Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • NYC: Woman Goes on Knife Stabbing Spree, Cop Opens Fire After Taser Fails to Stop Her

    In New York’s Times Square, a woman armed with two kitchen knives repeatedly stabbed passersby, killing one woman and injuring one man. Officers who responded fired a Taser, but the woman pulled out the probes herself and kept advancing with the knife still in hand, so an officer drew his gun and fired, killing her. Video of the incident spread online, and on 5channel opinions were split — speculation over why the Taser didn’t work, debate over whether shooting her was justified given how many officers were on scene, and comparisons suggesting Japanese police might have handled it differently.

    @

    In New York’s Times Square, a woman armed with two kitchen knives randomly stabbed passersby, killing one woman and injuring one man.

    Police arrived and initially used a Taser, but the woman pulled out the probes and kept closing in with the knife. An officer then drew his gun and fired, killing her

    Source: video.twimg.com / original article here

    3AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:41
    With that many men there, couldn't they have done something? At least shoot her in the leg or something
    4AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:41
    That's scary. Did they figure the probes wouldn't penetrate deep enough because she's overweight?
    5AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:42
    Pretty tough if even a Taser doesn't work on her
    9AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:43
    What's with the way she's gripping that knife and closing in lol
    10AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:43
    I'd want to go out quick like that too
    11AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:43
    Guess even in America they don't just open fire right away
    12AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:43
    She looks pretty harmless, but pull this in America and you're getting shot
    14AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:44
    Wonder how this would've played out if she'd been a Black woman
    17AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:45
    Someone moving that comically could've been taken down with a baton
    20AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:46
    Apparently fat doesn't conduct electricity well, so the Taser didn't work and that's why she got shot
    21AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:46
    Isn't there a better non-lethal weapon that can incapacitate someone instantly by now? We're a quarter of the way through the 21st century already
    42AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:01
    Re: #21
    A shotgun that fires rubber X-shaped rounds (bean-bag-style rounds)
    47AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:04
    Re: #21
    Bear spray
    22AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    America really does have a lot of overweight people
    24AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:48
    Shooting her before she can start whining about diminished capacity is the right call
    27AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    She's moving like a Killer Machine from Dragon Quest lol (a tough armored monster enemy)
    28AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    They gave her plenty of chances, so this is honestly a satisfying video
    30AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    Probably doesn't work as well if she's on drugs
    32AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:54
    The stun gun doesn't even work on her — is she the real-life Lord Heart…? (a fictional character famous for shrugging off electric attacks)
    35AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:56
    Re: #29
    That's because it would take out everyone standing nearby too
    39AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:59
    Do they really need to shoot with this many cops standing around?
    41AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:01
    Someone send over a sasumata from Japan (a pronged pole police use to pin down suspects). With this many officers they could've taken her down without a scratch
    43AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:02
    Back in the day in Japan, riot police would've swarmed her with like 5 shields and beaten her down
    44AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:02
    Looks like she could've been subdued with a shield and a baton, but I guess they shoot because it's a gun society
    45AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:03
    I saw an interesting video once explaining that with a sasumata, the person pushing it holds a straight pole, but the end pressing against the target is forked and spread out — so it's actually easier for the person being pinned to push back
    46AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:04
    If it were just 2 officers, I could see shooting her, but with about 10 people there, this isn't okay
    49AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:05
    Surprised they even opened fire with that many people and cars around
    50AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:05
    I want to teach American cops about the sasumata
    53AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:07
    I see, so the fat insulated her from the electricity, which is why it had no effect
    54AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:12
    They're taking it slow because there are so many witnesses around. Out in the countryside she'd have been beaten senseless immediately
    56AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:13
    In Japan they could've caught her without killing her
    59AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:15
    What even is a Taser?
    70AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:22
    Re: #59
    You're seriously asking? It's basically a long-range stun gun. It's classified as a firearm and banned in Japan
    67AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:21
    She's swinging her arm around to shake off the Taser probes
    https://preresearch.image.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/2106/24/kutsu_210624hashtag01.jpg
    86AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:34
    Americans don't train in judo or kendo, so of course they're weak
    88AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:35
    Re: #86
    Exactly this
    Learn some martial arts first

    Background and Talking Points

    A Taser is a non-lethal device that fires two wire-connected probes into the body, using an electric current to temporarily paralyze the muscles — but it’s known to lose effectiveness if the probes only penetrate shallowly through clothing, or if the target pulls them out. Many U.S. police officers train under the idea that if a knife-wielding suspect closes to within a certain distance, using a firearm may become unavoidable (the so-called “21-foot rule”), and that kind of doctrine is part of why an officer opened fire even with several colleagues nearby. On the thread, users floated theories like “why did they need to shoot with so many officers there” and “maybe her larger build kept the electricity from getting through,” but a Taser’s effectiveness actually depends more on how and how many probes make contact and the target’s state of agitation than on body size alone, so it can’t simply be chalked up to her build. Many replies also brought up the shields, batons, and sasumata (pronged restraining poles) used by Japanese police, with the contrast between a gun society and a non-gun society becoming a central point of debate.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Hello! Project board) thread “[Video] Woman in New York stabs multiple people with a knife; shot by police after pulling out Taser probes and continuing to attack.”

  • “Put Your Clothes On, Die Instantly”: Bizarre Horror Film ‘Cursed Zone’ Where You Must Strip to Survive Opens October 16

    The horror-meets-erotic film ‘Cursed Zone’ (Juku), built around the premise “put your clothes on and you die instantly,” has been confirmed for release on October 16. Set on land that was once an execution ground centuries ago, the story follows protagonists hunted by the vengeful ghosts of villagers who were executed naked — the only way to survive is to strip down, since “the ghosts can’t see you once your clothes are off.” The film will also have its world premiere in the Midnight Xtreme section of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, which opens October 8. On 5ch, some found the premise itself amusing, while many others were skeptical about the cast’s name recognition and how much skin the film would actually show.

    August 31, 2026

    It has been decided that the horror-meets-erotic entertainment film ‘Cursed Zone,’ built around the unusual premise “put your clothes on and you die instantly,” will open on October 16. It was also announced that the film will have its world premiere in the Midnight Xtreme section of the 59th Sitges-Catalonia International Film Festival, held in Spain starting October 8.

    The story follows Tsumugi, a protagonist carrying past trauma, who visits a campsite with former members of her high school track team and confronts brutal terror. Centuries ago, the land was an execution ground, and the villagers who were put to death there naked have haunted it as vengeful spirits every night since, attacking anyone who comes near. Caught in the attacks, the women discover a desperate rule — the ghosts can’t see them once they’ve stripped — and are forced to undress in a fight for survival.

    Source: cinematoday.jp / Original article here

    8AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:15
    The guy asking "why's the sexy actress even wearing clothes?" lol
    11AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:16
    Don't recognize a single name in the cast, but I guess that's on me
    12AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:17
    So when's the full-nude cheer-along screening?
    16AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:18
    |┃≡
       |┃≡
    *creak!* 彡⌒ ミ
    __|┃ ・ω・) Safe!
       | と   l,)
    __|┃ノωJ_
    19AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:19
    Don't know any of the cast, but somehow they all look like the type who won't actually strip.
    Are there other actresses on hand who will?
    21AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:20
    Not as impactful as that "you can't leave the room until you have sex" show
    25AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:20
    So it's basically like those hopping-vampire movies where holding your breath keeps you safe?
    28AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:21
    Is this "Juku"? (probably riffing on how the title's read) Guess the theme song will be that "paper airplane, cloudy sky" tune
    31AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:22
    Re: #1
    "You become invisible once you take your clothes off" — what a convenient plot device
    32AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:22
    They clearly know the sexiest move is having the least-likely-to-strip actress cover her chest while undressing.
    And it's almost all women with just one guy in the way —
    I smell a masterpiece
    34AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:23
    Figured they'd all be adult-video actresses, but when I looked them up they're all signed with regular talent agencies.
    Are they actually going to strip?
    45AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:25
    Re: #34
    The important bits get conveniently covered by weeds or an arm
    36AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:23
    Sure enough, didn't recognize a single cast member's name.
    If Minami Hamabe were in it, I'd have gone to see it
    37AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:23
    Unless it's a snowy mountain or something, there's no real reason to keep your clothes on
    39AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:24
    Fine if all the women are adult actresses, but if not, there's no way we get nipples
    — probably stops at underwear
    40AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:24
    Re: #1
    Guess they're turning it into a franchise with pretty talents! 😤
    42AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:24
    It'd be hilarious if she's stark naked but they just casually ignore the obviously fake breast implants
    48AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:26
    Re: #42
    I want a comedy bit where the ghost can actually see the silicone if she's had a boob job
    44AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:25
    Isn't this just a project so the director gets to see the cast naked?
    46AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:25
    It's probably going to be nothing but women in this "Cursed Zone" anyway!!!
    49AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:26
    So when's the full-nude red carpet greeting?
    54AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:27
    Re: #49
    Walk into the theater fully naked and admission's free★
    63AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:32
    Re: #54
    That's the "free trip to prison" package
    50AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:27
    The intimacy coordinator's gonna be earning their paycheck on this one!
    52AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:27
    With an R15 rating, how much can they actually show?
    Are nipples and pubic hair okay?
    53AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:27
    Classic case of the terrain being too rough, so she keeps her shoes on and gets caught
    59AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:31
    Total buzzkill, she's still got her bra on
    — she never even stripped
    64AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:32
    Re: #59
    Seriously? That sucks.
    But when stuff like this comes out, at least AV will do it properly
    80AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:42
    Re: #59
    For the premise to even work, they have to stay consistent about that
    60AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:31
    The moment a mainstream film starts pulling AV-style moves, it's over
    68AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:34
    Re: #60
    Bet it goes: strips naked → relieved → mosquito lands → gets bitten, swells up, and gets caught because of it
    72AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:39
    Bet there's a gag scene where the naked village chief gets stabbed, falls over, and his toupee rolls right off
    75AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:40
    Re: #72
    You go make the movie then

    Background and talking points

    The Sitges-Catalonia International Film Festival, where ‘Cursed Zone’ will have its world premiere, is an international festival centered on horror, sci-fi, and cult films, and its Midnight Xtreme section in particular is known for gathering works with extreme content. On the thread, some pointed out the convenient, plot-device nature of the “strip and you’re invisible” premise, while many others were skeptical about how much skin the film would actually show, given that the cast belongs to ordinary talent agencies rather than being adult-video performers. That said, horror-erotic hybrid films are a genre that has found a certain amount of demand at overseas festivals in recent years, so it’s not something that can simply be dismissed as a novelty act. With only pre-release information available, the actual amount of exposure and the exact scope of the R15 rating remain unknown, so it’s worth keeping in mind that much of the thread’s raunchy speculation is exactly that — speculation.

    *This article is compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Movie] “Put your clothes on, die instantly” — Unusual horror film ‘Cursed Zone,’ where you must strip to survive, confirmed for release.”

  • Naomi Osaka Rocks ‘Ripped’ Hoodie at US Open — Reactions Split Over Her NBA-Inspired Flashy Look

    Naomi Osaka, competing at the US Open, turned heads with an over-the-top outfit reportedly inspired by a star NBA player. Pairing a soft white skirt with a hoodie designed to look “ripped” and shredded, the look — as reported by Sports Hochi — became a hot topic both before and after her matches. Her opponent, Sabalenka, said at a press conference that she “didn’t come here to put on a fashion show,” though she stopped short of criticizing Osaka’s style. On 5ch, some praised Osaka’s confident self-expression, while others questioned whether it showed enough focus on tennis, and the thread lit up comparing her ever-changing looks across the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and now the US Open.

    [US Open Tennis] Naomi Osaka’s Flashy Outfit Electrifies the Crowd — NBA Star-Inspired Look, Soft White Skirt & “Ripped” Hoodie… US Open Tennis

    9/1 (Tue) 11:26 JST

    Sports Hochi

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:45
    Because watching Shōwa-era nostalgia videos on YouTube beats watching Omiya Park's mascot 'Peace-kun' any day.
    3AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:46
    When asked about Osaka's fashion, [name garbled in source] commented, "That means absolutely nothing to me. I'm here to play tennis, not put on a fashion show."

    She added, "If other players want to do a fashion show, that's fine by them — it doesn't bother me," stopping short of criticizing Osaka's style.
    9AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:49
    Don't let depression beat you!
    Hang in there! Hang in there!
    12AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:52
    She's starting to look like Aretha Franklin lol
    15AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:55
    Forget the US Open, just make it an all-day fashion show already —
    you Yanks can drown in Naomi's beauty.
    18AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:57
    You guys are so loud, idiots lol 🎾
    19AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:00
    Australian Open

    i.imgur.com/TRYxZdt.jpeg

    French Open

    i.imgur.com/bNoUy2h.jpeg

    Wimbledon

    i.imgur.com/z0gZzg7.jpeg

    US Open


    i.imgur.com/C0E8hXM.jpeg
    59AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:34
    Re: #19
    The Wimbledon one's great —
    looks like she could be a movie character.
    60AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:34
    Re: #19
    Just looks ridiculous to me, but I guess people are into it?
    77AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:13
    Re: #19
    Way better than I expected —
    she actually pulls it off, maybe because she's tall.
    22AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:02
    I'm jealous she's got enough money not to care what people think —
    honestly I kind of like her taste too.
    25AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:04
    Maybe this is what's fueling her comeback —
    and if the tournament isn't saying anything about it,
    she should just do whatever she wants.
    26AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:06
    Does anyone actually care what Osaka looks like?
    30AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:10
    Good job this time, thread — no [NSFW] images needed for once.
    31AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:12
    Is this really what tennis is supposed to be?
    35AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:15
    Yeah, I can kind of see the resemblance with that sleeve thing.
    36AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:16
    Is she being pressured by sponsors to dress like this,
    or is this all her own idea?
    41AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:18
    I think it shows a lack of respect for her opponent.
    44AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:21
    Since when did this become a thing?
    Do other players do it too?
    45AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:23
    Today's match was a close one — impressive that she held on and won. Keep it up next round.
    57AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:33
    Re: #1
    If she's going all out, she should wear a ripped skirt too while she's at it.
    61AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:35
    The pride of Japan! \(^^)/
    64AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:45
    Wasn't she there to play tennis?
    65AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    66AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:53
    She loves the spotlight, so why skip the post-loss interview?

    Background and Key Points

    Naomi Osaka’s outfits have repeatedly made headlines at tournaments since her comeback, and this thread was no exception, comparing her ever-changing looks across the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and now the US Open. As reflected in opponent Sabalenka’s comments, players tend to stress their focus on competition, yet media and fan attention keeps gravitating toward the fashion angle. Reactions in the thread were split roughly down the middle, with some praising her confident self-expression and others questioning whether it showed proper respect and seriousness toward the sport. Worth noting: the match itself was a tight, hard-fought win that tends to get overshadowed by the fashion talk, though a few replies did touch on the actual tennis.

    *This article is an excerpt and summary compiled from the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[US Open Tennis] Naomi Osaka’s Flashy Outfit Electrifies the Crowd — NBA Star-Inspired Look, Soft White Skirt & ‘Ripped’ Hoodie.”

  • Yukari Kono Recounts Seeing an Incontinent Elderly Woman at a Station — 5ch: “The One Who Just Stood There Watching for 20 Minutes Is the Real Nutcase”

    Yukari Kono (26), a former regular on the quiz show “Todai King” and a graduate of the University of Tokyo’s School of Medicine, posted on X that she encountered an elderly woman standing frozen at a train station after wetting herself. Kono wrote that although she tried to help, communication was difficult, station staff couldn’t respond, and no one spoke to the woman for 20 minutes — a post that became a hot topic on 5ch. Rather than debating the point of the post itself, discussion mostly centered on remarks like “wasn’t the person watching for 20 minutes the calmest one there?” and fact-checks noting the incident took place not in Tokyo but in Chiba Prefecture.

    Tue, Sep 1, 12:12 PM

    Yukari Kono (26), who was a regular on TBS quiz show “Todai King” until it ended in September 2024 and graduated from the University of Tokyo’s School of Medicine, updated her X account by the 1st, writing about a “scary” incident she witnessed at a train station.

    Kono opened by describing the scene: “There was an old woman standing in the station, and she’d wet herself.” She explained, “She wasn’t carrying anything, so I was worried and tried talking to her, but communication was difficult. I told a station attendant, but they seemed busy and couldn’t respond right away, so I handed her a Pocari [Sweat, a sports drink] for the time being and called the prefectural police.” She also wrote about the indifference of the people around her: “What’s scary is that not a single person even glanced at this old woman for the entire 20 minutes, even though it was a big station with tons of people around.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    What's with the "20 minutes"?
    Does that mean you were watching her for 20 minutes too?
    22AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    Re: #3
    I just happened to witness it right at the 20-minute mark.
    5AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    During rush hour the place is packed with people, nobody can see what's around them anyway
    and about half of them are staring dead at their phones
    10AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    If it were a middle-school or high-school girl, this would be a whole different story (JC/JK = slang for schoolgirls)
    12AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    Unfortunately it's a world where the nice ones end up losing out
    Respect to you, though
    13AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    If someone's standing right next to her, people probably just assume it's a family member and don't step in
    15AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    The one who stared at her for 20 straight minutes is the real nutcase lol ("atadoka" = slang for someone unhinged)
    17AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    You were already handling it — nobody's going to butt in out of pointless nosiness on top of that
    18AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    If you were right there next to her, people probably figured you were family and deliberately left it alone
    19AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    When you post on social media, just post about yourself — posting about some other random person almost always blows up into a mess
    21AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    If it's dementia, wetting herself is definitely plausible
    79AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:04
    Re: #21
    I once saw an old woman who was dressed really nicely but walking around soiling herself
    Couldn't just ignore it, so I handed her some tissues and let her know
    Telling someone that is rough on you too, honestly
    23AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    Kind of rich coming from the guy who just watched for 20 minutes
    24AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    I get it
    Tokyo really is like that
    28AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:53
    So you watched an old woman in distress for a full 20 minutes?
    That's pretty cold of you
    49AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:00
    I love stories like this that are so obviously made up lol
    97AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:07
    Re: #49
    I still can't stop wondering whether that other story — "saw a girl in a wheelchair being carried off screaming by some strange man" — was even true
    63AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:01
    Tokyo is seriously messed up lol
    65AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:02
    Can't be helped if it's Tokyo
    In Osaka everyone would be checking on her, like "You okay, ma'am?"
    98AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:07
    Re: #63 Re: #65
    Keisei-Funabashi Station is in Chiba Prefecture
    76AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:04
    It's because it's Tokyo
    The media keeps going on and on about how kind Tokyoites are, but that's the kind of town it actually is
    104AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:08
    Re: #76
    Why do you keep saying Tokyo?
    It happened in Chiba Prefecture
    80AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:04
    What exactly was this person doing for those 20 minutes?
    85AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:05
    Re: #80
    Handed her a Pocari Sweat and did some people-watching
    89AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:06
    If I were the one in trouble, I'd honestly be grateful if people just left me alone
    121AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:11
    Re: #89
    What are you even talking about
    143AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:13
    I'm from Osaka
    Once saw a blind person on the subway, and when the train pulled in
    I made sure to guide them properly to a seat
    This happened in Osaka

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Kono is a talent and University of Tokyo School of Medicine graduate who was a regular on “Todai King” until the show ended in 2024, and this post was an eyewitness account she shared on X. What split opinion in the thread wasn’t agreement or disagreement with the post’s actual point — the indifference of bystanders — but skepticism about the framing itself: what did the person who spent 20 minutes observing actually do? Social media anecdotes tend to leave out details of timeline and action, and these unexplained gaps are exactly the kind of thing that draws suspicion on 5ch. There was also a string of replies criticizing the incident by assuming it happened in “Tokyo,” when the station was actually in Chiba Prefecture — later replies corrected the record. It’s worth keeping in mind, when reading topics that originate on social media, how easily a misidentified location can spread unchecked.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Yukari Kono witnesses at a station: “There was an old woman standing there who’d wet herself,” “What’s scary is that not a single person even glanced at her for these 20 minutes”.”

  • Smiley Kikuchi’s appeal post divides opinion — 5ch asks: “How much are they paying you for this?”

    Talent Smiley Kikuchi posted on X on the night of August 31, addressing “those who feel uncomfortable about the Rikuryu pair or Hoshino Mari,” writing, “Let’s eat until we’re full and go to sleep!” The post was meant to gently rebuke the online criticism directed at figure skating’s Rikuryu pair and actress Hoshino Mari, and it sparked a huge reaction on 5ch’s Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ thread. While some responded to the post’s message with laughter or support, many others questioned Kikuchi’s consistency, asking “why speak up now, and only for these two?” — leaving the thread split between praise and criticism.

    9/1 (Tue) 15:28

    Talent Smiley Kikuchi (54) updated X on the night of August 31, posting a message addressed to certain people.

    Kikuchi opened with “To those who feel uncomfortable about the Rikuryu pair or Hoshino Mari,” and continued, “Let’s eat until we’re full and go to sleep!”

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

    4AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:42
    Hey, hey — don't go stoking the flames on purpose!
    8AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:43
    Wada Akiko: "What does this guy even do for a living, anyway?"
    11AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:44
    For you 5ch folks who love slander and online pile-ons,
    he's just someone saying something you don't want to hear, that's all.
    19AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:45
    "Baka-tter" types (idiot-tweeters who court outrage for clout) cash in once they hit monetization.
    70AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:59
    Re: #19
    It's not a blue-check account,
    so it doesn't look like it's monetized.
    21AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:46
    I get it, he's a victim himself so I understand where he's coming from, but every time he pops up like this it just draws more criticism.

    > He continued, "Let's eat until we're full and go to sleep!"

    That made me laugh, so it's fine by me.
    23AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:46
    I get why there's backlash against the skating pair, like "what are you even bringing this up for now," but why is Hoshino Mari getting bashed at all?
    24AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:46
    He gets a whole thread started over this — that's a win in his book.
    26AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    "Let's eat until we're full and go to sleep!"
    You really get a glimpse of this guy's true character right there.
    27AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    How much are you getting paid to write this article?
    28AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    Um… eating until you're stuffed isn't good for your health, you know? If someone ends up with a stroke, are you gonna take responsibility?

    People should actually think before they eat.
    29AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:48
    Huh?!
    So you're gonna treat me to a full meal then, right? Huh?!
    30AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:48
    Your comment is the most obnoxious thing in this whole thread, and you're the one causing trouble.
    38AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    Second-generation moral watchdog of the entertainment world —
    leave it to Smiley!
    39AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    You're bitter because you can't afford to eat until you're full, that's why your heart's so poor.
    40AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    This guy just wants attention by butting into flame wars.
    The whole Rikuryu thing had basically died down already, but he dug it back up and poured gasoline on it — that's the nasty part.
    42AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    Re: #1
    Why's this guy stirring the pot?
    There's a limit to how shameless you can be.
    60AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:57
    But he stayed dead silent during the Shiogai thing.
    64AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:58
    Re: #60
    Maybe he just figures athletes are never going to be loved by everyone and criticism just comes with the territory.
    Or maybe he just doesn't like Shiogai or soccer players lol — they say jealousy toward your own gender can be brutal lol
    74AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:00
    Re: #60
    That guy brought it on himself lol
    Not really a situation for Professor Smiley to weigh in on.
    61AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:57
    Guys like this actually need people out there criticizing others, or they'd have nothing to talk about.
    And notice they never say a word
    when celebrities criticize, slander, or publicly expose ordinary people lol. Total silence on stuff like Gackt's outbursts.
    69AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:59
    Re: #61
    Reading Re: #1, his whole theory seems to be that it's unsatisfied bottom-feeders who can't eat their fill doing this kind of thing.
    So when it's rich celebrities getting criticized, it doesn't fit his own logic anymore.
    78AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:01
    Re: #69
    There are ordinary people who are well-paid and criticize under their real names too, but that gets conveniently ignored, right?
    He's not really looking at the fact that not everyone posts anonymously.
    88AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:02
    Re: #69
    When the people who criticized Smiley got doxxed/identified, they turned out to be pretty ordinary people, if I remember right.

    Background and points of contention

    Smiley Kikuchi is known for having endured years of online slander after a false rumor spread in the late 1990s branding him the culprit in a murder he had nothing to do with — an experience that has led him to speak out repeatedly on the issue of online harassment. The Rikuryu pair (Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara) are the figure skating duo who won a medal at the Beijing Olympics, and Hoshino Mari is an actress; the thread itself never made clear exactly why the two had become targets of online criticism or discomfort. What divided opinion wasn’t so much the content of the post itself as the question of consistency — “why speak up now, and only for these two?” — with several posters pointing out that Kikuchi hadn’t offered similar defenses for other celebrities or athletes who’d faced comparable backlash in the past. At the same time, given that Kikuchi himself was once the victim of serious online slander, some voices in the thread showed understanding for his remarks, making the reaction more mixed than a simple split between support and criticism.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “Smiley Kikuchi posts appeal: “To those who feel uncomfortable about the Rikuryu pair or Hoshino Mari”.”

  • Sushiro’s NYC Store Opens in October, Plates from ¥800 — Conveyor-Belt Sushi Chain’s First US Location

    Food & Life Companies, which operates the conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro, has announced it will open its first US location near Times Square in New York this October. Nigiri will start at $5 (about ¥800) a plate, otoro (fatty tuna) will run $10, and a US-exclusive “Shrimp Double Cheese Roll” will be $14. On the forum, some reacted to the yen conversion by calling ¥800 pricey, but plenty pushed back, arguing it’s hardly expensive given New York’s hourly wages and cost of living — sparking a debate over how to weigh exchange rates against wage gaps.

    [New York, Jiji Press] Food & Life Companies (F&LC) President Masahiro Yamamoto held a media briefing in New York on August 31, announcing that Sushiro, the company’s conveyor-belt sushi brand, will open its first US location near Times Square in Midtown Manhattan this October.

    The menu will feature nigiri like tuna and shrimp starting at $5 (about ¥800) a plate, with otoro at $10. US-exclusive items will also be offered, including a $14 “Shrimp Double Cheese Roll.”

    At the briefing, Yamamoto emphasized: “We’ve expanded overseas mainly across Asia, but now it’s time for a new challenge. We wanted to take it on in New York — one of the world’s biggest cities, a place that broadcasts information out to the entire world.”

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

    8AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:39
    Kappa Sushi should get in on this too lol
    Quit dragging your feet
    80AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:53
    Re: #8
    Kappa's on the verge of "tou-san" — a pun on 父さん (dad) and 倒産 (bankruptcy).
    Overseas expansion is a pipe dream for them.
    12AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:40
    ¥800 for a plate of mayo corn lmaooo
    18AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:40
    Re: #12
    It's a place where hourly wages top ¥10,000
    23AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:41
    How is this "¥100 sushi"
    That's ¥8,000 for 10 plates
    33AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:44
    Re: #23
    From a New Yorker's perspective that's dirt cheap
    34AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:44
    But at these wage levels it probably feels more like ¥200 in Japan

    NYC minimum wage to be raised to $30 (¥4,500)!? Could end up more than 3x Japan's
    https://www.dailysunny.com/2026/03/16/nynews260316-2/
    43AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    Re: #34
    Even dirt-poor jobs like weeding pay ¥4,500 an hour over there
    68AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    Re: #34
    For it to actually match Japan, wouldn't the dollar need to be worth like ¥50?
    36AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:45
    ¥800 for a kappa maki roll — does that mean Japan's prices and poverty level are now like old-school Southeast Asia?
    44AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:47
    Re: #36
    Japan's the country almost every foreign visitor calls cheap! (´・ω・`)
    114AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:00
    Re: #36
    People say it all over the world
    Even people who love Japan and want to work here worry that once they move here they won't be able to afford to leave (because the pay's too low)
    54AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:48
    Re: #44
    A guy from Zambia was raving that a ¥13,000-a-night Toyoko Inn was cheap cheap
    74AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    Re: #54
    (´;ω;`) I'm staying somewhere cheaper than the Zambian guy
    154AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:10
    Re: #54
    ¥13,000 is actually on the pricier side for a Toyoko Inn!
    56AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    ¥800?!
    Is anyone actually going to buy that?
    94AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:57
    Re: #56
    For health-conscious people, Japanese food is super appealing
    58AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:49
    Say what you want, but Japan's actually done a decent job keeping inflation in check
    63AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    Re: #58
    It just dropped out of the developed world and became a cheap, backwater country
    64AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:50
    Re: #58
    Making money in US stocks while living in Japan is, to put it mildly, the ultimate cheat code
    66AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:51
    That's cheap
    In London the low end is ¥1,000 a plate, and the pricier spots run ¥3,000 a plate
    73AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:52
    Re: #66
    Marugame Seimen is pricey overseas too
    75AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:53
    Re: #66
    Last year in Stockholm, lunch at a conveyor-belt sushi place ran ¥20,000 a person
    81AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:54
    Compared to that, Japan's great
    Genuinely easy to live in
    90AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:56
    Re: #81
    Even foreigners are coming to Japan because they can't afford to live in their own countries
    89AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:56
    This weak-yen framing is pretty misleading
    Isn't each plate American-sized too?
    Portions over there are massive
    147AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:09
    Re: #89
    It's not "framing"
    The weak yen is just a fact
    93AnonymousSep 1, 2026 15:57
    New York's average monthly income is about double Tokyo's, but a Sushiro plate there costs 6-7 times as much


    According to city survey data, New York's average monthly income is about $5,128 (roughly ¥740,000-750,000).

    Compared to Tokyo's average monthly salary (about ¥370,000-380,000), that puts New York at roughly double.
    111AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:00
    Re: #93
    Starbucks prices are about even between the two, so maybe imported stuff is just pricier there
    113AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:00
    New Yorkers earn around ¥5,000/hr, so relative to Japan's ¥1,000/hr, it's basically the same as a ¥200 plate here
    247AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:27
    Re: #113
    Sounds like Ippei's old man would raise his hand for that one
    117AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:02
    Sushiro's NY store and menu

    169AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:14
    Re: #117
    No prices listed
    163AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:13
    USA → ¥800 a plate
    ↓
    Factor in a 3x wage gap, New York, and the weak yen
    ↓
    ¥800 ÷ 3x wage gap × 0.625 exchange rate = equivalent of about ¥166

    To a New Yorker that's not really that expensive
    Japanese people are just getting poorer lol
    173AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:15
    Re: #163
    Exactly. It only looks expensive because we're viewing it in yen.
    188AnonymousSep 1, 2026 16:18
    Re: #163
    Aren't you double-counting the exchange rate?

    The wage gap already gets normalized into one currency via the exchange rate, doesn't it?

    Background and Points of Debate

    Conveyor-belt sushi chains’ overseas expansion has mostly focused on Asia until now, making this the first step into North America. New York City has been raising minimum wages across industries including food service, and the report cited in the thread about a possible hike to a $30 minimum wage is part of that trend. Opinions in the thread split along a simple line: do you judge the price “expensive” by converting it straight to yen, or “reasonable” by comparing it to local hourly wages and cost of living? Judging overseas prices by exchange rate alone, without accounting for local wage levels and actual purchasing power, is a pitfall that comes up again and again in debates like this one. Some posters also pointed out that the thread may be double-counting the exchange rate and the wage gap, underscoring how tricky a simple comparison like this can be.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread “Sushiro Opens First US Location in NYC This October — Plates Start at ¥800.”

  • Hello! Project Tour Officer ‘Pistol-san’ Injured After Collision with Car at Unsignaled Intersection, Expected 2-Week Recovery

    ‘Pistol-san,’ known as a Tour Officer (TO) for Hello! Project, was injured after colliding with a car while crossing an unsignaled intersection on a bicycle. They reported on social media, “I got a full checkup at the hospital and it turned out to be minor injuries,” prompting relieved responses from fans. On 5ch, however, opinion split over whether the car had actually come to a stop, and whether the cyclist bore some responsibility for entering the crosswalk at cycling speed.

    1AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:15
    @Pistol-san
    Sorry for worrying so many of you 💦
    Got a full checkup at the hospital and it turned out to be minor injuries 🏥
    2AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:16
    Glad it's nothing life-threatening, at least
    4AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:22
    Some replies are telling them to keep saying "it hurts, it hurts" and go to the hospital — wonder if they're angling for a fat settlement
    6AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:25
    Hiroyuki (2channel's founder) got into a traffic accident back in college, played the pain-in-the-ass victim milking it for all it's worth — calling in insurance reps and squeezing out cash — and reportedly used that settlement money to start 2channel
    11AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:36
    Re: #6
    You're skipping the part where he studied abroad in between the settlement and starting 2channel
    15AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:42
    TBS has a segment on right now about tightening speed limits
    16AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:45
    If a bike comes flying into the crosswalk at cycling speed, the car can't stop in time — this is basically the cyclist riding into getting hit
    17AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:46
    Two weeks to heal barely even counts as an injury
    18AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:47
    Didn't know Pist-chan (nickname for Pistol-san) rides a bike
    21AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:51
    I'd been picturing Samurai's face this whole time reading this thread
    Then the "Re: #18 Pist-chan" comment snapped me back to reality
    19AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:47
    I live out in the countryside, but apparently starting today residential streets are getting a 30km/h speed limit
    Is it the same where you guys live?
    22AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:51
    Classic case where the neck pain shows up days later
    23AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:52
    Did they cross the crosswalk on the bike without stopping or even looking either way?
    There are a lot of cyclists like that
    24AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:52
    On a 40km/h road, a car can't stop in time for an unsignaled crosswalk
    It's just common sense that pedestrians and cyclists stop before crossing
    26AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:53
    "Bicycles can't ride on the sidewalk" → wrong
    "Bicycles ride on the road as a rule, but can use the sidewalk if it's judged dangerous" → correct
    Well, obviously — telling cyclists to force their way into traffic even when there's a hazard would be insane
    28AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:53
    I actually went and checked the rules for how bikes should turn right and cross at crosswalks
    If this is accurate, doesn't that mean the car isn't at fault here?
    29AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:54
    You do sometimes see bikes sitting in the right-turn lane
    That's dangerous
    30AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:55
    By the way, bicycles aren't supposed to ride through a crosswalk — you're required to walk it while pushing the bike, otherwise it's a violation
    If there's a marked bike lane through it, riding is fine
    This is actually something the police watch for
    31AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:56
    Two weeks to heal is a minor injury, so that's a relief
    32AnonymousSep 1, 2026 10:57
    > Came riding up on the bike and rode straight across the unsignaled crosswalk
    This is basically riding straight into the car
    33AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:01
    They're not a pedestrian, so the car isn't obligated to stop
    34AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:01
    Bicycles aren't pedestrians, so cars on the road have no duty to stop for them
    Whoever's more at fault just ends up with the bigger share of blame
    35AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:03
    They're saying the car blew through without stopping, so the car bears most of the fault
    61AnonymousSep 1, 2026 12:19
    Re: #35
    That's just written to sound convenient for them
    If the car hit them while they were crossing exactly as described, this isn't even a "did they stop" situation anymore
    36AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:03
    A driver this reckless shouldn't get off the hook!
    Let's get this on a tabloid talk show
    37AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:05
    Was there even a stop sign on the car's side?
    41AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:12
    I've seen them show up by bike to a birthday event held at Square Hiratsuka
    Pistol-san lives in Ooimachi
    44AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:21
    For Chii-chan, they're basically like a father figure who helped raise her, so she must be relieved
    Glad they're okay
    45AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:23
    No way, is that a nod to Takehara Pistol? ( ̄▽-) (a real singer-songwriter whose name is a pun on "Pistol")
    46AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:25
    Cyclists like this blow through stops too, so they're a menace to pedestrians as well
    47AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:26
    Guess forcing bikes onto the road is the only option after all
    48AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:34
    Just ticket bikes on the spot for riding on the sidewalk
    49AnonymousSep 1, 2026 11:40
    Not saying cyclists have to push their bike across the crosswalk, but at least stop and check both ways before crossing — that's all drivers are asking
    56AnonymousSep 1, 2026 12:11
    I mostly get around by car, but if it's true the driver really didn't stop, then the car's in the wrong
    Sure, a bike coming in at real speed is also a violation, and there's an argument the driver couldn't have reacted in time — but the moment the car didn't stop, it has no excuse
    63AnonymousSep 1, 2026 12:21
    Re: #56
    You're not using your imagination
    Once a bike shoots into the crosswalk at riding speed, the car can't stop anymore
    And if the car really could've stopped, the bike could've stopped too

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    Under Article 38 of Japan’s Road Traffic Act, at an unsignaled intersection (crosswalk), cars are required to stop when a pedestrian or someone walking a bicycle is attempting to cross. However, a cyclist who crosses while still riding is classified as a “light vehicle,” so whether that stopping duty applies depends on the situation and is open to interpretation. That legal gray area is exactly why this thread split between voices blaming the driver and voices pointing to the cyclist’s carelessness. It’s also worth noting that the details of the accident come from social media posts by the person involved and bystanders, not from an official police investigation or a finalized determination of fault. The reported two-week recovery suggests the injuries were relatively minor and not life-threatening.

    ※This article was compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Hello! Project TO Pistol-san Sent Flying and Badly Injured by a Reckless Car at an Unsignaled Intersection.”

  • Hello! Project Tenure Rankings: Akari Uemura Takes No. 1 with 4,127 Days — 5ch Notes ‘Count Includes Day One’

    A post on 5ch’s Hello! Project board announced a feature on Fuji TV’s “Mezamashi TV” featuring Juice=Juice, along with news that a comment video for the August 31 broadcast of CDTV Live! Live! had arrived. Also posted alongside it was a ranking of tenure days across all of Hello! Project, with Akari Uemura taking the top spot at 4,127 days, followed by Reru Dangahara and Tomoko Kanazawa. The ranking sparked a correction about the counting method — that “tenure days are counted including day one” — once again showing how the displayed number can shift depending on how you count.

    1AnonymousAug 29, 2026 08:38
    Mezamashi TV@cx_mezamashi
    /
    #MezamashiWANGANFes ⏰
    4AnonymousAug 29, 2026 08:42
    Tenure days as of 2026/08/29

    4,127 days: Akari Uemura
    3,351 days: Reru Dangahara (2017/06/26–)
    3,194 days: Tomoko Kanazawa
    2,909 days: Sayuki Takagi
    2,845 days: Karin Miyamoto
    2,633 days: Yume Kudo, Ria Matsunaga (2019/06/14–)
    2,341 days: Rene Inoue (2020/04/01–)
    2,303 days: Yuka Miyazaki
    1,879 days: Ichika Arisawa, Risa Irie, Kisaki Ebata (2021/07/07–)
    1,522 days: Sakura Ishiyama, Ayakari Endo (2022/06/29–)
    1,447 days: Manaka Inaba
    1,194 days: Mifu Kawashima (2023/05/23–)
    *,623 days: Nanami Yanagawa
    *,432 days: Nia Hayashi (2025/06/23–)
    *,130 days: Aina Otsuka
    5AnonymousAug 29, 2026 08:42
    Re: #4
    Your math is always off by one day.
    Tenure days are calculated by including day one.
    Elapsed days are calculated by excluding day one.

    If you join on Jan 1 and quit on Jan 3, your tenure is 3 days.
    If you join on Jan 1 and quit that same day, your tenure is 1 day.
    If you exclude day one, both of these end up one day short.
    6AnonymousAug 29, 2026 08:45
    CDTV Live! Live!
    Monday, August 31, starting 7:00 PM
    2-hour live broadcast 🥳⚡

    A comment has arrived
    from the members of Juice=Juice 🗣❤‍🔥

    2,433 likes
    https://x.com/TBSCDTV/status/2093262316678906316
    13AnonymousAug 29, 2026 08:53
    Ugh, not Nagi-kun again
    31AnonymousAug 29, 2026 09:08
    Kansai folks, pyen~ (net slang for a sad little whimper)

    Background and Discussion Points

    Among Hello! Project fans, tenure-day rankings are a recurring staple, and because the number shifts by a day depending on whether day one is “included” or “excluded,” it’s become a running joke that someone points out the counting method every time the list gets posted. This time was no exception — a textbook exchange with no real conflict or controversy. Akari Uemura topping the list at 4,127 days highlights a defining trait of Juice=Juice: a group with many long-tenured members. One point readers can easily misread is that this kind of ranking isn’t “total cumulative days including past departures and graduations,” but rather consecutive days in a member’s current group — so for members who’ve held multiple positions or transferred between groups, the number can look very different depending on how it’s counted. The original thread also contained insults aimed at specific posters and some off-color jokes, but since those had nothing to do with the main topic — the show announcement and the ranking — they’ve been left out of this article.

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “■ Juice=Juice ■ Mezamashi WANGAN Fes: Popular Variety Highlights and the Ultimate Summer Collab Moments, Non-Stop ■ Fuji TV 13:35-14:25 ■“.

  • Misaki Ebata: “I Can’t Help Touching Yuina Sugiyama Whenever We Meet”

    Answers from Hello! Project members to the official “Hello! Q&A” feature’s question “Which member have you gotten closer to recently?” became a hot topic on 5channel’s Hello! Pro board. Ruru Danbara named Ruri Hiromoto, while Misaki Ebata picked BEYOOOOONDS’ Yuina Sugiyama, commenting, “Whenever we meet, I just can’t help touching her.” Posters were also surprised that the nickname in Momo Kitahara’s answer was hard to connect to her real name, and comments kept coming in expressing surprise at pairings that crossed group lines.

    1AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:36
    260831 Hello! Q&A
    Q. Which member do you feel you've grown closer to recently?
    Ruru Danbara: Ruri Hiromoto-chan!
    4AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:38
    One-way street, huh, Rei-rei (sounds pretty one-sided)
    5AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:39
    What do you even have to do to Momo Kitahara to end up with "Ran-chan"?
    9AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:40
    Re: #5
    Take the "ra" out of "Kita-ha-ra" (wordplay on her name)
    6AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:39
    Somebody swap places with Sugiyama, please.
    7AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:39
    https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20260808/21/tsubaki-factory/de/22/j/o1080081015810352739.jpg
    12AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:43
    https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20260719/20/juicejuice-official/e0/54/j/o1080081015804081949.jpg
    13AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:43
    Chin up, Sakurachi!
    14AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:43
    Sakurachi…..
    17AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:46
    Bet this made Mano-chan happy
    She's such a huge octopus fan she collects octopus merch because of it
    18AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:46
    Kudo and Otsubo, the "octopus-pot" duo (Otsubo's name contains "tsubo," or pot)
    19AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:47
    Does Ishiyama-san seriously only have Ressa-san as a friend?
    20AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:47
    ?? "You touched my girl, so I'm touching Eba-chan too, deal with it"
    21AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:48
    Ishiyama's painfully shy around people, that's why.
    22AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:49
    So the pre-chorus line was "Pupepi" this whole time
    I always thought it was "Muteki" (Invincible)
    54AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:52
    55AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:57
    Honestly the "Kakumei Douchuu" number at the Hello! Con was basically made for Marin and Endo
    I want these two getting closer and closer
    58AnonymousAug 31, 2026 13:15
    Re: #55
    Looking back, that unit had Ise, Fukuda, and Kitahara — three of their groups' biggest fan favorites
    A lineup as stacked as Deka Beat
    56AnonymousAug 31, 2026 12:58
    Kidnapper Eba lol
    57AnonymousAug 31, 2026 13:01
    Let's get Marin and A-tan to do something together
    60AnonymousAug 31, 2026 13:25
    Jealous she got to touch Yuna
    65AnonymousAug 31, 2026 13:40
    They keep slapping on weird nicknames
    Stuff like "Ria-cha" really gets on my nerves
    66AnonymousAug 31, 2026 13:43
    Is it that Ishiyama couldn't do it, or that it wasn't done to her? Which meaning is it??
    69AnonymousAug 31, 2026 14:32
    The Tako-tsubo sisters are precious
    70AnonymousAug 31, 2026 14:35
    The sneaky way they count even VTR appearances is so on-brand for these two

    Background and Talking Points

    “Hello! Q&A” is a recurring feature on the official Hello! Project blog in which members answer a shared question in their own words. This time’s theme, “which member have you grown closer to recently,” tends to draw plenty of reactions every time, since it’s a chance to see how friendships shift through concerts and unit activities. In the thread, names from multiple groups came up — Ruru Danbara, BEYOOOOONDS, Juice=Juice, and more — with posters expressing surprise at pairings that crossed group lines and reminiscing about past unit lineups. At the same time, some comments veered into remarks about members’ looks or crude teasing. This article focuses on excerpts related to the members’ actual answers and their friendships.

    ※This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Hello! Pro) thread “Misaki Ebata: “The member I’ve gotten closer to recently is BEYOOOOONDS’ Yuina Sugiyama-chan. Whenever we meet, I just can’t help touching her.”“

  • ‘Get Smacked by Sohin’ Post Goes Viral — Juice=Juice Quote-Tweet Video Joins the Fun

    CANDY TUNE’s new song, given its first-ever TV performance on CDTV, features a segment where all seven members take turns asking “Am I cute?” One viewer summed it up with the post “These girls really need a smack from Sohin (a Japanese comedian known for comedic bits where he scolds and ‘smacks’ annoying things) once,” and it took off on social media. The buzz grew even further when someone quote-tweeted a video set to the Juice=Juice song “BLOODY BULLET,” paired with the lyric “All these questions are exhausting — please be quiet for a bit.” The story made its way to the Hello! Project board on 5channel, where opinion split over the scale of the likes: was this genuine widespread sympathy, or just people piling on for attention?

    Ao

    @K_Ao_R

    These girls really need a smack from Sohin.

    Source: x.com / Original post here

    2AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:19
    [Summary]

    CANDY TUNE's new song, given its first TV performance on CDTV, has all 7 members asking "Am I cute?" (i.e. "Aren't I cute?")
    ↓
    Since it's so annoying, someone posts about it with "Get smacked by Sohin," and it goes viral
    ↓
    Gets quote-tweeted with a video set to Juice=Juice's "BLOODY BULLET" and the lyric "All these questions are exhausting, please be quiet for a bit"
    ↓
    Strikes a chord and goes viral — and on top of that, people say "The girl in this video (Ino Reon) is cuter than CANDY TUNE anyway"
    71AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:02
    Re: #2
    >Gets quote-tweeted with a video set to Juice=Juice's "BLOODY BULLET" and the lyric "All these questions are exhausting, please be quiet for a bit"
    3,776 likes (the original post got 22,000 likes)


    >Strikes a chord and goes viral — and on top of that, people say "The girl in this video (Ino Reon) is cuter than CANDY TUNE anyway"
    28 likes
    74AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:03
    Re: #71
    Here we go again with Juice fans' usual fake-viral hype scam.
    81AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:13
    Re: #71
    Even the original post only got likes because people thought "yeah, these girls really do deserve a smack from Sohin" — it's not some declaration of "I love CANDY TUNE!" Especially since Kawa Lab (nickname for CANDY TUNE) isn't nearly as strong on X as it is on TikTok, and isn't well liked there.
    3AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:21
    Still astroturfing? Nobody's even paying attention anymore.
    4AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:22
    Hello! Project otaku making themselves hated again.
    5AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:23
    CANDY TUNE's song was pretty lame.
    6AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:24
    Hello! Project otaku bashing other idols again.
    7AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:24
    Guess it's become a meme now.
    16AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:33
    Suki-chan… (nickname for a member)
    17AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:33
    Re: #16
    Oh yeah, that happened…
    18AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:35
    That's what happens when you make a song that's just chanting 'cute' over and over.
    20AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:35
    Would've been funnier if they'd just performed 'Bura-Bare' (fan nickname for Juice=Juice's BLOODY BULLET) themselves.
    41AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:38
    The quote-tweet only got 490K impressions, that's not going viral at all lol

    Meanwhile the original post got 12 million impressions.
    54AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:40
    Getting asked 'cute, right? cute, right?' over and over is just irritating.
    56AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:42
    Kawa Lab (CANDY TUNE) and =LOVE (nicknamed 'Ikolove') get flamed every time they're on TV.
    57AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:43
    I get the urge to tell them to pipe down a little.
    61AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:44
    The second something's a hit, they start trashing other groups. Typical 'Harokasu' (a slur combining 'Hello!' and 'trash' used for Hello!Project fans).
    62AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:45
    Isn't there someone like Yassu (nickname for a member known for playing the comic-relief role) to handle the punchline?
    66AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:51
    OWV danced 'Kurakura Climax' during a Pokapoka (TV variety show) commercial break.

    And even before this really blew up, they'd already danced 'Moremi' on Pokapoka too, right?
    69AnonymousSep 1, 2026 13:57
    More importantly, is it okay that it's basically a ripoff of Petitmoni? None of the Hello! Project otaku are even watching CANDY TUNE's actual songs anyway.
    70AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:00
    Re: #69
    It was made by Yabai T-shirt Yasan (a creator with Hello! Project ties). He's on our side.
    73AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:02
    Re: #69
    In yesterday's Ookami (5ch live-commentary) thread, people were saying 'Isn't this just Petitmoni?' lol
    75AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:03
    Someone who just wears a Michishige T-shirt at his own shows writes a song that rips off Petitmoni, hands it to some group outside Hello! Project instead of Hello! itself, and gets a pass because 'he's on our side' — somebody explain that logic to me.
    76AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:04
    The general public's just tired of 'kawaii' at this point, isn't it.
    77AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:05
    More than being tired of it, I think a lot of people just can't tell one group from another anymore — which one's CANDY TUNE, which one's Suisute (another similarly-styled idol group)…
    78AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:05
    Where exactly is it ripping off Petitmoni?
    82AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:13
    Re: #78
    Probably the part where they keep chanting the same word over and over?
    84AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:27
    Re: #78
    There's literally a part like that — a section that's blatantly similar.
    80AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:13
    Guess we've entered an era where Hello! Project gets used as a stick to beat other idols with.
    85AnonymousSep 1, 2026 14:31
    'Totally!' 'Totally!' 'Totally!' 'Totally!' 'Totally!'
    'I get it!' 'I get it!' 'I get it!' 'I get it!' 'I get it!'

    This part is exactly the same as Petitmoni's 'right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right' bit.

    Background and Points of Debate

    There’s a real gap in scale behind this viral moment: the original post racked up 22,000 likes, while the quote-tweet that reignited it got only 3,776. Commenters in the thread pointed out this looks like “fake viral hype,” a reminder to take claims of something “going viral” on social media with a grain of salt rather than assuming the raw numbers tell the whole story. Likewise, the claim that CANDY TUNE’s song structure resembles Petitmoni’s is just a subjective opinion voiced on 5channel, not a confirmed fact. Hello! Project runs a large number of groups, and overlapping trends in songs and costumes aren’t unusual, which is why some in the thread admitted they can no longer tell which song belongs to which group. It’s also worth keeping in mind that topics involving popularity comparisons between groups tend to spark emotional clashes between fan bases.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5channel (Hello! Project board) thread “[Good News] Juice=Juice Goes Viral on CDTV wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”