Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Kirara Yonemura Admits ‘I Slept Through All of Summer Break’ — 5ch: ‘Same Reliable, Wholesome Kirara as Always’

    OCHA NORMA’s Kirara Yonemura, appearing on the web series “OCHA NORMA’s Ocha-Nomi Banashi” (Tea-Drinking Chat) alongside Reia Tsutsui, looked back on how she spent her summer break, revealing that her routine amounted to nothing more than “going to bed at 3 a.m. and waking up at 4 p.m.” and “taking a bath, then going back to sleep.” On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, the reaction was largely fond — comments like “Same reliable, wholesome Kirara as always” and “Sleeping kids grow up big” — alongside remarks pointing out the contrast with Juice=Juice, who kept up a steady stream of media appearances during the same stretch, and posts jokingly debating what an idol’s “summer vacation” should even look like.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:36
    260910 "OCHA NORMA's Ocha-Nomi Banashi"
    Kirara Yonemura / Reia Tsutsui
    Tsutsui: Okay, so, we're OCHA NORMA, and…
    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:36
    Going to bed at 3am and waking up at 4pm — that's some young-person stuff right there
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    By the way, apparently Roko-chan's summer memory was going to Disney on Ice
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:38
    ME:I is getting flamed right now because they looked like completely different people on CDTV lol
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:39
    Why'd Madopi go to America?
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:39
    Yonemura: Took a bath, then went back to sleep

    Gotta make sure people know you're bathing
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    This is basically an SOS
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    Guess it's an idol group with no work and too much free time
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:42
    Same reliable, wholesome Kirara as always
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:45
    Well, they say sleeping kids grow up big
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    The real question is whether she was actually sleeping
    24AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:50
    An idol who actually gets summer vacation during the industry's busiest season lol
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:52
    It's called "summer" vacation because you take it in summer
    Giving it to her in summer is the right call
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:52
    I hope Ocha-chan gets the happiness she deserves, damn it!!!
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:52
    She's probably got the AC running 24/7
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:54
    I want that kind of vibe with Kirara — 'ugh, too much hassle to cook, let's just grab takeout bento for Saturday lunch'
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:00
    Re: #32
    With this girl, I bet even the most ordinary everyday life would feel like happiness
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:00
    Re: #32
    She'd be asleep then too
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:57
    Less 'sleeping child' and more — her speaking voice is so grown-up, it's a nice gap
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:59
    If you're working during summer break, it's not a break, lol
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:06
    Cheaper than a girlfriend who drags you to the 'Magic Kingdom' starting first thing in the morning
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    I wonder if Kirara hangs out or goes places with the other members
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:16
    Re: #47
    After work she sometimes goes out for blog material
    But not on an actual day off
    60AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:27
    Once you hit middle age you can't sleep more than 6 hours
    63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:30
    She should've just gone to see the Chiikawa movie or something
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:31
    Just let her spend her days off however she wants

    Background and Talking Points

    OCHA NORMA is an idol group under Hello! Project, and this remark came up casually during a talk segment of an official livestream — it isn’t an official agency statement or confirmed information about her health or actual lifestyle, which is worth keeping in mind. On the thread, most reactions warmly embraced her youthful sleep schedule, while others pointed out the contrast with how other, busier groups spent their summer. There were also some baseless speculation and off-color remarks about her private life and appearance, which this article has excluded. Within Hello! Project, workload and scheduling vary widely from group to group, and the reaction to this “summer vacation” story is, in part, a reflection of those differences in activity levels between groups.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Kirara Yonemura: “I Slept Through All of Summer Break”.”

  • Hanshin-Giants Gap Narrows to 1.5 Games — 5ch: “The Tigers Never Betray Us”

    The gap between Central League leaders Hanshin and second-place Yomiuri has narrowed to just 1.5 games, sparking heated debate on the Nanademo Jikkyou (general sports/news chat) board. The Giants are mounting their charge with a young core despite missing key players like Kazuma Okamoto and Shosei Togo, but Hanshin is still considered the stronger side in direct head-to-head matchups. The thread saw a clash between posters pointing to Hanshin’s history of “choking under pressure” and those calling the Giants’ recent struggles against Hanshin a “jinx.” Opinions also split over the string of hit-by-pitches against Morishita — some suspected intent, others chalked it up to simple wildness.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:51
    Is this… actually happening?
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:57
    How many head-to-head games are left?
    Hanshin's been dominant in the head-to-head matchups, so it's gonna be rough for the Giants
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:59
    Re: #7
    You clearly don't know how weak Hanshin gets under pressure when it counts
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:00
    Re: #8
    The Giants' recent futility against Hanshin lately is abnormal enough to shatter that kind of jinx
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:02
    Re: #9
    It's fine
    The Tigers (nicknamed "Chin-san") never betray us
    They're a team loved by the comedy gods
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:02
    If they end up in 2nd place, I bet that manager's gonna start whining about the hit-by-pitches again, and I hate it
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:04
    Re: #11
    Well, it is true that things would be different if Chikamoto hadn't gone down
    Not that saying so changes anything
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    Re: #11
    But apparently Abe's coming back
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    The Giants are missing Okamoto, Naoki, Togo, Iori, and Taisei, and are scraping by with young and mid-tier guys
    Hanshin's already a fully assembled team

    And the gap is only 1.5 games
    100AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:30
    Re: #34
    Didn't their manager basically vanish too, if we're being honest?
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    I mean, the Giants are probably peaking right now while Hanshin's at their low point
    But honestly, this isn't a talent gap that should be this close to begin with
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:17
    Re: #36
    A team that's been saying since before the season started that September is when it really matters is now at rock bottom
    That's clearly a team-management failure, any way you look at it
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:15
    Well, the Giants are just gonna lose on Saturday like usual
    They'll get taken deep by Morishita or Sato again and that'll be that
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Re: #39
    And then they'll go drop another one somewhere else, right
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    Re: #39
    Even if Hanshin wins, a 3-game swing can come right back in a week — it'll just even out in a day or two
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:17
    Hanshin gets hit by pitches more than any other team in the league
    And Morishita gets hit more than any other batter
    No wonder people are mad
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Re: #46
    So is Morishita just bad at dodging?
    Even Ochiai's said guys who get hit just don't dodge well
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:21
    Re: #52
    Before we get into dodging or not, a pitcher who throws it right at the batter is the real problem
    Even if you're trying to set him up with a ball out of the zone, you have to throw it somewhere it won't hit him
    That's just a total lack of control
    Can't even laugh at Fujinami after this
    67AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Re: #52
    Reminds me of the Aoki situation
    Except back then it was Hanshin fans doing the criticizing
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    I'm a Giants fan, by the way, but can someone explain why other teams manage to beat Hanshin?
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Re: #53
    They're just hitting off scrub pitchers
    Hanshin only brings their A-game against the Giants specifically
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Re: #53
    They target the Giants and play a different style against them, so it's not a fair comparison
    For everyone else, once you shut down Morishita and Sato there's no other scoring threat
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:21
    Hanshin's real weakness is that they're bad against garbage bottom-feeder teams (lit. "zombie" teams already out of contention)
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:21
    Re: #58
    But other players actually dodge, which is why they don't get hit
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    Re: #62
    Do you even know baseball?
    Pitchers use inside pitches to set up strong hitters
    It's just a difference in the sheer number of inside pitches they see
    Weaker hitters don't get pitched inside as much
    71AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Re: #58
    So with that "amazing control," beaning Ryuku and sniping Maki was intentional too, huh
    They admitted hitting Oshiro on purpose too, and that one seems way worse
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    Re: #71
    ?
    What are you even talking about?
    85AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    I mean, Hanshin still has a ton of games left
    Even if the Giants pull off a miracle run, Hanshin just has to keep winning normally to take the pennant
    87AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Re: #85
    That makes the "miracle" worthless then
    89AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    Re: #85
    With Fujikawa working the pitching staff to the bone, the bill might come due and they could drop a bunch of games in the games they have left

    Not sure why they didn't pull Takahashi yesterday — maybe the bullpen's in bad shape
    98AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    Re: #85
    This whole situation exists because Hanshin can't win on their own

    If Hanshin wants the pennant, go earn it yourselves
    It's pathetic for a supposed champion to just sit there hoping their rival loses
    109AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:35
    Their closer's the only thing carrying them, so why are they even still in the race?
    111AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    Re: #109
    Whether it's good managing or just luck aside,
    They're winning way more one-run games than everyone else, aren't they?
    115AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:40
    Given how the pennant race actually works, the most important thing is building up a team you're good against and never dropping those games
    118AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    Re: #115
    That was Ochiai's philosophy too
    117AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    No matter how much they close the gap, it'll just end with them getting crushed again in the head-to-head
    The Giants are gonna lose the next 3-game series too, right?
    I already know how this goes
    120AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:42
    Re: #117
    There aren't any more Hanshin-Giants series left, actually

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Hanshin has generally held the edge in recent head-to-head matchups against the Giants, and that point came up again and again in the thread. That said, this season’s 1.5-game gap comes with the Giants missing key players like Kazuma Okamoto and Shosei Togo, making the situation hard to sum up through simple roster comparisons alone. The debate over hit-by-pitches split between those who saw intent behind the high number of times Morishita has been hit and those who put it down to simple wildness — something that can’t be settled from forum posts alone. Posters also raised concerns that Hanshin’s pitching staff is being overworked, and debated how the large number of remaining games might affect the final standings, with a general consensus in the thread that the race will ultimately be decided by how the rest of the season plays out.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from a 5ch (Nanademo Jikkyou G) thread titled “All Hanshin-Kyojin, Game Gap 1.5 (a pun on the comedy duo “All Hanshin-Kyojin”) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • No More ‘Shinjū’: Government Panel Renames the Term Amid Criticism It ‘Hides Child Killing’

    On September 10, 2026, a specialist panel under Japan’s Children and Families Agency announced it would stop using the term “shinjū” (double suicide) — in use for roughly 20 years in reviews of child abuse deaths — replacing it with “child abuse death involving a guardian’s suicide.” The move follows criticism from experts that “shinjū,” which also carries the meaning of two people in love mutually agreeing to end their lives, obscures the reality that children are being dragged into these deaths. On 5ch threads, posters pointed out that the term “muri shinjū” (forced double suicide) already existed to distinguish these cases, while others responded with weary remarks that renaming the term won’t actually reduce such deaths — some even cited the Edo-period shogunate’s own relabeling of shinjū as “aitaijini” (mutual death) as historical precedent.

    Asahi Shimbun

    (Updated September 10, 2026, 12:59 PM)

    Cases that have until now been called “shinjū” will henceforth be referred to as “child abuse deaths involving a guardian’s suicide.” The Children and Families Agency’s specialist panel on reviewing child abuse deaths changed the terminology on the 10th, after roughly 20 years of continuous use. The agency itself also plans to revise its terminology. Experts had criticized the word “shinjū” — which also carries the meaning of a loving couple mutually agreeing to die together — for “concealing the reality of child killing.”

    Source: asahi.com / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:09
    Ban the word "shoplifting" too while you're at it
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:19
    Re: #2
    Yeah, and scrap the fancy-sounding rebrand names too, like calling shoplifting "the plum" or whatever
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    Re: #2
    Let's also start calling "enjo kōsai" (compensated dating) what it really is — prostitution
    153AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:44
    Re: #2
    And when kids commit property damage, they call it "mischief"
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:14
    There are also group suicides within families that have nothing to do with children — what do you call those?
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:15
    Re: #15
    You just called it "group suicide" yourself lol
    96AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:48
    Re: #15
    Then it's just group suicide, isn't it
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:15
    If someone's pushed to the point of choosing suicide, what you call it hardly matters
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:24
    Re: #17
    Changing the name doesn't actually solve the problem, does it
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:29
    Re: #17
    Meaningless to someone who's already at the end of their rope
    173AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    Re: #17
    With most "shinjū" cases, the perpetrator makes damn sure the kid or elderly victim they're dragging along is dead, then can't go through with it themselves — most get caught unharmed or barely scratched
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:15
    Back in the Edo period, the shogunate also forced people to relabel shinjū as "aitaijini" (mutual death)… Japan's national habit of thinking a problem's solved just by changing the wording hasn't changed one bit.
    128AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:26
    Re: #18
    I came here hoping someone would post exactly this
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:15
    Is this really something the Children and Families Agency should be smugly announcing?
    It's not shinjū, it's muri shinjū (forced double suicide) — feels almost like a denial of the Japanese language itself
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:24
    Re: #19
    True.
    There's already a word for when one person's will drags others along with them — muri shinjū.
    Why isn't that good enough?
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:20
    This is every bit as monstrous as killing your own parent
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:22
    Re: #35
    So if you're one of the "elite class," you get a suspended sentence then
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:23
    If a parent kills unilaterally, that's muri shinjū — the way the term's been used until now (Re: #1) is just wrong.
    Plain "shinjū" is more like a young couple forbidden from marrying who both agree to die together.
    Dazai Osamu's death, or the kabuki play "Sonezaki Shinjū," those are "shinjū."
    Something like the Goebbels family under the Nazis would be "muri shinjū."

    Well, I guess if it's this confusing, just retiring the word "shinjū" altogether is a fair call.
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:36
    Shinjū that isn't muri shinjū can just stay called shinjū, no?
    83AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:41
    Re: #72
    What even is a "shinjū that isn't muri shinjū"?
    93AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:46
    Re: #83
    Technically, it's muri shinjū that falls outside the original concept of shinjū, you know?
    105AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:56
    Re: #83
    There used to be things like star-crossed lovers' shinjū, right?
    The kind that becomes the subject of novels and stories
    115AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:13
    Changing the name isn't going to make shinjū cases go down lmaooo
    They're increasing because the Japanese government made everyone poorer, y'know
    122AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:21
    Re: #115
    Shinjū numbers have had some ups and downs, but they've basically been flat, you know?
    135AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:29
    What about when an older, unemployed child with no work history kills their parent and then themselves?
    142AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:31
    Re: #135
    If the parent agreed to it, that's shinjū.
    If the parent didn't agree, that's murder
    174AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    This country never changes — always fond of wordplay. What matters is the substance, not the wording. Just call it "muri(yari) shinjū" (forced shinjū) or "child-killing shinjū" and be done with it.
    177AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    Re: #174
    There's parent-killing shinjū too.
    And for that matter, shinjū over unrequited love/jealousy as well
    183AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Re: #174
    This isn't wordplay.
    It's a correction, not a game

    Background and Key Points

    “Shinjū” originally meant a loving couple mutually agreeing to end their lives, with “muri shinjū” (forced shinjū) used as the proper term for cases where a parent drags a child along in death. In practice, however, news coverage has long blurred the two together, and the single word “shinjū” ended up obscuring abuse deaths in which the child had no say at all. This change by the Children and Families Agency’s specialist panel revises terminology that had been used in reviews for roughly 20 years, and lines up with a broader shift toward treating children as independent rights-holders rather than their guardians’ property. On the thread, though, many pointed out that renaming the term is a separate issue from tackling root causes like poverty and abuse prevention, with a persistent sense that changing the wording alone won’t change the reality.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread “No More ‘Shinjū’: Government Panel Renames the Term Amid Criticism It ‘Hides Child Killing’.”

  • Level-5’s Big Reveal Stream Delayed an Hour at the Last Second — 5ch: ‘Yep, That’s So On-Brand’

    Level-5’s new-title presentation “LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream,” originally set to begin at 9 PM JST on September 10, was pushed back to 10 PM at the very last minute due to equipment trouble. On 5ch’s hardware/industry board (Geha), posters piled on, noting that even the delay announcement itself came out late, and bringing up the old precedent of “Ni no Kuni II,” whose PS4-exclusive announcement was blamed for cooling the company’s popularity. Still, once the stream got going it pulled in a peak of around 130,000 concurrent viewers, with plenty of buzz also going to updates on “Yo-kai Watch 2: Haken” — a lively response despite all the delay drama.

    The LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream stream goes live today at 9 PM (Japan time)!

    We’ll be sharing lots of updates on our titles, so please tune in.

    ■YouTube

    Source: youtube.com / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:31
    Wonder what delay announcement's coming this time
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:59
    Re: #2
    The stream itself got delayed an hour
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:33
    This is right after Yo-kai Watch blew up on the Nintendo Direct (Nindai), so there's actually a chance people show up this time
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    It's finally happening — TFLO, the thing we've waited years for!!
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:58
    It says something like '61 minutes from now' — did they delay the broadcast?
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:58
    Is it showing 10 PM because of a display glitch???
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:01
    Delayed an hour right at the last second
    Yep, that's so on-brand for them…
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:01
    Isn't it showing as starting at 10 PM now?
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:03
    Layton's probably dropping later this year, and there's no game left to delay this time — so maybe they just delayed the broadcast instead
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:03
    【Notice】
    Regarding "LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream," which was scheduled to stream starting at 9 PM,
    due to equipment trouble, we have changed the start time to 10 PM.
    We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
    Please wait a little longer until the stream begins.
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:04
    So now even the live stream itself gets delayed, huh
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:04
    So the start got pushed back because of technical trouble
    Rough, but somehow so Level-5
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Delaying even the stream itself — that's Level-5 for you
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    It's the little things piling up that make people lose trust
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    Holy Horror Mansion
    Yo-kai Watch 2: Haken
    A Switch 2 version is already confirmed — question is whether it'll go multiplatform
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:10
    They delayed the stream meant to announce the delays
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    I remember exactly what kicked off the decline
    They announced Ni no Kuni II as a PS4 exclusive, threw cold water on everyone, and it all shrank fast from there
    And they'd built a whole era on Yo-kai Watch before that
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    Re: #45
    That's what delayed the Switch version too, after all
    Though this time it should be fine
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    Not just Yo-kai Watch 2 — give us Busters 1 too, please!
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:36
    They'll probably announce full multiplatform for Yo-kai Watch 2
    At the end of the day this company's still tied down by the Kids Hoshi Project contract (a kids'-franchise licensing tie-up)
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    Re: #48
    Third parties everywhere seem to be tearing up their exclusivity deals — is Level-5 the only one not doing that?
    57AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:00
    HERE IT COMES━━━━(°∀°)━━━━!!
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:03
    Re: #1
    Isn't it 10 PM? Did you get the time wrong?
    75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:03
    Re: #73
    It's an hour late because of equipment trouble
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:03
    Re: #73
    Level-5's the one who got it wrong
    92AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:04
    They still haven't given up on PS5?
    Even though the last one only sold 3,000 copies
    98AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:04
    Re: #92
    Can't help it, it's contractual
    108AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:05
    Applying "buta" logic (derogatory 5ch slang for Nintendo fanboys)
    Did they go multiplatform because it won't sell on Switch 2?
    119AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:05
    Re: #108
    The PS version of the Yo-kai Watch 1 remake basically didn't register on the sales charts lol
    137AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:06
    Level-5
    Cracking up that right out of the gate they're announcing Yo-kai Watch is ditching Nintendo ("datsu-nin")
    138AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    Re: #137
    See, this is how they act like 4 and Gakuen never happened
    140AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    Crazy that 130,000 people are watching
    Was Level-5 really this popular?
    141AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    Re: #140
    Everyone loves a presentation
    181AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:11
    Re: #140
    Probably thanks to Yo-kai Watch 2, no?
    192AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:12
    Wait, is this actually beating State of Play's concurrent viewer count?
    200AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:13
    Re: #192
    Goes without saying
    193AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:12
    Re: #141
    Being right after the Nintendo Direct probably helps a lot too
    Re: #181
    Yo-kai Watch 2 looked nowhere near finished — are kids really satisfied with that?
    206AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:14
    Re: #193
    Thought there'd be a bit more new footage, but there wasn't — people seem let down

    Background and Talking Points

    Level-5 built an entire era around the “Yo-kai Watch” series, but around 2015 its announcement of “Ni no Kuni II” as a PS4-exclusive title provoked backlash from Nintendo users, and its Switch support lagged as a result. Drawing on that history, many posters in the thread mocked this stream delay as “so Level-5.” The real point of contention was that the delay announcement itself came out at the last minute and in a confusing way — the sarcasm was aimed less at the technical trouble itself than at how slowly it was communicated. Worth noting: thread comments about Yo-kai Watch 2’s multiplatform rollout being “locked down by contract” are just speculation from posters, not confirmed details from any official source. The 130,000 peak concurrent viewers figure also drew buzz largely from comparisons to Sony’s State of Play, which is a separate topic from how the broadcast content itself was received.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “[Live] LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream — Starting 9 PM.”

  • =LOVE and Juice=Juice Both Drop Live Blu-ray/DVDs on October 14 — 5ch: “Yeah, Juice Doesn’t Stand a Chance”

    Hello! Project groups =LOVE and Juice=Juice are both releasing live video products (Blu-ray/DVD) on the same day, October 14, 2026. =LOVE’s release captures the finale of their 8th-anniversary tour (the Yokohama Stadium show), with bonus photo cards bundled across several editions, including a complete-production limited edition. On 5ch, the shared release date sparked an ongoing comparison of the two groups’ previous sales figures (=LOVE: 23,548 copies, Juice=Juice: 8,585 copies), whether individual two-shot photo sessions were offered as a bonus, and metrics like Spotify monthly listeners. Opinions split on whether a straight sales-count comparison is even fair.

    =LOVE 8th Anniversary Tour “=LOVE 8th ANNIVERSARY PREMIUM TOUR” FINAL in Yokohama Stadium — video release announced!

    Release date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026

    ■Complete Production Limited Edition [2-disc Blu-ray]

    Source: sp.equal-love.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:52
    Does =LOVE (nicknamed "Ikorabu") even throw in lottery tickets or anything?
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:10
    Re: #3
    They're doing something like an autograph session too
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:53
    Whoever wins gets Kōhaku, whoever loses gets stuck with a Hello! Project Con instead (Kōhaku = NHK's prestigious New Year's Eve music special)
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:42
    Re: #4
    I'm not saying they need lottery-style sales tactics, but Juice should really do a disc bonus event too — this isn't exactly cheap merch
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:18
    Apparently =LOVE moved 23,548 copies last time.
    It's been a year and they're only bigger now, so maybe around 30k this round?
    Juice will be lucky to crack 15k
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:25
    Re: #11
    15k is a stretch.
    They'll probably just barely scrape into five digits, and =LOVE crushes them as expected
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:21
    Can neither of these even be streamed right now?
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:24
    Re: #15
    Juice's archive stream already ended back in June.
    No idea about =LOVE
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:32
    =LOVE
    TYPE-A Complete Production Limited Edition — random 2 of 20 bonus photo cards included
    ■TYPE-B First-Press Limited Edition [Blu-ray] — random 1 of 10 bonus photo cards included
    ■TYPE-C First-Press Limited Edition [DVD] — random 1 of 10 bonus photo cards included

    yeah Juice doesn't stand a chance
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:38
    Re: #19
    Yeah, this one's unwinnable
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    Re: #19
    lol so the other company pads out their disc sales too.
    Good on Juice=Juice for staying honest about it. I'm fine with them losing
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:51
    Re: #19
    All you can do is laugh at this point lol
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:35
    What is =LOVE's "individual two-shot photo session"?
    It's an event held as a purchase bonus for the live video release (DVD/Blu-ray)
    where you actually get a two-shot photo taken with a member.
    Members show up wearing outfits from things like "the live tour" or "an MV,"
    so you get up close with a member in gorgeous stage outfits you don't normally see that close.
    Photo rules: one session ticket gets you 2 shots taken at once. You hand your own smartphone to staff, who take the photo.
    You pick from a few staff-designated poses.
    How to join: during the lottery-purchase window on forTUNE music, you apply for a "product with two-shot session entry rights," and if you win the lottery you can purchase it
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:59
    Re: #21
    Didn't realize =LOVE was still doing individual events even for the Blu-ray release.
    They're selling fine already, they could just drop it
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:05
    Re: #21
    So there's fan-contact built into the Blu-ray too.
    No wonder there's no beating them
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:48


    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:09
    Juice=Juice should just do the same thing
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:15
    Re: #30
    They don't have time for that
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:15
    Even with fan-contact thrown in, there was never going to be a real contest — Juice's EP sales are only around 50,000, while =LOVE moves 500,000
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:18
    Re: #33
    Juice's EP individual-session tickets sold out in the first round, so the demand is clearly there — it's just being capped.
    If they took individual-session orders all the way up to 500k, they'd probably get there
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:29
    We're talking about an idol group that headlines National Stadium and Tokyo Dome — bonuses, events, none of that matters, it was never a fair fight to begin with
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:30
    Re: #40
    They only hit 23k even with every bonus piled on, so without the perks and events it'd actually be a fair fight
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:32
    Re: #40
    Even if only half the people who packed the Dome show bought the disc, that'd still be an easy win over the likes of Juice=Juice
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    Latest BD/DVD sales comparison

    Juice=Juice: 8,585 copies
    =LOVE: 23,548 copies
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:37
    Re: #45
    Come on, quit rubbing it in lol
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #45
    Like I said, they're not even in the same league to begin with
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #45
    Wait, they run fan-contact events and only get that much?
    I thought "multi-buying" culture (fans buying stacks of copies for event tickets) was supposed to be =LOVE's whole thing
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Right now on Amazon, Juice's "UP TO 11" is #1 in the female idol Blu-ray category.
    Meanwhile in the stage/entertainment category, "Queen of" [=LOVE's release] is #1.
    Apparently "Queen of" is still selling over 100 copies a month
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    Re: #49
    Ha, we posted almost the same thing. QoH really is a long-seller.
    I'd love to know the cumulative total
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:46
    It's impressive =LOVE's members don't burn out.
    They're supposedly selling great, yet it's an endless grind of fan-contact work, right?
    Is that really why they became idols?
    68AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:50
    Re: #58
    Guess that one landed with the =LOVE fanboys lol.
    Might as well head back to the =LOVE board — oh wait, does it even have one?
    99AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Re: #58
    They don't do handshake events though.
    Just chat sessions and two-shot photo sessions.
    Not having physical contact makes a big mental difference
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:48
    It's impressive Juice=Juice's members don't burn out either.
    They're supposedly selling great, yet every metric except YouTube keeps tanking, right?
    Is that really why they became idols?
    67AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:50
    Re: #62
    Easy now — =LOVE's basically a lock for Kōhaku, aren't they? No need to get so worked up
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:51
    Major Japanese female idol groups
    Spotify monthly listeners

    1,393,952　=LOVE
    1,137,790　AKB48
    1,081,531　CUTIE STREET
    982,543　FRUIT ZIPPER
    720,601　Nogizaka46
    694,954　CANDY TUNE
    588,274　NiziU
    552,816　Momoiro Clover Z
    531,382　iLiFE!
    450,738　ME:I
    436,088　Phantom Theta
    417,655　Morning Musume。
    398,652　Chotokimeki♡Sendenbu
    333,514　≠ME
    293,816　Juice=Juice
    71AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    Re: #69
    What about BEYOOOOONDS?
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    Re: #69
    ≠ME (nicknamed "Noimī") is Juice's real rival
    75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:54
    Re: #69
    There used to be an urban legend that low Spotify numbers meant you couldn't get on TV, but Juice=Juice's been on TV nonstop lately so I've stopped caring about that

    Background and key points of debate

    =LOVE and Juice=Juice both belong to the Hello! Project family, but they take different approaches to selling their video releases. =LOVE offers a two-shot photo session with members as a purchase bonus, which thread posters pointed to as one reason boosting disc sales. Juice=Juice, by contrast, has no such individual meet-and-greet bonus, and their previous release sold 8,585 copies — far behind =LOVE’s 23,548. The debate centered on whether it’s fair to read this sales gap simply as a “popularity gap,” given that one side’s numbers include bonus-driven demand. Posters also brought in metrics beyond disc sales, like Spotify monthly listeners, fueling a broader argument over which figures should actually be used to judge the two groups. Since sales formats and bonus content depend on each group’s own business strategy, a simple copies-sold comparison alone can be misleading.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “[October 14] Did you know =LOVE and Juice=Juice’s live DVD/Blu-ray are dropping the same day?“

  • Central League: Giants 5-3 Dragons [9/10] — Giants Win Again as Martinez Nails 250th Save vs. Chunichi, Izumiguchi’s Go-Ahead Hit Sinks Dragons

    In Central League play on September 10, the Yomiuri Giants edged the Chunichi Dragons 5-3 to extend their winning streak. Izumiguchi’s go-ahead hit turned the game, and closer Raidel Martinez notched career save No. 250 against Chunichi — the very team he once closed games for. 250 saves is generally seen as the benchmark for Meikyukai (Golden Players Club) induction, and reaching it against his old team drew a wave of congratulations on the 5ch live-commentary board. Meanwhile, the gap to first-place Hanshin narrowed to 1.5 games, and the thread was split over how to read the magic number given the games remaining, worries about Hanshin’s lineup, and opinions on managerial strategy in the pennant race.

    Chunichi　0 1 0　2 0 0　0 0 0 ｜3

    Giants　0 1 2　0 0 0　0 2 X ｜5

    [Battery]

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:04
    IT'S A WIN, BABY! HERE IT COMES! ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:04
    Hashigami's a great manager —
    he really knows how to mix veterans and youngsters.
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    The Giants won again today, so my sweet bean-paste bread tastes great (o^∀^o)
    108AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:42
    Re: #11,80,89,92
    Hey, quit copy-pasting! (calling out repeated/copied posts)
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Insane that Rai-Maru nails his 250th save — the Meikyukai benchmark — against the Chuni-Dora (Chunichi Dragons), of all teams
    63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Re: #12
    Best way possible to repay his old team!
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Manager Inoue messed with the lineup the very day after a win and wrecked the whole team.

    That's just not it — I don't even want to see his face next year!
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Down to a 1.5-game gap now? Hanshin's done for.
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    Chunichi's bench should've congratulated him too.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    Congrats to Raidel on 250 saves!
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    Don't they still give out the Meikyukai blazer?
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:10
    Re: #20
    He'll probably get it later.

    Same with Tanaka (Ma-kun) — Sakamoto presented it to him afterward too.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    1.5-game gap.
    Only 2 games left head-to-head with Hanshin.
    Effectively more like a 3.5-game gap.
    No need for Hanshin to panic yet.
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    Re: #22
    Exactly this — the real gap is bigger than the standings show.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    Re: #22
    The problem is those 2 games aren't back-to-back, they're spread out.
    Fine if they win as planned, but if they lose there's no way to make it up.
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:08
    The day a Meikyukai member passed away, a new one was immediately added to the club.
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:09
    Re: #23
    Harimoto (the Meikyukai chairman) only died yesterday, you know.
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    Finally down to 1.5 games!

    I'm a Hanshin fan, but something's off with this team.
    Morishita in particular is only swinging for home runs. Fujikawa leaves his starters in way too long, and he keeps running out veterans like Itohara and Nishi who don't belong on the active roster.

    Honestly, Hanshin fans don't even want back-to-back titles that badly.

    Because you know we'll just get crushed by SoftBank anyway.
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    Re: #39
    We do want it though —
    hoping for back-to-back titles.
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:16
    Re: #39
    I don't even care if we lose in the finals, I just want the pennant.
    What's the point of those scrub Giants ("kyokasu," a common 5ch slur for the team) winning anything?
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    Only 2 games left and just 1.5 back — why hasn't the magic number disappeared yet?
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    Re: #45
    Because Hanshin still has 20 games left, so their magic number is 17.
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:16
    Guess for Chunichi, the newspaper-company alliance (Chunichi Shimbun & Yomiuri) matters more than the Dragon-Tiger alliance…
    (´・ω・`)
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    Re: #56
    Kind of like Nobunaga picking Ieyasu over Hideyoshi, huh?
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    If Hashigami wins the pennant with this much of a talent gap and then steps down, he'll be a legend.
    Worth watching how the Giants handle his future after this.
    88AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Re: #61
    Even if they don't win it all, coming close would be something.
    But getting demolished by Hanshin every time is a problem.
    If interim skipper Hashigami keeps fighting through the regular season and the Climax Series, he might get bumped up from acting manager to full manager.
    As a fan of another Central League team, I'm honestly grateful whenever the Giants stick to their one-track "homegrown players only" managerial policy — it's a nice handicap for them.
    But if Hashigami becomes full manager, that's the end of the homegrown-only tradition, and the Giants lose that self-imposed handicap going forward (´・ω・`)
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Okamoto, Yoshikawa,
    Sugano, Griffin, Togo, Yamazaki Taisei —
    if even one of them had stayed healthy, they'd have run away with the pennant easily.
    86AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Re: #62
    Okamoto, Sugano, and Griffin are all healthy though.
    65AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    1 Hanshin ◯×16 Magic Number: 17
    2 Giants ○×13
    3 Yokohama (DeNA) ●×4
    4 Tokyo (Yakult) ●×15
    5 Chunichi ●×17
    6 Hiroshima ●×19
    87AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Re: #65
    Guess it's basically decided for the BayStars only (last place, that is).
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Giants are gonna pull off the comeback pennant for sure.
    Hanshin's just too weak.
    83AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    Re: #78
    Sounds like a team full of guys only thinking about their own stats — wide open for the taking.
    84AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    200+ career saves (※ = active)

    407 Iwase Hitoki
    381 Daimajin (Sasaki Kazuhiro) (incl. 129 in MLB)
    313 Takatsu Shingo (27 in MLB)
    258 Hirano Yoshihisa (8 in MLB) ※
    250 Masuda Naoya ※
    250 Martinez ※
    246 Yamazaki Yasuaki ※
    245 Fujikawa Kyuji (2 in MLB)
    237 Matsui Yuki (1 in MLB)
    234 Saphate
    234 Kobayashi Masahide (6 in MLB)

    MLB 400+
    652 Rivera
    601 Hoffman
    494 Jansen ※
    478 Smith
    441 Kimbrel ※
    437 Rodriguez
    424 Franco
    422 Wagner
    400 Chapman ※
    105AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    Re: #84
    Matsui Yuki should've stuck it out in Japan a bit longer before heading to the US.
    112AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:45
    Re: #105
    Matsui wasn't even a closer to begin with.
    He got shelled as a starter and somehow ended up closing games before anyone noticed.
    I doubt most people even know his save total.
    94AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:33
    Raidel, Ogasawara —
    Seriously, shouldn't there be player compensation for a trade like this? Kind of a buzzkill.
    101AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    Re: #94
    I'll throw in Richard (as compensation).

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    For pitchers, 250 saves is generally treated as one benchmark for Meikyukai (Golden Players Club) induction, and Martinez reached that mark against Chunichi — the team he himself closed games for until just a few years ago. As a reference point for how converted closers stack up, the thread cited a list of career save totals, which drew plenty of interest. On the pennant race, the Giants have closed the gap with Hanshin to 1.5 games, but posters also noted that Hanshin’s larger number of remaining games means the magic number won’t drop right away — a nuance that’s easy to overlook if you look only at the raw game difference. Note: several posts making sweeping, disparaging generalizations about residents of a specific region have been excluded from this article.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Baseball] Central League: Giants 5-3 Dragons [9/10] — Giants Win Again as Martinez Nails 250th Save vs. Chunichi, Izumiguchi’s Go-Ahead Hit Sinks Dragons“.

  • Shiho Hashimoto’s Husband Places Raw Pork in Great Gidayu’s Coffin — “He Loved Char Siu”

    Great Gidayu, a member of Beat Takeshi’s comedy troupe “Takeshi Gundan” who was active on comedy shows, died on September 7 at age 67. Talent Shiho Hashimoto revealed on Instagram on the 10th what happened at his funeral: her husband, comedian Guadalcanal Taka, went to a butcher shop on the morning of the funeral to buy a chunk of pork, saying “I want to put the char siu Gidayu always wanted to eat into his coffin,” and placed it inside. On the 5channel “Entertainment/Sports News+” thread, some read it as a heartwarming tribute to the deceased, while others were thrown by what they called the distinctly Showa/Heisei-era sensibility of Takeshi Gundan, with comments like “This would get slammed if it happened now, in the Reiwa era” and “This isn’t a nice story at all” — opinions were split.

    9/10 (Thu) 20:54

    On the 10th, Shiho Hashimoto (58) updated her Instagram to reveal that her husband, Guadalcanal Taka (69), placed a chunk of pork in the coffin of his Takeshi Gundan colleague Great Gidayu, who died on the 7th at age 67, during the funeral.

    Explaining the background, Hashimoto first posted the photo used for Gidayu’s funeral portrait, writing, “What a wonderful photo. He set off for the next world with a gentle, peaceful face, just like in this picture.” She went on: “First thing this morning, my husband went to a butcher shop and bought a chunk of pork. He said, ‘I want to put the char siu Gidayu always wanted to eat into his coffin.’” — describing how Taka had bought pork, Gidayu’s favorite food.

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

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Guess nothing's changed since the sweet-potato-in-the-coffin days.
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    When I die, I want my coffin filled to the brim with popcorn kernels.
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Duncan stopped being funny after that whole thing with his wife.
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    There's not a single genuinely funny person in Takeshi Gundan, honestly.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    Duncan isn't being quirky — he's dead serious about this stuff.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    This would probably get slammed in the Reiwa era.
    Back in Showa or early Heisei though, it'd just be "that's Takeshi Gundan for you!"
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:06
    If he had diabetes and couldn't really eat pork properly near the end of his life, I guess this makes some sense.
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:08
    Takeshi Gundan is the reason I first learned the word "bataa" (showbiz slang for a lesser act bundled in as a package deal with a bigger star).
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:08
    That story about roasting sweet potatoes at the crematorium has to be a total lie.
    Cremation burns a body full of moisture at temperatures hot enough to reduce it to bone — a potato in there would just turn to ash, no way you could eat it.
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    Re: #13
    That's exactly why he put it in.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:10
    Less "tasteless" and more — wouldn't that damage the furnace? But I guess if the staff signed off on it, it's fine.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    Re: #16
    Well, they're already burning a human body in there, so a little pork probably isn't going to be an issue.
    24AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    Re: #16
    It's a machine built to burn an entire human being — a bit of pork isn't going to break it.
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:28
    Re: #16
    They do tell you beforehand what you can't put in — plastic, metal, I think books too. It's less about the furnace and more that it doesn't fully burn and becomes a hassle, apparently.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    When I die, bake a pizza and have everyone eat it together.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    Isn't this the guy who had someone photograph him cradling his dead dog's body while crying, then posted it on social media?
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    This isn't a heartwarming story at all. Guess nobody's willing to tell him he's wrong.
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:15
    Can't even pull off a proper funeral.
    Being a comedian really is a rough, fated line of work.
    Did Takeshi even show up?
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:16
    Raw meat burns up fast, so it's not an issue.
    Plastic items, though, apparently sometimes get turned down because they don't fully burn.
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:17
    That stuff was funny because you were dumb kids back then…
    You guys are pushing 70 now, right?
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Forget who it was, but there was also some bit that got laughs using something like the "two-person haori" trick (a comedy routine where a hidden second person's arms poke through the front person's sleeves to "feed" them).
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    I remember picking up my mother's bones after her cremation, thinking, "When you really think about it, having someone explain each bone to you is pretty grim."
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Worse than the "What is this, you idiot!" moment at Arai Chu's funeral (a Drifters comedian, referencing a notorious outburst at his send-off).
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    They're just Takeshi's disciples — as actual comedians, Takeshi Gundan's achievements are zero.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Having anyone show up to your funeral at all is a blessing.
    The rest of us are just gonna end up as a stain on the floor.
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Same thing happened at Ostrich Club's Ryu-chan's funeral — someone put something in the coffin for laughs then too.
    That's such a Tokyo comedy move. Osaka wouldn't pull something that lame.
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Shinsuke used to always joke about "roasted sweet potato in the coffin" with Bando Eiji — so that bit actually originated with Duncan?
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    I checked Takeshi's website and it says, "Don't get me mixed up with Gundan's TAP — I have nothing to do with it." So he really has distanced himself from Takeshi Gundan.
    Normally you'd expect Takeshi to be involved somehow — sounds like he's flat-out cut ties.
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:30
    In Buddhist terms, you can't actually take physical objects with you.
    The reason people put things in the coffin is mainly for the family's peace of mind.
    So really, putting in an actual finished char siu would've been the best move.
    90AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    Re: #73
    If it's about the family's feelings, it's not for outsiders to decide what's "best."
    74AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:30
    So people really do put food in coffins like it's a Drifters comedy skit.
    For an average person, that's pretty hard to wrap your head around.
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:31
    Re: #74
    At my dad's cremation we put in a whole pack of nigiri sushi. It was supermarket sushi, but we transferred it into a paper container first. He loved sushi.
    Of course we checked with the funeral home beforehand, and they said it was fine.
    94AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:40
    A master who doesn't go to his own disciple's funeral.
    96AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    Re: #94
    That is kind of sad. Someone's death is a pretty special thing after all. He used to even attend his disciples' fathers' funerals, way back when.

    Background and Points of Discussion

    Placing grave goods in a coffin is a longstanding custom in Japan, and combustible items are often allowed at the crematorium staff’s discretion. Materials like plastic or metal that won’t fully burn, on the other hand, are sometimes turned down in advance — and the thread saw its own version of that debate, with some worrying it might damage the furnace and others countering that a little pork wouldn’t be a problem. Reactions to Taka’s gesture split along generational lines: some read it warmly, tying it to the irreverent, taboo-poking humor Takeshi Gundan built its name on across the Showa and Heisei eras, while others simply found it hard to relate to by Reiwa-era standards — reflecting a broader generational gap in what counts as funny. The article doesn’t disclose the cause of Gidayu’s death or details of any illness, so it’s worth noting that thread speculation — such as comments attributing it to diabetes — is unconfirmed.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Shiho Hashimoto reveals husband Guadalcanal Taka put raw pork in Great Gidayu’s coffin — what’s the reason?“

  • Is Reselling Really Bad? 5channers Split Right Down the Middle

    A thread on 5ch kicked off with the post “No joke, what’s actually wrong with reselling?” and quickly caught fire. Reselling itself isn’t illegal in Japan as a rule — regulation is limited to specific items like concert and sports tickets. Even so, the backlash of “I just don’t like it” and “it’s a breach of manners” remains strong. The thread saw a head-on clash between the self-responsibility camp (if you want it, get in line and buy it) and critics who argued that resellers buying up stock keeps products from reaching the customers they were meant for. Citing differences from secondhand shops, the mask shortage during the pandemic, and real examples from trading cards, the discussion expanded to cover supply and demand, and even whether companies gain or lose.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:47
    If you really want it, get up early and line up.
    If you can't manage that, or if you factor in the cost of transportation, paying a bit extra is nothing to complain about.
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:49
    It's not illegal, so go ahead and do it.
    Though personally, I still hate it as a human being.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:51
    Re: #3
    This. It's not about right or wrong — people just hate it because it's a nuisance.
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:52
    It's not bad at all. Nobody criticizes it in places like the US — Japanese people criticize it because they're petty and spiteful.
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:54
    Re: #9
    The US is actually much stricter. In places like California and Iowa, you can get arrested for it, no big deal.
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:00
    Do the people who criticize reselling not even use secondhand shops? I bet they just scrap their old cars instead of selling them too.
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:04
    Re: #25
    Having to twist yourself into such an absurd, off-base defense just shows you already know reselling is something to feel guilty about.
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:05
    Honestly, I just think the seller priced it wrong in the first place.
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:07
    Re: #33
    It's about supply volume as much as price. Manufacturers just need to mass-produce ahead of demand. Resellers might still buy it all up, but if goods are flooding the market, resale prices drop too.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:12
    Re: #33
    That's fine if you're only thinking about short-term profit, but if you actually want people to use the product and keep buying more down the line, it's not that simple.
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:17
    Re: #1
    You: "So thirsty… finally found a vending machine… gonna buy a ¥120 water and drink it…"
    Me: "Not so fast lol. I'm buying up all the water lol. I'll sell it to you for ¥1000 lol. You can afford it if you really want it, right? lol"

    That's basically what this is.
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:33
    Re: #53
    If you want it, wait in line until it's restocked and buy it then.
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:35
    Re: #53
    That's just how business fundamentally works for everyone. There's no such thing as goodness in it — resellers just make that fact visible.
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:22
    Whoever can't stomach the resale price just doesn't buy it, and whoever's fine with it does.
    It's a self-contained cycle.
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:24
    Re: #64
    That's a cycle isolated from society, though.
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:27
    Re: #64
    Manufacturers and retailers only lose out from it, so nothing about it is "self-contained."
    71AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:28
    Reselling causes social disruption.
    That alone is reason enough to be against it.
    74AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:30
    Re: #71
    How so? Manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers all sell like crazy because of it.

    Seems like a win for them, no?
    80AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:34
    Re: #74
    So the product doesn't reach the consumers who actually want it directly, but it's fine because resellers buy it instead?
    If that's really true, then the optimal move for a company would be to force employees into predatory in-house sales and then resell that same stock through their own shell reseller — is that okay with you?

    Are there already big companies doing this, by any chance?
    87AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:38
    Re: #74
    Say a reseller buys 100 units but actually only manages to resell 50 — they'll stop buying next time. The manufacturer, unaware of that, will try to make even more than 100 units for the next run. The right quantity becomes impossible to gauge, and in the end the manufacturer loses out — that's the mechanism.
    82AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:35
    Re: #74
    I'd think manufacturers would also be troubled if their product never reaches the consumers who genuinely need it.
    93AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Re: #82
    If you really need something, you'd make the effort to buy it, right?
    That's exactly why you people end up unable to even afford a Mercedes.
    101AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:43
    Re: #93
    No, if resellers weren't getting in the way, you shouldn't need to make any special "effort" to buy it in the first place.
    103AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:44
    Re: #101
    Even without reselling, buying a popular product takes effort — an extreme example would be New Year's first sales (hatsuuri).
    104AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:44
    Re: #101
    If it wasn't rare to begin with, most people wouldn't even glance at it. Nobody wanted the early-run Pokémon cards back in the day.
    84AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    I really felt this during the mask shortage in the pandemic.
    Before the resale ban, you could get masks if you were willing to pay.
    Once it was banned, they became hard to get no matter what.

    There is such a thing as "good" reselling.
    89AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:39
    Re: #84
    All I can think is: how could you bring yourself to buy masks that might've been stored who-knows-where, who-knows-how-dirty? I can't imagine people just looking to make easy pocket change actually handling stock hygiene properly.
    91AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Re: #89
    What was selling back then was individually wrapped masks, though.
    98AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #89
    This is all the anti-resale crowd ever has to say. They're making money off it, so their storage is probably way cleaner than these guys' own rooms.
    85AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    Re: #80
    There is. Some card shops these days open up the packs they've stocked and sell the rare cards inside at a markup.
    90AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:39
    Re: #85
    That's a niche practice, and it's not new — it's been around forever.
    92AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Re: #85
    There are people willing to pay top dollar for expensive cards, so it's not really a bad thing.
    110AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:45


    A 10% fee is cheaper than tax, right?
    118AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    Re: #110
    They're SOLD for huge amounts, but isn't this basically resellers playing Liar Game with each other (rigging fake sales among themselves)?
    123AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:48
    Re: #110
    Oh, so it's a gift-tax workaround?

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    Laws regulating reselling itself in Japan are limited in scope, applying only to specific items such as those covered by the 2019 Act on Prohibition of Unfair Resale of Tickets. An individual reselling ordinary goods is, in principle, legal as long as the items aren’t stolen or counterfeit — the main requirement is that anyone running a continuous secondhand-goods business needs a secondhand dealer’s license (kobutsusho license). In other words, the “is it illegal?” question and the “is it acceptable manners?” question that split the thread are actually separate issues, and most of the emotional backlash stems from the latter.

    During the pandemic-era mask shortage, mask reselling was temporarily banned in 2020 under the Act on Emergency Measures for the Stabilization of National Livelihood — government intervention like this only happens when a supply shortage becomes a full-blown social problem. Both claims raised in the thread — that “the market still functions fine even with resellers involved” and that “manufacturers and official sales channels only lose out” — capture only part of the picture; the real impact depends on the nature of the product and its supply chain. Readers can easily be misled into assuming reselling equals automatic illegality, but the reality is far more limited.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nanimo Jikkyo G) thread “No joke, what’s actually wrong with reselling?“

  • “It Was Definitely Semen” — Bodily-Fluid Incident Rocks Marseille’s Stadium in France

    Ligue 1 club Marseille is in the spotlight after a female supporter posted on social media that someone splashed what looked like bodily fluid on her during the September 6 match against Paris FC at the club’s home ground, the Stade Vélodrome. Marseille issued an official statement saying, “We have been informed of an extremely serious incident and want to offer our full support to the supporters involved.” On 5ch, a wave of joking replies poured in questioning the truth of the line “it was definitely semen” from the original post, with some also pointing out that the woman’s father, who was sitting nearby, appeared to have been hit as well.

    Posted 9/9 (Wed) 14:00 — GOAL

    An unprecedented incident appears to have occurred at the stadium of Olympique de Marseille (Ligue 1).

    During the Ligue 1 match against Paris FC held on the 6th of this month at the home ground, Stade Vélodrome, a female Marseille supporter posted on social media that a man had splashed what looked like bodily fluid on her. Marseille — the storied French club that once had former Japan national team defender Hiroki Sakai on its roster — said in a press release: “We have been informed of an extremely serious incident and want to offer our full support to the supporters involved.” The report comes via RMC Sport.

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

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    (∪^ω^) Woof woof-o! (catchphrase of the wolf character from the anime Kemono Friends)
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:48
    Sounds just like something a Japanese guy would do, honestly
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:48
    No matter how you look at it, it's semen.

    Thank you very much indeed. (riffing on a famous old 2ch/5ch meme phrase)
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:49
    Salmon ("shake") can be found all over the world
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:51
    Not totally clear, but was it actually the dad who got splashed?
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:52
    Shake (salmon) and Schalke really do sound alike…
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    Guess us men have gone and wronged another woman again
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    If you actually read it closely, the dad standing next to her got hit with way more of it
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:55
    Didn't she just step in some that happened to be lying on the ground herself?
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:55
    Only a Japanese guy would pull something that sneaky and gross
    Foreigners would never do that (said, ironically, about an incident in France)
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:56
    Classic Geisupo move — another self-posted 'Tetsu Chiizu Karasu' soccer-bashing thread (a notorious poster/meme on the sports board known for self-made anti-soccer threads)
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:02
    Dad didn't look too unhappy about it, did he?
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:03
    Imiter les Japonais (French: "Imitating the Japanese")
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Sex crimes in soccer ("ball-kicking") are a worldwide phenomenon, huh (lol)
    60AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:10
    If you flat-out declare it was semen, dad's gonna be sad
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    "Tried to keep enjoying the match after that"
    Like hell you could — I'm going home
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    This kind of thing happens all the time in Japan — guess it's not so common in France?
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    So the whole family was sitting there watching the match, both soaked in it?
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    Must be this recent freak weather — a salmon must've wandered all the way into Marseille
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:17
    The culprit was Koganezawa-kun
    Squirt squirt, right on target! (referencing a notorious Japanese public-indecency offender who's become a recurring 5ch meme)

    Background and Talking Points

    The phrase “it was definitely semen” in the original article comes from the victim’s own social media post, not from any forensically verified information. Marseille’s press release itself only referred to a “serious incident” and never specifically named the substance. Violence and security problems at French stadiums have been repeatedly reported in recent years, and this post appears to have spread partly within that context. On the thread, the back-and-forth centered more on joking about “whether it really was semen” than on the actual details of the incident, with several replies noting that the woman’s father, standing nearby, had apparently been caught up in it too — but it’s worth noting that no new facts about the incident or any investigation were actually revealed on 5ch itself.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisupo Sokuhou+) thread “[Soccer] ‘It was definitely semen’ — Unprecedented incident at storied French club Marseille… Man suspected of splashing bodily fluid on woman at stadium.”

  • Indie Developer Confirms: “We Ported to Switch 2 Because It Supports Mouse Controls”

    The mouse control feature built into the Joy-Con 2 for the Nintendo Switch 2 became a hot topic on 5ch’s hardware/industry (“Gehā”) board after an indie game developer released a Switch 2 port of their game just about three months after its Steam debut — and stated flatly that the reason was “it’s the only console that supports mouse controls.” Development on the port reportedly began just two weeks after the Steam release. Thread commenters debated the fact that the mouse feature — which some had dismissed as “barely useful” since launch — directly drove a real porting decision, as well as the point that while PS5 and Xbox can technically connect a mouse, it isn’t standard equipment on those consoles.

    — Could you tell us why this ended up releasing exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2? Was compatibility with the Joy-Con 2’s mouse controls the main factor, or were there other reasons too, like performance or online features? Do you have any plans to expand to other platforms in the future?

    Remorion: We went with the Switch 2 because it’s the only console that supports mouse controls. Expansion to other platforms is undecided for now.

    Source: gamespark.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:25
    Xbox and PS work fine too, just plug in a USB mouse
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:28
    Re: #3
    The point is it comes standard. You could add a mouse to the Super Famicom too, you know.
    104AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:07
    Re: #3
    People have been saying "it matters that it's standard equipment" ever since April 2, 2025 — how do you still not get it?
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:25
    Sounds like a shot in the arm after their concurrent player count cratered
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:28
    Re: #4
    Huh?

    — The Nintendo Switch 2 version arrived about three months after the Steam release. That's a pretty fast turnaround — when did development start? And were there any particular struggles porting it in such a short time?

    Remorion: We started the port work about two weeks after the Steam launch. Configuring the UI and lightening the load were the hard parts.
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:32
    Pretty sure the PS5 supports mice too though
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:33
    Re: #23
    Does the PS5 come with a mouse standard?
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:34
    It's #4 on the eShop ranking right now — since that's revenue-based, it's actually doing pretty well I guess?
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    Re: #33
    That ranking's by revenue, so in terms of units sold it's a tougher sell — it'd need to outsell Touhou 3-to-1 to match. Still, since it's out now, guess I'll buy it on this platform too.
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:35
    Honestly, Nintendo themselves should've been the ones to put out a game that actually used the mouse. I figured they added it because they had some Wii Sports-level idea in mind.
    74AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    Re: #34
    And all they could come up with was wheelchair basketball.
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:49
    Re: #34
    That's exactly why I keep saying: hurry up and put out a new Palutena (Kid Icarus: Uprising) game already.
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:35
    The Switch 2 Pro Controller doesn't come standard, so I wonder if there'll end up being games that just don't release because of that lol
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:38
    Re: #36
    Functionally it's the same except for the back buttons — if anything the Joy-Con has even more features. So it's not really an issue. Though I assume that was a joke.
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    Re: #31
    That huge Select button turned into a touchpad, huh~
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:39
    Re: #39
    I've only ever used a DS4, but there's no way you could do detailed coloring with that thing…
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    A lot of people on the hardware board were mocking the mouse feature, but some also said it'd be great for indie ports. Guess it's already paying off.
    55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:42
    Re: #40
    I wasn't mocking it, but I was disappointed the first Nintendo game to use the mouse was about wheelchairs.
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:39
    Re: #14
    Some game company president was apparently freaked out, saying it's unbelievable how nimble this team is.
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:45
    Re: #48
    It's a 2-person dev team, so of course it's fast. They decide something and then do the work themselves — the more people you add, the slower it gets.
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Re: #45
    The fact that Joy-Cons don't cut it for playing Smash already shows they're not suited to some games.
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #50
    Wait, was Smash ever actually unplayable with Joy-Cons? If it's just "hard to play," that's not really the same as "can't play."
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:43
    The moment online play requires a paid subscription, there's no point releasing it on consoles
    80AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:49
    Re: #59
    But they did release it, so there must be a point. Sure, you can play it on PC, but if you want to sell in Japan, consoles are still the way to go. And the only real console market in Japan is basically Switch anyway — it's also the only one with mouse controls standard. By the way, I actually expected a smartphone version to come first, but that never happened.
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:45
    Sony's probably gonna rip this off at lightning speed. Wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly drop an official external mouse.
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:46
    Re: #69
    This kind of thing is meaningless unless it's standard equipment, so the PS6 will ship with 4 mice.
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:46
    Nintendo jumps on massively popular indie games instantly, so bring us Pogostuck too.
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    Re: #72
    A lot of games never make it to Switch, so it's nice to have it on PC as well.
    87AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:51
    All those people desperately trolling with "the mouse is pointless!" — guess it was a bad omen for them lol
    109AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    Re: #87
    Well, the developer literally said "we decided to port it because of the mouse!" lol
    101AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:05
    Why do outlets like this always ask "why isn't it coming to other platforms?" whenever a game happens to be Nintendo-exclusive?
    113AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    Re: #101
    Because they're bitter it's not coming to PS5.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The Joy-Con 2’s mouse feature has been part of the Switch 2 since its April 2025 launch — you slide the controller sideways on a flat surface and use it like a PC mouse. Some voices doubted its usefulness from the start, and even among Nintendo’s own first-party titles, the only notable use case was a wheelchair basketball game. What sparked this discussion is that the Switch 2 version arrived only about three months after the Steam release — with development starting a mere two weeks after that Steam launch — and that the developer explicitly cited “the only console with mouse controls” as the reason for the port. It’s worth noting that eShop rankings are based on revenue rather than units sold, so placing 4th doesn’t necessarily reflect a high number of copies sold — an easy point to misread. PS5 and Xbox have long supported connecting a USB mouse, but whether it comes standard was the real point of contention in the thread.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry, “Gehā”) thread “Meccha Chameleon Dev: “We Ported to Switch 2 Because It Supports Mouse Controls”.”