Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • 5ch Debates What It’ll Take for ANGERME to Make a Comeback — “There Was Never Even a Good Era to Go Back To”

    Amid ANGERME’s slumping popularity, a thread titled “A thread to seriously consider how ANGERME can make a comeback” appeared on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. Posters pointed to structural problems one after another: uneven vocal ability among members, a seniority-based setlist order, and a lack of direction caused by having no clear leader. Proposals ranged from centering the group around Goto and Hirayama, to pairing up with Juice=Juice to pull in new fans, all the way to extreme ideas like disbanding or replacing the entire lineup. Some posters went further, arguing there was never actually a “good era” to return to in the first place. Others raised concerns about infighting among fan factions, and the discussion never converged on a single answer.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:59
    [The singing isn't appealing, the unison parts are all over the place]
    – Does individual singing ability need to improve?
    On average, the skill level isn't actually that low
    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:00
    Start by cleaning out the Juice=Juice fans who spend 365 days a year trash-talking ANGERME
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:02
    Re: #2
    Shouldn't it instead be cleaning out the copy-pasted "Ankasu" posts (a slur combining "ANGERME" + "trash," used by rival fans) that slander Juice=Juice 365 days a year?
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    Just change the group name again. The current members don't fit ANGERME's concept anyway.
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Drop the seniority system and rework the setlist so Goto, Hirayama, and Nagano get more spotlight. That'd bring at least some of the casual fans back (DD = fans who like multiple idols without a single favorite).
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Everyone would be happier if they just disbanded.
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Nothing's going to change until the agency itself realizes what's actually wrong.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    Open for Juice=Juice's shows, ride the extra exposure, and pull in new fans.
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    For now, go all-in on Yuppyon's homecoming show for the Kurashiki concert, and drop that "Ise 300" idea since it's not even clear it makes sense. (Yuppyon is a member's nickname; the "Ise 300" reference is unclear.)
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    What they think is funny just isn't.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    Start with the obvious: push the popular members and sideline the unpopular ones.
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:10
    If the leader or ace member is weak, the songs end up weak too.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:10
    Announce at PIA Arena that they're going to "crush Juice=Juice" and get picked up by online news.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:11
    Let NoBlock TV turn Ise into a mascot character as "the woman who talks in circles."
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:12
    Once things stagnate, just bring in new members.
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Throw in everyone except the promising trainees and make it a selection system where the lineup changes with every new song.
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    Isn't using the word "comeback" wrong to begin with, since ANGERME has never sold at the level Juice=Juice is at now in its entire history? The real question should be how to make them sell for the first time ever.
    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:16
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:16
    Just fix Goto in the center and push her relentlessly. Less wasted movement means less strain on her too — two birds, one stone.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:06
    Re: #25
    Why not do it EXILE-style and just fix Goto and Hirayama in place? It'd be easier on their stamina too.
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:19
    Also, Goto needs to stop taking taxis.
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:20
    Jokoryo's voice isn't as uniquely suited as people say, but there's definitely a sense she was dropped halfway through. If she's got time, she should come back as leader for a couple more years and take some of the load off Ise. Ise shines more as a supporting player anyway — not really the senior-figure type, more of a little-sister type.
    36AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:26
    Graduate Danbara and Inoue and throw them into ANGERME.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:26
    Well, if the original leader goes around loudly saying her time as an idol was nothing but pain, that's rough — there's not much you can do about that.
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:28
    After leader candidates kept graduating one after another without any fuss, the group ended up losing its identity.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:28
    You can't buy Juice=Juice tickets without buying ANGERME tickets.
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:29
    Have a former member (OG) make a secret guest appearance every day, rotating.
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:32
    Once the group lost someone to steer its image — like other groups' leaders do — it's going to keep drifting forever no matter what they try from here.
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:34
    Bring in a new member with good looks and style who's likely to get popular, and tap the unpopular ones on the shoulder to push them out. Popularity would naturally come back that way.
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:34
    If Sasaki had become leader… If Momona had become leader…
    45AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:35
    Full lineup replacement.
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:37
    Re: #45
    Tamenaga stays though — is that still fine with you?
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:40
    Re: #1
    You should be careful writing careless stuff without ever going to a show — worst case, you could get hauled in for obstruction of business by fraudulent means. Watch yourself, hater.
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:45
    Let's go ahead and archive this thread for now (5ch slang for preserving a thread as evidence).
    51AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:49
    As for "Vanilla," forget whether the song itself is good — I genuinely don't understand the thinking behind performing a July release back in March and then immediately dropping a full-length dance practice video where you could hear the whole thing.
    52AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:50
    There's no "comeback" to speak of — there was never a good era to begin with.
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:03
    The problem is the very members you'd rely on, Goto and Hirayama, keep taking breaks. It'd probably be better to disband once, overhaul the lineup, and rebuild around Tamura — there's almost no one else worth keeping.
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:23
    Goto Hana, just stay innocent and carefree forever — don't show us your dark side.
    76AnonymousOct 9, 2026 17:41
    Re: #67
    Sada Masashi lol (a folk singer-songwriter famous for long, meandering story-songs — the joke being Ise talks the same way)

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    ANGERME is an idol group under Hello! Project, and the Goto, Hirayama, Ise, and Jokoryo named in the thread are all current or former members. The thread split into two camps: those who frame the problem as a matter of “management’s setlist and promotion decisions,” and those who see it as rooted in “the member lineup and the group’s direction itself.” The first camp called for scrapping the seniority-based setlist and building shows around Goto and Hirayama; the second went as far as suggesting disbandment or a full lineup overhaul. Some replies also pointed to overlapping fanbases with labelmate Juice=Juice, suggesting that the broader structure of multiple Hello! Project groups operating simultaneously is part of the backdrop — one that can’t be explained by a single group’s popularity alone.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “A thread to seriously consider how ANGERME can make a comeback.”

  • Kōhaku Hosts Picked to Ride VIVANT’s Wave — 5ch Fires Back: “If You Haven’t Seen the Drama, You’re Not Watching Kōhaku Anyway”

    NHK announced that for the 77th Kōhaku Uta Gassen broadcast on December 31, announcer Naoko Suzuki will be joined by Mana Ashida, Masato Sakai, and Kazunari Ninomiya as hosts. Sakai and Ninomiya co-starred in TBS’s Sunday Drama “VIVANT,” and many viewers saw the casting as riding on the drama’s coattails. Ninomiya’s declaration of “cooperation” with Sakai on his own X account also became a talking point. On the 5ch (Geino/Sports News Flash+) thread, debate broke out over whether people who haven’t watched the drama are really being treated as “unpatriotic,” discomfort with the assumption that “everyone” is watching when ratings are only around 15%, and questions about NHK casting hosts to piggyback on another network’s hit drama.

    The hosts for “The 77th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen,” airing on New Year’s Eve, December 31, have been announced. Alongside NHK announcer Naoko Suzuki, the show will be hosted and livened up by Mana Ashida, Masato Sakai, and Kazunari Ninomiya. This “blatant” casting choice has drawn some cold reactions from viewers.

    [“Ninomiya Kazunari will put everything into cooperating with Sakai Masato. (So Ashida Mana, thanks for having me! lol)”]

    On October 9, Ninomiya posted this update on his own X account. It was presumably aimed at Sakai, with whom he’ll be “teaming up” as a Kōhaku host, but viewers who couldn’t make sense of it were left baffled.

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

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:33
    If it bothers you that much, just go watch the damn thing.
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    So were people who never watched the morning dramas or the Taiga dramas "unpatriotic" this whole time?
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    Can we just cancel this whole "singing party" that's basically everyone's TV license fees getting handed over to talent agencies?
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    The ratings aren't even high enough to be calling anyone "unpatriotic" lol
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    People who haven't watched the drama probably aren't watching Kōhaku either.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    To each their own, don't sweat it.

    I watch VIVANT myself, but I've never even seen Demon Slayer or Chiikawa.
    Same with Toyotomi Brothers.

    Dropped Kaze, Kaoru halfway through lol
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    I cracked up at the Season 1 scene where he falls into a hole and shoots five guys, and that's where I stopped watching.

    That Johnny's guy's acting is cringe too — the kind where speaking your lines fast is supposed to make you look smart.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    A public broadcaster putting on a kids' talent show and a singing party? Are they stupid?
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:39
    Don't bring the drama's vibe into Kōhaku.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:39
    Watching torture scenes doesn't exactly move me, you know.

    And now there's a second wave of reporting on Director Fukuzawa's alleged workplace harassment, this time from "Bunshun Online." Even before "Shukan Josei's" first report, back in December last year a VIVANT assistant director was reportedly shoved by Director Fukuzawa, fell off a stepladder, and fractured his radius and elbow while also cracking a rib — a month to fully heal. TBS's response was reportedly a one-day suspension for Fukuzawa.
    https://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026/09200600
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:40
    "Treated as unpatriotic" lol. I haven't watched a single episode since I found out Ninomiya was in Part 1, and… so what? It's just TBS making noise about it — it's not like the whole country is actually watching.
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    I watch it myself, but someone not watching it doesn't affect anyone lol
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    Sakai Masato aside, I don't think Ninomiya is well-liked enough to be hosting Kōhaku.
    He comes across more as a smooth operator who's good at sucking up to people in power.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:43
    I watch it out of sheer momentum, but

    honestly, VIVANT isn't even that interesting.
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:47
    Good promo for the VIVANT movie too, so it's a win-win, huh.
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Re: #34
    There's no way someone who just learned about VIVANT from Kōhaku is suddenly going to go see the movie.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    I do think NHK shouldn't be picking hosts just to piggyback on another network's drama.
    Maybe they're too obsessed with ratings, but even the news is starting to feel like a commercial network's these days.
    45AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Re: #39
    It's promo for the VIVANT movie, so TBS is happy about it too.
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:51
    Ohtani Shohei harassment: "If you're Japanese, you'll root for Ohtani, right~"
    Olympics harassment: "If you're Japanese, you'll root for the Japanese athletes, right~"
    World Cup harassment: "If you're Japanese, you'll root for Japan, right~"
    VIVANT harassment: "Why aren't you watching VIVANT~" "Not watching VIVANT makes you unpatriotic" New
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Re: #42
    Out of all of those, the Ohtani harassment is by far the creepiest.
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:59
    Shukan Josei keeps scraping together opinions like this off the internet to churn out lazy armchair articles.
    These guys are the real hyenas, milking a popular show's name for clicks.
    Seriously gross.
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    Re: #56
    This kind of weekly magazine barely sells anymore and is on the verge of going under, so writing clickbait off the internet for pageviews is the only way they survive.

    Pathetic bunch, lol. Nobody needs them anymore — TV will probably end up the same way eventually.
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:00
    I only watch it to keep up with conversations around me, but
    VIVANT is the most painful viewing hour of my week.
    I can't get past the hazy, vague setting, the voice work, and the over-the-top acting.
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    Re: #58
    Yeah, it got poor reviews overseas too.
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:02
    Satomi Ishihara's drama takes way more risks, honestly.
    69AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Re: #63
    It doesn't take any risks at all.
    It dodges the issue by setting the story in some fictional country that isn't Japan.
    73AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    I don't get it — someone give me the VIVANT plot in three lines.
    89AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Re: #73

    391: Anonymous (a stock 5ch username roughly meaning "much obliged"): 2026/10/07 (Wed) 05:09:20.25 ID:MqXHqw0V0
    I dropped it instantly after seeing him covered in crap at the start of Season 1.
    Anyone who decided to keep watching after that is the real idiot.
    77AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    I'm anti-Sunday Drama slot in general, so I haven't watched any of it.
    They're always so over-the-top with no substance.
    79AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    Re: #77
    The whole point of an article like this is to drag people like that in and stir up a bit of manufactured outrage for promotion lol
    80AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    Is this show even that good?
    82AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:11
    Re: #80
    The story itself is nothing special.
    A lot of it is just throwing money at sensational elements.
    There's plenty of anime out there that's far more interesting.
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Japanese actors might be the least valuable profession there is, honestly.
    90AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    Re: #87
    The young ones are just awful across the board.
    Guys like Sakai and Oizumi are probably the last decent line of actors left.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    “VIVANT” aired in TBS’s Sunday Drama slot and has an upcoming theatrical release. There’s a yearly custom of picking Kōhaku hosts from among that year’s buzziest performers, and the casting of Sakai and Ninomiya is widely seen as an extension of that. What split the thread was whether people who hadn’t watched the drama were truly being treated as “unpatriotic” — some reacted to the headline’s exaggeration at face value, while others voiced discomfort with the piggyback casting itself. Kōhaku’s ratings have hovered around 15% in recent years, which led some to question the very premise that “everyone” is watching. Note that the misconduct allegations against production staff mentioned in the thread were a separate matter already reported by weekly magazines, unrelated to the Kōhaku hosting decision itself.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geino/Sports News Flash+) thread “‘It kills the mood,’ ‘Not watching VIVANT gets you treated as unpatriotic’ — Sakai Masato and Ninomiya Kazunari tapped as Kōhaku hosts riding VIVANT’s wave, while the ‘haven’t watched the drama’ crowd looks on coldly [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”

  • Akari Uemura’s Fan Club-Only Event: Tempura and Fukagawa Rice Served on a Traditional Houseboat

    Akari Uemura, a member of Hello! Project’s M-line Club, has announced a fan club members-only event aboard a yakatabune (traditional Japanese houseboat). The course will cruise around Odaiba, passing Nihonbashi, Tsukiji Bridge, and the Rainbow Bridge, while serving freshly-fried tempura, sashimi, and Fukagawa-meshi (a local Tokyo rice dish) with one drink included. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, some fans hyped it up as “smells like a legendary event,” while others voiced confusion over the price, whether alcohol would be served, and the idea of holding it in such a closed-off space.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:00
    2026.10.09 FC Event
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:00
    Akari Uemura's long-awaited houseboat event is finally happening!!
    Enjoy a relaxed time in a special setting ♪
    ★Odaiba cruise course (passing Nihonbashi, Tsukiji Bridge, Rainbow Bridge, and more)
    ★We'll serve freshly-fried crispy tempura, fresh sashimi, and our special Fukagawa rice. One drink included
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    https://www.upfc.jp/m-line/images/upload/images/%E5%85%AC%E6%BC%94%E8%A9%B3%E7%B4%B0/26.11%E6%A4%8D%E6%9D%91%E5%B1%8B%E5%BD%A2%E8%88%B9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%99%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E5%85%AC%E6%BC%94%E8%A9%B3%E7%B4%B0.jpg
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    Kinda wanna go lol
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    A former member of the currently red-hot Juice=Juice lol
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:02
    Probably one of the houseboats docked at Shibaura
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:02
    Well, it's a houseboat with a meal included, so the price seems about right
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Damn, that's awesome
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Whoa lol, lucky
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Lol
    She should've done this together with Yukanya
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Isn't Fukagawa rice the one with loach (dojo) in it?
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Smells like a legendary event
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Ma-chan should do this too
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Wait, isn't it a cruise ship instead?
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Maybe around 100 people?
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Feels like Yukanya would be there lol
    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Nowhere to run if someone comes at you
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    Guess it's like a day bus tour with karaoke, so that's fine
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Of course there'll be alcohol for this, right?
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Re: #28
    Aarii's a highball girl
    51AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:31
    Re: #28
    It says right there that there's none
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    This event's gonna mess with everyone's sense of personal distance
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    Is this the first houseboat event for M-line too?
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    Would be funny as a bit if Aarii were on a different boat, but yeah, she's on the same one
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:11
    Nice
    Seems like there'll be a lot of middle-aged otaku
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:12
    Does it still happen in heavy rain?
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:20
    Re: #40
    More about wind and waves than rain, probably?
    It's indoors anyway (though I don't know about the smoking area)
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:15
    Is it ¥18,000 with alcohol and drinks sold separately?
    Wonder if Aarii does karaoke, or if the otaku get to sing too lol
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:16
    Aarii's got a boating license, so maybe she's the captain
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:21
    I want the captain to be Ma-chan since she's the one with the boating license
    47AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:22
    Re: #46
    Sounds like it'd be brutal seasickness
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:26
    What about tempura? There's tempura, right?
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:34
    Too bad there's no alcohol
    Guess she needs more seniority before they'll let her do drinking-party-style events
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:43
    Re: #54
    It's about how much they trust the otaku
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:35
    Come to think of it, did that drinking-party-style event Takeuchi did end up being fun?
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:35
    *If you have a history of food allergies, please judge in advance, at your own responsibility, whether you are able to participate before applying.
    M-line Club bears no responsibility whatsoever in the event that an allergic reaction occurs.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:44
    She's probably been taken on one of these by some higher-up before…
    65AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:48
    Be careful about fires and stuff
    There have been a lot of accidents lately

    But I am curious about houseboats
    Lived in Sumida Ward for years but never got the chance
    It came up as a work outing idea several times though

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Fukagawa-meshi is an Edo-style rice dish topped with a clam-based broth (typically using asari clams), so the “loach” theory that came up in the thread is a mix-up with a different regional dish — loach isn’t typically used in Fukagawa-meshi itself. As for whether alcohol would be served, speculation in the thread initially assumed “there must be alcohol,” but this was later corrected after commenters pointed out that the official announcement stated alcohol would not be served. Fan club events held on houseboats aren’t unusual in the underground idol scene, but they’re rare for members of major talent agencies, and the fact that it’s held in such a closed-off space fed into discussion about personal distance and safety. Given that the ¥18,000 price includes a meal and one drink, it isn’t far off from the going rate for similar fan events.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “★Fan Club Members-Only Event★ “Akari Uemura Fan Club Event on a Houseboat” Confirmed!“

  • Man Who Just Had Phimosis Surgery Fields Endless Questions on 5ch: ‘Feels Like I Shed a Skin’

    A man who had just undergone phimosis surgery posted a Q&A thread on 5ch’s “Morning Coffee” board. He had paraphimosis (a severe form where the foreskin gets trapped behind the glans), which had been worsening year after year, so he got the operation done under national health insurance. He went on to answer in detail about the surgical procedure, how painful the anesthesia was, the post-op restrictions, and what the end result looked like. Replies poured in, including stories from people who skipped surgery and instead stretched their foreskin over time to shift into a milder, easily-retractable form of phimosis, as well as others who recommended surgery outright — making clear that how people choose to deal with phimosis really varies from person to person.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:45
    Ask me anything.
    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:47
    Is it true that old guys who use the gym shower instead of bathing at home rarely have phimosis because everyone just gets surgery out of vanity?
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:48
    Re: #3
    Probably, yeah.
    Though apparently 70% of guys have phimosis.
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:48
    What type of phimosis, and
    your flaccid length

    Give me those two, please!
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:48
    Re: #7
    Paraphimosis.
    For some reason they measured me after the surgery — it was 10cm.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    Retractable? Nobody cares about phimosis these days unless it's the true or paraphimosis type, right?
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Re: #9
    It was paraphimosis.
    I'd always figured I was more on the retractable side (what 5ch jokingly calls "Mars" — a pun, since the word for retractable phimosis, "kasei," sounds like the Japanese word for the planet Mars),
    but today the doctor clearly diagnosed me as paraphimosis, and I'm glad I chose surgery.
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    So it's the kind where they cut the skin?
    I heard there's also a method where they just tie it off at the base.
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Re: #10
    Yeah, they cut the skin.
    When they first explained the procedure I nearly got lightheaded.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Isn't paraphimosis the one where, if you're not careful, it can cut off blood flow and the tissue basically starts to die?
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:53
    Re: #13
    Yep, that's it.
    It would retract, but if I kept it retracted too long it started hurting (sometimes hurt during masturbation or sex too).
    I'm so happy that's gone now.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:52
    Thought it was just retractable, but it turned out to be paraphimosis —
    well, no wonder you had to cut it.
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:53
    I've got true phimosis, so this is exactly why I'm worried.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Re: #14
    Yeah, exactly.

    Re: #15
    That's scary — I'm the type who gets morning wood easily.

    Re: #16
    If you apply, it's covered by insurance, so definitely go for it.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:53
    By the way, you'll wake up from the sheer agony of getting morning wood now.
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Also, since your underwear constantly rubs the glans and 'toughens it up,' you end up with delayed ejaculation, which sex workers hate.
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:57
    Re: #23
    The doctor actually told me it tends to make you more prone to premature ejaculation.
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:01
    Isn't it fine to just keep it 'sheathed' when you're not using it (i.e. stay phimotic)?
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:02
    Re: #27
    Since mine was paraphimosis, I'm glad I did it.
    The symptoms kept getting worse every single year,
    so honestly I probably should've done it sooner.
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    Dick shape is probably hereditary too — is your dad also a paraphimosis case?
    Did you ever talk to him about it?
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:03
    It's a long story so I'll keep it short, but
    isn't there some procedure that's not a big cut — just gently stretching the skin in the retracting direction?
    That alone would be plenty for me.
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Re: #31
    Apparently there are non-cutting procedures too —
    something like applying an ointment to gradually soften and loosen the skin.
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    I was also leaning toward paraphimosis, but at 20 I stretched the skin myself and turned it into retractable phimosis instead.
    You don't necessarily have to go as far as surgery.
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:04
    Oh really? Congrats.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    Re: #33
    Jealous.
    I trained toward that same goal,
    but before I knew it I was pushing 30,
    and the paraphimosis symptoms just kept getting worse every year anyway.

    Re: #34
    Thanks.
    After it was done, walking around outside, I felt like a completely new man.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:06
    You've gotta tell your mom and get her to cook celebratory red rice (sekihan, the traditional dish for good news) back home.
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Re: #39
    I've only told one friend who's also had phimosis surgery, and I don't plan on telling anyone else.
    41AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Did you take the foreskin home as a souvenir?
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    Can a third party tell just by looking at your dick that you had the surgery?
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Re: #41
    They didn't show it to me.
    I've heard some clinics show you the skin they cut off,
    but I'm squeamish about gross stuff, so I'm glad mine didn't.

    Re: #42
    It tends to come out two-toned, so people in the know might be able to tell.
    I went with a slightly pricier plan where they positioned it just under the ridge of the glans, so the scar is apparently hard to notice.

    Re: #43
    I literally feel like I shed a layer of skin.
    If I were the retractable type it'd be totally fine as-is,
    but depending on the day, even just pulling it back used to be a real struggle.
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    Yeah, I bet it really does feel like being reborn.
    Even with retractable phimosis, I still manually pull mine back for show every time I go to the public bathhouse.
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:09
    No masturbating for two whole weeks?
    46AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:10
    'Phimosis-maru' (a cutesy mascot-style nickname) sounds like a good guy.
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:16
    Re: #44
    Masturbation, sex, and sauna are off-limits for 1 month.
    Drinking, sports, and soaking in a bathtub are off-limits for 1 week.
    Showers are off-limits for 3 days.

    Re: #45
    A surgery veteran told me masturbating with the foreskin feels better, so it's a bummer that the surgery takes some of the pleasure out of it.

    Re: #46
    I'm flattered.

    Re: #47
    That is way too enviable —
    I always believed I'd eventually turn into the retractable ("Mars") type myself.

    Re: #48
    I'm not really interested in going that far.
    I'm a scaredy-cat, so I just wanted the bare minimum procedure.
    47AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:11
    I was also leaning toward paraphimosis, but after repeatedly masturbating with the foreskin, it stretched out and became fully retractable.
    48AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:12
    People on social media often claim you can lengthen your dick too — did you not try that?
    49AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:12
    Re: #35
    Alright, it's a long story but here it is.
    I don't need any softening treatment — I'm not sure exactly how severe it counts as medically, but I consider myself a pretty severe case of the retractable ("Mars") type.
    When I was younger, as long as I was in decent shape I could hold it retracted manually for show,
    but now that I'm middle-aged with a gut, my belly fat pushes the skin forward over it, so unless conditions are good I can't keep it held back anymore.
    Even when I'm warmed up at a hot spring or whatever, depending on the situation I sometimes still can't hold it back and it covers up again.
    That said, once I get an erection it retracts on its own at some point, so I think if they cut too much it'd end up too tight and painful when erect.
    I say it retracts on its own, but depending on position it can still get covered again, so in practice there's still a bit of excess skin.
    So if there's some procedure that's just a little stretching, I'd want to try that.
    51AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Glad you took the plunge and got it exposed —
    masturbating with lotion, or using a masturbation sleeve (onahole), feels insanely good now.
    It's on a whole different level — makes you wonder what all your past masturbation even was.
    52AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    Did they shave the hair and give you a local anesthetic?
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:21
    Re: #49
    Ah, so it's the kind of retractable phimosis where it's hard to keep the skin pulled back.
    If you've got excess skin, cutting is probably the fastest fix.
    There's design-cut options and non-cutting procedures too —
    and in the consultation you can go into detail about your preferences for the final look,
    plus they'll explain what's possible and what your treatment options are,
    so if you're genuinely curious, I'd recommend getting at least one free consultation.

    Re: #51
    I can't wait.
    I was jerking off about 3 times a week, so a month of abstinence is going to be a real ordeal.


    Re: #52
    I went without shaving.
    They gave me about 10 injections of anesthetic at the base,
    but from the very first one it hurt less than a flu shot —
    just a little prick, really.

    Re: #53
    If some guy in his early 20s at peak sex drive went through this, it'd be genuinely brutal.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:18
    If you've lived with phimosis all the way into your late 20s,
    people around you must have already clocked it by now — at the urinal, at the bathhouse —
    so honestly, if you suddenly showed up fully exposed at this age, I feel like people might actually rib you for it.
    60AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:26
    Re: #55
    I go to the sauna and bathhouse with friends a lot, so they'll probably notice.
    But since I usually covered up with a towel anyway,
    and I tended to pull it back manually for show,
    and I don't think my friends actually keep track of the state of my dick,
    I figure it'll work out somehow.
    I don't really remember what my friends' dicks look like either.

    Re: #56
    Right.
    I was told to leave the first bandage on without changing it for 2 days,
    but apparently from day 3 onward I have to change it every single day until 2 weeks have passed.

    Re: #57
    Yeah, there really are a lot of guys with the excess-skin type of phimosis too.
    But speaking as a paraphimosis guy myself, if it's just excess-skin-type retractable phimosis, I don't think surgery is necessary at all.

    Re: #59
    It's wild how it gets stuck at that halfway point.
    Honestly I kind of like the look of being half-exposed, though.
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:18
    It's annoying that peeing gets the bandage dirty and you have to change it.
    57AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:21
    My grandpa and dad were both fully exposed,
    but I learned to hump the floor around age 5, which stretched my skin out into phimosis.
    Because of that, even though I'm 17cm erect, the skin still fully covers all the way to the tip.
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:22
    More importantly, what's with the half-exposed guy?
    Come on, that's just half-assed — go train yourself to retract it the rest of the way.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Medically, phimosis is divided into three types — retractable, true, and paraphimosis — and health insurance only covers cases like true phimosis or paraphimosis, where the skin compresses the glans and causes blood-flow problems or difficulty urinating. The fact that surgery for purely cosmetic reasons is generally out-of-pocket isn’t something that comes across just from the thread’s comment “it’s covered by insurance, so definitely go for it.” In Japan, the notion that “phimosis is embarrassing” spread widely from the 1990s onward through cosmetic-surgery clinic advertising, and this isn’t necessarily a common attitude overseas. Even within the thread, opinions are split between those in favor of surgery and those who stretched their skin to shift into retractable phimosis instead — suggesting this isn’t really a question of which choice is “correct,” but rather one where the right call depends on whether symptoms like paraphimosis are actually present.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Just had phimosis surgery, ask me anything.”

  • Data Breach at JR East’s “eKiNet” and “Adult Holiday Club” Services — 2.06 Million Records Exposed

    On the 9th, JR East announced that personal information such as email addresses may have leaked for a combined total of approximately 2.06 million members of “eKiNet” and “Otona no Kyujitsu Club” (Adult Holiday Club). The cause was unauthorized access to the data center of SoftBank subsidiary IDC Frontier, and for Adult Holiday Club members, the exposed data reportedly includes membership numbers, credit card expiration dates, and dates of birth. While addresses and credit card numbers themselves are said not to have leaked, the forum saw a wave of reports that suspicious phishing emails resembling the real ones had already been showing up for a while, splitting reactions between resignation that personal data has basically leaked everywhere already, and calls for the company to be held liable for damages.

    On the 9th, JR East revealed that personal information, including email addresses, belonging to a combined total of roughly 2.06 million members of “eKiNet” and “Otona no Kyujitsu Club” may have been leaked. This reportedly stems from unauthorized access to the data center of SoftBank subsidiary IDC Frontier.

    According to JR East, the possible leak covers about 1.67 million accounts from eKiNet, the train ticket reservation and purchase service, and about 390,000 accounts from Otona no Kyujitsu Club, a membership service for people aged 50 and over. For eKiNet, email addresses may have been exposed; for Otona no Kyujitsu Club, membership numbers, credit card expiration dates, and dates of birth may have leaked in addition to email addresses.

    JR East says this leak did not expose addresses or credit card numbers themselves. It also says that while member email delivery has been partially disrupted for both services, train ticket reservations and other functions are working as usual.

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

    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:11
    Emails from eKiNet are phishing
    206AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:27
    Re: #5
    That used to be a classic phishing move back in the day
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:13
    Wait, seriously? I'm an eKiNet member though?
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:18
    Re: #9
    I'm not even an eKiNet member but I get phishing emails that look just like theirs
    Every single day, too
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:14
    Back in the Showa era everyone's address and phone number were public knowledge as a matter of course, so there's nothing to worry about. Even idols' home addresses were known to anyone back then
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:15
    Re: #13
    Then go ahead and post your real name and address right here
    You don't mind, right?
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:14
    This was always something that happened to other people, but now I guess I've become a victim too
    102AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:45
    Re: #16
    You're fine
    Personal info is leaking everywhere at this point anyway
    Unless you're a celebrity or a star, don't worry about it
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:18
    This is probably just a test run
    Infrastructure-related targets are going to get hit next, bit by bit
    I can't help but think they'll make their real move once everything's paralyzed by simultaneous attacks
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:21
    Re: #25
    Next thing you know someone's pulled off identity theft, stuff you never ordered starts showing up at your door, a "tokuryu" crew (a loosely organized, anonymously recruited ad-hoc crime gang) comes knocking, and finally the grand finale where your assets get drained down to zero
    50AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:23
    Is e5489 (JR West's online ticket reservation site) safe?
    60AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:25
    Re: #50
    JR West uses the J-WEST Card
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:27
    Re: #50
    They'll probably slip out their own announcement while everyone's distracted by this mess
    80AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:35
    This is already beyond containment at this point
    Wonder what happens from here
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    Re: #80
    In the end everyone's assets get drained and it's game over for all of us
    99AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    With this much leaking, is there anyone out there who's come through completely unscathed?
    I'd love to know what kind of life they're living
    104AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #99
    Name, address, email, phone number — that much is probably fine.
    It's your credit card or driver's license that turns it into a real problem.
    167AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:05
    Re: #99
    For numbers I don't recognize, I look them up before calling back
    I ignore any text message that isn't a login verification code
    I figure just doing that much keeps you protected
    173AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Re: #99
    I have a driver's license but I'm a "paper driver" (licensed but never actually drives). Don't have a credit card.
    The only thing I'm signed up for is Amazon.
    107AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:47
    Leaks are happening everywhere but I never even get grazed (kind of lonely, honestly…)
    112AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:49
    Re: #107
    What kind of life are you living? 😮‍💨
    139AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Re: #107
    The real nationwide catastrophe is still ahead of us
    Might be a few years off, but it's coming
    136AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:54
    Honestly I've kind of stopped caring at this point lol
    My name, email, address, and phone number have probably already been scattered everywhere ages ago
    140AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Re: #136
    If it's already circulating under the #AssetsZero hashtag, maybe nothing bad actually happens at this point?
    146AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:57
    Re: #136
    AI is basically the ultimate hacker now
    It's only a matter of time before credit card info leaks too
    Crypto exchanges and the like are seriously in danger as well
    158AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:59
    Re: #136
    I was talking to a telemarketer once and they told me my name, address, phone number, and even my school name were all on their list
    Probably cross-referenced from multiple leaked databases, but it genuinely freaked me out
    174AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:07
    Right now it looks like Times Car's (a car-sharing service) corporate members are taking the biggest hit
    175AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:08
    Re: #174
    Having a photo ID attached to it is the real killer
    178AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:10
    Re: #174
    Not individual members?
    180AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:13
    People shouldn't just scroll past these leak stories as they keep piling up — we need to actually take action and demand damages
    Once it becomes "everyone's doing it so it's fine," it's over
    184AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    Re: #180
    I honestly think the biggest blame lies with the government for allowing companies to trade personal data with each other in the first place.
    186AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    Re: #180
    The problem is, calculating the damages is pretty much impossible

    If anything, the companies are the victims here too
    203AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:23
    Re: #180
    You can't sue for damages until actual harm has occurred
    183AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    The Adult Holiday Club list is going to make for quite the scammer's target list
    The people who use it to travel are middle-class or above, after all
    185AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:14
    Re: #183
    A solid list of paying, high-value members
    187AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:15
    Re: #183
    Sounds like a "tokuryu" crime crew is standing by for this one
    Terrifying
    212AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:29
    Email addresses and phone numbers leaking is basically par for the course at this point
    215AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:30
    Re: #212
    Name and address are the bad part
    Unlike other info, you can't easily change your name or the fact that you own a house or condo
    222AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:32
    Re: #215
    Name and address are things anyone can get just by pulling the property registry anyway, so it's not that big a deal
    224AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:32
    Re: #215
    Maybe people will start appreciating being a transferred-for-work renter after all?

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    This leak traces back to unauthorized access at data center operator IDC Frontier, a SoftBank-affiliated company. On the forum, other companies’ names, including Times Car, also came up, sparking discussion that leaks through the same channel could extend to multiple businesses. Opinions split over how serious the real-world damage actually is: some said a leaked email address alone is nothing to be shocked about, while others argued that membership services like Adult Holiday Club — where credit card expiration dates and dates of birth are also exposed — carry a much higher risk of abuse. This time, addresses and card numbers themselves reportedly were not leaked, and the easily overlooked practical point is that the bigger concern isn’t direct financial loss, but staying alert to sophisticated phishing emails crafted using the leaked data.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “[JR East] Possible Leak at “eKiNet” and “Adult Holiday Club” — 2.06 Million Records Total“.

  • Comdot’s Yamato Slams Bookstore ‘Collusion’ Structure — Internet Split

    On October 6, Yamato of Comdot (4.3 million subscribers) appeared as a guest on bookstore chain Yurindo’s official YouTube channel ‘A World Only Yurindo Knows’ (580,000 subscribers), sharing frank opinions about structural problems in the bookstore industry. Yamato criticized the power-based book distribution practice of “stacking a ton of books whenever someone from that publisher puts out a book by that person,” calling it an “old-guard structure” and “collusion.” After yutura.net reported on the remarks, a thread on 5ch’s Entertainment & Sports News+ board saw clashing reactions: some argued that prominently stocking popular authors’ books is simply sound business judgment, not collusion, while others agreed they’d want to avoid bookstores where such power dynamics are visible.

    October 8, 2026

    On October 6, bookstore chain Yurindo’s official YouTube channel “A World Only Yurindo Knows” (580,000 subscribers) published an episode titled “Seriously Discussing Whether Bookstores Are Fine As They Are.” Guest Yamato of “Comdot” (4.3 million subscribers) frankly criticized problems facing the bookstore industry.

    (omitted)

    Source: yutura.net / Original article here

    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:27
    Nobody goes out of their way thinking 'let's go to THIS bookstore,'
    but plenty of people do head to a big bookstore downtown figuring that's the only place that'll actually have what they want.

    Dude's clearly not even a book lover.
    22AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    Re: #3
    Right.
    He's probably just salty because his own book didn't sell and this is him taking it out on bookstores.
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:27
    This basically sounds like he's badmouthing Haruki Murakami.
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:28
    Wow, what an incredibly sharp, totally original observation.
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:28
    > 'Whenever that publisher puts out a book by that person, let's stack a ton of it'
    Is there really anything wrong with that?
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:29
    That's not collusion.
    That's just basic human consideration.
    It's well within individual discretion.
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:39
    Re: #7
    A bookstore where that kind of thing is visible is exactly the kind I want to steer clear of.
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    Of course major publishers' popular authors get stacked high in face-out displays.
    That's not collusion in the slightest.
    This is just dumb.
    85AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:30
    Re: #8
    From the bookstore's (frontline) perspective, the fact is a huge pile of random books that don't look like they'll sell gets shipped in every month.
    So they pick out the ones that seem likely to sell from that pile and display those.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    Wait… who even is this guy?
    10AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    Re: #1
    His definitions for basically everything are off from mine across the board, so whatever.
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:31
    Watching an outsider act like he knows it all is just embarrassing.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    This business caters to people who buy on a whim after seeing the physical book, so the internet has nothing to do with it.
    14AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    Bookstores have already thought this through several times more than this guy has.
    15AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    I don't think a store's comfortable vibe comes across on social media, though.
    Selection, quietness, how easy the shelves are to browse — stuff like that can make me go a bit further out of my way.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:33
    If they're booking guests like this, the bookstore industry's total collapse can't be far off 😚
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:33
    Does he seriously think the only 'slow' information sources are periodicals like weekly or monthly magazines?
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    Re: #1
    Well, that can't really be helped, can it.
    So many books still come out every single day, one way or another.
    There's no time to read every one of them and go 'this one's good, let's push this one.'
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    Collusion, huh? So is stocking what actually sells based on sales data 'collusion' too?
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:35
    'The Ultimate Business Model I, a Genius Kid, Came Up With' (a classic meme mocking a naive, amateurish idea presented as if it were brilliant)
    36AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:40
    Trendy little independent bookstores are popping up more these days, but
    I can't imagine how they stay in business.
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:44
    Re: #36
    You mean the ones with a café attached, right?
    The books are basically just decoration — it's really more like they're running a café with a bit of an 'intellectual' vibe.
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    If they predicted the thread would turn out exactly like this and brought this guy on specifically to land on 'well, it can't be helped' — that'd actually be impressive.
    And meanwhile bookstores just keep going under as usual.
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    There was a small bookstore that put real effort into a corner for staff-recommended favorites — I used to shop there just to support it.
    39AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:42
    That's just them stocking up on books that are guaranteed to sell.
    If they stacked books that don't sell, the store would go under in no time.
    40AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:44
    Basically he's saying his own book should get shelf space over Haruki Murakami's or Eiichiro Oda's.
    78AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:17
    Manga I get, but
    are novels selling well as e-books too?
    Isn't reading plain text on something like a phone rough on the eyes?
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:33
    Re: #78
    Since you can adjust brightness and font size, e-books are actually easier for me to read with my aging eyes.
    I use text-to-speech and follow along with my eyes while listening, which might be heresy to real book lovers though.
    89AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:36
    Re: #78 Manga is actually the harder one to read, if anything.
    Light novels are easy to read… Syosetu ('Narou,' the web-novel site) piles on so many ads it gets stressful.
    With manga you can't read whispered-dialogue bits without zooming in, and two-page spreads make me cringe.
    Honestly I just check the book in-store and then buy the e-book anyway.
    90AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:37
    Re: #78
    Text is actually harder to read in manga, if anything.
    Novels keep a consistent font size, but in manga the text can shrink way down depending on panel size and how much dialogue is crammed in.

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    Most books on bookstore shelves arrive through a system where distributors ship large batches from publishers, and it’s the on-the-ground bookstore staff who pick out the titles likely to sell and put them on face-out display. Many commenters in the thread pushed back against calling this “collusion” because prioritizing popular authors or major publishers is a rational call based on sales track records, with some element of individual discretion involved. At the same time, Yamato’s point — that business relationships may be shaping what gets stocked — does overlap with a distribution-bias issue the industry itself has flagged before. Later in the thread, the discussion drifted from the main topic into the broader hard realities facing publishing and bookselling, touching on how small independent bookstores survive, café-bookstore hybrids, and the differing readability of e-books versus print. Readers should note that judgments of Yamato personally and judgments of the industry’s structure itself are getting tangled together here.

    *This article is composed as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports News+) thread “Book-loving Comdot’s Yamato criticizes bookstore industry’s ‘old-guard structure’: ‘Collusion, like stacking tons of books whenever that publisher’s author puts one out’.”

  • Welfare Recipients in Their 20s: Single-Person Households Now 7x What They Were 25 Years Ago

    A report highlighted the case of a man who quit his job just 19 days after starting and, unable to rely on his parents, ended up on welfare in his 20s. According to an NHK survey, about 46% of welfare recipients in their 20s that fiscal year were single-person households, and the number of single recipients in their 20s has grown to roughly 7 times what it was 25 years ago. The head of a support group pointed out that “one factor is that the parents’ generation is itself struggling financially and can’t support their kids,” and the number of people in their 20s receiving welfare due to disability or illness has also roughly quadrupled over the same 25 years. On 5ch, opinions were divided over workplaces that burn out new hires early, the connection to the “Lost Generation” (hyouga-ki, those who entered the job market during Japan’s long post-bubble recession and struggled to find work), the real-world practice of certifying disabilities, and how the welfare system itself should work.

    While elderly households make up about half of all welfare recipients, the sharp rise in single-person recipients in their 20s has been especially striking in recent years, now reaching roughly 7 times the level of 25 years ago. According to an NHK survey, about 46% of recipients in their 20s that fiscal year were single-person households.

    Nana Iwamoto, representative director of the NPO POSSE, which supports young people in financial hardship, points out that “the parents’ generation is struggling too, and not being able to rely on them is one factor driving poverty among young singles.” What’s more, people with disabilities or illnesses make up nearly half of welfare households in their 20s — a figure that has also roughly quadrupled over 25 years, suggesting a growing number of young people on welfare who find it hard to work because of disability or illness.

    AERA

    Source: dot.asahi.com / Original article here

    3AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:05
    Speaking as a full-time new hire myself — sure, a starting salary of ¥350k is nice, but they cram in way too much training because they're in a rush to turn you into a manager while you're still in your 20s.
    Maybe it's the labor shortage, but they push so hard to fast-track new hires that a lot of them burn out and quit early.
    A guy who started with me quit after just six months over it.
    Also, the power harassment and sexual harassment from bubble-generation bosses over 40 is just brutal.
    "You don't even know THAT?"
    "You're useless."
    "I'm only telling you once."
    Those guys aren't even human.
    They should hurry up and get laid off and go work in some understaffed industry instead.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:10
    Re: #3
    Even the Lost Generation is 50+ by now.
    The bubble generation is basically at retirement already.
    190AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #20
    The dead center of the Lost Generation is 46-47.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:08
    Why can't they rely on their parents?
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:10
    Re: #9
    All they've got is pride.
    They don't get that being on welfare ("namapo," slang for government welfare) is seen as rock bottom socially.
    176AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:45
    Re: #9
    Because their parents are from the Lost Generation.
    What with all this talk lately of retiring at 45.
    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:08
    The number of people carrying disability certificates has really shot up, hasn't it — mental health clinics are handing them out like candy.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:09
    Go to college in Tokyo
    ↓
    Get hired as a new grad
    ↓
    Quit within 3 years
    ↓
    Jump to a sweatshop job (a "black company")
    ↓
    Mind and body break down, quit
    ↓
    Fall into non-regular work in your 20s
    ↓
    Family back home is broke, you've got no savings either — straight to welfare


    This pattern is popping up like crazy lately.
    206AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    Re: #13
    If your family's supposedly broke, how'd you afford to go to college in Tokyo in the first place lol.
    I'd get it if they lived somewhere they could commute from home.
    221AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:53
    Re: #13
    I get quitting your first job because it's a sweatshop, but quitting your first job and then transferring TO a sweatshop? That's just dumb.
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:10
    What do people on welfare in their 20s even do with their time all day?
    204AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    Re: #18
    Pretty much what we're doing right now.
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:11
    Why are there so many more disabled people now?
    85AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:26
    Re: #21
    Probably because, unlike in the past, being "menhera" (emotionally/mentally unstable) now counts as a valid reason you can't work.
    Plenty of people in their 40s use mental health issues as an excuse to mooch off their parents and not work too.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:19
    Kids from the Lost Generation really can't take a hit, huh.
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:20
    Re: #55
    Dude's determined to bash the Lost Generation no matter what lol.
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:20
    Why let them collect welfare at all?
    What they need is job placement support.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:21
    Re: #56
    Who's going to hire someone who might have a mental disability?
    68AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:23
    Re: #64
    You're contradicting Re: #44.
    There's a bus driver shortage too — the city should just hire them for that.
    79AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:24
    Re: #68
    That's exactly my point — don't make them job-hunt in the private sector, just hire them as civil servants, no conditions attached.
    88AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:26
    Re: #79
    City bus drivers ARE civil servants, genius.
    93AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:27
    You guys are thinking about this too lightly — once you're on welfare, you spend the rest of your life being monitored by a caseworker.
    If you're able to work, working is obviously the easier road.
    127AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    Re: #93
    If that's all it takes to get out of working, that's paradise.
    Work and you get power harassment, sexual harassment, moral harassment, customer harassment, harassment-harassment… paragliding! (a sound-pun: stringing together Japanese harassment terms ending in "-hara" until the repeated sound slides into "paragliding")
    102AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:31
    Better to spend your time on things you love than waste it on some boring job.
    107AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    Re: #102
    Don't do that with other people's money.
    Live however you want on money you actually earned — no problem there.
    122AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:35
    Re: #102
    "Things you love" isn't really on the table — welfare only gives you enough to eat and sleep.
    138AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    I've seen this come up on other boards too, but why is this actually happening?
    Does it have something to do with generations before the "satori generation" (Japan's so-called "enlightened" or low-desire cohort that came of age in the 2010s) generally having stay-at-home moms?
    If that's not it, then what's the difference… is it just that the social mood these days is darker?

    I honestly don't get why this trend suddenly shows up with the generational shift like this.
    145AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:39
    Re: #138
    How they were raised, and what they ate.
    161AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:43
    Re: #138
    Because "poverty business" scams (operators who profit off exploiting the poor) are running rampant.
    172AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:44
    Sounds like there soon won't be any working population left to foot the bill for welfare payments.
    182AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #172
    Productivity is already sky-high, so we also need people on the consumption side to keep things circulating.
    So this is fine as is.
    We're in an era where basic income is being seriously debated anyway.
    183AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #172
    Welfare will probably get abolished eventually.
    By then I'll be dead anyway, so who cares lol.

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    Welfare statistics are compiled by the age of the household head, based on surveys such as the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s survey of welfare recipients. The rise in single-person households in their 20s appears to stem from a mix of factors, including the spread of non-regular employment and increased diagnosis and social recognition of mental illness and developmental disabilities. The thread split between those who see the parents’ generation’s (the Lost Generation’s) lack of financial means as the main driver, and those who suspect personal laziness or abuse of the system. Worth noting, even though the article itself doesn’t mention it: welfare payments are capped at bare subsistence level and come with regular check-ins from a caseworker, so the notion that recipients get to “live easy” doesn’t really match reality.

    ※This article is compiled as excerpts and a summary from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “Man who quit 19 days after joining a company ends up on welfare in his 20s, unable to rely on his parents either… single recipients in their 20s now roughly 7 times what they were 25 years ago“.

  • Nakayama Kinnikun Checks Out LA’s Prices: “¥2,600 an Hour — Not as Expensive as I Thought”

    Nakayama Kinnikun toured supermarkets in Los Angeles on his YouTube channel to check out local prices. He found six pieces of salmon sushi going for about ¥2,000, a carton of 10 eggs for ¥450, and two liters of milk for about ¥1,000, and concluded that “it’s not as expensive as people make it out to be.” When word of this spread to 5channel’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board, reactions to the cost of living in LA were split. Many pushed back that groceries alone aren’t enough to judge by, with commenters especially pointing to sky-high rent.

    Comedian and bodybuilder Nakayama Kinnikun updated his YouTube channel ‘The Muscle TV’ on the 8th, talking about the economic situation in Los Angeles, USA.

    Currently in LA, Kinnikun set out that day on what he called a “muscle survey,” heading to a supermarket in the city. To answer the question “just how crazy are prices in America?”, he decided to check grocery prices at what he called “a totally ordinary supermarket.”

    For instance, sushi topped with salmon ran about ¥2,000 in Japanese yen for six pieces. Sushi counts as a pricier item even in Japan, but even everyday staples came out pricey too — eggs were ¥450 for a carton of 10, and milk was about ¥1,000 for two liters. Organic products cost 1.5 to 2 times that, leaving the impression that yes, prices are higher than in Japan after all.

    Source: sirabee.com / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    It's true LA prices aren't that high
    New York's the crazy one
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:31
    Can you even compare prices with a tipping-culture country?
    5AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    Talk to me after you've actually lived there for at least a year
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    Sounds about right — wages and prices both roughly doubled
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:32
    The Japanese people who go "America's so expensive!" only ever see airport and tourist-trap prices
    18AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:34
    Rent is insane
    $2,500 for a studio, like ¥400,000
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    Re: #18
    Wait, seriously?!?!?!
    That's nuts
    44AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:41
    Re: #33
    Just live in some backwater town inland then
    23AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    That's because all he eats is chicken breast and protein powder lol
    24AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    Yeah, makes sense

    Not like those idiots who just go "ramen in America costs ¥3,000!"

    I mean, if your monthly salary is several times higher, of course ramen's gonna cost more too
    26AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    But don't they still hit you up for a tip even at self-checkout?
    27AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    Don't judge it by groceries alone
    He's conveniently leaving out rent because it's inconvenient
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    Japan just tanked itself with its own weak-yen policy, that's all
    29AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    It's just that Japan hasn't grown in decades compared to other countries
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    Pretty interesting video, but
    LA's probably on the pricier side
    Somewhere rural like Utah would probably be cheaper
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    Does this guy not even know what "hourly wage" means lol
    32AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    Is ¥2,600 actually high for LA?
    I thought wages there were even higher
    34AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    In America, which supermarket you shop at changes depending on whether you're lower, middle, or upper class to begin with
    The store he thinks is "totally ordinary" might actually be the equivalent of a Japanese discount chain like Super Tamade or La Muu
    You can't tell how upscale a store really is without seeing the customer base
    In America it's pretty easy to tell since people of different races often shop at different stores too
    36AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:39
    If Japanese salaries tripled, beef bowls would triple in price too
    So even making ¥900,000 a month, nothing would actually change
    That's just how it works
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #36
    If someone making ¥300,000 a month was spending ¥100,000 on food, and food costs tripled to ¥300,000, but their salary is ¥900,000, they'd still have ¥600,000 left over
    45AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:41
    Re: #1
    So basically!
    That means Americans visiting Japan must feel like kings!!!
    To them it feels like dirt-cheap food, top-notch service, and no tipping on top of it
    Shopping, eating great food, living it up like a millionaire
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #45
    It's on the literal other side of the planet, hopelessly far
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:46
    Re: #45
    Only the middle class and up actually make the trip
    79AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:49
    Housing's expensive, right?
    If it were cheap there wouldn't be 500,000 homeless people
    100AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Re: #79
    Japan's seriously blessed when it comes to housing

    Though it's rough for landlords here
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:50
    That's plenty expensive, like double
    89AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:51
    Re: #84
    Isn't the point that it's fine because wages are high too?
    Not clear what kind of job pays ¥2,600/hour though
    Supermarket cashier?
    97AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:53
    Aren't there barely any jobs in Japan that pay ¥2,600/hour to begin with?
    Also even when hourly wages go up, job quality doesn't improve — if anything it gets worse
    101AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Re: #97
    Annual salary ¥4 million → ¥2,000/hour
    Annual salary ¥5 million → ¥2,500/hour
    Annual salary ¥6 million → ¥3,000/hour
    104AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:55
    Hourly wages are set high to keep pace with tip-earning jobs
    McDonald's bans tipping, and of course teachers, factory workers, and the like don't get tips either
    Back in the day America had no concept of a minimum wage, so some jobs paid very little
    Tipping was there to make up for that, but now that minimum wage exists
    they should just scrap tipping, the root of all this mess
    107AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:56
    Re: #104
    Huh — but tips aren't subject to income tax, so that's lucky, right?

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    This video isn’t a statistical price comparison — it’s Kinnikun’s first-hand report based on grocery prices he personally observed at a supermarket. What split opinion in the thread was whether it’s fair to judge “prices aren’t high” based on groceries alone, with many commenters pointing to the high cost of non-grocery items like rent, eating out, and tipping culture. In fact, even a studio apartment in LA commonly runs close to ¥400,000 a month in rent, and high housing costs are well known across the US. Also, the “¥2,600 an hour” figure wasn’t Kinnikun’s own income but was cited as a reference point for local wage levels — context that didn’t fully come through in the thread and seems to have led to some misunderstanding.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Nakayama Kinnikun says LA’s “hourly wage” comes to “¥2,600 for an hour of work” in Japanese yen — “They say prices are high, but not really”.”

  • Skyticket Hacked — Over 14 Million Records Possibly Leaked, 5ch: ‘Password Reuse Could Grind Society to a Halt’

    Adventure Co., Ltd., which operates the comparison and booking site “skyticket,” announced on October 9, 2026 that unauthorized access to its systems resulted in a leak — or suspected leak — of users’ personal information. The number of potentially affected records is said to exceed 14 million. On 5ch’s News Flash+ forum, posters pointed to the string of recent data breaches at Japanese companies happening around the same time, warned of the danger of secondary damage from reused email addresses and passwords, and voiced frustration with the company’s “apology” response.

    “October 9, 2026 — Adventure Co., Ltd.

    We have discovered that the system behind our comparison and booking site “skyticket,” which we operate, was subject to unauthorized access by a third party, resulting in the leak — or suspected leak — of our customers’ personal information to outside parties.

    We deeply apologize for the significant trouble and concern this has caused our customers and all other parties involved.

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

    11AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:02
    Felt like Japan was the only one getting targeted lately… but yeah, I can kind of guess why.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:03
    For a second I misread that as a 'Skynet' breach.
    20AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:05
    Re: #13
    He's probably in pretty rough shape too lol
    218AnonymousOct 9, 2026 16:10
    Re: #13
    Sarah Connor's data probably got leaked too, huh
    16AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:03
    Good time for other companies to announce their breaches too — it won't stand out now.
    28AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:05
    First time I've seen a four-digit number (in units of 10,000) for a leak like this — how many years' worth of garbage data is that?
    145AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:36
    Re: #28
    Isn't that basically their entire customer base at this point?
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:06
    What's going on, leaks are happening like crazy lately… they owe everyone a million yen apiece in apology money.
    147AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    Re: #31
    Companies that think saying 'we sincerely apologize' makes everything okay
    33AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:06
    Wait, so nobody's mentioning that this also makes people targets for 'yami baito' (shady crime gigs that recruit via leaked personal data)?
    153AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:38
    Re: #33
    Users, tremble and sleep (a common ominous meme phrase)
    35AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:07
    With this recent flood of leaks, is Japan basically being hit with cyberwarfare from China or somewhere?
    37AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:07
    This is obviously data from wealthy customers,
    so it's probably going to be a hot seller on the dark web.
    42AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:09
    Re: #37
    Rich people wouldn't bother with Skyticket, they'd book direct…
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:12
    I got an email from Skyticket, but what am I actually supposed to do about it?
    63AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:13
    Re: #59
    Do nothing.
    64AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:13
    Re: #59
    That email itself is the scam.
    62AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:13
    It won't turn into a huge fuss unless sites like FANZA or FC2 (Japanese adult-content platforms) get breached.
    71AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:15
    Re: #62
    Most people using those sites probably already assume their info will leak sooner or later anyway
    112AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:26
    Re: #62
    Now THAT would be a disaster
    117AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:26
    Re: #62
    Is there really anyone dumb enough to register for porn sites under their real name?
    66AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:14
    At the rate breaches are happening every single day, pretty much everyone in the country is going to have something leaked within a month, and it'll probably get exploited soon after.
    75AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:16
    Re: #66
    I'm on the list for a few of these companies, but I haven't gotten a single email.
    Guess I'm just not affected?
    Lawson's notification rate was only about 1 in 10 too
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:18
    Re: #66
    As for 'abuse,' it's only a matter of time before they start saying 'getting scam emails or phone calls doesn't even count as real abuse!' lol
    I can already predict it becoming 'complain once you've suffered actual financial damage! Until then you don't even get a QUO card (gift card)!' lol
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:14
    Heads up, phishing emails pretending to be from Rakuten have been on the rise this month too —
    the kind that say 'please install the Rakuten account protection app.'
    72AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:15
    Re: #67
    My inbox is already so clogged with phishing emails it doesn't even function anymore, so I'll be fine
    129AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:29
    So who's actually behind this in the end?
    North Korea? China?
    Or someone else entirely?
    132AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    Re: #129
    At this point AI is just doing it on its own
    133AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:30
    Re: #129
    Even high schoolers are hacking with AI these days, so it could honestly be hackers from anywhere in the world
    148AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:37
    Feels like capitalist society could actually collapse within a month at this rate

    Does the government even realize what's happening?
    This might be like January 23, 2020, when the news broke about Wuhan being locked down over COVID
    Only a tiny handful of people in Japan have caught on to how bad this is, while the government and the higher-ups have no clue what's going on
    189AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:51
    Re: #148
    Exactly this

    What leaked was email addresses and passwords
    Most systems use your email as the login ID
    and a lot of people reuse the same password everywhere

    So say a hacker group logs into a major retailer like Amazon using those emails and passwords,
    and floods it with tens of thousands of fake orders —
    that retailer would have to shut down order-taking entirely

    Society grinds to a halt

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information requires companies to notify affected individuals and report to the Personal Information Protection Commission when a personal data breach occurs, and this “apology and notice” appears to have been issued in line with that requirement. The thread was dominated by anxiety over the recent string of unauthorized-access disclosures from Japanese companies happening in quick succession, along with warnings about the risk of so-called “credential stuffing” attacks given how many people reuse the same email address and password across multiple services. Some posts speculated about a specific country being behind the attacks, but since no official attribution has been announced, that speculation is treated as baseless and not reflected in the main article text.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Flash+) thread “[Apology and Notice] Travel Booking Site “Skyticket” Suffers Unauthorized Access — Over 14 Million Customer Records Possibly Leaked.”

  • Sedans in Decline, SUVs Take All: 5ch Reacts to “Even the Century Is Going SUV”

    A thread titled “What’s so great about SUVs?” popped up on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo board. Posters pointed out that the number of new sedan models keeps shrinking year after year, that Lamborghini’s best-selling model in company history is the Urus SUV, and that Porsche’s sales are propped up by the Cayenne and Macan. Some also noted that sports car fans are increasingly skewed toward middle-aged and older men. Opinions split on design too — one camp finds streamlined, aerodynamic styling tacky, while another prefers boxy models like the Land Cruiser and Jimny — and the thread also argued over whether SUVs are just status symbols, or whether they come with a rigid hierarchy of their own.

    1AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:42
    Sports cars are still the best, no question.
    4AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:43
    Nah, a sedan is what a proper adult drives.
    Would the Emperor ever be caught in a Harrier?
    6AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:44
    Re: #4
    If it's the Emperor, it's gotta be an Integra.
    8AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:45
    Re: #4
    He'd be riding in the Century SUV, surely.
    7AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:44
    Nobody but middle-aged guys cares about sports cars anymore
    it's all geezers in their 50s and up.
    104AnonymousOct 9, 2026 15:02
    Re: #7
    An SUV isn't a sports car though.
    9AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:45
    There are so few sedans left that people are stuck buying SUVs reluctantly.
    12AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:46
    Re: #9
    Just get a Crown, then.
    13AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:46
    It's like SUVs are the only thing on sale, everyone's got one.
    I hate this follow-the-herd mentality.
    17AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:48
    Re: #13
    Well, of course companies sell what's popular.
    19AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:51
    The only good thing about a sports car is the chance of an upskirt glimpse (panchira) near a girls' high school.
    21AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:52
    Re: #19
    So you're saying every other car has zero redeeming qualities?
    25AnonymousOct 9, 2026 13:58
    Honestly, it's mostly SUV-styled cars these days — there's barely any SUV left in the proper, original sense.
    31AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:01
    Re: #25
    Let's at least distinguish between a real off-roader (crawler) and an SUV when we talk about this.
    30AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:00
    I've driven all sorts of cars, and a kei wagon (mini box van) is the best.
    53AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:16
    Re: #30
    That's just because you're broke lol
    38AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:06
    The winners in life all drive minivans, you know ☺
    43AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:10
    Re: #38
    Lately 3-row SUVs have been quietly catching on as minivan substitutes too
    that's the trend in the US and Europe.
    49AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:14
    Even the Crown is basically just a crossover or sport model now, and even the Century is going SUV — sedans probably aren't making a comeback at this point.
    55AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:17
    Re: #49
    About the only upcoming models worth hoping for are the Corolla and the Skyline.
    54AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:17
    Even Lamborghini's best-selling model in its entire history is the Urus — an SUV.
    58AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:19
    Re: #54
    Porsche's basically being kept afloat by the Cayenne and Macan too.
    56AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:18
    Sports cars and sedans are just tacky.
    That streamlined, aerodynamic look is unbearably tacky.
    And cars trying to look all "luxury" are super tacky too.
    57AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:19
    Re: #56
    Aren't SUVs streamlined too, though?
    77AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:28
    Re: #56
    So is the Jaguar 01 your idea of ideal, then?
    59AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:19
    Resale value-wise, sports cars are the better choice, right?
    61AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:20
    Re: #59
    Really? Used 86s are pretty cheap though.
    67AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:23
    The Harrier is seriously cramped inside.
    Hard to believe given how big it looks from the outside.
    73AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:26
    Re: #67
    That's because the Harrier has a short wheelbase.
    The GA-K platform is terrible for interior room.
    71AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:26
    Re: #57
    That's exactly why Mazda's SUVs, the Harrier, and the old Land Cruiser Prado are all tacky.
    Streamlined styling is unnecessary, and that self-conscious, look-at-me vibe oozing out is way too tacky.
    You know that try-hard feeling?

    The Land Cruiser 70, the 250, the FJ, the Jimny, the G-Wagen (Gelandewagen) — those are cool.
    Boxy with round headlights is what girls like best.
    84AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:36
    Re: #71
    Still, most people think streamlined styling looks cool.
    74AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:27
    Japan should make more cars worthy of a "Nissan Juke Award."
    That design on the Nissan Juke is one of a kind.
    76AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:28
    Re: #74
    I really want the new EV Juke to launch in Japan.
    If it does, I'm seriously buying one.
    83AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:35
    SUVs are exactly the status-symbol car — they don't flaunt hierarchy as blatantly as sedans do.
    It's only natural they're trending right now.
    87AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:37
    Re: #83
    I'd say SUVs actually have a pretty rigid hierarchy of their own.
    88AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:37
    What about the Sienta, though?
    What would you even call that category of car?
    92AnonymousOct 9, 2026 14:39
    Re: #88
    That's a compact minivan.
    Not an SUV.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    The global expansion of SUV market share has accelerated rapidly since the 2010s, and in Japan too, the dominant vehicle category is shifting from sedans to SUVs and crossovers. It’s widely known that brands historically built on sports cars — Lamborghini with the Urus, Porsche with the Cayenne and Macan — now rely on SUVs as the core of their sales. The thread’s opinions split mainly along the lines of design preference, whether SUVs function as status symbols or carry their own hierarchy, and whether sedans could ever stage a comeback. Some posters also noted that the term “SUV” originally referred to vehicles built for off-road capability, while most SUVs sold today are monocoque-bodied “crossovers” that differ from a true SUV in the strict sense. This gap between the label and the reality isn’t widely known among the general public, and it surfaced in the thread itself in comments about the market being “full of look-alike SUVs.”

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “What’s So Great About SUVs?”.