Others pointed out that several Juice=Juice members have taken a leave of absence or dropped out altogether due to their busy schedules, while some suggested a correspondence program like the Open University of Japan would make balancing school and idol work much easier. One blunt take that got a lot of agreement: “Hello! Project members aren’t famous enough for anyone to notice even if they’re quietly attending class.” The thread also lit up with name-dropped guesses — Murakoshi Arisa pegged for a MARCH-tier school (a group of respected Tokyo private universities), and Hamaura and others guessed to be at so-called “F-rank” schools (bottom-tier universities that are notoriously easy to get into).

    1AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:27
    Yeah, that’s understandable.
    5AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:35
    Members who skip college and devote their whole life to Hello! Project reportedly get the right to study abroad on the agency’s dime after graduating from the group, if they want it.
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:37
    Re: #5
    Now that’s a solid agency, huh (said with a Kansai drawl)
    7AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:38
    Yamazaki
    Hirayama, Matsumoto
    Matsunaga, Ebata
    Fukuda, Yokaze
    Kubota, Nishizaki, Tsutsui
    Matsubara, Onoda Hana
    12AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:49
    Re: #7
    Isn’t Hashida part of Roji too?
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:42
    These days you’re probably better off going to college.
    13AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:51
    Surprisingly, Murakoshi might be at a MARCH-tier school.
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 00:55
    Isn’t everyone in Rosie going to college?
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:01
    In the age of smartphones and social media, sneaking around like that surely won’t fly.
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:04
    Re: #16
    Don’t underestimate how low-profile Hello! Project members are.
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:03
    Inoue Reon never got caught, though.
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:04
    Pretty sure every Juice=Juice member either took a leave of absence or dropped out because they were too busy.
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:04
    Given how little-known Hello! Project members are these days, it’s kind of inevitable.
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:07
    Dakarin seems pretty sharp, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she’s in college
    — though if she went, it’d probably be a women’s college, not coed.
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:08
    Saito Madopi dropped out of college just to free up more time for gaming.
    26AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:08
    Precisely because she’s a celebrity, she’d probably want to go to college and get fawned over
    — sneaking around quietly would defeat the whole purpose.
    27AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:08
    If it’s a correspondence school like the Open University of Japan, nobody would find out.
    29AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:09
    Everyone knows there’ll be guys around once you’re mixing with university people.
    30AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:13
    Kitagawa lived such an enviable, full-on (“riajuu”) college life that other Hello! Project members could easily fly under the radar too.
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:15
    Ebata didn’t even do correspondence school for high school, so I figured she’d go to a regular university.
    57AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:58
    Re: #31
    Even back then, wasn’t Meguro Nichidai basically a correspondence school anyway?
    32AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:16
    Is there even a university in Tokyo that Washitsu-chan could get into?
    37AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:21
    Re: #32
    If even Hamaura got in, anyone can — you can get into an F-rank school as long as you pay.
    44AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:35
    So Matsumoto Wakana-chan is a college student too, huh?
    69AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:17
    Re: #44
    No idea which university, but she’s definitely attending one.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    It’s worth flagging that the claim circulating in the thread — that members who skip college to devote themselves entirely to Hello! Project get the right to study abroad on the agency’s dime — isn’t an officially announced policy; it never rises above rumor or joke territory on the board. It is known that, in the past, some members have passed on enrolling in a regular university due to busy schedules, or took a leave of absence or dropped out while enrolled, and this thread’s speculation builds on that track record. The point that a correspondence program like the Open University of Japan would make it easier to balance schoolwork with idol activities also carries some real-world weight, since it’s an option actual celebrities do choose. Meanwhile, the remark that “they’re not famous enough to get caught” is half self-deprecating joke, half plain fact — it reflects how, even in the social-media era, outsiders have a hard time identifying someone unless that person reveals it themselves. Readers should keep in mind that posts naming specific universities are purely fan speculation, not information confirmed by the members or their agency.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “So, which Hello! Project members are currently secretly attending university, lolololol?”

  • Dragon Quest Walk: 5ch Says ‘One Map Can Max Your Level Out to 95’

    On 5ch’s “Nanademo Jikkyo G” (anything-goes live board), a poster who said they’d only been playing the smartphone location-based RPG Dragon Quest Walk for three months started a thread titled “Someone who really knows this game, get in here.” Veteran players jumped in one after another, answering the questions beginners usually get stuck on — how to pick weapons, how to deal real damage to the tough “Mega Monsters,” and what you actually gain from ranking up to the top-tier “Elite Adventurer.” But the thread really took off when talk turned to the “Wandering Map,” said to be the single best spot for grinding levels: its enemies are weak while EXP and Heart Orb points are plentiful, and posters claimed this one map alone was enough to hit the level cap of 95.

    1AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:55
    Is there a weapon worth pulling for in the back half of the rerun banner?
    BTW, I'm in my third month of playing.
    2AnonymousOct 1, 2026 01:56
    Right now I'm fighting with the Hero's Sword, the Gun Blade, and the Geregere.
    8AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:02
    Re: #2
    Just that alone will carry you through to the end of the year.
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:03
    Thanks to you I suddenly want to pick Dragon Quest Walk back up after all this time.
    13AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:05
    Re: #9
    It's too fun right now, I'm playing every single day.
    10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:04
    Re: #8
    Oh yeah? I saw on Mindora (a popular fan-run Dragon Quest Walk database site) that Chronos is supposed to be great — is it fine to just skip it?
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:08
    Re: #10
    You can skip old damage-dealing weapons. Stronger ones will show up soon anyway with the New Year's gacha and the September anniversary gacha. Outside of New Year's and the anniversary, save your gems for when a great support weapon drops — a good support weapon stays useful for two to three years.
    12AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:05
    Chronos and the Banner Spear were both top-tier meta weapons not that long ago.
    Well, maybe they'll find a use again somewhere down the line.
    14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:08
    Re: #12
    If that's all it's worth, I guess it's fine to skip pulling for it? By the way, I still haven't figured out how to actually use the Gun Blade. I barely scratch Despisaro and it makes me want to scream.
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:10
    Collecting Hearts (monster abilities you equip) is everything.
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:11
    Re: #17
    I don't know which Hearts I should be collecting, so for now I'm just holding onto four S-rank Tough Monster hearts.
    29AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:20
    Re: #18
    Tough Monster hearts stop being useful pretty fast.

    Outside of Mega Monsters, the top-tier shrine bosses, the rare story-mode slot, and the rare Awakening slot,

    everything else drops out of your regular rotation.
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:13
    Also, everyone seems to pull off insane damage numbers on Mega Monsters — how are people doing that? Even when I switch to Despisaro's Soul Heart I can't even break 10,000 damage.
    22AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:16
    Re: #19
    You can't pull off that kind of damage unless your weapons, Hearts, Heart Orbs, and level are all built up to a certain point.
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:13
    I wonder if hitting Elite rank actually changes much.
    36AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:24
    Re: #20
    Going Elite makes you noticeably stronger, but it's still rough soloing the top-tier Mega Monsters even then. If you're playing casually, I'd just write off the first year as a grind period and mostly piggyback on other players' Mega Monster fights.
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:15
    OP, if you've really been playing three months you should already know plenty by now.
    Stop playing dumb just to keep the thread going.
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:17
    Re: #21
    Even so, at three months in, unless you've been going at it hardcore, you're nowhere near caught up with the front-line players.
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:18
    Re: #21
    Three months in and there's still tons I don't get. Like today — Metal King (a rare, hard-to-find monster spawn) showed up once and then never again. I checked Mindora and I should be meeting the spawn conditions, but it still won't show back up.
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:16
    Tough Monster hearts aren't that big a deal honestly.
    What really matters in the end are the rare hearts you almost never see, plus Awakening.
    28AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:20
    Re: #23
    For now I'm collecting Despisaro's heart.
    34AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:23
    Poker was trendy for like one brief moment and then it just disappeared.
    39AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:26
    Re: #34
    Wait, there's actual poker-themed gear?
    40AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:26
    Re: #34
    This game just has way too many minigame modes.
    56AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:34
    For the rare slots, the Hearts I'd especially recommend are Cyclops and Swordoid.
    Genie of the Lamp and Troll King are also pretty easy to use.

    Go find and farm the maps where these show up as Treasure Monsters.
    59AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:35
    Re: #56
    What exactly is a 'rare slot'?
    61AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:38
    Re: #56
    I'll start hunting treasure maps for those starting tomorrow.
    75AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:50
    Winter's coming, so your real-life gear matters too now.
    Whoever can walk the longest in the dead of winter wins.
    77AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:51
    Re: #75
    In winter, gloves that let your index finger poke out make things way easier.
    79AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:53
    Re: #75
    I can't handle the cold at all.
    Every year I just hole up inside and drink.
    80AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:54
    Have you gotten the Wandering Map from Atatata in Gifu yet?
    This one's the best there is for leveling up.
    If you find it, lock it with the 🔑 button right away.

    The enemies are pathetically weak, EXP is plentiful, and Heart Orb points are plentiful too.
    This single map can get you all the way to the level 95 cap.
    One-shot everything with Zap-type (thunder-elemental) weapons.
    83AnonymousOct 1, 2026 02:57
    Re: #80
    Not sure, but it's probably still there. I'll go check the map list.
    89AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:01
    Found it, but is this the right one?
    https://imgur.com/a/WOnRnPZ
    BTW, I don't have enough gems to buy it.
    91AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:02
    Re: #89
    Pretty sure that's the one.
    94AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:04
    Re: #89
    That's the best leveling map there is. Be careful — if you discard it, you can never get it back. The field enemies are so weak you can beat them even way below the recommended level.

    That said, you'll need one of the following: the Hero's Sword, Loto's Dragon Sword, the God-Eating Greatsword, or the Thunderclap Sword.
    101AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:09
    Re: #89
    Lock it so you don't accidentally discard it — there's a button in the top left. That one map alone can max out every vocation. Though it's a grind, like a monk doing ascetic training, lol.
    92AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:02
    Got enough gems now.
    Is this the one I should buy?
    93AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:03
    Re: #92
    Yeah, just buy it.
    96AnonymousOct 1, 2026 03:07
    Re: #93
    Bought it. Thanks a ton.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Dragon Quest Walk is a smartphone location-based RPG released in 2019, built around actually walking around in real life to gather materials while leveling up weapons and Hearts (equippable monster abilities). Features like Mega Monster battles and the higher “Elite Adventurer” rank have piled up over the game’s long run of service, and for newcomers the sheer volume of accumulated information can itself be a barrier. The thread mostly consisted of veteran players fielding basic questions about things like weapon choice and dealing damage to Mega Monsters, with no major disagreements — though a few replies did question whether the poster, three months in, was really still such a beginner. The highlight was advice on leveling up using the apparently limited-time “Wandering Map,” said to let players reach the level cap of 95 using just that single map. Since the contents and acquisition conditions of maps like this tend to change with each event, it’s worth keeping in mind that how long this thread’s information stays valid is unclear.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nanademo Jikkyo G) thread “Someone who really knows Dragon Quest Walk, get in here.”

  • Morning Musume Clip from UtaCon Goes Viral on X — Fans Can’t Stop Reacting to Ayakoto Yugeta

    Footage of Morning Musume’s appearance on NHK’s music program ‘UtaCon’ has sparked a wave of reactions on X, with general viewers commenting “she’s so cute” and “who is she?” after seeing the members in blue outfits. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, discussion centered on how this “discovery” phenomenon is concentrated around 17th-generation members Ayakoto Yugeta and Haru. Threads raised the question of why Sakurai — said to be equally popular — isn’t getting the same buzz, along with observations that 5ch’s own presence as a real-time discussion hub has been overtaken by X in recent years, leaving fans divided in their reactions.

    1AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:20
    @
    Are the girls in blue outfits on UtaCon from Morning Musume?
    They're tall, and the one in pants has such a cute smile
    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:22
    Guess the smiling (niko-niko) version is more popular — personally I think the straight-faced one is cooler
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:27
    The member whose eyes turn into little crescents when she smiles always looks like she's having fun — love it
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:28
    Online, between Haru and Getter (nickname for Yugeta), yesterday was basically 17th-gen day
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:28
    Ookami (5ch's Hello! Project board) isn't even the place to talk Musume anymore lol
    X is way more fun
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:28
    Sakurai, who beats Yugeta in both looks and popularity — so why isn't she getting "discovered"?
    15AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:28
    17th gen is absolutely blowing up
    on X, that is
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:29
    When Yugeta nails a pose, she's the strongest member in the current lineup
    17AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:29
    Guess picking that 17th-gen lineup was the right call after all
    18AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:29
    17th-gen fever has arrived!!!!!
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:32
    No random viewer would say "wow, that 16-beat rhythm is amazing" (that's fan jargon, not general-public talk)
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:08
    Re: #20
    That's a Chou Tokkyu fan (a boy band, not Hello! Project)
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:36
    No point being negative on Ookami anymore lol
    This place is basically old media now
    It's lost its influence over the past year

    Everyone's having more fun on X
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:36
    If you'd actually quit being a Hello! Project fan, you wouldn't recognize any current members — so knowing about the "16-beat" thing is a dead giveaway that they're still a fan
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:37
    Haru's also getting tons of comments about how her Heisei-era-style hair looks great
    Almost all the buzz is about Yugeta or Haru
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:37
    Any decent Musume fan is better off not coming to Ookami
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:38
    Whenever a post like this shows up in my feed
    I check that person's past posts
    to make sure they're not secretly a Hello! Project fan
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:39
    Re: #27
    So they're not a Hello! Project fan, huh
    Or if they are, they're a former one from way back
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:38
    What exactly are the people complaining about here? Current members are getting praised by outsiders — what's not to like?
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:40
    Re: #28
    Exactly this
    Even if it's fans of some other group, it's still great to have Hello! Project get discovered by outsiders
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:39
    Just don't let yourselves become fodder for those matome (aggregator) blogs that only stir up fandom rivalries
    31AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:39
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSSqjwXa0AAGrZr.jpg
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:44
    Re: #31
    I actually prefer this to the smiling Getter photo, but I guess general viewers feel differently
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:40
    Haru's hairstyle, reminiscent of Morning Musume's golden era, was getting "discovered" too, right?
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:42
    Re: #34
    She was getting discovered left and right
    Scrolling X is way too much fun right now lol
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:43
    So it's not like someone was just spam-posting on the NHK live-thread board to astroturf this
    40AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:45
    Getter's getting "discovered" everywhere these days
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:45
    People are saying Geta-chan is cute because her eyes disappear when she smiles
    Her goofy smile hits harder than any posed face
    You don't see idols like that much these days
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:47
    Same thing happened with the Fox Dance craze (a viral dance trend) — everyone was just asking "what's that girl's name"
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:48
    At this point every post like this on X just looks like fishing for likes to me
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:50
    Re: #44
    Then go look at the X accounts of the people praising her
    A good chunk of them clearly aren't Hello! Project fans
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:48
    She's slim but powerful, full of energy, and has real variety-show charisma
    A type Morning Musume hasn't had before
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:51
    Any minute now the "but she can't sing" crowd is gonna show up
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:53
    Whenever Yugeta and Okamura are on screen, their great figures make you go "whoa"
    And then you chill out watching Inoue too
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:53
    Haru was cute enough to make me want to start oshi-ing her
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:54
    Yep, there's always that one guy who brings up "the tone-deaf member" the second Sakurai or Yugeta gets praised lol
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:57
    Morning Musume might seriously be making a comeback
    All they need now is a good song
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:01
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTYiuuwb0AAWAgh.jpg
    61AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:09
    Re: #56
    That huge smile is great, she looks like she's having a blast
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:10
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmOhhzlUcAUekwN.jpg

    Background and Points of Debate

    Morning Musume’s 17th-generation members joined the group in 2023 and are a relatively new batch, with Ayakoto Yugeta among them. Among Hello! Project fans, there’s a custom of calling it “getting discovered” when a TV appearance leads people who don’t normally follow Hello! Project to start mentioning a member on X. Opinions in the thread were split: some were happy to see this kind of reaction spreading, while others had mixed feelings about the observation that 5ch itself has lost its former standing as the go-to hub for live TV discussion. There was also some suspicion voiced that the praise might not really be coming from “general viewers” at all, but from Hello! Project fans themselves posting under the guise of outsiders — a reminder not to take reactions on social media entirely at face value.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread ‘Ayakoto Yugeta Gets Discovered’.

  • U-21 Japan Wins Penalty Shootout, Reaches Final — 5ch: “Set to Clash with Korea, Who Are Playing for a Military Exemption”

    In the Asian Games men’s soccer semifinal, the Japan U-21 national team faced Uzbekistan. Japan conceded the opening goal in the first half but equalized in the 43rd minute of the second half with a header from Sena Ishibashi, and after extra time failed to settle it, won on penalties to put itself one win away from its first gold medal in 16 years. The final will be held on October 3rd against Korea, who are chasing a third straight title in this event. In the thread, comments centered on wariness toward a serious Korea squad playing with a military service exemption on the line, surprise that the TV ratings beat those of a full international, and bickering over people’s like or dislike of soccer itself.

    ■Asian Games Men’s Soccer Semifinal: Japan 1-1 Uzbekistan (Sept. 30, Nagai Stadium, Osaka)

    [Full list] Japan’s soccer squads for the Asian Games confirmed — women aim for an unprecedented third straight title, men aim for their first title in four tournaments since Guangzhou 2010

    In the semifinal, the Japan U-21 men’s national soccer team beat Uzbekistan’s U-21 side in a penalty shootout to reach the final. Japan conceded an opening goal in the 8th minute of the first half but equalized in the 43rd minute of the second half with a header from Sena Ishibashi (20). The match remained level through extra time, and Japan won the shootout, putting itself one win away from its first gold medal in 16 years. Japan will face Korea, chasing a third consecutive title, in the October 3rd final.

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

    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:24
    The final is against
    a dead-serious Korea squad with a military exemption on the line

    Yeah, Japan's losing this one
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:25
    Re: #7
    The bus will probably take the Korean players somewhere insane again (there's been a running joke this Asian Games about buses getting lost or breaking down)
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:26
    Re: #7
    That military exemption thing must make opponents go easy on them, in a way — it's awkward to play against.
    When someone's playing with their whole life on the line, radiating that much desperation, it's hard to bring yourself to crush them
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:25
    Reasons soccer is boring

    0-0 drags on forever
    No shots at all, just endless passing
    It all comes down to a coin-flip penalty shootout
    No intricate strategy like baseball has
    Guys flop dramatically without even being touched
    Snitching to the ref to get opponents sent off
    Cheap shots thrown when the ref isn't looking
    Japanese national team players getting arrested
    Soccer fans have low standards of behavior too
    81AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:27
    Re: #12
    "Intricate strategy like baseball" lmaooooo
    126AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #12
    But you watched it, right? Posting less than a minute in, lol
    137AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:29
    Re: #12
    "Soccer sucks!" "Baseball sucks!"
    Idiots. Normal people just enjoy both
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:26
    Yokoyama's penalty technique is nuts — there's no saving that
    165AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:30
    Re: #44
    Learned it from his senpai, Shinji Kagawa
    253AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:34
    Re: #44
    The Uzbek keeper was arguing with the ref about it
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:26
    Be honest, doesn't everyone secretly wish it were a North Korea vs. South Korea final instead?
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:27
    Re: #50
    That'd only happen if the sky and earth swapped places — no interest in watching that
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:27
    The ratings beat the senior team'sssss
    103AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #80
    Japan really is a soccer-obsessed country
    120AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #80
    Lol 😅 Moriyasu-ball really is way too boring (nickname for coach Moriyasu's cautious tactics)
    233AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:33
    Re: #80
    Well, that was just a friendly. Big difference from the real thing
    101AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:27
    This is basically the real U-21 final, honestly — Korea (U-23) and China are both using overage players
    138AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:29
    Re: #101
    For the past several years the youth categories have basically been a two-horse race between Uzbekistan and Japan
    This is the de facto final

    If it comes down to these two countries at the LA Olympics too, that'd be about right
    102AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:27
    So you even get the exemption from the Asian Games?
    128AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #102
    Either finish 1st in Asia
    or top 3 in the world —

    that's supposedly the exemption condition (for Korea)
    139AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:29
    Re: #102
    Korea's only exemption conditions are an Asian Games gold medal or an Olympic gold/silver/bronze
    148AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:30
    Re: #102
    Apparently the Korean Puyo Puyo player was banking everything on this Asian Games, but he got beaten by an 11-year-old (´・ω・`) (Puyo Puyo is one of the esports events)
    109AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Ratings were probably great
    116AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #109
    https://tadaup.jp/9t58OmBd.jpg
    200AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:32
    Re: #116
    My guess is it scooped up people who were planning to watch Wednesday Downtown instead (a popular variety show in the same time slot)
    217AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:33
    Re: #116
    Official tournaments really do pull good ratings.
    Even though it's "just" a youth-level Asian Games event, it beat a full international —
    guess it just exposed how pointless friendlies are
    157AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:30
    Men's soccer final: Oct. 2, 19:30
    Men's volleyball final: Oct. 2, 19:20

    What are they gonna do about that?
    224AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:33
    Re: #157
    Why aren't they using BS-TBS this time? They could just air one of them there
    248AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:34
    Re: #157
    Wasn't TBS supposed to prioritize volleyball? Though soccer would pull better ratings
    274AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:35
    Re: #157
    Probably volleyball. Though I'd bet soccer gets the better ratings
    174AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:31
    Re: #139
    So the Asian Cup doesn't count? Because it's not a youth event?
    202AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:32
    Re: #174
    Single-sport tournaments like the Asian Cup just don't count
    216AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:33
    Re: #174
    I also think the Asian Cup should count for soccer.
    Guess these multi-sport games are considered more important?
    Though apparently other sports have complained about that too
    276AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:35
    Re: #174
    Supposedly if things like a World Cup semifinal or a WBC runner-up finish earned an exemption, people said it'd be unfair since it's just one sport — so it ended up restricted to just the Olympics and Asian Games
    191AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:31
    Re: #1

    Asian Games
    TBS
    "Thank you, Japan U-21 soccer team 😭 Our ratings went up."

    lolol
    245AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:34
    Whoa, who's this good-looking guy? Didn't know we had someone like this. Call him up to the senior team already
    https://gzo.ai/i/GoeB7PA.webp
    271AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:35
    Re: #245
    And with that face, he's absurdly good at soccer too

    Background and Talking Points

    Korea’s military service exemption requires either an Olympic medal or an Asian Games gold, and eligibility is limited to just those two events — results at the World Cup or WBC don’t count, a restriction put in place after criticism that single sports were getting special treatment. In this tournament, the Japan U-21 team is chasing its first gold medal in 16 years, since the 2010 Guangzhou Games, and its final opponent is a Korea side that has won three straight titles in this category. In the thread, the main talking points were the perennial “soccer is boring” argument and fans pushing back on it, plus surprise that this match drew higher ratings than the senior team’s friendlies — likely down to differences in the opponent’s profile and the tournament format, though the thread doesn’t dig into the reasons in much depth.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Soccer] Japan U-21 men’s team wins brutal penalty-shootout battle, one win from first gold medal in 16 years! Final is a third straight “Japan vs. Korea” clash.”

  • Akiko Hinagata: “I Have No Friends at All” — Actress Opens Up About Her Current Ties to Her Old Mecha-Ike Co-Stars

    Actress Akiko Hinagata (48) appeared on ABEMA’s “Ai no Hyena 6” (Love Hyena), streamed on September 29, and revealed that she has “no friends at all” left among the members of “Mecha²Iketeru!” (“Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!”), the long-running variety show she was a regular on for years. With years having passed since the show ended, many of her former co-stars have gotten married and had children, changing their lives — a point that came up in discussion. On 5channel’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board, opinions were split: some said “that’s normal if it’s purely a work relationship,” others noted “it’d be hard to invite married people out,” and the thread expanded into talk about which members had married and anecdotes from the show’s heyday.

    Akiko Hinagata: “I have no friends at all” — she reveals her current relationship with her “Mecha²Iketeru!” co-stars! Studio stunned

    Actress Akiko Hinagata (48) made a guest appearance on ABEMA’s “Ai no Hyena 6” (Tuesdays, 11:00 PM), streamed on the 29th. During the show, she revealed her current relationship with the members of “Mecha²Iketeru!” (“Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!”), the long-running regular program she had appeared on for years.

    During the studio talk, New York’s Hiromasa Yashiki asked, “Do you drink, Hinagata-san?” Hinagata replied, “Not that much — mostly just at work after-parties and things like that.”

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:30
    Sarina seems like she'd be easy to stay friends with, though
    78AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:32
    Re: #12
    No joke, seriously (looks like a typo for 洒落にならない, "that's not funny")
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:31
    I wonder if any of the Mecha-Ike members ever dated each other?
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:38
    Re: #13
    There's the comedian who dated Hamaguchi — Mizuho Honda
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:33
    The closer you get, the more you fight.
    It probably lasted as long as it did because they didn't get too chummy
    17AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:33
    Is she married?
    You wouldn't normally invite a married person out to eat privately.
    Not if you have any sense, anyway.
    Though who knows about TV producers
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:15
    Re: #17
    I don't think you should expect common sense from celebrities
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:33
    Guess Kayoko Okubo browses 5channel too
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:35
    Just taking it all in ( ´ー`)y-~~ (emoticon of someone thoughtfully smoking)
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:01
    Re: #20
    This isn't a thread about Mei Nagano or Maya Imamori, you know?
    21AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:35
    You barely ever invite married people out to eat in the first place lol
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:39
    Re: #21
    I feel like Michopa gets invited out all the time, though (Michopa = TV personality Momoka Fukuda)
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:36
    If her husband tagged along everywhere, no one would invite her out
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:37
    Isn't that just how it goes? They probably don't even have much in common to talk about anymore
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:41
    I guess it's like regular people — you hang out all the time with coworkers while you're at a job, then drift apart once you quit
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:45
    Re: #27
    Celebrities probably meet so many new people day to day, too
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:42
    That's normal if she's married. Besides, Mecha-Ike was probably just a work relationship anyway
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:43
    When I think of Akiko Hinagata, it's still "Shuji-san!" (a famous line of hers from a old drama)
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:43
    Is it really that surprising that they don't see each other anymore?
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:43
    Her signature role is "Purple Eyes," but with an average rating of 9.6%, it wasn't that memorable for its time
    A lot of people would put "Seija no Koushin" (The Saints' March) first instead, since that averaged over 20%
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:48
    Re: #25
    If someone's newly married or has kids, you'd normally be considerate and not invite them out
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:48
    Wait, did all the original Mecha-Ike members end up married with kids?
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:51
    Re: #38
    Except for Oasys (the comedy duo)
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:54
    Re: #38
    Don't talk trash about Auntie Okubo
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:58
    Re: #38
    That's a gentle dig at the middle-aged women right here in this thread, huh
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:56
    She's gorgeous, but she never quite made it to the top somehow
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:07
    Re: #47
    Her acting was never quite there
    She did land a lead role once, but it was tough going
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:11
    "Hinagata Akiko": a mock-dictionary term for the weary feeling of typing the same data into a fixed Excel template's input fields, day after day (a pun — her name 雛形/"hinagata" means "template," and "akiko" echoes 飽き/"aki," meaning "fed up")
    77AnonymousSep 30, 2026 22:31
    Re: #59
    Nice one
    Though, well, that's actually her real name, so…

    Background and key points of this discussion

    “Mecha²Iketeru!” was a long-running variety show that aired from 1996 to 2018, and Akiko Hinagata was a regular cast member from early on. Since the show ended, many of her co-stars have married and had children, and their changed circumstances are seen as one reason personal ties have faded. In the thread, many took the view that “it’s hard to casually invite married people out” and “work relationships are separate from private life,” with some comparing the distance between entertainers to that between former coworkers after leaving a job. Few responses linked Hinagata’s comment to loneliness — most treated it as a natural change, a nuance that doesn’t come through in the headline alone.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Akiko Hinagata: “I have no friends at all” — reveals current relationship with Mecha-Ike members! Studio stunned.”

  • Chunichi’s Next Manager: Masumi Kuwata the Clear Front-Runner — Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, Kazuhiro Kiyohara Floated as Coaches

    Chunichi Dragons manager Kazuki Inoue has stepped down, and Asagei reports that Masumi Kuwata is the clear front-runner to take over as his replacement. Kazuyoshi Tatsunami and Kazuhiro Kiyohara are also said to be under consideration for coaching roles. The thread buzzed with excitement over the incoming regime, but opinions were split — some worried about Kiyohara’s coaching style and health if he actually joins the staff, while others questioned Kuwata’s whole philosophy on winning. Also drawing attention: even though Chunichi is finishing dead last this season, attendance has hit an all-time high.

    [Exclusive Catch] ‘Masumi Kuwata’ Suddenly the Clear Front-Runner to Replace Chunichi Manager Kazuki Inoue! Plans Reportedly Include ‘Kazuyoshi Tatsunami and Kazuhiro Kiyohara as Coaches’…

    Source: asagei.com / Read the original article here

    4AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:00
    Basically the PL Gakuen Dragons at this point (PL Gakuen is the famous baseball high school Kuwata and Kiyohara both attended as the legendary "KK" duo)
    5AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:00
    Things we'll never see again once Inoue is gone:

    The dugout hanging strap
    Manager interviews where he talks over the reporter
    Needlessly impressive calligraphy
    Garbage bunts
    Hit-and-runs
    Dirty hustle plays
    Victory rituals
    The pratfall special
    Calling players by first names & nicknames
    Body-touching & wall-slamming specific players
    Player rep Fujishima
    Captain Okabayashi

    What else?
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:00
    The Chunichi PL Gakuen-z
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:01
    Honestly, we want a flashy star manager like Shinjo, don't we
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:02
    Tatsu's getting pulled back into the front office again lol
    Can't even scrape by with this crew 😢 (playing on "食えない," meaning "can't make a living")
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:02
    Hanging strap
    https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/img/202607050001962-w1300_0.jpg

    Wall-slam (kabe-don)
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTdROeta0AAighx.jpg
    15AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:03
    First Gendai, now Asagei too — this one's the real deal
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:04
    Salt piles for good luck (morishio) are something losing pro baseball teams often try, but this year it may have actually worked for the Chunichi Dragons of all teams
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:04
    Manager candidates, summarized

    ◎ Tatsunami
    ◯ Ibata
    △ Araki
    ▲ Kuwata, Ichiro
    ✖︎ Sho, Takeshi, Asao, Ramirez
    Gondo, Hirooka, Kawato
    21AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:05
    The new terrace seats helped too, but apparently attendance is at an all-time high
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:05
    Wait, didn't Kuwata just take on a senior role at Oisix (BC) this year?
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:06
    Kuwata — Manager
    Tatsunami — Head Coach
    Kiyohara — Batting Coach
    Kataoka — Infield/Baserunning Coach
    Nomura — Pitching Coach
    Tsuboi — Outfield Coach
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:08
    Re: #24
    Tsuboi was Yakult's batting coach, right?
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:07
    As the reigning 'Offseason Champions,' Chunichi shouldn't just settle for Ibata — they should aim even higher
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:08
    I want to see Miyamoto drag Chunichi straight to rock bottom
    31AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:08
    Kiyohara should stick to TV commentary
    If he actually becomes a coach he's going to bring back the iron-fist discipline for real 😢
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:09
    Sounds like GM Araki will make a direct offer to Ibata
    Ibata will probably take it too, coming off a 3-year deal as team manager
    If he turns it down, Araki might manage the team himself
    Tatsunami would need handling on the sponsor/backer side
    Shima's still too young and too much of an outsider — too soon for him
    33AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:09
    Isn't Kiyohara's own health the real dealbreaker here?
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:10
    Makes sense that Kuwata started opening up about the real reason he left the Giants — if his Chunichi job was already locked in
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:11
    Apparently Chunichi's next manager will be someone with prior managerial experience — could Yano be in the running?

    Teruhiro Yano — A-class finish, 4 times in 4 years
    Alex Ramirez — A-class finish, 3 times in 5 years
    Motonobu Tanishige — B-class finish, 3 years running
    Kazuyoshi Tatsunami — Last place, 3 years running
    Tsuyoshi Yoda — A-class finish once with Chunichi
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:12
    Are they trying to send Kiyohara back to the hospital again?
    39AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:12
    Yano seems more likely to end up as Hanshin's next manager anyway
    40AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:12
    They're weak regardless, so they might as well go for buzz
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:12
    Ahh, PL, PL… the eternal academy, the eternal academy (a line from PL Gakuen's school song)
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:13
    Masumi Kuwata:
    "Scrap the pennant race and its rankings."
    "Ban complaints to umpires and get rid of video review."
    "Abolish announced starters, the DH, and interleague play."
    "Baseball as a sport is way too obsessed with winning."
    "If it were up to me [as manager], I'd be fine losing forever."
    "Once you keep losing long enough, the obsession with winning fades, and you actually start enjoying baseball again."
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:14
    Re: #42
    Sounds perfect for Chunichi
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:18
    Re: #42
    Sounds more like a sandlot team manager
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:14
    Kuwata's ultimately just a natural-born genius type
    Even Togo bounced back once he left Kuwata's hands and Coach Kubo took over
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:14
    When he took the job, a security guard tried to stop him and he shot back with 'Hey, I'm the manager, you know' — you could already tell what kind of guy he was from that alone
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:15
    https://livedoor.blogimg.jp/nanjstu/imgs/5/1/510bfc14.jpg

    The Chunichi Dragons front office
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:16
    Kazuyoshi Tatsunami — GM
    Masumi 'First-Team' Kuwata — Manager (a pun inserting 一軍/"first team" into his name, Kuwata Shin-ichigun-zumi)
    Kazuhiro Kiyohara — Head Coach
    Atsushi Kataoka — Batting Coach
    Hiroki Nomura — Pitching Coach
    Shinya Miyamoto — Infield/Baserunning Coach
    Kiyoshi Hashimoto — Second-Team Manager
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:26
    Re: #48
    Not even in the Kaminomiya faction, yet somehow Motoki always ends up in the cabinet anyway
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:16
    Tatsunami as a coach? No thanks
    Players would freeze up around him, and he's the genius type — just not cut out for coaching
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:18
    If they're bringing someone in from outside anyway, just promote Shima
    Nothing's gonna change even if they bring in Kuwata
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:19
    Chunichi turned things around under Ochiai, so someone with a similar vibe like Kuwata could actually have a shot
    57AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:22
    Ochiai's a no-go since he tanked attendance
    Right now Chunichi's in last place but still pulling record crowds, so honestly they don't even need to get strong
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:23
    Last place but record attendance — that's actually the dream scenario
    They rake in the cash and can cut salaries too
    61AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:26
    Kuwata himself would probably be fine, but Tatsunami and Kiyohara could turn into a real cancer on the team — reckless discipline, and maybe even violence, without batting an eye
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:26
    They cut Ochiai for not drawing crowds, then fire Inoue even though he drew crowds but couldn't win — brutal

    Background and talking points

    Masumi Kuwata only just took on a senior management role with the Oisix Shinjo BC ballclub this season, and commenters aware of that fact voiced doubts about how credible this report really is. Kazuhiro Kiyohara, meanwhile, is still in the process of rebuilding his life after his drug-related arrest, and the thread repeatedly raised concerns about his health and coaching methods should he actually join the staff. At the same time, even though Chunichi’s last-place finish this season is all but certain, attendance has hit an all-time high — helped in part by the new terrace seating — fueling recurring talk in the thread about a front-office reality where “you don’t have to win to turn a profit.” Given that financial backdrop, the choice of the next manager may not be driven purely by winning — a nuance that coverage focused solely on the managerial appointment tends to miss.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Urgent] Chunichi Dragons Manager Kazuki Inoue’s Replacement: ‘Masumi Kuwata the Clear Front-Runner,’ ‘Kazuyoshi Tatsunami and Kazuhiro Kiyohara as Coaches’ — It’s Happeningggggg.”

  • Chunichi Dragons Cut Kenta Bright — 5ch: ‘Can’t Even Compare Him to a Guy Who’d Basically Gone Missing’

    The Chunichi Dragons’ decision to release infielder Kenta Bright, who joined the team in the 2021 draft, became a hot topic on a 5ch thread. Bright had reportedly barely been seen even in second-team games this season, with fans describing him as having gone “missing,” and the thread buzzed with comparisons to fellow 2021 draftees Kosuke Ukai and Tomoya Masaki, along with debate over whether the front office’s roster decisions were justified. Posts ranged from shock at reports that Bright had stopped communicating with the team despite having received a signing bonus, to comments noting that some players manage to stick around on defense alone even when their hitting struggles.

    2AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:17
    What are we gonna do about this??
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:20
    Re: #2
    What the hell is this
    At least give a reason
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:19
    It was probably a choice between Ukai or Bright
    10AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:20
    Re: #8
    I've seen Ukai plenty on the first team, no way he gets cut
    Can't even compare him to Bright, who's been missing even from the second team
    17AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:20
    Why isn't Ryuku Tsuchida getting cut?
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:21
    Re: #17
    He's needed as backup for Muramatsu, can be used as a defensive replacement too
    116AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:43
    Re: #17
    Every team's got a bench guy who's terrible at the plate but great on defense
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:28
    Wonder if Ukai's up for the Active Player Draft (NPB's system for trading underused players)
    Anyway, it's kind of funny how out of that self-declared 'Big Three,' the only one who's actually panning out is the guy they weren't originally hyping
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:29
    Re: #42

    Hmm, hard to tell if they've got a good eye for talent or not lol
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:29
    By the way, whatever happened to Okoe?
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:30
    Re: #47
    He vanished off to Latin America
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    Re: #47
    His sister announced her retirement and said she's staying in Japan
    Well, their dad's fairly well-off anyway
    54AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:30
    Just because it's a pro baseball team doesn't mean any team will do (lesson learned)
    61AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    Re: #54
    Wait, was Chuni (Chunichi) even a pro baseball team…?
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    Chunichi's Big 3
    Bright, Ukai, Masaki

    And somehow they only ended up with the dud
    64AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:32
    Re: #58
    If they'd taken Masaki instead, Masaki would've just ended up like Ukai
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    He was working so hard on manager Tatsunami's 'bath mat' training method (an unusual self-styled drill)…
    102AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:40
    Re: #59
    When you say 'Bura-Ken' (nickname for Bright Kenta), this is the pic that comes to mind lol
    Post more Bura-Ken pics with the bath mat
    106AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:40
    Re: #59
    Good thing funny pics and videos like this got saved
    154AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:58
    Re: #59
    Wasn't there a story that after a full year of finally getting his form into shape, he got influenced by someone else's offseason training, showed up to camp with a totally different swing, and everyone was furious?
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:32
    Kenta Bright and Tatsunami

    [Dragons-only thread]
    https://tanuki.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/livebase/1655339133/

    68AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:34
    Re: #63
    Unfortunately Bright was genuinely good, and quite a few people were backing him
    67AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:34
    More than a 'Big 3,' the pre-draft buzz made it sound like Masaki was the only real pick among the hitters
    Bright was a distant second
    I'd never even heard of Ukai
    98AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #67
    Even looking at his amateur-league stats, I remember just thinking 'why is this guy a second-round pick?'
    72AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:35
    If Neo weren't Neo, he'd have been cut already
    99AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #72
    He's from Osaka Toin (a top baseball powerhouse high school) but originally from Gifu, and was a first-round pick contested by multiple teams
    If he'd been from Osaka Toin and actually from Osaka, he'd probably have been released or put up for the Active Player Draft by now
    74AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:36
    There were times he looked good though
    Did something happen?
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:37
    Re: #74
    He suddenly disappeared in early spring — for better or worse, Chunichi's the kind of team where info leaks to the press
    It feels like the press already knows and is sitting on it, so nobody's bringing it up
    83AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:37


    Ukai: .235, 5 HR, 22 RBI, OPS .636
    Bright: .071, 0 HR, 0 RBI, OPS .205
    Masaki: .282, 28 HR, 59 RBI, OPS .916
    107AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:40
    Re: #83
    Who picks 2 out of 3 and still whiffs on it?
    95AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    2021 First-Round Picks

    Released
    Kazama, Moriki, Kozono
    Hikaru Yamashita, Bright

    Still Active
    Taisei, Sumida, Mukunoki, Tatsu
    Kurohara, Matsukawa, Sota Yoshino
    108AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:41
    Re: #95
    Taisei and Sumida are on a whole different level, heads above the rest
    110AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:41
    Re: #107
    If SoftBank had gotten Bright, he'd definitely be shining right now (classic line about SoftBank's player development)
    123AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:47
    Re: #110
    If SoftBank's player development were really that great, their first-round picks wouldn't be littered with busts — in the end it's on the player
    119AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:44
    When they say 'missing' here, does that mean literally nobody's even seen him at Nagoya Stadium?
    Isn't he basically not even with the team anymore?
    131AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:49
    Re: #119
    Sounds like he doesn't even show up at the team office and can't be reached, so this was apparently a one-sided notice
    138AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:54
    Re: #131
    Refusing to answer the team's calls? Is that even allowed?
    He's a grown man
    Takes a 100-million-yen signing bonus and then just skips town?
    145AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:55
    Re: #131
    Is he even still alive, seriously
    129AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:49
    🤔

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Release notices are an annual NPB procedure carried out near the end of the season to trim rosters down to the 70-player controlled limit, and it’s not unusual for even high draft picks who never established themselves on the first team to be let go. Kenta Bright was one of the position players the Chunichi Dragons brought in through the 2021 draft, and at the time he was grouped with Kosuke Ukai and Tomoya Masaki as part of a trio dubbed the “Chunichi Big Three” of promising prospects. The thread pointed to the gap in this season’s stats among the three (Ukai .235, Masaki .282, Bright .071) as evidence of how far the results diverged from their draft-day evaluations. Another topic was speculation that self-training routines — including a so-called “bath mat training method” reportedly introduced by manager Kazuyoshi Tatsunami — may have contributed to changes in his batting form; it’s worth noting this is speculation from the thread, not an official explanation from the team or the player himself. Claims like “he doesn’t even show up at the team office” or “he can’t be reached” are likewise secondhand information from the thread and have not been confirmed by primary sources.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Chunichi] Kenta Bright Released.”

  • In Germany It’s ¥1,000, In Japan It’s Free: Tap Water Gives Foreigners Culture Shock

    This thread was sparked by a news article about a German visitor to Japan who was surprised that restaurants serve water for free. The article describes their bewilderment, wondering ‘is it really okay to drink this?’ On 5ch, users discussed why Japan’s tap water is safe to drink straight from the faucet, and how parts of Europe, including Germany, have hard water, making mineral water a daily necessity there. Opinions were split between a jaded take — ‘Japan’s water is just tap water after all’ — and the view that ‘being able to drink free, safe water at all is rare by global standards,’ with the discussion also touching on regional differences in tap water taste.

    In Germany: ¥1,000 → In Japan: Free — German Visitor’s Culture Shock: The Surprising Service That Left Them Feeling ‘A Little Guilty’ in Japan

    (…omitted…)

    ‘Is it really okay to drink this?’ — Bewildered and a little guilty about the free service

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

    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    Please don't say stuff like that.
    If enough people make comments like that, Japan will start charging ¥1,000 for it too.
    93AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:53
    Re: #3
    Places trying to seem 'foreign-chic' already charge for it.
    145AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:04
    Re: #3
    If they started charging for the free water (o-hiya), the place would go under, obviously.
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:31
    That's because in most places in Japan, the tap water is drinkable.
    189AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:11
    Re: #6
    In Germany it depends on the region, but it's hard water.
    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:32
    Sounds like both the food and the water are bad in Germany.
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:33
    Re: #7
    Beer and sausages are free though.
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:37
    Re: #7
    Some regions have hard water. Apparently it even varies within the same city.
    97AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:53
    Re: #7
    Berlin's greatest traditional snack culture
    | Street Food Currywurst
    Berlin, Germany
    https://youtu.be/hmeALeTJ6So?t=3748
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:32
    Japan, where charging ¥800 for water gets you cancelled online.
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:40
    Re: #8
    That's the trick — quietly put it on the table, and you only find out it's ¥800 at the register. If water's going to cost money, you should normally be able to pick the brand off a menu.
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:33
    Japan's free water is just tap water, so it's nothing special.
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:43
    Re: #9
    It's run through a water purifier though.
    68AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:45
    Re: #9
    Just being drinkable at all is already a big deal…
    96AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:53
    Re: #9
    Try drinking hard water every day.
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:34
    Beer's expensive in Japan.
    In Germany you can get 500ml for as little as 80 yen lol
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #16
    'The water's bad, so people drink beer instead' — that's actually the case in quite a few places around the world.
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #11 Quit lying lol
    Re: #16 Quit lying lol — also, Germany uses centiliters (cl) as its unit, by the way.
    17AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:34
    They'd probably be crushed to get charged an otoshi fee (a mandatory small appetizer) at a Japanese bar.
    That's not a thing in Germany, right? lol
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:36
    Re: #17
    There'll definitely be foreigners who end up arguing over that.
    87AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:52
    Re: #17
    Even with the otoshi fee added, it's still cheaper in Japan, so I think people will just accept it. Eating out in the West is on a whole different price level compared to Japan.
    103AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:55
    Re: #17
    I wonder if there's tipping in Germany.

    Re: #40
    Convenience stores and supermarkets sell water too. As long as the brand is clearly shown, nobody complains about it being sold.
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:36
    People say Japan has no natural resources, but there aren't many countries with water this abundant.
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:37
    The water served at restaurants is just tap water.
    Does anyone actually drink that?
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:37
    Re: #32
    You've never drunk it?
    218AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:17
    Re: #32
    Even the drinks at restaurants that aren't plain water — the tea leaves or concentrate are brewed with tap water. It's all just flavored tap water.
    39AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:38
    Re: #35
    Nope. Do you drink it?
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:43
    Re: #39
    You've seriously never once drunk the water served at a restaurant?
    78AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:47
    Re: #39
    Why would you rack up bad karma lying about something this pointless?
    197AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:13
    Re: #39
    Most people have the experience of drinking the water at a restaurant as a kid, when their parents took them out to eat. Unless… you had health-conscious parents who told you not to drink it?
    40AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:38
    Re: #1
    It's a country where selling water gets you cancelled online, so making it free can't be helped.
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #32
    Sounds like you've only ever lived in places with bad-tasting tap water.
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:40
    Re: #44
    Is there actually a region with good-tasting tap water? It's bad unless you filter it, right?
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:43
    Re: #52
    If you chill it, it's decent — from Tokyo. Though my palate's dumb enough that I'd mix up tap water and Alpine natural spring water 😭
    73AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:46
    Re: #52
    Might depend on the place, but the water straight out of the treatment plant is genuinely good. Maybe it's the pipes along the way that stink it up? So in a way it's kind of a 'home lottery.'
    69AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:45
    To begin with, there aren't even 10 countries in the world where you can just drink the tap water normally.
    On top of that, you're never short of food either — Japan's a blessed country just for that alone.
    No wonder so many immigrants want to come here.
    94AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:53
    Re: #69
    Using water clean enough to drink, in huge quantities, every day just to flush toilets — that's a serious luxury.
    72AnonymousSep 30, 2026 20:46
    Why is the water so bad in places like Chiba and Okinawa?
    154AnonymousSep 30, 2026 21:05

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Free water at Japanese restaurants isn’t a legal requirement — it’s a customer-service custom known as ‘o-hiya’ that has become firmly established. Behind this lies the fact that Japan is one of the few countries in the world where tap water is safe to drink straight from the faucet. Even by classifications from bodies like the UN Environment Programme, only around a dozen or so countries worldwide have tap water safe enough to drink directly, and in many other countries mineral water is the norm due to issues like limescale and chlorine smell from hard water. Opinions split within the thread between the jaded view that it’s ‘just tap water after all’ and the view that ‘having free access to safe water is itself a luxury’ — a divide that tends to reflect the gap in perspective between people familiar with hard-water regions and those who aren’t. The remark that ‘charging for it would spark online backlash’ reflects real cases in recent years of some restaurants charging tourists separately for mineral water, highlighting the tension between custom and business.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (News Express+) thread ‘In Germany It’s ¥1,000 → In Japan It’s Free: German Visitor Says ‘I Want to Stay in Japan Forever, They Gave Me Water for Free’.’