Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Mixed Reactions to “I Can’t Stand Idols Outside Hello! Project” — 5ch: “As a Genre, Hello! Project Is Basically Enka”

    A thread titled “I really can’t stand female idols outside of Hello! Project,” posted on 5ch’s Morning Musume-related board (nicknamed “Ōkami,” or “the Wolf board”), drew a wave of reactions. The original poster complained about other groups’ “put-on voices” and Nogizaka46’s “synthetic-sounding unison vocals,” and while plenty of replies agreed, others pushed back, suggesting it’s “not that you can’t stand them, you’re just not interested,” or calmly compared it to how rock, jazz, and baseball fans all have different tastes — “different genres just mean different values.” The thread ultimately turned into a clash between people criticizing the Wolf board’s notorious “elitism” and those defending it.

    1AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:35
    Anyone else feel this?
    I just can't stomach it, deep down.
    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:37
    I've heard Ebichu (Private Girls' Junior High School) is the closest thing to a Hello! Project group — does that not count?
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    I can't stand idols either.
    Hearing that fake put-on voice especially makes me want to punch something.
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Honestly, the general public can't stand Hello! Project.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    Re: #5
    Well, "the general public" covers a lot of different people, you know.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    Stardust Promotion idols are fine.
    I get the others too.
    But paid hostess drinking parties and cabaret club girls? No way.
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    I don't dislike Nogizaka46 or anything, but listening to the Auto-Tuned unison vocals on their lead tracks drives me a little crazy.
    The more you learn about it, the more you notice how weird it is that you can't tell who's actually singing.
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    It's less that I can't stand them and more that I just have zero interest in them, so no matter how hard people here argue that "a cute face is justice" for idols, it doesn't land for me.
    Made me realize I'm not really an idol otaku.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:52
    Re: #9
    Exactly.
    I'm not an idol otaku — I just like Hello! Project.
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    HANA
    the Sakamichi Series
    Kawara Lab
    the Sashihara Rino groups
    Momoiro Clover Z



    Hello! Project
    Something like that?
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:50
    Hello! Project fans get hated on because their sense of elitism is way too strong.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:54
    There's always been a certain number of people for whom it just has to be Hello! Project — that's why it's lasted this long.
    As a genre, Hello! Project is basically closer to enka (traditional Japanese ballads).
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:54
    It's basically "Hello! Project" or "every other idol" as a category.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:55
    I don't like idols at all.
    I only like Hello! Project.
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:56
    Hello! Project is the best because it doesn't have that "MIX" chanting or the over-the-top "I really love you" call-and-response speeches other fandoms do.
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:57
    There's no end to this kind of argument.
    Anyone comparing it to other groups is probably running stealth marketing or something.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:57

    https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1675546476670496768/7orOdphG_400x400.jpg
    https://www.thefirsttimes.jp/admin/wp-content/uploads/5000/09/20230905-st-200401.jpg

    Isn't it just that you're not into strong-looking women?
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:58
    Fruits Zipper — Suzuka Chinzei (Osuzu) *friends with Akane Haga
    Kyurutte Shitemite — Utaka Shimamura (Uta-chan) *former Country Girls member
    Hinatazaka46 — Yoko Shogenji (Shogeko) *high school classmate of Hisaki Ebata
    Sakurazaka46 — Aio Sato (Neogon) *former Sakura Gakuin member
    Akisuto Zeneko — Yuma Sayashi *younger sister of Riho Sayashi
    Private Girls' Junior High School — Waka Kazami (Nonokamaru) *close friend of Wakana Matsumoto
    AVAM (Abeamu) — Yuka Himemiya (Yukapi) *has appeared on TV shows alongside Hello! Project members
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:10
    Re: #22
    Wait, Sayashi has a younger sister?
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    So it's not that you're uninterested — you genuinely can't stand them?
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:02
    Re: #20
    Ozechii's favorite: Blackpink.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:08
    Re: #26
    You're into this kind of thing?
    Such a modern kid.
    36AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:20
    Re: #1
    But those groups have turned into a massive market though.
    46AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:29
    Re: #36
    That "Itomomo" old-timer is full of hot air.
    Talking like they outsell Nogizaka46 or something.
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:22
    Rock fans: "I really can't stand live shows that don't play the songs exactly like the CD."
    Jazz/fusion fans: "I really can't stand fans who only care whether you played it note-for-note like the CD."
    Baseball fans: "I really can't stand any sport that isn't baseball."

    Every genre has its own values, so there's no end to this kind of thing.
    47AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:29
    Re: #39
    Rock fans are the ones who'd be disappointed if a live show sounded exactly like the studio version, no?
    41AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:25
    Isn't it fine if everyone just sticks to their own lane?
    Though I don't get people who claim they can't stand it but are always on the Wolf board trashing Hello! Project anyway.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:25
    Hello! Project can't even crack the top 10 in idol concert attendance these days — pathetic.
    Their flagship group Morning Musume gets outdrawn even by Kawara Lab's second-string group lol.
    49AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:31
    I think you should just support whatever you personally like.
    I'm the type who can't get interested in something just because it's "buzzing" and someone recommends it to me.
    If anything, when people push that stuff on me I just think, "this person has no eye for quality."
    55AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:37
    Re: #49
    > "this person has no eye for quality"

    Do you realize that makes you the minority here?
    Hello! Project is the real relic idol group that's been left behind by the times lol.
    At this rate it'll probably be genuinely dead in another 10 years.
    50AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:32
    I'm fine just watching other female idol groups normally, but I often find I can't stand it once I actually listen to the singing.
    54AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:36
    Re: #50
    Hello! Project's singing style is the weirdest one of all, you know.
    59AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:40
    Re: #54
    Mumbling your way through a song kind of counts as not really singing, doesn't it.
    62AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:41
    Directed at Re: #54:
    What I can't stand is the mumbly singing or that weird put-on voice.
    53AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:36
    Re: #1
    Realistically, Hello! Project is the one the general public can't stand and has zero interest in.
    61AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:40
    Re: #1
    It's exactly this type of person who goes around slandering idols outside of Hello! Project.
    63AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:41
    Re: #61
    I'm not.
    I won't tolerate slander against anyone — including people like you.

    Background and Key Points

    Hello! Project is a long-running idol production project home to groups like Morning Musume, and its fan board on 5ch is nicknamed “Ōkami” (the Wolf board). That board has a history of being criticized by fans of other groups as having a strong sense of “elitism,” and this thread’s backlash against the “can’t stand them” comment follows that same pattern. Opinions in the thread split over whether the dislike stems from genuine discomfort with certain singing styles (unison vocals, put-on voices) or is simply a lack of interest in other genres — no clear consensus emerged. It’s also worth noting that claims about attendance numbers or CD sales are personal impressions without cited sources, not actual statistics. As the rock, jazz, and baseball fan comparisons illustrate, differing values across genres are nothing unusual, and this kind of “rejection of other genres” isn’t unique to idol culture.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “I really can’t stand female idols outside of Hello! Project.”

  • Question Mark Over ‘Accelerating Expansion of the Universe’ as Reanalysis of 1,700 Supernovae Casts Doubt — 5ch: “Whoever Controls the Dark Force Controls the World”

    A research team from India’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the University of Oxford reanalyzed the “Pantheon+” catalog — which compiles observational data from more than 1,700 Type Ia supernovae — after correcting for brightness variation caused by the age of the supernovae’s progenitor stars. The reanalysis found no evidence supporting the long-accepted theory of the “accelerating expansion of the universe,” and instead suggested the expansion may actually be decelerating. On 5ch’s Science News+ board, opinions were divided: some expressed hope that the very concept of dark energy might become unnecessary, while others cautioned that accelerating expansion is also supported by multiple independent observations beyond supernovae, so this result alone wouldn’t overturn it.

    Reanalysis of supernova observation data suggests the possibility that “the universe’s expansion is not accelerating”

    Conventional wisdom has held that “the universe continues to expand, and its expansion is speeding up.” However, when a research team from India’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the UK’s University of Oxford used a catalog containing observational data from more than 1,700 supernovae to test whether evidence could be found to support the universe’s “accelerating expansion,” they found that the expansion may in fact “not be accelerating.”

    Pantheon+ supernovae corrected for progenitor age indicate the universe is decelerating | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

    Source: academic.oup.com / original article here

    2AnonymousSep 21, 2026 22:27
    So does that mean we don't need dark energy after all?
    3AnonymousSep 21, 2026 22:36
    Knew something was off.
    No matter how you look at it, accelerating expansion never made sense.
    4AnonymousSep 21, 2026 22:43
    Accelerating expansion is energy being injected from outside.
    5AnonymousSep 21, 2026 22:55
    I've been saying this all along.
    There was no Big Bang. Herschel was right. AI will prove it.
    6AnonymousSep 21, 2026 22:56
    Expansion's about to stop, and next it'll start collapsing back into a single point.
    7AnonymousSep 21, 2026 23:01
    Maybe it was never expanding in the first place.
    8AnonymousSep 21, 2026 23:47
    Re: #1
    This has a whiff of crackpot science to it.
    The accelerating expansion of the universe isn't based solely on Type Ia supernovae, you know.
    Multiple independent observations besides supernovae also support accelerating expansion,
    so unless you bring a hypothesis that's consistent with those too, this is too weak to actually disprove acceleration.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 06:36
    Re: #8
    It's not that expansion is accelerating — it's that we're shrinking relative to spacetime.
    The universe's accelerating expansion is correct in a relative sense,
    and matter contracting is also a correct apparent phenomenon.
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 00:47
    If you say Type Ia supernova brightness varies, you lose a major yardstick for measuring distances to celestial objects.
    That's the bigger problem here.
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 00:56
    Cosmological models can explain all sorts of things,
    but lately they've been failing to match the observational data more and more often.
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 01:43
    Things get weird once light reaches the edge of the universe, so it must be expanding faster than the speed of light.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 01:52
    Quanta don't become real either unless there are two of them.
    Spacetime too doesn't hold together without a certain degree of quantum entanglement — the Kasa-Takayanagi theory.

    Going by this, the edge of the universe isn't infinite —
    the edge of the universe only becomes real when there's some relationship between one thing and another.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:08
    Re: #12
    Sounds like a video game that doesn't render areas the player isn't looking at.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 02:25
    Looking forward to observations from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 06:58
    Well, if we no longer need dark energy, that'd tidy things up nicely.
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 07:47
    "Space is wild" is wild.
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 10:44
    Re: #14
    I think that's an interesting idea, but what's it based on?
    And how would you go about proving or disproving it?
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:23
    Re: #17
    Proper time — the locally elapsed time — differs from place to place.
    Time elapses differently for Earth, the solar system, and the galaxy.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 13:15
    Well, if there's fluctuation on a cosmic scale, there'd be places that accelerate and places that contract.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 14:28
    Are we headed for a Big Crunch?
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 14:44
    Previous observations showed expansion was indeed accelerating (became conventional wisdom)
    ↓
    New observations show expansion isn't accelerating
    ↓
    Expansion speed drops
    ↓
    Expansion stops and contraction begins
    ↓
    Contraction accelerates
    ↓
    Big Crunch!
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 15:10
    So naturally our bodies too are overflowing with the dark force — dark energy and dark matter.
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:56
    Re: #22
    Exactly right.
    Whoever controls the dark force controls the world.
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 15:14
    If galaxies keep colliding and merging over and over, won't everything eventually get pulled into one giant gravitational galaxy?
    Well, the distant galaxies we see now are their appearance from over 10 billion years ago, so we don't actually know what they look like now.
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:09
    It's a terrible game but I can't log out (´;ω;`)
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:18
    Term Out
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:19
    Sunburns
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:20
    Nanoha A's
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:32
    Dark Energy
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    Muv-Luv Alternative
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Wasn't the Big Bang a state change produced by the expansion heat of an extremely high-temperature process that occurred with acceleration?
    40AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Re: #33
    I see.
    What observational results specifically support that?
    If there's a paper, I'd like to take a look.
    41AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:02
    But still, the discovery and observation of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is amazing when you think about it.
    Seems like there's more progress to come.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:03
    If the universe is in "sage mode" (net slang for the drained, come-down calm after climax), then I guess there's no helping it that I am too.
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:32
    The portion of the universe we can actually observe is just way too small relative to the whole thing.
    44AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:42
    Re: #1

    There's a theory that explains teleportation as: when you keep cramming atoms into a bag, atoms eventually pop out of the bag — that's the teleportation. If you reinterpret that a different way…

    Say there are two bags — our universe and another universe — and in that other universe atoms are being generated in huge numbers, so when atoms slip through that bag's wall and move over to our side, that's what generates dark energy, which means dark matter is matter from the other side.
    Our own universe is also generating atoms in huge numbers, so once the expansion speed of the outer wall of our universe is exceeded, the atoms of our world end up teleporting over to the other side — that's basically what it comes down to.

    It ends up being a theory that requires parallel worlds to absolutely exist.
    46AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:52
    To connect parallel worlds, I guess you'd need a spot where a zero-mass point on this side overlaps with a zero-mass point on the other side.

    Even if a spot has zero mass on this side, if there's mass there on the other side, that mass on the other side becomes a wall and you'd get stranded on this side.
    The same principle works in reverse too, so it's impassable either way.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The theory that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate was proposed in 1998 based on observations of Type Ia supernovae, and it was the basis for the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics. Since then, the ΛCDM model — in which dark energy accounts for just under 70% of the universe — has become entrenched as the standard theory. This new study reanalyzed the Pantheon+ catalog (over 1,700 supernovae) that underpins that evidence, correcting for brightness variation caused by the age of each supernova’s progenitor star; after correction, the data pointed to deceleration rather than acceleration. This is where opinions in the thread diverged: some, like commenter #8, took the cautious view that accelerating expansion is backed not just by supernovae but by multiple independent observations — including the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and gravitational lensing — so a reinterpretation of supernova data alone wouldn’t overturn it, while others welcomed the idea that we might no longer need to assume the existence of the unknown entity called dark energy, calling it a tidier picture. One point readers can easily misread is that this isn’t a case of “the accelerating expansion theory being definitively disproven” — it’s a single reanalysis result at this stage, and confirming it through follow-up studies and consistency checks against other observational methods is still needed.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Science News+) thread “[Universe] Reanalysis of supernova observation data suggests the possibility that “the universe’s expansion is not accelerating”.”

  • Massive complex opens in Jiyugaoka — 5ch reacts: “Feels overdue”

    On September 17, 2026, a large mixed-use complex called “JIYUGAOKA MUSE SQUARE” opened in front of Jiyugaoka Station on the Tokyu Toyoko and Oimachi Lines. The operators say they’re looking toward “the next 100 years,” and have positioned Futako-Tamagawa as a rival. On 5ch, opinions were divided: some worried the new complex would siphon customers away from independent shops and erode what makes Jiyugaoka distinctive, or questioned the timing given that large commercial facilities in Tokyo have struggled in recent years, while others argued that Futako-Tamagawa and Jiyugaoka differ so much in location and clientele that treating them as rivals doesn’t really make sense.

    9/20 (Sun) 5:55 AM

    BUSINESS INSIDER JAPAN

    A large mixed-use complex, “JIYUGAOKA MUSE SQUARE,” opened on September 17, 2026, in front of Jiyugaoka Station on the Tokyu Toyoko and Oimachi Lines.

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

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 06:07
    Oh no…

    the new mega commercial complex is going to suck up all the demand, and the independent shops that make Jiyugaoka what it is are going to decline.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 08:14
    Re: #2
    Isn't that on the independent shops themselves, for being less appealing than the mass-produced chain stores?
    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 06:46
    But apparently Jiyugaoka sits in a low-lying basin,
    so maybe they should nail down the basics of urban planning first.
    Doing disaster-prevention work after the buildings are already up just means doing everything twice.
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 07:33
    The next 100 years?
    Give it about 40 and won't it end up like Sugamo (Tokyo's famous district for elderly shoppers)?
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 07:39
    Nobody even knows about Midorigaoka (a quieter, lower-profile neighborhood right next door)
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 08:14
    Feels overdue.
    Big commercial facilities in Tokyo keep failing one after another, and now Jiyugaoka is doing this?…
    The era when a large commercial facility could draw crowds on novelty alone is over.
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 08:36
    It'll just be chain retailers anyway, so nobody from outside is going to bother coming.
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 08:47
    The rise and fall of Sweets Forest (a dessert theme park that once stood in Jiyugaoka and later closed)
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 09:18
    If we're talking stylish neighborhoods, Kuhonbutsu beats it (a quieter area nearby)
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 09:31
    Was Jiyugaoka even that kind of town to begin with?
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 09:33
    Unlike rural areas, it's not like there's a shortage of young people around here.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 10:36
    It's packed with people and it's honestly depressing.
    Wonder when things will calm down.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 10:48
    The streets are so narrow it's kind of scary.
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 12:06
    Re: #14
    Most areas along the Toyoko Line have narrow streets like that, and sidewalks? What are those?
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 11:00
    Jiyugaoka feels cluttered and messy — not really my thing.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 11:13
    "Jiyugaoka girls"

    That was a trend decades ago, back when I was young.
    There was a woman who kept saying she was going to become a manga artist,
    and for some reason she was a total Jiyugaoka girl.

    These days I guess they call it "Minato-ku girls."
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 11:21
    It used to be a stylish town —
    like the Amsterdam that the Parisian poet Charles Baudelaire
    admired as more beautiful than Paris itself.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 12:05
    Jiyugaoka and Hiyoshi
    are places you can only live if you're an upper-class woman from a good family out in the regions, they say.
    Even picking an outfit for tea with the other moms is apparently a whole ordeal.
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 13:32
    Re: #20
    The truth about Jiyugaoka: it's just Meguro Ward residents who get hit by disasters every time there's heavy rain.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 13:59
    I don't think this is the image people actually want from Jiyugaoka.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 14:32
    So a Starbucks is opening in the big commercial complex.
    These days it's Starbucks that women love —
    the area around Jiyugaoka Station always did cater to women's tastes.

    Back in the Showa era, it was the only place in Japan
    with a directly-run L.L.Bean store.
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 14:33
    I only know the Jiyugaoka from when I lived in Tokyo, up through the 2000s, but that local, low-key vibe was so good.
    31AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:18
    They covered this on Bura Tamori (a TV show about local geography and history)
    — it used to be a low-lying wetland, which sounds pretty risky.
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:18
    Both Jiyugaoka and Naka-Meguro are super chaotic, honestly.
    Like, the whole town has no cohesive look, so it comes off a bit grubby.
    "Stylish town" lol, that's a good one lolol.
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:46
    They just redeveloped one corner into a mixed-use building because more and more buildings there were old and needed rebuilding.
    That "next 100 years" line is just marketing fluff to help them recoup the cost.
    34AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:52
    Jiyugaoka ("Freedom Hill") is about to get hit with the nickname "Jugaoka" — "Gun Hill" (a pun swapping "jiyu," freedom, for "ju," gun).
    35AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:22
    No… Jiyugaoka has a totally different kind of charm from Futako-Tamagawa, so if it throws that away it'll just fade into the background.
    Personally I like Jiyugaoka, Shimokitazawa, and Kichijoji a lot more than Futako-Tamagawa.
    40AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:26
    Wealthy people live up the hill, while ordinary folks gather down in the basin near the station.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:49
    There used to be a Nagasakiya here, right? (a now-defunct discount store chain)
    That was fine as it was.

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Jiyugaoka is known as a shopping district along the Tokyu Toyoko and Oimachi Lines, valued more for its cluster of independent boutiques than for large facilities. Futako-Tamagawa, by contrast, sits near the intersection of the Kanpachi Ring Road and Route 246, a location it has leveraged to succeed as a suburban-style shopping hub with “Futako-Tamagawa Rise.” That contrast is likely why the operators are singling it out as a rival. As several posters on the thread noted, the area around Jiyugaoka Station lies in a low-lying basin spanning Meguro and Setagaya wards, a topographical feature sometimes flagged for flood risk during heavy rain. In Tokyo in recent years, opening a large commercial facility hasn’t guaranteed a crowd the way it used to, and the “feels overdue” sentiment voiced in the thread appears to reflect that trend.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Business News+) thread “Jiyugaoka’s long-awaited large commercial facility opens. “Our rival is Futako-Tamagawa” — one of Tokyo’s premier stylish districts makes its move for the next 100 years.”

  • New FE Divides Fans: ‘Easy Early Game’ vs. ‘Brutal Part 3’ Theories Clash

    The difficulty of the new Fire Emblem game sparked debate on 5ch’s hardware/industry (Geha) board. While Parts 1 and 2 are described as “a breeze even without exploring,” Part 3’s difficulty shifts dramatically depending on the allies and character growth built up during Parts 1 and 2 — leading some to speculate that “maybe not many people have actually made it that far.” Discussion also touched on the gap between major outlets like IGN scoring the game in the 60s while its Metacritic user score sits in the 9s, along with the reliability of Amazon reviews.

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:24
    Honestly, just playing the game eats up all my time — I don't have time to go chasing down hate campaigns.
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:33
    Re: #1
    A breeze even without exploring

    In the last game, skipping exploration got you killed
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:39
    Re: #4
    Sounds like that's actually the case.
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:12
    Re: #4
    Elden Ring had this same kind of split back in the day.
    Brings back memories.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:38
    Honestly the early game is so easy it barely feels like FE, almost like a different game.
    It gets serious from the midpoint on, and I think that's the real reason so few people have made it that far.
    Though to be fair, if you actually play it properly it's way too long, so a lot of people probably bail before then.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    Re: #7
    Yeah, fair.
    But it's impossible to make a game everyone enjoys with zero criticism, so it's fine for it to be this divisive.
    The fact that it genuinely resonates with some players already makes it a success.
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:39
    It's not 'whoa, this game's amazing!' — it's just an endless loop of '…maybe this is where it gets good?'

    Fire Emblem ~An Ordeal From Start to Finish~
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    Re: #9
    The top part or the bottom part?
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Re: #11
    The bottom one.
    In Part 3, the difficulty depends on how much effort you put in during Parts 1 and 2.
    For example, in Part 3 you split the allies you recruited across Parts 1 and 2 (four story routes' worth) into separate squads and push forward on two or three fronts at once.
    Otherwise you can't win.
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    Re: #13
    That sounds genuinely fun.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Just fully ignore the 'this isn't real FE!' crowd.
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:50
    Re: #16
    Yeah.
    I don't own a Switch 2 so I haven't played it, but
    when I heard about this it sounded really cool.
    https://youtu.be/5CrCOGrs7jU?t=659&si=ZZpYQqMfhJckzkkW
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:59
    Re: #17
    Part 3 really is brutal, huh.
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:54
    No fishing minigame, so it's a masterpiece.
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:55
    Honestly it makes me want to buy a Switch 2 just for this.
    But it's 50,000 yen so I'm not gonna.
    I'll grab one once the Switch 2 Lite comes out at 30,000 yen.
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:04
    Amazon reviews don't lie, you know.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:04
    Re: #27
    Amazon reviews strike me as nothing but lies.
    72AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:47
    Re: #29
    Really? A case where a low-rated title turned out to secretly be a masterpiece?
    I've been watching for 25 years and never once seen that happen.
    76AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:52
    Re: #72
    I've never seen a boring game with both a Metascore and user score above 9.
    35AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:09
    Come to think of it, even Makonako (a well-known JP game reviewer) was pretty harsh on this one too.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:13
    Re: #35
    Honestly, from how that review sounded, it's unclear if they even played Part 3.
    84AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:09
    Re: #35
    Oh yeah, I remember that channel — went to check it out and the site's laid out like some shady clickbait aggregator.
    40AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:13
    As someone playing FE for the first time, I'm having plenty of fun.
    I guess it's rough
    for people who are stuck on 'FE has to be like this.'
    44AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:15
    Re: #40
    That's probably it. Long-time FE diehards seem to draw a line between the 'strategy' (the S in SRPG) side of the genre and SRPGs as a whole.
    51AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:20
    Re: #40
    People who go around defining what an IP 'should' be on their own terms are a pain and should just move on — I'd love to see more bold, challenging entries like this in the future.
    52AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:21
    LOL, Xenoblade 3 is getting dunked on too now.
    57AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:30
    Re: #52
    Apparently both games share the same Nintendo producer.
    It's sad — the previous producer delivered the series' best sales ever with Three Houses and Xeno 2, handed off the baton, and now it's just mediocre game after mediocre game.
    65AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:41
    Even Gunshi Minoru (a well-known gaming YouTuber) gave it his lowest score ever, and no other major reviewer rated it highly to balance that out.
    Doesn't look good.
    71AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    Re: #65
    Minoru actually rated it highly as a game, though.
    91AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:21
    Re: #65
    Among major reviewers, Ienashi Rara rated it highly, for what it's worth.

    Ienashi Rara — 77.5k subscribers
    Gunshi Minoru — 37.2k subscribers
    97AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:32
    Is this an anti-FE hate campaign because Wolverine turned out to be trash?

    Insomniac's lowest-rated game ever ♥

    Spider-Man — 87
    Miles Morales — 85
    Spider-Man Remastered — 87
    Spider-Man 2 — 90
    Wolverine — 77
    ps://i.imgur.com/C4uYNLP.png

    Major outlets' scores are a mess ♥

    60 — IGN
    60 — VGC
    60 — GameSpot
    60 — GamesRadar+
    60 — Eurogamer
    60 — Guardian
    Main story — about 10 hours
    Cutscenes only — about 4 hours

    Actual gameplay = 6 hours

    Background and Key Points

    The spread in review scores for the new Fire Emblem largely comes down to the series’ structure. Parts 1 and 2 are designed to be easy, while Part 3 is built so that the growth and branching choices accumulated up to that point directly determine its difficulty — meaning reviewers who only played the early parts and those who pushed through to Part 3 are likely to rate it very differently. It’s also common to see a gap between scores from major Western outlets like IGN and the Metacritic user score or Amazon reviews, and neither side is necessarily “correct.” Note that the original thread also contained several unsubstantiated posts tying review reliability to manipulation by firms of a specific nationality; those claims lack any supporting evidence and have been excluded from this article.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry, “Geha”) thread “[Sad News] FE Fan’s Notorious Anti ‘Banshishenkou’, Pushed Past His Limit by How Trash the Game Is, Finally Breaks Down…“.

  • Ruru Danbara Cheers On Alma Mater Juniors Before Hiroshima Concert — 5ch: “A True Homecoming”

    Hello! Project idol Ruru Danbara revealed that during her September 22 concert in Hiroshima, the neighboring hall was simultaneously hosting a recital by her alma mater, Actor’s School Hiroshima (ASH). According to the fan account “Tokuwemon” on X (formerly Twitter), she was asked to give the younger students some words of encouragement when she stopped by to greet them before the show. Danbara’s hometown-homecoming story delighted 5ch users, who posted comments like “a true homecoming,” while the fact that ASH alumni also include members of Perfume and BABYMETAL sparked a lively comparison of how far each graduate has “made it” in the industry.

    Tokuwemon🦋🐙

    @tokuwemon

    Ruru’s closing MC segment

    Source: x.com / Original post here

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:57
    "Now go on and do your best, alright? I'll be waiting for you — up at the top." (said in Hiroshima dialect)
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:58
    Danbara: "Hey everyone, you've all already applied for the Hello! Project audition, right?"
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:58
    Danbara really did rocket up to become one of ASH's most successful alumni.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    It's basically an underground-idol factory, so even someone at Danbara's level counts as someone to look up to there.
    82AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:25
    Re: #7
    So on Wolf [the Hello! Project fan forum], she's only rated as "that level"? That's underselling her compared to how the general public sees her.
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    Returning home in glory, huh?
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    Re: #9
    A true homecoming, right enough.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:00
    Wasn't her older sister working as a teacher or something at ASH?
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:01
    Re: #12
    She's a director at the TV production company that runs ASH, and also handles ASH's office work.
    124AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:30
    Re: #12
    She used to be the staff member chaperoning Ruri Hiromoto, who was in Kakumei Joshi (Revolutionary Girls).
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:02
    Getting words of encouragement from such a big-name senior must have been thrilling.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:03
    Hope she eventually comes back to Hiroshima and becomes an instructor there.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:04
    She's the kind of person that even Hello! Project trainees cry just from meeting,
    so the Actor's School juniors must have been over the moon.
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:04
    Danbara: "A star has arrived, straight from the big city of Tokyo!"
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:06
    It'd be nice if there were a special segment on JJ's broadcast where ASH kids perform JJ songs (JJ likely means Juice=Juice here).
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:06
    I mean, she's the leader of a hugely popular group now.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:07
    Getting cheered on by a celebrity you see on TV is next-level.
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:07
    If you wanna meet guys like Fuma Kikuchi, Aiba-kun, Koichi-kun, or M!LK like I did, you'd better work hard at your lessons.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:08
    I love the story about Anna Murashige getting in as a scholarship student and then bailing almost immediately.
    129AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:34
    I guess Perfume made it the furthest.
    After that it's the BABYMETAL member, the =LOVE leader, and Riho Sayashi.
    Dan-chan comes after them.
    Though Sayashi might've actually overtaken them by now.
    137AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:38
    Re: #129
    Sayashi's probably already overtaken them.
    131AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:36
    Danbara isn't the only ASH grad, you know — there's also Perfume and BABYMETAL's Nakamoto.
    134AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:37
    Re: #131
    Guess BABYMETAL's on top then.
    136AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:38
    An event by the talent agency Ruru Danbara used to belong to.

    Back when she was there it was held in the big hall — did it get downgraded to the medium hall?

    141AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:39
    The school recital wraps up at 7 PM, so Up-Front should let anyone who wants to go watch it.
    142AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:39
    Re: #141
    They might actually be doing that.
    Feels like there was something like that in the past.
    146AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:41
    Yokozuna: Perfume
    Ozeki: BABYMETAL, Sayashi, Danbara
    Sekiwake: Hiromoto
    150AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:41
    Re: #146
    BABYMETAL's a Yokozuna too.

    Background and Talking Points

    Actor’s School Hiroshima (ASH) is a long-established Hiroshima institution known for training actors and entertainers. In the thread, users brought up alumni spanning multiple genres — members of Perfume and BABYMETAL, Riho Sayashi, the former leader of =LOVE, Ruri Hiromoto, and more. Ruru Danbara is also an ASH graduate, and one post noted that her older sister works as staff at the company that runs the school, suggesting this round of encouragement wasn’t a one-off feel-good moment but an extension of an ongoing tie to her hometown. It’s worth noting — something the scattered comments alone don’t quite convey — that ASH isn’t a training ground exclusive to Hello! Project; it’s a community-rooted school that sends talent to a range of different agencies. The lively comparisons of alumni “success” likely stem from just how wide that net is cast.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Ruru Danbara: “During today’s Hiroshima concert, the hall next door was also holding an Actor’s School recital. When I went to say hello before the show, I was asked to give the juniors some encouragement”.”

  • Typhoon Floods Parts of Chiba, Sparking Backlash Against Online Trolls

    In September 2026, heavy rain from a typhoon caused flooding and inundation in parts of Chiba Prefecture. As posts reporting the damage spread on social media, they were met with a wave of mocking replies — “here we go again,” “choose where you live more carefully” — and in a thread on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board, residents believed to be from Chiba vented strong frustration at this reaction. The thread also touched on how flood damage varies by area even within Chiba, as well as broader questions of disaster preparedness — from government flood-control investment to the need for individuals to carry insurance.

    1AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:34
    This genuinely pisses me off.
    Why go out of your way to troll people?
    It's not like you can just casually pick up and move — you're just some nobody who happens to live somewhere that doesn't flood.
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:37
    Flood control really varies even within Chiba.
    Over here it just rained a bit harder than usual — no damage at all.
    49AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:50
    Re: #10
    It's less about flood control and more that places like the Hokuso Plateau or the hills of the Boso Peninsula are just lucky because water flows downhill away from them.
    Meanwhile, low-lying spots downhill like Togane and Omigawa end up underwater.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    "Didn't you learn anything from last time?"
    "Why do you even live somewhere like that?"

    There's nothing to "learn" — what exactly are people supposed to do about it?
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Re: #13
    At the government level, invest in flood control.
    At the individual level, invest in insurance.
    113AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:35
    Re: #13
    Isn't "didn't you learn anything from last time?" about the cars driving into floodwater? I thought the same thing watching people drive straight through flooded roads.
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Running their mouths off from the safety of their comfortable little bubble.
    People like that genuinely piss me off.
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:41
    Re: #19
    How does it feel to lose your car and your house to "just rain"?
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    Isn't that just what social media is?
    109AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:29
    Re: #26
    I keep seeing claims online that Japanese people have the highest "mindo" (civic-mindedness/public manners) in the world.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    Honestly, a lot of people have been completely broken by this typhoon.
    I want people to understand — no joke — that garbage comments like these can drag someone down into total despair, to the point of thinking about doing something drastic.
    This isn't something you can wave off as "just joking around."
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Re: #28
    If your car and house get wrecked by filthy floodwater, do you really have to cover all of it out of your own pocket?
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    Re: #28
    Like I said —
    the internet is a place where people relieve stress by tearing others down.
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    Citizens of "Venechiba" (a pun blending Venice and Chiba), the water capital — SPLAAAASH lololol
    73AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:07
    Re: #38
    What even is this lol
    Can't find it anywhere when I search it — is this the first time it's been used? I'm stealing it.
    48AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    Honestly, aren't the trolls actually the minority?
    Most people probably just feel bad for them.
    52AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:51
    What's getting laughed at is a kind of generational blind spot — families that never passed down the knowledge that "that area floods."
    60AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:56
    Re: #52
    In places like Sakura, the old houses are all built up on high ground for exactly that reason.
    56AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:53
    OP got bored and wandered off.
    Probably doesn't even live in Chiba lol
    58AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:55
    Re: #56
    More like he's got nothing left to say 😅
    61AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:56
    Tokyo >>>>>>> Kanagawa >> Chiba > Saitama >>> everywhere else
    63AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:57
    Re: #61
    Saitama barely gets any disasters though.
    64AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:57
    But seriously, at some point you have to think about moving.
    66AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    Re: #64
    Yeah, it's basically guaranteed to flood every single time it rains now.
    69AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:04
    Even just in terms of access to Tokyo, Chiba loses badly to Saitama.
    78AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:10
    Re: #69
    Spoken like a true country bumpkin.
    Besides, Chiba and Saitama get along just fine.
    77AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:09
    Places like Awa District and that whole area are pretty much a lost cause at this point.
    Bet on Nagareyama, Kashiwa, Matsudo, or Noda instead.
    80AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:11
    Re: #77
    The roads around there, though…
    82AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:11
    Unforgivable.
    Chiba is the third-biggest in Kanto and a flagship tourist destination for the region — trolling it isn't going to make your life any easier.
    83AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:12
    Re: #82
    And here comes the obligatory "MAD City" joke. (Matsudo's self-branding slogan)
    84AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:12
    My friend who lives in Chiba got flooded out today too — car's officially totaled lol
    86AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:13
    Re: #84
    Your friend just went through something awful — how is that funny to you?
    That's messed up.
    88AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:15
    Re: #86
    Fair point.
    That's a pretty rotten personality.
    94AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:19
    Re: #86
    Re: #88
    He was fine during last week's flooding.
    Yesterday looked bad too, so I asked if he was okay, and he came back all hyped up joking "Car's totaled!!" — so I figured I'd play along and laugh with him.
    87AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:14
    Re: #83
    For the record, Matsudo had so much overflow that water was literally shooting out of the sewer manholes — apparently residents were told to limit toilet use.
    98AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:21
    Re: #87
    "MAD City" (lol)
    90AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:15
    I live in Chiba too, but all I got was a brief power outage — zero damage.
    91AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:16
    Re: #90
    Whereabouts in Chiba?

    Background and Key Points

    In Japan, even when a disaster like heavy rain floods homes and cars, official compensation is limited to support tied to a disaster certificate, and most repair or replacement costs fall on individuals’ own fire or auto insurance. The question raised in the thread — “so victims have to cover the damage themselves?” — shows how little this system is widely understood. The posts also reveal considerable topographical variation in flood risk within Chiba itself: areas like the Hokuso Plateau and the hilly Boso Peninsula sit on high ground, while low-lying areas such as Togane and Omigawa are far more exposed, even within the same prefecture. Where opinion in the thread split was over how far online mockery can be excused as “just joking around” — posts making light of an acquaintance’s actual flood damage drew criticism within the thread itself, with some calling the behavior simply “mean-spirited.”

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “SNS idiots running their mouths off at Chiba residents.”

  • Kana Hanazawa’s First-Ever CD Purchase: PENICILLIN’s “Romance” — 5ch Reacts: “Bought It Because Masaru-san Was Popular”

    Voice actress Kana Hanazawa (37) appeared on Fuji TV’s “Pokapoka” on September 22 and revealed that the very first CD she ever bought was “Romance” by visual-kei band PENICILLIN. Released in 1998, the track is a 28-year-old hit often mentioned in the same breath as the equally popular Judy and Mary of that era. On 5ch, users reminisced with comments like “I bought it because Masaru-san was popular” — a reference to the anime “Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san,” whose theme song was “Romance” — and the thread turned into people trading stories about their own first CD purchases, with 90s names like SIAM SHADE, WANDS, and B’z coming up one after another. At the same time, some questioned why the theme song of a late-night mini-anime became such a massive hit, sparking discussion about the background of its success at the time.

    Tue, Sep 22, 15:45

    Voice actress Kana Hanazawa, popular for roles including Mitsuri Kanroji in “Demon Slayer,” made a live appearance on Fuji TV’s “Pokapoka” (airing from 11:47 am) on the 22nd. She revealed her first-ever CD purchase and even did an impression.

    The episode, titled “Showa/Heisei Glitz Team vs. Reiwa Fresh-Faced Team: Pokapoka Generation Gap Quiz Special,” featured guests Yukiko Nonomura, Naenano, and idol group =LOVE members Kiara Saito, Hitomi Takamatsu, and Emiri Otani. During a segment about nostalgic songs, Hanazawa revealed, “The first CD I ever bought was a song called ‘Romance’ by PENICILLIN.”

    Source: oricon.co.jp / Original article here

    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:44
    Haai ni! Hidoui tekwah hai~♪ (mimicking vocalist Hakuei's famously slurred, drawn-out way of singing the lyrics)
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:44
    I watched it live back in the day — no need to turn this into an article…
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:44
    Professor Minakata's karaoke go-to is PENICILLIN, if you please (nod to the "Masaru-san" teacher character's catchphrase)
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:45
    The first album I ever bought was that SIAM SHADE one with the cover art of them wearing top hats.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:45
    Fun fact: you could actually fold an 8cm CD single down into a square too.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:48
    Re: #13
    Sorry, we can't buy that back from you…
    87AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:37
    Re: #13
    But I hated folding them, so I never actually tried it.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:46
    Hakuei's insanely cool, but all that writhing around on stage really drags his image down.
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:47
    Wait, isn't that the opening theme from Ojamajo Doremi or something?
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:49
    For me it was Miho Nakayama, and WANDS' "Sekaijuu no Dare Yori Kitto" (I'm an old geezer)
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:49
    The way the article phrases it as "a song called ___" feels kind of snide, like "you know it, right? …yeah, didn't think so."
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:51
    I love "99-banme no Yoru" (The 99th Night).
    35AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:58
    Re: #23
    Nyaintii nyaintii nyai (a garbled mimicry of how "99" is sung in the song's odd pronunciation)
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:54
    =LOVE's Kiara Saito (齋藤樹愛羅)

    Isn't that way too many kanji strokes for one name?
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:55
    I'm pushing 40 and yet I actually remember my first-ever CD purchase.
    92AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    Re: #27
    Mine was either KAN's "Yakyuu Senshu ni Naaritakatta" (I Wanted to Be a Baseball Player) or Yumi Matsutoya's "Tengoku no Door" (Heaven's Door) — can't quite recall which.
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:56
    These days, the whole act of buying a physical disc is turning into a relic of the past. How's everyone holding up?
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:58
    PENICILLIN's "Romance" came out January 15, 1998. For a Judy and Mary release from around the same time, it'd be either "Sanpo Michi" (February 11, 1998) or "LOVER SOUL" (October 15, 1997).
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:58
    Wait, isn't it "Kinenju" by Sanma-daisensei?
    36AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:59
    Buying based on the cover art means buying without even knowing the song, right?
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 16:59
    Man, nostalgic — I used to watch "Wonderful." Is there anyone from the "Wonderful Girls" still on TV these days besides Shaku and Kokubun?
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:00
    I don't remember my first CD purchase at all, so I can't really keep up with this kind of thread.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:04
    I'm 37 too — mine was probably either B'z's "Giri Giri Chop" or KinKi Kids' "Flower."
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:05
    I really like the Chi-Maid-san song.
    Inoue's voice acting on the Yoroshiku Kamen song is way too smooth/hot. (both are character insert songs from the "Masaru-san" anime)
    48AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:12
    Masaru-san was a late-night anime — and not even a full one, more like a roughly 10-minute corner segment inside the variety show "Wonderful." I honestly still find it a mystery how its theme song "Romance" became such a massive hit lol
    82AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:15
    Re: #48
    Well, to put it simply: perfect timing plus that wonderfully quirky singing style is what stole all the attention.
    57AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:16
    Castella cake, huh — now that's a classy pick.
    66AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:26
    So the story goes a 3rd-grade girl spent her allowance on an 8cm single, buying it purely for the cover art — is that actually true?
    74AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:39
    Re: #66
    Of course it's a true story.
    75AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:41
    Wait, is PENICILLIN even still active?
    80AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:57
    Re: #75
    Yeah, still going strong. By the way, Lacrima Christi and Fanatic Crisis, who were big around the same era, both broke up once too, but they've reunited in recent years and are getting a lot of buzz in the scene.
    76AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:46
    Hearing that her first voice-acting job was a robot anime based on a Takehiko Ito original has me curious about it now, way after the fact. Apparently it's a time-loop robot story — just going by the premise, it sounds like a lot of fun.
    90AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:45
    Re: #76
    Zegapain is great. It's just dark, though — it's a pretty hopeless, despairing story.
    98AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:00
    Re: #76
    Her first voice-acting job wasn't actually Zegapain — it should've been something earlier than that. Though Zegapain is what pushed her to make voice acting her main focus.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    PENICILLIN is a visual-kei band formed in 1988, and “Romance,” released in January 1998, served as the theme song for “Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san,” an anime segment within the late-night variety show “Wonderful.” Around the same time, Judy and Mary was scoring hits like “Sanpo Michi,” and among junior high and high school girls of that era there was a general split between the “Judy and Mary camp” and the “visual-kei camp.” In the thread, opinions were divided over why the theme song of a late-night mini-segment show became such a massive hit, with some pointing to its distinctively quirky vocal style as the source of its buzz. Users also swapped information about the era when 8cm CD singles were the norm, as well as the current status of bands from that time (PENICILLIN is still active, while many peers have broken up and later reunited) — background that may need spelling out for readers unfamiliar with the late-90s Japanese music scene.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Kana Hanazawa (37): First CD She Ever Bought Was a ‘Visual-Kei Rock Band’ Hit from 28 Years Ago — “I Was Torn Between It and Judy and Mary…”.”

  • BEYOOOOONDS’ Satoyoshi Uutan Shares Birthday Wishes: “I Want ‘Hai to Diamond’ to Go Viral!” — 5ch Reacts

    BEYOOOOONDS’ Satoyoshi Uutan, who celebrated her birthday as part of the Hello! Project initiative “60TRY Bu,” made waves on 5ch after sharing her hopes for the future: “I want to go viral,” “I want to make ‘Hai to Diamond’ go viral,” and “I want to get on a music show.” Within Hello! Project, Juice=Juice’s songs went viral on social media and in live-performance videos, which led to music-show appearances — but BEYOOOOONDS hasn’t caught that same wave yet. In the thread, users debated why the gap between the two groups exists, revisited past incidents discussed within Hello! Project, and weighed in on the merits of the song “Hai to Diamond” itself.

    1AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:33
    About Uutan's future goals, shared on her birthday on "60TRY Bu"
    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:36
    Wait, it hasn't gone viral?
    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    I heard 'Hai to' already went viral, though
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    Make it go viral already, come on!
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    An Uutan TV special would be nice
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    Juice=Juice threw the whole balance off
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Hate to be harsh, but… it's just not gonna happen
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Because of Juice, nobody's satisfied with just 'Hello! Project village' work anymore
    Good or bad, who knows
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    Re: #9
    That's how it's always been — that's basically why Yumeha left too
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:41
    Sad to think everyone besides the Juice members might end up graduating with regrets
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    Even Juice's original members used to say they wanted to be on Music Station and the FNS Music Festival back in the day
    They couldn't get on back then, but once their song went viral they finally did
    Giving people hope that hard work pays off is a good thing
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    Re: #1
    Juice=Juice, whose popularity took hold after going viral


    BEYOOOOONDS, which never caught on
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Re: #13
    Isn't 'Moremi' bouncing back again here? (fan nickname blending "moré," meaning photogenic, with a member's name)
    54AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    Re: #13
    This is already trailing behind the live-performance videos for 'Fiesta! Fiesta!' and 'BLOODY BULLET,' yet the comment count alone broke 10,000 — that's genuinely embarrassing for Hello! Project
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    So it won't go viral even with Asahi-chan's song?
    107AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:54
    Re: #14
    You really think it'll go viral?
    Actually, forget viral — compared to every other BEYOOOOONDS song so far, this one's kind of…
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    You think going viral means they'll actually get booked?
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    Re: #15
    After the Kasahara Shock (the scandal involving Kasahara Momona) there was a wave of members quitting, but Juice=Juice's success made people think 'there's still hope in Hello! Project!' and held the line for a while
    But since no other group ever followed Juice=Juice's lead, it feels like we're right back to everyone just chanting that they want to make it big
    60AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:50
    Hello! Project members have been saying they want more music-show appearances for ages
    Honestly, plenty of idols outside Hello! Project who barely get on music shows say the same thing
    68AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:51
    The too-cool-for-this otaku: "Eh, who needs that viral stuff anyway"
    118AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:58
    The old wall of 'Hello! Project can never escape the routine grind, it's hopeless' finally came down
    Of course individual members are starting to assert themselves now
    119AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:59
    After Morning Musume. blew up in 1999,
    there was a stretch around 2003 when Hello! Project shuffle units besides Morning Musume. itself were on Music Station almost every week like it was a regular slot
    TV's value has changed since then, but it'd be nice to see that happen again
    123AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:00
    It's enviable that Juice gets to share stages with Johnny's acts, MILK, and INI
    Everyone's jealous
    124AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:00
    Hai to Diamond
    Such a good person, honestly
    I was shocked
    130AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:01
    Re: #124
    First time hearing it and I got goosebumps
    127AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:01
    "Shuffle units were on Music Station almost every week like a regular slot"

    I think that heavy-handed pushing is exactly why they're disliked now
    135AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:01
    Hai to Diamond
    Such a good person, honestly
    I was shocked
    First time hearing it and I got goosebumps
    UP-FRONT's really got it
    Funk sure is done skillfully, as expected
    137AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:02
    Re: #24
    The MV's closing in on 15 million views, so it's picking up speed
    The live-performance video's near 11 million too, so that's accelerating as well
    And 'Kurakura' is nearing 4 million, so that's also (etc.)
    211AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:08
    Re: #137
    Once it gets rolling it doesn't stop, huh
    That's the hard part though
    153AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:03
    Hai to Diamond
    Such a good person, honestly
    I was shocked
    First time hearing it and I got goosebumps
    UP-FRONT's really got it
    Funk sure is done skillfully, as expected

    Who started talking about this one?
    I heard on the radio that someone brought it up

    This really is a good song
    154AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:03
    Voices grew saying it's unfair that only Juice=Juice gets live videos — surely their own favorite group would get discovered too if they put one out
    So the agency went 'fine then' and tried it with the others too, but right now it's not really leading to anything further
    202AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:07
    Hai to Diamond
    Such a good song, honestly
    I was shocked
    First time hearing it and I got goosebumps
    UP-FRONT's really got it
    Funk sure is done skillfully, as expected

    Who started talking about this one?
    I heard on the radio that someone brought it up

    This really is a great song
    This one can't be brushed off
    Isn't this the best Hello! Project song in recent years?
    217AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:10
    Even if you dig up old songs now, it only goes so far
    The point is you should've hyped it up back when it actually came out
    218AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:11
    New 'Moremi' fans sure are pushing hard to hype up other groups' old songs
    220AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:12
    'Positive Program' is actually the better song, but without Kurumi(n) around it loses its firepower
    222AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:14
    Re: #220
    Since none of the members from back then are still around, hyping up old songs isn't really funny for either the current members or the graduated ones
    221AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:13
    Going viral isn't that easy — just look at how 'Kurakura' and 'Ketsuron kara Itte Choudai' never took off

    Background and Key Points

    The backdrop to this discussion is that Juice=Juice, another Up-Front Group act, has racked up growing view counts on live-performance videos and music videos in recent years, which has translated into more music-show appearances. Opinions in the thread split over whether that gap comes down to sheer chance (“going viral”) or the result of steady buildup — some brought up reevaluations of older songs and how resources are allocated across groups, while others simply weighed in on the quality of the song “Hai to Diamond” itself. Hello! Project has numerous groups under its umbrella, and whether buzz on social media actually leads to real TV appearances depends on the agency’s decisions and each group’s activity status, so it’s worth noting that no single comment can determine how things will play out from here.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Satoyoshi Uutan: “I want BEYOOOOONDS to go viral! I want Hai to Diamond to go viral! I want to get on a music show!”“.

  • ANGERME’s studio livestream hits 131,000 views in 24 hours — fans react to mic-free live vocals

    A studio live video ANGERME streamed to coincide with “ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2026” racked up 131,000 views in 24 hours. The performance ended up being sung completely live without microphones because, according to a member’s official blog, the studio mics kept cutting out. On 5ch’s Hello! Project thread, many compared this number to Juice=Juice’s “More! Mi Amore” (227,000) and BEYOOOOONDS’ “Hai to Diamond” (202,000). Opinions split between those who suspected the mic-free format was “a deliberate stunt” and those who took the official explanation at face value as “an unlucky technical glitch,” sparking debate.

    1AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:26
    24-hour view counts for live videos since 2025
    227,000 — "More! Mi Amore" (Nippon Budokan) / Juice=Juice
    202,000 — "Hai to Diamond" (Yokohama Arena) / BEYOOOOONDS
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:29
    It's doing well for ANGERME, but considering this is completely unreleased, rare footage, it feels like it should've done even more.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:29
    If something thrown together like this racks up views, I bet they'll start phoning it in more from now on.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:30
    Re: #1
    Great result for a mic-free live vocal performance, well done.
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:30
    Rena Yamazaki's "Something I Wanted to Tell Someone." TOKYO FM, Tue 2026/9/22, 13:00-14:55
    From 28:10 — talk about the ANGERME stream, folks.
    https://radiko.jp/share/?t=20260922132810&sid=FMT
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:31
    Honestly it was worth watching — that's solid growth for ANGERME.
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:31
    If they do it the normal way it won't get views, so they have no choice but to keep pulling out gimmicks like this.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:32
    Uploading the lame-costume "red-line" cut with Kamiko (nickname for member Kamikokuryo) in it at the same time and scattering the hype like that is garbage scheduling.
    They'll probably cancel the one-week-only limit anyway if it gets good buzz.
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:32
    So "Hai to [Diamond]" really is blowing up after all.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:34
    If it gets good reviews they might lift the time limit, but honestly that'd feel kind of lame too.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:36
    So was this really a bid for a "whoa, mic-free live vocals, amazing!!" viral moment that just… missed? Is that the read here?
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:36
    The whole move of "drop the live footage once it gets a bit of traction on X" is kind of lame across Hello! Project as a whole right now, so I think they should just keep doing stuff without worrying about that.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    No way they're genuinely spending resources on this out of pure goodwill while they're busy pushing Juice=Juice.
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:40
    Even their usual rehearsal studio has proper sound gear and mics, so doing it in an empty space with just one boombox is way too obviously calculated.
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:41
    Even if this was thrown together on short notice after the original plan got cancelled at the last minute, it still didn't really go viral, it's time-limited, and it's losing to "Phantom Sheeta," so it doesn't count.
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:42
    BEYOOOOONDS already did the mic-free live vocals thing first, you know.
    34AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:48
    Re: #23
    That one was carefully planned out, though.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    I always thought ANGERME's dancing was amazing, but only like two songs in the setlist have really intense choreography — the setlist's dancing is surprisingly chill.
    Can't be helped since it's live vocals, though.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:45
    Re: #25
    Even if you pull off amazing choreography at a huge festival, nobody can actually see it from that far away.
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    This is a decision, an action, and an achievement that's gonna go down in Hello! Project history — no, in the history of idol music and art itself, woof! Too amazing, woof! 🐈🤗 (the poster's own quirky verbal tic, not a typo)
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Kinda underwhelming considering the counting method changed, no? And they even shot it offshore.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:45
    Great to see the current lineup beat Kamikokuryo's (former member) numbers.
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:45
    https://ameblo.jp/angerme-new/entry-12979382062.html
    We actually tried using the studio's mics, but maybe because there were 9 of them, the sound kept cutting out and the balance got off, so…

    it turned into a video with live vocals over the backing track! 🙇‍♀ (Reading the comments, a lot of people said they didn't even notice there were no mics at first — the best compliment ever! 😂)

    To get the live vocals across properly, we kept the backing track a bit quieter and leaned into a more resonant singing style than usual, so it's a rare video! 🌟

    The footsteps are pretty impressive too, lol
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:52
    Re: #30
    Sounds fake lol
    You totally planned this.
    31AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    You can really tell they're locked in and giving it everything, fully focused on the performance.
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:46
    https://x.com/TaiseiTaitaman/status/2102034137830043722

    @
    Ah, quite a few people have pointed this out, but since this got decided at the last minute, there was no PA staff on hand 💦
    This is a performance with completely live vocals and no mics 💦
    There might be some rough patches to listen to, but please forgive it since it's a rare stream 🙏
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:48
    This is just planting seeds for now.
    They need to keep stacking up efforts like this for another 2-3 years before they bloom the way Juice=Juice did.
    Juice=Juice put in solid groundwork before they blew up, which is why their foundation is so rock-solid now.
    36AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    Re: #33
    That has nothing to do with it.
    Juice=Juice just caught on via TikTok too, same as Kawalabo.
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:51
    Even if they catch on on TikTok, ANGERME doesn't have a hook to carry that over into terrestrial TV exposure.
    Though for Juice=Juice, really it was just that they had Danbara (member Ruru Danbara).
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:53
    Re: #37
    That's just what an "oyaki" (nickname for a certain type of fan) would think.
    Danbara has nothing to do with it at all.
    40AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:53
    It's because they had Reiruru as a dual pillar.
    Having Inoue, the group's strongest visual, is a huge factor too.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:53
    Re: #40
    Not related at all.
    It took 13 years — are you saying Danbara and Inoue didn't even exist for most of that time? lol
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:54
    131,000 / 1.4 ≈ 94,000
    131,000 * 0.7 ≈ 92,000
    Take whichever number you like.
    45AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:55
    Re: #36
    It's definitely related.
    YouTube's early growth curve clearly started improving right around "Pride Bright."
    46AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:55
    Re: #45
    Not related at all.
    133AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:14
    Getting a lot of views isn't the goal — what matters is the result that comes from being seen a lot.
    Heard the tour's pretty empty though, is it gonna fill up?
    144AnonymousSep 22, 2026 19:16
    Re: #133
    Who exactly are you fighting here?

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Among Hello! Project fans, “24-hour view count” has become an established benchmark for gauging each group’s momentum, and commenters brought up Juice=Juice’s “More! Mi Amore” (227,000) and BEYOOOOONDS’ “Hai to Diamond” (202,000) as points of comparison. As for why ANGERME’s stream ended up being mic-free live vocals, a member’s official blog explains it was because “the sound kept cutting out when we used the studio’s mics.” The thread split between those who took that explanation at face value and those who suspected it was “actually planned that way.” Some also argued the strong view count was driven by particular members’ popularity or past groundwork, but these are all personal speculation without solid evidence, and shouldn’t be taken as established fact.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “[Breaking] ANGERME’s “ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2026” studio live stream hits 131,000 views in 24 hours!“.

  • Hotarubara Tōru Admits on TV He Was Treated as the ‘Other Guy’ During His Duo Days

    On the September 21 broadcast of TV Asahi’s “Mimi no Ana Kappojitte Kike!”, comedian Tōru Hotarubara appeared on the “Poison Out Notebook” segment and spoke candidly about how he was treated by staff back when he was one half of the comedy duo Ame Agari Kesshitai. After his remark — “Even toward the ‘other guy’ comedian in a duo, staff should treat both partners equally, from greetings to meetings” — turned into a news article, a 5ch thread lit up with a mix of sympathetic takes (“he’d never have made it without Miyasako”) and blunt jabs at Hotarubara’s own talent and looks, with commenters also citing other comedians — like Higashi Bukuro and Iwai from the duo Harai Ichi — who’ve faced similar ‘other guy’ treatment.

    Tue, 9/22, 4:14 PM

    Comedian Tōru Hotarubara appeared on TV Asahi’s “Mimi no Ana Kappojitte Kike!” (Mondays, 1:55 AM) on the 21st, looking back on how he was treated by staff during his duo days.

    That episode featured the segment “Poison Out Notebook.” Framing it as an “honest message to staff,” Hotarubara let it out: “Even toward the ‘other guy’ comedian in a duo, staff should treat both partners equally — greetings, meetings, all of it.”

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

    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:39
    Surprised to learn he actually had quite an edge to him when he was young.
    119AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:33
    Re: #10
    Miyasako was funny and good at running the show, so he got way more credit — Hotarubara couldn't cut it as a straight comedian, so he leaned into being the 'short-fuse' character instead.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    Honestly, this guy and Yabe (from the duo Nainai) — I just see them both as guys who got lucky.
    125AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:35
    Re: #14
    Yabe's reaction shots — the little cutaway 'wipe' inserts — are the funny part.
    There's an 'Okazile' bit (Okamura joining EXILE), and a version without Yabe's wipe reactions exists on an EXILE live DVD, but without him it's just 'oh, Okamura's a good dancer' — not funny at all.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    Well, obviously.
    If Miyasako hadn't been around, Hotarubara never would've made it big.
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Re: #15
    And yet he's still surviving even after the duo broke up — that's actually impressive.
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    The fact that he never got pushed forward even when his partner screwed up tells you exactly what his ceiling is.
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Can't be helped if it was during Miyasako's peak years.
    Same deal with Westland — no point talking to Kawamoto either.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Well, duh.
    Hotarubara still doesn't have any work outside of Ametalk, does he.
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:50
    Re: #20
    He's MCing some mystery show on Fuji TV, but honestly anyone could handle that gig — doesn't have to be Hotarubara.
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:44
    I don't like Miyasako, but yeah, that part can't be helped.
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    About 20 years ago he said, dead serious: 'I don't need to say anything funny — as long as I've got a partner, I won't be out of work.' That's the level of comedian he is.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    Same with Ryo from London Boots — seems pointless to even have a meeting with him once you've got Jun locked in.
    And Hotto-chan (Hotarubara) too — back in the duo days he'd just toss out a punchline whenever he got fed a line, so no meeting needed with him either.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    If Miyasako hadn't fallen from grace, he'd still be the 'not that one' guy even now.
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    Over this, Higashi Bukuro went and announced on his own YouTube that he was 'quitting the show.' His manager didn't even step in to mediate, just said flatly, 'You can't, it brings in revenue.' So he reluctantly showed up, and by the very next taping the show had shifted into an Higashi-Bukuro-centered setup — like coaxing a fussy kid to calm down.
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:47
    Well, during their peak it really was 'Miyasako's duo,' so that's just how it goes.
    35AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:48
    Re: #19
    Probably because he's with Yoshimoto, has a long career and name recognition, and reads the room well enough to stay safe in conversation — that's likely where the demand comes from.
    Kind of the same slot as Ariyoshi or Takeyama.
    Whether that still counts as being a comedian whose actual job is making people laugh is questionable, though.
    Maybe these days he's more of a script-dependent TV talent than a comedian.
    127AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:38
    Re: #35
    The ones who survive are the Nakayama Hidemasa type.
    Ariyoshi reinvented himself into that same Nakayama Hidemasa mold too, and Imada Kōji and Kunimasa were already saying 'Hide-chan is amazing' back when Downtown was trashing Nakayama Hidemasa.
    36AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:49
    Hotto-chan (Hotarubara) doesn't really shine unless someone's ribbing him.
    Miyasako was always all about himself, so the chemistry was off from the start.
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:50
    It was Hotarubara who'd chat with the staff in the green room, while Miyasako just sat there reading manga the whole time, all gloomy — that's probably why things are the way they are now, right?
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:51
    Even Sanma — back when he first came up to Tokyo — has said TV stations would deliberately call him 'Iwashi-kun' ('Sardine Boy'), and he clawed his way up from there.
    41AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:51
    Regular people only knew Miyasako's name too — it was basically the same treatment as the guy who's just 'attached to' Jun from London Boots.
    93AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:18
    Re: #41
    Ryo's role is being the good-looking one.
    55AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:59
    This is probably from the 'One Night R&R' days — that show ended up revolving around Miyasako, Gussan, and Gori, so each of their partners must've had a rough time being treated as the 'other guy.'
    But according to Miyasako, Gori's drag character Gorie blew up so huge that eventually everyone except Gori became the 'other guy.'
    63AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:03
    Re: #55
    Kind of ironic that you barely see any of the three on TV much anymore.
    67AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:04
    Re: #55
    Fuji TV tends to pull that kind of stunt.
    It was a Fuji show that literally CG'd out Iwai from Harai Ichi too.
    90AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:18
    You've got to treat even not-yet-famous comedians with a baseline of respect.
    Plenty of them blow up big later, and it comes back around on you.
    Someone like Ariyoshi probably still holds a grudge against the staff who treated him carelessly back in the day (lol)
    100AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:23
    Re: #90
    From back when he was worked to the bone on late-night shows —
    he probably doesn't have warm feelings for the comedians who were more successful than him at the time,
    like Fukawa, say.
    105AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:26
    Even back in middle school there were girls like that — coming over to a close pair of guy friends, chatting happily with just one of them, completely blanking the other without even a glance, then walking off.
    110AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:30
    Re: #105
    That's probably a girl who wasn't popular with guys herself.
    Girls who are popular with guys have the social skill to stay friendly and actually talk to the other one too, even if they're only interested in one of them.
    112AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:31
    Re: #105
    Ignoring one of two good-looking guys is no big deal, but if the one who gets ignored happens to be the unattractive one, it turns into a whole thing.
    107AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:28
    Hotarubara and Tamori have really similar comedic timing, huh.
    137AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:43
    Re: #107
    Strip away the underground material and Tamori's not really different from Hotarubara.

    These days he's hard at work bribing his way into the afterlife, so to speak, pretending the past never happened.
    He buried the affair scandal too.

    Background and Key Points

    Ame Agari Kesshitai was a manzai duo made up of Tōru Hotarubara and Hiroyuki Miyasako, which effectively disbanded in 2019 following Miyasako’s undisclosed-fee scandal. Hotarubara’s latest comments illustrate that so-called ‘other guy’ treatment — where staff belittle one half of a duo while favoring the other — is hardly unique to his case. On the thread, many argued it was simply unavoidable that Miyasako drew more attention given his popularity at the time, while opinions split over how to judge Hotarubara’s own talent and looks. Commenters also raised similar cases — Higashi Bukuro, Iwai from Harai Ichi, and even Sanma’s early struggling years — suggesting this isn’t limited to one particular duo but a deep-rooted custom across the industry. It’s worth noting, though, that Hotarubara’s comments were specifically about how ‘staff’ treated him — a distinct issue from any difference in fan support, a nuance that’s easy to overlook.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Tōru Hotarubara Reveals Past ‘Other Guy’ Treatment From Staff: ‘They Never Once Even Looked My Way…’ / ‘Only Greeted Miyasako’.”