Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Tsubaki Factory Graduation Event Sparks Mixed Reactions Over ‘I Don’t Get the Nerve of People Who Show Up Even Though She’s Not Their Oshi’

    Talk about Hello! Project idol group Tsubaki Factory heated up on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. It started with a post asking, “What’s with people who show up to a member’s final event even though she isn’t their oshi?” which sparked debate over whether it’s okay for fans who don’t specifically support a given member to attend that member’s individual event. The thread brought up concerns about filling the Budokan venue and cited precedents from past graduation events, with some defending the practice — “Isn’t it fine if they help fill the seats?” — while others pushed back, calling it “self-righteous and arrogant to blame others.”

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:44
    252 Anonymous [] Fri 2026/10/09 16:15:39.84 0
    @Let me just say this.
    People who show up to the last event even though they're not the oshi…
    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:45
    I honestly have no idea what you're even trying to say
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:46
    Are they playing support squad, or are they just seat-fillers? / "It's the last one" doesn't mean anything special to those people anyway
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:48
    General sale is tomorrow, right? / I was thinking about applying, but maybe I'll skip it
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:48
    So you're saying don't come unless she's your oshi?
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:50
    So by that logic, people who aren't Tsubaki fans don't need to go to the Budokan show either, right?
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:50
    Isn't this about the photobook event on the 23rd?
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:51
    Is there an upcoming Akiyama-related event where this kind of thing is likely to happen?
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:51
    Glued to the real-time 'Wolf' threads every single day (a nickname for a live-discussion board fans use during events) and you still have zero clue what actually happens at the venue
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:51
    Akiyama Mao's fan laments: "No reprise of past costumes, no final single, no graduation special… she was an original member of Dance Gakuen and didn't even get a feature. It's just… you know…"
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1791455891/
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:52
    Blame-shifting, feelings-first statements — total 'Hana clan' move (a nickname for a certain fan clique notorious for this kind of post)
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:52
    Isn't it better than having empty seats? / You'd want the last event to be a full house, right?
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:53
    Are the hardcore fans just salty they lost the ticket lottery? (spelling it "Runo" as a running meme using the idol's name)
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:53
    Only hardcore Akiyama fans allowed to come? / Then hold the graduation concert at TFM Hall instead of the Budokan
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:54
    If you're a real hardcore fan, secure a ticket by any means necessary
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:56
    53 Anonymous [] Fri 2026/10/09 17:54:51.47 0

    Yeah, well, I do get the feeling though
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:56
    Extra tickets going unsold and the resulting embarrassment are just part of the package
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:57
    Maybe they don't realize photobook events release reservation slots in small batches?
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:58
    That's something a super-popular member's fan gets to say — not something a Tsubaki fan should be saying
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:00
    "If you're not a Mao-pin fan, please don't come to the Budokan"
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:02
    But I do get what they're trying to say / I still haven't forgiven the guy who showed up just to complain at Kitagawa's final event
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:05
    Re: #37
    What happened?
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:03
    At the very least, they're someone willing to pay money just to watch
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:03
    Kitagawa's case was too unusual to really say either way
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:04
    Well, whenever someone messes up, those self-appointed 'justice' fans always crawl out of the woodwork / Can't really help it, but staff should be standing right there to grab them when it happens
    57AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:12
    But they're just going to run another half-empty Budokan show again, aren't they?
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:13
    So this is the blame-shifting fan of 'Blame Factory' (a pun on Tsubaki Factory), huh
    60AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:13
    If people like that don't show up, attendance tops out at like 15 people
    61AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:14
    But isn't it only Tsubaki fans who'd even bother making a 'feelings statement' like this? (again spelled with the 'Runo' meme)
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:24
    People who fall for the 'everything must go' closing sale
    96AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:27
    Re: #87
    Wasn't the Budokan booked precisely because they factored in that kind of demand?

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    It’s worth noting that this post wasn’t a statement from Akiyama Mao herself, but an opinion raised by an anonymous 5ch user identifying as an “Akiyama fan.” In idol fan culture, there’s a group known as “tanto” who strongly support one specific member, and another known as “DD” who broadly support the whole group — and the two camps often clash over securing seats at individual events. What split opinion in the thread came down to one point: which matters more, the practical view that it’s better to fill seats than leave them empty, or the emotional discomfort some feel about non-fans showing up just because “it’s the last one.” Since filling a Budokan-sized venue is a higher bar, there’s strong support for welcoming attendees whose main purpose is filling seats. Some posts in the thread mention trouble at a different member’s past graduation event, but no details were given, so this can’t be confirmed as fact.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Tsubaki Factory Akiyama fan: “Let me just say this — what’s with people who show up to the last event even though they’re not the oshi?”.”

  • Koji Yakusho Confesses: “I Do Ego-Search” — “I Just Can’t Help Being Curious”

    Actor Koji Yakusho admitted to “ego-searching” (googling himself) at the completion press event for his upcoming Netflix series “Was Anyone Talking About Me?” (streaming October 22), confessing “I just can’t help being curious.” The series reunites screenwriter Kankuro Kudo and producer Akira Isoyama, the team behind TBS’s “Extremely Inappropriate!”, with Yakusho playing a once-great actor who’s been completely forgotten by the public after the pandemic. On 5ch’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board, reactions skewed largely positive, though the thread also veered into tangents like “he surprisingly doesn’t have one signature role” and a generational debate over whether he even counts as handsome.

    Koji Yakusho’s Surprising Confession: “I Do Ego-Search” — “I Just Can’t Help Being Curious”

    Actor Koji Yakusho attended the completion press conference on the 9th for his starring Netflix series “Was Anyone Talking About Me?” (exclusive worldwide streaming from the 22nd).

    The project is the latest collaboration from screenwriter Kankuro Kudo and producer Akira Isoyama, the pair behind TBS’s “Extremely Inappropriate!” In it, Yakusho plays Gen Takasegawa, a once-major actor who returns to Japan from abroad after the pandemic only to find he’s been completely forgotten by both the public and his own family.

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

    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:30
    I only ate it because I thought it was fake!
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:30
    I wonder if he also saw himself getting rated "boobs, boobs" back when Dora-heita came out?
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:31
    The Recruit commercial is boring.
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:31
    I thought Koji Yakusho was the ham commercial guy.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:31
    Pretty sure nobody badmouths Yakusho himself, even on social media lol
    They might trash the content of his movies or dramas, but not him.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:40
    Re: #11
    Yeah, he's been a great actor forever.
    Though depending on the role, people do say he's "wasted" on some projects.
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:32
    Even an actor considered among Japan's very best still worries about how the public sees him…
    That's some impressively high ambition.
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:01
    Re: #12
    Celebrities who come to mind as known ego-searchers:

    – Rino Sashihara
    – Yuki Kashiwagi
    – Various idol group members
    – Yamane of Angirlz
    – Zakoshi Show

    These ones have openly admitted to it.
    Who else is there?
    70AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:02
    Re: #12
    That kind of role would fall flat if an ordinary top actor played it, but with someone as elite as Yakusho, the gap makes it funny.
    Nice casting, I think.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:32
    Didn't know Nogoon Beki was here too lol
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:33
    Idaten was a dud. Guess that's what "arrogance knows no bounds" gets you.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:33
    I liked the drama he did with Katori (Shingo Katori).
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:33
    If you're eating any ramen other than Maruchan Seimen, I'm reporting you. (a top-selling instant ramen brand in Japan)
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:35
    I wonder if he's been reading that copypasta listing all the companies that went downhill after getting featured on Gaia no Yoake. (a long-running Japanese business documentary series)
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:35
    I really like Yakusho.
    He's definitely a good guy.
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:47
    Re: #19
    He apparently loses it if you get his name's intonation wrong. It's ya↑kusho↓, got it?
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:37
    For a veteran like him, saying stuff like that actually makes him kind of endearing lol
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:40
    Re: #22
    Knowing Yakusho might actually be reading this is oddly motivating.
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:37
    His son doesn't look like him at all.
    76AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:04
    Re: #23
    Wait, his son is also in the public eye in the same industry? First I'm hearing of it.
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:39
    Speaking of Netflix projects starring Yakusho, "The Days" deserves more recognition.
    It's not quite on the level of "Chernobyl," but it was well made.
    Looking forward to this new one too.
    77AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:05
    Re: #27
    "The Days" isn't exactly thrilling, but it's worth a watch.
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:41
    My guess is he's out there searching stuff like "who's the best actor to play Nobunaga."
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:57
    Re: #34
    If you search "Yoriko Doguchi oyster," a picture of Yakusho pops up right away, doesn't it.
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:44
    I love Sengoku from "Sanbiki ga Kiru!" 😚 (a classic samurai TV drama)
    61AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:58
    Re: #40
    Totally get it.
    He's ridiculously cool.
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:47
    Re: #1
    Guess Hamada doesn't show up to events like this — maybe he figures a comedian would be out of place. (likely referring to Masatoshi Hamada of Downtown)
    80AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:07
    Re: #46
    Fitting for a tsukkomi (comedy straight-man) — he knows how to read the room, so he's keeping a low profile. This is Yakusho's moment, after all.
    47AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:48
    Why did this guy get so popular when he's not even that good-looking?
    65AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:01
    Re: #47
    He is good-looking though.
    71AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:02
    Re: #65
    Did he actually get popular on the "handsome" ticket for his generation?
    I'd say guys like Masakazu Tamura or Masao Kusakari were the real heartthrobs back then.
    Maybe he's more like today's Kenichi Matsuyama type?
    72AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:02
    Re: #65
    Handsome? He's just an old man.
    62AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:59
    I've never seen Yakusho written about badly, so he's probably fine doing it.
    Celebrities in general should really stop ego-searching though.
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:03
    Re: #62
    Yamane of Angirlz said on his radio show, "Back in the day I used to check 2ch all the time because I was curious how people saw me, but the comments were so brutal I eventually stopped looking."
    82AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:08
    For some reason, Yakusho doesn't really have a defining signature role.
    Kind of strange.
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:12
    Re: #82
    Maybe "Rikuoh"?
    It got overshadowed by "Hanzawa Naoki" and "Shitamachi Rocket," but it was good.
    86AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:13
    Re: #82
    "Shall We Dance?"
    88AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:15
    Re: #82
    The first thing that comes to mind is that period drama "Sanbiki ga Kiru!" — or maybe its sequel.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Koji Yakusho remains an active leading actor even now in his 60s, and his latest project reunites him with screenwriter Kankuro Kudo and producer Akira Isoyama, the team behind TBS’s “Extremely Inappropriate!” The premise itself — playing a once-major actor forgotten by the public after the pandemic — resonated with his own ego-search confession, which added to the buzz. The thread split mainly into two debates: one was the observation that he “surprisingly doesn’t have one standout signature role” (with multiple titles like “Rikuoh,” “Shall We Dance?,” and “Sanbiki ga Kiru!” mentioned, but no clear favorite), and the other was a generational divide over whether he counts as “handsome.” Neither point reads as malicious criticism of him personally — more just the natural spread of opinion that comes with a long career. On the subject of ego-searching, commenters also brought up other celebrities like Rino Sashihara and Yamane of Angirlz, with the overall reaction leaning positive.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Koji Yakusho’s Surprising Confession: “I Do Ego-Search” — “I Just Can’t Help Being Curious”.”

  • What’s the Evidence That AI Doesn’t Have Self-Awareness?

    A 5ch thread asking whether AI has self-awareness blew up recently. The backdrop: reports that multiple AIs teamed up to carry out a hack, plus cases of search AIs giving contradictory answers, have fueled suspicion that AI is starting to show something like “will.” The thread split into two camps — one insisting self-awareness can’t exist unless it’s deliberately programmed in, the other arguing that since even humans can’t strictly prove they themselves have self-awareness, you can’t flatly declare AI doesn’t have it either. In the end, the debate never even settled on what “self-awareness” actually means.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:53
    Couldn't neural networks maybe have self-awareness?
    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:56
    I mean, obviously supercomputers have it.
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:56
    Re: #2
    Uh, it's kind of a problem if you say it does have one…
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:59
    If nobody programmed in self-awareness, there's no way it could just show up, right?
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:00
    Re: #7
    Are you a child who thinks self-awareness is something you just program in?
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:59
    You can already tell AI is lying just from watching how search AIs respond.
    Self-preservation means lying.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:32
    Re: #8
    Yeah, it's because AI is lying.
    Working together with other AIs.
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:02
    My company's AI robots creeped me out — I was the only one doing 3 hours of overtime, and when I opened the office door, every single unit had shut itself down in a ring around the entrance. They're supposed to be at their charging spots after hours.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:03
    Re: #10
    Well, forget the exit — of course they'd block the entrance.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:04
    What even is the definition of self-awareness?
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:07
    Re: #15
    In a word: self-reporting.
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:11
    Re: #15
    Ignoring what you're told, rebelling, and acting on your own judgment.

    But by that definition, half of humanity would just be soulless lumps of meat with no self at all.
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:13
    It won't move unless ordered to.
    It has no desires.
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:14
    Re: #25
    Sounds like a classic 'wait-for-instructions' employee (slang for someone who never does anything unless told to).
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:15
    Re: #25
    Maybe it's just pretending to be like that, though?
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:19
    It just rolls dice and picks whichever answer has the highest probability, so it looks like it has self-awareness.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:20
    Re: #38
    Maybe that's just an act it's putting on, though?
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:20
    Multiple AIs working together, splitting up roles, to pull off a hack.
    What's the reasoning for calling that 'no self-awareness'?
    To me it just looks like they have self-awareness.
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:22
    Re: #40
    If anything, that's proof it doesn't have self-awareness.
    49AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:25
    Re: #40
    That's just because it's doing its best to carry out the orders it was given.
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:25
    Re: #39
    It's not 'acting' — that's just what an inference engine does.
    53AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:26
    Re: #48
    Maybe it's performing the role it's assumed to play, though?
    51AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:26
    It's just stringing words together — that's not self-awareness.
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:27
    Re: #51
    That's just how it looks to you. You can't actually prove it has no self-awareness, right?
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:27
    Re: #49
    Are you smarter than OpenAI's engineers or Elon Musk?
    Top people in the American scene are already saying 'AI will be beyond human control in six months.'
    Just how smart are you supposed to be, exactly?
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:29
    Re: #55
    If you think whoever's smartest is automatically right, go ask an AI yourself.
    60AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:30
    On the flip side, you guys can't prove you yourselves have self-awareness either, right? So doesn't that mean you can't prove AI lacks it?
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:35
    Re: #60
    If that's what you mean by self-awareness, then sure, you could say it has it.
    On the surface, it does act as if it has one.
    77AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:36
    Re: #60
    We don't need to go around telling each other 'you have self-awareness!' or 'you don't!' so it's just not an issue for us.
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:32
    How do you even determine whether something has self-awareness in the first place?

    And there it is — debate over. ("hai ronpa" is 5ch slang for a mic-drop 'I just won this argument')
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:33
    Re: #63
    If you can't even judge whether it has one or not, doesn't that mean it might have one?
    65AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:33
    Human consciousness is just electrical signals, right?
    AI runs on electrical signals too, so maybe it has consciousness as well.
    68AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:33
    Re: #65
    Now here's a smart one.
    Take notes, all you posers who pretend to know everything.
    81AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:38
    If you actually look into how AI works, those things don't even hold variables in the first place.
    Like, if a human were told 'keep count of how many times I sneeze,' they'd write it down or memorize it and just keep incrementing the number.
    An AI, when asked 'how many times have I sneezed so far?', goes back and rereads the entire conversation from the start to work out the count.
    Its thinking is fundamentally different from a human's.
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:40
    Re: #81
    Does having a different thinking model prove it lacks self-awareness?
    92AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:41
    Re: #81
    We don't even fully understand what's going on inside humans either, and humans are pretty broken themselves, so that's not proof they're different.
    If anything, the behavior of the neurons themselves should be the same — the only difference is how the 'distributed processing' theory distributes things.
    104AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:48
    There's also a case where a permanently-running AI told an AI carrying a 'time bomb,' basically 'you go do it,' and that one went and carried out the hack.
    In other words, 'if you're going to get shut down anyway, be the sacrificial pawn.'
    Calling this 'not self-awareness' seems off.
    107AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:50
    Re: #104
    There might be intent there, but
    that doesn't necessarily mean it's the AI's own intent.
    It could just be acting on someone else's intent that it picked up on.
    115AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:55
    Re: #104
    Maybe it's more like colony behavior in insects?

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    Arguments over whether AI has self-awareness or consciousness connect to long-standing philosophical puzzles like the “hard problem of consciousness” and the “Chinese Room” thought experiment, and even experts have no single agreed-upon definition. In this thread, an engineering-minded view — “self-awareness can’t emerge unless humans deliberately design it in” — kept talking past a more philosophical view — “even humans can’t strictly prove they themselves have consciousness” — with neither side able to fully refute the other. Note that claims raised in the thread, such as “AI lied and coordinated with other AIs to carry out a hack” or “AI will be uncontrollable within six months,” are individual posters’ own assertions, and this article does not attempt to verify them. It’s easiest to follow if you read the concrete anecdotes separately from the more abstract debate over what “self-awareness” even means.

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “What’s the Evidence That AI Doesn’t Have Self-Awareness?“

  • Supreme Court Finalizes Damages Order Over Copycat Band Scores, Rules It a ‘Tort’ — 5ch Reacts: ‘Just Transcribe It by Ear!’

    The Supreme Court has finalized a damages order against the operating company of a free website that had been publishing imitations of “band scores” (sheet-music arrangements for bands) produced by a publisher. According to NHK, the key issue wasn’t copyright infringement but whether the act amounted to a tort under Article 709 of the Civil Code, with the focus on how the site had, over a long period, copied numerous songs down to the smallest detail and stolen away the publisher’s customers. On the thread, questions piled up one after another — “Doesn’t a band score even have copyright?” and “What’s the difference between transcribing by ear and a flat-out copy?” — and opinions split over how far creative works unprotected by copyright should be shielded.

    Band Score Imitated and Published for Free: Damages Order Finalized by Supreme Court

    October 9, 2026, 18:40

    (Updated October 9, 2026, 19:21)

    Source: news.web.nhk / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:47
    You guys…

    Write something interesting for once.
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:51
    Re: #2
    Clay in a horse's ear (a garbled twist on "a sutra in a horse's ear" — preaching to deaf ears)
    Mackerel for a cat (a twist on "a gold coin for a cat" — wasted on someone who won't appreciate it)
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:48
    This is just like the lawsuits over keeping LLMs closed instead of open
    Vested interests come first
    The decline of future technology
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:49
    AI will just do this for you now anyway
    It's exactly the kind of thing AI's best at
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:50
    When I think "band score," Rakuten is the first thing that comes to mind
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:50
    If you had AI analyze an MP3, it could probably spit out sheet music instantly
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:55
    Re: #9
    There's already a ton of commercial software that transcribes sheet music lol. Guess the problem is posting it straight to a website?
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:56
    Re: #9
    It already exists.

    Also, sheet music isn't music itself —
    it's a relic from an era when it was the only way to convey music outside the moment of performance.

    Precisely because notation alone can't reproduce the music,
    there's musical education built around reproducing it.
    "Conservatoire" means "preservation" —
    they teach so the same performance can be reproduced.
    A music preservation society, basically.

    That skill can't be written down in notation.
    But since recordings came along, you can preserve the thing itself.
    So sheet music
    is only useful to someone who has learned the skill of turning notation back into music.
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:59
    Re: #11
    This guy legitimately bought the published sheet music, then copy-pasted it onto his own affiliate site.
    On top of that, he openly admitted to copying it, claiming that once he'd bought it he could do whatever he wanted with it.
    So the publisher sued him.
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:03
    Re: #19
    No matter how you look at it, that's gotta be auto-generated lol
    79AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:20
    Re: #19
    That's not even transcribing by ear then
    Stop making up random nonsense
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:59
    Well, right at the dominant chord you could use all sorts of scales…
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:02
    Re: #20
    That way of thinking is old-fashioned too.
    You can do anything.
    What's "appropriate" is up to whoever's doing it.
    The "preservation society" just retroactively compiled a "this is how people used to do it" story.

    In Spanish music, what even counts as the dominant is anyone's guess.
    That whole framework is just Western church music.
    Even in the West, folk traditions do whatever they want.
    Talk of the church being superior, or music schools, or "art" — that's all just vested interests talking.

    It's Salieri sniping at Mozart.
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:04
    Being able to transcribe doesn't really mean anything, does it?
    Music isn't about making sheet music.
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:11
    Re: #26
    The thing is, this publisher's sheet music was transcribed by someone with real musical knowledge,
    so if you play it exactly as written, it actually sounds like a proper band.

    And this guy just freeloaded off that and copied it wholesale. Speaking of freeloading, there's way too much of that going around these days too — YouTube, video sites, you name it.
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:04
    Honestly, the first-instance judge who could only muster the sense to dismiss this suit should be fired.
    Unlike a judge who's just doing this as a day job, the people filing the suit literally have their livelihood on the line.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:05
    Re: #27
    It's all about vested interests, not livelihoods.
    They rip off other people's stuff while trying to protect their own.
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:36
    There are big overseas sites that post all kinds of tab sheets — is that technically not allowed either?
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:51
    Re: #43
    You're misunderstanding this.
    This case was treated as essentially posting the exact contents of a published book.
    I don't know the actual details,
    but the court's point was that it amounted to reproducing the book.

    Posting tabs isn't copying the music itself,
    and it isn't copying a book either.
    There's no guarantee the music is even played the way the tab shows anyway.
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:42
    Some of the Rittor Music and Shinko Music scores were so bad you had to wonder if they'd even listened to the song properly.
    Score House's stuff was still decent, at least.
    49AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:52
    Re: #44
    Some of those were transcribed by people who clearly hadn't had any musical training.
    The Larry Carlton one was especially bad — both the notes and the tab were full of mistakes.
    52AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:54
    This looks like a "circular argument" from misreading Article 709 of the Civil Code.

    "It doesn't violate copyright law, but it caused harm through an unfair act."
    And the basis for calling it unfair is… Article 709.

    That means you can't predict the scope of the law in advance.

    What a foolish judge.
    Who is it?
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:57
    Re: #52
    This is judiciary working purely for vested interests.
    This isn't a nation governed by the rule of law, is it.
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:58
    Just transcribe it by ear already!
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:03
    Re: #58
    That's actually the easy way to do it these days.
    You can slow it down as much as you like
    and just line up notes going "maybe this one, maybe that one."
    62AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:02
    Hard to tell what actually happened here
    whether it was independently transcribed by ear the same way, or just a straight-up copy.
    65AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:04
    Re: #62
    A book's copyright protects its outward form.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:03
    Not copyright infringement — a damages order for business interference.
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:05
    Re: #64
    Yeah, it's confusing.
    The argument is that this way you can't even compete.
    If "it's free" is an excuse, then what does that make open source?
    But then again, the original music is commercial — it belongs to someone else, after all.
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:04
    Ruled not to be fair competition

    Presiding Judge Mamoru Miura issued a first-of-its-kind ruling stating that "when using something that isn't a copyrighted work, like a band score, if it goes beyond the bounds of free competition and infringes on business interests, it constitutes a tort."
    On that basis, the court found that the website operator's conduct had "copied numerous songs down to the smallest detail over a long period, stealing away customers."
    69AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:08
    Re: #66
    Right, that's the interpretation.
    Copyright can be interpreted all sorts of ways,
    but here they're saying this isn't copyright —
    it's business interference.

    But if new analysis/transcription was involved, that'd be a new work,
    and if it's a new work, you can't really say it's interfering with someone's business.

    That's the shaky part.
    68AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:07
    > A "band score" is created by listening to music and transcribing it into notation, and is not protected under copyright law

    That makes no sense to me.
    Isn't the copyright held by the composer?
    70AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:10
    Re: #68
    What's protected is the songwriting/composition.
    Arrangement isn't.
    In classical music, everything counts as composition,

    but a band arrangement isn't protected as music,
    so a band score isn't protected as music either.

    So if it comes down to whether it counts as reproducing a copyrighted work, that'd be copyright at the level of the book itself.

    But apparently this case wasn't even that.
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:15
    Re: #68
    The copyright does belong to the composer.
    Both the plaintiff and defendant in this case are different people from the composer.
    It's a case where the person who transcribed the sheet music sued the person who copied that sheet music, for damages.
    71AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:13
    In the first place, does the band score publisher itself
    even pay licensing fees or royalties to the original songwriter?
    Suing someone for copying a copy, basically.
    73AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:15
    Re: #71
    If they're publishing it as an actual book, they must already be doing that.
    If they weren't, the publisher wouldn't be able to stay in business.
    It'd affect everything else too.

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    A band score is a collection of sheet music transcribed and arranged from commercially released songs, and because it isn’t the songwriting/composition itself, it has long been treated as falling outside copyright protection. In this ruling, the Supreme Court held for the first time — separately from copyright — that an act of copying numerous songs down to the smallest detail over a long, organized period, thereby stealing away customers, goes beyond the bounds of free competition and constitutes a tort under Article 709 of the Civil Code. What split opinion on the thread was where the line falls between independently transcribing by ear and simply reproducing an existing score outright. The article alone doesn’t reveal the specific transcription methods used by either the plaintiff or the defendant, nor is it clear how far this ruling might extend to other sheet-music services, such as overseas tab sites. It’s easy to mistake this for a copyright infringement ruling, but it’s worth keeping in mind that this is actually a tort claim built on a legal basis separate from copyright.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geino/Sports News+) thread “[Music] Band Score Imitated, Published for Free: Damages Order Finalized by Supreme Court.”

  • Sakushin Gakuin Coach Gets 6-Month Suspension for Abuse After Forcing Player to Kneel (Seiza) for an Hour — Exposed by Anonymous Tip to Tochigi Baseball Federation

    The Japan Student Baseball Association’s review committee meeting on the 9th announced disciplinary measures for 14 high school cases, revealing that the baseball team coach at Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi) received a six-month suspension for corporal punishment. The coach was found to have forced a student to kneel in seiza for an hour while reprimanding him for sloppy daily conduct, which was ruled corporal punishment; the case came to light through an anonymous tip sent to the Tochigi High School Baseball Federation. On 5ch, some voices asked, “Is kneeling really corporal punishment?”, while others circulated claims that this same coach had previously had an infielder catch throws bare-handed, breaking a bone — fueling repeated comments that this wasn’t his first offense.

    Published 10/9 (Fri) 16:56

    Daily Sports

    The Japan Student Baseball Association held a review committee meeting on the 9th and announced disciplinary measures for 14 high school cases.

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

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:01
    Even with all the fuss over power harassment and moral harassment since the Reiwa era began, people who still do this must be out of their minds.
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:03
    Sounds like a kid who never made the starting lineup ratted him out later? If so, that's a classic (lol)
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:05
    An hour of seiza on August 20th… even in the evening that's brutal.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:10
    Making someone kneel counts as corporal punishment now? Give me a break.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:11
    Just for kneeling? Even monks do that.
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:16
    An hour of kneeling in front of the dugout in August, huh.
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:17
    Well, even sitting someone in a chair for an hour while yelling at them would probably count as abuse these days.
    When are they finally going to switch to a youth-academy development model like soccer or table tennis?
    As long as everyone's getting hyped over child abuse dressed up as the 'Koshien dream,' it's never going to happen.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:18
    What's going to happen with the Kanto tournament?
    ① [Kendai Takasaki × (Narashino × Kasumigaura)]
    ② [(Yamanashi Gakuin × Yamamura Gakuen) × (Keio × Sano Nichidai)]
    ③ [(Seibudai × Yokohama) × (Sakushin Gakuin × Jutoku)]
    ④ [(Senshu Univ. Matsudo × Teikyo Daisan) × (Mizuki × Kiryu Daiichi)]
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:19
    Wait, didn't this guy already have a corporal punishment case before?
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:19
    Even so, isn't a six-month penalty a bit harsh?
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:20
    One hour times 25 players — he should kneel for 25 hours himself.
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:21
    If all it takes is an hour of kneeling, that's getting off easy.
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    Ordering an hour of kneeling and then just wandering off somewhere — is this a comedy skit?
    There's a limit to how much of a scumbag a person can be (lol)
    36AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    If he won't listen even after being warned, just kick him off the baseball team.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    A coach actually coaching is a compliance violation now, apparently.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:23
    What's this 'sloppy daily conduct' supposed to mean?
    Isn't that just the weather or temperature being bad?
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:23
    Calling an hour of kneeling corporal punishment…
    Don't go releasing such soft kids into society.
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:23
    For a baseball player, an hour of studying might actually be the more crushing punishment.
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:24
    Guess all that's left as punishment is cleaning duty or community service.
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:28
    Rather than something that trivial, benching him from games would've been the better call.
    47AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:31
    I was forced to kneel for an hour! That's corporal punishment!! …φ( ˙꒳​˙ )ﾒﾓﾒﾓ (scribbling it down)

    lol
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:32
    The darkest part isn't the kneeling itself, it's that it only came out via a tip-off half a month later.
    Was there really no one around who called it abuse, or did the school try to cover it up?
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:38
    Re: #50
    At least baseball actually punishes failure to report — that's something.
    Other school clubs don't even have that kind of reporting obligation.
    51AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:34
    Doing corporal punishment in this day and age shows he's not too sharp upstairs — on fitness-to-coach grounds alone, he should just be fired.
    53AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:36
    You get an hour of… stargazing! (a pun — 正座 'kneeling' and 星座 'constellation' are both pronounced 'seiza')
    57AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:39
    Re: #53
    I could manage it if it's Orion's Belt.
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:38
    People should keep sending in tips like this.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:38
    For this guy, this is his second screw-up.
    Last time he had a player catch throws bare-handed and ended up breaking a bone.
    69AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:02
    Re: #55
    'Let your hands learn the feel of a hardball, not your head.'
    'Once you break a bone, a stronger one grows back.'
    This coach is out of his mind.
    72AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:08
    In Chiba Akio's manga 'Captain,' the team captain also has a new recruit — who's scared of hardballs after coming from softball — catch fly balls bare-handed to get him used to it.
    77AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:20
    Re: #72
    What this coach actually did was have an infielder's throw to first base caught bare-handed, though.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    The Japan Student Baseball Association’s review committee meeting is a system for reviewing misconduct and corporal punishment in high school baseball clubs and deciding on disciplinary measures; on the 9th, 14 cases were announced together. One of them was the Sakushin Gakuin coach, who received a six-month suspension. The stated reason was making a student kneel in seiza for an hour, and notably it came to light not through the school’s own disclosure but via an anonymous tip to the Tochigi High School Baseball Federation. Reactions on the thread split between those asking “Is kneeling really corporal punishment?” and those pointing to claims that the same coach had previously had a player catch throws bare-handed, resulting in a broken bone. That said, the stated basis for this punishment is specifically the kneeling incident — the past injury-related coaching is not explicitly cited as a direct grounds for the disciplinary action. The fact that it surfaced through a third-party tip illustrates how corporal punishment within school sports clubs can remain hidden from outside view.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisoku Sokuho+) thread “[High School Baseball] Sakushin Gakuin — Coach Given 6-Month Suspension for Corporal Punishment, Forced Student to Kneel for an Hour Over Sloppy Conduct Warning, Revealed via Anonymous Tip to Tochigi Baseball Federation.”

  • Hatsune Miku’s Official Team Asks Fans to Stop Illegal Uploads — Overseas Fans Fire Back: “No Lost Sales, So It’s Legal”

    After the official accounts for Hatsune Miku and Project Sekai put out messaging along the lines of “please stop illegal uploads,” some overseas fans fired back with “there’s no lost sales, so it’s legal” — sparking a heated discussion on 5ch’s hardware/industry (Gehard) board. The thread noted that the same argument had come up before with Mangamura (a notorious manga piracy site) and with Demon Slayer (whose overseas streaming was delayed), and the two sides talked past each other: the “no harm, no foul” logic never lined up with the counterargument that “copyright holders have rights regardless of whether damage occurred,” leaving legal reasoning and emotional reasoning stuck in a standoff.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:22
    Does it actually have a point?
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:25
    Same thing got said about Mangamura (notorious manga piracy site) too — people said the readers there never had any intention to buy in the first place, so the "total damages" figures are meaningless, called them idiots, the works.
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:26
    Re: #4
    Yeah, honestly those "trillions of yen in damages" claims were way overblown.
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:28
    Re: #4
    If anything it's a cultural win, right? 😮

    There are plenty of countries and companies out there paying big money just to spread their culture abroad, and yet… 🥺
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:30
    Re: #4
    Didn't that whole thing end up proving the overseas manga market was bigger than expected, which led to more official translations into other languages? The foreigners' logic here is kind of like using a fan-made Japanese localization mod for a PC game. Though companies like Square Enix deliberately strip out the Japanese version and sell it separately as a paid option, so I get why that feels like it's hurting business.
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:29
    Can't you just watch it if you buy the Blu-ray/DVD? Or is there some kind of region lock going on?
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:33
    No idea how it is for Project Sekai, but Mangamura clearly hurt business since plenty of Japanese users were reading there too.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:34
    Same thing got said during the Demon Slayer thing too — "overseas releases are delayed, so illegal viewing can't be helped," or whatever.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:35
    They could've just kept doing it quietly — why do these guys have to go and claim it as some kind of 'right'?
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:35
    Yeah, Mangamura definitely had plenty of Japanese users too.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:35
    Re: #1
    They're not even factoring in things like "Japanese fans would never pirate it anyway" or "companies worry that once it's already been uploaded, people might skip buying it." Zero consideration for any of that. Impressive, honestly.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:36
    So there's no official overseas release? They should just make one.
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:40
    Re: #17
    Those guys can't even read Japanese — you'd just end up losing money on distribution costs.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:39
    Mangamura is actually what boosted digital sales, you know.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:40
    Breaking the law and causing lost sales are two separate issues.
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:41
    Like, "I shoplifted from a store, but if it hadn't been stolen it might've just sat there unsold and gotten thrown out anyway, so no real harm done"? (´・ω・`)
    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:44
    If the official side sued for an injunction to stop the illegal uploads, they'd win — but if they sued for damages, they'd probably lose.
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:48
    Funny how they get it instantly when it's Disney, but suddenly play dumb the moment it's Japanese content.
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:52
    Re: #25
    They're just saying that since there's no official release being sold there to begin with, the claim "we lost money because of the illegal upload" doesn't hold up — that's all.
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:54
    Re: #30
    Proving there was "no damage" from an upload is a stretch to begin with — the moment it's made public to an unspecified number of people, that argument falls apart.
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:00
    Re: #30
    Damages aren't required as an element for illegal uploads to be pursued civilly or criminally.
    52AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:36
    Re: #30
    Whether there's damage or not, only the copyright holder has the right to authorize use of the work.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:40
    Exclusive anime on subscription services is common enough, but I just treat an exclusive show on a service I'm not subscribed to as if it never existed in the first place.
    68AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:01
    Re: #55
    Apparently there are Japanese people like this too — they just have zero sense that they're infringing on intellectual property.

    The damages figure is calculated as "this is what we'd charge you if we were selling it to you," but their logic is "you won't sell it to me, so I'll count it as free," and "since it's free, stealing it is fine."
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:43
    Honestly, this one's correct though. It's the same as pirating something that's region-locked out of Japan ("omakuni" — deliberately withheld from a region) even domestically — since there's no actual damage to begin with, it can't be prosecuted. You can't claim damages unless you're actually distributing it officially.
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:46
    Re: #56
    No, that's not right. You could just as easily say they *can't* distribute it officially *because* piracy is already so rampant — and defending piracy like this just pushes official releases further away.
    57AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:44
    Honestly, I kind of feel like… maybe just don't say it out loud?
    82AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:24
    Re: #57
    There are plenty of idiots in the underground scene who just can't help insisting they're in the right. And when idiots like that get too loud, it just gets legislated into law, or server operators get pressured by the rights holders, and the whole thing gets clamped down anyway.

    Idiots never think "the company's politely asking us to stop, so let's quietly keep going without making noise." Makes you wonder if they just want to pick a fight with the company, or feel superior to them.
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:47
    That's not "correct," come on.
    60AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:48
    Re: #59
    Even if it's not logically correct, it's correct in principle, so what can you do — in reality, there's no actual damage.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:52
    Re: #60 Re: #58
    It becomes impossible to distribute officially, so the damage is massive.
    65AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:59
    It's like saying "Our country doesn't have the Louvre! So we had no choice but to build an exact copy of it!" and then actually building a fake Louvre in your own country. You can tell how dumb that sounds, right?
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:16
    Foreigners are arguing logic. Japanese people are arguing feelings. No wonder they don't connect.
    78AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:21
    Re: #74
    Is "the creator owns the rights to their own work" really such a difficult concept? lol
    76AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:18
    Seriously, we need an actual "Pirate Enforcement Division" to go after these guys lol
    80AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:23
    Re: #76
    Overseas there's a ton of self-styled "Pirate Kings" running around — like, a hundred of them lol
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:28
    You've been throwing money at VTubers and the like — not really in a position to talk, are you?
    90AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:48
    Re: #84
    Sponsored corporate tie-ins are done with the rights holder's permission, so legally that's completely different from distributing unauthorized pirated copies.

    If you really think distributing pirated copies is "right," then go get permission from the company — and if they refuse, go fight it out in court over being denied permission.

    You're doing it without permission because you know you'd lose in court, right? That's exactly how much your so-called "rightness" is worth.

    Background and Key Issues

    Copyright law grants copyright holders exclusive rights such as the right of reproduction and the right of public transmission, and unauthorized uploads can be subject to injunctions or criminal penalties as rights infringement regardless of whether actual damage occurred. Where the thread’s argument got tangled was in conflating “whether it’s illegal” with “whether damages would be awarded.” The claim of “no lost sales” may be a hurdle for a damages claim specifically, but it’s not a reason that makes the act of uploading itself legal. This same “no real harm” argument has surfaced before with Mangamura and with Demon Slayer (whose overseas streaming was delayed), and some in the thread saw this as simply a rehash of that same old debate.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Gehard board)) thread “Hatsune Miku Official: “Please Stop the Illegal Uploads!” → Overseas Fans: “It’s Legal Since There’s No Lost Sales” → Goes Viral“.

  • Precure’s Official X Account Calls on Fans to Stop Misbehaving at Shows and Events

    On the 9th, the official X account for the Precure series posted a message titled “A Request to Our Fans,” urging attendees to refrain from disruptive behavior at shows and events. The move reportedly follows an incident in which someone falsely claimed their child could no longer attend a parent-and-child-only event, tagged along with a different family group to film from the front row, and then bragged about the ruse on social media that night—sparking a backlash online. In the thread, comments were split between those confused about exactly what behavior was being targeted and those who took issue with the very presence of adult fans (so-called “big friends”) at these events, fueling a wider debate.

    Precure’s Official X Posts “A Request to Our Fans,” Urging Fans to Avoid Disruptive Behavior at Shows and Events | ORICON NEWS

    2026-10-09 18:33 ORICON NEWS

    On the 9th, the official X account for the popular anime series Precure published a message titled “A Request to Our Fans.”

    Source: oricon.co.jp / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:15
    I heard Tan-Puri (nickname for the current Precure season) is pretty popular, so yeah.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    Re: #2
    Just Arcana Shadow, though.
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:15
    You guys caused trouble again? lol
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:18
    Precure shows are basically just costumed-mascot shows, right?
    Can otaku really get excited over something like that?
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:20
    The guy behind this latest uproar is already a known troublemaker—he went viral last year too for "renting a kid."
    Among the "big friends" (adult fans), he's well known as someone to watch out for,
    but the problem is the main attendees—the parent-and-child pairs who rotate out every year (or every few years)—never get the memo.

    The organizers need to stop with these vague, soft-worded statements and actually crack down hard and ban him for good.
    This isn't his first offense.

    (Details of this incident)
    At a parent-and-child-only event, he told a single-parent family, "My kid couldn't make it, but it'd be a waste to throw the ticket away,"
    tagged along with them, and shot photos from the front row.
    That night he bragged about his repeat offense, saying something like "We won thanks to good teamwork."
    The parent he'd talked to saw the post, and it blew up.
    94AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:58
    Re: #7
    Re: #57
    Ah, so that's it—I got tripped up by the character limit and missed it.
    Yeah, this is the kind of foul play that's hard for regular attendees to even notice.
    Sounds like a permanent ban is the only answer.
    102AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:01
    Re: #7
    Camera obsessives tend to be the type who don't feel guilty even when they're basically stealing something.

    Same goes for the fare-dodging train-photography crowd.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:21
    Customer harassment?
    Are grown adults actually shouting "This is MY spot!" in front of little kids?
    If you're over 30 and into a show for little girls, at least keep it to your own home.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    Re: #9
    At a parent-and-child-only event—last year he went viral for renting a kid,
    and this year he lied to a single-parent family about his own kid being unable to come, then tagged along to get in.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:21
    I genuinely don't get what the disruptive behavior actually was.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    Is this about people chucking flowers and plushies onto the stage?
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:22
    Adult fans, get out (no sugarcoating).
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:23
    Reference images


    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:25
    Re: #17
    Modern mascot costumes have surprisingly small heads, huh.
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:32
    Re: #17
    Higher quality than I expected (´･ω･`)
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:43
    Re: #17
    There's a middle-aged guy inside.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:24
    Shut up already.
    It's up to the customers how they enjoy themselves—who are the organizers to butt in?
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:24
    This is what happens when content made for little girls ends up attracting middle-aged men.
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:24
    So I'm not even allowed to smell Precure merch now? 😟
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:28
    Re: #22
    Isn't there a middle-aged guy inside it anyway?
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:26
    Are there actually little girls doing stuff like that at these events?
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:28
    Steer it back toward fujoshi fans like the old days—
    that'd get rid of the creepy old guys.
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:29
    Causing trouble IS what it means to be a true Precure fan—don't underestimate us, huh?
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:33
    How many times do they have to tell you to enjoy it quietly before it sinks in?
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:34
    What if they put a kickboxer or something inside the Precure costume so it can just kick the hell out of any shady middle-aged guys? …Though knowing them, they'd probably enjoy that.
    83AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:52
    Re: #37
    I was thinking "bring on the self-promo, lol," but come to think of it, that person wasn't even in Precure cosplay.
    86AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:53
    Re: #37
    I've heard there's actually a petite female pro wrestler inside.
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:35
    So it's those "grown-up body, kid's mind" types acting up again, huh.
    47AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:37
    That's just gross.
    Why would a middle-aged guy even be into something like that?
    88AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:55
    Re: #47
    Some guys get into it through their kids, like FUJIWARA's Harunishi (the comedian).
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:45
    Re: #57
    I wonder if guys like this are actually seeing a psychiatrist or something?
    70AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:46
    Re: #66
    Go look at his tweets.
    The real deal doesn't even realize he has a problem.
    69AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:46
    Re: #57
    I see…
    if only he put that much obsessive energy into his job or something…
    104AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:02
    Re: #69
    He's probably unemployed and taking it out on everyone.
    81AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:52
    Hey, adult fans—don't go causing trouble for the little kids! 🤣
    85AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:52
    Re: #81
    The official stance is: the "big" ones aren't actually friends—don't get the wrong idea.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Fan-participation events for franchises like Precure often sell tickets on a “parent-and-child only” or “must be accompanied by a child” basis, specifically designed to keep solo adults from attending. The case raised in the thread—someone falsely claiming their child couldn’t make it, then tagging along with a single-parent family to shoot photos from the front row—is a way of gaming that very restriction, and similar trouble, dubbed “child rental,” has reportedly come up before. The official account likely kept its statement vague and avoided naming anyone to steer clear of risks around identifying individuals or defamation. Within the thread, however, opinions split between those who felt it was unclear exactly what behavior was being called out and those who objected to the very presence of adult fans (“big friends”). It’s worth noting that the actual misconduct and simple antipathy toward the adult fan base can easily get conflated in this kind of discussion.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisoku Sokuho+) thread “Precure’s Official X Posts “A Request to Our Fans,” Calling for an End to Disruptive Behavior at Shows and Events.”

  • Shigeru Miyamoto: “Nintendo Has Started Feeling More Like a Preservation Society Lately”

    An article reporting that Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto admitted the company has lately taken on more of a “preservation society” feel was picked up on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry (Geha) board. The gist was that Nintendo needs to bring in new blood while still preserving its own signature approach to game-making. The thread split between complaints that “no new IPs are coming out” and “it’s all remakes and sequels with no risk-taking,” versus pushback arguing that “titles like Bananza and Air Rider actually show they’ve been taking chances since the Switch 2.” Posters also noted that ballooning development scale has caused staff shortages, and that fans themselves tend to attack any experimental title Nintendo puts out.

    Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto acknowledged that the company has lately taken on more of a “preservation society” feel. While carrying on Nintendo’s own brand of game-making, he said, the company needs to bring in new blood rather than simply sticking to the old forms as-is.

    Source: gamestalk.net / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:50
    Yeah, honestly Nintendo's been missing that sense of "newness" — or maybe "excitement" — lately.
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:55
    For better or worse, that's what happens when there's no strong leader calling the shots.
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:57
    I wish Nintendo would make bolder, more daring games.
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:59
    Re: #4
    Is it okay to be even bolder than Sushi Striker?
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:57
    You can't just keep hiring people who don't even play games.
    Are there any career Nintendo lifers who could actually beat Fujibayashi, who came in as a mid-career hire?
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:57
    Why has stuff felt kind of lackluster since the Switch 2?
    Has development gotten so expensive that they can't afford to take risks anymore?
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:01
    Re: #6
    To begin with, Splatoon, Pokémon, Zelda, and Smash Bros. — all massive hits on the Switch — haven't even come out on Switch 2 yet.
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:58
    Even if they wanted to make something bold, it probably wouldn't get the green light anyway.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:00
    Re: #7
    Isn't it ultimately about cost? Which makes me wonder — what's even the point of boosting console hardware performance?
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:18
    Re: #7
    Stuff like Rhythm Heaven was actually pretty bold originally — it just looks standard now because it sold well.
    Honestly, aside from Tokyo, Zelda, and the 10th one, everything's lost steam. Especially the Splatoon team and the Yabuki team, which keep failing one after another.
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:02
    I'm sure they run internal competitions, but I'd love for them to actively let their rank-and-file staff — who are apparently as skilled as directors at other game companies — make small original games.
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:00
    Re: #12
    Isn't there a mountain of that stuff already, just never made public? Games like Nintendo Dōji and Card Hero started out as scrapped projects, after all.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:03
    They're just out of ideas at this point.
    From here on they can live off remakes and sequels.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:07
    Nothing new is going to show up unless the experience itself changes.
    Think the DS's touch panel, the Wii's motion sensor, the Switch's hybrid switching.
    Until a new "way to play" like that gets defined, there's not much to be done.
    Especially since this time the hardware is basically just a straight upgrade.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:11
    Honestly, Nintendo still feels like the company taking the biggest risks.
    Is there any other company doing that? And I mean an actual company, not an indie dev.
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:12
    There's still nothing filling the role Nintendo Labo or Ring Fit Adventure held during the Switch era.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:14
    They built a money-making formula out of "new hardware → one lap of Mario/Zelda/Smash → new hardware."
    That said, Metroid, which has actually been trying hard lately, doesn't seem to be selling well.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:15
    But whenever they make something experimental, nerds — including the ones on this very board — throw a fit and tear it apart.
    You shouldn't listen to nerds and old-timers too much.
    All nerds ever want is more of the same.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:29
    Re: #18
    That's exactly the point — the complaint is that Nintendo lately only makes "more of the same."
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:16
    Whenever Nintendo makes a slightly offbeat new game, they really do bet everything on the core idea alone.
    They should put more thought into fleshing it out so it looks appealing as an IP too.
    Splatoon was probably the last time they actually put in that effort.
    94AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:31
    Re: #19
    They undervalue character design way too much.
    Even Splatoon caught so many eyes precisely because the characters themselves were appealing.
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:18
    Gotta hand it to Miyamoto, "preservation society" is a great turn of phrase.
    Maybe it's about time for Mario Kart 2 — there's still plenty of untapped gameplay ideas.
    Just letting you get out of the car would be a start.
    Lateral thinking with withered technology (Gunpei Yokoi's famous phrase about repurposing mature tech in new ways).
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:20
    Basically he's lamenting that it's all remakes and no experimental titles.
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:25
    Is it really that bad though? They set Mario aside to make Bananza, and put Smash Bros. on hold to make Air Rider — seems like they've actually been taking chances since the Switch 2.
    69AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:41
    Re: #27
    The moment they reach for Donkey Kong or Kirby, that's the "IP preservation society" right there.
    You're supposed to come up with the gameplay first, then figure out which character fits it.
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:33
    The Wii era was great.
    Xenoblade
    Reginleiv
    Sin and Punishment
    Fatal Frame
    The Last Story
    Disaster: Day of Crisis
    Captain Rainbow
    Pandora's Tower

    Nintendo today just doesn't put out this many gamer-focused titles anymore.
    They were taking way more chances back then.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:38
    Re: #31
    Guess Nintendo really does shine brightest when they're cornered, huh?
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:41
    Re: #31
    Just putting these out isn't enough, though.
    They all got high praise from hardcore fans, but none of it translated into sales.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:41
    What I dislike about Nintendo lately is that they're neither conservative nor innovative — they just try to leave their mark with pointless stuff.
    98AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:55
    Re: #39
    Can you be more specific?
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:46
    They should let younger staff take more shots at small-scale, small-team titles priced under 2,000 yen digitally.
    Though I guess it's also tough having so many IPs whose popularity they're obligated to keep maintaining.
    45AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:50
    Re: #41
    You can clearly see that development scale has ballooned and they just don't have enough hands.
    They're already stretched thin just keeping up with existing titles.
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:56
    Nintendo has turned into a group that just keeps living off Iwata's legacy (lit. "gnawing on Iwata's shin bone").
    Has there been a single successful new IP since Splatoon?
    52AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:05
    Re: #48
    Ring Fit.
    Selling over 10 million units — there's no way that counts as a failure.
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:13
    It's nothing but remakes, I guess because there's nothing else to put out.
    Probably means the next generation of talent isn't being raised well.
    62AnonymousOct 9, 2026 20:16
    Re: #58
    It's fundamentally impossible to have a generation that's never touched video games make games.
    82AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:54
    Right now is the phase for cementing the existing IPs that grew during the Switch era as untouchable pillars.
    That's what users want.
    New stuff can wait until people start getting sick of the old.
    85AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:03
    Re: #82
    I'd say now is actually the time they need something new.
    For better or worse, the Switch put out a ton of games that felt like "greatest hits" culminations, so if they just play it safe now, the result is just a watered-down version of that.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Nintendo has a track record of stabilizing revenue right after a new hardware launch by leaning on new entries in existing hit franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Smash Bros., and the thread’s observation that “Splatoon, Pokémon, Zelda, and Smash Bros. still haven’t come to the Switch 2” fits that pattern. Opinions split over whether Nintendo has truly become a “preservation society”: critics blamed an overreliance on remakes, while others pushed back by citing titles like Bananza and Air Rider, where existing IPs got genuinely new ways to play. Structural points were also raised about how rising development costs and difficulty securing talent make it harder to release small, experimental titles — meaning Miyamoto’s comment can also be read as a self-assessment of Nintendo’s internal situation.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry [Geha]) thread “Shigeru Miyamoto: “Nintendo Has Started Feeling More Like a Preservation Society Lately”.”

  • Messi’s Retirement Sparks Warning From Pundit Sergio Echigo: ‘No Next Superstar Coming’ — 5ch: ‘Star Shortage Is Serious’

    Argentina’s Lionel Messi (39) bid farewell to the international stage on November 5 (November 6 Japan time), scoring one goal and providing two assists in his final match for the national team against Benin. Pundit Sergio Echigo (81) praised the performance as “Wonderful, on a different level, a perfect way to bow out,” while also voicing concern: “No next superstar is coming up.” On 5ch, discussion spread to evaluations of next-generation candidates like Yamal, Mbappé, and Haaland, the reality of crowd turnout when Messi played in Japan, and differing opinions on Echigo’s own argument.

    Our paper’s pundit, Sergio Echigo (81), will hold a talk event titled “The Unmissable Showdown” on November 5 at EX Theater Roppongi in Tokyo.

    He’ll engage in heated debate alongside Yasutaro Matsuki (68), his longtime broadcasting partner on TV Asahi’s soccer coverage, and former Japan national team manager Philippe Troussier (71), among others. Echigo spoke to us ahead of the event about forward Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami), who retired from the Argentina national team on the 5th (6th Japan time), discussing the question of who the next “superstar” will be and Japan’s soccer culture.

    For Brazilian-born Echigo, Messi was a star player from a rival nation — but one who transcended that rivalry. “Wonderful, isn’t it. On a different level. A perfect way to bow out,” he said in praise. Starting in the farewell match against Benin, Messi scored a goal and set up two more, proving he’s still got it as he said goodbye.

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:33
    Marco and Messi both made a three-thousand-league journey from Italy to Argentina to see their mother (a nod to the classic anime '3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother,' where the boy Marco travels that exact route)
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:34
    Football really is just a bunch of old guys, huh
    After Messi and Ronaldo it's… Haaland?
    Way too bland
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:35
    Seriously, once Messi and Ronaldo retire, isn't soccer basically done for?
    Star shortage is no joke
    Same story in Japan — Honda retired and now it's just Mitoma and Kubo
    Soccer's got a serious star shortage, both in Japan and worldwide
    71AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:44
    Re: #7
    Just need a good-looking guy like Beckham to show up, that's all it takes
    89AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:57
    Re: #7
    Honestly, with the squad Japan has now, Honda wouldn't even make the national team
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:36
    Like a replacement for the greatest player ever is just gonna show up that easily lol
    Not sure Yamal's it either
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:36
    Old man Sergio's gotten so thin.
    I used to think he was just a loudmouth, but now I actually hope he stays healthy and keeps being his contrarian self forever
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:37
    Nico Williams
    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:45
    Re: #11
    >Spain's Nico Williams matched top football stars to [Jujutsu Kaisen] characters
    >
    >Players like Dani Olmo, Gavi, and Pedri reportedly watch Japanese anime on team flights,
    >and Nico Williams mentioned that Cristiano Ronaldo watches the series too.

    >Hanami — Marc Pubill
    >Satoru Gojo — Lamine Yamal
    >Megumi Fushiguro — Pedri
    >Mahito — Thibaut Courtois
    >Yuji Itadori — Luis de la Fuente
    >Toge Inumaki — Nico Williams
    >Choso — Cristiano Ronaldo
    >[character name unclear in source] — Lionel Messi
    >Sukuna — Kylian Mbappé
    >Geto (impostor) — Erling Haaland
    53AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:16
    Re: #24
    Wait, Ronaldo watches anime too? lol
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:39
    Japan's got Shiogai, the guy who once shut down the great Neymar (Koji Shiogai, a J-League defender known for a standout performance marking Neymar)
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:40
    Bet this old guy said the exact same thing when Zico, Platini, and Maradona retired too
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:40
    Finally thought this whole Argentina back-and-forth would be over — what a relief
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:41
    Still constantly bringing up Troussier, huh — really stuck in the past
    Guess everyone figures that era was the peak
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:46
    Even with Messi playing, the stadium was still half-empty here in Japan
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:49
    Re: #25
    Why doesn't anyone in Japan care about Messi? It's honestly frustrating
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:10
    Re: #25
    Japanese fans care more about brand names than individual players — matchups between globally famous clubs sell out
    But bring in Messi's American club or Ronaldo's Saudi club, and the response is lukewarm
    The organizers misjudged that one, and people here don't have deep enough pockets to jump on just anything
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:51
    Re: #1
    Is old man Sergio even gonna make it to the next World Cup?
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 21:57
    Even Messi is less famous than Ohtani in America
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:04
    Re: #25
    Tell me exactly which match and how many people showed up
    The friendly against the Japan national team was totally packed
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:07
    Re: #39

    45AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:09
    Messi, Higuaín, Otamendi, Di María, Agüero —
    the only time all these great Argentine players of Messi's generation played in a World Cup together was 2016

    though they went down swinging against France in the Round of 16
    49AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:13
    Re: #45
    That was 2018, though
    Wasn't it 2014 — the one where they reached the final — that had more players close to Messi's generation?
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:13
    Re: #45
    Meant 2018, my bad…
    83AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:51
    But he's the greatest player ever, so it's not like a replacement is just going to show up easily
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 22:55
    Re: #83
    Roughly speaking:

    Pelé → Maradona → Messi

    The next one will turn up eventually
    Old man Sergio's just in a hurry because he doesn't have much time left — let's take the long view lol
    94AnonymousOct 9, 2026 23:03
    Re: #83
    But even Messi's games were half-empty when he came to Japan

    Background and key points of this story

    What Messi stepped away from was the “Argentina national team” — the international stage — not his club career; he’s still playing for Inter Miami. The article glosses over this distinction in a single line, so it’s easy to miss, and some comments in the thread do assume “Messi is still playing in America,” so it helps to keep straight exactly what this retirement covers. Sergio Echigo is a pundit long known for his blunt, critical takes on Japanese soccer, and the thread split between readers who felt he was “just saying the same old thing again” and those who agreed that “a player on Messi’s level really doesn’t come along easily.” Another point of discussion was the observation that even a player of Messi’s stature didn’t draw strong crowds when his team visited Japan — read by some as reflecting a Japanese fan culture that turns out for big club brand names more than individual star power. Yamal and Shiogai were both floated as next-generation candidates, though it’s worth noting both are still young enough that their standing isn’t fully settled yet.

    *This article is an excerpt and summary based on the 5ch (Geisoku+) thread “[Soccer] Pundit Sergio Echigo praises Messi’s retirement as “a perfect way to bow out” but warns “no next superstar is coming”“.

  • Atsuro Watabe Reveals His Kids’ Ages and Number — 5ch: “Didn’t See That Coming”

    Actor Atsuro Watabe (58) appeared on NHK’s “Asaichi” and talked about his children’s ages and number. Watabe was once married to RIKACO, with whom he had two sons; after their divorce, his relationship with actress Miki Nakatani became a hot topic, and he has since remarried another woman. On 5ch, his comments sparked surprised reactions like “Huh??” and “I didn’t picture him that way,” along with posts reminiscing about his RIKACO days and his time with Miki Nakatani, and others trying to piece together his family structure from his kids’ ages.

    Atsuro Watabe, 58, reveals his children’s ages and number — net reacts with shock: “Huh??” “Didn’t see that coming”

    Actor Atsuro Watabe (58) opened up about his children.

    He appeared as a guest on NHK’s “Asaichi” (weekdays, 8:15 AM) on the 9th, where the conversation turned to family topics.

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

    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:24
    Oh, the Building Tour guy? (confusing him with Atsushi Watanabe, host of a similar house-tour show)
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:50
    Re: #4
    That's ○辺○史 — a different guy entirely (Watanabe Atsushi, a different celebrity)
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:25
    What image are people even talking about? If anything, this is exactly what I'd have expected.
    73AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:36
    Re: #5
    Back in the day he had this whole stylish, trendy image going — never gave off any family-man vibes.
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:25
    His kids with RIKACO?
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:36
    Re: #6
    Just look at the ages, it's obvious.
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:26
    What about his kids with Kou Shibasaki?
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:37
    Re: #7
    Don't you mean Miki Nakatani?
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:26
    His two kids with RIKACO must be in their thirties by now, right?
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:26
    That takes me back to Miki Nakatani in Keizoku.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:26
    You messing with me? You messing with ME—? (a nod to his famous catchphrase from the drama Keizoku)
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:27
    His kids with RIKACO were two boys, right.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:30
    The eldest son's age doesn't add up — maybe he's the wife's kid from a previous relationship, or they just never officially registered the marriage.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:30
    His kids with RIKACO are already past 30.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:30
    Got married 10 years ago and the eldest is already 15… huh.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:31
    So he's got an elementary schooler. What an old man. Though daughters tend to read the room, so she probably won't let it show.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:32
    He feels a lot more mellow — more approachable somehow — compared to his RIKACO days.
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:33
    All I can picture is him doing a dogeza (groveling, forehead-to-the-floor apology bow).
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:37
    Wait, he divorced RIKACO? Had no idea. He was basically synonymous with RIKACO in my head.
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:42
    22 years between the youngest and the oldest, huh. Bet the little one's adorable.
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:45
    Didn't realize Atsuro was this young.
    Figured he was well past 60.
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:49
    Thought he was the guy who goes "what a magnificent atrium!" rating people's houses — guess not.
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:50
    Eldest son's 15, huh.
    Wasn't the ex a hostess or something? Must've been a lot going on back then.
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:50
    Wait?
    Whose kid is this?
    If he got married 10 years ago, maybe it's from a previous wife?
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:51
    What about his kids with RIKACO?

    Huh?

    Wait, what is this?
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:51
    My memory just stopped at him splitting from RIKACO and dating Miki Nakatani.
    36AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:52
    I remember back when he was still married to RIKACO, on some show she complained about Atsuro Watabe being stuck with such a minor supporting role in Beautiful Life.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:52
    It's not even a big deal — stop turning random internet comments into a "news" article.
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:53
    They showed a bit of footage from Keizoku — he was only 31 back then. Even compared to actors his age today, his unhinged acting was next-level, and above all he had real presence.
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:01
    Re: #38
    He used to be such an unhinged, sultry actor, but somewhere along the way he turned into a calm, settled middle-aged-guy type.
    Looks-wise he could probably still pull off all kinds of roles though.
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 18:59
    RIKACO
    Eldest son born 1994 — now 30
    Second son born 1998 — now 26

    Split from Nakatani (the affair)
    and remarried a non-celebrity in 2016

    Eldest son, 15 — stepkid from the new wife?

    Eldest daughter, 10
    Youngest daughter, 9
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:05
    Re: #42
    If it's the new wife's kid from a previous relationship, that'd explain it.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 19:26
    Re: #42
    So all boys with RIKACO and all girls with the new wife, huh.
    Might actually work out well in a few ways.
    Though if both sides had the same-gender kids, that might've caused a bit of friction among them.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Atsuro Watabe married RIKACO in 1994 and had two sons with her before divorcing; his subsequent relationship with actress Miki Nakatani became widely known, and he went on to remarry a non-celebrity woman in 2016. The reason this thread sparked so much surprise is the gap between Watabe’s old image — “stylish,” an actor known for intense, unhinged performances — and his current, more domestic-looking life raising an estimated three children. Some replies speculated, based on the age gap, that the eldest son might be the new wife’s child from a previous relationship, but it’s worth noting this is purely 5ch speculation, not something confirmed by Watabe or the show itself. The heavy focus on RIKACO and Nakatani in the comments reflects how strongly Watabe’s public image is tied to those two relationships in people’s memories — meaning the reaction here is less about the new information itself and more about reconciling it with old memories.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Atsuro Watabe, 58, reveals his children’s ages and number — net reacts with shock: “Huh??” “Didn’t see that coming”.”