Japan Reacts

Category: Entertainment

  • Hitoshi Matsumoto’s New Content Coming to Netflix — Simultaneous Release with ‘DOWNTOWN+’ Planned by Year’s End

    On September 30, Yoshimoto Kogyo announced that new content produced by Hitoshi Matsumoto will stream simultaneously on the paid service ‘DOWNTOWN+’ and on Netflix. This marks the first time DOWNTOWN+ has released the same content at the same time as another streaming service. The project is currently in production, with release planned before the end of the year, and it will reportedly be distributed globally via Netflix. On 5ch, reactions were split: some worried about subscribers leaving DOWNTOWN+ and made sarcastic comments, while others took it positively, saying it showed ‘high trust from foreign capital.’

    New content produced by Hitoshi Matsumoto confirmed for Netflix, with simultaneous release alongside ‘DOWNTOWN+’ planned by year’s end

    It was revealed on the 30th that new content produced by Hitoshi Matsumoto of the comedy duo Downtown will stream simultaneously on the paid service ‘DOWNTOWN+’ and on ‘Netflix.’ The announcement was made by Yoshimoto Kogyo.

    This is the first time ‘DOWNTOWN+’ will release the same content at the same time as another video streaming service. Yoshimoto and Netflix reached an agreement over Matsumoto’s new content. It is currently in production, with release planned within the year, and the work will be rolled out globally through Netflix.

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

    4AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:04
    Guess DOWNTOWN+ alone just wasn't cutting it anymore, huh?
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:05
    Don't let it out of DOWNTOWN+!
    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:05
    DOWNTOWN+'s annual plan renews on 11/1, so they're apparently scrambling — expecting a mass wave of cancellations.
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:26
    Re: #7
    Watch out, this might be one of those services that auto-renews your subscription without asking.
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:07
    Now that Netflix is involved, expect a flood of mysterious puff pieces hyping him up from here on out.
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:07
    DOWNTOWN+ just feels cheap in every way.
    Though even with money behind it now, they might not be able to make anything interesting anymore.
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:07
    Does simultaneous release even matter?
    It's already streaming on DOWNTOWN+ anyway.
    Is there really much difference?
    21AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:09
    Matsumoto's a shrewd operator, but Netflix's reputation keeps getting shadier with stuff like the MEGUMI thing.
    71AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:31
    Re: #21
    Netflix got a taste of success with hits like 'The Naked Director' back when compliance standards were basically nonexistent.
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:10
    Did the haters lose again?
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:10
    Re: #22
    The haters have been winning this whole time though.
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:11
    Priced higher than Jump+ and it flopped lol (Jump+ = Shueisha's manga streaming app)
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:11
    Countdown's officially on for our boy Matsu-chan's big comeback.
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:11
    Gaki no Tsukai might as well just go streaming-only at this point.
    Just give us Sake no Tsumami, Suberanai Hanashi, and Warattewa Ikenai, please. (fan-favorite Downtown segments/specials)
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:23
    Re: #28
    They could expand Sake no Tsumami into 'San Nomi' and a bigger 'Berobero Nomi Wide.'
    Honestly didn't expect Sakagami and Mitz to be that funny.
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:12
    If Netflix puts up the money, they could make a show with a budget that blows terrestrial TV out of the water.
    40AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:18
    Re: #29
    Even before that — with 500,000 subscribers they'd already be pulling in 550 million yen a month, so they should be able to fund a solid project as is.
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:14
    Why doesn't Hamada ever appear alongside him? (his Downtown comedy partner, Masatoshi Hamada)
    78AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:34
    Re: #32
    His wife is dead set against it.
    33AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:14
    Come to think of it, it's been a while since we've seen a thread about DOWNTOWN+'s subscriber numbers.
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:15
    Sounds like they might make a Netflix version of Warattewa Ikenai.
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:16
    If he's not needed anymore, maybe retiring is the way to go.
    Doesn't change what he's already accomplished on TV though.
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:18
    Going with Netflix is the smart move.
    A standalone platform is just a hassle for viewers and the people running it alike.
    42AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:18
    Warattewa Ikenai probably isn't happening anymore health-wise anyway, so no great loss there.
    I just don't want it popping up on my home screen — is there a way to block it?
    67AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:29
    Re: #42
    Let's make sure it flops hard, just to be thorough.
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:19
    Between this and Amazon Prime, Matsumoto's trust level with foreign capital is through the roof. You can see why Yoshimoto could never cut him loose. DOWNTOWN+ won't have money troubles after this. Tough luck for the haters lol
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:21
    Re: #1
    Would Warattewa Ikenai even work on Netflix? Can't they just talk to Hulu instead?
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:21
    New content on Netflix!?

    Probably just another judging gig…
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:21
    An archive of Suberanai Hanashi would be fine by me.
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:22
    So if I'm already paying for Netflix, does that mean I get this for free?
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:22
    Re: #40
    But they keep managing to book guests who look expensive every single time.
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:25
    Re: #49
    That's just piling up as debt for Yoshimoto.
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:22
    He mentioned there was a big project coming up on DOWNTOWN+ — guess this is what he meant. I was half-expecting him to show up on King of Conte, but this is on a whole different level. (KOC = a major Japanese comedy competition)
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:23
    I used to love Downtown so much I owned the Gotchi and Gaki no Tsukai DVDs,
    but the last thing I remember watching was around the Yugawara episode of Gaki no Tsukai.
    He should just retire already.
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 17:24
    Personally, it got boring once he started running with a huge pack of comedians.
    Hitoshi was funnier when he was thinner.
    Hitoshi should just retire already.

    Background and Points of Debate

    DOWNTOWN+ is the paid streaming service Hitoshi Matsumoto has built his career around since scaling back his TV appearances. This is the first time it has released the same content simultaneously with another streaming service, which can be read as a move by Yoshimoto Kogyo to broaden its revenue streams. Opinion in the thread split between skeptics who see the tie-up as a sign that DOWNTOWN+ has been struggling to grow subscribers on its own, and those who took it positively as proof that drawing interest from foreign capital like Netflix is itself a mark of trust. Subscriber numbers and revenue haven’t been made public, so figures like the ‘550 million yen a month’ estimate floated in the thread are pure speculation. The specific content and cast of the new release also hadn’t been announced at the time of writing, so this is still a story to watch for further updates.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread ‘[Entertainment] New content produced by Hitoshi Matsumoto confirmed for Netflix, simultaneous release with ‘DOWNTOWN+’ planned by year’s end.’

  • Kitano Kii, Raised by a Single Father, Struggled to Buy Pads and Underwear: ‘I’d Wait for the Cashier to Turn Into a Woman’

    Actress Kitano Kii (35) revealed on the September 29 broadcast of Nippon TV’s “Ueda to Onna ga DEEP ni Hoeru Yoru” that she was raised by a single father. She shared an anecdote about how, too embarrassed to buy sanitary products and underwear, she would wait at convenience stores for the cashier to change to a woman. Following this confession, 5ch’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board lit up with a range of opinions — touching on the particular embarrassment of puberty, the shopping struggles of single-parent households, and real-world accounts that cashiers don’t actually pay attention to what customers are buying.

    Kitano Kii, Raised by a Single Father, Struggled to Buy Sanitary Products and Underwear: ‘I’d Wait for the Cashier to Turn Into a Woman’ – Entertainment : Nikkan Sports

    September 30, 2026, 9:41 AM

    Actress Kitano Kii (35) appeared on the September 29 broadcast of Nippon TV’s “Ueda to Onna ga DEEP ni Hoeru Yoru” (Tuesdays, 11:59 PM). She revealed she was raised in a single-father household and looked back on moments she faced struggles unique to being a woman.

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:42
    Treating periods or period products as something shameful is just bad upbringing.
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:46
    Re: #11
    Feels like a product of the era and her age at the time.
    These days people might not even give it a second thought.
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:52
    Re: #11
    For a kid going through puberty, feeling embarrassed is just unavoidable.
    No matter how you raise them, that feeling doesn't change with the times.
    You'd feel at least a little embarrassed too buying hair-growth tonic or hemorrhoid cream if the clerk were a woman, right?
    18AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:45
    I used to work part-time at a convenience store — the staff really don't pay attention to stuff like that.
    We're too busy.
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:47
    Re: #18
    It's less about being busy and more about whether the clerk's a pervert.
    66AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:59
    Re: #18
    Though there are bored ones who'll sneak a peek at your credit card number.
    33AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:49
    https://imgur.com/X6tA25O.jpeg
    https://imgur.com/Nt4NCks.jpg
    Latest photos
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:51
    Re: #33
    That's not the Kitano Kii I remember.
    Is this even the same person?
    78AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:03
    Re: #33
    Looked it up, she's 35 huh.
    Still totally cute though.
    148AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:21
    Re: #33
    This one's from 2017, but she hasn't changed much.
    https://www.sanspo.com/resizer/v2/66UFCU5AGJLXZNYKS7XMKBUOPA.jpg?auth=71ebe4160c8391f19598f79907b76a2d65371d530cb627c6e03818e7ff2e389e&;quality=50&smart=true&height=730
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:50
    I can't really picture a male cashier at a store that sells women's underwear.
    106AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:11
    Re: #37
    I think she means drugstore clerks, not lingerie shop staff.
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:50
    My family was a single-father household too, but my grandma handled all that for me.
    79AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:03
    Re: #38
    I'm a single dad myself — I went to the drugstore with my daughter like it was nothing, and we shopped for underwear together starting around 5th grade.
    Once she hit high school, I'd wait outside and just hand her the money.
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:53
    You guys really love discriminating, huh.
    I bet you were raised all cozy by both mommy and daddy and are still holed up in your childhood bedroom, so of course you wouldn't understand what people raised by a single parent go through.
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:56
    Re: #47
    Probably true. Takei Sou got bashed for the same kind of thing — the ones trashing people who've had it hard are usually spoiled, sheltered single guys still living at home who've never struggled a day in their lives (kodo-oji, lit. "child's-room uncle").
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 12:56
    We used to have an old pit-style outhouse (botton benjo) — when you lifted the lid you could see my mom's and sister's menstrual blood down at the bottom, and it really made me realize how tough it is being a woman.
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:04
    Re: #56
    Don't go peeking down there.
    Honestly I wouldn't want to see it or smell it — pretty sure I'd throw up.
    91AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:06
    Re: #79
    You made your daughter go out of her way for you.
    Sounds like a good daughter.
    99AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:08
    Re: #91
    All three of my kids were little, so only the oldest really remembers their mother at all.
    Since I was treated as the "mom" from day one, there was no embarrassment or awkwardness about it.
    If anything, I was the one who nudged things toward "other dads don't do this, so you two handle it yourselves" — it came naturally.
    94AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:06
    These days you can just buy that stuff online — good era to be in.
    97AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:08
    Re: #94
    Except now the delivery staff get your address, name, and phone number attached to the order.
    They might not see your face, but there's probably a photo of you somewhere online, and if you're in showbiz that info gets passed around easily.
    107AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:11
    Once you've worked a register even once, you learn cashiers really don't care at all what customers are buying.
    184AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:33
    Re: #107
    Customers like that tend to assume they're the only one, but you learn there are tons of people just like them.
    207AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:42
    When I worked at a convenience store, you'd be amazed how many men came in to buy sanitary products.
    The world's full of weirdos.
    212AnonymousSep 30, 2026 13:44
    Re: #207
    At that point he's not a man anymore, he's a trained pet — ordered around at her beck and call.

    Background and Talking Points

    Nippon TV’s late-night show “Ueda to Onna ga DEEP ni Hoeru Yoru” often runs talk segments that dig into guests’ private lives, and this episode had Kitano Kii opening up about her own upbringing. How a child from a single-parent household navigates gender-specific purchases like sanitary products and underwear varies hugely from family to family, and it’s rarely discussed in any organized way. In the thread, the real-world claim that “cashiers don’t actually pay attention to what customers buy” clashed with the view that “the embarrassment unique to puberty never really goes away” — both grounded in personal experience, making it hard to call either one more valid. There were also accounts from fathers who themselves grew up in single-parent households and went shopping with their daughters without issue, showing the struggles described aren’t universal. Since family circumstances vary so much case by case, it’s worth being careful not to over-generalize.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[TV] Kitano Kii, Raised by a Single Father, Struggled to Buy Sanitary Products and Underwear: ‘I’d Wait for the Cashier to Turn Into a Woman’.”

  • “Muroi Shinji” Spinoff Films Set for First-Ever Terrestrial TV Broadcast — 5ch Buzzing

    The spinoff film series centered on Muroi Shinji from “Bayside Shakedown” (Odoru Daisōsasen) is set to air on terrestrial TV for the first time ever. Ahead of the broadcast, threads on 5ch lit up with talk of how Muroi and Waku’s stories ended in the films, along with praise for star Yanagiba Toshiro’s performance. The discussion also spread to the box office performance of the currently-running sequel film and the long-reported reluctance of cast members, including Oda Yuji, to return for sequels — sparking a broader debate about where the franchise goes from here.

    1AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:25
    The first film airs tomorrow
    2AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:25
    Why did the production team have to kill off Superintendent Muroi?
    Onda and Muroi were both absolutely essential.
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:28
    Re: #2
    Apparently Giba-chan (actor Yanagiba Toshiro's nickname) himself begged them to let his character die.
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:32
    Re: #2
    Wait, Onda died too?
    Waku-san actually died as well — this franchise is brutal.
    What's even fun about it once every core member is gone?
    64AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:09
    Re: #2
    Going out to search for a dog in the snow, getting stranded, and just dying like that — I wanted to smack someone over that!
    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:26
    Muroi parts 2 and 3 were just relentlessly heartbreaking.
    Watching them again now that I'm older, it actually stings a bit.
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:42
    Re: #3
    Totally get it.
    Honestly, Yanagiba Toshiro's acting was insanely good.
    So few lines, yet he conveyed so much through expression alone.
    That constant undertone of lingering regret he carried.
    5AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:26
    They rebroadcast the original Bayside Shakedown series just last week, didn't they.
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:26
    Fuji TV really loves milking their old shows, huh.
    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:26
    I guess they were finally planning to close out the series for good.
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:27
    What about "Negotiator: Mashita Masayoshi"?
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:29
    Re: #8
    That one already wrapped up.
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:27
    In the movie currently playing, Aoshima's already hit retirement age — genuinely hilarious.
    15AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:29
    Muroi's life after retirement was rough to watch.
    A guy whose career dreams got crushed, slinking back alone to his hometown — that's just too sad.
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:57
    Re: #15
    Is the ending really that bleak?
    Did they really need to dig up all that old grief?
    22AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:31
    He gets revived as an AI Muroi in the new film, so…
    74AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:15
    Re: #22
    An AI Waku-san does show up though.
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:31
    Back during the TV drama, I figured Muroi would keep climbing the ranks and that he and Aoshima would eventually pull off the reforms Waku and the others never managed. Instead he kept getting sidelined from the promotion track, ended up arrested, retired, and then died — what an unfair fate.
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:41
    Re: #23
    Timeline-wise: he got arrested, got shipped off to the Hiroshima Prefectural Police,
    then came back and rose all the way to Commissioner-General's Secretariat Councillor.
    At that point the Commissioner-General told him, 'once this dirty work is done, you're one of us' — and he refused.
    In the final film he nearly got cut down by the Commissioner-General,
    but the Commissioner-General ended up losing power, and Muroi was in some odd post by the end,
    so I don't think he was fired — more like he quit.
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:47
    Re: #45
    It wasn't mandatory retirement, he resigned.
    Okita arranged for him to go out with some dignity by offering him the Chief position at the Akita Prefectural Police back in his hometown, but Muroi turned it down, and Shinjo took the post instead.
    100AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:32
    Re: #45
    I guess they just didn't know what to do with him once they decided to make a sequel.
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:32
    I honestly only know the earliest entries — was Oda Yuji's recent comeback film actually bad?
    I've heard the reception wasn't great.
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:33
    Re: #28
    It's just that the older Bayside Shakedown films made monster box office — I've seen reports that this new one is also off to a pretty solid start.
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:35
    Re: #32
    So people are actually watching it, huh.
    He had that nicely worn-down look going on, so it piqued my interest a bit.
    Though it still feels more like a 'fine to catch on TV or streaming' kind of movie.
    67AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:10
    Re: #32
    Apparently it's losing to Chiikawa (the hit cute-character anime film).
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:32
    The poor guy gets trolled online as some 'F-rank' Tohoku University grad.
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:35
    Re: #29
    Well, in that world it was an era where only Todai and Kyodai (University of Tokyo and Kyoto University) counted for anything.
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:34
    Re: #27
    I can't tell if Onda actually died or not.
    There was a scene implying his death, but it wasn't shown as directly as Muroi's.
    The 'he's still alive' theory seems to be winning out.
    94AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:29
    Re: #34
    There's a line saying Onda has been suffering from aftereffects for 20 years, so he must still be alive.
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:42
    So, is it actually good?
    I'll watch it if it's good.
    Though that idiot at Re: #2 already spoiled it for me.
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 09:50
    Re: #47
    If you've watched all the way through the Bayside Shakedown series, it's good.
    Jump in partway and you won't understand a thing.
    80AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:19
    Did Muroi really have to die?
    If they wanted to kill someone off, wouldn't the negotiator or the lawyer have done just as well?
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:24
    Apparently Koizumi Kyoko from 'The Silence of the Lambs' shows up in it too.
    87AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:24
    Re: #85
    Her daughter's in it too.
    88AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:27
    I guess the cast is reluctant because they get typecast, huh.
    Yanagiba-san was all over variety shows playing up his Muroi image for a while.
    92AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:29
    Re: #88
    Oda Yuji also worried he'd end up like Tora-san (the perpetual lead of the long-running 'It's Tough Being a Man' franchise) if he kept it up, so he was reluctant to do sequels for a while.
    Now he seems super eager, and a sequel to the new film is basically already set.
    98AnonymousSep 30, 2026 10:31
    Re: #88
    Still, the story goes he turned down villain roles specifically to protect Muroi's image, so he clearly has real attachment to the character. That's separate from whether he actually wants to appear in this one, though. Apparently this time too he told the staff it'd be weird for Muroi — who quit the police — to cross the cordon and join the investigation.

    Background and Talking Points

    The “Bayside Shakedown” franchise began as a TV drama in 1998 and expanded through multiple theatrical films, reaching a turning point with the two-part finale centered on Muroi Shinji. In the thread, while Muroi’s death was depicted unambiguously, whether Detective Waku Heihachiro lived or died was only hinted at through dialogue, leaving room for differing interpretations. The claim that lead cast members like Yanagiba Toshiro and Fukatsu Eri were long hesitant to return for sequels — out of concern about being permanently typecast — has circulated before, and this thread adds that Oda Yuji, too, reportedly hesitated over sequel appearances for a time. For viewers who’ve been following the new films without having seen the earlier entries, this first-ever terrestrial broadcast could be a chance to catch up on the whole series in one go.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5channel (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Good News] Bayside Shakedown’s Muroi Shinji Spinoff Films Get Their First-Ever Terrestrial Broadcast wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • ANGERME’s ‘RED LINE’ Suddenly Re-Filmed with Current Lineup — 5ch: ‘It Only Means Something with Today’s Members’

    Following the September 29 concert in Chiba, a post on 5ch’s Hello! Project board suggested that ANGERME’s song ‘RED LINE’ had suddenly been filmed with the group’s current lineup. RED LINE is considered a signature song from the era when Kamikoryo, Rikako, and Kawamura were members, and fans were curious how it would land with the current lineup now that those members have graduated. While new fans in the thread voiced excitement, one blunt reply to the question ‘Is it really going viral?’ — ‘Only inside an anti’s head’ — showed opinion split over just how much buzz the song is actually generating.

    1AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:53
    Source is today's Chiba concert
    3AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:54
    Is RED LINE picking up new fans!?
    36AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:15
    Re: #3
    I'm a genuine RED LINE newcomer myself
    5AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:55
    Among the ANGERME fandom (a play on "wota" + "ANGERME"), is RED LINE considered a cool song?
    6AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:56
    318 Anonymous [] 2026/09/29 (Tue) 18:43:28.99 0

    Had a crappy seat and it was a pain in the rain, so I ended up tossing my ticket in the trash.
    The ANGERME warriors who finally made it there are probably having a blast right about now.
    7AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:57
    If we're talking the same vibe, 'Bibitaru Isshin' hypes me up more.
    8AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:58
    Both RED LINE and Bibitaru Isshin are fine if performed in full, but a half-length version isn't worth it.
    9AnonymousSep 29, 2026 20:58
    Throwing a bunch of stuff out there and seeing what sticks is the playbook these days —
    like Stardust's boy-idol groups.
    10AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:00
    I honestly think RED LINE only worked because Kamikoryo, Rikako, and Kawamura were in it.
    Without those three it just feels kind of off…
    12AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:02
    I want Kawamura's part in the C-melody swapped for Mochi (nickname for a member).
    13AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:03
    You don't need Kamiko (nickname for Kamikoryo) for RED LINE,
    but you do need her for Bibitaru.
    16AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:04
    Honestly, I think 'Kuyashii wa' ('It's So Frustrating') and 'Watashi wo Tsukuru no wa Watashi' ('I'm the One Who Makes Me') would be better picks right now —
    you could call them Rin Hashisako's signature songs.
    19AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:04
    'Wata Wata' (fan shorthand for a song title) made the setlist, but it's the half-length version, so it leaves you wanting more.
    20AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:06
    The choreography is great too,
    like that part where they jump.
    34AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:14
    Re: #20
    Yuppyon looks especially cool during the jump part.
    21AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:06
    Rin-chan was seriously adorable during 'Watashi Sou Shi' (shorthand for 'Watashi wo Tsukuru no wa Watashi')… it's basically locked in for her graduation concert setlist next year.
    23AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:07
    Rotating songs in and out is one thing,
    but seriously, stop adding new songs partway through the tour.
    24AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:07
    I want 'Wata Wata' performed solo at the graduation concert.
    25AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:08
    'Wata Wata' is basically Rin Hashisako's signature theme song lol
    26AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:08
    You can just keep buying tickets, so who cares?
    27AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:09
    Is RED LINE really that good, though?
    Well, whatever works, I guess… ANGERME's in a 'grasping at straws' kind of situation right now.
    30AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:10
    How many new RED LINE fans are even showing up, lol
    31AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:12
    ・2012~: S/mileage's rock-bottom era
    ・2019~: After Wada's graduation, a wave of exits plus the COVID apocalypse
    ・2025~present: After Rikako & Kamiko graduated — ANGERME's current slump
    S/mileage/ANGERME always claws its way back from hell, no matter how many times it takes.
    32AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:13
    View counts are already losing to BEYOOOOONDS' 'Positive Program,' though.
    33AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:14
    Judging from that Hulu show about their Ise pilgrimage,
    the members don't seem to be on bad terms.
    Guess all that's left is polishing the performance.
    37AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:16
    Re: #33
    Did you watch the whole thing?
    There's a part where a shrimp jumps and everyone screams — it was hilarious.
    38AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:16
    They could go ahead and do that rumored 'Narcy' too, while they're at it (fan nickname, likely short for a song title).
    39AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:16
    Re: #38
    They're doing it in full, actually.
    40AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:17
    So they realized RED LINE only means something with the current members and rushed to film it?
    Nicely played, agency.
    41AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:17
    Despite what the antis were hoping for, the venue was apparently packed.
    42AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:18
    Well, of course.
    It only means something with today's ANGERME, and I really wanted a full-length video made while Hashisako's still in the group.
    44AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:19
    Re: #39
    They're actually doing it! Guess I have no choice but to go!
    45AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:20
    Re: #44
    There's a Super Wakanya segment, you know (nickname for a member).
    47AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:23
    Is it really going viral like that?
    53AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:31
    Re: #47
    Only inside an anti's head (5ch slang: "ankasu," a jab at bitter antis).
    68AnonymousSep 29, 2026 21:59
    What even is RED LINE? A song?
    73AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:08
    Re: #68
    Wasn't that some concept that showed up in One Piece?
    70AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:05
    'Haito' (fan shorthand, likely for a song title) definitely felt like it was on the verge of going viral — is RED LINE doing the same thing now?
    71AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:06
    Re: #70
    That one was never even close to going viral.
    75AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:12
    Re: #70
    According to Take, it's apparently going viral.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    ‘RED LINE,’ the song at the center of this thread, is considered emblematic of the era when specific members — Kamikoryo, Rikako, and Kawamura — were in ANGERME, and how it would be recreated after their graduations has long been a point of interest for fans. As noted in post 31, ANGERME has continued operating through the S/mileage-era slump and the graduation wave that followed, repeatedly reshaping its lineup along the way, and this sudden filming of a ‘current-member version of RED LINE’ is being read as an extension of that history. At the same time, the claim that the song is ‘going viral’ drew skeptical reactions within the thread, and the article offers no objective confirmation — such as rising view counts or an official announcement — to back it up. The gap between a hyped-up claim and the actual reaction is a pattern that often shows up when fandom-sourced information spreads online.

    *This article was compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Breaking] ANGERME’s ‘RED LINE’ Goes Viral After Surprise Addition to Fall Tour Setlist.”

  • 195kg Comedian Otsuru Himan on Doctor’s Mounjaro Pitch: “Give It to Someone Who Really Needs It”

    Mamatart’s Otsuru Himan (35) appeared on Nippon TV’s “Daigo’s Comedian Receipts” on September 28 and revealed that a doctor had suggested he try the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, despite his current weight of 195kg. He said he turned the doctor down, replying, “Please recommend it to someone who really needs it.” On 5ch’s Entertainment/Sports Breaking News+ board, the thread kicked off with skepticism over whether a doctor would really recommend that drug to a severely obese comedian, then branched into medical speculation about why he hasn’t developed diabetes, whether pancreatic strength varies by individual, and concern for the health of other large-bodied comedians.

    September 29, 2026, 7:28 PM

    Comedy duo Mamatart’s Otsuru Himan (35) appeared on Nippon TV’s “Daigo’s Comedian Receipts” (Mondays, 11:59 PM), which aired on the 28th. He revealed what a doctor had told him.

    The episode, titled “Chubby Comedians’ Grocery Bill Special,” featured three guests with a combined weight of 424kg: Rainbow’s Jumbo Takao, Beni Shoga’s Kumamoto Puroresu, and Mamatart’s Otsuru Himan. About two months before the taping, once they knew they’d be appearing, each of them submitted receipts covering the week they’d eaten the most.

    Source: news.livedoor.com / Original article here

    4AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:39
    Is there really a doctor who'd say that? Sounds like he's exaggerating.
    5AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:40
    So there really are doctors out there recommending Mounjaro to obese patients.
    6AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:40
    Well, being a giant fatso is literally his brand, so if he slims down he's out of a job.
    He's only 35, too, so it's not like fatal symptoms are likely to show up just yet.
    66AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:08
    Re: #7 Re: #6
    Well, if he keeps eating like this, he's absolutely getting diabetes sooner or later.
    7AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:41
    So it's not actually diabetes, huh.
    8AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:41
    It's probably not just his weight or BMI — his HbA1c and blood sugar levels must be flagged too.
    9AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:41
    Jumbo's gotten fat to the point it's stopped being funny. He eats insane amounts on his YouTube channel.
    27AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:51
    Re: #9
    His complexion looks like his internal organs are about to give out.
    10AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:41
    I genuinely can't understand how he's this fat and still not diabetic.
    11AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:42
    If he gets sick from binge eating, don't go using national health insurance for it.
    That's on him.
    12AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:42
    Just like Great Gidayu (a comedian whose weight-related illness put him on dialysis) —
    he'll be on dialysis by his late 30s at this rate.
    13AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:43
    Guys who can get this fat have strong pancreases.
    Japanese people generally have weak pancreases, so most can't pack on weight like this.
    16AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:45
    Himan honestly doesn't look like he weighs that much.
    There's none of that shock factor you got when Matsuko Deluxe first showed up on TV.
    17AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:46
    Re: #16
    However you look at it, he clearly does.
    23AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:49
    Re: #16
    It's just that he's bald, so your eyes go straight to his head.
    53AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:01
    Re: #16
    Yeah, he doesn't really look that fat.
    19AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:47
    That's probably the red Rybelsus pill, right?
    I figured he was just dressing it up as Mounjaro.
    20AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:47
    Re: #1
    He's basically 200kg?!

    How do you even get that fat?!
    73AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:12
    Re: #20 Re: #21
    • Celebrities so fat that watching them worries the audience:

    • Otsuru Himan
    • Bananaman's Himura
    • Hikomaro
    • Sandwichman's Date
    • Matsuko Deluxe
    • Time Machine 3-Go's Seki
    • Boru Juku
    • Oda Ueda's Ueda

    Who else was there?
    21AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:48
    195kg is basically a talent unto itself.
    No matter how hard you try, most people could never get there.
    25AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:50
    I'm on Rybelsus and it seriously kills your appetite.
    Even when you want to eat, you're full right away.
    Your stomach just goes, 'nope, no more room.'
    26AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:50
    Morbidly obese, but blessed with a great build, premature baldness, and a jutting chin —
    a complete-package comedian who's got it all.
    Though the big-body gags in their manzai act do turn some people off.
    I'm rooting for Ma-chan, aka Marcia, though.
    31AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:53
    Re: #26
    He's not actually bald, though.
    28AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:52
    He's got a better physique than a sumo wrestler. What kind of build is that (´・ω・｀)
    30AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:52
    His parents showed up on Aiseki Shokudo and they were both small-framed.
    Maybe Himan's just a one-off specimen.
    Apparently his dad — who looked like the actor Kohinata — was against him becoming a comedian.
    33AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:53
    I'd say Jumbo, who ballooned in weight after becoming a comedian, is more at risk than Otsuru Himan, who's been fat since childhood.
    34AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:53
    If it were actually diabetes, that's the kind of case where Mounjaro would be covered by insurance.
    36AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:54
    I figured he was weighing all sorts of things, like his act disappearing if he lost weight, but turns out he just wasn't thinking about it at all lol
    37AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:54
    Otsuru Himan, Jumbo, and Gunpy all seem like they're headed for a serious illness eventually.
    38AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:54
    That's almost the same as Atamifuji, the heaviest wrestler in sumo's top makuuchi division.
    39AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:54
    But apparently his cholesterol levels are normal.
    41AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:55
    Getting this fat means his pancreas must be seriously strong.
    For most Japanese people, once you pass 100kg, type 2 diabetes turns severe and you lose weight drastically.
    49AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:58
    In Mamatart, I think Hiwara actually has the better comedic sense and is funnier, but he gets overshadowed by Otsuru Himan's fat-guy shtick.
    52AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:00
    I wonder if his knees are okay.
    Just supporting his own body weight must be a massive strain.
    59AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:05
    Re: #52
    Forget the knees — it's more likely his retina suddenly detaches from diabetes and he loses his eyesight.
    76AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:13
    Re: #73
    Like Black Mayonnaise's Kosugi (a comedian who had a serious heart scare tied to his weight).

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that was approved in Japan as a type 2 diabetes treatment and later had its approved uses expanded to include obesity treatment. In recent years, more non-diabetic people have been using it off-label for cosmetic weight loss through private-pay clinics, and critics say this is making the drug harder for patients who genuinely need it to access. Otsuru Himan’s line, “give it to someone who really needs it,” can be read as a pointed jab at exactly that situation. In the thread, the fact that he hasn’t developed diabetes despite an extreme 195kg body weight sparked medical speculation about individual differences in the pancreas’s insulin-secreting capacity, turning the conversation into something more than just a joke about his size. At the same time, there were comments linking obesity to personal responsibility, along with concern for the health of other large-bodied comedians — the thread mixed humor with real worry about health risks.

    *This article is an excerpt and summary based on the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports Breaking News+) thread “195kg Otsuru Himan Offered Mounjaro by Doctor, Replies “Please Recommend It to Someone Who Really Needs It”.”

  • ‘Slurred Speech’: Fans Worry Over Dan Mitsu’s Drastic Weight Loss — But She’s Eager to Try YouTube

    Dan Mitsu (45) opened up about her current situation in an interview with Josei Jishin, revealing she’s eager to appear on YouTube if the right show comes along. On the 5channel “Geinou/Sports News+” thread reacting to the article, commenters revisited long-standing concerns about her slurred speech and noticeably thinner appearance, now visible again on video, sparking a wave of worried comments. Discussion touched on the recent deaths of her grandmother and beloved cat, as well as the state of her narration work on a regular TV program, while opinions split between fears of a possible eating disorder and speculation that her health had changed around the time of her marriage.

    Sept 29 (Tue), 16:10

    Josei Jishin

    “Hello everyone, this is Dan Mitsu.”

    Source: topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp / Original article here

    6AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:27
    She's already up there in age, so slurred speech doesn't even seem that out of place.
    65AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:16
    Re: #6
    What do you mean slurred speech at 45 lol
    Way too early for that
    7AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:27
    Is this going to change her narration on Rokkaku Seiji's 'Nomitetsu' (a TV show about train trips centered on drinking)?
    10AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:28
    > Kneaded, steamed, grilled — turned into something like a chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake). And then sold off cheap. I thought that was fine, honestly. Because I'd already gotten that dirty.

    That's the scary part.
    14AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:29
    She made a lot of erratic remarks on Otake Makoto's radio show
    And sure enough, she ended up getting let go
    15AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:30
    Did this person start acting strange after getting married?
    Or was it before?
    20AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:35
    Re: #15
    She's been depressed since her grandmother passed away, and [her husband] Seino is basically the only thing keeping her tethered to this world
    23AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:37
    Re: #20
    I heard her cat died too
    52AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:02
    Re: #20
    Can losing a grandmother (I'd get it more if it were her mother) and a cat really break someone this badly…
    Her husband must be having a rough time too
    18AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:31
    Her narration on 'Nomitetsu Tabi' was rough at times before — I thought it had gotten better lately though
    21AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:35
    The timing of her going downhill right after marriage is way too on the nose, not a good look
    Might just be a string of bad luck, but it really feels like her fortunes tanked hard after the wedding
    22AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:36
    That shaky narration on 'Nomitetsu' — I've gotten used to it, it's grown on me at this point
    27AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:40
    She always gave off the vibe of someone playing a 'troubled' persona who ended up actually troubled for real
    32AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:43
    Rokkaku's 'Nomitetsu' narration
    It was bad for a while but didn't it bounce back?
    34AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:44
    For a while she was in the same state as late-period Morishige Hisako, the one Matsumura always used to impersonate
    35AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:44
    Her 'Nomitetsu' narration has really bounced back
    At its worst her voice sounded like it was about to fade away, but now it's coming through strong
    Honestly surprised me enough that I double-checked it wasn't a rerun lol
    36AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:47
    That's exactly how someone sounds when they're talking while on sedatives
    40AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:49
    Meanwhile Hashimoto Manami, who went down a similar road, seems happy
    though she's had a kid and is basically retired now
    42AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:52
    She's really lost a lot of weight — wasn't it an eating disorder?
    Hope she gets better soon
    43AnonymousSep 29, 2026 22:52
    Give it about three years and Seino will probably turn it into a manga
    68AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:23
    Re: #1
    Dan Mitsu (45)
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTXjZDMaoAA5q66.jpg
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTYk5QabQAAvoTt.jpg
    74AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:29
    Re: #68
    Reminds me of that former TBS announcer who struggled after getting married
    85AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:36
    Re: #68
    I'm pretty sure things are heading in a bad direction across the board
    86AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:36
    Re: #68
    This is like Kimura Ikumi back when she was really struggling…
    78AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:32
    Even Tono Nagiko wasn't this bad when she was still on TV
    89AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:38
    Re: #78
    She was on 'Barairo Dandy,' but she kept getting thinner and thinner after she started keeping a cat

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    In recent years, Dan Mitsu has repeatedly drawn attention for changes in her voice, particularly in her narration work for TV Asahi’s “Rokkaku Seiji no Nomitetsu Honsen: Nihon Tabi.” Her latest interview with Josei Jishin marks her responding in her own words to those health concerns, but the thread also featured baseless rumors of drug use, insinuations aimed at her husband, manga artist Seino Toru, and unconfirmed gossip about other celebrities’ health — none of which this article treats as established fact. It’s worth noting that conditions like an eating disorder or stress-related symptoms can’t be confirmed from outside without her own account, and it would be misleading to diagnose anything based on appearance alone in a video. As for her narration, opinions in the thread are split between “she’s recovered” and “it’s still rough” depending on the episode, so it’s not accurate to say her condition has been on a steady decline.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “‘Slurred Speech’: Dan Mitsu — Concern Grows Over the Drastic Weight Loss and Other ‘Changes’ Seen in Video… She Says There’s a Show She’d Love to Try on YouTube.”

  • “Bayside Shakedown” Holds #1 in Week 2, Box Office Tops ¥2.1 Billion — 5ch: “¥2 Billion Is a Huge Success”

    “Bayside Shakedown” (Odoru Daisōsasen), the latest film in the Yuji Oda-starring franchise, subtitled “N.E.W. Run Through the Metropolis,” has held onto the #1 spot at the Japanese box office for a second straight week. Over the weekend it drew roughly 243,000 moviegoers and earned about ¥360 million, bringing its cumulative total to 1.49 million admissions and over ¥2.1 billion in box office revenue. On 5ch, opinion is split over the film’s TV-drama-like feel, with some praising it as a “return to the series’ roots” and others arguing it’s “barely worth seeing on the big screen.” The thread also debated whether the film can realistically reach ¥5 billion, how Oda’s career has evolved, and the age range of the cast.

    [Box office] “Bayside Shakedown” latest film holds #1 in second week, tops ¥2.1 billion

    According to box office rankings for September 25–27 released on September 28 (compiled by Kogyo Tsushinsha), the latest theatrical installment of the Yuji Oda-starring “Bayside Shakedown” series, “Bayside Shakedown N.E.W. Run Through the Metropolis” (directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro), took the top spot for a second consecutive week.

    Over the three-day weekend, the film drew approximately 243,000 moviegoers and earned about ¥360 million. Cumulatively, it has now surpassed 1.49 million admissions and ¥2.1 billion in box office revenue.

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

    7AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:25
    I really hate this national tendency to gratefully go see movies that aren't even made properly.
    Must be a Japan-only thing — people doing their "oshi" fan-worship (obsessive support for a favorite idol/character) over something this juvenile, going out of their way to watch it on the big screen and calling it good.
    10AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:29
    Re: #7
    It's not that big a hit though.
    Probably won't reach ¥5 billion — a big drop compared to previous entries.
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:30
    Re: #7
    Western movies are just boring.
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:43
    Re: #7
    Anime that hands out merch to get people to watch it over and over is the worst.
    8AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:27
    A spin-off centered on that infirmary scene would totally be fun.
    Wish they'd made it.
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:30
    Re: #8
    Phew~ gotta hold it in, hold it in!
    17AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:33
    Oda was pretty stubborn for a while, but he's mellowed out.
    If you want to stay a leading man for life, your 50s are the toughest stretch.
    Leaning on past hits to get through it is the right call.
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:34
    Re: #17
    He's already taking supporting roles too — playing a detective like Wakui-san (the veteran mentor detective from the original series).
    97AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:40
    Re: #17
    Isn't it because he knows things are different from when he was headlining in his 20s?
    He's smart about it, all things considered.
    102AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:44
    Re: #17
    Didn't Yuji Oda kind of disappear for a while?
    I remember him suddenly popping back up playing the "quirky cram-school teacher" role in some one-off drama.
    18AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:33
    If you're a fan of the series, you'll enjoy it.
    Plenty of complaints, but it's way better than the third film or the Muroi spin-off movie (a lesser-loved entry in the franchise).
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:12
    Re: #18
    If that's the general take, then this movie turned out pretty much exactly how I expected.

    Fuji TV doesn't have the money it used to, so with a limited budget it's bound to end up less flashy and simpler. Basically, it probably ends up simple like the original TV series, before the franchise got bloated with all the extra stuff.
    84AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:30
    Re: #18
    Really?
    Can I believe that?
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:38
    They need to drop weekly bonus goods like Chiikawa does (the hit character franchise known for constant merch tie-ins).
    31AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:43
    Re: #25
    Feel bad for whoever randomly gets stuck with the Jiro Sato one.
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:42
    #1 Bayside Shakedown
    #2 Chiikawa
    #3 Precure

    This country's done for — ruled by cats.
    119AnonymousSep 30, 2026 02:02
    Re: #29
    Chiikawa's a mouse, not a cat.
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:45
    It's made really close to the TV version, so people who went in expecting a movie aren't thrilled.
    If you're a fan of the show, it's like "yeah, this is it" and you can enjoy it.
    Feels like one of those year-end TV specials.
    50AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:59
    Re: #35
    Hearing that just convinced me to go see it — I just finished watching the late-night rerun of the original TV series anyway.
    118AnonymousSep 30, 2026 02:02
    Re: #35
    I'm in the camp that thinks the original TV series was the best part of Bayside Shakedown, so if it's got that vibe, maybe I'll go see the movie after all.
    121AnonymousSep 30, 2026 02:07
    Re: #35
    That just makes it a masterpiece, doesn't it?
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:48
    Looks like it might just barely beat Chiikawa.
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:53
    Re: #38
    Just checked — it's at ¥16.8 billion right now.
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:57
    Might land around #3 for the year among live-action Japanese films.
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:58
    Re: #47
    Same with "Kokuho" — it's pretty sad that you can't even talk about the rankings without specifically carving out a "live-action" category.
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:00
    Re: #47
    A "live-action only" ranking… don't they have any pride?
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:58
    The way "The Odyssey" is flopping is incredible.
    Seriously, the only things young people watch these days are Chiikawa and Precure.
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:04
    Re: #48
    Most Japanese people don't even know what "The Odyssey" is in the first place.
    52AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:04
    Topping ¥2 billion is a huge success.
    Most Japanese films don't even hit ¥1 billion.
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:10
    Re: #52
    Exactly, ¥2 billion in 9 days is a huge success.
    Movies with titles like "5-byō de ~~" or "Wara ni mo Sugaru ~~" (those typically long, whimsical Japanese movie titles) only pulled in a few tens of millions of yen in their first three days.
    That's the norm these days.
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:08
    Week 2 numbers are worse than expected lol.
    Now there's a real chance it won't reach ¥5 billion.
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:13
    Re: #56
    People who already saw "FINAL" in theaters are probably thinking "yeah, I'm good" on this one.
    65AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:14
    Re: #62
    Bayside Shakedown was originally the show that kind of started the (arguably bad) trend of turning glorified TV specials into movies, and this feels like a return to that.
    It's got that TV-series feel — not one huge case, but small incidents that tie together in the end.
    So it's getting slammed hard by the crowd who feels that's disrespecting what a "movie" should be.
    That's why this one's getting so much negative feedback.
    70AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:20
    Re: #65
    Ah, that makes total sense, thanks.
    So that's the reason behind the bad reviews.

    By simplifying it, they got back the fun of the early days — but that same simplicity is what's making people go "this isn't a movie, don't disrespect us!"
    68AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:18
    My sister apparently went, and said it was nothing but white-haired old folks in the audience.
    Seems like they cast a Johnny's talent (Japan's dominant boy-band/idol agency) in his 40s, but come on, a cop drama needs some 20-somethings in it.
    73AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:21
    Re: #68
    Isn't Jin Shirasu cast for the young female audience? He's in his 30s though.
    89AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:32
    Re: #68
    The actor playing Mashita's son is cast twenty years older than the character's supposed age — total mismatch.
    I bet they originally planned to bring in a younger idol, but that fell through because of that whole scandal.
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:30
    "The Village of Eight Gravestones" — I want to see it, but I'm too scared to go.
    90AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:33
    Re: #85
    You might be able to skip this one…
    I had high hopes, but it didn't deliver.
    96AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:39
    Re: #85
    If you're not attached to the original and just like B-movie occult horror, go for it lol.

    Background and Talking Points

    “Bayside Shakedown” is a franchise that dates back to its 1997 TV drama debut and has racked up hit after hit at the box office in its film incarnations; this latest release marks the series’ first new film in several years. In recent years, anime titles have dominated the top of Japan’s box office charts, and as reflected in the thread’s talk of a “live-action only” ranking, live-action films are increasingly discussed in a separate bracket of their own. The ¥2.1 billion figure cited here is only a preliminary tally as of September 28, and the final box office total will depend on how admissions hold up going forward. Opinion in the thread is split between those who see the film’s close resemblance to the TV series as a positive “return to form” and those who feel it doesn’t have the scale to justify a theatrical release — a divide that has less to do with the film’s actual quality than with how much scale viewers expected from a theatrical entry in the first place.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Movie] “Bayside Shakedown” latest film holds #1 in week 2, tops ¥2.1 billion — over 1.49 million admissions! Star Yuji Oda declares the series will continue.”

  • Bus Mix-Up Sends Pakistan and South Korea to Wrong Venues — Volleyball Match Delayed 30 Minutes, Korea Misses Practice

    At the Asian Games underway in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, a bus mix-up occurred before a men’s volleyball match. The bus meant to carry the Pakistani delegation to the venue was instead directed to the South Korean team, while South Korea’s bus crossed paths with the one meant for the practice venue. As a result, South Korea couldn’t hold pre-match practice and was taken straight to the venue, delaying the match’s start by about 30 minutes. The organizing committee apologized, calling it “a simple mistake,” but on 5channel opinion split over whether this was mere carelessness or something more deliberate, given a string of incidents at the same Games that have gone against South Korea — fueling doubts about the operation itself.

    Bus mix-up delays volleyball match — Asian Games calls it “a simple mistake”

    At the men’s volleyball competition of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on the 28th, Pakistani players were directed onto the wrong bus while traveling from their accommodations to the match venue in Okazaki, delaying the start of the match by about 30 minutes.

    The bus was swapped with the one South Korea’s team was supposed to take to the practice venue in Inuyama. South Korea, taken to Okazaki instead, was unable to practice.

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

    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:54
    Turns out Japan can't do anything without relying on Dentsu after all.
    And the netizens who kept bashing Dentsu look pretty pathetic now.
    133AnonymousSep 30, 2026 04:13
    Re: #9
    The problem is that they've always relied on Dentsu so heavily.
    That doesn't change the fact that Dentsu's influence needs to be cut down.
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:55
    Even a campus festival committee at some bottom-tier college (an "F-rank" school, slang for the lowest-ranked universities) wouldn't screw up this badly.
    14AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:56
    This is the funniest screwup at these Games so far.
    16AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:56
    Nagoya's really racking up the mistakes, isn't it?
    18AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:56
    How do incompetent people keep getting handed jobs like this?
    20AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:56
    This is what happens when you cheap out and outsource it to a foreign company.
    21AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:57
    Even I, who really can't stand South Korea, want to tell the organizers to get their act together on this.
    Doesn't it seem like there've been way too many blunders involving Korea specifically?
    Are there actually saboteurs on the Japanese side doing this on purpose?
    23AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:58
    Is someone specifically targeting Korea for grief this time?

    [Asian Games] Disqualified → reinstated → bronze → stripped → bronze again… Korea's 4x100m relay saga ends in laughs
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ce967dfdaf18ec8853209b3af7b1b6e902bee726
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:59
    They're cutting corners on the budget way too much.
    Sounds like they're even hiring for key roles through Timee (a gig-work shift app).
    The Aichi residents who back Governor Omura should be the ones covering the extra costs!
    36AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:06
    Nothing but problems from hiring a French agency for this.
    38AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:07
    At a normal company, this would be grounds for contract termination…
    41AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:08
    So Japan's started dishing out the "away-game treatment" too, huh.
    That's just how it works everywhere else in the world.
    118AnonymousSep 30, 2026 03:34
    Re: #41
    Whose home turf is this supposed to be, again?
    56AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:15
    There's no thread about Nadeshiko [Japan's women's team] sending Korea packing 2-0,
    yet the 5ch "reporters" only ever pick up stories that make Japan look bad.
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:17
    Re: #56
    There is one for when Japan lost the track relay, lol.
    76AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:43
    The mainstream media isn't touching this story at all.
    135AnonymousSep 30, 2026 04:16
    Re: #76
    So that means it's that, huh.
    94AnonymousSep 30, 2026 02:12
    The rate of dumb mistakes at these Games is off the charts —
    it barely feels like an event being held in Japan.
    96AnonymousSep 30, 2026 02:13
    Re: #94
    At the end of the day, nobody but Dentsu and Hakuhodo can run a major international event in this country.
    137AnonymousSep 30, 2026 04:26
    You'd think they could at least cover staff travel costs in full.
    138AnonymousSep 30, 2026 04:30
    Re: #137
    Meanwhile, there are contractors raking in huge profits off the vested interests.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    At this year’s Nagoya Asian Games, delegations are ferried to venues on dedicated buses arranged by the organizing committee. In this case, the bus meant for Pakistan was directed to South Korea’s team instead, while South Korea — who should have been headed to the practice venue — was taken straight to the match venue, delaying the start by about 30 minutes. The organizing committee called it “a simple mistake,” but thread posters pointed to a string of other mishaps involving South Korea at the same Games (such as the back-and-forth over the 4x100m relay ruling) and split over whether this reflects deliberate targeting or just operational incompetence. In reality this looks more like repeated human error, and neither the thread nor the source article offers any evidence that a specific country was being deliberately singled out. Some criticism was also aimed at the structure of outsourcing operations to outside agencies, though that too remains speculation.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Hayabusa Geino/Sports Express+) thread “[Asian Games] Bus mix-up sends Pakistan and South Korea to wrong venues, volleyball match delayed 30 minutes, Korea unable to practice… Organizing committee apologizes, calls it “a simple mistake”“.

  • As ‘Miyaneya’ Ends, Successor Show ‘News to’ Launches — 5ch Sees ‘Déjà Vu’ in Hosts Murakami Shingo and Kuroki Chiaki

    Nippon TV’s information variety show “Joho Live Miyaneya” ends on October 2, and the cast for its successor show “News to” has been announced. Hosting duties go to Murakami Shingo and announcer Kuroki Chiaki, with regulars including Kurotani Tomoka, Ishihara Nobuteru, and Anmika — many of whom carried over from Miyaneya. On 5ch, comments piled up saying “there’s no sense of renewal, it feels like déjà vu,” with some questioning the network’s seriousness and others speculating it’s a “stopgap” show ahead of a full lineup overhaul next spring. Discussion also spread to ratings comparisons with competing shows in the same time slot.

    Cast announced for “Miyaneya” successor show

    Lineup packed with other networks’ wide-show regulars and holdovers draws “feels recycled” criticism

    On October 2, “Joho Live Miyaneya” (Nippon TV), hosted by Miyane Seiji, comes to an end. A new show will air starting the following week, but its lineup is causing a stir.

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

    3AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:38
    Surprising.
    New shows usually swap out panelists to feel fresh, but this one's full of holdovers — guess they're not expecting much from it?
    18AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:46
    Re: #3
    Sounds like they're not even trying — probably already expecting it to flop, so they skipped a real revamp.
    There's probably some behind-the-scenes maneuvering between Nippon TV and Yomiuri TV in this too. If it fails, they'll probably do a proper overhaul next time.
    27AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:51
    Re: #3
    Miyane stepped down unilaterally, so the other cast members probably had no choice but to stay on.
    4AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:38
    Announcer Kuroki Chiaki is the only decent one here.
    6AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:40
    Something about Murakami just rubs me the wrong way.
    9AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:42
    This is still news? Are they running a variety show or what…
    11AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:42
    Another Johnny's guy, seriously? (Johnny's = the talent agency behind most Japanese boy-band idols)
    TV really never changes at all.
    12AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:42
    They really should bring in Yoko Zetterland.
    13AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:43
    If it's gonna be like this,
    they should just revive the corner from '2-ji no Wide Show' that used to run on 'Be Apple 2-ji'.
    48AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:05
    Re: #13
    They're both gone now — Miyako Chocho and Kandagawa Toshiro.
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:10
    Re: #48
    For a movie-review corner, they could bring in Hamamura Jun.
    64AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:12
    Re: #48
    Katsura Harunosuke (now the 4th-generation Katsura Harudanji) is still around.
    19AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:47
    Feels like a show that's going to end soon.
    25AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:50
    Re: #19
    They're probably already planning a new show for next April or September — the reason they're stacking it with old-guard talent might just be that the contracts run in one-year spans.
    24AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:49
    Eh, I'll just watch the afternoon movie block instead.
    30AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:52
    Re: #24
    The afternoon movie has way too many commercial breaks, I can't stand it.
    I forget what was happening before by the time the ads are over.
    34AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:53
    Re: #24 Starting in October, the afternoon movie and BS TV Tokyo's evening mystery slot end up overlapping by 15 minutes — that's a bummer.
    26AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:50
    Even the news is Johnny's talent now — Nippon TV's lost it.
    28AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:51
    Don't list Murakami first when he's only there on Fridays.
    29AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:51
    Where's the demand for Anmika even coming from?
    32AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:53
    Re: #27
    That's why it'll probably only run until next March — it's not even a show trying to pull ratings.
    35AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:54
    The weather segment is the most interesting part of any daytime wide show anyway.
    They need a standout new character to follow in Horai-san's footsteps.
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:57
    Murakami's the guy from 'Yofukashi', right?
    He's got that grating Kansai-guy vibe where he thinks he's funny even though he's not.
    44AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:03
    Looks boring lol.
    I'd actually watch it if they just reran old dramas instead.
    63AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:11
    Re: #44
    After Nippon TV pulled the plug on 'The Wide,' they ran drama reruns for a while, but instead of reruns of 'Tuesday Suspense Theater,' it was all stuff like 'Nobuta wo Produce' and 'Haken no Hinkaku' — shows nobody watching TV at that hour would actually be into.
    47AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:04
    'Gogo Suma' is just too strong.
    83AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:20
    Re: #47
    It's not that Gogo Suma is strong.
    It's basically just weather, so in terms of content and amount of information it always loses to Miyaneya.
    It's just that Miyaneya, including Miyane himself, had way too much unwanted personality.
    81AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:19
    Let's just drop Anmika already.
    85AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:20
    Re: #81
    I mean, honestly,
    do we even need commentators?
    They have no real expertise, they just give their personal opinions.

    Background and Key Points

    “Miyaneya” is one of Nippon TV’s flagship information shows, ending on October 2. Its successor, “News to,” was announced with Kanjani Eight’s Murakami Shingo and announcer Kuroki Chiaki as hosts, alongside a lineup heavy on holdovers from the old show, including Kurotani Tomoka, Ishihara Nobuteru, and Anmika. What split opinion on the thread was how to read this abundance of returning cast. Some saw it as a sign of a lukewarm relaunch with low ratings expectations, while others speculated it’s a one-year “stopgap” show ahead of a genuine overhaul planned for next spring. There was also a side discussion about the competing show “Gogo Suma” being strong lately in the same time slot, though some pushed back, arguing it’s mostly weather-focused and that Miyaneya actually had more substance and information — it just carried more unwanted personality, including from Miyane himself. Whether the show succeeds will come down to ratings from October 5 onward; for now, this remains just reaction to the cast announcement.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “‘Miyaneya’ successor show ‘News to’ — Hosts Murakami Shingo, Kuroki Chiaki; regulars include Kurotani Tomoka, Ishihara Nobuteru, Anmika… many holdovers from Miyaneya.”

  • Actor Yusuke Yamamoto (38) Announces Marriage — 5ch Balks: ‘One of Showbiz’s Most Popular Guys’? Since When?

    Actor and TV personality Yusuke Yamamoto (38) dropped a surprise marriage announcement on the ABEMA show “Ai no Hyena season 6.” His partner is a non-celebrity woman, and his surprise confession in front of his host mentor reportedly left the studio audience gasping. While Yamamoto is best known for his role in “Kamen Rider Kabuto,” he’s also been working as a host club employee in recent years, and 5ch threads buzzed with comments like “isn’t he basically a host now rather than a celebrity?” and “he’s making his money doing pachinko parlor appearances.” The report’s description of him as “one of showbiz’s most popular ladies’ men” also drew skepticism about just how well-known he still is, splitting opinion in the thread.

    38-year-old Yusuke Yamamoto announces marriage to a non-celebrity woman — his surprise reveal leaves the studio saying “Whaat?!”

    TV personality and actor Yusuke Yamamoto (38) announced on the 29th broadcast of ABEMA’s “Ai no Hyena season 6” (Tuesdays 11pm) that he has gotten married. His partner is a non-celebrity woman.

    Yamamoto has been taking on the challenge of working as a host on the show. In front of his mentor, known by the nickname “Gunshin” (God of War), Ikki Shinminato, he made the surprise announcement: “There’s something I need to tell you. I haven’t told anyone this anywhere, but I, Yusuke Yamamoto, have gotten married.” The studio erupted with cries of “Whaat?!”

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

    5AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:49
    Once he quits hosting, pachinko parlor appearances are probably the only work he'll have left.
    10AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:51
    Wait, is this guy even a celebrity anymore? Didn't his agency drop him and he became a regular civilian?
    11AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:51
    At this point you're basically just a regular guy too.
    12AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:52
    This guy's basically a host now, not a celebrity.
    14AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:54
    The "host" thing is just for when the cameras are rolling — he's really a pachislot (pachinko-slot) parlor appearance guy.
    15AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:54
    I saw him at a pachinko parlor appearance and he was super friendly to everyone.
    He really is good-looking and popular with women.
    26AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:58
    Re: #15
    When I saw him, he was chatting away in a circle of regular middle-aged lady customers.
    16AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:54
    In the ABEMA promo clips on X (Twitter), all they showed was him losing his temper at other hosts.
    18AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:54
    Is he still doing those Livemax commercials?
    19AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:55
    His flashy, playboy vibe totally overlaps with Yuya Tegoshi's.
    22AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:56
    Isn't he the one who came out on the Gairoku Channel (a YouTube channel of street interviews) about his grandfather being a Zainichi Korean (ethnic Korean living in Japan)?
    51AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:15
    Here it is —
    so he's got foreign roots on his paternal side.
    His mother's side isn't mentioned, but assuming she's Japanese,
    I don't know his father's current nationality, but by blood he'd be half.

    Re: #22
    Main points he revealed on "Gairoku ch":
    1. On his own roots
    He first learned about his roots around age 32, when his grandfather passed away.
    His paternal grandparents were Zainichi Koreans, and given the harsh social climate and discrimination of that era, even his own father had been kept in the dark about it growing up.
    He describes being shocked when relatives suddenly revealed to him that "our bloodline is half Korean, half Japanese."
    29AnonymousSep 29, 2026 23:59
    The actors who played Kamen Riders in Kabuto either never really broke out, or got pushed hard and then vanished anyway.
    Speaking of which, I wondered what happened to Hidenori Tokuyama — turns out he showed up in the finale of GTO. Still good-looking as ever.
    37AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:08
    I see his name all the time but I still don't actually know what he looks like.
    39AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:08
    What's he gonna do about the host job?
    It's not like there's much actual entertainment work for him anyway.
    43AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:10
    Re: #1
    As for actor Yusuke Yamamoto's education: he graduated from Aichi Prefectural Toyokawa Technical High School (Mechanical Engineering course), which has a hensachi (academic ranking score) of 41. He never went on to university.
    45AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:10
    "One of the biggest names in showbiz"?!
    …His name recognition though…
    46AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:12
    Apparently he's booked as a special guest at some local town festival, lol.
    Is his appearance fee really that cheap now?
    49AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:14
    The guy who does the Yuji Oda impression, Takahiro Yamamoto — he's way more famous!
    53AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:16
    Yusuke Yamamoto
    Ai no Hyena
    Erukore
    Shota Taira
    Hana Kuraki

    Dead silence from all of them.
    54AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:16
    I wonder if he'll appear in the Kamen Rider Kabuto 20th anniversary movie coming out in November.
    55AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:16
    Host clubs are probably going to keep facing more and more regulation anyway.
    58AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:18
    His popularity's made a comeback thanks to that host reality show (´・ω・`)
    59AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:18
    This guy's raking it in doing pachinko parlor appearances.
    He shows up out in rural Kyushu all the time too lol
    60AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:20
    He's having a bit of a comeback, so stepping down from hosting early seems like a smart move.
    If marriage is the reason, nobody can really complain.
    Though he'd be an idiot to keep at it lol
    62AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:27
    I thought he used to run a yakiniku restaurant, so I googled it — apparently it closed at the end of last year, but it looks like he's still in the restaurant business.
    67AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:44
    A total has-been.
    75AnonymousSep 30, 2026 01:05
    Re: #67
    Lately he's being pushed hard on that Tokyo MX show about kyabakura hostesses (cabaret club girls) hosted by Kenkoba, lol
    69AnonymousSep 30, 2026 00:50
    Exactly 20 years ago —
    winner of the Thanksgiving Mini Marathon, Autumn 2006.

    Background and Talking Points

    While Yusuke Yamamoto is best known for his role in “Kamen Rider Kabuto,” in recent years he’s been more visible through his host club work and pachinko parlor guest appearances than through acting, and the thread saw multiple comments along the lines of “he’s basically a host now, not really a celebrity.” The show where this announcement happened, “Ai no Hyena,” follows him training as a host — a very different context from his acting career, which appears to be part of why the report’s description of him as “one of showbiz’s most popular ladies’ men” didn’t quite match how the thread saw him. Details shared in the thread, like his educational background and the closure of the yakiniku restaurant he used to run, were treated as general updates on where his career stands now — with a notably level-headed, skeptical take on his current career status running underneath the otherwise upbeat marriage announcement.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Actor Yusuke Yamamoto Announces Marriage! Partner Is a Non-Celebrity Woman — Studio Reacts “Whaat?!” to Surprise From One of Showbiz’s Most Popular Ladies’ Men.”