Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • ’24-Hour TV’ Telethon Raises ¥380,548,400 in Donations — Mari Hoshino Finishes Marathon in Tears

    Nippon TV’s “24-Hour Television 49” wrapped up its broadcast on August 30, 2026, with the marathon donation total reaching ¥380,548,400 by the end of the program. Charity runner and actress Mari Hoshino completed the marathon in tears, running under the banner of “the Children’s Donation Drive to Grow More ‘I Did It!’ Moments.” On 5ch’s live discussion threads, some voiced discomfort with the staging device of concealing the real-time donation total, calling the show “hypocritical” or “inspiration porn,” while others buzzed over a person who cut into the marathon holding a sign reading “Donation Embezzlement,” as well as staff members seen directing pedestrians along the route.

    August 30, 2026, 20:51

    Nippon TV’s “24-Hour Television 49 – Love Saves the Earth -” (airing from 6:30 PM on the 29th to 8:54 PM on the 30th) raised a total of ¥380,548,400 in marathon donations by the time the program ended.

    This year’s theme was “My Family’s Story — Who Do You Think Of?” Actress Mari Hoshino served as this year’s charity runner, taking part in the “Children’s Donation Drive to Grow More ‘I Did It!’ Moments.” Organizers said the donations collected would go entirely toward support like electric wheelchairs to help create more “I did it” moments for children.

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

    5AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:58
    That's shockingly little.
    Subtract their appearance fees and it's probably a net loss.
    404AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:15
    Re: #5
    Well, this whole amount is donations anyway.
    The appearance fees come out of a separate budget.
    8AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:59
    https://n.picvr.net/2608302034033311.jpg
    https://n.picvr.net/2608302034039448.jpg
    157AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:21
    Re: #8
    Wasn't watching, but this cracked me up.

    "Embezzling the 24-Hour TV donations"
    322AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:49
    Re: #8
    Guess this guy's the MVP, huh.
    345AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:55
    Re: #8
    A legend has arrived!

    That's the beauty of live TV.
    20AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:00
    Mitsuyoshi Uchimura is getting a ¥10 million appearance fee lolololol
    339AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:52
    Re: #20
    Apparently he's said he's donating all of it, lol
    348AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:55
    Re: #20
    No way Uchimura's fee is only ¥10 million.
    58AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:06
    Re: #12
    More than that, having the top-right corner show "Current donation total: ???" is really tacky.
    Feels more like a variety-show gimmick.
    103AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:12
    Re: #58
    The "???" is ten thousand times creepier than the kids.
    399AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:12
    Re: #58
    What's even the point of hiding that?
    Is it like, once it passes some hundred million yen, viewers get a prize?
    Unbelievable that they keep doing this.
    61AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:06
    I wonder what kind of people actually watch this and who's donating.
    Rich people, I guess?
    118AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:14
    Re: #61
    There are surprisingly a lot of rich idiots out there,
    and plenty of people benefit from that too —
    not that anyone's being exploited or anything.
    126AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:16
    Re: #61
    The donation box at my local AEON had quite a bit in it.
    It's a clear box so you can see everything.
    Mostly coins, but a fair number of bills mixed in too.
    72AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:07
    Re: #1

    The intruder (an upstanding citizen), lol

    Images
    https://ohayua.cyou/twimg/HQ952cXa0AAV2pq.jpg
    https://ohayua.cyou/twimg/HQ952gEbsAABfSb.jpg
    83AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:09
    I seriously haven't watched a single second of it.
    93AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:11
    Re: #83
    I caught like 5 seconds of it between Chibi Maruko-chan and Sazae-san.
    295AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:44
    Re: #83
    I watched a bit during the Shōten (comedy show) slot.
    183AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:25
    It bugs me how they're hogging the whole width of the sidewalk.

    Also, apparently the guy on the left could get arrested for coercion.
    204AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:28
    Re: #183
    Oh, he's a staff member.
    Apparently what he did is being called illegal.
    244AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:35
    Re: #183
    Yeah, that guy is genuinely unpleasant.
    208AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:29
    Is Mari Hoshino aiming to become the next Eriko Imai (of SPEED)?
    She has a child with disabilities, and unlike Imai, she went to Keio University,
    so I get a strong whiff that she's headed for politics.
    242AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:35
    Re: #208
    It was her husband who went into politics.
    280AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:42
    Re: #208
    Her husband's already a lawmaker, actually.
    217AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:30
    Why are these people walking and taking up the entire width of the sidewalk?


    Doesn't that seem off?
    231AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:33
    Re: #217
    They obviously got a road-use permit, so it's not really out of line.
    262AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:38
    Re: #231
    Even with a permit, giving orders to pedestrians is a no-go, lol.
    273AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:40
    The guy holding the "embezzlement" sign
    apparently faked everyone out at first by holding up a "go for it!" cheering sign on the front, lolololol
    I absolutely love this kind of counterpunch.
    278AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:41
    Re: #273
    Nice one 👍
    298AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:45
    Re: #273
    He looks like the kind of guy who'd show up in Super Mario or something…
    351AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:55
    What positive people can do:
    Raise ¥380 million in donations

    What negative old geezers can do:
    Sulk in a corner of 5ch

    And the world keeps on turning.
    362AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:59
    Re: #351
    Crazy that "inspiration porn" can fetch a ¥300 million price tag.
    Goes to show the porn industry's still alive and well.
    376AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:02
    Re: #351
    So basically it's money, not love, that saves the day, huh.
    375AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:02
    Re: #1-10
    A hero has appeared! Nippon TV, don't you dare run away!
    https://n.picvr.net/2608302034033311.jpg
    https://n.picvr.net/2608302034039448.jpg

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Since its debut broadcast in 1978, “24-Hour Television” has continued as a special program built around a charity marathon. The term “inspiration porn” has, in recent years, become an established phrase criticizing the staging of disability and hardship as entertainment, and the “hypocritical show” criticism seen in the thread falls within this same context. Concealing the total donation amount until right before the ending is a longstanding format for the show, apparently meant to keep viewers hooked until the very end, but the practice of displaying the figure as “???” has itself been a recurring point of debate every year. As for the person who held up a “donation embezzlement” sign during the marathon, no follow-up report clarifying the show’s official stance or the facts of the matter had been confirmed as of this article, and it’s worth noting that it appears to have been received as a satirical performance.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News Express+) thread “[Breaking] “24-Hour Television” — Marathon Donation Total Reaches ¥380,548,400 by End of Broadcast, Mari Hoshino Finishes Marathon in Tears [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”

  • TSUTAYA Fire-Sells New PS5 Games for 100 Yen — 5ch Reads It as a ‘Shelf Clearance’

    A report to 5ch said TSUTAYA is progressively marking down packaged PS5 software — new copies dropping to 500 yen, then 300 yen, then 100 yen — sparking a thread. According to the original poster, popular titles at nearby stores were already sold out by the time they got there. The post triggered a wave of similar reports from other chains like GEO, Don Quijote, and Bic Camera, where PS5 shelf space also appeared to be shrinking. The discussion expanded into whether this is just a temporary sale or whether retailers are pulling out of PS5 entirely, with some pointing to trading cards’ higher profit margins as a rival explanation — a fight over shelf space, in other words.

    1AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:20
    Saw the thread and went to my local TSUTAYA — forget 80% off, they were doing tiered markdowns at 500, 300, and 100 yen for new copies.
    Looked like it had already been picked over though, nothing decent left…
    At 100 yen for a 'new' copy, just think of it as the price of a replacement case for that scratched-up used disc you already own, to make it look new again.
    22AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:26
    This really looks like retailers are trying to kill the PS shelf entirely.

    Up to now people kept saying it's just the usual sale, but this time it's clearly different.
    PS shelf space is going to vanish from retail stores.
    Worst case they might even stop carrying peripherals too.
    Retailers used to make money off software sales, and now that's drying up.
    30AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:27
    Re: #22
    Retailers only stock consoles to sell software in the first place — if there's no software, there's no point stocking the console either.
    43AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:31
    For publishers who want to sell packaged PS5 software, the number of stores willing to carry it keeps shrinking.
    Soon you'll only be able to buy PS5 games through mail-order sites like Amazon.
    On Amazon, PS5 will get strong multiplatform releases alongside Switch and Switch 2.

    PS5 software reaches its final form… on Amazon.
    49AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:32
    Re: #43
    They were only ever interested in the mega-hits to begin with.
    52AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:33
    Re: #43
    That's fine either way, isn't it? Nobody buys Switch games at TSUTAYA either — that's exactly why they're expanding the trading card section, because nobody's buying games.
    54AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:34
    Re: #43
    Well yeah, but that just means packaged discs are disappearing from PS5 altogether.
    97AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:10
    Re: #1
    Switch 2 exclusive Orbitals looks like it's in trouble.
    131AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:49
    At this rate, where are users even supposed to buy a 250,000-yen PS6?
    136AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:52
    Re: #131
    Digital download, obviously lol
    143AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:54
    Re: #131
    Where do Xbox users even buy theirs?
    159AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:07
    Isn't this just the stuff that never sold in the first place?
    163AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:10
    Re: #159
    PS5 basically only has games that don't sell, though.
    178AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:21
    Re: #159
    Yeah, zero million-sellers.
    181AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:24
    Re: #159
    That's the whole point — it's all PS software. Why are you assuming PlayStation even has games that sell?
    164AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:10
    Just went to my local GEO — the PS shelf in that prime spot right by the register is down to a single section now: top two-thirds is a face-out display of 'Bi-Kane' (a nickname posters use for the title), bottom third is Pro Yakyuu Spirits (a long-running baseball game series). Honestly a pretty pitiful display.
    Those two are basically the 'guaranteed never to sell' dream team at this point.
    165AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:12
    Re: #164
    Went to the PS corner at Don Quijote and they still had the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined promo poster up.
    166AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:13
    Re: #164
    Ha, those are the two biggest duds around.
    168AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:14
    Re: #164
    The one near me has had a copy of Nioh 3 sitting there forever with a 'brand new' sticker slapped on it. Kind of sad.
    182AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:25
    Bic Camera was fire-selling the PS5 version of DQ7 for 1,980 yen — that's when I realized they have zero intention of keeping the PlayStation shelf around.
    213AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:47
    Here are the images the OP of the thread that started all this posted.

    https://tadaup.jp/8CfYB3yH.jpeg
    https://tadaup.jp/8d1whDUg.jpeg

    One thing seems clear: stores that carry games are moving early, across multiple locations, to free up shelf space.
    219AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:53
    Re: #213
    The Marvel game in the left photo is 80% off — that's a brutal markdown.
    223AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:57
    Re: #213
    Lol, a brand-new copy of FIFA from three years ago that's just been sitting there unsold for three years?
    Once a piece of cardboard has an expiration date, it's basically hell.

    Oh…

    So that's why the big retailers are running from that hell, lol.
    295AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:57
    Re: #213
    Honestly the lineup looks exactly like what'd get dumped into a New Year's lucky bag (fukubukuro — a grab-bag of surplus stock sold cheap).
    231AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:05
    Bookoff carries trading cards too, but do they actually turn much profit on them?
    I'd think there's no more stable product than Nintendo games, which still sell new even eight years later.
    237AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:13
    Re: #231
    Unfortunately, cards have way higher margins than games.
    240AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:18
    Re: #231
    Last year Pokémon cards alone sold 10 billion units. This is a world where cards worth maybe 0 to 100 yen each fly off shelves used for 10,000 yen. A hundred years from now this'll be in history textbooks right next to Dutch tulip mania.
    304AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:07
    Re: #231
    Trading cards are basically a machine for turning scraps of paper into stacks of cash.
    337AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:40
    If the stores are losing money on this, why are they so desperate to sell through the stock? Places like Hard Off and Bookoff still sell theirs at full price, don't they?
    338AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:44
    Re: #337
    Because they want to clear out a dead console whose games don't sell, ASAP. The fact that they're not doing this to Switch or Switch 2 says it all.
    339AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:44
    Re: #337
    I think just having PS software sitting on the shelf is generating a loss in itself.

    Shelf space is limited too — wouldn't you rather stock things that actually sell instead of PS games that have sat there unsold for something like 10 years?
    381AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:38
    Imagine being a company still putting out console exclusives in this climate, lol
    387AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:05
    Re: #381
    Pretty much just Bandai Namco, Sega/Atlus, and Konami at this point. Even the publishers that owed Sony loyalty have mostly fled to Switch 2.
    388AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:10
    Re: #381
    Earth Defense Force looks like it's gonna flop hard.
    392AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:16
    Re: #388
    We'll toss Switch 2 the leftovers in two or three years.
    395AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:19
    Re: #392
    They're just running spite-exclusives and still talking big, lmao.
    398AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:28
    Re: #392
    Don't need it. I'll just enjoy watching it flop spectacularly.

    Background and talking points

    In-store inventory of physical packaged games has become a shrinking source of revenue for domestic retailers as digital downloads have spread, making how limited shelf space gets allocated a decision that goes straight to each chain’s bottom line. In this thread, reports of markdowns at TSUTAYA kicked things off, followed by a wave of similar sightings of discounts and shrinking PS5 displays at other chains like GEO, Don Quijote, and Bic Camera — but these remain individual, store-level observations, not an official announcement confirming a company-wide policy shift. It’s also worth flagging that the separate issue of “more stores refusing used-game buybacks” and the fire-sale of new stock are being lumped together in the thread as evidence of a broader “turning away from PS5,” even though they’re technically distinct phenomena easy to conflate. Likewise, the claim that trading cards carry higher profit margins wasn’t backed by any actual figures — it remains an impression based on what posters observed in stores.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “TSUTAYA’s PS5 sell-off sale crosses the line — down to a 100 yen fire sale!“

  • Reports of Switch Elden Ring Selling Out in Stores Right After Launch

    Reports that the Switch version of “Elden Ring” has been selling out at some stores right after launch became a hot topic in a forum thread. Sparked by a post noting that GEO (a Japanese game retailer) had run out of stock, the discussion snowballed into comparisons with how many PS5 physical copies remained on shelves, data claiming the game is trending more overseas than in Japan, and a debate over loading times based on a Famitsu review. Posters also weighed in on Nintendo fans’ buying habits and speculated on why other publishers can’t pull off similar ports, with the conversation branching off in all directions.

    12AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:14
    Huh, turns out Nintendo fanboys ("Nishikun," 5ch slang for Nintendo diehards) actually play soulslikes too
    209AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:25
    Re: #12
    They'll just resell it right away lol
    343AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:25
    Re: #12
    Mario: "Well, obviously." (meme reference)
    26AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:22
    Re: #1
    What about Orbitals, the Switch 2 third-party exclusive (200 points on Amazon)? Not buying that one?
    36AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:25
    Re: #26
    The bar's already too high if it's two-player only
    39AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:26
    Re: #26
    Being serious for a sec, the visuals look incredibly interesting, but two-player-only is kind of a dealbreaker for me
    91AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:03
    Re: #26
    I probably won't even get to play it, but I'm thinking of buying it just to support it
    38AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:26

    56AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:38
    Went to GEO and both this and the MGS Collection were sold out
    The PS version of the MGS Collection was still sitting on the shelf though
    57AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:38
    Re: #56
    Don't tell me PS5 is losing even to Metal Gear now
    What does PS5 even sell at this point
    70AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:46
    Re: #56
    They probably barely stocked the PS5 version to begin with
    and it's still not selling out — that's kind of embarrassing
    62AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:41


    It's getting more buzz overseas than in Japan




    Russia
    South Korea
    USA
    Japan
    Canada
    Norway
    Sweden
    UK
    Germany
    New Zealand
    Australia
    69AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:45
    Re: #62
    Come to think of it, Switch does pretty well without China at all
    65AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:42
    Seems like the initial shipment was pretty small
    66AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:43
    Re: #65
    Retailers probably didn't expect it to sell
    72AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:47
    Re: #65
    Personally I'm suddenly really interested in the weekly sales chart now
    It's not just raw units sold or shipped — I think this could tell us a lot at once about Switch users' habits, From Software's brand value, and demand for physical copies
    77AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:49
    Re: #65
    There are plenty of PS5 physical releases that don't even sell out despite limited print runs
    If this sells better than expected, that's a win
    87AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:58
    Here's the reality — it's a ghost town in-game
    Just buy the damn thing already. "Pigs" (5ch slur for Nintendo fans) are all talk

    104AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:10
    Re: #87
    Looked into it a bit — seems like that guy's pretty much the only one who can't get invasions to work
    Everyone else seems to be invading just fine, so it's probably an issue on his end ("your setup" problem)
    108AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:12
    Re: #87
    This guy's only level 100
    The question is how many other players are even at level 100 to match with right now
    He probably hasn't even narrowed the matchmaking range either
    112AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:15
    Re: #87
    Did he actually buy the game just to fake this? lol
    Actually, we don't even know if he really bought it, or if it's even the Switch version
    92AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:03
    "My First Elden Ring"
    apparently getting rave reviews

    Why couldn't Bandai Namco or Kadokawa pull this off?
    93AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:04
    Re: #92
    It's kind of unsettling that people won't buy it unless Nintendo blows the dog whistle first
    Doesn't seem like they can make up their own minds
    118AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:18
    Re: #92
    They should make a "My First Onimusha" too


    Why does Nintendo keep picking on Capcom?
    382AnonymousAug 30, 2026 22:05
    Re: #92
    Bandai's heyday of selling to the general public on its own was back with the original Gundam; the last time they pulled it off was the original Tamagotchi
    Kadokawa's current mainstream is a clique built entirely around light novels and late-night anime, so they have zero ability to reach general audiences
    Honestly, if either company actually had the ability to sell to mainstream consumers, the PlayStation platform they've both focused on for years would be selling a lot better than it is
    170AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:56
    Elden Ring never got featured in a Nintendo Direct even once, right?
    Meanwhile Capcom's Resident Evil (which bombed on Switch) got featured twice

    Nintendo's PR team really has zero sense
    198AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:17
    Watched a loading-time comparison video — it's only faster than the PS4 version, and that's still plenty slow
    202AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:21
    Re: #198
    That's a flat-out lie
    This is exactly why people who obstruct the discussion like this get hated

    207AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:24
    Re: #202
    Are you seriously trying to disrespect Famitsu, the long-running dedicated gaming magazine!?
    https://www.famitsu.com/article/202608/84590
    Famitsu: "The loading time for fast travel is admittedly a bit longer than the PS5 version. Personally it felt about on par with the PS4 version."
    Byline "Ichigou": "Loading times are about the same as PS4"

    Switch 2 loading times: ~7 sec for fast travel, ~9 sec to respawn
    PS4 loading times: ~28 sec for fast travel, ~35 sec to respawn
    290AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:17
    Re: #202,203
    Wow, you're really desperate huh
    Doesn't matter how much you two screech — I've been obsessing over loading times for 35 years, you can't fool me
    227AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:35
    For the Switch version, the only things getting talked about are the bundled bust-up figure
    and the amiibo that doesn't seem to have any actual use
    314AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:46
    Re: #1

    Just as I predicted, the Nintendo fanboys couldn't understand the story after all lol
    332AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:57
    Re: #311
    It's getting more buzz in the US than in Japan



    It's getting more buzz overseas than in Japan




    Russia
    South Korea
    USA
    Japan
    Finland
    Canada
    Norway
    Sweden
    UK
    Germany
    New Zealand
    Australia

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    It’s worth noting that the “shortage” claims raised in the thread amount to little more than one person’s sighting at a single GEO store, not data confirming a nationwide supply shortfall. On loading times, one set of figures cited from a Famitsu article (~7 seconds for fast travel versus ~28 seconds on PS4) was presented, while another poster claiming to have tested the game firsthand argued the difference felt smaller in practice — opinion was split over whether to trust the review outlet’s numbers or individual impressions. Several posts also cited overseas search trends to claim the game is “bigger news abroad than in Japan,” but the methodology behind the cited images was never disclosed, so those claims should be taken with a grain of salt. That said, the discussion around how a high-difficulty action game is being received on a Nintendo platform, and speculation on why other publishers haven’t managed similar ports, offers some useful perspective on broader industry trends.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Hardware/Industry (Geha)) thread “Switch Version of Elden Ring Out of Stock wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww” (the string of “w”s is Japanese internet shorthand for laughter, like “lolololol”).

  • Which generation can’t use a computer? 5ch says: “Just teach yourself already 😥”

    In a freewheeling chat thread on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board, participants got into a lively discussion about the bands that were popular back in their school days, and who’s actually good or bad with computers. Alongside familiar names like GLAY, L’Arc-en-Ciel, and B’z, one post that brought up The Folk Crusaders, a group active in the 1960s, drew a reply from a poster in their 30s who said they’d never even heard of the band. The thread also touched on photos of Hololive VTubers Pekora and Flare, plus reactions to pictures of food people had ordered, with the topic constantly shifting. But what stood out most was a generational feud over whether it’s the “yutori generation” or “Gen Z” that can’t use a computer — and opinion split right down the middle.

    80AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:34
    The life I wish I'd had: dating a girl like this 😭


    92AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:36
    Re: #80
    Girls like this are cute, so why do they do that 'landmine' makeup with the slug-shaped smudge under their eyes? (jirai-kei style, dark under-eye makeup meant to look edgy/unstable)
    163AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:40
    Re: #80
    Looking at pics like this, I've started checking out the background first.
    446AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:35
    450AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:36
    Re: #446
    Mii-chan ☺👅
    457AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:39
    Re: #446
    Don't go treating her like she's some fish in an aquarium.
    507AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:57
    513AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:58
    Re: #507
    Wait, it's not just Pekora, Flare's doing it too?! 😱
    518AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:59
    Re: #507
    I don't get what this picture's supposed to mean?
    Where are the people reflected in the mirror supposed to be? I can't spot them.
    523AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:00
    I'm from the 'yutori' generation (Japan's relaxed-education cohort, born roughly late-80s to early-2000s), so I can't use a computer at all.
    It's frustrating watching old guys older than me handle one like it's nothing.
    528AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:00
    Re: #523
    Not being able to use a PC isn't really a problem though, is it?
    529AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:01
    Re: #523
    Um, actually it's the generation below you, Gen Z, that can't use computers.
    551AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:03
    Re: #523
    Yutori kids really are idiots, huh 😅
    Just teach yourself already 😥
    594AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:06
    Time to eat~ (cutesy baby-talk for "itadakimasu") 🥺
    597AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:06
    Re: #594
    Yummy~ 😋
    604AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:07
    Re: #594
    I can't deal with those chopsticks hovering right over the mouse.
    599AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:07
    606AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:07
    Re: #599
    Don't strain yourself like that.
    618AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:08
    Re: #599
    That looks like it'd reek 😓
    704AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:18
    What bands were popular when you guys were in school?
    716AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:19
    Re: #704
    GLAY, L'Arc-en-Ciel, B'z, Spitz
    719AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:19
    Re: #704
    Togenashi Togeari
    779AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:24
    I only listen to the songs I used to listen to way back when.
    Lately it's been nothing but The Folk Crusaders.
    798AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:26
    Re: #779
    I'm in my 30s and I'd never even heard of that band.
    805AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:27
    Re: #779
    I'm more of a Crusaders and Donald Byrd guy myself.
    858AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:31
    Re: #779
    What songs do you like?

    Background and key points of this discussion

    The “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board isn’t tied to any single topic, so conversation just keeps rolling — and this thread was a typical example, with music, VTubers, and everyday-life topics constantly swapping in and out. Where opinions split was over which generation actually struggles with computers: some mocked the “yutori generation,” while others pushed back, arguing that “Gen Z,” having grown up smartphone-first, is actually more likely to be unfamiliar with basic PC tasks like file handling. It’s worth noting that various surveys and news reports have also flagged a rise in people from the post-smartphone generations who aren’t comfortable with basic PC operations — chipping away at the simple assumption that “younger generations are just better with machines.” Also worth noting: The Folk Crusaders were a veteran folk group who scored hits like “Kaette Kita Yopparai” (“The Returning Drunkard”) back in the 1960s, and the gap in name recognition across generations showed up clearly in how the thread reacted. Posts containing personal insults or sexual content that aren’t suitable for an article have been excluded.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from excerpts of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “👊😅👊 [Back to Basics] Dub Pan House [Strongest] 👊😅👊.”

  • Masahiko Kondo responds to “feud” rumors with Toshihiko Tahara: “We used to live together, remember?” — 5ch: “The Tanokin alumni are still close”

    Masahiko Kondo (62) appeared on comedian Tsutomu Sekine’s YouTube channel, updated August 29, and was asked point-blank about rumors of a “feud” with Toshihiko Tahara (65). Kondo replied, “Come on, we used to live together,” pointing back to the days of the Tanokin Trio, when the three of them shared meals and lodging at a Johnny’s dormitory. On the thread, users posted images showing Kondo and Tahara meeting up privately — contrary to the rumored feud — and the discussion turned into a nostalgic trip down memory lane about how much the third member, Yoshio Nomura, shows up at these gatherings these days, plus nicknames and stories from their Tanokin era. Meanwhile, opinions split on a side debate comparing the dance skills of different generations.

    Masahiko Kondo asked point-blank about “feud” rumors with Toshihiko Tahara, responds: “Well…”

    Singer Masahiko Kondo (62) appeared on TV personality Tsutomu Sekine’s (73) YouTube channel, “Sekine Tsutomu Channel,” updated on the 29th.

    There was a moment where he was directly asked about “feud rumors” with Toshihiko Tahara (65), with whom he once shot to massive stardom as part of the “Tanokin Trio.”

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

    9AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:53
    What's with everyone so blatantly ignoring one of the Tanokin guys?
    116AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:44
    Re: #9
    Match and Yocchan (Nomura's nickname) hang out all the time — here's a photo from Mayo Kawasaki's X post this past January.
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G9qQ_FJbkAEbvcy.jpg
    118AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:46
    Re: #116
    The other one's probably Shigeyuki Nakamura, I think
    288AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:03
    Re: #116
    These days everyone gets along, alumni and current members alike

    19AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:58
    I wonder which generation was the one that got sexually abused by Johnny Kitagawa
    25AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:59
    Re: #19
    Wasn't it from the very first generation of Johnny's talent? There was even a lawsuit over it at one point.
    39AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:10
    Re: #19
    Didn't Hiromi Go quit because he hated that? Not sure though.
    264AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:36
    Re: #19
    The Four Leaves won their lawsuit, so it's gotta go back to the very beginning.
    46AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:16
    Nomura really never got popular, huh
    61AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:23
    Re: #46
    Yocchan makes a living as a pro guitarist these days
    344AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:24
    Re: #46
    He got popular as one of Ayu's (Ayumi Hamasaki's) backup dancers
    395AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:24
    Re: #46
    Well, the band he formed was named "Abayo!" (roughly "See ya!"), so…
    50AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:16
    I was watching this, but Match and Mayo talk to Sekine — who's about 10 years older — like total equals. Maybe it's because they've all been in the business about the same length of time?
    59AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:23
    Re: #50
    That's fine, isn't it — it just proves how close they are
    94AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:36
    Re: #50
    Match talked casually with Hiroki Matsukata too, didn't he — that's just how he is with people he's close to
    359AnonymousAug 30, 2026 18:55
    Re: #50
    Are 60- and 70-year-olds really using polite speech with each other while playing gateball in retirement? People only use formal speech because managing the relationship any other way is a hassle. Like with AKB — juniors use polite speech toward seniors in public, but talk casually behind the scenes.
    65AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:25
    Floor plan of the dorm — living this close together, and they still expect to play dumb about it?

    81AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:30
    Re: #65
    Whoever drew this floor plan is really bad at it, huh
    111AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:44
    119AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:49
    Re: #111
    They entrusted Kondo with a remake of a classic, and it flopped spectacularly — even though the supporting cast credits suggest it should've had solid backup.
    158AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:15
    Toshi-chan was the only one who was the real deal
    163AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:18
    Re: #158
    If today's high schoolers saw Toshi-chan or Kimutaku dance, they'd just laugh it off
    198AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:42
    Re: #163
    If today's high schoolers saw King Kazu (Kazuyoshi Miura) play, they'd laugh at that too
    178AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:27
    Re: #163
    Look at these old guys flexing for no reason
    180AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:28
    Re: #178
    You clearly haven't seen today's idols or dance units — Match's dancing looks lame next to that
    182AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:29
    Re: #180
    Kind of sad, honestly — no real presence, so they have to dance their hearts out just to stay popular
    187AnonymousAug 30, 2026 14:32
    Re: #180
    Old guys flexing for no reason again — old folks who are still following idols
    316AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:55
    Toshihiko Tahara → Toshi-chan, I get that.
    Masahiko Kondo → Match, I don't get that one.
    Not Ma-chan or Masa-chan, huh.
    324AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:12
    Re: #316
    I'm Atsushi, and I got called "Acchi" as a kid — this was before Match became famous.
    376AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:23
    Re: #316
    It's a nickname from before his debut, from when his hairstyle looked like a matchstick.
    405AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:59
    Re: #316
    "Match"
    Back in his junior days, Kondo was at the dormitory one day when Hideki Matsubara — who was also the dorm head — asked him to do a party trick. Kondo rubbed his head against the floor shouting "Match!" as an impression, and it was a huge hit. From then on, Matsubara started calling him "Matchbou" (matchstick).
    Over time "bou" got dropped, and the nickname settled into just "Match."
    The commonly told version — that Matsubara named him "Matchbou" because as a Johnny's Jr. Kondo was skinny with short, small-looking hair, so from a distance he looked like a matchstick — is actually a misunderstanding on Kondo's own part.
    336AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:55
    "Tadaima Houkago" (I'm Home from School) Season 1, 1980
    Toshihiko Tahara, Masahiko Kondo, Yoshio Nomura


    Theme song: Tomoko Ishizaka / "Arigatou"


    From Manami Chiba's X post, August 27, 2026
    s://i.imgur.com/rLCdyNb.jpeg

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    The Tanokin Trio was a three-member act — Toshihiko Tahara, Masahiko Kondo, and Yoshio Nomura — launched by Johnny’s Office around 1980, and it’s well known that all three lived communally in a dormitory at the time. Kondo’s remark is thought to be a reference to that period. Opinion on the thread split over two things: how much Yoshio Nomura actually turns up at these reunion-style get-togethers, and the generational gap over whether their era’s dancing should be judged by today’s standards. The former is backed up by photo evidence of sightings, while the latter remains an unresolved clash of pure opinion. There were also several posts touching on the sexual abuse committed by Johnny Kitagawa — worth noting that this isn’t a rumor but an established fact, since the agency has since investigated it, officially acknowledged it, and compensated those who were affiliated with it at the time.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou Sokuho+) thread “[Entertainment] Masahiko Kondo Asked Point-Blank About “Feud” Rumors with Toshihiko Tahara, Responds: “Come on, we used to live together. That…”“

  • Angerme Ditches Its ‘Strong Woman’ Image — 5ch: ‘OCHA NORMA Already Took That Look’

    A setlist performed on a bus tour by Hello! Project idol group Angerme became a hot topic on 5ch’s Hello Project board. The group has pushed a “strong woman” image for the past several years, but this time’s song selection was seen as leaning toward the “cute” style reminiscent of their old Smileage days, splitting opinions in the thread over the shift in direction. Posters debated whose character suits this style and who might end up feeling out of place, with disagreements emerging over how the group’s key members are being used.

    Bus tour setlist

    M1 Myoban, Galaxy Gekijou de (Tomorrow Night, at the Galaxy Theater)

    M2 Kakugo Shite! (Get Ready!)

    Source: pbs.twimg.com / Original post here

    8AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:16
    If they'd stuck with the 'cool' image it would've just been a slow death tied to Hirayama, so honestly, glad they switched.
    12AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:17
    Re: #8
    Honestly Hirayama suits cute better anyway.
    10AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:16
    "Black Panther": "If Angerme isn't cool anymore, I'm quitting." (a fan nickname for a member)
    19AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:21
    Good news that they've shifted to a group centered on Gotou and Nagano.
    Bit of a waste for Hirayama, but she's skilled enough to pull off the cute style too.
    25AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    Re: #19
    Hirayama in that balalaika outfit was super cute, no worries there.
    20AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:22
    Ise — a bit subdued, but can work a calculated-cute (azatoi) angle, so the Smileage style is fine
    Hashisako — was always better suited to the Smileage style
    Kawana — adaptable enough for Smileage style as long as she's not the main focus
    Tamenaga — adaptable enough for Smileage style as long as she's not the main focus
    Matsumoto — was always better suited to the Smileage style
    Hirayama — adaptable enough for Smileage style as long as she's not the main focus
    Shimoi — was always better suited to the Smileage style
    Gotou — a core member
    Nagano — a core member
    26AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    Re: #20
    So if they'd gone with the Smileage style, senpai wouldn't have ended up like that.
    51AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:26
    Re: #20
    Who do you think you are, lol, way off base.
    58AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:28
    Re: #20
    If everyone's so adaptable, why couldn't they adapt until now?
    28AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    Well, a couple of members are a bit weak, but visually they're number one.
    29AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    I'm not into the cute style either — I prefer stuff like 'Taiki Bansei' (Late Bloomer) or 'Tsugi Tsugi Zoku Zoku' (One After Another) — but with the current lineup, the Smileage style is honestly the best fit.
    35AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:24
    Re: #29
    Nah, none of it fits.
    Seriously.
    45AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:25
    Re: #29
    You think?
    I'd say 'Bibitaru' and 'Red Line' suit them just fine.
    34AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:24
    The 'strong woman' thing got taken by OCHA NORMA already.
    39AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:25
    Re: #34
    Because Ocha made the strong-woman image work.
    77AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:30
    Re: #34
    Honestly Ocha feels more like 'Angerme' than Angerme does at this point.
    38AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:24
    This is exactly the kind of thing that makes the female fans drift away.
    48AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:26
    Re: #38
    They're already gone.
    @
    That's Angerme for you ( *｀ω´)
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HO8r-47awAAeM8c.jpg:orig
    41AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:25
    Wait, are Hirayama and Gotou even performing on the fall tour?
    52AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:26
    Re: #41
    No announcement yet.
    I'd guess they're sitting out the bus tour so they can come back for it.
    86AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:31
    Cute, energetic, bright stuff suits them performance-wise — separate from their actual personalities.
    Songs like 'Bibitaru' and 'Red Line' honestly don't really match the current lineup's vibe.
    91AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:32
    Re: #86
    I think it fits, but hey, to each their own.
    210AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:47
    Re: #86
    'Red Line' and 'Bibitaru' are rough without Rikamiko (a fan nickname pairing two members).

    Honestly, I don't think it'll work as long as Ise is in the group — a member who was only meant to be an accent piece is carrying the main parts.
    88AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:31
    These guys will complain if you do it and complain if you don't.
    94AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:32
    Re: #88
    Just ignore the old man who complains about everything.
    95AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:32
    Re: #88
    If they actually sold well, nobody would be saying this, lol.
    112AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:36
    Actually, ever since Kamiko (a former member known for the 'cool' image) was in the group, they've kept pushing Hirayama as the cool type, and it's never really come together — so it's probably just not a good fit.

    Background and key points of this discussion

    When Angerme was renamed from Smileage in 2014, the group adopted a “strong woman” concept built around “women who face adversity head-on,” and has since been known for songs and branding built on that theme. What sparked this discussion wasn’t an official announcement of a change in direction, but simply the impression left by a setlist from one particular bus tour — worth noting that the thread’s reactions are ultimately just participants’ personal impressions and speculation, nothing more. What actually divided opinion in the thread wasn’t so much whether the shift itself is good or bad, but rather a debate over “which style suits the group’s current members” — with some support for the cuter style, while others were more critical of how members associated with the traditional “strong woman” image are being used. Note that comments mocking individual members’ looks or health have been left out of this article.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello Project) thread “[Sad News] Angerme Gives Up on the ‘Strong Woman’ Image, Switches to the ‘Cute’ Look from Their Smileage Days wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • Detective Precure’s Gouemon trends on X — 5ch: ‘Everyone’s roasting his every move’

    The live-reaction thread for ‘Detective Precure! ++Star Detective Precure!++’, the newest entry in the Precure series airing Sunday mornings, was buzzing on 5ch. This time, Gouemon’s antics drew a wave of viewer commentary, with some reports claiming the show shot to the #1 trending spot on X after the broadcast. Fans also debated the cutting of the two heroines’ transformation sequence this episode, offering theories ranging from ‘runtime constraints’ to ‘merchandising reasons,’ alongside discussion of the show’s in-story timeline and why the Arcana of the past couldn’t defeat Usonowaru.

    ↑ Please stack this at the top with two or more lines when starting a new thread.

    A thread for discussing ‘Detective Precure!’, the newest entry in the Precure series.

    The official catch-up stream (one week delayed) is also streaming free on Niconico Douga!

    Source: toei-anim.co.jp / Original article here

    19AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:57
    In the show's world it's still July, so there's still hope for a swimsuit episode.
    25AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:00
    Re: #19
    Nah, that ship's sailed.
    There's consignment doujin books, so go check a doujin shop —
    you can see whatever you want there.
    29AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:03
    Re: #19
    Back then they probably didn't have swimsuits like today's board-short or skirt styles yet — is that gonna be okay?
    53AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:20
    Re: #19
    Last episode, the 7th month of the lunar calendar was drawing to a close. So in the show, that puts us in late lunar-7th-month of Heisei 11 (1999), which lines up with a range of August 30 – September 9 on the modern calendar.


    Of the episodes after #32, the only one that could count as a swimsuit episode is the beach volleyball episode from Heartcatch Precure ep. 35.
    67AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:32
    Wait, is Arcana seriously gonna be the one leading that combo attack every single time?
    70AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:34
    Re: #67
    Usually that'd be the lead's job, or the fairy's…
    73AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:35
    Re: #67
    She's turned into this high-maintenance woman who won't cooperate unless you feed her ice cream… it's like she's Ankh (the sweets-obsessed character from Kamen Rider OOO).
    74AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:35
    Re: #67
    Well, it's merch-pushing season… starting from the 4th cour it'll probably be all about the brooch anyway.
    80AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:38
    This came across my feed and I lost it. If they actually pull this off, can we call it a masterpiece?
    83AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:40
    Re: #80
    So THIS is the 'Great King of Terror'?! (a nod to the famous 1999 Nostradamus prophecy)
    86AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:43
    Re: #80
    Lol, if they cleaned up the design a bit this could actually look cool.
    123AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:07
    Feels like they just steamrolled through it, but in the end, which is it —
    ① Ruruka's deduction was wrong, or
    ② Eclair's a candidate for the Great King, but everyone's gonna work together so it doesn't come to that?
    Or is there some other answer?… Enlighten me, Goubi (riffing on the old meme line 'tell me, Wufei').
    132AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:10
    Re: #123
    You've gotta watch, feel, and think it through yourself to find the real answer, ya know.
    135AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:11
    Re: #123
    1 → Ruruka's deduction and the legend line up.
    2 → The Book of Mirage's prophecy is accurate, and going by what Usonowaru said, Eclair is the Great King — but nobody really understands what the Great King even is.

    Honestly it feels like nobody has a solid grasp on the Great King. It seems to just be something passed down as legend among the Phantom fairy clan.
    136AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:11
    Re: #123
    It kind of got swept under the rug with that vague 'it enveloped Ruruka's world~' wrap-up, huh…
    196AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:19
    I watched it live, took a nap, and now I'm checking X trends — why is Gouemon at the top??
    https://imgur.com/4y9eXCQ.jpg
    200AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:22
    Re: #196
    Partly because Gouemon's antics had his teammates roasting him nonstop and it was hilarious, and partly because he took the Tear Arcana Rod (the one with the charm) home with him, so people are speculating he'll become 'Cure Gouemon Shadow.'
    204AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:24
    It was sad that this episode finally cut the transformation sequence for just the two leads. I mean, Lord Bandai's gotta push the new item to sell it, so I get the need to prioritize it, but still…
    215AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:27
    Re: #204
    At this point it's basically the official answer: if they'd kept the transformation in, they wouldn't have had the runtime to tell the story they wanted to.
    220AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:29
    Re: #215
    Nah, this morning's episode was really good so I'm fine with it — it's more like it makes you wonder what a 'main character' even is anymore. Also, is everyone forgetting the whole 'she came from the past' setup?
    336AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:29
    Is everyone heading straight to Shinjuku after watching Precure next week?
    https://imgur.com/7SqQtzB.jpg
    428AnonymousAug 30, 2026 16:56
    Re: #336
    The Tsutaya at Ebisubashi is closing down in October too, huh.
    340AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:40
    'Cure Gouemon Shadow' — I lost it.
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HQ7oruNbsAA_FjO.jpg#large.jpg
    345AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:48
    Re: #340
    Why exactly does it have breasts…?
    352AnonymousAug 30, 2026 15:54
    Re: #340
    Let's just put it in the 'Pop-Out School' segment as is.
    Gouemon Roulette, start!
    It's all good! It's all good! (riffing on comedian Ken Shimura's classic catchphrase from his variety show 'Daijoubu Da')
    431AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:01
    I wanna know why the Arcana of the past couldn't beat Usonowaru.
    433AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:03
    Re: #431
    Is there any reason besides simply losing on raw combat power?
    452AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:14
    Re: #431
    Either she still didn't have enough experience as a Precure yet, or she misjudged Usocchi's combat strength.
    454AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:15
    Re: #431
    The first time it was Usocchi + an executive, and at home base it was Usocchi + Decchi — there's no way she was winning that alone lol, though I guess the one she actually fought one-on-one was just Usocchi.

    And honestly, even Glittering Eclair could probably corner Armored Usocchi, but finishing her off would be tough — she'd run out of gas before that happened.
    438AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:06
    The Chairman's probably dying to get his hands on that~
    445AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:09
    Re: #438
    Lol. Is that seriously the only dark-fallen form I get?
    448AnonymousAug 30, 2026 17:12
    Re: #438
    Also, she said she wanted to protect people even without power, so is it really fine that what she ends up getting is a dark-fallen form?
    612AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:44
    Perverted old man.
    618AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:54
    Re: #612
    Hahahaha (´∀`)
    Guess Uso-tan's a guy (male) after all, lol
    637AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:33
    Re: #612
    Didn't Age have something wrapped around his arm? Maybe it's like a falconer's glove, so Uso's claws don't dig in?
    628AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:11
    The 2nd-generation Arcana Shadow (lol).
    629AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:11
    Re: #628
    They slapped an 'AI training prohibited' notice on something like this — that's funnier than the art itself.
    630AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:16
    Re: #628
    Worse than the one posted earlier, lmao.
    633AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    Re: #628
    Dunno where this was originally posted, but if it's on X, I'd bet Grok's already trained on it.

    Background and Talking Points

    ‘Detective Precure! ++Star Detective Precure!++’, produced by Toei Animation, is the newest entry in the Precure series airing Sunday mornings, and this thread is the 75th installment of the live-reaction/impressions threads that pop up right after each broadcast. The claim about hitting ‘#1 on X trends’ raised in the thread was based on a screenshot posted by one user — it remains an unconfirmed mention within 5ch, with no third-party verification available. The idea some fans floated, linking the presence or absence of the transformation sequence to the release timing of new merchandise, reflects fan experience with the Precure franchise’s well-known practice of adjusting production choices around toy rollouts — it is not something the production side has officially confirmed. Meanwhile, the split interpretations around the ending description that ‘it enveloped Ruruka’s world’ stem from the series’ characteristically abstract way of wrapping up its plots, and remains a point viewers still haven’t sorted out among themselves.

    *This article was compiled as an excerpt and summary from the 5ch (anime) thread ‘Detective Precure! ++Star Detective Precure!++ 75‘.

  • “The Console War Is Dead” — 5ch Pushback Floods In After Reply Tells Critics “Then Just Leave Already”

    A thread that kicked off with the post “Is the gehe rivalry dead now?” took off on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry (gehe) board. The board has long been known as a battleground where Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft fanboys hurl insults at each other, but this thread started with someone noting that their curation blog’s pageviews were dropping, and spiraled into a clash between posters arguing that the rise of PC gaming has diminished console relevance and those firing back with “you’re all putting way too much faith in PC.” Opinions were split on whether the whole gehe rivalry is becoming a relic of the past.

    1AnonymousAug 29, 2026 23:29
    I run a matome (curation) blog, and my pageviews have completely tanked lately.
    Have people just lost interest in games themselves?
    114AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:15
    Saw someone post asking what those PS die-hards will do once their last crutch finally breaks, and it got a reply saying "they'll just pivot to arguing that consoles/gaming itself is dead" — yeah, exactly that.
    So predictable, seriously.
    120AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:22
    Re: #114
    Still doing the "la-la-la, I can't hear you" thing, lol
    121AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:24
    Re: #114
    So the people agreeing here are all PS users, huh?
    132AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:15
    Way too many people in gehe threads have this fantasy about PC gaming.
    133AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:18
    Re: #132
    At least it's a fact that PC has way more of a future than dying hardware like the Switch 2 or PS5.
    258AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:18
    Re: #132
    A "fantasy" means chasing after something that doesn't even exist.
    It's still fresh in memory that Chameleon sold a whopping 20 million copies on Steam — a game made by just two Japanese guys that went a little viral and ended up selling tens of millions. That kind of thing just doesn't happen on consoles.
    Release something like that on console and it'd sell a few thousand copies, tops 🤔
    Same with Palworld — an indie title topping 40 million units is way beyond what consoles could ever pull off, so of course software makers are aiming for Steam.
    Gehe old-timers grew up on physical packaged games so they're PC-phobic, but seriously, start talking based on reality for once.
    145AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:45
    Yeah yeah, dead, dead, it's all dead. If you really believe that, then just go ahead and leave gehe already~

    Though I'm guessing this is really about the fans of that one console that's basically pulled out of retail and is genuinely on the verge of vanishing.
    146AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:46
    Re: #145
    Gotta fight reality, man.
    148AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:49
    Re: #145
    That's just cringe.
    Doesn't that feel pathetic?
    154AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:54
    Re: #145
    You actually think gehe isn't dead? That's ●●● even by gehe standards.

    Why not go tell your parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and neighbors, "Gehe is NOT dead!"?
    Maybe at least one person out there will understand you.
    150AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:52
    Consoles are desperate to survive these days.
    They don't care about people like you who don't spend money.
    Nintendo seems to be doing fine because, for better or worse, it's stayed exactly the same as always,
    but they're not even looking in your direction anymore.
    151AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:53
    Re: #150
    If anything, the Switch 2's specs blatantly target PlayStation's customer base.
    And that backfired in the worst possible way — the price shot up too high and mainstream buyers just ignored it.
    155AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:54
    Re: #150
    They've already started cutting off mainstream customers with that price hike, though.
    175AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:09
    The fact that you have to sell worldwide just to break even in the first place already exposes how shallow this industry's foundations are.
    199AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:29
    Re: #175
    "A million copies worldwide!" ← Meanwhile: "In my country it only sold like 100,000 and nobody's even talking about it."
    That's basically how it always goes.
    Sure, the sales numbers get scraped together somehow, but the buzz gets diluted down to nothing and the game just loses all presence.
    178AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:11
    A lot of these guys can only ever blame others and pass the buck, too.
    185AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:18
    Re: #178
    I mean, to begin with, they're wrestling sumo in someone else's loincloth — puffing themselves up over the earnings of a company they have zero connection to.
    Since there's nothing of substance behind it, that's naturally where it ends up.
    279AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:35
    Re: #178
    I mean, isn't this literally all gehe-trash ever does? 😅
    Whenever there's bad news for their own console, they escape into denial with "must be fanboys from the other console brigading!" 😡
    Basically, whenever things go badly, their default is to blame everyone else.
    Like, gehe-trash usually go around trash-talking, "PS5's garbage, it's not even competition" 🤪
    Fine, I'll give them that one, it's not selling great.
    But then when someone points out the Switch 2 is selling worse than the original Switch, suddenly it's "well, at least it's better than the PS5!" 🤬
    Like… "better than a garbage console that's not even competition" isn't really the comeback you think it is, right? 🤔
    182AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:13
    The war's already over. Give it up.
    184AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:16
    Re: #182
    Yeah, it's over — PC took the crown.
    Both the Switch 2 and PS5 are turning into has-beens.
    196AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:28
    Re: #184
    PC gaming has only just barely edged out consoles in global sales, and it's getting hit hard by rising semiconductor prices, so there's not much room left to grow.
    Even Famitsu's own data shows the only thing really booming is mobile — PC and console are both flat.
    249AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:09
    Whatever excuses get made, if they release the PS6 and first-party doesn't put out games, it's over.
    There's no rule saying third parties have to be on PlayStation.
    And if it's just about good financials, Microsoft's the strongest anyway.
    255AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:13
    Re: #249
    Nah, Xbox runs on a 3% profit margin — strip out the ¥10 trillion Activision Blizzard King deal and it's a massive money-losing, failed division.
    And Nintendo has lost the profit race to SIE three years running (´・ω・｀)
    259AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:18
    Re: #249
    Microsoft's hardware business isn't doing well.
    Its revenue is lower than Sony's, on top of that.
    Microsoft is only strong because of its software studios —
    Activision alone brings in something like ¥1-point-something trillion in revenue, roughly on par with Nintendo.
    261AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:20
    Re: #249
    Sure, Microsoft overall is the strongest, but their console division has basically been told to fend for itself lately.
    307AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:23
    Honestly, I want to tear down this industry where small game companies can't turn a profit and only the hardware makers get rich.
    310AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:27
    Re: #307
    Can't be helped — platform holders are basically gods in every industry. There's an endless line of businesses
    willing to sign on, and if you defy them you just get banned, so all you can do is live in fear.
    311AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:30
    Re: #307
    That argument doesn't hold up
    once you've seen what Chameleon pulled off.
    312AnonymousAug 30, 2026 12:31
    Re: #307
    Small game companies just scored massive hits with stuff like Palworld and Chameleon, though.
    330AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:00
    331AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:01
    Re: #330
    Hmm, maybe it'd be for the best if this whole board just died out? 🤔
    343AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:30
    Honestly, Nintendo should be the first to give up on the Switch 2 and put out a cheap, low-spec console under ¥20,000.
    But there's no way Furukawa's got the guts to make that call.
    Iwata, on the other hand, could cut the Wii U loose in a heartbeat and redirect resources to the 3DS to weather the storm.
    345AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:32
    Re: #343
    Even the Switch 1 would be tough to make at a ¥20,000 cost.
    So you're saying they should put out hardware weaker than the Switch 1 at this point?
    347AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:33
    Re: #343
    Like hell they would, idiot.
    Honestly, the 3DS should've stayed at 25,000 yen — it was worth every bit of that.
    I generally think highly of Iwata, but that Ambassador Program price cut is one of his dark chapters.
    It set a bad precedent for the market, and it's what dragged the company into the red.
    355AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:39
    Re: #343
    There's no way Furukawa could pull that off. Iwata, please come back (´；ω；｀)

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The Hardware/Industry (gehe) board is one of 5ch’s most notorious boards for rivalry between console fanboys, with a long-running culture of Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and PC supporters trading barbs. The backdrop raised in this thread includes the fact that indie titles on Steam can rack up tens of millions of sales while console-exclusive titles rarely see success on that scale, along with pointed remarks that the Switch 2 launched pricier than expected and hasn’t reached the mainstream, plus talk of Microsoft’s hardware division struggling with thin margins. Opinions in the thread split between those who see the rise of PC gaming as having made the whole gehe rivalry obsolete, and those who argue the rivalry is simply continuing in a new form — and both sides tend to cite sales figures and statistics without sourcing them, so the numbers here should be read strictly as claims made within the posts themselves.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry (gehe)) thread “Is the gehe rivalry dead now?“.

  • Yasuko Opens a Kids’ Cafeteria, Serving Free Meals Once a Week — 5ch Reacts: “Because Some People Have Zero Morals”

    On August 30, comedian Yasuko announced on her X (formerly Twitter) account that she has opened a children’s cafeteria called “Yasu-mattari.” Starting in September, it will offer free meals to children once a week. On 5ch, users voiced confusion over the “reservation-only” system and questioned the low frequency, asking what kids are supposed to do the other six days of the week. Others, however, defended the reservation system as a way to keep out trolls and inconsiderate users, while some praised the effort given how much of a burden it must be to run — leaving opinion split.

    Yasuko opens a children’s cafeteria: “Starting in September, free meals for kids once a week” — official site launched

    Comedian Yasuko updated her X account on the 30th to announce the opening of her children’s cafeteria, “Yasu-mattari.”

    “I’ve opened the children’s cafeteria ‘Yasu-mattari’!! It’s all thanks to the many people who helped me — thank you so much!!” she wrote gratefully, adding, “Starting in September, we’ll be providing free meals to children once a week.”

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

    7AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:17
    Reservation-only, huh…?
    81AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:33
    Re: #7
    Probably because there are trolls who'd show up just to mess around and cause trouble.
    217AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:01
    Re: #7
    Because there are seriously people with zero morals out there.
    297AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:22
    Re: #7
    Regular kid: "Ughh, I didn't make a reservation today but I'm hungry." "Mom, there's nothing here to eat!"

    Regular kid: "Yasuko, can I come today too?"
    Yasuko: "Sorry, it's reservation-only~"
    11AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:18
    Once a week?? What are they supposed to do the other six days?
    44AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:27
    Re: #11
    Kids' cafeterias were originally meant to bring the community together. Somewhere along the way that turned into "aid." I asked a kid about it, and apparently you can't just casually drop in. …What even is that?
    341AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:39
    Re: #11
    Why don't you cover the other six days yourself? If you can't, don't complain 😉
    16AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:18
    Once a week, and irregular at that — what's even the point?
    19AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:19
    Re: #16
    That's not true at all. It's a huge help.
    302AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:23
    Re: #16
    That's exactly why it's "reservation-only" — they're not deciding next week's plans on a whim.
    23AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:19
    You guys are mocking her, but none of you could actually pull this off. Criticizing her doesn't make you any better than her.
    35AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:23
    Re: #23
    Does once a week really help that much? It does boost her image though.
    74AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:32
    Re: #23
    The truth is always cruel.
    27AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:20
    Re: #19
    If you're relying on something that might happen whenever, you'll starve waiting lol
    321AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:31
    Re: #27
    If missing one meal a week is enough to kill a kid, they'd die regardless of whether the cafeteria exists lol. If a kid who wasn't going to die anyway gets lucky enough to use it, they just get a little happier — nobody loses out lol
    330AnonymousAug 30, 2026 20:36
    Re: #27
    Even if you're not relying on it, having it there is a huge help. The reservation-only system is a good thing.
    410AnonymousAug 30, 2026 21:02
    Re: #27
    You don't understand kids' cafeterias at all.
    33AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:23
    The people who originally started the kids' cafeteria movement hated it when these places got this kind of spotlight.
    39AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:25
    Re: #33
    You call this the spotlight?
    43AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:27
    Re: #33
    They hated it when the government used it for PR, saying things like, "Your job is to build a world where these cafeterias aren't needed in the first place."
    90AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:35
    Why can't adults go?
    111AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:40
    Re: #90
    At a proper kids' cafeteria, adults should technically be able to go too. I wandered in by mistake once — between the distinct atmosphere and the absurdly low prices, I doubt any self-respecting adult would actually want to use it.
    127AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:44
    Re: #90
    There was a list of kids' cafeterias at the ward office, and adults pay 300 yen everywhere. As long as you've got the nerve to walk in, you're fine.
    126AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:44
    What matters most in running a kids' cafeteria is accepting children from any kind of family. If you only bring together kids from poor households, it can turn into bullying. Since it might hurt kids' pride, wealthy kids should be able to eat for free too.
    142AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:47
    Re: #126
    I mean, I think that's generally already how it works. I recall someone saying kids from poor families should feel free to use it without hesitation. Though I don't know what the people actually running it really think.
    148AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:48
    Re: #126
    That kind of false even-handedness is exactly what fuels discrimination. There's no way a rich kid would ever go to a place like that.
    185AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:55
    They should just make an "adult cafeteria" too — it'd be a lot easier to go to.
    211AnonymousAug 30, 2026 19:59
    Re: #185
    That'd actually be great — a "grandpa and grandma cafeteria." It might be needed even more than kids' cafeterias. Though running it sounds like a total pain lol

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Children’s cafeterias are a grassroots movement that spread nationwide starting around 2012, with most run on limited volunteer labor, food supplies, and venue costs, typically operating only one to four times a month. What split opinion in this thread was whether that low frequency is “pointless” or “enough just to keep it sustainable” — a structural issue common to children’s cafeterias in general, not unique to this one. It’s also worth noting that children’s cafeterias originally began not so much as poverty support but as community gathering spots for local kids, and there’s a persistent argument that narrowing down who’s eligible to use them can actually invite prejudice and isolation. While a celebrity’s involvement raises the profile of these cafeterias, how to weigh the practical burden and sustainability of running one is a question that comes up with celebrity charity work in general.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Celebrity] Yasuko opens a children’s cafeteria, “Free meals for kids once a week starting in September” — official site launched.”

  • Giants’ Acting Manager Hidehiko Hashigami Draws Interest From Rival Teams — 5ch: ‘Turns Out He’s Better Than Abe’

    After former manager Shinnosuke Abe was arrested and stepped down in May over an alleged assault on a family member, acting manager Hidehiko Hashigami (60) has led the Yomiuri Giants to second place in the league standings as of late August, chasing the Hanshin Tigers. Following this success, it’s been reported that several teams — including the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Orix Buffaloes — are interested in bringing him in for next season, and the Giants are reportedly considering creating a head coach position to keep him from leaving. The thread’s main debate centered on the Giants’ long-standing unwritten rule that only a former star player who came up through the team’s own ranks can become manager, with critics blasting the club for prioritizing name value over ability, while others argued the tradition should be respected.

    Multiple Central and Pacific League teams eyeing him closely

    Acting manager Hidehiko Hashigami (60) took over the Giants after former manager Shinnosuke Abe (47) was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department in May on suspicion of assaulting a family member and stepped down. Through the end of August, Hashigami has kept the team in a strong fight for second place against Hanshin, who are chasing a second straight league title, but his future beyond this season remains undecided.

    Hashigami has been at the helm since interleague play began on May 26.

    Source: friday.kodansha.co.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:37
    Turns out there was someone more competent than Abe all along
    19AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:44
    Re: #3
    The Giants without Abe are the best~
    98AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:12
    Re: #3
    Abe brought him in because he relied on him.
    That's basically been the pattern for Yomiuri all along —
    nothing but incompetent figurehead managers.
    7AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:38
    The Giants really are dumb, huh
    14AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:42
    Re: #7
    Lol, that's a completely fair jab
    92AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:10
    Re: #7
    Giants fans are the ones who feel that the most
    207AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:22
    Re: #7
    Reyes: 'Take care of me next year too'
    9AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:41
    Hashigami can't draw crowds, sponsors will pull out, and newspapers won't sell.
    A pro baseball manager has to be an ace pitcher or cleanup hitter.
    21AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:44
    Re: #9
    Maybe start by putting players' names on the uniforms — right now you can't even tell who's who, so how are fans supposed to cheer for them.
    22AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:44
    Re: #9
    Chunichi: 'That's not true at all'
    148AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:43
    Re: #9
    Newspapers, lol.
    The era of drawing fans on a manager's name recognition is over, old man.
    10AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:41
    Even with Watanabe ('Nabetsune,' the Giants' longtime chairman) gone, are they still not changing the rule that only homegrown players can become manager?
    117AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:22
    Re: #10
    Watanabe was actually in favor of bringing in outside managers
    120AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:24
    Re: #117
    Watanabe was actually a reformist type —
    he was a leftist back in his student days, after all
    122AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:25
    Re: #117
    Wasn't it Watanabe who pushed for Hoshino?
    29AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:46
    Being manager of the Yomiuri Giants isn't just being a manager.
    You need the star power and track record befitting the face of the sport's flagship team.
    Don't talk about it using Pacific League values, where all you have to worry about is your own team's popularity.
    35AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:48
    Re: #29
    That's not Pacific League values, that's Central League values (Chunichi, DeNA, Yakult, Hiroshima, Hanshin)…
    50AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:52
    Re: #29
    It's basically decided that the Giants' manager has to be a career-Giants ace pitcher or cleanup hitter.
    Even Hideki Matsui, who went on to the majors, faced opposition from team alumni over the idea.
    For the same reason, Kuwata and Uehara were never really options either.
    There's also a theory that Yoshinobu Takahashi was made manager partly because there were signs he might leave for another team seeking playing time — and once that happens, you can no longer make someone Giants manager.
    245AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:46
    Re: #29
    I've never heard of a Pacific League manager getting fired over domestic violence
    52AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:53
    I don't know, this whole trend where you get praised just for using young players bugs me.
    It's basically at the level where if you started a baby in the lineup you'd get a People's Honor Award.
    If that's what people want, just go watch high school baseball.
    The top of NPB should literally be where the best of the best clash for supremacy —
    turning it into a development league is just wrong.
    People say the number of .300 hitters has dropped lately, but of course it has if you're running player development at the top level.
    The Giants used to not be like that, but starting around Abe's time they began doing development-focused baseball too.
    62AnonymousAug 30, 2026 08:58
    Re: #52
    NPB's level is low enough that it still works out somehow, but
    older players who can't keep up with pitch speeds going up probably aren't needed anymore —
    pitchers whose stuff has slowed down, hitters whose dynamic vision has declined, fielders whose range has shrunk, that sort of thing.
    74AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:01
    Re: #62
    Well, compared to older guys, young players do have more upside and are more fun to watch —
    compared to older guys, that is.
    78AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:03
    Re: #62
    Top-tier players like Yanagita are still performing even around 40, but
    most guys decline and retire by 35.
    79AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:03
    The Giants are in this sorry state and still insisting on a homegrown manager — completely left behind by the times.
    81AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:04
    Re: #79
    It's basically like saying there's something more important than winning the championship.
    83AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:05
    Re: #79
    Most teams have homegrown managers anyway
    127AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:30
    Refusing to make someone manager just because they're not a homegrown Giant — what's up with that?
    Seriously ridiculous.
    162AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:52
    Re: #127
    It's not just about being homegrown —
    on top of that, you have to be a former cleanup hitter or ace.
    If it were just 'homegrown,' teams like Seibu, Hiroshima, and Hanshin already do that.
    170AnonymousAug 30, 2026 09:58
    Re: #162
    Wasn't Seibu's Manager Mori not homegrown?
    182AnonymousAug 30, 2026 10:04
    Re: #162
    Seibu and Hanshin aren't homegrown-only, though
    294AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:25
    I also think bringing in Kudo would make the team strongest.
    Nioka and Kuwata got results with the farm team and were well-liked by the players, but the idiot front office backed power-harasser Abe instead, lol.
    312AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:37
    Re: #294
    He's said publicly that he couldn't sleep while he was manager, so he probably figures helping out on his son's farm and doing commentary work a few times a year suits him better.



    For the record, Kudo is actually a natural long sleeper.
    319AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:42
    Even with a great head coach, doesn't it not matter if the manager himself is incompetent?
    320AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:43
    Re: #319
    The fact that they got stronger once Abe was gone proves that, lol
    329AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:48
    Re: #319
    That comes down to the manager's approach — some managers, like Senichi Hoshino, delegate the tactical side to others
    330AnonymousAug 30, 2026 11:50
    Re: #319
    Kind of like Kyosuke Sasaki, maybe?
    469AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:41
    How long is he staying 'acting' manager — there's no chance of Abe coming back anyway
    470AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:42
    Re: #469
    Kind of like the 'director' on Tantei! Knight Scoop (a Japanese TV show famous for its running gag about a long-serving 'acting' chief)
    472AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:42
    Re: #469
    Anyone who becomes manager mid-season stays 'acting' until that season ends
    475AnonymousAug 30, 2026 13:46
    Re: #469
    From the Giants' standpoint, they probably don't want Hashigami using the title 'manager' outright —
    just 'acting,' and no further.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The Giants have traditionally followed an unwritten rule limiting the manager’s job to a homegrown former cleanup hitter or ace pitcher — even Hideki Matsui, despite his success in MLB, reportedly faced opposition from team alumni when his name came up for the post, and some view Yoshinobu Takahashi’s appointment as manager as partly aimed at preventing him from transferring to another team. Acting manager Hashigami, who was not a star hitter during his playing days, falls outside this convention, and the differing views in the thread reflect differing opinions on this “unwritten rule” itself. Note that former manager Shinnosuke Abe was arrested and stepped down this past May over an alleged assault on a family member, and references to “Abe” in the thread build on this already-reported fact. The fact that the team’s results improved under Hashigami was also cited as evidence supporting doubts about the Giants’ homegrown-only principle.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Baseball] Nippon-Ham, Orix and other teams “lock on” to Giants’ acting manager Hidehiko Hashigami… Giants may block the move with a “head coach” post [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”