Japan Reacts

Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

  • Chunichi starter takes a no-hitter into the 7th — bullpen blows it in a reversal loss

    On August 28, 2026, a Chunichi Dragons game became the talk of 5ch’s “Live Commentary General” (なんでも実況G) board. The starting pitcher carried a perfect game through 6 innings and kept the no-hitter alive into the 7th, but was pulled once he reached roughly 100 pitches. The relievers who took over got hit hard, surrendered the lead, and the team went on to lose. Thread posters pointed out this was the same pattern that’s played out again and again this season — “starter pitches great, bullpen blows it up” — sparking a wave of reactions mixing self-deprecation and irony under the running joke “Reversal Chuni-Dora.”

    1AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:02
    Well, that's a wrap.
    4AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:04
    Our pitching staff is so thin at this point that Saito is basically the only arm we've got left.
    5AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:05
    It was a perfect game through 6 innings, a no-hitter through 7 — that's where we're at.
    7AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:05
    https://imgur.com/DWZZEiT.png
    27AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Re: #7
    There's a guy in the background who looks just like me
    8AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:05
    Take a look at our bullpen lineup — that's a level you wouldn't believe exists in modern baseball.
    9AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:05
    It's because Takahashi bailed on the job partway through.
    12AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:06
    My bad on this one (*^O^*)
    45AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Re: #12
    (*^◯^*) Who the hell are you!
    17AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    A team that dangles a top-3 finish in front of its fans, then slams them back down to reality.
    18AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    Typical Reversal Chuni-Dora — that's the one thing they always nail.
    20AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    I don't know, but whenever we get plenty of scoring chances and only manage 2 runs, I get this feeling we're gonna lose — and then we actually do.
    22AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Can't be helped, we don't have a single decent reliever.
    24AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Wasn't everyone just hyping up a perfect game a minute ago?
    28AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Pulling him in the 7th at 100 pitches when the 8th-inning guy is trash means they weren't even trying to win.
    29AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    The moment Hiroto's finger started acting up and Inoue began panicking, this game was already lost.
    30AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Takahashi's got a no-hitter going?
    ↓
    Injury? Pulled.
    ↓
    Bullpen dutifully gets shelled, reversal complete.
    31AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    The starting rotation is all guys who max out around 100 pitches
    ↓
    The relievers who were solid early in the season are getting tired and falling apart
    ↓
    They push the starter to the 7th anyway but he can't finish the game
    ↓
    Yoshida gets hit and they scramble to make a change
    ↓
    And now there's not a single decent reliever left
    32AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    I love Chuni-Dora, their comedic timing is top-tier.
    33AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:09
    Throwing the exact pitch the batter's sitting on is just insane.
    35AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:10
    They've even mastered the art of making a top-3 finish look within reach, just to keep a firm grip on fans' hearts and never let go.
    38AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:10
    Honestly this works out fine — gives them a reason to finally give Inoue his walking papers.
    42AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Everyone kind of knew it'd end up like this.
    43AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Starter, facing the lineup a third time, 100 pitches in — that's a checklist full of reasons to get hit hard.
    44AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Chunichi's probably lost like 30 games this year because of the bullpen.
    48AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:13
    If they keep the same winning percentage the rest of the way:
    Home, 5 games → 3 wins, 3 losses
    Away, 19 games → 6 wins, 13 losses

    They finish 22 games under .500.
    49AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:13
    I really don't get the managing decisions here — was there even a reason to pull Yoshida?
    51AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:14
    Lost three straight to Hiroshima, now 19 games under .500.
    Every time they're one loss from dropping to 20 under .500, they somehow rattle off a 6-game win streak, claw the deficit back down for about 5 games, then lose again and land right back at 19 under — rinse and repeat.
    52AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:14
    Now I totally get why this team's so popular.
    77AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:22
    Re: #52
    This kind of thing gets addictive.
    53AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:15
    It's not like the other team's bullpen is anything to write home about either.
    66AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:18
    Getting cocky in the first half only for this to happen — that's hilarious, gotta admit.
    70AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:19
    Re: #66
    Whenever scrubs ("miso-kasu") get cocky, they get smacked right back down, huh.
    67AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:18
    It's the same story every time late in games — no Hosokawa, no Sano around, so there's no way to fight back.
    82AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:26
    Re: #67
    Maybe the spirit of "Banchō" Miura possessed him?
    68AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:19
    https://imgur.com/isnolrA.jpeg
    90AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:30
    Re: #68
    Same school year, different draft-year first-round picks — what a contrast in fortunes.
    97AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:57
    Show the fans a glimmer of hope for 3rd place, then make them taste despair —

    that's the secret to this team's popularity.
    100AnonymousAug 28, 2026 22:03
    Re: #97
    That's literally the playbook of an abusive boyfriend.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    This season, Chunichi has repeatedly seen games slip away when a strong start gets undone by the bullpen, and this game fit that pattern to a tee. Pulling a starter around the 100-pitch mark in the 7th reflects a broader recent trend in NPB toward prioritizing injury prevention, so it can’t simply be chalked up to a bad managerial call — but the relievers who took over couldn’t hold the line and ultimately allowed the reversal. The thread comment claiming the bullpen has “blown 30 games” this season reflects fan sentiment rather than an official statistic, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. Also, “shakkin” (literally “debt”) is baseball slang for the opposite of a winning record — it refers to the number of games below .500 — and this loss adds to that tally, keeping a top-3 finish (“A-class”) further out of reach.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Live Commentary General) thread “Chuni-Dora lolololol.”

  • Water and Cookies Cost $15 (¥2,400) at a US Airport — Ranmaru Kishitani’s ‘The Yen Is Done For’ Post Sparks Reaction

    Ranmaru Kishitani (25), son of actor Goro Kishitani and singer Kaori Kishitani and head of a company running overseas study-abroad programs, reported on social media on August 28 that he had returned from California, USA. His Instagram Stories post read, “Every country’s airport specialty: brutal inflation. This water and cookies cost $15 — ¥2,400. The yen is done for,” a message reflecting the current weak yen and high prices that also became a hot topic on 5channel’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board. In the thread, opinions split between those blaming the price gap on the weak yen and those pointing to US inflation as the real culprit, with debate continuing over which factor — exchange rates or prices — was more to blame.

    8/28 (Fri) 19:17

    Ranmaru Kishitani (25), whose father is actor Goro Kishitani and whose mother is singer Kaori Kishitani, and who runs a company handling overseas study programs, reported on his own social media on the 28th that he had returned from California, USA.

    On his Instagram Stories, he casually laid out the brutal state of inflation and the weak yen, writing “Heading back to Japan — thanks, California” and “Every country’s airport specialty: savage inflation. This water and cookies cost $15 — ¥2,400. The yen is done for.”

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

    6AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:40
    Sure, focusing on the weak yen is fine, but
    you've gotta pair it with how insanely high US prices are too
    38AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:54
    Re: #6
    Insane prices = insane currency devaluation

    Normally that should be offset by the yen strengthening to balance it out, but instead we're getting a crazy weak yen on top of it,
    so yeah, it IS a weak-yen problem
    7AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:40
    He can just leave the country if he wants, so he doesn't need to bring that up
    9AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:41
    It's not a weak-yen problem, it's an American inflation problem
    10AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:41
    Re: #1
    This is the endgame for a country that kept selling its own labor cheap
    You could call it a tragedy caused by Japanese "kindness"
    but it's also just plain stupidity
    11AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:42
    Funny how even Americans are saying they're done for because of America's own inflation lol
    12AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:42
    Even at an insanely strong ¥75-to-the-dollar rate, that water and cookies would still be ¥1,200
    America's prices are just abnormal to begin with
    53AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:59
    Re: #12
    Japan's cheap prices are the abnormal ones
    13AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:42
    I'm sick of hearing this kind of story
    17AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:44
    Re: #13
    You don't even need to go abroad to see it clearly. We've entered a "convenient" era lol (likely means 時代/'era' — probably a typo for 地代/'land rent' in the original)
    14AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:43
    At ¥100 to the dollar that'd still be ¥1,500… yeah, we're done for
    15AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:43
    Isn't "fifteen dollars for water and cookies" the real thing to call out here?
    28AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:49
    Re: #15
    Right lol
    In Japan, ¥2,400 would get you a lavish spread.
    So it's a mystery why so many people are so pessimistic about Japan.
    16AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:43
    It's because the ordinary middle class — the real source of a country's vitality — got neglected
    18AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:45
    Summary
    "State-to-state differences": California's baseline prices are higher, so that's a factor to some degree.

    "The biggest factor": more than the state difference, the main reason is the special pricing of airports as closed-off locations. Even within California, prices don't get this extreme once you're at a supermarket in town.
    22AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:45
    Airports have always had scary prices, haven't they?
    Even somewhere like Bangkok, stuff inside the airport is pretty pricey
    23AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:46
    Doesn't America have any states that want to secede or something?
    26AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:48
    In the world of Mother 2 (EarthBound), 7 Cookies = 1 dollar
    29AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:49
    You're comparing us to a price even locals are groaning about, not one foreigners consider normal — and then telling us the yen is done for? Come on.
    32AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:50
    Guys who can't earn a single dollar overseas are the ones who actually suffer from a weak yen.
    He's just spending money he brought with him lol
    33AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:50
    Shut up, 14-hikari (a play on 七光り/'nanahikari,' the idiom for riding a parent's fame — he gets double since both his parents are celebrities)
    35AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:52
    Re: #33
    14-hikari lolol
    Guess it's because he's got two of them
    34AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:51
    Doesn't make sense.
    Water and cookies should be like ¥250
    36AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:53
    Even converting at ¥100 to the dollar, that's still ¥1,500
    The weak yen is real, but the dollar itself is inflating at a brutal pace too
    37AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:53
    There have been plenty of nepo babies riding their parents' fame before, but this kid uses that glow more than any of them, hands down.
    Though he probably thinks it's all his own doing
    45AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:56
    American students can buy an iPhone after a week of part-time work,
    but Japanese students can barely afford one even after two weeks.
    That's what a country getting poorer looks like.
    54AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:59
    Re: #45
    What exactly are you looking at to call Japan poor, lol
    63AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:03
    Sounds like in America you need something like a ¥30 million annual income just to live a halfway decent life
    78AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:11
    Re: #63
    In Japan you never have to weigh rent against your life,
    but in the US, skimp on rent and you're literally risking it lol.
    A video I saw said you need at least ¥200,000 a month in rent if you don't want to end up dead.
    In Japan anyone can live wherever they like — a lot of people don't realize how lucky that is.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Talk of the weak yen tends to invite comments like “the government’s policy is to blame,” but here both the weak yen and US inflation are working together. As the thread itself pointed out, even at a stronger ¥100-to-the-dollar rate, the water and cookies would still come to roughly ¥1,500 — meaning the root issue isn’t just the exchange rate but the sheer height of US price levels themselves. On top of that, airport shops face limited foot traffic and little competition, a structural quirk that tends to push prices even higher than in town, a pattern commenters also noted at airports elsewhere, like Bangkok. The thread split between a “weak yen is the main cause” camp and a “US inflation is the main cause” camp — both are partly right, and it’s the two factors combined that add up to the “¥2,400” figure. It’s also worth noting that because the poster is the child of a celebrity couple, commentary about his personal standing got mixed in alongside the economic discussion, with the two conversations running on parallel tracks.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Ranmaru Kishitani, back from the US, reveals airport ‘water and cookies’ price: ‘The yen is done for’.”

  • Kazunari Ninomiya’s “Exit 9” Makes Its TV Debut on Friday Road Show — 5ch Live Thread Reacts

    On August 28, 2026, the horror film “Exit 9” had its terrestrial television debut on Kinyō Road Show (“Friday Road Show,” a long-running Friday-night movie slot on Nippon TV), and a live-commentary thread sprang up to match the broadcast on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyō G” board (a general live-reaction board where posters comment in real time as a show airs, all under the board’s default anonymous handle). Attention centered on how faithfully the film recreated the “anomaly”-spotting gameplay of the original indie game, with many posters praising the accuracy of the signage and lighting — while others griped about the padded pacing typical of Japanese films and the frequent commercial breaks. True to a live-thread’s nature, harsh jabs (like preferring horror-game livestreams to the movie) mixed with genuine praise for Kazunari Ninomiya’s performance.

    1Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 20:56
    Here we go
    21:00–22:54
    The man (Kazunari Ninomiya) exits the subway ticket gate and walks down the underground passage. On the ceiling is a sign reading 【EXIT 8】. However,
    7Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:02
    Wait, isn't this an NTV title that never makes it to Amazon Prime?
    8Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:02
    It was a pretty lame movie for a game adaptation.
    11Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:03
    This kind of self-indulgent sound design is seriously annoying.
    12Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:04
    Watching Junichi Katō's (a hugely popular Japanese livestreamer) horror-game streams is more fun than this.
    14Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:05
    Do we really need this typical J-drama whiny-complaining scene?
    16Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:06
    There was actually a knockoff app of 'The Exit 8' called 'Exit 9' — and it cost more than the original, at ¥2,000.
    21Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:06
    The caller's name isn't showing on the phone? That's odd…
    25Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:07
    Already looping, huh
    Nice
    Trouble should kick in within the first 10 minutes
    27Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:08
    But if this actually happened it'd be terrifying.
    28Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:09
    Where was this filmed?
    29Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:09
    Re: #28
    It's a studio set.
    31Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:10
    Seems decent so far
    Is this actually a bad movie?
    33Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:11
    Re: #31
    It's actually pretty good.
    40Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:14
    This is the highest-grossing Japanese horror film ever, you know.
    45Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:16
    Watched it on a flight abroad but I was so sleepy I could never make it to the end, no matter how many times I tried.
    47Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:16
    Why's he accepting this situation so easily?
    49Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:17
    This is actually a strategy that works in the real game, too.
    51Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:18
    Why is there a screenshot of the alarm clock?
    53Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:18
    How do you stretch source material that wraps up in 30 minutes into a full two-hour movie?
    54Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:18
    This is really well made, Ninomiya's great in it.
    57Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:19
    Re: #54
    The accuracy alone makes it worth watching.
    62Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:20
    The protagonist's whole setup is literally me…
    65Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:21
    Re: #62
    They glammed up his looks a bit though, right?
    69Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:21
    For this kind of story, commercial breaks are a real dealbreaker
    The immersion of a liminal space is the whole point
    70Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:21
    Titanic!?
    That's gonna totally upstage 'Exit 8'
    71Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:21
    Where's the vomiting scene?
    That's the one part I don't want to watch
    72Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:22

    The accuracy is amazing
    82Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:26
    This is just a straight horror flick lol Who said this was a Johnny's-idol movie? (Johnny's = the major Japanese boy-band talent agency Ninomiya's group Arashi came from)
    92Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:28
    Wait, all the eyes move?
    That's different from the original game
    93Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:29
    This is moving right along, looks like it could wrap in an hour
    128Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:42
    Honestly, the 'Tales of the Unusual' crew (a long-running Japanese anthology horror/mystery TV series) would probably have pulled this off better
    139Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:44
    Re: #128
    Those episodes are short, so they don't need to pad anything out
    147Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:46
    Are the two of them tackling it together from here?
    149Anonymous (Still Kicking)Aug 28, 2026 21:46
    Re: #147
    Is the twist gonna be that he himself is the anomaly?

    Background and talking points

    “The Exit 8” began life as an indie horror game from developer Kotake Create: loop through the same subway passage, spot the invisible “anomalies,” and find your way to Exit 8 — a deceptively simple premise that went viral online. The live-action film adaptation stars former Arashi member Kazunari Ninomiya, and this Kinyō Road Show broadcast marked its terrestrial TV debut in Japan. The thread’s main fault line was how a game that can be finished in about 30 minutes gets stretched into a two-hour film: many posters praised how faithfully the sets and props were recreated, while others complained the padded pacing and frequent commercial breaks undercut the tense, immersive “liminal space” feel the source material relies on. Posters steeped in horror-game livestreaming culture were especially unimpressed, some arguing that watching streamers play the game live is more entertaining than the movie. That split — between fans judging it against the original game and viewers judging it as a standalone film — is a bit of context easy to lose just skimming the replies.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyō G) thread “[Friday Road Show] Terrestrial TV Debut: “Exit 9,” Kazunari Ninomiya.”

  • “The 80s Were Divine”: Post From a Man Born in 1968 Sparks Debate on 5ch

    A poster claiming to have been born in 1968 wrote on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo G board (a general live-discussion forum) that “thinking about it calmly and objectively, the 80s were divine” — sparking an exchange that pulled in users from different generations. When a user born in 1986 asked, “I don’t know that era, what was so great about it?”, the original poster described the vibe of the time: “The streets sparkled, people sparkled, it was seriously radiant.” Meanwhile, cooler heads pushed back, calling it “way too romanticized” and recalling being “stood up by a friend and left waiting three hours — not fun at all.” The thread expanded from there to cover the bubble economy, attitudes toward love at the time, and even salary levels.

    1AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:10
    Thinking about it calmly and objectively, the 80s were divine.
    Didn't need the internet or smartphones.
    13AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:15
    Born in '76, but the 80s were great.
    Meeting people the analog way — that one-shot, one-chance feel — was nice.
    Well, we had pagers at least, so it wasn't like you'd lose someone forever the moment you split up.
    117AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:52
    Re: #13
    That's way too romanticized.
    I'm born in '75, and I got stood up by a friend and stood around Yokohama Station in the blazing heat for three hours.
    Not fun in the slightest.
    15AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:16
    I'm from '86 and I'm buzzing over AI's potential. You've only got a few years left before you die and go to hell, right? Pathetic. You won't live to see the massive turning point that's coming ("kaihen" — pachinko slang for hitting a hot jackpot streak).
    17AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:17
    Re: #15
    If some Matrix-style device that sends you back to the 80s ever gets invented, I'll be so mad I'll crawl back out of hell just for it.
    I just want to go back to that era, period.
    21AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:18
    Re: #17
    I don't know the 80s at all. What was so great about it?
    22AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:19
    Re: #17
    Same age as my dad 🥺
    You're not old enough to be washed up yet, so please don't talk so negatively, I beg you.
    23AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:19
    Re: #21
    Everything.
    The girls were sweet and cute too…
    29AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:20
    Re: #23
    Old man, do you even want people to understand how you feel? You think that'll get through to anyone?
    33AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:22
    Re: #29
    Like someone said above, it really did feel like a festival every single day.
    Like something fun was happening every day — it left your heart floating on air.
    37AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:22
    Re: #33
    You mean like the vibe of Yakuza 0?
    39AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:24
    The bubble was toward the end of the 80s, and places like Juliana's Tokyo (the famous disco) were actually a 90s thing.
    What I really want to know is what the early 80s were like.
    41AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:24
    Re: #39
    Wasn't that the era of Akina and Seiko? (Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda, two iconic 80s idol singers)
    42AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:25
    Delinquent culture was at its peak — being a "bad kid" was fun back then.
    45AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:26
    Re: #42
    I picture it like Be-Bop High School or Rokudenashi Blues (classic delinquent manga/anime).
    46AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:26
    Re: #42
    Be-Bop gave me chills.
    Risa…
    43AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:25
    Re: #37
    Don't know about that, but
    the streets sparkled, people sparkled —
    it was seriously radiant.
    44AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:26
    Re: #43
    I get the gist now. That bubble-era festival craziness — like a big "Yeah, let's dance!" vibe.
    47AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:26
    Re: #44
    Exactly, you don't get that anymore, right?
    It was all flash and dazzle.
    54AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:28
    Re: #47
    Hard question to answer. Personally, I feel like I'm living life dazzlingly (or at least trying to). I agree society as a whole isn't like that anymore. But since that vibe was just the norm for as long as I can remember, I don't see it in a negative light.
    49AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:27
    I'm a Heisei kid so I wouldn't know, but it was an era without temp staffing agencies or part-time gigs, so the overall vibe was probably good.
    57AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:29
    Re: #49
    They existed just fine back then, actually.
    56AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:29
    Re: #54
    Can't be helped, I guess.
    But once you've known it…
    65AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:31
    Re: #56
    I live in the tech world, so right now is exciting and I can't contain myself. Might be a different perspective from you old-timers, though.
    59AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:29
    It's only natural that the era you spent your youth in feels like the best one.
    64AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:30
    Re: #59
    But I do think it's beyond doubt that it was the era when Japan shone brightest.
    62AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:30
    If someone studied the 80s and figured out how to bring that into the present, people would probably be a lot happier.
    There's probably something there.
    68AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:31
    Re: #62
    Honestly, it was amazing.
    Industrial output, land prices, stock market cap — Japan was at the top of the world.
    70AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:32
    Re: #65
    I really wish the tech world would go ahead and build that Matrix device.
    I'd love to just hole up in the 80s forever.
    79AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:36
    Re: #70
    By the way, what were salaries actually like at the peak of the bubble?
    80AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:36
    Even recent TV commercials use a lot of 80s Western music, you know.
    83AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:37
    Re: #80
    J-pop's golden age was the 90s anyway.
    82AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:36
    Re: #79
    No idea… though interest rates on postal savings accounts were great.
    99AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:42
    Re: #82
    Either way, once you've had that experience, it's tough to be told to buck up now and carve out some other go-getter life in a totally different direction.
    84AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:37
    Well, there's no doubt the 80s were Japan's best era.
    Everyone looked like they were having fun.
    Once the 90s hit, things got money-obsessed and society started to warp.
    89AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:38
    Re: #84
    Sure, "everyone," but there were also tons of people suffering from pollution.
    Photochemical smog and all that was seriously bad.
    90AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:39
    Re: #88
    Isn't it just that a lot of people happened to spend their youth in the 80s?
    91AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:40
    Re: #90
    But the world's population keeps growing, though.
    93AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:40
    Re: #91
    Sure it keeps growing, but that doesn't mean the people who spent their youth in the 80s are dying off.
    Guess they've become a major demographic force.
    101AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:43
    Re: #93
    My dad was born around 1963, I think, so the 1980s would've been right in his prime youth, I suppose.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Strictly speaking, Japan’s bubble economy is generally said to have really taken off in the late 1980s (from around the end of 1986 to about 1991), and much of the “streets and people sparkling” memory described in the thread overlaps with this later period. Since the original poster was born in 1968, the early 1980s would have fallen in their early-to-mid teens, a stretch that predates the bubble — which is why some in the thread pointed out they’d like to know what the early 80s were actually like. It’s a commonly noted tendency that memories of one’s youth get romanticized, and one reply made the sober point that “it’s only natural that the era you spent your youth in feels like the best one.” At the same time, posters also cited the economic fact that Japan ranked among the world’s top nations in industrial output, land prices, and stock market capitalization during that period — and this blend of plain nostalgia with genuine memories of economic strength is what characterizes this thread.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “I’m a guy born in 1968, and the 80s really were the best.”

  • Sandwichman’s Mikio Date Hospitalized After Stroke, Announces Hiatus

    Sandwichman’s Mikio Date (51) has been hospitalized with a stroke and will pause his activities to focus on treatment for the time being, his talent agency announced on its official website on August 28. Date had missed a Nippon Broadcasting radio show that aired on the 22nd due to poor health, and the cause has now come to light. The agency says he “fortunately avoided anything serious” and is “working hard on rehabilitation every day,” though no specific return date has been given. On 5ch, reactions ranged from concern over what happens next for his comedy partner Tomizawa and shows like “Banana Sand,” to comparisons with other celebrities who’ve had strokes, and even comments about his lifestyle habits.

    Fri, Aug 28, 9:03 PM

    It was announced on the official website on the 28th that Sandwichman’s Mikio Date (51) is hospitalized due to a stroke.

    He had missed the live broadcast of Nippon Broadcasting’s “Sandwichman The Radio Show Saturday” (Saturdays, 1 PM), which he co-hosts, on the 22nd due to poor health. There’s another live broadcast on the 29th, and comments from his comedy partner Takeshi Tomizawa (52) are drawing attention. According to those close to him, regarding Date’s treatment period and what comes next, “nothing is clear yet.”

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

    2AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:05
    Watching Bākin-kun on YouTube beats watching the Peace-kun mascot at Omiya Park any day (a local-mascot vs. YouTuber jab, unrelated to the topic).
    7AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    His blood pressure's at 200, after all.
    He's the straight man (tsukkomi) of the duo — if his speech starts slurring, that's game over.
    10AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    Talking is his whole livelihood.
    Just hope there's no lasting damage.
    12AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:07
    With strokes, it's the second one that really gets you.
    56AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:11
    Re: #12
    My grandfather died on his third one.
    72AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Re: #12
    Even a first one depends on how long it goes untreated.
    18AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Re: #1
    More details:
    "Mikio Date reports hospitalization due to stroke, will 'focus on treatment and rest for the time being'" — via agency's official site
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/dd437c26cd696f1af574084320f9e1361b250c09

    Mikio Date (51) of the comedy duo Sandwichman is pausing his activities due to a stroke, his talent agency announced on its official website on the 28th.

    The site reported: "Mikio Date recently complained of feeling unwell, was examined at a hospital, and was diagnosed with a stroke." On his condition, it explained: "Thanks to the swift response of medical staff, it fortunately did not become serious, and he is currently receiving inpatient treatment. For this reason, he will be focusing on treatment and taking a break for the time being."

    On his current state, it added: "He is working hard on rehabilitation every day toward recovery. With Date's own health as the top priority, we will work toward resuming activities in consultation with his doctor."
    85AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:14
    Re: #18
    Rehab, huh… man…
    20AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Well, guess that's the end of Korokke's show too, then.
    Gotta watch what you eat.
    22AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    That's what you get for going around saying smug stuff like 'zero calories.'
    25AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:08
    Is he really going to become the 'can't understand a word he says' guy now?
    26AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:09
    Whoa, so it actually happened.
    Guess high blood pressure really is no joke.
    27AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:09
    Nasu from Nasunakanishi had a stroke too, right?
    Not sure if it's because he worked hard at rehab or because his case was mild, but he's basically back to normal now.
    Wonder how serious this Sandwichman guy's case is.
    96AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:14
    Re: #27
    I feel like Nasu still has a slight speech impediment left over from it.
    29AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:09
    Hope he bounces back like nothing happened, the way Tanaka did…
    But the fact that they can't say anything definite yet probably means his body isn't moving right.
    35AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:09
    Wonder if Himura's going through the same thing.
    128AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:16
    Re: #35
    Apparently Himura's off touring Route 66 in the US with his wife.
    40AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:10
    What's going to happen to Banana Sand?
    142AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:17
    Re: #40
    That show works fine even with the MC just watching from a monitor in another room.
    150AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:17
    Re: #40
    Wait, is Himura still not back either?
    45AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:10
    Was his previous hiatus for a stroke, or a heart attack?
    58AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:11
    Re: #45
    It was cancer.
    Guy had bladder cancer and still couldn't quit smoking.
    65AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:12
    Kuchibue Naruo's breaking up, and now the lifeline's gone too — what's he going to do… (apparent off-topic aside, reference unclear)
    133AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:16
    Re: #65
    Wonder what's happening with the mortgage on his house…
    190AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:18
    Re: #65
    There's always Marco Polori (a variety-show segment where celebrities cash in on revealing secrets).
    74AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:13
    Hope he gets better, but… can he actually change his diet at this point?
    115AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:15
    Re: #74
    If he can't, it'll only get more serious.
    The real question is whether he can even get back to a normal life at all.
    76AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:13
    Which one is Date again?
    Honestly, both of them kind of look like a 'Date.'
    102AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:15
    Re: #76
    The one who looks like he could kill a guy for a living.
    134AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:16
    They say he's doing rehab.
    And apparently he won't be back before the year's out.
    179AnonymousAug 28, 2026 21:18
    Re: #134
    If possible, rehab starts the very next day — that's just standard, so…

    Background and Talking Points

    A stroke occurs when a blood vessel gets blocked and blood flow stops, and how severe the symptoms are depends heavily on where the blockage is and how long it lasts. In this announcement, the agency said things “did not become serious” and that Date is doing “daily rehabilitation,” but specifics like how long he’ll be hospitalized, whether there will be lasting after-effects, or when he might return to work were not disclosed. On 5ch, users brought up other celebrities who’ve had strokes, including Nasu (of Nasunakanishi) and Naoki Tanaka (of Cocorico), noting how much recovery can vary from person to person. Starting rehab the day after onset is standard medical practice, so the assumption in some posts that “doing rehab = severe case” isn’t necessarily accurate. Some comments also flatly linked lifestyle habits to the stroke, but the actual cause hasn’t been officially disclosed.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Sandwichman’s Mikio Date Takes Leave Due to Stroke.”

  • Sugihara Meisa’s Signature Strikingly Similar to Yamazaki Mei’s? Change Sparks Debate on Hello! Project Board

    On 5ch’s Morning Coffee board, where Hello! Project topics are discussed, a post claiming that Sugihara Meisa’s autograph was deemed too similar to Yamazaki Mei’s — and had reportedly been changed as a result — sparked a wave of discussion. Commenters posted photos of the actual handwritten signatures, with some saying “I honestly can’t tell them apart,” while others cast doubt on whether a change even happened, pointing out that “the original signature was shown on screen at the debut reveal event” and “maybe it was just forgotten.” The debate carried on with no clear resolution. Commenters also noted that Ishikawa Hanano’s signature resembles Satoyoshi Utano’s.

    1AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:39
    Did Yamazaki Mei's otaku army bombard management with complaints or something?
    251 Name Wanted… 2026/08/26 (Wed) 23:47:00.57 0
    4AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:42
    Never seen Panda's signature or Sugihara's ("Panda" = a member's nickname), so I can't really say either way.
    7AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:43
    Re: #4
    I was gonna post it, but the thread over on Ookami (a live-discussion board nicknamed "Wolf") that had a decent number of replies got wiped from my history, ugh.
    11AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Re: #1

    14AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:45
    Re: #11
    Ohhhhhh, that's it, that's it‼
    Thank you soooo much!!
    16AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:45
    Re: #11
    T-this is…
    17AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:46
    Re: #11
    Yeah, at a glance you really can't tell these apart.
    Not my oshi (favorite member) though, so it's not like it matters to me.
    13AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    If people start unfairly bashing Mei over this, I'm never buying Sugihara's solo goods again.
    24AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:47
    Re: #13
    Go right ahead.
    21AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:47
    I've been thinking Mei-sa's seemed less energetic lately than she was during all the excited chatter on the spring tour.
    Her debut reveal felt kind of subdued too.
    49AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:50
    Re: #21
    She's been staking out the spot next to Oda, glomping onto her for photos, pulling full Akane-chin moves — she's fine, she's got energy, she's a strong one.
    31AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:47
    Mei-sa's got Ma-chan's otaku on her side now, so she's fine.
    Voice like Kudo, face like Ma-chan, personality like Akane-chin — she's unstoppable.
    38AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:48
    Re: #31
    But zero solo-goods sellouts though.
    41AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:48
    Re: #31
    True, Ma-chan's otaku really are the strongest.
    And honestly, Ayami's fans and Doo's fans are backing her too, so Mei-sa should be fine.
    54AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:50
    Re: #31
    A chimera of nothing but traits nobody asked for, lol, she's done for.
    73AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:53
    What about Ishikawa, whose signature is basically identical to Satoyoshi's even though their names don't even overlap?
    76AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:55
    Re: #73
    Maybe it's a Gen Alpha thing — copying whatever they've seen somewhere without even realizing it?
    78AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:56
    So Satoyoshi Utano's and Ishikawa Hanano's signatures really are that similar, huh.
    83AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:59
    Re: #78
    Utano, Hanano —

    that "no" ending is basically identical.
    84AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:59
    Wait, is it actually possible to just change your member color because you don't like it?
    86AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:01
    Re: #84
    Yep, if you put up good solo sales numbers, it's possible.
    94AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:07
    There's always someone who jumps on people for saying "management" [運営], but they're not wrong, are they?
    Other idols' agencies get called "management" too.
    It's only Hello! Project fans who get weirdly nitpicky about this.
    103AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:13
    Re: #94
    Right.
    Other idols, the sports world, other entertainment worlds — it's all "management."
    The only ones calling it "the agency" like they're cosplaying yakuza are Hello! Project and Johnny's.
    105AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:15
    Re: #94
    Stardust (Promotion) calls it "the agency" though.
    111AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:19
    A signature change? Are you even watching, lol.
    The original signature was right there on screen at the debut reveal event.
    114AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:21
    Re: #111
    Wait, was that really the case?
    Then even more so — on both the Part 1 and Part 2 postcards, Mei-sa didn't write a signature on either comment card… so maybe it really was just forgotten?
    115AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:22
    Could be she forgot, or maybe there's no signature requirement and she deliberately left it off so people would properly learn her full name instead.
    It was on the merch though.
    117AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:23
    Re: #115
    Ah, that's probably it! Makes sense.

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Because autographed merchandise and postcards are sold as bonus items, the design of a member’s handwritten signature tends to be treated as an important part of her individual identity — so any claim of similarity tends to spread quickly. In this case, the fact that a signature change even happened was never officially explained by management, and opinions in the thread were split by counterarguments such as “the footage from the debut reveal event showed the original signature” and “maybe it was just forgotten.” A similar claim was also raised about Ishikawa Hanano and Satoyoshi Utano, and it’s not unusual for members of the same recently-debuted generation to end up with similar-looking signature styles. It’s worth noting that this remains purely fan speculation, with no official comment confirmed from either the agency or the members themselves.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Apparently Sugihara Meisa’s signature was seen as ripping off Yamazaki Mei’s, and it got changed“.

  • Saudi Giants Reportedly Offer Ritsu Doan a Transfer Deal Worth Over ¥1.6 Billion a Year

    According to German media reports, Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al-Ittihad has reportedly approached Japan national team midfielder Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt) about a move, prepared to offer an €18 million transfer fee and a multi-year deal worth €9 million a year (roughly ¥1.67 billion). Frankfurt manager Adolf Hütter has pushed back against the idea, saying “Ritsu is indispensable to this team,” and the talks are said to still be in an early stage. On 5ch, discussion centered on the tax gap — some pointed out that Saudi Arabia has no income tax, meaning far higher take-home pay than in Germany, with comments like “he’s 28, he should cash in while he can,” while others were wary of a Middle East move so close to a World Cup, and the thread ended up revolving mostly around the tax-system differences.

    An intriguing report about the Japan national team’s number 10 is making waves. On August 27 local time, several German outlets including satellite broadcaster SKY reported that Saudi Pro League powerhouse Al-Ittihad is moving to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Japan international midfielder Ritsu Doan.

    The behind-the-scenes talks surfaced just before Europe’s transfer window closes. That said, according to SKY, negotiations between Doan’s camp and Al-Ittihad are still at an early stage, and no formal offer or agreement between the clubs has been reached. Frankfurt manager Adolf Hütter objected, saying “Of course I don’t want that,” and pressed for him to stay: “Ritsu is a very important player for this team and carries a key role. For me he’s an absolute mainstay, a player who can make the difference.”

    Still, with France international forward Moussa Diaby’s return to former club Bayer Leverkusen looking imminent, Al-Ittihad is scrambling to fill the gap out wide. Doan has reportedly been shortlisted, with the club prepared to offer an €18 million transfer fee (roughly ¥3.34 billion) and a multi-year contract worth €9 million a year (roughly ¥1.67 billion).

    Source: cocokara-next.com / Original article here

    2AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:22
    Which country would he even pay taxes to?
    16AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:26
    Re: #2
    None. His ¥1.6 billion in Germany gets cut roughly in half by taxes, down to about ¥800 million, but the ¥1.6 billion in Saudi basically stays intact — you just pay VAT like a sales tax when you buy things, no income tax, no social insurance at all.
    115AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:49
    Re: #16
    Then Japan would just take a huge cut instead — the foreign tax credit only kicks in if you're actually taxed where you work, so if Saudi doesn't tax him, Japan taxes him hard.
    6AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:23
    He probably won't make the next World Cup anyway, and it'd be a bad sign if a player at his level is still starting by then — so isn't this actually good news?
    13AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:25
    Re: #6
    I think he will make it, honestly — the next generation just isn't developing.
    7AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:23
    Weak… Shohei Ohtani makes more than triple that? And he's world-class talent too.
    53AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:34
    Re: #7
    Weak… Ronaldo makes more than triple what Ohtani does though?
    62AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:36
    Re: #7 Re: #53
    Factor in taxes: Ohtani, ¥10bn salary → ¥5bn take-home. Cristiano Ronaldo, ¥30bn salary → stays ¥30bn. That's a 6x gap……
    81AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:40
    Re: #7
    So what's your salary then? (lol)
    24AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:28
    Everyone keeps saying "don't go to Saudi, don't go to Saudi," but honestly this is making me think Doan should go.
    28AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:29
    Re: #24
    Because it's now obvious he's peaked as just a mid-table player in Germany.
    25AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:28
    Doan's 28 now too, so it's fair enough to start prioritizing money. Bank ¥5bn over 3 years in Saudi, then maybe head to the US after that?
    48AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:33
    Re: #25
    He couldn't do anything at the World Cup even at his peak, so Saudi sounds fine to me.
    26AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:28
    "Tax leaguers" are seriously pathetic (lol) (note: "税リーガー" is slang mocking players who chase low-tax leagues purely for money over sporting ambition)
    27AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:28
    Saudi's tax-free, so that's effectively a ¥3.2 billion salary. Still, Doan's probably not the type to actually go.
    30AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:30
    Re: #27
    He'd need the seed money to build the Doan empire first lol
    34AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:31
    Isn't it still too early for Doan to make that move… though ¥1.6 billion a year is nuts.
    40AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:32
    Re: #34
    Effectively ¥3.2 billion…… turning that down would take some real guts.
    54AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:34
    Ronaldo's take-home alone is ¥40 billion, so his real salary works out to ¥80 billion.
    Ronaldo's salary alone >>> the combined salaries of every Dodgers player.
    59AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:35
    Re: #54
    Come to think of it, Ronaldo gets that amount completely tax-free too……… that's just a different dimension.
    64AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:37
    Re: #54
    There's something romantic about chasing the top of world football.
    123AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:50
    Re: #54
    https://jp.reuters.com/article/life/sports/-idUSKBN2YU05R/
    Football: Ronaldo's club Al-Nassr banned from registering players over unpaid-wages issue

    And you're bragging about salaries from that league? lol
    Don't brag about salaries from a team that doesn't even pay its players lmao
    67AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:37
    Re: #62
    What's the point comparing an oil league to a non-oil one?
    76AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:39
    Re: #67
    Right, because baseball's boring so oil money won't flow there. (note: "やきう" is a deliberately childish, mocking spelling of "野球"/baseball used to belittle the sport)
    97AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:43
    Re: #67
    What does having oil have to do with any of this???
    72AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:38
    Saudi has a lot of unpaid-wage cases. That kills the deal — no point going if you don't actually get paid.
    101AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:45
    Re: #72
    Al-Ittihad isn't comparable to some random lower-table club though.
    78AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:39
    Doan tends to get underrated, but he's the type who actually puts up numbers. In baseball terms, he'd be hitting .300 with about 20 home runs every year.
    100AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:45
    Re: #78
    Over the last 10 games of the World Cup Asian final qualifiers, Japan scored 30 goals total — but Doan, who started basically every game, had 0 goals and 1 assist. Ito and Kubo, on the same right flank, actually delivered numbers. Ito was even the top assist provider in Asian qualifying.
    104AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:45
    Doan's current salary is already around ¥1 billion. Bumping it up to about ¥1.6 billion by going to Saudi isn't even that appealing — there's basically no upside to going lol
    117AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:49
    Re: #104
    Because Saudi has no taxes.
    124AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:50
    Re: #104
    In Germany taxes eat into it so take-home is probably around ¥500 million. If it triples like that, it's plenty worth moving to the Middle East for.
    105AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:46
    ¥1.6 billion a year counts as a sky-high salary in soccer?🤣 No wonder everyone plays baseball instead🤔
    113AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:48
    Re: #105
    Shall we compare how many people actually play soccer versus baseball worldwide?
    129AnonymousAug 28, 2026 20:51
    Re: #116
    https://jp.reuters.com/article/life/sports/-idUSKBN2YU05R/
    Football: Ronaldo's club Al-Nassr banned from registering players over unpaid-wages issue

    Soccer salaries don't even get paid properly half the time lol

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Saudi Arabia levies no income tax or social insurance contributions, creating a huge gap in take-home pay compared to playing in Europe. Many in the thread noted that the reported €9 million annual salary would be worth even more once Germany’s high tax rates are factored in. At the same time, with Doan at 28 and at a career crossroads, opinion was split on whether a Middle East move so close to a World Cup would help or hurt him competitively. Some commenters brought up the unpaid-wages issue at Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr, but that case dates back to 2023 and is reported to have already been resolved — worth noting it has no direct bearing on Al-Ittihad’s finances. Talks between Doan’s camp and the club remain at an early stage, with no formal agreement or figures confirmed.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Soccer] Saudi giants reportedly make Ritsu Doan a “sky-high offer” worth over ¥1.6 billion a year — German media report possible shock transfer“.

  • Kazuki Kameda to Challenge Figueroa for Three-Division World Title on October 17 — 5ch: “His Opponent Is a Bigger Name Than Inoue’s”

    On August 28, TMK Gym announced that former two-division world champion Kazuki Kameda will challenge WBA featherweight world champion Brandon Figueroa on October 17 in Las Vegas. If it happens, the bout would make Kameda the first Japanese boxer ever to claim world titles in three weight divisions — but rather than straightforward excitement, the thread’s discussion centered on the framing that “Kameda gets to face a bigger name in Figueroa than Naoya Inoue does.” There was also back-and-forth over a boxing rules question: whether a title should count toward a division sweep if it’s only an interim belt.

    Sports Hochi

    August 28, 2026, 12:08 PM

    Professional boxing’s TMK Gym announced on the 28th that its fighter, former two-division world champion Kazuki Kameda, will challenge WBA featherweight world champion Brandon Figueroa (USA) on October 17 in Las Vegas.

    Source: hochi.news / Original article here

    9AnonymousAug 28, 2026 17:52
    The quality of opponents he's faced beats Inoue's, honestly.
    83AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:48
    Re: #9
    Inoue completely KO'd Fulton — the guy who beat Figueroa twice.
    20AnonymousAug 28, 2026 17:59
    Misako Yasuda's trick for remembering the three Kameda brothers

    Also heard Mr. Kameda absolutely hates airplanes (probably wordplay — "daikirai" (hate) echoes "Daiki," the middle brother's name)
    The three Kameda brothers: Koki, Daiki, Koki (sic — the youngest is actually Kazuki, so this "mnemonic" gets his name wrong)
    24AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:02
    Re: #20
    There are two guys with the same name in there.
    38AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:09
    If Kameda somehow wins, it sets up a fight with Inoue — that would generate maybe 10 times the buzz of the Nakatani fight.
    45AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:14
    Re: #38
    Inoue hates the Kameda family with a passion, so I bet he'd just ignore him even as champion. Honestly, the level gap with Figueroa is so big it's not even a million-to-one scenario.

    Re: #39
    Kameda III mentally can't handle being pressured hard, so the styles genuinely clash badly. He doesn't have the skill to outbox someone the way Fulton did, either.
    61AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:35
    Re: #38
    He won't do it. No way he lets Kameda cash in — that's how much he despises the Kameda family.
    39AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:10
    If he wins, a fight with Inoue isn't a total fantasy, but he'd probably just drop a decision. Inoue's got the speed and the skill, so I don't think it ends in a KO loss for Kameda.
    40AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:11
    Current Inoue might actually be beatable for Kameda — he struggled that much against Picasso.
    52AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:24
    The second brother's retired now and has such a mellow look about him these days.
    57AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:31
    Re: #52
    The Kameda brothers were never delinquents to begin with, though.
    60AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:33
    One of those belts is interim, right? That shouldn't count toward a division sweep. It's already weird calling winning just one belt a "conquest" of a division in the first place — though Inoue's undisputed reign across two divisions is beyond question.
    68AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:41
    Re: #60
    Even an interim title counts. Yes, in Japan too.
    87AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:55
    Re: #68
    It's contradictory — it counts even though it's not a real "conquest." That's just how boxing is, I guess. Doesn't matter anyway since real boxing fans don't recognize it.
    69AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:42
    Was brother No. 1 the strongest one?
    77AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:45
    Re: #69
    In the end, No. 3 is overwhelmingly the strongest. No. 1 and No. 2 were nothing at featherweight — they're ultra-lightweight guys, and Japan churns out world champions in those divisions all the time.
    70AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:42
    Figueroa… same name as the guy who fought Fulton, right? Same person?
    74AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Re: #70
    Well, obviously. He rematched Fulton at featherweight too and had his world title taken off him again.
    78AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:46
    Re: #70
    Pretending not to know Figueroa fought Fulton is pretty transparent.
    72AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:43
    People used to say the youngest brother had the most talent — what's the real story? Was the eldest actually the strongest one after all?
    90AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:56
    Re: #72
    Kameda III was pretty solid back in his bantamweight days — even matched against today's Tenshin, he'd probably have a slight edge.

    But once he moved up in weight he lost his finishing power and became just a somewhat-quick, forgettable ("shio" — boxing slang for a bland, unexciting fighter) type. The first McDonnell fight could've gone his way if it had been held in Japan. If his father and older brother had managed his career better, he might've at least ended up as sacrificial-lamb material for Inoue.
    73AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Just fight Kyonosuke already — why's he running from that?
    80AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:46
    Re: #73
    Nobody's dumb enough to pick a fight with Kyonosuke over a world title match, lol.
    75AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:45
    Not a Kameda fan, but landing a fight with Figueroa is genuinely impressive — that's THE Figueroa. Inoue's best-ever opponent was Fulton, so in terms of opponent quality Kameda's actually ahead. And featherweight is a deeper division than the ones below it, too.
    82AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:47
    Re: #75
    Are people like this actually being serious?
    86AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:53
    When's Inoue actually going to fight Espinoza? Is he waiting for the guy to shrink or something?
    91AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:57
    Re: #86
    They're waiting on "Bam" — he keeps waffling about whether he'll take the fight or not. Bam wouldn't stand a chance against Inoue, but he's popular overseas.
    95AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:59
    Re: #86
    He won't fight him because he'd lose. Shinya Aoki pointed this out too — Naoya Inoue manages risk so carefully that he doesn't take fights he can't win.
    105AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:12
    Re: #102
    Donaire was 39 in his second fight against Inoue.
    107AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:16
    Re: #105
    That's the fight where he got blown away in an instant.

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    The WBA featherweight division sometimes carries both a regular champion and an interim champion, and how interim titles are treated varies by sanctioning body and country. The thread’s claims that “an interim title doesn’t count toward a division sweep” and “Japan doesn’t recognize interim titles” aren’t baseless — they reflect the JBC’s (Japan Boxing Commission) practice of not treating interim belts as official world titles. Whether Figueroa holds the regular title affects how much weight the “three-division conquest” claim actually carries. The repeated comparisons to Naoya Inoue stem from the fact that Inoue, having gone undisputed across two divisions, has become the benchmark for Japanese boxing — and the Kameda family is often invoked as a foil in that same context. Readers should note that the thread’s comparisons of opponent strength get tangled easily, with posts disagreeing on assumed ages and fight timelines.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Kazuki Kameda to Re-Challenge for a Three-Division World Title on 10/17 in Las Vegas — WBA Featherweight Champion Figueroa Fight: “In a place I love… it’s a huge motivation”.”

  • 76 Sicken at Azabu-Juban Summer Festival — Chilled Crab Ramen Suspected

    At the “Azabu-Juban Suzumi (Summer Cooling) Festival” in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, 76 visitors reported vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms consistent with food poisoning, and the Minato Public Health Center is investigating the cause. Many of those affected are believed to have eaten “chilled crab ramen” from a food stall. On 5channel threads, users traded all kinds of speculation about the dish’s ingredients and hygiene practices, with some drawing comparisons to a past nagashi-somen (flowing-noodle) food poisoning incident that sickened roughly 900 people. Some guessed the cause was ramen prepared the day before and left sitting, but the exact cause will have to wait for the health center’s findings.

    “Azabu-Juban Suzumi Matsuri”: 76 Report Illness, Symptoms Consistent With Food Poisoning — Many Affected Believed to Have Eaten Chilled Crab Ramen; Minato Public Health Center Investigating

    Delivered 8/28 (Fri) 13:59

    TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNN

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

    15AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:18
    Recommend NG (block-list) on this guy
    ID:WmH2AQXq0
    208AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:29
    Re: #15
    No question about it, this guy's blood type is A (in Japan, Type A is stereotyped as fussy and neurotic)
    35AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:28
    Chilled crab ramen /
    …is just regular hiyashi chuka (cold ramen) with a rotten can of crab dumped on top.
    134AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:05
    Re: #35
    Canned crab actually going bad is a pretty rare thing to happen.
    42AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:31
    Re: #1
    Way too many victims for this one
    Feels like they blew through a bunch of expired ingredients all at once at the festival.
    46AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:32
    Crab ramen, huh — they were eating pretty well.
    51AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:33
    Compared to that nagashi-somen food poisoning case that sickened close to 900 people, this is nothing.
    60AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:36
    Ah, but
    chilled crab ramen actually does sound pretty tasty.
    139AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:08
    Re: #60
    Ramen broth tends to overpower the toppings unless you're really careful with it, so I'd think cold bukkake udon with crab on top would work better.
    72AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:41
    Do they even have real knowledge here? Hygiene-wise, I mean.
    Even if they do, it's meaningless without common sense to go with it.
    80AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Re: #72
    Sounds like they got flamed before for advertising 'the goodness of Japanese crab' while actually using Chinese crab…
    Unless they've genuinely cleaned up their act, I wouldn't count on much common sense from them.
    79AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:43
    This is exactly why Southeast Asia doesn't have cold noodle dishes.
    158AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:12
    Re: #79
    Isn't it just that you couldn't keep food cold before refrigerators existed?
    Japan managed to pull off cold noodle dishes at least, using well water.

    Re: #86
    Couldn't they just slap a 'not recommended for anyone with the five major allergens' notice on stuff like that?
    244AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:40
    Re: #79
    Japan just has more cold food and drink in general compared to other countries.
    Even iced coffee originated in Japan.
    81AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Feels like the real answer here is just 'has any food stall ever served crab before?'
    95AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:49
    Re: #81
    Guessing it was like 'I just came up with this incredibly original menu nobody's ever tried before!'
    and ran with it.
    86AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:45
    Crab allergies must be rough.
    Take Yoshinoya, for example — some of their items contain crab-derived ingredients, and since everything's made in the same factory, they specifically go out of their way to warn on their website that people with crab allergies should be careful.
    103AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:51
    But with this many people affected, maybe the taste or smell actually wasn't off
    since everyone ate it without noticing anything wrong.
    166AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:14
    Re: #103
    The bacteria behind food poisoning, or the toxins they produce, don't necessarily have a distinctive taste or smell.
    From experience, oysters are the only one I've ever actually been able to tell were bad.
    119AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:59
    These days I can't help but think there are probably a few Komeo-anti types out there who claimed they got sick too, going 'guess I'll say I ate the crab ramen too, even though I didn't' (Komeo = a controversial streamer/influencer with a large anti-fan following online).
    125AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:02
    Re: #119
    My stomach and my backside still remember it.
    168AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:15
    Just use kanikama (imitation crab)
    real crab is way too risky, isn't it (´･ω･`)
    202AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:28
    Re: #168
    Tempura made with kanikama is so good.
    178AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:17
    By the way, there have even been cases of people blacking out on the toilet from norovirus and dying right there, so if you live alone, please seriously be careful ♡
    180AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:18
    Re: #178
    hahahaha
    186AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:22
    Is chilled crab ramen actually any good, though?
    196AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:25
    Re: #186
    I was picturing hiyashi chuka with a bit of kanikama on top.
    209AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:29
    Wouldn't kamaboko (fish cake) go bad sitting out in the blazing sun?
    220AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:32
    Re: #209
    Might come down to the additives
    Even the rice in packaged deli food seems to be loaded with the stuff these days

    Good kamaboko made without additives doesn't keep long
    though honestly, load anything up with enough sugar and it'll keep.
    241AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:39
    Apparently it wasn't ramen that got heated and then chilled —
    there was no heating step involved at all.

    Though the actual cause seems to have been that it was made the day before and left over.
    247AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:40
    Re: #241
    Didn't know ramen like that even existed.
    249AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:40
    Re: #241
    I don't trust puddings that are just set with gelatin and never heated, either.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    Festival food stalls are often temporary setups running under a public health center permit, and because they have to serve large volumes of food with limited cooking equipment, they tend to carry higher risks around temperature control and advance food prep than regular restaurants. On the thread, users floated theories like “maybe it was made the day before” or “maybe the canned crab had gone bad,” but as of this article, the Minato Public Health Center has not announced a specific cause or route of contamination — none of this is confirmed. There were also claims that the stall’s operator had been involved in an unrelated controversy in the past, but no connection to this food poisoning incident has been shown, so it’s worth being careful not to conflate the two. The actual cause will have to wait for the health center’s investigation results.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (News Express+) thread ““Azabu-Juban Suzumi Matsuri”: 76 Report Illness, Symptoms Consistent With Food Poisoning — Many Affected Believed to Have Eaten Chilled Crab Ramen; Minato Public Health Center Investigating.”

  • Rice Price Drops to ¥3,156 per 5kg — Private Stockpiles Hit Record High for Late July

    On August 28, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that the average price of 5kg of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide from the 17th to the 23rd was ¥3,156, down ¥35 from the previous week. This marks the second straight week of declines, and private-sector stockpiles as of the end of July reached 1.62 million tons — the highest level for July since records began in 2008. On the thread, doubts about real-world prices piled up (“Still too expensive,” “It’s already under ¥3,000 at OK Store or Gyomu Super”), while the discussion widened beyond simple price griping into how to price the new crop amid swelling stockpiles, whether farmers can actually turn a profit, and even whether people are simply eating less rice these days.

    Jiji Press — Fri, Aug 28, 18:03 JST

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on the 28th that the average price per 5kg of rice sold at roughly 1,000 supermarkets nationwide from the 17th to the 23rd was ¥3,156, down ¥35 from the previous week.

    This is the second consecutive week of declines. Private-sector stockpiles as of the end of July stood at 1.62 million tons, the highest level for the month of July since surveys began in 2008.

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

    3AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:10
    That's still way too expensive
    People who've already given up on rice won't come back unless it drops under ¥2,500
    8AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:11
    Re: #3
    This year's new-crop Koshihikari was going for ¥2,300 tax included where I shop
    4AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:10
    Pasta's tastier and cheaper anyway
    Let the whole rice industry go under along with JA (Japan's agricultural co-op)
    24AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:16
    Re: #4
    Taste aside, rice is basically a carb bomb lol — I quit eating it and just stopped gaining weight entirely
    Might be the ultimate diet honestly
    11AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:12
    Go ahead, spell out exactly where all that money's going
    21AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:15
    Well, prices don't fall unless somebody eats the loss
    JA's probably already cashed out long ago
    The real question is what they do with the new crop on top of this mountain of leftover stock
    29AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:16
    Re: #21
    If it's just sitting there surplus, might as well throw it out lol
    35AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:19
    Miyazaki-grown new-crop Koshihikari was under ¥3,000 for 5kg at OK Store
    171AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:26
    Re: #35
    It's already ¥1,980 near me
    42AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:20
    People in the farming industry should just eat rice like crazy themselves
    Support them by eating up
    56AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:24
    At that place near me, 5kg was in the low ¥2,000s
    66AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:28
    Re: #56
    Too looong!!!
    71AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:29
    Akitakomachi, Komaneci, and Tachikoma all kind of sound alike, huh (a rice brand, the gymnast, and the robot from Ghost in the Shell)
    98AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:39
    Re: #71
    So Akita's new 'Komaneci' comes in at ¥4,000 — guess that's how it stacks up (wordplay chaining the rice brand Akitakomachi, gymnast Komaneci, and the robot Tachikoma)
    93AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:36
    It's basically a lump of carbs so you're better off not eating it
    Haven't touched rice in about half a year, and even eating three full meals a day I just don't gain weight anymore
    Feel great too
    96AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:38
    Re: #93
    I still think you should have at least one bowl a day though
    102AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:40
    Re: #93
    Just mix in some barley
    115AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:50
    Re: #93
    When it comes to actual health, it's protein, calcium, vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed, and fermented foods that matter
    Rice is basically an afterthought

    And even that rice, they recommend mixing in barley or soybeans, and tell you to eat it last in the meal
    People drifting away from rice seems inevitable at this point
    What even counts as a 'staple food' anymore?
    100AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:39
    Re: #96
    If you're going to eat it, make it breakfast and just half a bowl
    A full bowl is clearly too many carbs
    109AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:44
    Does anyone actually pay ¥3,156 for 5kg?
    La Muu
    Don Quijote
    Kanesue
    Gyomu Super
    Kimble (VegeVege)
    Under ¥2,500 is just normal
    112AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:47
    Re: #109
    No way I'm buying at that price
    I'll stretch what rice I've got left and wait for the new crop lol
    122AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:53
    We've entered the 'actually eat your rice' phase
    Drive the farmers out of business and next we get a rice shortage caused by a labor shortage
    136AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:58
    Re: #122
    Just raise the import quota
    153AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:11
    Re: #122
    Honestly, that'd be fine lol
    127AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:56
    Farms that can't turn a profit are just the small, inefficient ones. Farms operating at scale make plenty of money.
    132AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:57
    Re: #127
    Even if the farming itself doesn't turn a profit, offsetting it against their day-job salary wipes out their taxes, so they're effectively raking it in
    137AnonymousAug 28, 2026 18:58
    Re: #1
    Looking at this survey, it feels like they're only sampling the pricier stores
    There must be plenty of places selling 5kg for under ¥3,000 by now
    Looks like nothing but the Agriculture Ministry spinning the numbers
    140AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:01
    Re: #137
    Same with the BOJ's price statistics — this country has started fudging even its basic data now
    155AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:12
    Re: #137
    I thought the same at first, but
    it's probably because they're folding in premium brands like Uonuma Koshihikari, Tsuyahime, and Yumepirika, which would push the average up to about that
    198AnonymousAug 28, 2026 19:38
    Re: #1

    This year's new crop is going for about ¥2,000, going rate


    i.imgur.com/Zf0Rlrd.jpeg

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ “Rice Retail Price Survey” samples roughly 1,000 major retail stores nationwide, a method prone to regional and format skew. On the thread, several posters pointed out that “it feels like they’re only counting the expensive stores” and that “under ¥3,000 is normal at places like OK Store or Gyomu Super.” The Ministry, for its part, has explained that the figure is a weighted average that includes premium branded rice such as Uonuma Koshihikari — a different baseline than a simple survey of discount chains. It’s also easy to overlook that “private-sector stockpiles” refers to inventory held by collection agents, wholesalers, and retailers along the distribution chain, separate from the government’s own reserve stockpile — so a large private stockpile doesn’t automatically translate into lower market prices. Alongside the price complaints, the thread also branched into debates over the health merits of eating less rice and the profitability structure facing farmers, with no single takeaway dominating the discussion.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread “Rice Drops to ¥3,156 per 5kg — Private Stockpiles at Record High, Says Agriculture Ministry.”