Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Hasunosora’s 2nd Album Sells 9,265 Copies in Week One — 5ch: “That’s Only a 3-Day Count”

    A thread on 5ch’s Love Live! board reported that the 2nd special album from Hasunosora Girls’ School Idol Club, “Oideyo! Ishikawa Dai-Kanko II” (Come On Over! Ishikawa Grand Tour II), sold 9,265 copies in its opening tally. Since this comparison pits two mini-albums that both come bundled with serial codes, debate over how to read the numbers dragged on, with some pointing out that this figure covers only the first three days after release, and that whether a release includes event-attendance or meet-and-greet perks affects sales figures. Opinions were split on whether a straight comparison with other groups’ releases even makes sense. Posters also weighed in on whether they’d actually travel to Ishikawa Prefecture for the related event, and some admitted to switching which project they support.

    1AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:05
    Ah…
    3AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:33
    Hyper Glowing: 20,089

    Yep, that settles it
    4AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:34
    This round is mini-album vs. mini-album, both with serial codes bundled in, so no complaints allowed.
    Not that Nijigasaki ("Niji"), which moved just 880 without even a serial code, had any grounds to complain in the first place.
    5AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:35
    Even resorting to graduation marketing, Hasunosora ("Ren") has fallen this far, lololol
    Sounds like its fans are drifting over to "Ikizu-Live" too (a mocking nickname for Liella, punning on "ikizurai" — hard to live) — dead franchise walking.
    6AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:38
    I'm not buying the faithful's excuse that it released on the 21st.
    As long as Oricon's weekly ranking tags it "NEW," that's what counts as the first-week number, end of story.
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:39
    Everyone's buying multiples and this is still all it adds up to?
    9AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:24
    Re: #7
    Well, this isn't the graduation-concert one.
    The real test is the BD dropping tomorrow — if that doesn't open around 20k…
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:41
    Going forward there'll probably be more people running "main: Liella, side: Ikizu-Live" while still keeping up with Aqours too.
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:28
    Liella's numbers are just padded out by meet-and-greet tickets.
    11AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:32
    It comes bundled with a meet-and-greet ticket and an application voucher for Love Live Fes 2.
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:41
    This is only a 3-day tally to begin with, you know.
    14AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:53
    There's a predecessor that only did 880 copies, lol
    15AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:11
    Ishikawa Day 1 was basically a lock too, with everyone stacking 2-3 copies each.
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:15
    Serial-code releases naturally rack up most of their sales in the first 2-3 days anyway.
    17AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:30
    Sorry,
    I'm a Hasunosora believer, but I switched over with Tori's 2nd album, lol
    These girls don't graduate no matter how much you support them.
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:54
    By the way, are you all actually going all the way out to Ishikawa Prefecture?
    If you're not planning to go, the serial code is meaningless anyway.
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:50
    There are probably a lot of people thinking "well, Hanamiya's not even in it…"
    20AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:38
    Star (Liella) >>>> Lotus (Hasunosora) >>>>>>>> Rainbow (Nijigasaki) — ranking settled.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    The figures that circulate as “first-week sales” are preliminary numbers from Oricon’s count, often covering only the first few days after release, and serve as no more than a rough gauge ahead of the official weekly ranking. As pointed out in the thread itself, this figure of 9,265 copies covers just the first three days after release, and since the presence of a serial code or an event/meet-and-greet application voucher greatly changes people’s motivation to buy a CD, it’s inherently difficult to compare works with different bundled bonuses on raw unit counts alone. Hasunosora, Liella, and Nijigasaki are all separate projects running in parallel within the same “Love Live!” franchise, so this is less a rivalry between real-world groups and more a recurring back-and-forth born from fans supporting different projects. Rankings tend to get argued purely from the numbers, but they need to be read with an eye to differences in tally periods and bundled bonuses.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Love Live!) thread “Hasunosora Girls’ School Idol Club 2nd SPECIAL Album “Oideyo! Ishikawa Dai-Kanko II” — 9,265 Copies.”

  • Nobel Peace Prize Frontrunner: The ICC — ‘Every World Leader Must Obey International Law’

    On September 22, Norway’s Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) named the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a frontrunner for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The forecast comes as the Trump administration ramps up pressure aimed at “dismantling” the ICC, including sanctioning its judges and prosecutors — and PRIO’s stated rationale is that the award would let it be argued that “every state and leader bears an equal responsibility to respect international law.” On 5channel threads, commenters repeatedly questioned the authority and value of the Nobel Peace Prize itself, while discussion also spread to the relationship between Trump and the prize and to related international developments like Hungary’s announced withdrawal from the ICC.

    Norway’s Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), which forecasts the Nobel Peace Prize winner every year, named the International Criminal Court (ICC, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands) as this year’s frontrunner on the 22nd. Amid mounting pressure on the ICC from the Trump administration, PRIO explained that giving it the award would make it possible to argue that “every state and leader bears an equal responsibility to respect international law.”

    PRIO pointed to the US-Israeli military operation against Iran and the US military intervention in Venezuela, noting that “upholding an internationally recognized normative order — international law above all — is essential to preventing and resolving conflict in an increasingly polarized world.” It stressed that the ICC’s work “holds great potential to contribute to world peace.”

    The ICC is a permanent international tribunal that tries individuals suspected of involvement in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The United States, which is not a member, has pushed back against the ICC’s approval of investigations into war crimes by American soldiers — pressuring member states to withdraw and sanctioning judges and prosecutors, including President Tomoko Akane, in what amounts to a bid to “dismantle” the court.

    Source: jiji.com / Original article here

    5AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:03
    This one's gonna have Trump absolutely losing it — flinging poop everywhere in a rage lol
    119AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:12
    Re: #5
    What's Takaichi gonna do about this, I wonder?
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:04
    The Nobel Peace Prize isn't worth anything anyway — something like that won't make 'Tora-san' (a nickname for Trump) back down.
    39AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:19
    Re: #12
    But the Peace Prize is exactly the thing Tora (Trump) wants.
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:06
    Trump: "Abolish the Nobel Prize!"
    52AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:31
    Re: #18
    If he actually does that, I'm rooting for Trump.
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:07
    Different source, but a Ukraine aid group is also being tipped for the Peace Prize lol

    Ukraine support group seen as favorite? Forecasting the Oct. 9 Nobel Peace Prize announcement — PRIO
    https://x.com/Sankei_news/status/2102599735148449952
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:07
    Re: #1
    Ukraine humanitarian aid group seen as frontrunner? Nobel Peace Prize forecast — international research institute
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e03be1f9f964027be43b2e8205d2a1c436db1496

    [London, Kyodo] Norway's Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), which forecasts the Nobel Peace Prize winner every year, announced on the 22nd that this year's frontrunner is Mykola Kuleba, founder of the Ukrainian humanitarian aid group "Save Ukraine." It also named the international NGO Save the Children. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 9.
    38AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:14
    Re: #21
    Re: #22
    Same trick as a shady horse-racing tipster — spread your picks around so one of them's bound to hit.
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:09
    Hungary announces ICC withdrawal amid PM Netanyahu's visit despite an arrest warrant over suspected Gaza war crimes (April 3, 2025)
    https://youtu.be/womGyns-9Xk

    Hungarian officials say they won't arrest Putin even if he enters the country (March 24, 2023)
    https://youtu.be/OUEJcY9-s1Y
    140AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:05
    Re: #28
    Didn't Hungary's PM Orbán and his ruling party, the ones who made that call, go on to lose the general election and get knocked into opposition for the first time in 16 years lol
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:11
    Who these days even values such a pointless prize?
    50AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:29
    Re: #30
    Wait, did Takaichi actually nominate Trump for such a worthless prize? 😨
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:12
    If he's really doing this for the sake of the world, he should just get results, rake in a ton of money, and use it to actively go do more "good for the world" himself.

    Instead of doing that, there's exactly one reason people crave a prize like this: they want to decorate their own life's résumé with it.

    Honestly, you can see right through people like that — it's nauseating.
    40AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:20
    Re: #1
    To begin with, trying to intervene in and punish even countries that haven't ratified the Rome Statute is itself a violation of international law and a disregard for the rule of law.

    What the ICC is doing is an abuse of the law, not the rule of law.
    44AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:23
    Around that time, Takai Sanae (likely means Takaichi Sanae) had reportedly nominated Trump for the Nobel Prize
    57AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:34
    Re: #44
    Japan should pull out of the ICC too.
    51AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:30
    A prize you can buy your way to with enough money —
    what value does something like that even have?
    And what does it even have to do with Nobel in the first place?
    56AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:34
    Re: #51
    No matter how much money or power Trump throws at it, he's not getting this one.
    64AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:38
    The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate

    86AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:54
    Re: #64
    This, this lol
    The Nobel Peace Prize is worthless to whoever's actually being oppressed anyway, so the idea is to just hand it to Trump instead
    75AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:46
    Seriously, the Peace Prize is a completely useless award.
    83AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:52
    Re: #75
    You'd probably have been thrilled when Liu Xiaobo (Chinese dissident, 2010 Nobel Peace laureate) won it, though
    82AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:51
    If Trump loses the midterms, there might be a shot.
    84AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:53
    Re: #82
    The ruling party is weak to begin with — that's why the US ends up with a split Congress ('nejire,' divided government) all the time.
    94AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:08
    Re: #1
    Wouldn't it be hilarious if the ICC — the very body Trump's trying to destroy — ended up winning the very Peace Prize he wanted so badly that he took his frustration out on Venezuela when he couldn't get it lol

    Background and Key Points

    Because the Nobel Peace Prize winner is chosen solely by a private Nobel Committee, PRIO’s forecast is merely an analysis from an independent research institute and has nothing to do with the Committee itself. Its hit rate isn’t considered especially high either, and the thread saw comments comparing it to “a horse-racing tipster.” The ICC is a permanent tribunal with jurisdiction over states that have ratified the Rome Statute; the US, China, and Russia, among others, are not members. Because Palestine is a member state, there’s an institutional argument that Israel’s actions in Gaza can fall under ICC jurisdiction even though Israel itself is not a member — this is the backdrop to the thread’s jurisdiction debate. US sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors, including Court President Tomoko Akane, and Hungary’s announcement that it would withdraw from the ICC around the time of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit, were also discussed on the thread as symbols of US pressure. The official winner will be announced on October 9.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Breaking News+) thread “ICC a Frontrunner for Nobel Peace Prize Forecast — ‘Argues for a Duty to Respect International Law’ — International Research Institute.”

  • ‘Ikizurai-bu’ Reportedly Overtakes Liella! in Just One Year, Sparking Debate on 5ch

    The Love Live! school idol unit “Ikizurai-bu” has reportedly overtaken the once hugely popular “Liella!” in popularity after just a single year, sparking discussion on 5ch’s Love Live! board. Commenters noted that after Liella! shot up in its first year, it lost steam in year two following “self-inflicted” missteps such as changes to the group’s lineup, and many argued that the “neatly paved path” laid out by the production side makes it harder for fans to feel any sense of ownership over the group. Others questioned the reliability of the source cited as evidence of Ikizurai-bu’s popularity, and opinion was also divided over comparisons with Nijigasaki.

    1AnonymousSep 23, 2026 11:36
    Don't you have any respect for your seniors?
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:17
    I mean, Hasu also passed them in a year — the bar's just set too low, isn't it?
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:22
    Liella! was just as popular in year one
    but it self-destructed in year two and that was that
    9AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:25
    Ikizura was just walking along normally, that's all
    11AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:35
    Riera pulled off a rocket start in year one
    but took a spectacular tumble in year two
    13AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:23
    Ikizura doesn't have many female fans though
    Does it get lines forming outside the women's restroom like Aqours or Liella?
    14AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:27
    Watching Muse, Aqours, Nijigasaki, Hasu, and Tori, I keep thinking that being welcomed by otaku right from the launch, like Liella was,
    and having a neatly paved road laid out by the production committee, really isn't a good thing
    without a sense of crisis — a “we'll never lose” or “we'll show them” mentality — this is what you get, and watching Liella really drives that home
    15AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:51
    Re: #14
    This is so true
    When the path already looks neatly laid out (or at least seems that way), it's hard for fans to feel “we have to be the ones supporting them!” and it doesn't win much sympathy either
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:00
    Re: #14
    There's actually a pretty goofy lyric that goes something like “we'll never lose, we're gonna win”…
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:56
    I heard Liella's cast finally started developing a sense of crisis recently
    but even though the anime's poor quality that delivered the finishing blow wasn't the cast's fault, it was already too late
    25AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:12
    Re: #16
    The voice actors having to develop a sense of crisis is way too much, lol
    sounds like it must have already fallen apart on the inside
    17AnonymousSep 23, 2026 14:04
    As long as Love Live is a work of fiction, any “sense of crisis” can only ever be either negligence on the production side or a deliberate dramatic device — it's not like fans or members feeling a sense of crisis actually lets them touch the production plan

    If there's staging good enough to let you enjoy being fooled, that's all you need to feel good. Even if the voice actors' opinions do get reflected, it'll take at least a few years from the start. Bandai Namco isn't stupid enough to go in without even a plan for the first few years. Whether the plan actually works out is a separate matter
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 14:14
    Re: #17
    It's obvious that every series has a path laid out for it, not just Liella — but at least hide the path
    The problem with Liella is it didn't even try to hide it
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 14:07
    Even a newborn fawn can stomp a grasshopper that's past its prime
    20AnonymousSep 23, 2026 14:16
    It really is “the story we make come true, together” (µ's famous tagline)
    you can't leave the fans behind
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 14:55
    https://x.com/yaraon_kanrinin/status/2102553418464428342
    Public opinion
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:06
    What even was Liella!, a group whose popularity only lasted one year…
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:26
    If things go the normal route, Tori's probably got an anime adaptation somewhere down the line too, but it really is easier to root for a group that says “no plans yet” or “we want to become an anime” instead
    27AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:28
    I hope it doesn't end up like the “Tekoki Live” crowd (a crude joke nickname for a certain long-running unit), dragging out the same “um… we don't have any anime plans…” bit for like six years straight
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:29
    Guess we're down to only the “Amyo” feed now, huh (obscure fan-stream slang)
    29AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:44
    μ's, Nijigasaki, and Ikizura are all the same breed
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 16:14
    It's true they're more worth rooting for than a group like Liella that just obediently walks the rails the adults laid down for them
    31AnonymousSep 23, 2026 16:17
    Hoping IkizuLive doesn't turn into some “high-class underground idol” act like Liella did
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 16:19
    IkizuLive's fine for now since they're still performing live while carrying their characters
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 16:38
    If it were an odd number, the yellow one would end up center, right?
    It's exactly because it's an even number that the blue balances it out — lucky save
    36AnonymousSep 23, 2026 16:41
    Watching how much the purists (diehard original-lineup fans) despise Tori, the fanbases of “Soap” and Tori are just too far apart to call them the same type
    37AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:28
    IkizuLive's excitement was abnormal from their very first live
    timing-wise, it's clearly largely because Aqours fans flowed over to them
    38AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:32
    Come to think of it, wasn't Ikizura's group color light blue?
    39AnonymousSep 23, 2026 18:32
    The group color is orange
    though the series' image color is light blue
    41AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:19
    The 1st live was basically all vocals layered over each other, and the 2nd didn't do that, but you could really tell that besides the two from the “Seishun Soda” duo, nobody else could actually sing
    Judging by how the production side thinks, they probably figure making a bunch of different pairings lets them show off character chemistry and relationships, which sounds like a good deal, but it's spread too thin and every relationship ends up shallow
    Compared to a unit that's stuck together the whole way through, the bond just isn't the same
    42AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:52
    Not even close to Liella!, don't make me laugh
    At best they're on par with Nijigasaki
    43AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:54
    I've been following since μ's
    and now that Aqours has settled down, Ikizura is just the right next thing to switch over to
    I know quite a few people around me who feel the same way

    There are probably plenty of people who fully enjoyed the tasty early days of both Liella! and Hasu, but stopped following closely once those groups self-destructed by adding or cutting members

    Of course, if Ikizura pulls some weird move later and self-destructs too, I'll drift away again
    44AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:57
    Also, I feel like the characters themselves are strong
    Even in the cheap “talking heads” animated shorts, every character really stands out
    This part definitely feels like Sakurako Kimino's writing
    46AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:16
    With Liella, even when they get an anime you can't see the characters' personalities
    it's built entirely out of a pile of “poke them like this, they react like that” reaction gags
    47AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:44
    Ikizura breezed past Nijigasaki from their very first outing
    in performance, in turnout, even in acting
    48AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:54
    Well, realistically Ikizura is basically Nijigasaki, just younger and with better performance
    49AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:00
    There's no future for weak-song “Gara-Riella” (a mocking jab at Liella/Riera)
    50AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:06
    It's funny how “Hissatsu Mai Mai Mode” beats literally every Nijigasaki solo song
    56AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:39
    Re: #50
    I guess the strongest Nijigasaki solo is Chase?
    Honestly that song's kind of boring
    It's got this weird faux-stylish vibe, kind of like Liella
    HIBANA is like a hundred times stronger

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    The Love Live! franchise has a history of rolling out a new school idol unit every few years — μ’s, Aqours, Nijigasaki, and Liella! — and the “Ikizurai-bu” discussed here represents the newest generation in that lineage. Where opinion in the thread split was over whether momentum right after a debut is enough to judge a group’s future prospects. Many pointed out that Liella! was similarly popular in its first year but lost momentum in year two due to lineup changes, and some argued that the “neatly paved path” laid out by the production side makes it harder for fans to develop a sense of ownership. Meanwhile, a post presenting the tweet quoted in comment 21 as “public opinion” drew pushback arguing it merely reflected opinion within the fan community itself. A point readers may easily misread is that these kinds of in-franchise popularity comparisons are often based on the impressions of hardcore fans rather than on objective metrics like sales figures or attendance numbers.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Love Live!) thread “Why Did Ikizurai-bu Surpass Liella in Just One Year?”

  • Southern All Stars’ Nonsensical ‘Katte ni Sindbad’ Title Had Even Lyricist Akira Aku Cracking Up — The Shock of 48 Years Ago

    The original 5ch post reports that lyricist Akira Aku found the nonsensical title of Southern All Stars’ “Katte ni Sindbad” — the band’s debut single from 48 years ago — genuinely amusing. In the thread, posters traced how Keisuke Kuwata, once seen as fronting a novelty band, won people over with “Itoshi no Ellie,” and debated whether Kuwata, Motoharu Sano, or Takuro Yoshida was first to pioneer the distinctive style of cramming multiple syllables into a single note. Opinions were also split on the band’s more recent songs and their past live staging.

    [Southern All Stars] “What IS this nonsensical song?!” — The Shock of “Katte ni Sindbad” 48 Years Ago, and Why Akira Aku Loved the Bizarre Title

    Mon, 9/21, 11:10 AM

    ■ Source note: the title even Akira Aku found amusing

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

    2AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:54
    Watching Rei Ranran (annual income of ¥580 million) on YouTube beats watching Peace-kun at Omiya Park (a beloved but famously gloomy-looking hippo) any day.
    6AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:58
    Kuwata in the '70s-'80s genuinely wanted to start a revolution and did — but from the '90s onward he's basically just coasting on autopilot.

    I mean, I'm sure he still writes with a challenger's spirit even now, but — not that you should say this about a 70-year-old — when he does try something new these days, it just ends up being a bunch of boring songs.
    7AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:02
    On the Southern front — they used to be super strict about illegal uploads so barely anything made it online, but lately their stuff is scattered all over YouTube.
    13AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:09
    Re: #7 Kuwata himself has said Southern All Stars isn't part of the City Pop boom conversation.
    8AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:03
    I think things changed a lot around the KAMAKURA era (their 1985 album).
    17AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:11
    Re: #8 Right after that, Harabo (keyboardist Yuko Hara) went on maternity leave and the band was on hiatus for 5 years. Kuwata spent that time exploring new approaches with Kuwata Band and solo work.
    11AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:06
    I only found out about this recently — had no idea what it was even about.
    12AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:08
    Wasn't this a ripoff of something?
    53AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:26
    Re: #12 A ripoff of comedian Ken Shimura's bit.
    15AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:10
    At first they seemed like a novelty/comedy band, right?
    16AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:10
    Re: #15 "Itoshi no Ellie" is what changed how the public saw them.
    25AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Re: #15 Tatsuo Kamon (the parody-song comedian) did a version called "Katte ni Shindobatto."
    18AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:13
    I could get it if they'd slapped on a goofy title after a few hits already under their belt, but doing it right from the debut single is wild.
    19AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:13
    Any minute now the old guys who love bashing Southern All Stars are gonna show up.
    20AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:17
    Since when did ghosts become seductive women with willowy hips, lol (seems to riff on one of the song's odder lyric lines)
    22AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    Before Southern All Stars came along, if you asked "what time is it now?" the punchline answer was "beef flavor" (an old TV comedy bit).
    23AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:20
    If they'd gone with "Nagisa ni Shiyagare" instead (the title of their actual second single), it might not have been a hit — just doesn't have the same ring to it.
    26AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    The day after it aired on The Best Ten, that's all anyone at school talked about: "Did you see that?!"
    31AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:34
    They suddenly dragged out a band that's already washed up — is something going on?
    34AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:41
    Re: #31 You meant to say "a band that's already washed up," right? Yeah, I get it.
    35AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:44
    Creepy writing, honestly.
    58AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:38
    Re: #35 Thought the exact same thing. All that's left is a feeling of disgust.
    38AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:57
    Their manager at the time thought the line "munasawagi no koshitsuki" ("hips that stir up butterflies") didn't make sense and suggested changing it to "munasawagi nokoshitsutsu" ("leaving the butterflies behind") — but Kuwata shot it down flat.
    46AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:13
    Re: #38 When you sang it at karaoke in a snack bar, even the mama-san would join in and get the whole room grinding their hips. Back then people saw it as a song that got everyone hyped even without understanding a word of it.
    54AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:32
    Up to that point, the norm in Japanese songs was one syllable per note, but "Katte ni Sindbad" crammed in two or even three syllables per note — and that's said to have revolutionized Japanese pop music. It's a completely standard technique now, though.
    63AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:03
    Re: #54 That technique is Sano's thing. Kuwata's is more like one-syllable-per-note, just sped way up.
    64AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:06
    Re: #63 It's Takuro Yoshida, lol.
    73AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:25
    Re: #63 "Yakusoku shite kureta kimi" — he crams "yakusoku shite" ("you promised me") into just three notes, ♪♪♪.
    69AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:15
    "Ree-ree-ree-re-re no ojisaaan♪" (the old TV jingle guy)
    72AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:24
    Re: #69 "Ge-ge-ge-no-ge no Kitaro~" (the GeGeGe no Kitaro theme song)
    74AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:29
    With Motoharu Sano, the track where I thought his way of fitting words to melody was amazing — forgot the title, but it's the one that lifted from Springsteen's "Rosalita."
    78AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:44
    Re: #74 That's "Yoru no Swinger" ("Night Swinger").
    79AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:48
    Inamanji?!
    81AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:57
    Re: #79 "Beef flavor~" (the old Shiro Kishibe comedy bit).

    Background and talking points

    “Katte ni Sindbad” is Southern All Stars’ debut single, released in June 1978. Its nearly incomprehensible lyrics and title made a huge splash at the time. The original article’s main point is an anecdote that lyricist Akira Aku appreciated the song, though the thread never gets into the specifics of how he praised it. What actually got the thread going was the debate over who first pioneered the technique of packing multiple syllables into a single note — Kuwata, Sano, or Yoshida — a question that comes up often in Japanese music history circles, and one this thread didn’t settle either. One post claims Kuwata himself has said Southern All Stars isn’t included in City Pop boom discussions, but no primary source backs that up in the thread, so it remains unverified.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary from the 5ch (Geinosuposokuho+) thread “[Southern All Stars] “What IS this nonsensical song?!” The Shock of “Katte ni Sindbad” 48 Years Ago, and Why Akira Aku Loved the Bizarre Title.”

  • Yuzuru Hanyu: “Wait, is this real? No way” — Figure Skater Thrilled Over Remake of the Game That Shaped Him

    On September 21st, Clear River Games announced the release of “Estpolis Biography I&II,” a remaster of Taito’s RPG series “Estpolis Biography” (known in the West as the “Lufia” series), and figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu reacted with joy on his official X account, saying “Wait, is this real? No way…” He has reportedly called this game his personal “origin point.” However, since Estpolis Biography II was released in 1995, just a year after Hanyu was born in 1994, many on the thread pointed out the timeline discrepancy. Meanwhile, plenty of others admitted they’d never even heard of the game, with some posts praising it as an underrated gem.

    Yuzuru Hanyu: “Wait, is this real? No way…” — Figure skater thrilled by the announcement of “Estpolis Biography I&II,” a game he’s called his personal starting point

    Mon, Sep 21, 1:45 PM

    On September 21st, professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu posted an excited reaction on his official X account to Clear River Games’ announcement of “Estpolis Biography I&II,” a bundled remaster of Taito’s RPGs “Estpolis Biography” and “Estpolis Biography II.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:02
    At this point the Japanese game industry can only milk mobile gacha off the young crowd and remakes off the old guys. Only From Software, Nintendo, and Sony — who actually spend money getting overseas devs to make games like Ghost of Tsushima — are any good anymore.
    5AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:03
    Calling this a 'joyful' comment? He's literally saying 'no way,' that's him rejecting it.
    7AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:03
    Trying to one-up Shoma Uno by flexing his gamer cred?
    9AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:04
    What's 'no way' about it? Since when is 'no way' an expression of joy? Makes no sense.
    10AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:05
    Normally you'd go with Minerva Saga, right?
    13AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:11
    Is it actually any good?
    32AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:26
    Re: #13
    The first one's a pretty standard RPG that's rough to play now (though the story's good), but II beefs up the characters and storytelling, and the dungeon puzzle elements are fun too. That said, the story hits twice as hard if you play I before II.
    81AnonymousSep 24, 2026 02:15
    Re: #13
    It's good enough to stand alongside series like Glory of Heracles, Kaijuu Monogatari (Shell Monster Story), and Breath of Fire.
    17AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:13
    Never heard of it. First time I'm even hearing the title.
    18AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:13
    Glory of Heracles, yeah. Also Metal Max Returns.
    23AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:16
    Yuzuru Hanyu

    @
    A textbook case of 'it takes one to know one.' The more first-rate someone is, the more they rate Hanyu highly. Only second-rate, third-rate people (or worse) trash-talk him.
    27AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Why did he get divorced so fast again?
    Does having obsessive fans really make an ordinary civilian wife feel unsafe in Japan?
    33AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:27
    Re: #27
    Why'd he even get married in the first place?
    35AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:30
    Re: #27
    That's just the official line — wasn't it that his parents were against it from the start?
    28AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Estpolis Biography II came out right around when Hanyu was born, right? The timeline doesn't add up.
    30AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:24
    Re: #28
    Maybe his parents owned it.
    29AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Neverland Co. — the team that later made Chaos Seed and the Dreamcast title Asuka Kenzan.
    31AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:25
    Never heard of this game at all.
    Going by the screenshots, it gives off a Fire Emblem-meets-Final Fantasy vibe.
    34AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:28
    His 'origin point'? He's from a generation that couldn't have played it in real time.
    37AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:31
    II came out in 1995 — released when Hanyu was 1 year old.
    42AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:33
    They'd better fully port over II's slot machine minigame too, or I won't be happy.
    43AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:33
    Wonder if his fans will actually play it.
    Hanyu's fans, I mean.
    44AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:33
    Unless it was through his parents or siblings, Hanyu wouldn't really have had a chance to play Estpolis Biography.

    There was a spin-off released on Game Boy Advance — isn't that what he actually means?
    45AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:34
    I'm around 40 and this is the first time I've ever heard of this game ＼(^o^)／
    48AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:37
    Hanyu's fanbase is 60-plus these days.
    These days he's basically 'the guy who sells Winnie-the-Pooh bears' (a nod to fans famously tossing Pooh plushies onto the ice for him).
    49AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:37
    Games you played during puberty stick with you.
    Especially the ones that were a small comfort in between grueling practice sessions.
    50AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:38
    Reviving nostalgic old games is great and all, but I don't have the time or energy I did back then, so I want an EXP/money boost option — crank it up to like 5x max so I can breeze through it.
    52AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:39
    You end up satisfied just grinding the hack-and-slash dungeons along the way and quit right there.
    53AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:40
    It's a classic, but a pretty niche pick.
    Also, didn't realize he even had time to game — though with Uno around too, maybe it's actually a good way to unwind?
    54AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:42
    The age just doesn't line up at all — there's no way a 31-year-old is part of the Super Famicom generation.
    55AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:43
    Wasn't he also really into Heisei Shin Onigashima?
    56AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:43
    Isn't he talking about the Game Boy Advance spin-off?
    He's not from the Super Famicom generation.
    57AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:44
    Haven't seen his name in a while, and yep, he's still exactly the same.
    58AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:45
    Re: #1
    >"Wait, is this real? No way…"

    He probably means 'no way' as in he can't believe it's coming out on something other than the Super Famicom.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    “Estpolis Biography” is a Super Famicom RPG that Taito released in 1993, with the sequel “II” following in 1995; developer Neverland Co. later became known for titles like “Chaos Seed” as well. While not especially famous, it’s recognized for having a devoted fanbase thanks to its dungeon puzzle elements and hefty storytelling. Since Yuzuru Hanyu was born in 1994, he was only about a year old when “II” came out, and many on the thread pointed out that he “shouldn’t be part of the real-time generation” for it — though some speculated he may have encountered it as a child through his family. The thread also contained numerous unverified rumors about Hanyu’s personal life, but since these can’t be confirmed, this article does not cover them.

    *This article is composed from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[Entertainment] Yuzuru Hanyu: “Wait, is this real? No way…” — Figure skater thrilled by the announcement of “Estpolis Biography I&II,” a game he’s called his personal starting point.”

  • Tired of ¥130,000 Rent, Poster Weighs Moving to the Countryside — 5ch: “You’re Expecting Too Much From Rural Life”

    A poster paying ¥130,000 in rent wrote on 5channel’s News VIP board that “as long as there’s a convenience store, I’d be fine living in the countryside.” In response, other users offered a string of reality checks, including “there’s no way you’re getting an auto-locked, newly-built 1LDK for ¥40,000” and “the more rural it gets, the more a car becomes essential, and that adds transportation costs too.” Some pointed out that low rent isn’t only about location — the region’s low minimum wage also affects how cheaply the buildings themselves are constructed — exposing a gap between the “rural life” the poster imagined and the actual state of the rental market.

    1AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:45
    Rent is so high it's killing me
    Honestly, as long as there's a convenience store nearby, I'm fine living in the countryside
    I'm paying ¥130,000 rent right now — how much cheaper could it get out there?
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:47
    A convenience store within 5 minutes by bike works for me
    And as long as Amazon delivers next-day, that's fine too
    Don't really need anything else
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:48
    Re: #8
    Saitama's the only option then
    They've got an Amazon warehouse there, orders arrive within 12 hours
    43AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:14
    No way you're getting an auto-locked 1LDK (one-bedroom-plus-living/dining/kitchen apartment) for ¥40,000 lol
    45AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:15
    Re: #43
    Wait, really? Even out in the countryside…?
    48AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:16
    Re: #45
    Budget at least ¥50,000
    You're expecting too much from rural living
    54AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    Re: #45
    An auto-locked 1LDK apartment is basically a nice single-person building to begin with
    That kind of thing just doesn't exist in the countryside, and definitely not for ¥40,000 lol
    At ¥40,000 you're not getting auto-lock, and you're probably not getting a 1LDK either
    47AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:16
    You want a separate bath and toilet too, right?
    50AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:17
    Re: #47
    Eh, I don't really care about that
    I only ever shower anyway, I just hate old fixtures and old rooms
    My current place is only about 5 years old
    51AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:17
    Re: #50
    Do you even need auto-lock?
    56AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:20
    Re: #50
    Even a place built 5 years ago is tough to find for ¥40,000, even a studio
    55AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    Re: #53
    My income doesn't change no matter where I go, so the local minimum wage doesn't matter to me
    64AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Re: #55
    It's because the minimum wage there is low
    Landlords have to keep rent cheap to match it
    So the buildings get built cheap too
    OP's assumption that 'it's cheap because it's rural' is about geography, but
    for the people actually working there, geography doesn't factor in
    which means the buildings themselves have to be cheap
    70AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:25
    Re: #64
    I get that
    But the minimum wage thing doesn't really matter to me
    I'm not planning to actually get a job and work there anyway

    Re: #65
    That's fine by me
    But would a convenience store even exist in a place that rural…
    71AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:26
    Re: #70
    There are Zennissyoku chain stores (a regional grocery co-op chain) for that
    75AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:28
    Re: #70
    You planning to commute there?
    You'll need to factor in transportation costs too
    61AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:22
    Dead-in-the-middle-of-nowhere is fine by me, as long as there's a convenience store or supermarket within about 5 minutes by bike
    62AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:22
    Re: #61
    If you said that to an actual country local, they'd snap at you for acting like those are reasonable conditions…
    65AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Re: #61
    Can you handle a bus every two hours, with the last one around 6 PM?
    84AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:33
    I don't think you'll find it, honestly
    There were probably tens of thousands of people thinking the same thing as OP during COVID
    That demand alone probably filled up most of the good, cheap-because-it's-rural properties
    You're probably better off just staying where you are for good
    89AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:36
    Re: #84
    I see… if I just went smaller, there are places under ¥120,000 even in the city, but… I see

    Re: #85
    So you're saying the countryside is mostly 1K units?
    Guess I'll just have to look in the suburbs for something around ¥60-70,000…
    Honestly, ¥120,000 for a newish 1LDK in Umeda is actually pretty cheap given current market rates
    But still, high rent puts real pressure on daily life, especially when you're self-employed
    96AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:40
    Re: #89
    There are plenty of 2DK units (two rooms plus a dining-kitchen)
    The kind couples or young families with small kids live in
    I've almost never seen a 1LDK out there
    101AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:42
    Re: #96
    A 2DK means it's probably fairly old, right?
    As long as it's been fully renovated and looks clean inside, I'm okay with that, but…
    112AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:47
    Re: #96
    Mine's a 2DK too
    Rent's at least ¥40,000 with a parking space included
    But it's 30 years old
    93AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:39
    Come live in my hamlet…

    Though there's not even a vending machine within walking distance…
    95AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:39
    Re: #93
    Not being able to drink would be too rough, no way
    97AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:41
    Re: #93
    Sorry, I know this might sound rude, but I have to ask honestly — how do you even live out there… how do you do your shopping?
    99AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:41
    Re: #90
    Then maybe you should just stay in Umeda?
    I think that rent includes the convenience factor
    Well, it won't get dramatically cheaper, but you could consider Nara — places like Saidaiji, Yamatokoriyama, or Ikoma, the Osaka commuter-town area

    I underestimated car-less rural living myself as a college freshman too
    But the stress of not being able to go where I wanted, when I wanted, was brutal — I got my license and bought a used car right away
    107AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:44
    Re: #99
    Maybe I am asking for too much and should just stay in Umeda…
    I mean, any area where I wouldn't struggle to shop even at night would work, not necessarily a convenience store specifically…

    Re: #100
    Sorry, I guess I just vaguely assumed that much would be available just because it's rural
    113AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:48
    Re: #107
    I think you should recognize that saying 'a convenience store is enough' only comes from currently being in an environment where you can go anywhere you want, anytime

    Once you actually move there, it's completely different
    For small things, like suddenly craving Gyoza no Ohsho (a fried-rice-and-gyoza chain) and there's not one nearby
    Or having to worry about the last train home when you're out drinking with friends
    You need to be prepared for things like that
    122AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:51
    Re: #112
    Is the inside still from back then? Or is it a fully renovated unit?

    Re: #113
    Yeah, that's true, I guess…
    Not being able to eat out when I want to might be stressful…
    In Umeda you can eat out pretty much anywhere, 24 hours a day
    If I moved to the countryside I was thinking of buying an electric bike, but I guess even that wouldn't be enough?
    128AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:56
    Re: #122
    When I renovated two of my units into 'designer' style places
    I got a ton of weird inquiries
    Stuff like 'I'll go elsewhere if it's this price, lower it'
    Or 'I came from Tokyo and expected it to be cheaper, lower it'
    Or 'I work remote and want to keep a cat'
    105AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:43
    Have you never looked into what people living in the countryside are actually like?
    Plenty of people post videos about it
    106AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:44
    Are there ¥40,000 rentals in the countryside? → Yes
    Are there newish auto-locked 1LDKs? → No

    Maybe you'd have a shot in a college town, that's about it
    115AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:48
    Re: #105
    No, I mean there are some, but I meant more like a town that's at least somewhat developed rather than the super-rural image you get from videos — figured ¥40,000 might work there…

    Re: #106
    So it's not about ¥40,000 not going far enough, it's that newish auto-locked units just don't exist in the first place…
    I'd be fine with an old building too, as long as it's been fully renovated inside
    121AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:51
    Re: #115
    Sounds like you're picturing a commuter town
    You might find something if you search carefully enough
    135AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:58
    Re: #115
    Well, there's no demand for it, so it can't be helped

    Re: #122
    In a commuter town or the suburbs you don't strictly need a car, but
    it's still rough in summer or on rainy days
    143AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:01
    Couldn't you just install a smart lock instead of auto-lock?
    You can put one in yourself for around ¥30,000 — wouldn't that work?
    145AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:02
    Re: #143
    Isn't 'auto-lock' here referring to the shared entrance auto-lock, not your own door?
    148AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:04
    Re: #145
    Ah, that's the one, huh
    But you occasionally see people on VIP making threads about getting locked out of the entrance — is entrance auto-lock even necessary?
    Feels like just locking your own room should be enough
    150AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:04
    Re: #145
    Thinking about it more, crime rates are probably low in the countryside anyway, so is a shared-area auto-lock even necessary?

    Re: #146
    I'm not totally clear on where the line is, but yeah, that's basically it
    So the second- or third-largest city in a low-population prefecture is probably the ideal spot
    146AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:03
    It's becoming clear that what OP wants is countryside rural enough for masked palm civets to show up, but not so rural that boars or bears do
    149AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:04
    Re: #146
    These days, if you've got masked palm civets showing up, you've got bears, boars, and deer showing up too

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    What the thread was really arguing about was the assumption itself that “rural = cheap rent.” One point raised was that low rent isn’t just about location (a geographic factor) — it’s also that buildings themselves are built cheaply to match the area’s low minimum wage. Auto-locked, newly-built 1LDK units are essentially urban properties aimed at single renters, and since there’s almost no supply of them in rural areas, commenters repeatedly pushed back on the idea that you could keep those features while cutting rent. The other sticking point was a mismatch in what “rural” even means: the poster was picturing something more like suburbs within walking distance of a convenience store, while other posters described a lifestyle built around buses running only a few times a day, a car being mandatory, and having to plan around the last train home — leading to a lot of talking past each other. A common misconception the thread called out is assuming that cheap rent alone means urban-level building specs; commenters repeatedly pointed out that the combination of “¥40,000 rent” and “auto-locked, newly-built 1LDK” essentially doesn’t exist in rural Japan.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed VIP) thread “I Want to Live in the Countryside.”

  • TBS Broadcast’s Japanese-Style Reading of Chinese Athletes’ Names Sparks ‘Unease’ Online

    During TBS’s live broadcast of the women’s volleyball final (Japan 0-3 China) at the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi/Nagoya, announcers read Chinese athletes’ names using Japanese readings of the kanji characters, sparking a wave of questions on X (formerly Twitter). Reading Wu Mengjie’s name as “Go Muketsu” and Chen Houyu’s as “Chin Kouu” drew comments along the lines of “think about the dignity of foreign athletes.” On 5ch, threads debated where to draw the line on name pronunciation — covering why Japanese media have long used Japanese on’yomi readings rather than Chinese pronunciations, consistency with how other countries’ figures (like Kim Jong-un) are read, and how Chinese media, in turn, pronounce Japanese names.

    [Asian Games] “Think About the Dignity of Foreigners” — Unease Over Chinese Athletes’ Names Announced with Japanese Readings, Why?

    <Aichi/Nagoya Asian Games: Women’s Volleyball: Japan 0-3 China> ◇22nd◇Final◇Komaki City Sports Park General Gymnasium

    Following TBS’s live broadcast of the women’s volleyball final, questions have been piling up on X (formerly Twitter) over commentators reading Chinese athletes’ names with Japanese pronunciations.

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

    4AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:41
    There used to be a guy called 'Ahonen' back in the day though (sounds like 'aho,' Japanese for 'idiot')
    8AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:42
    It's reciprocity, so it can't be helped
    Besides, China does the same thing in reverse, reading kanji names their own way
    19AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:45
    Nikkan Sports, again, huh
    121AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:06
    Re: #19
    They should just be honest and call themselves Asahi Sports
    21AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:46
    Re: #1
    Exactly, let's use pronunciations closer to their home country's
    Like Xi Jinping — that'd make him 'Xi Chinpin'

    Chinpin (sounds like crude Japanese slang, lol)
    27AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:47
    The fact that Kim Jong-un gets 'Kim Jong-un' but Xi Jinping doesn't get 'Xi Chinpin' — that's Japan's dirty little secret
    56AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:52
    Re: #27
    It's the other way around
    Xi Jinping being read 'Shu Kinpei' [the Japanese on'yomi] isn't the problem
    The real dark secret is that Kim Jong-un stopped being read as 'Kin Shou-on'
    They caved to some petty pressure campaign and changed the reading
    28AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:47
    If it were really a problem, Xi himself ('Kinpei') would be the one complaining
    29AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:47
    I heard some bigwig on your side said something like 'as long as the kanji match, the pronunciation doesn't matter — even within China the reading varies by region,' and that even the Asahi Shimbun ran with it or whatever
    31AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:47
    Re: #1
    Do Chinese broadcasters read Japanese names the Japanese way, or the Chinese way? Which is it?
    101AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:01
    Re: #31
    No way they'd use Japanese readings
    We read it our way, you read it yours
    That's the whole point of kanji
    32AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:48
    This article itself is an insult to Chen, honestly
    36AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:49
    Wasn't there some agreement in place with China on this?
    In China, Japanese names get read in Chinese pronunciation, don't they?
    38AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:49
    So Cheng Long would turn into 'Seiron'?

    For reference, that's the kanji name for Jackie Chan
    43AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:50
    Doesn't make sense
    If that's the logic, just call everyone by surname only
    99AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:01
    When Japanese names come up in China, do they actually use the Japanese pronunciation?
    110AnonymousSep 24, 2026 01:03
    Re: #99
    Nope
    Fukuhara Ai gets called 'Fu Yuan Ai' in China

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    The practice of Japanese media rendering Chinese names with Japanese on’yomi readings of the kanji isn’t unique to TBS — it reflects a longstanding, general convention. Korean names, by contrast, switched to native-pronunciation readings (as in “Kim Jong-un”) after the Japanese and South Korean governments agreed in 1984 to use readings closer to the Korean pronunciation. That difference is exactly what fueled the thread’s complaint that it’s inconsistent to read Kim Jong-un’s name in Hangul-based pronunciation while reading Xi Jinping’s in on’yomi. No comparable agreement exists with China, and conversely, Chinese media also report Japanese names using Chinese readings of the kanji — so both sides simply use their own reading conventions. The thread split between those who saw this as a practical matter rooted in that history, and those who pushed back against the “dignity” framing itself. Comments consisting purely of discriminatory language or crude wordplay have been excluded from this article.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Asian Games] “Think about the dignity of foreigners” — Unease over TBS commentary on Chinese athletes’ names… Wu Mengjie called ‘Go Muketsu,’ Chen Houyu called ‘Chin Kouu’.”

  • Shinobu Sakagami laments Japan’s animal welfare situation: “Few countries are this far behind” — calls for legal reform

    On September 23, TV personality Shinobu Sakagami (59) appeared at a talk show held alongside the “Naomi Kawashima Animal Welfare Award” ceremony, lamenting Japan’s lagging animal welfare legislation: “For such a blessed country, it’s hard to think of one that’s this far behind.” On the 5ch thread, commenters repeatedly criticized live-animal display sales at pet shops and the oversight of breeders, with many arguing Japan should follow Europe’s lead by ending storefront sales in favor of direct purchases from breeders or adoptions from shelters. Meanwhile, opinion split between an extreme camp arguing that people should simply stop keeping pets altogether, and those who supported pet ownership but wanted tighter regulation of shops and breeders.

    Shinobu Sakagami laments Japan’s animal welfare situation: “Few countries are this far behind” — calls for legal reform

    On the 23rd, TV personality/actor Shinobu Sakagami (59) and pastry chef Toshihiko Yoroizuka appeared at the talk show “Living Together: Toward a Happy Future for Both Animals and People,” held alongside the 10th “Naomi Kawashima Animal Welfare Award” ceremony. They spoke out about the challenges facing animal welfare in Japan.

    At the event, Sakagami shared his view: “Our predecessors built this country into something so truly blessed, and yet when it comes to laws regarding animals, I don’t think there are many countries that are this far behind — that’s the reality. Honestly, I find it embarrassing.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:17
    As long as pet shops exist, nothing's going to change.
    5AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    You're pushing 60 now — what exactly have you been doing all this time?
    6AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    The one thing I can never forgive is animal abuse.
    7AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    Donate to a politician or buy some fundraiser tickets ("pa-ken") and they'll suddenly get moving on it.
    8AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    They need to ban private individuals from keeping pets, full stop.
    100AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:44
    Re: #8
    Exactly this.
    "Pets," seriously?
    The arrogance is off the charts.
    10AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:20
    The US and Europe manage cats and dogs strictly, but the flip side is they're pretty merciless about euthanasia.
    13AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:21
    Even when you try to adopt a rescue cat, they grill you like they're doing you a favor, all high and mighty.
    Costs more, but buying from a pet shop just feels better.
    14AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:22
    Huh, so that's the direction this is headed.
    Well, it's over then.
    15AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:22
    Getting Google to demonetize pet YouTubers would actually be effective.
    17AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Sakagami's been speaking up to Chiba Prefecture too, you know.
    A country that neglects its own citizens' lives was never going to care about small animals' lives either…
    18AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    They're legally treated as property, you know.
    Kill or injure a pet and it's just "property damage."
    I wish they'd fix that first.
    20AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    I'm against pets.
    Let's stop keeping animals.
    24AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:24
    Ban pet shops.
    33AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:26
    Re: #24
    Pet shops and live-display sales might well be a problem.
    If you're going to abolish them, regulate the breeders instead.
    Squeeze the breeders supplying the pets and pet shops will naturally become unviable.
    Just write the laws so that's how it plays out.
    25AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:24
    They can't even properly protect the ecosystem, so pets are pretty low priority.
    26AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:24
    There's no substance to this.
    Is he even in a position to lecture others?
    27AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:24
    Says the guy who only keeps pedigree dogs.
    36AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:27
    Re: #27
    He doesn't have any pedigree dogs at all, does he?
    30AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:25
    Nothing's going to improve unless they put restrictions on pet shops, breeders, and owners alike.
    31AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:25
    People don't have the spare money or energy to take care of animals on top of everything else.
    34AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:26
    Don't places like Europe not even have pet shops?
    How do animals get distributed there then?
    44AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:29
    Re: #34
    You buy directly from breeders.

    What's wrong with pet shops is that they invite impulse buying.
    The whole system of displaying animals and selling them like merchandise is the problem.
    46AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:30
    Re: #34
    Live-animal sales at storefronts are banned.
    You either buy directly from a breeder or adopt from a shelter.
    Saw this on some TV show once — the shelters there are run really properly too, completely different from Japan's adoption events.
    35AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:26
    Well sure, it's behind compared to developed countries, but isn't it ahead compared to places like Africa or the Gaza Strip?
    38AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:28
    Compared to which country, and how exactly is it lagging?
    He should at least give a few clear, concrete examples, or it won't land with people who aren't already into animal welfare.
    41AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:29
    This is a new breed of kitty ("nuko," playful baby-talk for "neko"/cat).
    Nice to meet you 🐱



    Her name's Tirukayo.
    51AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:32
    On genetic-disease and lifespan grounds, developed countries do have a real trend toward discouraging or banning mixed breeds and toy dogs too.

    Meanwhile people like Hikakin or the "Mochimaru Diary" account gushing over how cute folded-ear Scottish Folds are — that's embarrassing, pet-welfare-backwater behavior.

    Bad comparison maybe, but it'd normally make you sad to see someone call a disabled person's disability "cute," right?
    82AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:39
    Re: #51
    Finding a disabled person's disability "cute" isn't really the problem, is it? That's just a charm point.
    The actual problem is "deliberately breeding disabled creatures into existence to make them cute."
    Don't mix those two up.
    Folded-ear Scottish Folds have joint disorders from horrifically bad breeding and live their whole lives in severe pain.
    Bulldogs have had their noses and legs bred shorter and shorter through breeding,
    so they're born with breathing trouble — without nostril-widening surgery before age one they can suffocate — and natural birth is impossible, so it's 100% C-sections.
    And Corgis get docked as puppies because people think their "loaf of bread" butts are cute.
    It's insane, all just for looks.
    80AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:38
    His entertainment work's drying up — is he angling for a career in politics now?
    84AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:40
    Re: #80
    Perfect way to cash in on his name recognition.
    Scary that this kind of thing actually flies in this world.
    88AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:41
    Compared to which country exactly is he running his mouth about "few countries being this far behind"?
    Ranked where out of how many countries in the world, you trash-talker?

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Japan’s animal welfare laws saw stiffer penalties under the 2019 revision of the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals, but regulation of live-animal sales and breeders is still considered looser than in European countries. Many European countries ban live-animal display sales at pet shops, with buyers instead adopting directly from breeders or through shelters — a contrast that came up repeatedly in the thread as a concrete example. That said, it’s worth noting that Sakagami’s remarks didn’t offer specifics on which country Japan is being compared to or by how much it lags, and commenters in the thread also called for evidence backing up the international comparison. The debate split along a line between cautious calls for tighter regulation of pet shops and breeders, and a more extreme position that people should simply stop keeping pets altogether — with the real disagreement being where exactly that regulatory line should be drawn. This article excludes replies amounting to abuse directed at animals or people, unrelated political attacks, or baseless personal attacks.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Geino/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Shinobu Sakagami laments Japan’s animal welfare situation: “Few countries are this far behind” — calls for legal reform.”

  • Voice Actress Hina Sakurai’s Solo Event Sparks Debate Over ¥8,800 Ticket, ¥14,000 Farewell Package

    A solo event for voice actress Hina Sakurai (nicknamed “Hiina”) was announced, and its pricing — ¥8,800 for a regular ticket, ¥14,000 for a farewell meet-and-greet package with bonus perks — became a hot topic on 5ch’s Love Live! board. The event came in response to fan requests to “drop the bundled events and just do a solo show,” but once the prices were revealed, many pointed out they were steep compared to other voice actors’ fan meetings. At the same time, some argued that limiting the advance lottery to a single round preemptively silenced complaints about wanting multiple chances to win tickets, sparking a mix of praise and criticism.

    1AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:37
    Ticket price: ¥8,800!
    Farewell meet-and-greet: ¥14,000!
    Is this a concert or what?
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:48
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HS0B2wtbYAAJHMQ.jpg?name=orig
    Kind of like paying for front-row seats.
    Still, that's pricey though.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:58
    Sure there are various perks bundled in, but that's a bold price for a solo event.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:10
    Who the hell is Jimmy Onishi supposed to be here? (random comedian/artist name-drop — seems to be a non sequitur)
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:29
    I'd think this is still the phase where you're supposed to be growing your fanbase, but she's already switched into cash-grab mode — no need to rush things like this.
    14AnonymousSep 23, 2026 07:35
    Re: #8
    She's not exactly young anymore, and since she's signed to an agency, results are expected of her — so isn't this about right?
    With a capacity under 800, it should fill up easily.
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:08
    Fan club and bar events with a farewell meet-and-greet included usually run around ¥9,000. ¥14,000 for front row + goods + farewell is pretty steep, even bundled together.
    11AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:42
    So now it's not just Love Live! — even solo voice actor events are adopting the tiered upgrade pricing model.
    Guess they're just ignoring the casual fans who'd go just because they're a little curious.
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:51
    Not worth it unless it's a full live show.
    Also, if you're going to upgrade the front seats, you should downgrade the back seats to match.
    I keep saying this: adjust it so total revenue balances out to what it normally would be.
    13AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:05
    Arisa Komiya has always done her fan meetings for ¥10,000, including a handwritten autograph handed to you personally plus a farewell send-off, so this feels a bit pricey by comparison.
    15AnonymousSep 23, 2026 07:46
    If it's going to cost this much, they might as well bring in her fellow hometown celebrity Hideki Matsui as a guest. (Matsui: famous former NPB/MLB baseball player)
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:55
    Doesn't seem like anything but S-seats will sell out.
    The back seats are gonna feel pretty lame at this rate.
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 09:36
    Since most applicants will go for the perk package, picking the regular ticket basically guarantees you the very back row.
    And yet this'll probably sell out anyway.
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:26
    Everyone said, "Ditch the bundled events, just do a solo one"
    And this is what we get when it actually happens.
    25AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:23
    Re: #21
    And on top of that, by limiting it to a single advance lottery round, they've shut down everyone who was complaining.
    This'll probably fill up just fine, right?
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 12:43
    You people lack the humility to gratefully accept what you're given.
    Go spend a year training at Eiheiji temple or something. (a famously strict Zen Buddhist monastery)
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:15
    Still way better than a bundled event.
    If the high ticket price makes more people give up on applying, the odds improve for the rest of us — totally welcome.
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 13:27
    Even with other live shows and cast events happening around the same time, Hiina's fans ("Hi-ota") will still pay up, so the odds will probably stay tough. Even when Mītanu did hers at Nikkei Hall, it filled up just fine.
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:29
    Sorry, I'm just a random passerby who doesn't really know much about her, but what exactly does this event even involve?
    27AnonymousSep 23, 2026 17:00
    You just drink coffee.
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:56
    If every seat comes with earphones for live ASMR, then ¥14,000 would actually be worth it.
    29AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:20
    Even after everyone said to ditch the bundling, the Non & Hina event costs less than half this even without a farewell meet-and-greet. It depends on perks and seating, but this one definitely lands on the pricier side.
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:39
    Between all the stacked seat upgrades, expenses are already brutal, and now even solo events are jumping on the high-priced-seat cash grab everywhere you look.
    It'd be fine if regular seats still had a decent shot at winning, but some organizers only let goods-included applicants win during the paid early-access lottery — wonder how this one's going to handle it?

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    When it comes to pricing for solo voice actor events, a format known as the “upgrade system” — where the base admission fee stays the same but front-row or perk-included seats cost extra — has become increasingly common in recent years. Commenters compared the event to Arisa Komiya’s autograph session (¥10,000) and other voice actors’ fan meetings, and while the base ¥8,800 ticket price itself wasn’t seen as unusually high, many voices singled out the ¥14,000 premium plan with the farewell meet-and-greet as a bold move. At the same time, some speculated that limiting the advance lottery to a single round was a deliberate move to preempt complaints about wanting multiple chances to win tickets — suggesting reactions went beyond simple criticism of a price hike. It should also be noted that the event’s specific content (whether it centers on a talk show or a live performance, for example) hasn’t been clarified in the official announcement, so speculation in the thread remains just that — speculation.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Love Live!) thread “Hina Sakurai’s “Hina-Puchiino” Event!!.”

  • Subordinate Declares ‘I’m Going to the Labor Bureau’ — 5ch Reacts: ‘I’ll Come With You’

    A feature introducing management consultant Junya Honda’s book “The Complete Guide to How Leaders Should Behave” (published on diamond.jp on September 23, 2026) sparked a discussion on 5ch’s Business News+ board about how a boss should respond when a subordinate says, “I’m going to the Labor Standards Bureau.” Some posters recommended staying calm, with comments like “I’ll come with you” and “Report it to HR first,” while many others pointed out that “anyone who’s actually going wouldn’t bother announcing it — they’d just go quietly.” The thread also brought in practical opinions about how much the Labor Bureau really does in practice, turning it into more than just a joke thread.

    Junya Honda

    The Complete Guide to How Leaders Should Behave, by the pro who has resolved 3,000 workplace management problems

    September 23, 2026, 6:50 AM

    Source: diamond.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:42
    "I'll come with you" works fine, no?
    4AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:53
    Report it to HR.
    Some low-level manager has no business acting on their own.
    5AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:55
    Hand in your resignation first.
    6AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:58
    If they're not breaking any laws, just let them go.
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 19:59
    Just let them go, who cares.
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:09
    Send them off with a cheerful "have a good trip."
    After that, they'll only be able to move through official channels.
    It's basically a farewell.
    9AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:11
    Normally you wouldn't announce it — you'd just quietly go.
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:18
    Most bosses would probably think, "oh crap, I went too far" (lol)
    11AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:19
    I went ahead of them, explained the situation, and told my section chief, "Someone like this is coming, please take care of it."
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:21
    After that, just have them do simple grunt work. They'll quit eventually.
    13AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:37
    I haven't received the complaint yet, so I'll withhold comment (a stock non-answer companies/celebrities use when accused of something).
    14AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:43
    Ignoring it is best.
    Engage carelessly and they might be recording you — turns into a real headache.
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:49
    Re: #14
    By the time it's gotten to that point,

    they've already built up enough recorded evidence and such, so it's pointless anyway.
    15AnonymousSep 23, 2026 20:48
    Because when someone's really going, they go without announcing it.
    17AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:30
    They could've just gone quietly, but the fact that they're bothering to announce it means they're probably recording you too.
    Yell at them over it and you only make your own position worse.
    Honestly, anyone who even has the concept of "going to the Labor Bureau" in their head is reasonably sharp — handle them carefully or you'll get fired.
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:35
    Falsify the time cards.
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:56
    Does anyone actually do that?
    They'd just go quietly (lol)
    20AnonymousSep 23, 2026 21:57
    Shouldn't the first move be "why?"
    Telling you before going — what a considerate subordinate.
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:20
    Just ask ChatGPT (nicknamed "Chappy" in Japan).
    37AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:56
    Re: #21 These days it's simpler for both sides to just ask AI.
    Keeps you from getting jerked around by bogus info online.
    Though sometimes you get people who believe the lies and think that means they can do whatever they want.
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:21
    Consulting the Labor Bureau just ends with them listening to you vent.
    Unless you say upfront that you're filing a formal complaint, they won't take you seriously.
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:40
    Re: #22 Right, a lot of the time it really is just "they listen and you go home."
    Surprisingly, the local Labor Bureau ("Roki," a common nickname for 労基署) sometimes even has ties to the local companies.

    You need to be clear about what outcome you actually want before you go.
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:22
    Honestly, people who don't even know labor law shouldn't be in management. Not that I'd know, of course.
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:34
    I manage day-to-day within lines I know I can win on, so all I can say is "go ahead."
    25AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:40
    Send them off properly.
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 22:54
    Subordinate: I'm going to the Labor Standards Bureau.
    Boss: Sure, go right ahead.

    Subordinate: I'm going to the Labor Bureau.
    Boss: Let's actually talk this through.

    Subordinate: I'm filing for a labor tribunal.
    Boss: Sorry, please forgive me.
    27AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:11
    You're better off going to Yamamoto than to "Roki" (the Labor Bureau).
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:26
    Announcing it on purpose is basically a threat — they want some response or concession. Just hear them out and respond sensibly.
    29AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:27
    Re: #1
    They just let them go, that's it (lol)
    There's no stopping someone who's already gotten to the point of saying "I'm going."
    I'm not the company president, so who cares (lol)
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:27
    "Typical of the yutori generation" (Japan's so-called "relaxed education" cohort, often stereotyped as soft/entitled).
    "Typical Gen Z."
    And that's the end of it.

    They never take responsibility for what they say — instead of actually going to the Labor Bureau, they'll just fly into a rage instead.
    31AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:38
    First you'd go to your superior and ask for improvements, right?
    Next up is the Labor Bureau — but by the time you're actually at the point of going there,
    you wouldn't bother saying "I'm going" each time. Not after it's gotten that far.

    Also, if you go and just "consult" without more, they'll listen and that's the end of it,
    so you should go in having already made clear what you actually want done about it.
    33AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:41
    Also, those free labor-lawyer consultation hotlines — it's a classic thing where you call right when you need it and nobody picks up for the loooongest time.

    It's worth finding a place to consult ahead of time, before you actually need it.
    Also had cases where labor-and-social-security consultants ("shakuroshi") wouldn't take you seriously if you went to them after you'd already quit.
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:42
    Isn't that just destroying evidence?
    35AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:52
    Going to the Labor Bureau is pointless.
    It just ends with a warning.
    36AnonymousSep 23, 2026 23:53
    Outside of workplace safety, pay, or paid leave, they won't really take anything else seriously.
    38AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:12
    Re: #1
    Go with them.
    Playing the pathetic middle manager is your best bet.
    39AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    Just go to the Labor Bureau quietly.
    40AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:19
    I'm Mr. Compliance.
    The law is on my side.
    All I'll do is smile and send them off with a "have a good trip."

    Honestly, if you're really going to the Labor Bureau, you shouldn't tell anyone beforehand.
    And if you're prepared to quit and actually fight, you should be talking to a lawyer, not the Labor Bureau — in practice, the Labor Bureau isn't much use.
    41AnonymousSep 24, 2026 00:23
    Thought this would turn into a joke thread, but there are surprisingly a lot of serious replies.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The Labor Standards Inspection Office is the government body that handles violations of labor law — unpaid wages, illegal overtime, workplace safety, and the like — and how it responds depends on whether the person consulting wants an actual correction made or just wants something on record. The comment that consultations “end with just being heard out” reflects real cases where people go in without clearly stating what they want done. The Labor Standards Inspection Office, the Labor Bureau, and labor tribunals are also separate channels with different roles: generally, if talks don’t resolve the issue, things move on to systems like individual labor dispute resolution or a labor tribunal — and the thread’s “Labor Standards Office → Labor Bureau → labor tribunal” comment reflected that progression. A recurring theme in the thread was the claim that “anyone who’s really going doesn’t announce it beforehand — they just go quietly,” with many posters treating advance notice (or the lack of it) as a way to gauge how serious someone actually is.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Business News+) thread “The Best Move for a Boss When a Subordinate Says They’re Going to the Labor Bureau.”