Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Angerme’s Nagano Momoha Steps Up Concert Promo, Inspired by Tsubaki Factory’s Nishimura Otoki

    Angerme’s Nagano Momoha has become a talking point among 5ch users after she started actively promoting the Morning Musume。’26 concert at Mopia Arena, inspired by the promotional push from Tsubaki Factory’s Nishimura Otoki. The thread drew plenty of replies with a distinctly Hello!Project-fan angle — questioning why the promotion only kicked off right before showtime, and comparing the trainee years and popularity of members from other groups who came up around the same time. Some posts, however, also mocked certain members’ looks.

    Angerme

    @angerme_upfront

    Huh?! ‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼

    Source: upfc.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:39
    Why didn't she start back in spring?
    Hayashi was already promoting hers in spring.
    4AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    Seriously doesn't look like it's selling…
    5AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    Just being in Angerme wasn't enough to make me realize what matters.
    Glad I got into bug-catching.
    7AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:41
    Nagano and Nishimura have done nothing but grind, while Hayashi walks nothing but the red carpet with zero hardship — fate can be so cruel.
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:42
    Re: #7
    A thorny road is waiting for her from here on out.
    11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Re: #7
    If anything, she's had it the hardest of them all.
    41AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:06
    Re: #7
    Losing her entire trainee batch probably counts as hardship for Nia — she just doesn't seem to see it that way herself.
    8AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:42
    That's Hello!Project for you — middle and high schoolers carrying the group.
    10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:42
    And here Hayashi already had the "King Grasshopper" role lined up for her (apparently some insect character from a H!P stage show).
    12AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Re: #9
    Nagano and Nishimura have been on the thorny road this whole time, huh.
    13AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:44
    Angerme is a bad influence on kids.
    14AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:44
    Of the three, Hayashi's the most "Juice=Juice-coded," so maybe they just let her sit on the bench an extra year because Kawashima was out on hiatus.
    15AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:46
    So Nagano's the only one who hasn't caught Angerme's promo-cynicism yet, huh.
    19AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:47
    Hayashi took forever to get promoted, and two of her fellow trainees from the same batch never made it up at all.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:48
    Hayashi bombed hard on a solo job right after getting promoted.
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:49
    Kyushu local-idol grads really do have a different level of drive.
    25AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:50
    This isn't summer homework —
    scrambling to promote it the day of the deadline…
    29AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:52
    Ise will probably drop one of those "I have some feelings to share" posts once second-round ticket sales open.
    32AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:58
    Feel bad for Nagano.
    Her batchmates Suzuki and Ishikawa — younger than her and debuted later — got on Buzz Rhythm, Uta Kon, landed magazine covers, even a special batch-edition cover.
    Must sting.
    39AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Re: #32
    Precisely because the seniors are weak, Nagano became one of the group's top members in popularity almost right after joining — so it's not all bad.
    42AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:08
    Re: #39
    Even if she's a popular member within Angerme, what does that actually amount to?
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:59
    Angerme senpai be like: "I don't know what to do when the tickets aren't selling… ;;"
    36AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Might've been fine waiting one more year and putting her in Beyooooonds instead
    though she might've clashed with Miimi's character.
    38AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Nah, the one who's gonna save Angerme is Nagano Mochiko.
    40AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:04
    This is what happens when every group's tour finale gets crammed into a weekday show close to Tokyo.
    The agency doesn't get that office workers can't just take random days off in December.
    43AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:11
    It's honestly impressive Hayashi doesn't stick out badly in the current Juice=Juice lineup performance-wise.
    Her dancing's still rough, but her long limbs help hide it, and she can really sing.
    44AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:12
    Re: #41
    Losing her whole batch, staying a trainee even after winning Best Performer, then picking up Best Vocalist the following year still as a trainee — that's the kind of thing that'd make a pessimist think "maybe I'll never debut no matter what results I put up."
    Feels like a rough patch close to Ruru's, who won Best Performer twice before debuting.
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:12
    I just want to rescue Mocchi from the endless hell that is Angerme.
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:13
    Getting swept up in a 'photogenic frenzy' in 2nd-3rd year of middle school has to be brutal on the mind and body.
    Rare to see a middle schooler go through this much.
    47AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:13
    Sorry to say it about Nagano, but what were the senpai doing?
    Other groups' members promote for free every single day, whether tickets are selling or not.
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:16
    Angerme makes its comeback the day Mochi becomes leader.
    Just like her role model Ruru, all she can do is keep grinding until that day comes.
    And Mochi's got what it takes.
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:18
    Hayashi and Niina get top marks from me.
    Wish Amore never happened though.
    52AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:18
    The moment fans start calling a rookie "instant first-team material," that's your sign to question how weak the group's current lineup really is.
    56AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:30
    Kind of heartwarming that Hayashi, Nagano, and Nishimura are all close friends.
    59AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:36
    Wasn't Nagano's own trainee period only about six months too?

    Background and Discussion Points

    In Hello!Project, it’s customary for each member to handle concert promotion on their own social media ahead of a show. What sparked this discussion was the gap in timing and enthusiasm behind that promotion. Tsubaki Factory’s Nishimura Otoki had been promoting energetically from early on, while Angerme’s Nagano Momoha didn’t start until right before the show — leading fans to speculate she’d been “inspired” by Nishimura, though this hasn’t been confirmed as the actual reason. Beyond opinions on Nagano herself, the thread expanded into comparisons of trainee periods and popularity among members of other groups who came up around the same time, with the discussion taking on the distinctly Hello!Project habit of framing things around “same-batch and junior generations.” Note that posts mocking certain members’ appearances have been excluded from this article.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello!Project) thread “[Good News] Inspired by Tsubaki Factory’s Nishimura Otoki, Angerme’s Nagano Momoha starts hustling to promote the MM Mopia Arena concert wwwwwwwwww.”

  • “Bayside Shakedown” Knocks “Chiikawa” Off the Top of the Box Office — Fans Split Over Bonus-Goods Tactics

    In the nationwide box-office attendance rankings for September 25–27 released by Kogyo Tsushinsha, “Bayside Shakedown N.E.W.: Race Through the Metropolis,” now in its second week of release, overtook “Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island,” which was in its ninth week, to climb to No. 1.

    On the thread, opinions split over how to read the numbers: Chiikawa’s strength is said to come from a “bonus-goods” strategy that racks up repeat viewings, which then sags in weeks without giveaways. Some cheered the No. 1 finish, while others offered a cooler take, noting that overall attendance hadn’t actually grown. Posters also lamented Eri Fukatsu’s absence from the cast and traded predictions on how things might shift once a new Chiikawa release drops next month.

    September 28, 2026, 1:22 PM

    Kogyo Tsushinsha has released the nationwide box-office attendance Top 10 for September 25–27, with “Bayside Shakedown N.E.W.: Race Through the Metropolis,” starring Yuji Oda and now in its second week, rising to No. 1. Last week’s No. 1, “Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island,” slipped to No. 2.

    The “Bayside Shakedown” series follows Shunsaku Aoshima, an unconventional officer who left corporate life to join the Wangan Police Station’s Criminal Investigation Division. In the new theatrical entry, Aoshima, now a detective with the First Investigation Division, races through the sprawling metropolis of Reiwa-era Tokyo. Katsuyuki Motohiro returns as director, with Oda reprising his role as Aoshima. The cast also includes Shu, Jin Shirasu, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Takahisa Masuda (NEWS), Kayo Noro, Shiori Tamai (Momoiro Clover Z), Karin Fujiyoshi (Sakurazaka46), Nagisa Saito, Jiro Sato, Yusuke Santamaria, Miki Maya, Miki Mizuno, Masahiro Komoto, Susumu Terajima, Atsushi Ito, Kenichi Takito, Yutaka Matsushige, and Kohei Matsushita.

    Source: natalie.mu / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:37
    Bayside Shakedown is what the middle-aged crowd goes to see.
    5AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:38
    A sequel's basically guaranteed now.
    Oda seems fired up too.
    Good news for Fuji TV, huh?
    8AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:46
    If Eri Fukatsu's not in it,
    it's not worth watching (´･ω･｀)
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:47
    Poor Bayside Shakedown — Chiikawa could crush it anytime it actually felt like trying.
    10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:49
    If you put Bayside Shakedown and Chiikawa together, that'd probably hit 20 billion yen.
    11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:49
    Without bonus goods, Bayside Shakedown wins easily — impressive.
    While Chiikawa's running, it hogs its screening slots and eats into other films' showtimes, so it can't rack up much and stalls out. Rough, and this'll just keep happening.
    20AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:52
    Just between us, Oda's the only one who still thinks he's young.
    83AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:04
    Re: #20
    Even he doesn't think he's young anymore.
    Didn't you notice him holding the documents a little further away to read them?
    That was for real.
    This time I'm swooning over mature Oda's little gestures like that.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:53
    Who saw it beating Chiikawa coming?
    41AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:05
    Re: #21
    Add up the Sat-through-Fri totals for the weeks without bonus goods since opening day, and Chiikawa's probably not even cleared 5 billion yen — and that includes summer vacation lol. No bonus goods, and of course Bayside Shakedown wins easy. It's cruising on weekdays too.
    43AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:10
    Re: #41
    Bayside Shakedown had its own bonus too — the "investigation HQ file" — and it still lost in its opening week lol
    52AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:14
    Re: #41
    The gap's only going to get worse, lol Chiikawa.
    It only shows up for the bonus goods, so it pointlessly hogs screening slots even in non-bonus weeks — genuinely a nuisance.
    23AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:54
    That Village of Eight Gravestones movie's bombing hard.
    69AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:36
    Re: #23
    Even once it's up on Amazon Prime I won't feel like watching it.
    Who's even going to watch that.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:54
    But starting this weekend Chiikawa's rolling out round six (of bonus goods).
    37AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:01
    Re: #24
    Next weekend, you mean — the three-day holiday starting October 10.
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:56
    They should just sell Eri Fukatsu as DLC (paid add-on content).
    33AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:00
    Re: #27
    Wait, is the Blu-ray bonus just a phone-call scene between Aoshima and Sumire?
    28AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:56
    Lol, all those people who were saying 'nobody cares' and 'who's even gonna watch this at this point.'
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:57
    Re: #28
    It's only No. 1 in the ranking — actual attendance hasn't grown at all.
    This isn't really the time to celebrate 'beating a 9th-week Chiikawa!'
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:58
    It cracked Chiikawa's stronghold at its peak.
    That alone has Fuji TV laughing it up.
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:00
    Re: #31
    It's already lost to Spider-Man in its second week.
    42AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:10
    Everyone's hyped about Chiikawa vs. Bayside Shakedown, but spare a thought once in a while for 'How to Generate the Perfect Crime in 5 Seconds'!
    53AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:15
    Re: #42
    Village of Eight Gravestones too!
    56AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:22
    Heard its momentum's dropped off and it's in pretty bad shape — a classic front-loaded opener, apparently.
    Did it bounce back?
    58AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:23
    Re: #56
    It's just that Chiikawa's its only real rival.
    Week-over-week it's dropped off a cliff, so it's not like it actually bounced back.
    72AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    Re: #56
    It's not doing badly — the mistake is weighting late-night showtimes too heavily, for one, as you can tell from Sunday's numbers being lower.
    66AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:33
    Re: #58
    So you're cherry-picking the comparison against two weeks back, huh — still not looking at actual screening/seat counts?
    70AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:36
    Re: #66
    It wasn't even screening two weeks ago.
    74AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:50
    Everyone kept saying it'd flop, wouldn't clear 2 billion yen, maybe just 1.5 billion — turns out that was way off lol
    77AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:58
    Re: #74
    If it clears 5 billion yen, you can proudly call it a smash hit.
    Even past 4 billion it'd count as a success, but somehow that feels a bit underwhelming.
    76AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:58
    Hold on, where's Look Back in this?!
    86AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:10
    Re: #76
    I wonder if they've even finished handing out that 60-plus-page booklet bonus yet…
    Can it reach even a quarter of the anime version's attendance?

    Background and Points of Debate

    The box-office attendance ranking measures weekly rank by “number of moviegoers,” not box-office revenue, so it doesn’t necessarily mean the top film drew the largest audience overall. As posters on the thread point out, “Chiikawa” is now in its ninth week of release and is known for a strategy of driving repeat viewings through collectible merchandise bonuses. Attendance tends to dip in weeks without a giveaway, whereas “Bayside Shakedown” climbed the rankings on the strength of being a fresh release in only its second week. While the No. 1 finish made headlines, some pointed out that overall attendance hadn’t actually grown from the previous week — reading “No. 1 equals smash hit” too simplistically misses what’s really going on. The absence of Eri Fukatsu’s character, Emi, from this installment has also been a talking point among longtime fans of the series.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[Nationwide Box Office Attendance Ranking] “Bayside Shakedown” Overtakes “Chiikawa” for No. 1 — Three Films Debut.”

  • DECA!BEAT Named Insulation Navigators for Environment Ministry’s ‘Deco-Katsu’ Campaign, Appear at Press Event

    DECA!BEAT — the cross-group Hello! Project unit made up of Kirara Yonemura (OCHA NORMA), Hisaki Ebata (Juice=Juice), Runo Yokaze (Tsubaki Factory), and Akoto Yumiketa (Morning Musume ’26) — appeared at the Ministry of the Environment’s “Deco-katsu 2nd Stage” press event in Tokyo and was named “Insulation Navigator.” Under the new concept “Make Decarbonization Easier: Raku-Deco-katsu,” aimed at achieving net-zero by 2050, the event unveiled initiatives in the clothing and housing (insulation) sectors. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, discussion centered on why only 4 of the unit’s 7 members were chosen, mentions of the left-out members Okamura, Goto, and Uemura, and the unit’s connection to “Eco Moni.,” which previously handled Environment Ministry projects.

    Kirara Yonemura (OCHA NORMA), Hisaki Ebata (Juice=Juice), Runo Yokaze (Tsubaki Factory), and Akoto Yumiketa (Morning Musume ’26) appeared on the 28th at the Ministry of the Environment’s “Deco-katsu 2nd Stage” press event held in Tokyo.

    The Ministry of the Environment is updating “Deco-katsu” — its campaign toward achieving net-zero by 2050 — to a “2nd Stage,” setting a new concept phrase: “Make Decarbonization Easier: ‘Raku-Deco-katsu.’”

    At the event, the ministry unveiled an overview of the new concept phrase along with concrete initiatives in the priority areas of “clothing” and “housing (insulation).”

    Source: talent-databank.co.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Kinda few of them, huh
    Who got left out?
    6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:46
    I want DECA!BEAT to show the ambition to at least put out a full album.
    10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:47
    The gap with the 'gummy' unit is pretty brutal.
    14AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:48
    Re: #10
    DECA!BEAT doesn't even sell any products, it's just a vanity unit.
    They lose to GOOD M!X, who've been made to sell gummies two years running.
    11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:47
    Stop acting like it's not a 'senbatsu' just because Yumiketa's in it.
    13AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:48
    Now I get why the lineup felt oddly hand-picked
    So it's an Environment Ministry thing?
    16AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:51
    Satoyama was a Land Ministry (MLIT) thing, right?
    Now the Environment Ministry too.
    43AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:02
    Re: #16
    Following in Eco Moni.'s footsteps.
    17AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    So it's leader Yonemura, Morning Musume's Yumiketa, and Ebata?
    Guess that's a reasonable pick.
    18AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    Because Gumi couldn't sell out, after all.
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:57
    Re: #18
    Has DECA!BEAT ever sold out of anything?
    19AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    Huh, guess Juice=Juice has time on their hands too.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:54
    When was this even filmed?
    Kirara wasn't at the last Big Sight event.
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:54
    This is the strength of safe-and-reliable Hello! Project.
    Sky High Entertainment (rival idol agency) could never pull this off.
    Let's grab next year's Ministry of Agriculture/JRA image song slot too.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:55
    http://www.bea.hi-ho.ne.jp/sadaomi/hello2/image/ecomoni.jpg
    25AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:56
    Nice to see Hello! Project getting positive news again today.
    26AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:56
    Didn't Eco Moni. do something with Yuriko Koike (Tokyo governor)?
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:56
    ANGERME is nowhere to be seen.
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:58
    [DECA!BEAT] Kirara Yonemura, Hisaki Ebata, Runo Yokaze & Akoto Yumiketa Show Off Toned Abs in Standout Outfits! Chaotic Insulation Talk at the Environment Ministry's 'Deco-katsu 2nd Stage' Press Event
    tps://youtu.be/l-IUnSeHQZ4
    32AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:58
    Don't get in Ebata-chan's way, she's busy.
    35AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:59
    So the ones missing today are the members without toned abs?
    37AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:00
    Environment Ministry event DECA!BEAT selected members
    Yonemura
    Yumiketa
    Ebata
    Yokaze


    Not selected
    Okamura
    Goto
    Uemura
    38AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    That's why I keep telling you guys to give Miimi (nickname for Okamura, one of the unselected members) some attention too…
    39AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Ranked by flat-chestedness?
    56AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:09
    Re: #39
    Wait, really?
    61AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:11
    Re: #39
    So Kamirena-chan (Uemura Rena) is stacked?
    40AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Yonemura's the leader, Yumiketa's the Morning Musume rep, Ebata's the flagship… and Yokaze?
    44AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:03
    I've been waiting forever for part two — I want to see Kirara and Ebata go on a dinner date.
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:03
    Wait, hold on?
    OCHA NORMA's in it, so why isn't ANGERME?
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:03
    Yonemura: Leader
    Yumiketa: Cheer Squad Captain
    Ebata: Main Underdog
    Yokaze: Main Vocalist

    aespa missed the Kohaku lineup (NHK's New Year's Eve song contest)
    DECA!BEAT made the Kohaku lineup
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:06
    This is tiresome.
    Antis, take it to the containment thread.
    52AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:07
    The clip with Kirara and Toruno (nickname for Yokaze Runo) was great.
    55AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:09
    Re: #52
    That's because it was shot by dmagazine's staff.
    53AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:08
    It's a unit where only Yokaze and Goto can actually sing properly, yet they're sidelining Goto and killing her motivation.
    67AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:30
    Re: #53
    Hanana's probably just going by how things currently stand.
    54AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:08
    Can't we figure out when this was shot from the blog?

    Background and Talking Points

    “Deco-katsu” (short for “decarbonization lifestyle”) is a national decarbonization campaign the Ministry of the Environment has run since 2023, and this isn’t the first time it has brought in celebrities as “navigators.” “Eco Moni.,” mentioned in the thread, was an earlier unit that handled Environment Ministry messaging, so this fits an ongoing pattern of the government using talent to get its message across. What’s distinctive this time is that the unit mixes one member each from four groups — Morning Musume ’26, Juice=Juice, Tsubaki Factory, and OCHA NORMA — and since only 4 of the unit’s 7 members were chosen, speculation about the selection criteria became the thread’s main topic. That said, the official announcement never explained the reasoning behind the lineup: while the focus on “clothing” and “housing (insulation)” and the 2050 net-zero target are confirmed facts from official sources, any read on who was picked and who wasn’t remains pure fan speculation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “DECA!BEAT Named Insulation Navigators for the Environment Ministry’s ‘Deco-katsu 2nd Stage’!!! Appeared at the Press Event Held in Tokyo!!!!!!!!.”

  • Would You Buy a PS6 With No Disc Drive? IGN’s 33,000-Vote Poll Splits Opinion

    IGN’s international site ran a poll asking “Would you buy a PS6 even if it doesn’t come with a disc drive?” and it drew 33,000 votes, sparking discussion on 5ch’s hardware/industry (Geha) board. Rather than the poll numbers themselves, the thread zeroed in on the fine print behind dropping the disc drive: an expected price of 200,000–300,000 yen, the real download ratio Sony discloses in its earnings reports, and the fact that PlayStation Store lacks a refund system the way Steam does.

    1AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:05
    What are we supposed to do about this.
    7AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:07
    Is there even any point polling anti-fans who weren't going to buy it in the first place?
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:09
    Re: #7
    Seriously?
    So Official PlayStation Magazine was a magazine for PS haters all along.
    13AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:11
    Ah, so in Japan this is heading for the under-2-million-units bin, or getting scalped off to China via Rudeya-style resale channels (a resale route for exporting goods to China) — basically a domestic-scale flop on the level of the 3DO or PC-FX (infamous failed consoles).
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:33
    Re: #13
    If the war in Ukraine is over by then, demand for repurposing these into military hardware for the Russian army will dry up too.
    36AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:37
    Re: #13
    This.
    It's the main IGN site — nothing to do with Japan.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:27
    Re: #1
    Worry about the price more than that.
    MSRP of 200,000–300,000 yen, no disc drive.
    Would you buy it under those conditions?
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:29
    Re: #21
    If it's already this bad just from dropping the disc, it'll only get worse once the price is announced.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:30
    Does anyone around you these days actually still buy the disc version? I've basically stopped seeing it entirely.
    29AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:34
    Re: #24
    There probably still are, no?


    There's a ton of them listed for sale.
    And none of them are selling at all lol
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:34
    There's no way that 95% download ratio is real.

    Or the 98 million PS5 units sold worldwide, either.

    Absolutely

    fake

    Jan
    64AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:54
    Re: #31
    Nah, that 95% download-ratio claim is flat-out fake lol
    The actual download ratio Sony itself reports in earnings is 80%. But the average sale price is only around 3,500 yen, so most of that is people only buying during sales.
    32AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:35
    They'll probably patch in support for it later anyway — partly to preserve backward compatibility.
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:36
    Re: #32
    Would a company that flipped the O/X confirm-cancel button convention starting with the PS4, with zero accommodation for existing users, really bother?
    37AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:38
    Drop the disc drive, and profit that used to run only about 30% jumps to nearly 95%.

    Of course it makes sense to shut down the disc factories dragging down margins and convert them into image sensor plants, which are thriving, to boost profitability.

    But Microsoft hasn't followed suit on this move, so Sony's probably nervously glancing back over its shoulder.
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:42
    Re: #37
    What happened to the claim that 95% of sales are already digital…?
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Re: #37
    MS will drop discs starting with their next-gen console too.
    MS doesn't even own its own factories, so producing discs is even harder for them than it is for Sony.
    Their download ratio is already way higher than PlayStation's as it stands.
    If anything, it's basically a digital-only machine already.
    The only difference is whether they make a clear, official announcement about it.
    56AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:46
    Re: #37
    Conversely, the people about to bail because of the disc drop — are they really going to abandon all the digital purchases they've stockpiled and move over to PC or whatever?
    42AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    If you go and buy something like Monster Hunter Wilds or FF16 and it turns out to be a dud, downloads mean you're just stuck eating the loss. Without a Steam-style refund system, this is a straight-up downgrade.
    62AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    Re: #42
    And the astroturfing campaigns to dump shovelware on people during launch week are probably going to get even worse too.
    48AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Without something physical you can actually hold, you don't get to experience the joy of having bought a game.
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:44
    Re: #48
    So every digital-only title is doomed by that logic then, huh. Poor things.
    54AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:45
    If they want to make it a download-only machine, they need to set up a refund system like Steam's, or none of this makes sense.
    60AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:51
    Re: #54
    A lot of people get this wrong, but on Steam, using refunds as a way to get a free trial counts as abuse and can get your account banned.
    ‘Buy it, play it, refund it because it was boring’ — that's the abusive behavior.
    Sony's also changed things so you can now get a refund for a mistaken purchase as long as you haven't downloaded it yet.
    71AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Re: #60
    That's a pretty outdated understanding.
    Far from being treated as abuse, the refund reasons nowadays literally include options like ‘not what I expected’ and ‘wasn't fun.’
    72AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:01
    Re: #60
    You can keep bleating “but the terms of service!” all you want — in reality, Steam allows refunds within a 2-hour trial window, and you won't get banned unless you're abusing it with dozens of refunds like some kind of harassment campaign. You basically never see “I got refunded and banned!” reports popping up on social media, right?
    Of course not. From Valve's perspective, as long as you're a genuine paying customer, there's no reason to ban you.

    Meanwhile, the PlayStation Store doesn't let you trial-play or refund at all.

    That's just the reality of it.
    58AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:49
    Re: #56
    Either way you're forced into one of two choices: stick with the PS6 for life, or migrate to PC.

    The sooner you move to PC the better, but the people trapped by sunk cost are the ones who end up losing the most.
    68AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:57
    Re: #58
    Re: #59
    If you're willing to even pay for PS5 repairs just to keep using it, can your brain really not do the math that trading it in for a PS6 upgrade is the smarter move?
    59AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:51
    Re: #56
    You don't have to abandon anything — just become a ‘PS5 diehard.’ It just means not buying the next one.
    74AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:05
    There's never actually been a case of getting banned on Steam for refunding because a game was boring.
    76AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:07
    Re: #74
    Doesn't it flag you if you keep doing it repeatedly over a short period?
    78AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:10
    Re: #76
    Normally you're not buying games over and over again in a short span of time anyway.
    83AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:12
    Re: #78
    If you're going in planning to refund from the start, there might be people who'd do exactly that.
    79AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:11
    Come to think of it, Sony said they're dropping discs for new releases — but did they say anything about not providing a way to play the discs you already own? Does anyone remember?
    85AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:13
    Re: #79
    Basically it means ‘stay locked into your PS5 forever.’
    If you want to play it on PS6, buy the download version all over again.
    Classic Sony move.
    86AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:13
    Re: #68
    In your world, how much is the PS6 even supposed to cost?
    87AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:14
    Re: #86
    Repair costs aren't exactly cheap either. And there might end up being a budget model too.
    91AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:23
    Even if the PS6 comes out to shave the price down even a little, there's a chance they'll drop PS4/PS5 backward compatibility entirely to begin with…
    92AnonymousSep 28, 2026 16:24
    Re: #91
    Dropping that would cut into their subscription membership numbers, so that's one thing they'll probably make sure to nail down properly.

    Background and Key Points

    IGN’s poll is a self-selecting survey answered voluntarily by the site’s own readers, so respondents skew toward people who already read IGN — it’s not a number that represents the market as a whole. The “95% download ratio” figure cited in the thread also rests on different assumptions than the actual ratio Sony discloses in its earnings reports (about 80%, according to posters, with an average sale price of roughly 3,500 yen), reflecting the fact that most purchases happen during sales. It’s also worth noting that as of September 2026, Sony has not officially announced that the PS6 will fully drop its disc drive — this discussion is built on overseas media reports and rumors. Steam’s refund policy requires under 2 hours of playtime and within 14 days of purchase, a different standard from PlayStation Store’s limited refund support.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “IGN Asks ‘Would You Buy a PS6 Without a Disc Drive?’ — Results From 33,000 Votes Cause a Stir.”

  • SMILE-UP. Overhauls Management: President Higashiyama Steps Down, Fujishima Julie Keiko Stays On

    On September 28, “SMILE-UP.” (formerly Johnny & Associates) announced changes to its management structure. President Higashiyama Yuji will step down at the end of his term, with a new leadership structure taking effect October 1, while owner-family member Fujishima Julie Keiko will remain on as a director. SMILE-UP. was reorganized following the sexual abuse scandal involving Johnny Kitagawa into an organization that handles no new talent activities and focuses solely on victim compensation. On 5ch, while some welcomed Higashiyama’s departure, others were skeptical, saying “nothing really changes as long as Julie stays,” while others speculated it “might pave the way for Higashiyama’s return to entertainment.” The discussion also spread to Kimura Yoshino’s increasing workload and allegations of pressure on affiliated groups.

    2026-09-28 15:04

    On the 28th, “SMILE-UP.” updated its official website to announce changes to its management structure. President Higashiyama Yuji will step down at the end of his term.

    The official site stated: “We would like to announce that at today’s board meeting held on September 28, 2026, the board resolved to change its composition due to the expiration of directors’ terms, and following the shareholders’ meeting held afterward, the proposal to appoint directors was approved. As a result, a new management structure will take effect as of October 1, 2026.”

    Source: oricon.co.jp / Original article here

    10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:22
    Figurehead Higashiyama just got the axe, that's all.
    Right on script.
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:24
    Is Higashiyama Yuji making an entertainment comeback?
    Or finally doing some actual work for once?
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:29
    Isn't she just there to manage the assets?
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:30
    Re: #45
    Victim compensation for the sexual abuse case is the main job
    48AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:30
    Why's the founder's family still sitting pretty?
    They're not about to bring talent management back right away, are they
    78AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:38
    Re: #48
    This is a compensation company.
    It's set to shut down once all the settlements are paid out.
    Who else is supposed to run it if not the family?
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:30
    Meanwhile his wife Kimura Yoshino is all over the place — regular shows, commercials, you name it
    55AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:32
    Re: #49
    Her husband's basically unemployed now, so she's got to bring in the money.
    For a year after the scandal broke, he refused to take his salary and lived off retained earnings
    52AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:31
    Guess they'll do another totally forgettable cop drama, stacked with heavyweight actors so it's guaranteed not to flop?
    128AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:50
    Re: #52
    I remember Shoken and Ikkei (veteran supporting actors) acted so well that lead actor Higashiyama basically got left in the dust
    57AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:32
    It's like surgery that never removes the cancer.
    They just cut him open and sewed him back shut.
    101AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:43
    Re: #57
    More like they transplanted the cancer into the brain instead
    90AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    Julie clawing back power at this point doesn't mean much anyway.
    Arashi's already broken up.
    Even if she returns to the industry, she won't have her old clout.
    95AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:41
    Re: #90
    Heard she's been complaining to MAJ (a talent industry association) and even meddling in TV casting.
    Wouldn't be surprised if she goes right back to doing whatever she wants
    91AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:40
    Huh, I thought Higashi hadn't been president for ages
    94AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:41
    Re: #91
    Higashi was president, huh.
    I only ever had a spacey image of him, but turns out he's surprisingly sharp
    109AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:45
    Higashiyama, come back.
    It's just a compensation front desk job anyway, Julie can handle that fine
    125AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:48
    Just have Sausage (forum nickname) and Julie do a sham comeback press conference already
    135AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:51
    Re: #125
    Throw Usocchi (lit. "Little Liar," a nickname) in there too
    145AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    The credibility of that article about them pressuring M!LK just shot way up
    151AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:57
    Re: #145
    My kid got into M!LK and EBiDAN back around the start of this year,
    but lately she's gotten sick of the brutal random-bonus-item sales tactics,
    and now she's landed on "SnowMan's better since their bonuses aren't random"
    146AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:53
    Wild that in Japan, sexual abuse on a scale unheard of anywhere else in the world gets forgiven just by changing the agency's name
    150AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:56
    Re: #146
    Technically it's a separate organization now

    Background and Key Points

    SMILE-UP. changed its name in 2023 following the revelation of the sexual abuse scandal involving Johnny Kitagawa, and was reorganized into an organization dedicated solely to victim compensation, with no new talent activities. Higashiyama Yuji was appointed president at that time, and his current departure is framed as simply the natural end of his term. Meanwhile, owner-family member Fujishima Julie Keiko remains on as a director, and the thread’s discussion focused heavily on this contrast. Opinions were split between skeptics arguing that “nothing substantively changes as long as Julie — who holds the real power — stays on even after Higashiyama’s exit,” and others suggesting it “could pave the way for Higashiyama’s return to entertainment.” There were also comments noting that allegations of pressure on affiliated idol groups have grown more credible, reflecting persistent distrust toward the management structure of the former Johnny’s organization as a whole. Readers should keep in mind that SMILE-UP. is not a company currently engaged in talent management, but rather an organization set up specifically for victim compensation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Former Johnny’s] “SMILE-UP.” announces change in management structure — President Higashiyama Yuji to step down at end of term, Fujishima Julie Keiko remains [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”

  • Morning Drama ‘Kaze, Kaoru’ Finale Scores 14.5% Rating, Series Average of 13.8% Tops ‘Omusubi’

    NHK’s serialized morning drama “Kaze, Kaoru” wrapped up on September 25 with its finale (episode 130), pulling a household average rating of 14.5% and an individual rating of 8.0%. The series average from the first episode to the last came in at 13.8% for households and 7.6% for individuals — beating “Omusubi” (13.1%, late 2024) and “Welcome Kame” (13.5%, late 2009), though it only tied “Tsubasa” (13.8%, early 2009). On 5ch’s Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ board, commenters looked back on the double-lead drama starring Mikami Ai and Kosaka Juri, with some praising how “it got good once the nursing school arc started,” while others pointed out that “it lost steam in the final stretch” or that “it leaned too hard into romance and family drama instead of its core premise” — leaving opinions on the show’s overall quality divided.

    Mon, Sep 28, 10:01 AM

    Episode 130, the finale of NHK’s serialized morning drama “Kaze, Kaoru” (airing Mon-Sat at 8:00 AM), starring actresses Mikami Ai and Kosaka Juri as double leads, aired on the 25th. Video Research announced on the 28th that the household average rating came in at 14.5%, with an individual rating of 8.0%. The series average from the first episode through the finale was 13.8% for households and 7.6% for individuals. (Figures are for the Kanto region.)

    As a household series average, this topped “Omusubi” at 13.1% (late 2024) and “Welcome Kame” at 13.5% (late 2009), but only matched “Tsubasa” at 13.8% (early 2009).

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

    4AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:31
    Refreshingly wholesome for a morning drama, for once.
    Yeah, nobody wants a messy soap opera first thing in the morning.
    70AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:24
    Re: #4
    It was a messy soap opera right up until she ran from her husband.
    6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:32
    For better or worse, it just never became a talking point.
    7AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:32
    If you hate 'Kaoru,' go watch 'Blossom' and grit your teeth through that instead.
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:33
    The biggest shock in the finale was that these two were still alive in the present day.
    12AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:35
    Re: #9
    Lol
    It's basically 'The Poe Clan' (a classic manga about ageless, vampire-like immortals) lmao
    11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:34
    Can't top 'Omusubi.'
    The cast was full of popular actors, but Nonji's script was just too awful.
    14AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:36
    It was brutally boring at first, then suddenly got good once the nursing school arc kicked in
    but for some reason it stalled out hard again in the back half, with the last month going nowhere, lol
    Still, having a clearly 'good' stretch at all makes it way better than 'Omusubi.'
    72AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:26
    Re: #14
    In 'Omusubi,' the Ayumi storyline was more interesting than the Yui storyline
    especially the part where the meaning behind that oddly specific 'Fullmetal Alchemist' rule gets revealed
    16AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:36
    Isn't that the girl who played Akiko?
    She had a certain elegance that made her a good fit for a morning drama.
    17AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:36
    Interesting or boring aside, this is basically all the viewership NHK can pull these days.
    18AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:36
    One of the two heroines was hysterical, loud, and just plain annoying.
    20AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:37
    Once the kids grew up, the story stopped moving, and both leads struggled playing parents.
    I watched it wondering if this was even made as a proper drama — out of the corner of my eye. Anyone who watched it seriously must be exhausted.
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:39
    Adult Tamaki, though…
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:46
    Re: #22,24
    Fine, she didn't die like she did historically, but Tamaki's presence and her career-path subplot just dragged the story down…
    Whether they kept her alive or killed her off, couldn't they have handled it a bit better?
    66AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:18
    Re: #30
    Even if she wasn't going to become a nurse, I feel like she could've at least aimed for some job connected to nursing, medicine, or English…
    Why'd they have her pick a career that just fades into nothing?
    92AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:55
    Re: #30
    Given how it turned out, maybe it would've been better to bring in the son too and kill him off to build up some real drama…
    23AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:40
    The only highlight was the big dog.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:43
    They showed the daughter agonizing over her career path, but then it just got written out of existence lol
    26AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:45
    Re: #24
    A cartoonist, huh…
    Still better than going from parasite research to working at a mahjong parlor, I guess
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:51
    Re: #24
    If I remember right, she actually died young in real history.
    If they were going to shoehorn Shimaken's illness in right up to the end anyway, they should've used that screen time on this storyline instead and had her fully recover.
    25AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:45
    The dawn of nursing in the Meiji era is such a fascinating subject,
    but they spent way more time on romance and family drama than on that.
    29AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:46
    Honestly, I feel like it would've been more compelling if they'd just focused on Kosaka Juri's story instead of doing a double-heroine format.
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:47
    I found it fun and looked forward to it every day, so I'm surprised the ratings weren't great — it was really good.
    39AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:57
    People say it should've just been Kosaka Juri as the sole lead, but at the time casting was decided, Mikami Ai actually had more of a track record and star power.
    Naomi started out as this twisted, nasty woman muttering insults in English,
    but by the end she'd become a clear-headed, understanding, highly capable veteran nurse,
    and her acting really grew into the role too. Honestly it's like she swapped personalities with her early self.
    59AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:14
    Re: #39
    My take is that once she became a nurse, her blunt, no-nonsense personality got reframed as 'rational,' and being valued by those around her is what changed her over time.
    41AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:59
    It just felt kind of flat, somehow.
    Ōzeki Wa was apparently nicknamed the 'crybaby frog,' so I expected someone with really intense emotional ups and downs and a more turbulent life, but both the emotions and the story ended up feeling flat.
    48AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:05
    Re: #41
    I thought the real historical figure actually lived a life that would've made for better drama material.
    Naomi's arc, meanwhile, is almost entirely made up anyway.
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:05
    Kosaka Juri was really great.
    She might turn out to be the rightful successor to Matsuzaka Keiko and Nakama Yukie.
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:07
    Re: #46
    Matsuzaka Keiko really has that sensual charm, doesn't she
    — a mature kind of beauty, I guess.

    Idols always seem stuck being childish, which is kind of embarrassing.
    75AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:30
    It was a morning drama that was way too uneventful — nothing much ever happened.
    77AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:35
    Re: #75
    An overly intense story first thing in the morning would be rough, so maybe that's about the right level.
    There have been morning dramas that collapsed from cramming in too many wild plot twists, after all.

    Background and Talking Points

    Today’s NHK morning dramas are a far cry from the era when household ratings above 20% were the norm — the last several installments have all hovered in the low teens. The figures cited in the article — 13.1% for “Omusubi,” 13.5% for “Welcome Kame,” and 13.8% for “Tsubasa” — serve as the benchmark within that declining trend, and by that measure, “Kaze, Kaoru”‘s 13.8% is nothing to scoff at. What divided opinion on the thread wasn’t the rating itself so much as a question of craft: why the gap between the show’s engaging stretches and its dull ones was so wide. Some say it picked up once the nursing school arc began, while many others point to the final stretch stalling out, and some argue the double-heroine structure spread the story too thin. It’s an episode that, beyond the raw numbers, reveals the ups and downs in how the show was received over its run.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “NHK Morning Drama “Kaze, Kaoru” Finishes Finale With a 14.5% Rating… Series Average of 13.8%, First Time in the 13% Range Since “Omusubi”.”

  • Are PC Games Too Much Hassle for Beginners? 5ch Says ‘Not as Buggy as It Used to Be’

    A thread titled “PC games aren’t suited for beginners who can’t fix problems themselves” appeared on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry board (Geha), sparking debate over whether PCs or consoles (CS) handle technical problems better. It started with the claim that “console owners just give up when something breaks because they can’t fix it themselves,” which drew a wave of replies citing how rarely Nintendo hardware fails and pointing to examples like PS4 firmware bugs. On the other hand, plenty of posters argued that “PCs don’t have nearly as many problems as they used to” and “these days you can just ask an AI and usually sort it out,” leaving the question of which platform is truly better unresolved.

    1AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:37
    Console owners just give up when something breaks because there's no way to fix it themselves, right?
    2AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:39
    "PC people" be like: "Bad optimization! It's crashing!" (mocking the stereotypical PC-gamer complaint)
    3AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:40
    Nintendo hardware never, ever has problems.
    7AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:42
    Re: #3,4
    Things like VRR not working until the manufacturer patches it, or being locked to 30/60FPS even on the top-end model, are basically "problems" too. And even when a PC does crash, sometimes you can actually fix it yourself.
    54AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:29
    Re: #3
    Nintendo's reputation comes from their hardware rarely breaking, and even when it does, repairs are usually free (with some exceptions). That's the opposite of Sony, who'll still try to squeeze a repair fee out of you even when the PS arrives dead on arrival.
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:45
    Re: #7
    Don't twist individual software bugs into "PC problems." That excuse doesn't fly anymore — regular people have already been through the same thing with their smartphones.
    10AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:47
    Re: #9
    Then what about when an FF game or whatever broke on PS4 after a firmware update, and everyone just had to sit and wait on Sony? Unlike PC, you can't freely downgrade the firmware either.
    14AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:50
    Re: #10
    What are you even talking about? Don't throw out nonsensical counterarguments that have nothing to do with this.
    18AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:53
    Re: #14
    From the start, all I've been saying is that console owners have no choice but to give up, because they can't fix problems themselves.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:57
    Even PCs don't run into nearly as many hardware or software problems as they used to, honestly.
    26AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:04
    Re: #21
    Spoken like someone who's never actually touched one (an "air-play" take — talking big without any real experience).
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:42
    Re: #21
    True, though that's partly just because processing power and everything else has improved so much.
    51AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:12
    Re: #21
    Yeah, pretty much this. Most of the crashes you see on streams these days are actually on PS5 anyway.
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 10:57
    I've been gaming on PC almost every day for 10 years and it's never once broken down. The only "maintenance" I do is blow out the dust.
    35AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:13
    Re: #22
    Impressive, I'm jealous of how long yours lasts. Mine usually dies and needs replacing around the 6-year mark.
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:05
    These days you can just ask ChatGPT and it'll walk you through everything step by step. Just paste in the error message and ask what to do about it.
    28AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:06
    Sure, stuff still happens, but you can usually find a fix by searching around or asking an AI. Games straight-up refusing to launch due to some hardware incompatibility, like back in the day, has gotten pretty rare too.
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:08
    Re: #28
    Yeah, now that AI's around, it's gotten a lot easier to dig up something resembling an actual answer online.
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:12
    Personally, when I think "PC problems," it's mostly stuff like really old games no longer running. But on consoles those old games aren't even backward compatible in the first place, so that's kind of a luxury problem to have.
    36AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:15
    Re: #34
    For PC games built for XP or earlier, it's not too bad if compatibility mode gets them running — but sometimes you need an unofficial patch just to launch them at all. Definitely takes some extra effort.
    44AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:36
    Re: #35
    If it's dying around the 6-year mark, that's probably the power supply degrading and causing instability. Actually, if you build your PC with a good PSU, lasting 10 years isn't unusual at all. Prebuilt (BTO) PCs tend to ship with only decent-at-best PSUs, so a lot of them start acting up around year 6 from voltage instability or irregular current as the PSU wears out.
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 11:39
    Re: #44
    I don't really know much about PC parts, so I can't tell which ones are good. The PC I bought from Pasocom Koubou six years ago is getting pretty rough spec-wise too. Just praying it doesn't die on me.
    58AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:43
    These days it's not even the OS — a graphics driver update alone can make things worse.
    60AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:45
    Re: #58
    NVIDIA's driver quality these past two years has been bad enough that they can't even laugh at AMD anymore.
    63AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:53
    I never have any problems. Are you guys pirating stuff or something?
    68AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:58
    Re: #63
    Have you never used Windows? Small problems happen plenty — avoiding piracy doesn't mean avoiding problems. Just installing every Windows update the second it drops is enough on its own; Microsoft's been bad enough lately that social media fills up with people screaming about how many issues each update causes. I personally don't update right away, but BIOS updates and graphics driver versions can also cause problems. You can only really say you "know how to use a PC" once you can handle all of that yourself.
    72AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:16
    About 10 years ago mine suddenly stopped booting — a black screen with some English text said it was a boot drive error. The power itself was fine, so I opened the case to check and found a break in the SATA cable. If you didn't know anything about PCs, you'd probably have sent it in for repair and ended up with your drive wiped for nothing.
    73AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:18
    Re: #72
    I remember getting hit by a bad SATA cable a couple times myself. Glad everything's moved to M.2 now.
    74AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:20
    If you let one of the old-timers from the Geha board touch a PC, you'd probably end up with a machine stuffed full of sketchy add-ons and bloatware.
    76AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:21
    Re: #74
    The classic line: "I didn't install anything."
    83AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:03
    Re: #74
    Hao123 says hi. (a notorious browser-hijacking homepage that sneaks in with bundled installers)
    77AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:24
    I don't really have any problems. Might be because I don't update Windows all that often, though.
    79AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:27
    Re: #77
    Most problems come from driver updates or Windows updates, so that's a smart move. That said, waiting too long creates its own security risk, so ideally you wait 1-2 weeks after an update drops, check whether it's causing issues or whether a fix has come out, and then update. Just ignoring security updates entirely is a problem too.
    91AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:55
    Nothing these days is as bad as PSO2 was (infamous for a disastrous save-data-loss incident), but I did have a case last year where a game crashed and afterward the graphics driver wouldn't even get recognized anymore.
    95AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:02
    Re: #91
    The only PSO2 disaster I know of is the HDD burst incident (a bug that wiped players' character/save data) — did they screw something else up too?

    Background and Key Points

    The debate over which platform, PC or console, handles technical problems better is a recurring theme on the Geha board, and this thread was no exception in failing to reach a conclusion. The term “omakan” (short for “it’s just your environment,” おま環) that comes up in these threads refers to malfunctions that occur because every PC has a different hardware configuration — a term that’s also been used around performance issues in high-profile game releases. The thread also invoked precedents like past online games suffering major data-loss disasters, showing that large-scale problems aren’t limited to either PC or console. In recent years, reports of graphics driver and Windows Update glitches have been on the rise, and the fact that a PC’s stability depends heavily on the quality of its build and upkeep is a point that’s easy to overlook in a simple PC-vs-console comparison.

    ※This article is composed as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread ““PC games aren’t suited for beginners who can’t fix problems themselves” ← this one.”

  • Ayumi Hamasaki posts on social media: “Say whatever you want, you can’t hurt me”

    Singer Ayumi Hamasaki (47) updated her Instagram on September 27, writing a message hitting back at critics: “No matter how much you badmouth me, you can’t hurt me. I’m fully focused on my own life, being consumed as it is, and your life and mine will never actually intersect in reality.” On the 5ch Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ thread, comments clashed between those pointing out that bothering to react at all is “proof it’s working” and those praising her unshaken resolve, with the discussion further fueled by longstanding speculation about plastic surgery and her age.

    Mon 9/28, 8:53 AM

    Singer Ayumi Hamasaki (47) updated her Instagram on the 27th, posting a message.

    Hamasaki opened forcefully: “No matter how much you badmouth me, you can’t hurt me. Why? Because I’m fully focused on my own life, being consumed as it is, and your life and mine will never actually intersect in reality.”

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

    6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:58
    Here they go getting scolded again (´・ω・｀)
    18AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:03
    47, huh…
    Time really is cruel
    19AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:03
    Johnny's agency president: "I won't stand for slander"
    Sure, slander's not okay,
    but let's not make a world where punching someone in the face is fine either
    20AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:03
    Lol, she's basically a walking template of the "it's totally working" meme (i.e. denial that reads as proof the criticism landed)
    25AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:04
    You can beat Ayu with just one line: "she seems kinda unpleasant"
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:07
    That's clearly hitting a nerve
    Did something happen?
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:07
    "What can someone beneath me even do"
    "I'm on a different level than Ayu" (mocking her own grandiose phrasing from the post)
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:07
    Honestly this woman's mental fortitude is a monster
    33AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:08
    Seriously, Nagase made the right call not marrying her (referring to actor Tomoya Nagase, long rumored to have dated her)
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:09
    You barely see Ayu-mark or Koda-gumi stickers on cars anymore (fan stickers popular with Hamasaki and Kumi Koda fans in the 2000s)
    I wonder if the guys who had them peeled them off out of embarrassment (´・ω・｀)
    36AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:09
    Re: #34
    Timing-wise, they probably just traded in their car
    38AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:10
    Hey, taunting someone like this is risky if they're a "person with nothing to lose" (slang for someone who might snap violently since they have nothing left to protect)…
    41AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:12
    Re: #38
    Nothing-to-lose vs. nothing-to-lose
    39AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:11
    What you see isn't everything, huh
    43AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:13
    She's only saying stuff like this because her pride got hurt
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:13
    Maybe it's true she's not hurt, but it's definitely getting to her lol
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:13
    She's a filthy rich celebrity, you'd think she could stay above it all, but here she is scrapping with broke randos lol
    47AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:13
    Guess she's the type to obsessively ego-search after all
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:13
    Kind of rich coming from a celebrity who stuck her own neck into social media in the first place
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:14
    Risa Hirako apparently uses the same contractor as Kyoko Hasegawa
    51AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:14
    "It's not working — if anything, thanks!" (said while clearly fuming)
    58AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:16
    Sadly, the moment you react at all, it gets judged as proof it worked
    60AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:18
    Hmmm…
    Couldn't she just let it go…
    62AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:18
    It was said at a level nobody would've even noticed
    63AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:19
    Kinda want to see that ASCII art again~
    (/ω・＼) *peeks*
    73AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:28
    Re: #1
    If she were really focusing all her energy on her own life, wouldn't she skip posts like this??
    Doing this kind of thing is exactly what makes the desperation show… too pathetic.
    74AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:28
    She's got more money than she could ever spend, she should just file disclosure requests against every last one of them
    75AnonymousSep 28, 2026 15:28
    Maybe if she'd said nothing it'd be true, but the moment she says it, that means it's working

    Background and Key Points

    Ayumi Hamasaki built an era-defining career from the late 1990s through the 2000s with hits like “M,” and in recent years online speculation about changes to her appearance has repeatedly made headlines. The article doesn’t specify exactly who this post was aimed at or what triggered it. What stood out on the 5ch side was a reading, in the vein of the “it’s totally working” internet meme, that the very act of bothering to respond is itself “proof it’s getting to her” — creating a gap between her defiant statement and how thread users chose to interpret it. Mocking celebrities with the framing “the moment you react, you’ve lost” isn’t unique to Hamasaki — it’s a common pattern for celebrity posts in the social media era — and in this case it was arguably the online game of “reading between the lines,” more than the content of the post itself, that fueled the discussion.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “Ayumi Hamasaki posts on social media: “Say whatever you want, you can’t hurt me”.”

  • ‘15 Tickets Sold Out of 300’: Yoshimoto’s Human Nakamura Admits Dismal Sales Ahead of Solo Makuhari Show

    Human Nakamura, a solo comedian with Yoshimoto Kogyo, revealed on X that only 15 of 300 seats have sold for his flip-chart comedy show “Makufuri,” set for October 11 at the Makuhari AEON Mall Theater in Chiba. With advance tickets priced at 2,000 yen and only about two weeks left before showtime, the announcement sparked a range of reactions on 5ch — from claims that his Osaka shows always sell out, to pointed remarks about a mismatch between the venue’s size and his name recognition, to comparisons with other comedians who’ve used the same “please buy tickets” tactic to sell out.

    Mon, Sep 28, 9:00 AM

    Yoshimoto Kogyo comedian Human Nakamura (43) posted an update on X by the 28th, revealing ticket sales for his upcoming show.

    “Of the 300 seats, only 15 have sold so far. Thank you all so much for everything up to now,” he wrote, sharing the grim update before repeating the announcement: “October 11 (Sun) — Human Nakamura’s 60-Minute Flip-Chart Show ‘Makufuri.’ Start time: 6:30 PM. Venue: Yoshimoto Makuhari AEON Mall Theater. Advance tickets: 2,000 yen.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:47
    So how's Takuro Expo doing?
    Need details!
    5AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:47
    > Human Nakamura 【never heard of him】
    > Sold out every seat in Osaka 【yeah, sure it did】
    6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:48
    Watching Naoya Tetsudo's train videos on YouTube is way more fun than watching Peace-kun from Omiya Park.
    8AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:49
    He should just do it in Osaka.
    54AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:12
    Re: #8
    Honestly, these days you make more money selling streaming tickets than theater tickets, since theater sales live and die on popularity.

    FUJIWARA's Haranishi even said in a video that his theater shows didn't sell 100 tickets.
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:50
    Just throw in some Chiikawa merch as a bonus.
    12AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:52
    > In response to this post: 'It sold out completely in Osaka, but I guess Tokyo's different.'



    Is that so?
    13AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:52
    Given his name recognition, even 100 seats would be tough in Tokyo.
    15AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:53
    Nobody's going out of their way to see some old guy they've never heard of lol
    16AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:53
    He should do a show at home, like Audrey did back when they weren't popular. (Audrey — a comedy duo)
    17AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:53
    No idea who that is, but
    does Yoshimoto even have a theater in a place like that?
    19AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:53
    Is he popular in Osaka?
    I'm from the Kanto region, so I have no idea.
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:07
    Re: #19
    I live in Kansai, but aside from R-1 I think I've only seen him on 'Kijou no Kuronjo' (hosted by the duo Kamaitachi)
    Well, he's probably on other shows too.
    20AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:54
    In Tokyo or out in the provinces, you need name recognition from TV or it's a no-go.
    21AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:54
    It says the venue is a Yoshimoto theater, so he's not actually losing money on this, right?
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:56
    Re: #21
    They'll definitely make the comedian foot the bill.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:54
    Why not offer refunds if the show's no good?
    That way he'd get a clearer picture of where he actually stands.
    25AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:55
    Isn't that just how it is for bands that don't sell either?
    26AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:56
    The Nelsons pulled the exact same kind of tweet and sold out too, but
    don't think that trick's gonna keep working forever.
    29AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:57
    Give it your all for those 15 people — make it a show so good they'll be glad they came.
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:58
    Sob story or not, that's just reality, so what can you do.
    32AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:59
    Why not just make the NSC students buy tickets? (NSC — Yoshimoto's comedy training school)
    33AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:59
    Probably because a landslide has paralyzed transit.
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:00
    If it's not selling even over a three-day holiday weekend, that's just his drawing power.
    And honestly, wanting to watch flip-chart comedy in a 300-seat venue — even fans might find that a tough sell.
    44AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:04
    Makuhari's far, though. I wouldn't go even if it were free.
    45AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:05
    > 'It sold out completely in Osaka, but I guess Tokyo's different.'
    'Just a simple question — every time I see one of these videos saying tickets aren't selling, please buy them, I can't help thinking he should just book a smaller venue.'


    Maybe it's because he can actually sell out 300 seats in Osaka?
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:05
    He could just do it in a big karaoke box room or something.
    90AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:37
    Re: #46
    Yeah, those even have a stage.
    48AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:06
    Why try to fill a 300-seat venue when there's no demand? Just stay in Osaka.
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:06
    If he renamed himself 'Piiman (Green Pepper) Nakamura,' the place would sell out. (wordplay: ヒューマン "Human" vs ピーマン "green pepper")
    51AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:08
    Makuhari isn't Tokyo, it's Chiba.
    And people keep getting this wrong — it's about 30-40 minutes from central Tokyo, so it's not exactly close either.
    It's way farther out than Tokyo Disneyland.
    70AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:19
    Having even 15 people who want to see you — that's pretty impressive, isn't it?
    84AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:29
    Re: #70
    Those 15 are probably just classmates and relatives.
    80AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:27
    At my kid's university,
    they brought in some comedian from Yoshimoto last year, and apparently the tickets absolutely did not sell — a huge loss.
    Guess that's just how it is in Kanto even if you've been on TV a bit.
    88AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:35
    Re: #80
    Wonder who it was lol. I'd laugh if it was ZAZY.

    Background and Key Points of Debate

    Comedians publicly pleading “my tickets aren’t selling” on social media has become a fairly common promotional tactic in recent years, and posters in the thread pointed out that the Nelsons pulled the same move and sold out. At the same time, Yoshimoto’s theater tickets are structured to depend heavily on each performer’s own drawing power, and several posters shared stories of comedians with some TV exposure still struggling to draw crowds in the Kanto region. Opinions split mainly on two points: whether it’s actually true that his Osaka shows sell out, and whether a 300-seat venue is realistic given his current drawing power. Some also pointed out that Makuhari is in Chiba Prefecture, not Tokyo, and sits roughly 30-40 minutes from central Tokyo, correcting a geographic misunderstanding. Reactions to the ticket-sales plea itself were similarly split, ranging from harsh criticism questioning his professionalism to more matter-of-fact acceptance of the tough realities of drawing an audience.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou Sokuhou+) thread “‘Currently 15 of 300 Seats Sold’ — Yoshimoto Solo Comedian Human Nakamura Reports Dismal Sales, Two Weeks Until Solo Makuhari Show.”

  • 97-Year-Old Woman Gets Hooked on Fighting Game Tekken at Her Nursing Home: ‘It Became My Reason to Live’

    A 97-year-old woman living in a nursing home has become obsessed with the fighting game Tekken, according to an article in Josei Jishin (Women’s Own) that went viral on 5ch. The article also features an 89-year-old fellow resident who battles alongside her, and says gaming has become a new reason to live. On the thread, comments ranged from sarcastic jabs at the once-widespread “game brain” theory that demonized video games, to praise for incorporating games into elderly care facility recreation, alongside surprise and skepticism about how well a 97-year-old could truly grasp the game’s strategy and mind games.

    “I’ll Keep Fighting as Long as I’m Alive”: 97-Year-Old Woman, the Oldest Fighting-Game Fan Around, Goes Wild for Tekken! The “Too Hot” Passion That Blossomed at Her Nursing Home

    Article posted: 2026/09/27 11:00 Last updated: 2026/09/27 23:27

    Josei Jishin Editorial Team

    Source: jisin.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:59
    "Game brain"?
    I wonder what happened to the idiots who used to say that.
    30AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:21
    Re: #2
    Huh?
    Doesn't make sense.
    Nursing homes putting out pachinko machines for residents to play is standard too — does that make you a pachinko fan?
    3AnonymousSep 28, 2026 12:59
    Nice.
    No matter how old you get, having an environment where you can compete with others keeps you feeling alive.
    6AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:01
    The generation that survived the war is tough.
    8AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:02
    Elderly folks who debut as YouTubers only to vanish soon after (´・ω・｀)
    9AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:02
    Lived 90 years and her reason for living is… video games 😭😭😭
    41AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:33
    Re: #9
    She got skillfully brainwashed by a gamer working in caregiving.
    11AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:03
    That's an old-school character choice. Just hope she's not picking the one who does seppuku (ritual suicide) as a taunt.
    12AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:04
    Games are good for preventing dementia in the elderly.
    Finger exercises give the brain good stimulation.
    14AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:06
    Why did Tekken become a dead franchise and go extinct?
    Street Fighter 6 is basically the only fighting game still surviving at this point.
    15AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:06
    She's young at heart.
    You'd think she'd be from a generation that hates video games.
    Maybe she wasn't a housewife, which is why she's so open-minded?
    16AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:07
    As someone who no longer even has the energy to play games, I can't imagine a 97-year-old playing fighting games.
    17AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:08
    My grandpa played Best Play Pro Baseball on the Famicom for almost 10 years, right up until he died.
    Every year, updating the players' stats using the Weekly Baseball annual guide, the player handbook, and his own judgment was his favorite pastime in his later years.

    Still, considering he died in his 70s, this grandma is incredible — and she's playing a fighting game, no less.
    20AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:12
    "Go home. You have a family waiting for you too, don't you…" (a famous line from a classic fighting-game ending, often quoted as a meme)
    22AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:16
    At a tournament I watched before, there were people who occasionally got their mic cut — probably for hurling abuse.
    Guess that doesn't change even for the elderly.
    24AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:18
    If she's actually landing moves on purpose, that's impressive. If she's just mashing buttons randomly, might as well call it Smash Bros.
    26AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:21
    Once, late at night, there was a woman in her 90s who came out to the hospital lobby in a wheelchair. When I asked what was up, she said she'd come to watch the soccer World Cup — so we turned the volume down and she watched the World Cup on the lobby's big-screen TV until about 5am.
    27AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:21
    I think puzzle-type games are good for preventing dementia, but I'm not so sure about action/reflex games.
    Like the late Nobuyo Ohyama playing Arkanoid, for instance (Ohyama was the original voice actress of Doraemon).
    28AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:21
    Hmm, apparently 3D shooting games are actually good for fighting cognitive decline — she should try those too.
    31AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:22
    I wonder if she can actually pull off something like the Wonderful Mexican Combo (a flashy combo term fighting-game players use).
    34AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:26
    Re: #1
    So basically, letting them play games keeps them out of trouble and makes life easier for the care staff?
    If that's the case, there'll be demand for AI-powered care robots that can chat and play games with residents too… well, the government should just budget for developing those.
    Then we wouldn't need to keep bringing in caregivers from overseas either.
    36AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:30
    Re: #34
    It helps prevent senility.
    That's why they have residents do word-association games, origami, and other recreational activities.
    Video games probably help prevent senility too — and they're probably more fun than word-association games or origami.
    35AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:26
    Is Yuzo Kayama (89) still playing Resident Evil these days? (Kayama is a veteran Japanese actor/singer known for being an avid gamer)
    37AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:31
    Seriously? I thought Tekken was already dead.
    38AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:31
    Understanding and actually playing Tekken at 97 is insane. I wonder what she did for a living when she was young.
    46AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:35
    Re: #38
    Apparently she was a hairdresser.
    39AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:32
    Isn't it good precisely because she's using brain and body together? It's not mindless button-mashing — her brain is actively issuing commands as her eyes track the action and she reacts.
    40AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:33
    I've always thought nursing homes should have residents play video games instead of coloring books or word-association games for recreation.
    Tekken's fine, but so would Puyo Puyo, Animal Crossing, or action games like Resident Evil.
    If they offered a variety of games matched to each resident's tastes, it'd be even better.
    Since it helps prevent senility, it'd reduce the number of residents ending up needing the most severe level of care.
    42AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:34
    Re: #40
    Isn't there a lot to remember in Animal Crossing? Visually it's nice, but a purely task-based game like that might be tough.
    59AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:54
    Re: #40
    They've been incorporating games for ages already.
    43AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:35
    A Tekken tournament among people who are nearly 100 — now that I'd watch.
    44AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:35
    I was told, 'You're ten years too early!' so I kept training until I reached this age (echoing a famous rival taunt from fighting-game lore).
    73AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:21
    Re: #44
    That's a Virtua Fighter line.
    47AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:36
    At 97, wouldn't her eyesight have declined enough that she can barely see the screen?
    49AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:38
    At the care facility where I work, there was someone playing Street Fighter 6 on their own. They broke their hand from slamming the controller in anger, got banned by their family, and now only plays RPGs.
    50AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:38
    97 and 89 years old. Full of life.
    https://img.jisin.jp/uploads/2026/09/e-sports2.jpg
    52AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:38
    I want her to beat an opponent and say, 'You're still just a pup, my dear.'
    53AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:38
    Well, why not.
    If she's found something that gives her a 'sense of purpose in life' while she's still alive, she should keep at it.
    57AnonymousSep 28, 2026 13:52
    Re: #50
    Oxygen catheter lol
    64AnonymousSep 28, 2026 14:03
    Re: #57
    Apparently the catheter patient is 97. And the one next to her is 89…

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    “Game brain” is a theory that spread around 2002 claiming video games harm children’s brain development, which has since been criticized for lacking solid scientific grounding. This article runs in the opposite direction, presenting a case where a competitive video game may be helping an elderly person find purpose and maintain cognitive function. The thread was divided between surprise and skepticism over whether a 97-year-old could really understand command inputs and strategic back-and-forth well enough to play, and voices welcoming the shift toward incorporating video games into nursing home recreation that had previously centered on coloring books and origami. Some replies pointed to research suggesting that games requiring dynamic visual tracking and quick judgment, such as 3D shooters, may help counter cognitive decline, expressing hope for preventive benefits beyond mere pastime. At the same time, there were also comments lamenting the shrinking fighting-game scene and questioning how widely Tekken itself is still played today, making this a topic that touches on both elderly care and the video game industry.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geino/Sports News+) thread “✊ “I’ll Keep Fighting as Long as I’m Alive”: 97-Year-Old Woman, the Oldest Fighting-Game Fan Around, Goes Wild for Tekken! The “Too Hot” Passion That Blossomed at Her Nursing Home 💥.”