Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Karin Miyamoto: “My track record arranging setlists and coordinating guests earned the agency’s trust” — 5ch: “The M-line shows right now are boring”

    Karin Miyamoto, formerly of Morning Musume。’14, said in an interview with Toyo Keizai that she has personally handled the weekly-changing setlists and guest coordination for “M-line Live” shows, as well as proposing social media strategy — earning her a track record of being entrusted with responsibilities within her agency, the Up-Front Group. In a 5ch thread on the “Hello! Project” board discussing her comments, some praised Miyamoto’s proactive attitude, while others raised concerns about the current shows and changes in how they’re run, with comments like “the M-line shows right now are boring” and “the decision-making power shifted once Fukumura became the top member.” Opinions were split on who is actually steering the content.

    Up-Front Group is a major, long-established talent agency that also comes across as cautious in other ways — it took considerable time, for instance, before fully embracing music streaming.

    When a talent decides on their own to build and release a system like this, wasn’t there any pushback from the organization?

    “My management team has a culture of ‘if you’re willing to take responsibility for it yourself, go ahead and give it your best.’ Even with things like editing YouTube videos, as long as I saw it through myself, I was given the freedom to do it.

    Source: toyokeizai.net / Original article here

    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:30
    This piece is by Aya Ozawa, familiar from the "Tsunku Note" interview column.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:37
    Re: #5
    Ozawa's got pull at Toyo Keizai too, huh (lol)
    She's basically the go-to writer whenever it's an interview outside the music industry.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Bringing in Hana Kojima, bringing back Kawashima and Irie — she's putting in work on personnel moves too.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Sounds like she's setting up a subsidiary like YAM (an Up-Front talent agency for graduated members) as a landing spot for OGs.
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:34
    You want to be praised?
    Here, have a jumbo frankfurter as your reward.
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:35
    Doesn't she ever bring up "I have no boyfriend" as risk management?
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:36
    Someone put her back in charge of managing M-line Live already
    it's unbearably boring right now.
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:42
    Re: #14
    Yeah, the reputation's pretty bad.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:49
    Re: #14
    Ever since Fukumura became the top member, it changed so they decide everything themselves — the title, the setlist, all of it.
    Apparently starting next tour the costumes are getting more lavish too, and they're planning something on the setlist unlike anything they've done before.
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:36
    Trying to look smart?
    If you want to look smart, going to college would be the best way to show it.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:37
    BEYOOOOONDS is short-handed, so they're scouting from Stardust (a talent agency).
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:42
    She might genuinely end up in a position running the next generation of Hello! Project.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:43
    Sounds like Ma-chan wants to work behind the scenes too.
    Ma-chan as president,
    Karin-chan as vice president —
    and JP (Hello! Project) is set for life.
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:59
    M-line Live has become the kind of show even the regulars run from.
    Makes you wonder how it got like this with Miyamoto still involved.
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:03
    It's tricky — just because someone hasn't established herself as a solo act doesn't mean building a group-style show around her feels right either, so it's a real dilemma.
    But just piling on more Hello! Project songs is a band-aid fix, so that's not the answer either.
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:04
    OG fans are basically all oshi-one-member types,
    so once you've experienced a solo tour, losing interest in M-Spe (M-line Special) is kind of inevitable.
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:06
    I'm a DD (a fan who likes multiple members equally), so I actually love M-Spe.
    Ozecchi, Manakan, Kiki-chan — it's packed with exactly my type of member.
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:08
    Re: #28
    She said it on an Instagram Live, remember?
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:16
    Re: #32
    Is it this one?
    https://www.instagram.com/mlinesp.official
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:08
    Sounds like she's pitching her accomplishments at a job interview.
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:09
    Feels like the more lavish the costumes get, the more it starts to feel like some rundown backstreet venue.
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:44
    It's kind of funny — everyone's older and the crowds are shrinking, but the costumes just keep getting flashier and flashier.
    M-line concerts.
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:45
    Re: #58
    It's because after graduating they finally get to wear the costume designs they actually like.
    Probably a backlash from having to hold back while they were active members.
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:44
    The lineup's changing this time because Sato's gone.
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:46
    Re: #59
    Ah, I see
    so with Ma(a) gone, they can pile a bit more onto the others.

    Background and points of debate

    M-line Live is a special production featuring OGs (graduated members) from Hello! Project, including Morning Musume。, and its setlists and lineup are a frequent topic of discussion among fans every time. What split opinion in the thread is that Miyamoto’s track record of “proposing and coordinating,” as described in her Toyo Keizai interview, doesn’t necessarily match how fans actually rate the shows in practice. Some say Miki Fukumura has increasingly taken the lead on the planning side in recent years, and it’s hard for outsiders to judge whose call is really shaping the direction of the setlists and costumes. It’s worth noting that Miyamoto’s comments are simply her own self-report — the article doesn’t reveal the specific details of how the agency evaluates her, or the real division of roles among the other members.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Karin Miyamoto: ‘I have a track record of proposing weekly-changing setlists, guest coordination, and social media strategy for M-line Live, so the agency trusts me’.”

  • Even 5ch Users Are Stumped Over Why You’re Supposed to Kill the Four Magic Nobles in Romancing SaGa 3

    On 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board, a thread about Romancing SaGa 3 took off after someone asked, “Why were the Four Magic Nobles even enemies you had to defeat in the first place?” Posters who had actually cleared the game chimed in one after another with “I don’t remember the reason,” and the discussion spread to cover the true identity of the Four Magic Nobles, their relationship to the previous Demon Lord, the long-running debate over how to pronounce their name (“yon-ma-kizoku” or “shi-ma-kizoku”), and even comparisons to the remake’s depiction and to newer entries in the series.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:13
    These guys just quietly hide out after losing, that's all.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:18
    Arakes is also partly to blame here, squatting in a tourist attraction without permission.
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:20
    Re: #8
    Classic case of someone turning where he lives into a tourist spot without even asking him.
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    [Proposition] 80% of people who cleared Romancing SaGa 3 don't actually know why they had a reason to fight the Four Magic Nobles
    https://nova.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/livegalileo/1788944958/
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    Re: #14
    Forget 80%, it's more like 99% who have no clue.
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    They're called the "Four Magic Nobles," but do these guys even know each other?
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:23
    Re: #15
    They were all subordinates of the previous Demon Lord, so of course they know each other.
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #15
    They're basically like the Demon Lord's Four Heavenly Kings, so yeah, they'd know each other.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    The pronunciation is split to begin with, so the name never really sticks in your head.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    Re: #16
    "Yon-ma-kizoku" has been confirmed as the official reading.
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    Poor Dantarg — just one of the Seven Heroes minding his own business, and he still gets killed…
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:23
    Re: #18
    If he'd just kept quiet we'd have let him go.
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    Re: #18
    There really was no need to kill this guy.
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    Re: #18
    He was just holed up at home doing strength training…
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:24
    What exactly is "the thing that destroys"? Does that mean the people sacrificed in the shishoku (death-eating) ritual?
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:25
    Re: #27
    The power went out of control because there were two "Children of Destiny" when there was only ever supposed to be one.
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:26
    Re: #27
    The lore is that a child who survives the shishoku ritual ends up with immense power, becoming either a Holy King or a Demon Lord.
    So the idea is that having two of them this time is what created that massive destructive power.
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:27
    Why does Byunei's true form dress like an oiran (Edo-era courtesan)?
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    Re: #33
    Because she's sexy.
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    Re: #33
    Because she was a sexy woman.
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    Re: #33
    Theory: she got really into Eastern culture back while the Demon Lord was running rampant.
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    There are still people out there saying "shi-makizoku," huh.
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    Re: #39
    In everyday spoken Japanese it really is split both ways.
    There are also a few people who just don't want to admit it.
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    They call the Demon Lord's Castle a beginner-friendly dungeon, so what's the deal with Arakes being in there?
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #40
    You can't reach that far in anyway, so it doesn't matter.
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #40
    Have you even played it? It's because you can't even reach floor 2, where Arakes is.
    He's using the rookie adventurers as cover.
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    Re: #40
    Arakes is actually being kind — he locks the door specifically so tourists don't wander into the deepest area by accident.
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #20
    Wait, it wasn't even officially confirmed until this PV (promotional video) came out?
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:43
    Re: #45
    Because the developers said, "call it whichever way you like."
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Doesn't "shi-makizoku" just sound better?
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    Re: #48
    No it doesn't.
    It's felt off ever since I played it back on release.
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    Re: #32
    Then why does he use the power of the Four Magic Nobles?
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:36
    Re: #56
    Well, from a meta standpoint it's probably just because he's the final boss……

    If you force an in-universe explanation, maybe he absorbed it as part of the destructive power, but the game never really explains it.
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:34
    I wonder if the murder scene looks more realistic in the remake.
    63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:37
    Re: #58
    With graphics like that, there's no "realistic" about it.
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:37
    Re: #58
    You mean the "What, again?" scene?
    75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:46
    Looks like the debate over whether the Holy King is male or female is finally about to be settled.
    80AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:50
    Re: #75
    She's a woman in a super sexy, risqué outfit.
    94AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:00
    Re: #75
    It's already proven right there on the Super Famicom box art.
    85AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:54
    I'm skipping the SaGa 3 remake.
    Revenge of the Seven was fun, but I realized it wasn't a masterpiece — it just hit hard for nostalgia's sake.
    I played Revenge of the Seven right after SaGa Emerald Beyond, and I was let down that you could win just by spamming Flash Fire over and over.
    The depth of the combat is on a totally different level — SaGa Emerald Beyond is way more interesting.
    90AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:57
    Re: #85
    There can't be more than a handful of JRPGs with combat that beats SaGa Emerald Beyond.
    Actually, I don't even know of any.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Romancing SaGa 3 is an RPG released by Square (as it was then known) for the Super Famicom in 1995. Many of its boss battles, including those against the Four Magic Nobles, are woven into a highly flexible, branching scenario structure, so players can often end up facing these fights without the reason ever being spelled out. That structural quirk is the backdrop for the repeated comments in this thread along the lines of “I cleared the game and still don’t know why.” The debate over how to pronounce the Four Magic Nobles’ name (“yon-ma-kizoku” vs. “shi-ma-kizoku”) stems from the fact that the original kanji was never given furigana, fueling a long-running argument among fans; posters in the thread noted that the recently released remake’s promotional video adopted the “yon-ma-kizoku” reading. The “Saga Eme” (SaGa Emerald Beyond) and “Ribe Saga” (Revenge of the Seven) mentioned later in the thread are recent entries in the SaGa series, and the thread also featured comparisons of their battle systems.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “Romancing SaGa 3 — wait, why did we go kill the Four Magic Nobles again?”

  • Ex-Juice=Juice member Kanon Miyamoto builds her own tour website with AI after manager quits

    Toyo Keizai Online reports that former Juice=Juice member Kanon Miyamoto, despite having no development experience, is building a special tour website entirely on her own using “vibe coding” — writing code by conversing with AI. The trigger was the departure of her manager (nicknamed “Mg”). Struggling to communicate with staff, she reportedly started turning to AI for help. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, the report sparked a lively discussion covering everything from the reasons behind the manager’s resignation to the treatment of Up-Front-affiliated staff and even assessments of Kanon’s own personality.

    Using AI to draft proposals and even prepare revisions… Former Juice=Juice member Kanon Miyamoto shows a new era of idol who does more than just sing and dance

    Kanon Miyamoto, who graduated from Hello! Project idol group Juice=Juice and is now active as a solo artist.

    Despite having no prior development experience, she has been making use of “vibe coding” — writing code through natural-language conversation with AI —

    Source: toyokeizai.net / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:14
    She's not selling, sounds like they can't even afford staff anymore — better watch what you say
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:19
    Re: #2
    It's probably true
    They're short-staffed
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:14
    Did 'Magnesium' run off on her? ("Mg" — the manager's nickname doubles as the chemical symbol for magnesium)
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:15
    That kind of thing is staff's job
    65AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:49
    Re: #4
    If she leaves it to the notoriously incompetent Up-Front staff
    She'll end up like Michishige
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:15
    Couldn't she just use a Google Form for surveys?
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:15
    Going through that agency's upper management wasn't getting her anywhere
    So I guess she found a language she can use to talk to the people on the ground as an equal
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:16
    She's about to turn 28 — done as an idol
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    Re: #7
    Are you dissing Manakan, who's 29?
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:39
    Re: #7
    Before she turns 30, I really wish she'd consider marrying me
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    I mean, couldn't you call this DIY?
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    Kanon-chan's drawing power keeps dropping
    So they can't afford a dedicated manager who can handle her anymore
    And she struggles to communicate with a regular manager
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:21
    Once she's no longer an idol, she's finished
    She's the type who wants to be the center of attention herself, so she's not cut out for real behind-the-scenes work
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    So with Mg gone, AI is the only one left she can talk to?
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    Narration: Kanon Miyamoto (Juice=Juice OG)


    Go get 'em behind the scenes!
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:22
    Miyamoto always puts her effort in the wrong direction
    This time's no different
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:26
    Re: #16
    At least what she's done will leave something behind — it's just uncharted territory, which beats what came before
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:23
    Since she's such a smooth talker, she's probably more of a handful than Sato
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:23
    Re: #8
    If it's true, they should be hiding it even harder
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:27
    Re: #18
    It's not something to hide
    The world's shifting toward cutting staff and using AI instead, so if anything she's right on trend
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    Re: #26
    It gives off such a grim vibe that it's just speeding up fans leaving
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:25
    Honestly, though
    Kanon Miyamoto barely has any motivation for outside work anyway — she probably didn't need a dedicated manager to begin with
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:27
    Re: #21
    She's plenty motivated for outside work
    Whether the offers actually come in is a different story
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:25
    So it wasn't a transfer, she actually quit?
    Maybe she went off to open a curry shop
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:26
    Buzzworthy idol group Juice=Juice's new regular radio show launches on Nippon Broadcasting! 'Juice=Juice Juicy Talk' ★3
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1788974592/
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:27
    So AI filled the gaping hole Mg left behind by running off
    Well, I guess AI was fine for the job
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    Re: #27
    I wanted to be the one to fill that hole
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    So it's come to the point where the talent has to do it herself…
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #34
    It's the backlash from Miyamoto being the only one in the JP room who got a dedicated manager — she was living too large
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    Mg was apparently also busy handling other JP members besides Miyamoto
    The pay's bad, so it's not a job you stick with for long
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:34
    Re: #39
    That's how it ended up partway through
    Handling just Kanon-chan alone would leave you with too much downtime
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:38
    She was never really 'ours' to begin with, but it still feels like AI took Kanon-chan away from us
    I'm aware that sounds creepy
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:39
    Re: #43
    Isn't that just you being way too resistant to AI?
    Think of it like she just started using PowerPoint
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:40
    I'm in the 'we don't need a new group' camp, but
    if Karin-chan were producing it, I'd want to watch
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:42
    Re: #46
    There's no way Kanon Miyamoto, who has zero interest in other people, could actually produce anything
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:43
    Isn't 'Magnesium' probably a former underground idol?
    There's a lot of that going around
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:56
    Re: #53
    A lot of female managers are pretty cute, right?
    Though I've never seen Mg's face
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:46
    Up-Front's managers get paid less than at other agencies, after all
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:49
    Re: #58
    So much rides on the manager, I really wish they'd pay the hardworking ones properly

    Background and Points of Debate

    The Toyo Keizai Online interview behind this article describes how Kanon Miyamoto uses a technique called “vibe coding” — writing code through natural-language exchanges with AI — and has AI handle everything from drafting proposals to presenting revisions. Opinions on the thread were split over whether to view this as a positive challenge or as a sign of a staffing shortage stemming from the lack of a manager. It’s worth noting that speculation about treatment and staffing at Up-Front-affiliated agencies reflects 5ch conjecture rather than any official statement from Miyamoto herself. Also, “Mg” is a nickname used within the thread to refer to the manager — the reason for departure and the person’s identity have not been disclosed.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and summaries of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Kanon Miyamoto: ‘Since Mg left, she started using AI to communicate with staff. Now she’s building the special tour site herself’.”

  • BOJ Board Member: ‘Rate Hikes to Continue’ as Underlying Inflation Nears 2%

    On September 10, Bank of Japan Policy Board member Kazuyuki Masu said in a speech in Fukui City that the BOJ “will continue raising the policy interest rate and adjusting the degree of monetary easing,” noting that the underlying rate of inflation has moved considerably closer to 2%. On the 5ch News Express+ (Newsplus) thread, his remarks set off a wave of speculation about where the dollar-yen exchange rate is headed, with predictions ranging from “Is it heading to 140 yen?” to “Whatever happened to the Kuroda ceiling of 125 yen?” Meanwhile, posters with variable-rate mortgages lamented their rising repayment burdens, and some speculated that the rate hike was driven by pressure from the U.S. or the Trump administration rather than domestic conditions. Commenters also debated whether underlying inflation is really close to 2%, pointing to the gap between the core CPI and the core-core CPI figures.

    September 10, 2026, 10:50 AM — Kyodo News

    Bank of Japan Policy Board member Kazuyuki Masu said in a speech in Fukui City on the 10th that the BOJ “will continue raising the policy interest rate and adjusting the degree of monetary easing.” He noted that the underlying rate of inflation has moved considerably closer to 2%.

    Source: 47news.jp / Original article here

    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:48
    Is the dollar gonna hit 140 yen?
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:00
    Re: #6
    Back when Kuroda was BOJ governor, the 125-yen range was the 'Kuroda ceiling.'
    77AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:25
    Re: #6
    If the short-term rate gap with the US drops below 1.5%, carry trades get wiped out and it'll easily get there.
    208AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:19
    Re: #6
    Apparently, based on Japan's actual economic strength, the 'proper' dollar-yen rate should be around 120.
    But yen carry trades and NISA investors piling into the S&P are apparently what's driving the weak yen…
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:48
    My mortgage is paid off in a few more months — just barely made it! \(^o^)/
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:13
    Re: #7
    I've still got almost 20 years left… *tears*
    147AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:51
    Re: #7
    I've still got almost 30 years left — bawling my eyes out.
    Did the math and the interest portion basically doubled…
    I will never forgive Takaichi and Ishin.
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    What am I supposed to do? I'm unemployed right now.
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Re: #9
    Guess it's about time to start making lunch.
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    According to the government, the economy's so good now that we don't need rate hikes, tax cuts, or fiscal stimulus anymore lol
    144AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:49
    Re: #10
    A good economy calls for rate hikes.
    What good would a rate cut do?
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Seeing the market drop just from Bessent running his mouth, you can already tell that if the BOJ doesn't hike, it'll get hammered with sell-offs screaming 'Just do it already!'

    Scary foreign pressure.
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Re: #14
    You call it foreign pressure, but the yen got weak precisely because the BOJ had no independence — it just listened to the LDP and refused to raise rates for years without reading the situation.
    A quarter of the dollar's rate, half the euro's — nobody could seriously think that wouldn't weaken the currency.
    They knew it would happen and still didn't act.
    That's a very different level of responsibility than someone like you who just didn't know.
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:54
    They've been stalling on rate-hike demands with tiny incremental moves, feeding everyone excuses.
    Guess the US finally couldn't stay quiet anymore.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    Re: #15
    Well, they waited almost 10 years, so fair enough at this point.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Getting scolded by Professor Bessent, so a policy rate hike is now pretty much locked in —

    but at this point, a mere 0.25% hike probably won't even do anything…
    65AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:19
    Re: #20
    A surprise 0.5% hike, maybe?
    Or they go with 0.25% and hint at back-to-back hikes next month.
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:20
    Re: #20
    If the Fed hikes too, that'll probably blow it all away in an instant.
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:03
    September 16: Fed policy rate decision
    September 18: BOJ policy rate decision

    Then the US midterm elections on November 3

    My prediction: the Japan-US rate gap narrows, triggering a yen carry trade unwind.
    In other words, a yen-strengthening trend.

    So, let's see.
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:07
    Re: #35
    Unfortunately, Trump becomes a lame duck (literally 'scarecrow') come November.
    The US is in a rate-hike rush too.
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:06
    Bankruptcies at an all-time high, and no country has ever come out ahead from hiking rates over and over.
    Turkish lira incoming.
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:12
    Re: #39
    They're hiking because banks can't afford to lend anymore.
    If the rich took on the risk and lent freely at low rates, rates could come down.
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:07
    I wonder how this plays out?

    Bessent: 'Stop the aggressive fiscal spending.'
    ↓
    Takaichi: 'Okay.'
    ↓
    Second supplementary budget shelved
    ↓
    Bessent: 'Don't interfere with the BOJ's rate hikes.'
    ↓
    Takaichi: '???' ← We are here
    ↓
    Bank of Japan
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:10
    Re: #42
    Come November, Takaichi goes back to being her normal self.
    Trump and Bessent fade away.
    The guys cheering for a weak dollar get weeded out.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:09
    Re: #40
    That'll be after the December FOMC meeting.
    On September 16 they'll probably cut rates.
    The midterms are November 3, so the side effects come after that.
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:14
    Is this becoming an era where whoever trades up their house comes out on top?
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:25
    Re: #53
    There are going to be more houses than buyers from here on out.
    55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:14
    Are the reflationists losing it for real? So what are they gonna do now, huh.
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:16
    Re: #55
    The weak yen wouldn't stop even with the consumption tax as is, so of course rates have to go up.
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:16
    A Reiwa-era boom surpassing the Izanami expansion
    A Reiwa-era Plaza Accord
    A Reiwa-era 'Oniheiji' (a ruthless, no-mercy enforcer, after the famous Edo-period lawman)
    A Reiwa-era strong-yen recession — masses of seniors thrown onto the street and told it's their own responsibility
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:19
    Re: #59
    Seniors who lived through the dollar at 80 yen can probably handle this.

    If anything, it's the young long-position traders who never experienced that who'll go bankrupt and fall into the clutches of 'tokuryu' crews (loosely organized crime groups that recruit accomplices anonymously online).
    87AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:28
    What Bessent is really worried about is that if Takaichi's aggressive fiscal spending boosts Japan's economy and pushes rates up, the money Japan has been investing in America might flow back home.
    But to keep Trump happy — since he hates a weak dollar — Bessent also has to push for BOJ rate hikes and talk Japan into buying back US Treasuries.
    It's a tricky balancing act for the US too.
    92AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    Re: #87
    What Trump actually hates is a strong dollar — it means iPhones don't sell.
    123AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:41
    Re: #1
    'The underlying rate of inflation has moved considerably closer to 2%.'

    But the current inflation rate is only 1.9% overall, and just 1.4% once you exclude food and energy.

    Where exactly is this '2%' coming from?
    163AnonymousSep 10, 2026 13:01
    Re: #150
    By global standards it's the core-core CPI that matters —
    once that crosses 2%, a rate hike comes into consideration.
    Though other price indicators get factored in too.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The Bank of Japan’s policy rate stayed pinned down for years under Governor Haruhiko Kuroda before entering a period of gradual hikes in recent years. The “Kuroda ceiling” mentioned in the thread refers to the roughly 125-yen-to-the-dollar level that was treated as a de facto defense line at the time. On the inflation target, commenters focused on the gap between headline CPI and the core-core CPI (which excludes fresh food and energy). As one reply (#123) pointed out, headline inflation sits at 1.9% while core-core is only around 1.4%, so it isn’t clear from the article alone which measure the BOJ is using to back its claim that inflation is “moving closer to 2%.” The thread also floated the idea that remarks by US Treasury Secretary Bessent are adding pressure for a rate hike — but that’s purely speculation from the board, not something the BOJ has officially acknowledged as tied to US relations. For people with variable-rate mortgages, a rising policy rate directly increases monthly payments, and the thread showed a clear generational divide in how that reality was received.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Newsplus) thread “[Breaking] BOJ Policy Board Member Says ‘Rate Hikes to Continue’.”

  • Can’t Quit Sweet Bread Rolls Even in Middle Age — 5ch: ‘Wheat Flour Is Addictive, You Know’

    A thread titled “I’m middle-aged but I still can’t quit sweet bread rolls” popped up on 5ch’s Hello! Project board, drawing a wave of sympathetic and self-reproachful replies. Sweet bread rolls (kashi-pan) are high in calories, and since wheat flour is said to be addictive, many posters said that eating one just makes you crave another. The discussion ranged from personal coping strategies — a self-imposed under-300-kcal rule, buying a home bread maker, or swapping in whole-wheat bread with tuna mayo — to warnings about pairing sweet bread with juice, and speculation that Hello! Project idols eat sweet bread too but stay slim thanks to their youth and busy schedules. Opinions also split over just how long basal metabolism holds up before it starts to decline.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:11
    Sweet bread rolls seriously make you fat
    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:13
    A lot of them are insanely high in calories
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:14








    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:44
    Re: #3
    No Sun-mi (a cream-filled bun) in that lineup? You looking down on me or something?
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:14
    Eating sweet bread makes you crave more sweet bread
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:35
    Re: #4
    Wheat flour is addictive, you know
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:17
    Sweet bread and juice is the worst combo
    Straight down the road to diabetes
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:20
    I made myself a rule: only okay if it's under 300 calories
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:21
    Thinking about just buying a home bread maker already
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:22
    Squeezing tube tuna mayo onto whole-wheat bread makes it way better
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:23
    Can't stop eating Kimuraya's anpan (red bean bun)
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:28
    Sweet bread + Cola = the ultimate combo
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:47
    Re: #13
    Back in school my lunch was like that every day and I was fine
    Now that my basal metabolism has totally tanked, there's no way I could do that
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:13
    Re: #26
    Apparently it's recently been discovered that basal metabolism doesn't decline until your 60s
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:29
    The fat people who end up with serious illness in their 50s and 60s
    are probably eating like that
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:39
    I hardly ever used to buy sweets myself, but after turning 50 I started buying chocolate and Japanese sweets
    and then I got fat
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:40
    Doesn't even fill you up, yet the calories and everything else about it are terrible
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:41
    I used to eat three sweet breads every morning and gained a whole 7kg in three months, so I finally quit
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:43
    Every internist says the same thing:
    "Eat whatever you want, just not sweet bread and juice"
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:46
    Re: #1
    That's just because you're eating a ton of it
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:47
    Re: #1
    No need to quit
    If you're in a position to eat it, don't hold back — eat, eat, eat all you want
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:48
    Not a fan of sweet bread
    I prefer the savory kind
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:49
    Drink milk first
    It slows down the rise in blood sugar
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 09:57
    Sweet bread is the #1 favorite food among the elderly
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:04
    My liver numbers improved after I quit sweet bread
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:09
    Nice Stick (a chocolate cream stick bread) and curry bread are the good ones
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:10
    If you're not careful you can end up with fatty liver too
    Sweet bread is way more evil than people think
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:12
    Most Hello! Project members eat it too
    as a dessert after their bento
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:13
    They're young and move around like crazy, so it's not a problem for them
    Not like us old folks
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:16
    Get bakery bread instead
    It's way better than mass-produced sweet bread
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:24
    Bakery bread is so good
    Slathering on tons of butter, dusting it with sugar, and washing it down with black coffee is the best
    Drenching it in maple syrup works too lol
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:32
    Yesterday I bought a yakisoba-bread at Lawson
    but since I ate frozen okonomiyaki after dinner, I held off on the yakisoba-bread
    guess I've got some self-control after all
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:34
    Sweet bread's bad, but
    cream puffs got me too
    I figured it's just cream, so it'd be fine
    but I gained weight right away

    I don't eat sweet bread even once a year
    more like once every five years
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:36
    If you heat sweet bread up, the calories become zero
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:38
    If you only eat two meals a day, you won't get fat even eating sweet bread
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:40
    Exercise, build muscle, boost your basal metabolic rate, and you can eat even more freely
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:41
    You might naturally quit once you're elderly, so just live with less stress, I guess
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:59
    Whoa, the post numbers are skipping like crazy lol Did someone say something interesting?
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:39
    Re: #52
    Probably just an NG (ignore-list) misfire

    Background and Talking Points

    Many “kashi-pan” (sweet bread rolls) products combine refined wheat flour with sugar and fat, and they’re frequently singled out in nutritional counseling as foods that spike blood sugar quickly. The thread’s claim that “wheat flour is addictive” is a widely repeated piece of folk wisdom, but experts are divided on whether it can medically be equated with addiction, and it remains largely anecdotal. There was also a post claiming basal metabolism “doesn’t decline until your 60s,” but this too is just one theory — the degree and timing of age-related metabolic decline varies considerably from person to person. Notably, rather than swearing off sweet bread entirely, many posters in the thread favored finding ways to manage the habit, such as a self-imposed rule of staying under 300 kcal, switching to a home bread maker, or substituting whole-wheat bread with tuna mayo.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “I’m middle-aged but I can’t quit sweet bread.”

  • Sunsoft’s Original ‘Crap Game’ Ikki Headlines Retro Game Selection 2, Coming This December

    On December 17, Sun Denshi announced “SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection 2,” a compilation of four early Sunsoft titles including *Ikki* and *The Mystery of Atlantis*, launching for PS5, Switch, and Steam. Pricing is set at 5,478 yen for the physical package, 4,378 yen for the digital download, and 2,970 yen for the Steam-only version. The announcement sparked a debate on 5ch over the very definition of a “kusoge” (crap game). Opinions on *Ikki* split right down the middle between its arcade original and its Famicom port, while many defended *The Mystery of Atlantis* and *Star Luster* as merely difficult, not broken.

    The original “crap game” rises again! Sunsoft’s “Retro Game Selection 2,” featuring *Ikki* and three other titles, announced for release

    Sun Denshi will release “SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection 2” for PlayStation 5/Nintendo Switch/Steam on December 17, under the company’s “SUNSOFT” game brand.

    The standard physical edition is priced at 5,478 yen, and the standard digital edition at 4,378 yen. The Steam version alone runs 2,970 yen.

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

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:41
    Wasn't Ikki supposed to be the scary one?
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:41
    Yasu's turned into such a hottie!
    The full remake of *Zoku Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken: Forgotten Burial*
    Releasing 2027

    [Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9] Streamed 9/9 (Wed) 23:26
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:42
    Ikki's actually a solid game
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    Re: #7
    The arcade version, sure
    The Famicom version's a crap game
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    Re: #7
    Ikki
    Kiki Kaikai
    Sensou no Ookami (Commando)

    Stuff like that was fun
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:42
    What about Hissatsu Doujou Yaburi and Bugged Honey? Are those in it too!?
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:42
    Looking back at it now,
    the Famicom's pretty much all crap games, right?
    Compared to modern games, none of them are remotely fun
    Are there even any real classics on the Famicom?
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    Re: #9
    Tons, like Akumajou Densetsu (Castlevania III) (´・ω・｀) Sounds like you've hit the age where you just don't care about games anymore
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    Re: #9
    What copypasta is that from?
    97AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:07
    Re: #9
    The Famicom's graphics may be rough, but it runs at 60fps, so it's plenty playable
    Even when it chugs it just slows down — it doesn't turn choppy
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    What about Transformers or Jikkyou World Soccer (Jiko Soccer)?
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    In Maharaja, the commands just wear the costume of an adventure game —
    the actual system underneath is a full RPG,
    so it ends up as this bizarre "adventure RPG" genre lol
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    People are just calling it a crap game because they personally sucked at it
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    Dying just from touching an ugly girl has got to be some kind of compliance violation
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    The first cartridge I ever bought as a kid, after scrimping and saving my allowance and agonizing over the choice, was…

    "Convoy no Nazo" (The Mystery of the Convoy, aka MUSHA)
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    There's probably more demand right now for reprints of Sunsoft's later premium software lineup — Gimmick! already got its reprint, though
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:45
    A hard game and a crap game are different things (´･ω･｀)

    Real crap games are things like

    – Karateka
    – Star Luster
    – Drakkhen

    Games like that
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    Re: #17
    Star Luster is so hard it's fundamentally unfriendly, but…
    it's not a crap game
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Re: #17
    Yeah, Karateka.
    Never really got Star Luster.
    Don't know Drakkhen.
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Re: #17
    I don't think Karateka's a crap game either, honestly
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:45
    Isn't Ikki not really a crap game? I remember it being pretty fun playing it two-player
    24AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    Calling a botched port a "crap game" feels a bit off too…
    Like, the Famicom version of Ghosts 'n Goblins is a completely botched port, but nobody calls that a crap game
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    Ikki was the "bundled-in" kind of crap, so a ton of people ended up owning it
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    You guys who didn't get a Famicom from your parents so you'd crash at some kid's house who wasn't even your friend 🥺
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    Re: #23
    Man, I played the hell out of Kiki Kaikai at the arcade
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    Back in the day, "crap game lolol" was something you said laughing with your friends while playing it —
    nowadays "crap game" is what someone says when they're genuinely pissed off
    Ikki, though, with how enemies suddenly ambush you right at the edge just before the screen transitions — that part's a legit crap game
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    I can't accept that Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo gets treated as a crap game
    90AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:05
    Re: #39
    People who just can't clear it call it a crap game — they don't understand what an actual crap game is
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    The Four Heavenly Kings of crap games:

    Takeshi's Challenge
    Bungeling Bay
    The Mystery of Atlantis
    Spelunker
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    Re: #44
    Atlantis is a genuinely good game though
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Any title with "no Nazo" ("…Mystery") in it is a guaranteed crap game
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    Re: #45
    Gundam is fun though!
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Re: #43
    Drakkhen was on the Super Famicom, not the Famicom
    The field music's great, at least…
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:00
    Re: #50
    I actually like it a fair bit, but the first time you play it you're just like "wait, seriously?" lol
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:54
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:54
    Formation Z and Ninja-kun were from a different maker, weren't they
    57AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    Re: #53
    That's Jaleco, right (likely means "ジャレコ," the game company behind those titles)
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    https://i.imgur.com/a/rZE936P.jpeg
    66AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:58
    The whole idea of what counts as a "crap game" has changed so much
    It used to be: play it a bit, go "what IS this, crap game lolol" — that was a crap game
    Now "not fun" = "crap game," full stop
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:01
    Re: #66
    I think even with today's online options and virtual console releases, playing together with friends at home back then made it feel different, so that's probably part of it lol

    Background and Talking Points

    The term “kusoge” (crap game) took hold in the late Famicom era, originally describing titles that were clearly broken — games that glitched out or were unreasonably unfair. But in this thread, that very definition is what’s up for debate. Opinions on *Ikki* split between its arcade version and its Famicom port, while *The Mystery of Atlantis* and *Star Luster* drew a wave of pushback along the lines of “just difficult, not broken.” This reflects how, over the years, the label “crap game” broadened to lump together genuinely high-difficulty or unfair design with actual technical flaws like bugs and slowdown — and the thread’s arguments read as pushback against that conflation. There’s also a recurring point that “people who can’t clear a game just brand it a bad game,” highlighting how a player’s own lack of skill sometimes gets reframed as the game’s fault. One thing readers might miss: this release is a promotional product where Sunsoft itself is leaning into the “crap game” label for its own titles — the opinions on each game’s quality in this piece are strictly 5ch users’ personal takes, not an official admission that these are “crap games.”

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Games] The original “crap game” returns! “Retro Game Selection 2,” featuring 4 titles including *Ikki* and *The Mystery of Atlantis*, announced for release.”

  • Underground Idol Group’s Nijigasaki Parody Sparks Debate: Theft or Tribute?

    On 5ch’s Love Live! board, controversy erupted after an underground idol group ran a promotional event parodying a live show by Nijigasaki High School Idol Club — sparking protests from hardcore Nijigasaki fans known as “Niji-shin.” Some posters argued the flyer design and song titles were copied so closely it amounted to outright plagiarism, while others countered that the poses and costumes fall well within the industry’s common visual vocabulary and saw nothing wrong with it. The thread split sharply over where parody ends and homage begins.

    Don’t get so worked up over a parody like this…

    Source: x.com / Original post here

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:35
    These are otaku obsessed with an anime about idols, yet they look down on actual idols — so it's probably more like, 'how dare some lowly underground idol group parody the almighty Nijigasaki.'
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:38
    What is going on with Pikaere's sense of ethics, seriously
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:39
    The details match exactly, and they even used the same song titles — that's straight-up theft, so I get why people are mad.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:40
    By the way, looks like Nijigasaki itself has done some copying too

    https://x.com/MrCupCakeP/status/2092678731047252219
    74AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:32
    If Nijigasaki's going to demand an apology from the underground idol group, they should apologize to iDOLM@STER too Re: #7
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:41
    Figured this was just people picking a fight, but it's actually pretty blatant.
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:41
    Did Nijigasaki kill Myo-san's parents or something?
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    Niji-shin fans are way too obsessive, honestly kind of scary.
    Are they prepared to get grilled the same way if the roles were reversed?
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    If it were just the live show's title, fine, but
    the flyer design is a total copy on top of that,
    and even after the 'correction' it's still copied — that's a real problem.
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    The composition's different too, and this kind of costume is pretty common in the genre, so some resemblance is unavoidable, don't you think?
    If 'resembles another work' automatically means it's not allowed, then the Superstar!! merch with the angel/devil motif that was popular among Nijigasaki fans would count as copying too, right?
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    First off, they should be grateful someone even bothered to parody them.
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:45
    If anything it reads as respect to me… but I guess to a Niji-shin, respect from some lowly underground idol group isn't respect at all.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    'The composition's different too' ← how exactly are you looking at this lol
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    The fact that they copied the flyer and then quietly edited it proves they never got permission, so how is that supposed to count as respect for the content?
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    Love Live! Straight-Up Copies a Chinese Manufacturer's Costume → Chinese Fans Go Ballistic! Official Account Gets Mass-Brigaded and Flamed : Oreteki Game Sokuho @ Yaiba https://share.google/CkzAfnJVf9eZWoe0M

    Pikaere's clearly doing this on purpose — there's already precedent of Superstar!! ('Spasta') making the news for this exact thing







    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:49
    The moment Nijigasaki itself started copying costumes,
    Pikaere was fully intent on steering the conversation toward Re: #18.
    This guy is seriously anti-Superstar!!.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:05
    Re: #41
    I mean, for Superstar!! it was the official side doing Re: #18 in the first place…
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:49
    Don't get all bent out of shape over some 1,000-2,000 yen live show.
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    If Nijigasaki's management doesn't act, the Niji-shin fans are going to crush these idols completely on their own.
    Nijigasaki's management should really put out a statement.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Nijigasaki doesn't even do live shows of its own,
    so Niji-shin fans should just be grateful, honestly.
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Looks like they've covered Printemps songs too, so it seems like they just genuinely love Love Live! — kind of sad they're getting dogpiled this hard.
    https://x.com/aozorawokimini/status/1561669087046303744
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:10
    Re: #29
    Getting genuinely furious over what some tiny, no-name idol group does is just small-minded.
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:58
    By the way, this is what they put out after deleting the Nijigasaki stuff

    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:02
    Re: #32
    That's pretty funny honestly.
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:11
    Wish people would have a bit more of a big heart about this.
    That's how the strong are supposed to behave, isn't it.
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:16
    Re: #51
    People with big hearts don't do illegal streaming, harassment, or defamation.
    They don't post sneering comments or leak pirated videos either.
    68AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:27
    Re: #2
    This thread's looking down on underground idols too, huh.
    So does that make everyone on the Love Live board a Niji-shin?!
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:29
    Re: #68
    Honestly feels like a lot of people here do like Nijigasaki — I mean, most active Love Live fans these days are into Nijigasaki anyway.
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:30
    Re: #70
    If most people supposedly love Nijigasaki, then why are CD sales only 2,000 copies?
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:31
    Re: #70
    Yeah, that's true, but still…
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:36
    Also, they should apologize to Ai Kawashima over 'Kaika Sengen' ('Blooming Declaration'), which rips off her song 'Ashita e no Hikari' ('Light to Tomorrow').
    80AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:42
    Re: #78
    Wasn't the Natsumi episode in Superstar!! season 2 said to rip off some movie or another?
    Did they ever apologize for that?
    Also, the song 'Kaika Sengen' actually resembles 'Ashita e no Tobira' ('Door to Tomorrow'), not that one.
    And Road of Major's 'Taisetsu na Mono' sounds a lot like 'Mahou Tsukai Hajimemashita' — was there ever an apology for that?

    Background and Points of Debate

    Underground idol groups running parodies that borrow flyer designs and staging from licensed franchises while performing original songs are nothing new, and these are usually done without official permission. In this case, opinions split between those who saw the close match in design and song titles as outright “theft” and those who viewed it as “tribute,” an extension of derivative-work culture. The thread also brought up past cases where another idol franchise’s costumes sparked imitation controversies on social media, framing this less as a one-off flare-up of emotion and more as an ongoing debate over where licensing rights end and parody begins. That said, as of this thread neither the underground idol group nor Nijigasaki’s management had issued any official comment.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Love Live!) thread “Niji-shin Fans Go Ballistic Over Underground Idol Parody.”

  • SIE Pulls Out of Kojima’s New Title ‘PHYSINT’ — Director Set to Sign With Xbox

    PlayStation Studios announced it is withdrawing from its collaboration with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on the upcoming title PHYSINT. In response, Hideo Kojima took to X to explain the situation, revealing that SIE abruptly notified him of the project’s cancellation in mid-June this year, and that after three months of searching for a new partner, he has decided to team up with Xbox once again. On 5ch, the news sparked surprise that the split was SIE’s decision, along with speculation about the underlying causes — including sluggish sales of Death Stranding 2 and Kojima’s reported opposition to Sony’s plan to discontinue physical discs.

    1AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:48
    Update from PlayStation Studios: After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step back from our collaboration with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on the PHYSINT project.
    We continue to hold tremendous respect for Hideo Kojima's vision for the game.
    Our relationship remains strong even after 30 years of industry-leading, genre-defining creative collaboration.
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    From Kojima's tweet ↓

    As just announced in KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS' official release, in mid-June this year we suddenly received notice from SIE that the "PHYSINT" project currently in development would be cancelled. PHYSINT is a project that matters deeply to both myself and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, and for the past three months we have been searching relentlessly for a "new partner" so we could carry on with it no matter what. After consulting with people from many different fields and advancing negotiations, we have decided to team up once again with XBOX, a partner who shares our "vision for the future." Please don't worry — development of PHYSINT, the next-generation "espionage action" title, is continuing.

    Sounds like Sony's the one who cut them loose (´・ω・｀)
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Re: #3
    If they were going to cut ties,
    why partner up in the first place?
    104AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:59
    Whoa…
    Wait, Sony was the one who cut them loose?
    121AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:00
    Re: #104
    It says right there, 'suddenly, from SIE' Re: #3
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:50
    Sony's really
    losing it lately
    228AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:08
    Re: #6
    Death Stranding 2 was such a dud, no wonder they got cut
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Of all places, Xbox — the news thread is going wild
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    Re: #14
    lol
    Well, I can't be bothered visiting that cesspit anyway, so I've got no interest in checking how it's going
    100AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:59
    Re: #14
    SIE's the one who cut them loose — 'of all places' doesn't even make sense here
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    There's speculation that Hideo Kojima's recent public opposition to PlayStation's plan to discontinue physical discs (packaged versions), along with strategic platform differences including PC releases, may have contributed to this split and the move to Xbox.


    Discontinuing discs, lol
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:52
    Re: #17
    Oh right, he did say something about that lol
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Re: #17
    So this is what set off the 'Cancel-happy Sony' curse? (a 5ch meme for Sony's reputation of abruptly axing projects)
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Well, even Death Stranding's sales numbers were kind of underwhelming
    No idea what the budget was, but including PS/PC, Death Stranding 2 probably sold around 3 million

    Guess they decided it wasn't worth it
    90AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Re: #34
    If 3 million in first-party sales is what they got, that's actually decent, but that's probably not the bar SIE was aiming for, and they likely sank a fair amount of money into it too.
    MS might end up wasting a bunch of money on this too
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:54
    This one's on Kojima honestly
    Both Sony and Kojima fans clearly wanted PHYSINT to be his first game after going independent
    What was the point of making two Death Strandings, some actor's vanity project?
    67AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    Re: #46
    Death Stranding happened because of budget reasons
    There's no way you can make an AAA game on a shoestring budget
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    Whoaaaa


    @Kojima_Hideo · Hideo Kojima
    As just announced in KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS' official release, in mid-June this year we suddenly received notice from SIE that the "PHYSINT" project currently in development would be cancelled. PHYSINT is a project that matters deeply to both myself and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, and for the past three months we have been searching relentlessly for a "new partner" so we could carry on with it no matter what. After consulting with people from many different fields and advancing negotiations, we have decided to team up once again with XBOX, a partner who shares our "vision for the future." Please don't worry — development of PHYSINT, the next-generation "espionage action" title, is continuing.
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Re: #54
    Hell yeah
    Fine by me if it's coming to Xbox
    Don't need that garbage PlayStation ("kuso sute" — derogatory slang for PS)
    93AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:58
    Re: #54
    So this was said right around when they announced the disc discontinuation?
    98AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:59
    Re: #54
    Makes you wonder what Sony's 'vision for the future' even is
    55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    Could this be the thing that's supposedly overshadowing the Nintendo Direct news? lol
    63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    Re: #55
    Guess it wasn't good news after all, lol
    85AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Re: #55
    Yeah, this is gonna blow up big time lol
    Combined with the disc discontinuation news, there's no putting this fire out lol
    115AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:00
    Re: #55
    So that gut feeling turned out to be right again
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    57AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:55
    For Microsoft, this only makes sense if they can release it on both Xbox and PS — otherwise there's no way it pays off
    268AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:12
    Re: #57
    Guess it's not coming to PlayStation then
    68AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    Given he blew way too much time and money on Metal Gear Solid V and got cut loose by Konami, this is probably the same story playing out again
    Though at least I wish Konami had let him finish the game before cutting him off
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    Why though? 'Hideo Kojima x spy game' is about as sure a bet as it gets — a project that reeks of money and was more anticipated than Death Stranding.
    From what I recall, Kojima himself wasn't even that motivated at first, and only got moving after fans worldwide kept demanding a spy game from him — this was a project born out of demand.
    It's strange that they'd throw away the chance to release it as an exclusive or timed exclusive.
    Maybe it's a case of: they'll fund a full exclusive, but not a multiplatform release with PC/other consoles or a mere timed exclusive.
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:57
    Re: #69
    Maybe they demanded an insane amount of money &
    development basically hadn't progressed at all?
    Wasn't this announced like two and a half years ago?
    145AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:02
    Meanwhile, over at Xbox

    161AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:03
    Wait, was Death Stranding actually a flop? lol
    182AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:05
    Re: #161
    Death Stranding 1 sold well, but I think Death Stranding 2 was underwhelming
    Though it could still pick up sales later through discounts and the like
    197AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:06
    Re: #161
    Probably figured there was no return on the investment and it'd be the same story again, so they decided they couldn't keep dealing with it and cut them loose
    216AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:08
    It looks way more interesting than Death Stranding no matter how you slice it, so why…
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HR0rPeRWEAM_YA3.jpg
    258AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:11
    261AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:11
    It's strange — as a game company, Xbox is supposedly in the rougher spot, yet PlayStation seems more cost-conscious than its reputation suggests
    276AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:12
    Re: #261
    Because their foundation is way more stable
    290AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:13
    Re: #261
    Before Totoki (Hiroki Totoki, Sony Group's President/COO) stepped in to cut costs, profit margins had dropped to single digits and they were nearly in the red, so it makes sense they're being strict now
    266AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:11
    So this is the reason

    Background and key points of this story

    PHYSINT is a new spy-action title that KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS announced in partnership with SIE, and it had been anticipated as the studio’s first original blockbuster since going independent. What stands out this time is that the announcement came from PlayStation Studios’ side, prompting questions on the thread like “if they were going to cut ties, why partner up in the first place?” According to Kojima’s own posts, the cancellation notice arrived in June this year, meaning the search for a new partner was already underway during the three months before the news went public. Multiple factors are being speculated on — sluggish sales, production costs, and differing stances on discontinuing physical discs among them — but neither SIE nor KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS has stated the specific reason behind the split. Some have pointed out parallels to Kojima’s earlier split from Konami, and the episode is being read by some as a sign of shifting dynamics between major publishers and creators.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “PlayStation: “After careful consideration, we’ve decided to step back from our collaboration with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on the PHYSINT project”“.

  • SING LIKE TALKING to Disband After Final Tour Next Year — 5ch Reacts: ‘Wait, Who Was Sing and Who Was Like?’

    SING LIKE TALKING has announced that, following the passing of Tomohiko Nishimura, the two remaining members talked it over and decided to end the band’s activities and disband after the final show of next year’s nationwide tour, ‘SING LIKE TALKING “THE FINAL” Dedicated to Tomohiko Nishimura.’ On 5ch, comments lamenting vocalist Chikuzen Satō’s singing ability lined up alongside lighter reactions like ‘I can’t think of a signature song’ and ‘I only know them from the Coca-Cola commercial,’ making for a thread that exposed a generational gap between longtime album fans and those who only know the band from ads.

    SING LIKE TALKING announces breakup — two members discuss after Tomohiko Nishimura’s passing, will end activities with final tour next year | Oricon News

    2026-09-10 10:54

    It was announced on the 10th that SING LIKE TALKING will end its activities as a band and disband following the final performance of next year’s nationwide tour, ‘SING LIKE TALKING “THE FINAL” Dedicated to Tomohiko Nishimura.’

    Source: oricon.co.jp / Original article here

    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:25
    So which one was Sing, which was Like, and which was Talking?
    I can picture Chikuzen being the 'Sing,' at least
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:27
    Re: #5
    Chikuzen Satō is the 'Sing' in Sing Like Talking
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:26
    Did they even have a signature song most people would know?
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:37
    Re: #6
    This band always struck me as more of an album act
    Which is probably why vocalist Chikuzen Satō released singles under his own solo name
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:46
    Re: #6
    'I Feel Coke' (the Coca-Cola commercial jingle)
    71AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:56
    Re: #6
    That 'Konya Dake Kitto~' song (roughly, 'Just Tonight, For Sure')
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:26
    Only know them from the Coca-Cola commercial song
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:40
    Re: #8
    That's the Sumitomo Group jingle you're thinking of, not this one
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:27
    'I Feel Coke' was airing in commercials again recently, actually
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:27
    Don't know a single song of theirs
    But I know the name Chikuzen Satō and the band name
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:28
    Bought the CDs from their 1st album all the way through the 6th, ENCOUNTER
    The 4th, LOVE, and the 5th, Humanity, were especially outstanding
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:29
    Re: #13
    Same here lol
    Used to go to their live shows around that era too, it was fun
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:29
    For the last 20-odd years they'd only occasionally get together to do something
    In my head, this band ended back in 1998
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:43
    Re: #14
    Kind of like 'Suiyōbi Dōdeshō' (the TV show notorious for only reuniting when there's money in it) — they'd only get together when it paid
    They tout these big multi-decade anniversaries, but there's not much substance behind it
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:29
    Chikuzen Satō, 63 years old
    Here I thought this was a younger band
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:30
    Only know 'Spirit Of Love'
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:33
    Sing Like Talk (the racehorse with the near-identical name) never made it past Quasi-Open class, huh
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:38
    Re: #20
    They worked it like a cart horse that whole last year lol
    Even though it took about two years to come back after it got injured
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:33
    Used to listen to them on the radio about 30 years ago
    Never actually bought a CD though
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:34
    Speaking of which, that long-established chikuwa (fish cake) shop in Iwate just went out of business (chikuwa/Chikuzen — make of that what you will)
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:34
    I love Chikuzen Satō's singing voice
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:48
    Re: #25
    I think he's the number one male vocalist in Japanese music
    I like him even more than Koji Tamaki
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:34
    ttps://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm23613524

    Heard this on the radio and loved it — it ended up being the first CD I ever bought, and it was SING LIKE TALKING
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:35
    Keep seeing the name written with the characters scrambled, like 'Satake Tōzen'
    Guess he's been at this since way back, huh
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:35
    Band members really do tend to die young, huh
    Once you're past 70 it wouldn't be strange to lose one member
    Is The Alfee about the only band where everyone's still healthy at that age?
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:36
    https://youtu.be/SXg-FZNnK90?si=qORyyfnAcuV9HjzT

    https://youtu.be/0fjfIzqiPCE?si=uiCemKvju9pnkDp7

    I loved 'Rise' and 'Hanarezu ni Atatamete' (Stay Close and Keep Me Warm)
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:37
    Listened to them every day back in my school days
    Thanks for everything (otsukare)
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:38
    Every Little Thing
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:39
    Bought their CDs and listened constantly back at their peak
    Gave it a listen again after ages — still good
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:39
    The secret guest was Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius)
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:41
    SING LIKE TALKING
    Stardust Revue
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:44
    Guess Mrs. (GREEN APPLE) stole their popularity, huh?
    60AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:48
    Re: #52
    That unit had its little breakout more than 30 years ago
    So it's got nothing to do with this at all
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:47
    Doesn't matter who else is in it as long as Chikuzen Satō's there
    63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:51
    Re: #56
    Like a Japanese translation of Western song lyrics
    Without those Fujita lyrics, it's not really SING LIKE TALKING lol
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:49
    The album with 'with you' and 'Rize' on it sold reasonably well
    That was over 30 years ago now though
    77AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:58
    Re: #61
    I had that album
    78AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:58
    Chikuzen Satō and Rimi Natsukawa both deserve a lot more recognition as singers

    Background and talking points

    SING LIKE TALKING is a band that got its start in the late ’80s centered on vocalist Chikuzen Satō. While many people only know the name from the Coca-Cola commercial song ‘I Feel Coke,’ those who dug into their ’90s albums (like ‘Humanity’) have long spoken of them as being in a class of their own. That same gap showed up directly in the thread, with people who couldn’t name a single signature song sitting alongside people who kept buying every one of the first six albums. Some also pointed out that in recent years the members had only reunited occasionally to perform, which makes this breakup read less like a sudden event and more like a formal acknowledgment of an ‘effective ending’ that might never have been stated outright if not for a member’s passing. Note: posts touching on Chikuzen Satō’s religious affiliation, and posts mocking members’ appearances, were excluded from this summary since they risk amounting to targeted harassment.</analysis>

    </invoke>

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread ‘[Music] SING LIKE TALKING announces breakup — the two remaining members discussed it after Tomohiko Nishimura’s passing, final tour next year‘.

  • Rodri personally apologizes to Gayà over insulting remarks during Valencia match

    Lip-readers have revealed that Rodri, making his first start since joining Barcelona, insulted Valencia’s players during a bench conversation with Cubarsí after being subbed off in the 5-0 win on the 6th, saying things like ‘these guys are really weak.’ According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Rodri personally apologized to Valencia captain Gayà. On 5ch, many posters sympathized with Rodri being forced to apologize over a private bench chat caught by lip-readers, while others pointed out that the lower and mid-table level of La Liga really has declined. Some also argued that, going by the footage, it looked less like trash talk and more like an honest, off-the-cuff reaction.

    Spanish outlet Marca’s digital edition reported on the 9th that Barcelona and Spain midfielder Rodri (30) apologized to the opposing captain over insulting remarks made during the 5-0 rout of Valencia on the 6th.

    In the Valencia match, which marked Rodri’s first start since joining Barcelona, cameras caught him talking with Cubarsí on the bench after being substituted in the second half. Lip-readers analyzing the footage revealed that Rodri had made insulting comments about the Valencia players, including lines like ‘These guys are really weak, aren’t they super weak?’ and ‘This is really bad.’

    In another moment, he reportedly asked Cubarsí about Valencia’s finish the previous season and looked shocked to learn they’d ended up close to a European qualifying spot. At one point Rodri seemed to notice the camera was on him and covered his mouth with a towel — but by then it was apparently too late.

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:26
    Did Ryūnosuke Akutagawa show up?
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:27
    Re: #4
    He hasn't been doing anything on the pitch, so he's finally been demoted to the bench.
    92AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:11
    Re: #6
    Feel free to call him out, no need to hold back lol
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:26
    Forced to apologize over a casual chat with a teammate on the bench (lol)
    Don't go picking up audio like that.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:27
    Re: #1
    He's desperate because this could seriously hurt his post-retirement career.
    But it might already be too late.
    Maybe he'll have to give up on Spain and go work the circuit abroad instead.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:28
    His true colors are just out there now, don't sweat it.
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:28
    Compared to the Premier League, Spain's mid-to-lower table teams have really fallen off.
    No wonder Rodri was shocked and exasperated.
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:30
    Rodri's got a real habit of trash-talking, huh.
    He got into it with Bernardo Silva at the World Cup too, needling him about something.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:34
    Re: #11
    He was just chatting with a teammate on the bench (lol)
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:37
    Re: #11
    That one's weird though.
    They were still teammates at City at the time — did he really not recognize it was Bernardo?
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:31
    No wonder Argentina thrashed them.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:32
    Valencia probably needs a wake-up call like this.
    They're genuinely weak.
    Are they planning to unveil their new stadium down in the second division or something?
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:34
    They'll dig up and call you out over even this stuff lol
    He should've just ignored it.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:35
    Well, you really shouldn't compare it to the Premier League.
    La Liga's in decline.
    Guess that worked out easy for him.
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:35
    Valencia used to be where Atlético is now, about 20 years ago — that's probably why he was so surprised.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:35
    La Liga probably only has three genuinely competitive teams left at the top now. It might even be declining worse than a one-team-dominant league like the Bundesliga.
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:39
    He's just being honest.
    It's not like he said it to their faces.
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:41
    He spent a while in the Premier League, where even the mid-to-lower table teams were pretty solid — guess he was spooked by how weak La Liga's bottom teams are.
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:43
    The media just lip-read a casual chat with a teammate on the bench and reported it.
    Can't even crack a joke on the bench anymore.
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:43
    The lineup from the Valencia team that won the league title over 20-odd years ago
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:14
    Re: #32
    Brings back memories… everything about this is nostalgic.
    82AnonymousSep 10, 2026 12:00
    Re: #32
    After this, things fell apart once Koeman became manager — didn't Cañizares get hurt after dropping a bottle of aftershave on his foot, and the veterans clashed with Koeman?
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:47
    Honestly, outside of the Premier League, in the other 'big five' leagues anything below the top teams is basically J.League mid-table level or worse.
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:50
    Someday you'll end up coaching at a club like that yourself, you know.
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:50
    He just transferred from the Premier League and was probably just trying to bond with a younger teammate lol
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 10:51
    If he'd trash-talked them on the pitch, fine, but apologizing over some idle chatter after being subbed off?
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:06
    It's not like Barça are weak.
    He'll get targeted by rival supporters now.
    If he ever transfers to some scrub club, he'll get absolutely torn apart.
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:07
    So it's a problem when a player says what even fans have thought for years — that La Liga's already done for? 😇 Thanks to Kubo, I've been watching the sorry state of the mid-to-lower table and thinking 'this league is rough' for years now.
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:07
    Everyone says stuff like this.
    Even at the school-club level people talk like this.
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:17
    He's a Ballon d'Or winner and World Cup MVP, yet the only thing that gets him headlines is stuff like this gaffe — weird player lol
    55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:18
    Honestly, Pedri might even be more famous than Rodri at this point.
    56AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:20
    Is there a polite way to phrase it or something?
    Would 'these guys don't seem to be having a good day' have been fine?
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:45

    Top 15 defensive midfielders of the 21st century
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:59
    Re: #69
    So does that put Keane and Vieira in the 20th century…
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:49
    Re: #1
    But stuff like this gets said somewhere every single time. Feels like it's got nothing to do with respect, honestly.
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 11:53
    Re: #72
    Spanish media often use lip-reading to hunt for controversy (mainly targeting racist remarks or players criticizing their own teammates/manager), and this time he got caught by that.
    Saying stuff like this behind the scenes is common enough, but once it goes public the media pile on and torch you for it.
    Rodri probably just wasn't aware that's a thing over there.

    Background and talking points

    Spanish media have a practice of lip-reading players’ bench comments and reporting them, a technique usually aimed at catching racist remarks or players criticizing their own teammates and manager (see comment 76). In this case, Rodri ended up insulting an opposing player instead, making it a rare instance of that practice extending beyond its usual target. The fact that Rodri himself noticed the camera and covered his mouth with a towel suggests players are at least somewhat aware of this lip-reading risk. In the thread, some posters point to Rodri’s past clash with Bernardo Silva at the 2022 World Cup (comment 11) as evidence of a ‘trash-talking habit,’ while others argue that, judging from the footage alone, it read less like an insult and more like a genuine, surprised reaction (comment 48) — opinion is split. The broader point about the declining level of La Liga’s mid-to-lower table teams is also one that’s been raised before, particularly since Takefusa Kubo’s transfer there (comment 50), and Rodri’s remark can be read as simply voicing a feeling many already shared. Valencia’s current slump also stands out all the more given that they were a genuine title-winning powerhouse in the early 2000s, which helped fuel the discussion.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Sports Express+) thread ‘[Soccer] Rodri personally apologizes to captain Gayà over insulting Valencia with ‘these guys are really weak’.’