Japan Reacts

Category: Entertainment

  • Former AKB48 Star Mayu Watanabe Makes Brief TV Appearance 6 Years After Retirement — 5ch: “She’s Retired, Just Leave Her Alone”

    It’s been six years since Mayu Watanabe — the former AKB48 member affectionately known as “Mayuyu” — shocked fans with her abrupt retirement. On September 22, footage of her from her active idol days briefly appeared on Fuji TV’s special “A Flood of Heisei’s Greatest Moments! Before and After,” setting off a wave of discussion on 5ch’s Geinou/Sports News+ board about what she’s been up to since retiring. Some posters questioned why the media never follows up on her whereabouts, while others firmly argued that “she retired, so she should be left alone” — leaving the thread split between the two camps.

    Sports Hochi, September 23, 2026, 10:25 AM

    Mayu Watanabe, the former AKB48 member affectionately nicknamed “Mayuyu,” briefly appeared in footage from her active career on Fuji TV’s special “A Flood of Heisei’s Greatest Moments! Before and After” (7:00 PM), which aired on the 22nd.

    Hosted by Shinobu Sakagami, the program looks back at standout moments from stars who lit up the Showa and Heisei entertainment world, divided into three segments — dramas, hit songs, and buzzworthy figures — while catching up on the “after” of stars who are still shining in their respective fields today.

    Source: hochi.news / Original article here

    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:01
    That was right after the two of them co-hosted together, wasn't it…
    11AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:02
    She was in some drama about a bookstore that flopped, right?
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:05
    She used to do a TBS music special with Nakai about twice a year, didn't she
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:05
    She vanished from the spotlight out of nowhere, so the media (lit. "trash media," a common 5ch slur) should actually dig in and find out the truth lol
    What's even the point of the media existing lol
    It's because they do nothing that baseless rumors keep spreading lol
    Before whining about "don't spread rumors," the media should do its job lol
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:05
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HS4UWafasAAlwgl.jpg
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:06
    It's interesting that the tabloids could definitely track her down and write a story if they seriously tried, but they don't.

    Tabloids only cover politicians, celebrities, and criminals.

    Even tabloids, it turns out, have an ethical line about not touching someone who's fully retired and become a private citizen.
    So when a story about a "private citizen" does run, you know they got that person's OK first.
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:07
    RAMIREZ IS HEEERE ━━━━(°∀°)━━━━!!
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:09
    She really took being an idol seriously.
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:10
    You'd think if someone as famous as Mayuyu was walking around town, regular people would spot her instantly.
    Are there seriously no sightings on social media?
    54AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:19
    Re: #30
    I don't think her face is as recognizable as her name is.
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:11
    It's weird that there'd be zero sightings of someone as famous as Mayuyu.

    She's probably not even living in Japan anymore (´・ω・`)
    44AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:16
    Re: #32
    Momochi (another former idol, ex-Berryz Kobo) has zero info out there too, right? That's just how it goes.
    48AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:18
    Re: #32
    Idols lose their star aura shockingly fast once they leave the group.
    52AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:19
    Re: #32
    (｀･ω･´) Hey, cut that out!!
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:12
    She's basically being treated like Momoe Yamaguchi now.
    42AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:15
    Nakai barely gets covered since he retired either.
    46AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:18
    People who basically vanished from public life after retiring:

    Mayuyu
    Greta Garbo
    Namie Amuro
    Nanami Hashimoto
    Naoko Kawai
    Momoe Yamaguchi
    Setsuko Hara
    Machito Shimon

    Who else can you think of?
    84AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:29
    Re: #46
    Kamei from Morning Musume. She ended up marrying a celebrity without anyone even noticing.
    83AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:29
    Isn't she supposed to be Yukiko Okada's reincarnation? She got worked into the same kind of depression from overwork, but this time round she actually got to retire properly — like she came back and got her revenge.
    88AnonymousSep 23, 2026 15:31
    Re: #83
    Erika Sawajiri was born the same day Yukiko Okada died.
    She's out there living her best life, isn't she.

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Since announcing her abrupt retirement, Mayu Watanabe has kept her distance from entertainment work, and this latest special didn’t involve any new interview with her — it simply reused a clip from her past appearances. It’s easy to overlook that her actual “current” life was never revealed, but that gap is exactly what fuels speculation about “what is Mayuyu doing now, and where.” On the thread, frustration that the media never follows up on her whereabouts clashed with the defense that “once someone has retired, they should be left in peace.” Photos claiming to show “the real her today” often circulate online, but none have ever been verified as genuine, and this article does not include posts referencing those unconfirmed images or baseless rumors about her romantic life.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Six Years After Her Shock Retirement… Former AKB48’s Mayu Watanabe, Now 32, Sparks Reaction After Brief TV Appearance — “What’s Mayuyu Up To?”“

  • Aiko Sugihara Wins Japan’s First-Ever All-Around Gold — 5ch: “A Leotard at 27 Is a Rare Sight”

    At the Asian Games gymnastics competition held in Nagoya, Aichi, 27-year-old Aiko Sugihara won Japan’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s individual all-around. 16-year-old Misa Nishiyama took bronze. Sugihara drew attention back in her high school days, retired from the sport once, then returned — going on to win the All-Japan Championships and an individual-event gold at the World Championships — before finally reaching this peak. On 5ch’s “Sports Express+” board, the thread filled up with congratulations, alongside questions about why women’s gymnastics gets so little terrestrial TV coverage, and debate over uniform choices.

    Sports Nippon

    [September 23, 2026, 05:30]

    Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya, Day 4 (September 22, 2026)

    Source: sponichi.co.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 23, 2026 07:59
    A leotard at 27 is a rare sight these days.
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:02
    Congrats!
    Seriously, media — cover more of these Japanese athletes doing great things, you clowns.
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:03
    Wait, she won?
    That's amazing, isn't she the one who retired once?
    Respect for the hard work.
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:07
    Late 20s in gymnastics is basically grandma territory.
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:15
    Huh, so

    she finally ditched the shorts style?
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:22
    Re: #16
    Her results got better after she stopped wearing the shorts, so I guess a high-cut leotard really is easier to move in.
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:23
    Re: #16
    Isn't it just that international meets require the official Japan team uniform, not a personal choice?
    79AnonymousSep 23, 2026 11:03
    Re: #16
    She's repping Japan, so she can't just wear her own personal uniform.
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:22
    This thread's only going up now — is there some time difference with Nagoya or something?
    38AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:56
    Re: #21
    Barely any articles came out about this last night either — makes me wonder if reporters even know women's gymnastics is happening.
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:25
    Figured the CS TBS channel might be running some kind of coverage, but nope, BTS was dancing. What even is this channel.
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:30
    Congrats!

    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:44
    Is there an archive of this somewhere I can watch?
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:47
    Re: #30
    Isn't it on U-NEXT?
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 08:50
    Why isn't this on terrestrial TV?
    Men's gymnastics gets live broadcasts even when they don't win gold.
    42AnonymousSep 23, 2026 09:07
    Re: #34
    Women's volleyball earned a permanent terrestrial broadcast slot at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and the Matsudaira Japan men's volleyball team did the same in 1972.
    For a similar reason, men's gymnastics has a permanent "seeded" broadcast spot, but women's gymnastics doesn't.

    Having a major corporate sponsor behind you matters too — women's gymnastics runs on a club-by-club basis, and none of them seem to have especially heavy backing.
    54AnonymousSep 23, 2026 09:50
    Re: #34
    If we're going down that road, it's way weirder that high school baseball gets live coverage every year starting from the regional qualifiers.
    80AnonymousSep 23, 2026 11:08
    Re: #34
    The men have Hashimoto and Oka — Olympic gold medalists who are among the best in the world.
    40AnonymousSep 23, 2026 09:04
    She seems like someone who could be way more popular.
    The gymnastics world needs to make better use of her.
    45AnonymousSep 23, 2026 09:16
    Re: #40
    The treatment is completely different from when Rie Tanaka was around.
    What exactly is the difference, I wonder.
    64AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:05
    Wasn't she against leotards on principle? She was wearing one just fine though.
    70AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:24
    Re: #64
    Probably because it's the official team uniform.
    67AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:14
    Oh, she's the one who treats leotards like a mortal enemy?
    But even the athletes themselves can't agree on this.
    It's not like the country forces every woman to wear one — if you hate it, you can quit, or just do your own thing.
    If she's not competing in baggy shorts at international meets too, isn't that a bit hypocritical?
    71AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:25
    Re: #67
    I've also heard it's more that the shorts were made for girls who quit the sport because they hate leotards, and she wears them for promotional purposes — so which is it?

    Also, for competitions like this, the maker supplying the uniforms probably has a contract with the JOC or the governing body, so athletes likely can't just wear whatever they personally want anyway.
    75AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:43
    Fist pump after clearing the uneven bars — her notorious weak event

    76AnonymousSep 23, 2026 10:44
    Hopes are high for the team event too

    Background and Talking Points

    Aiko Sugihara drew attention as far back as her high school days — she even got an NHK feature — but after retiring from competition once, she went through a long stretch of failing to establish herself among Japan’s top gymnasts. It was only in her late twenties, after winning the All-Japan Championships and an individual-event gold at the World Championships, that she finally claimed the individual all-around title at this Asian Games. What got the thread talking was the gap between men’s gymnastics, which gets live terrestrial broadcasts, and women’s gymnastics, which gets far less coverage. Commenters pointed to “permanent broadcast rights” — like the ones women’s volleyball earned at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and men’s volleyball earned in 1972 — as evidence that past achievements and the backing (or lack thereof) of major corporations shape broadcast slots, and that women’s gymnastics reportedly lacks that kind of backing. There was also debate over uniforms — leotards versus shorts — a topic that’s easy to misread if you don’t know that athletes representing Japan can’t simply choose their own attire.

    *This article is an excerpt and summary based on the 5ch (Sports Express+) thread “[Asian Games Gymnastics] 27-Year-Old “Rare Character” Aiko Sugihara Pulls Off a Historic Feat! Japan’s First-Ever Gold in the Women’s Individual All-Around! 16-Year-Old Misa Nishiyama Takes Bronze.”

  • Study: Music You Heard at 17 Sticks With You for Life — 5ch: ‘More Like 14’

    “The music you listened to at 17 carries the deepest meaning of your entire life” — an article from Nazology introducing this survey result went viral on 5ch’s Science News+ board. The finding is rooted in what psychologists call the “reminiscence bump,” the tendency for memories from adolescence and young adulthood to stick especially strongly. The thread quickly filled with pushback on the age itself (“17 is too late,” “more like around 14”), along with skepticism toward the methodology itself (“they only surveyed people 16 and older,” “isn’t a memory-based survey bound to be inaccurate?”). At the same time, plenty of posters shared their own nostalgic memories of songs they discovered around age 17.

    “The music you heard at 17” carries the deepest meaning in your life

    Have you ever had the experience of hearing a song you listened to obsessively in your youth, and having the scenes from back then vividly come flooding back the instant you heard it?

    In psychology, personal memories are known to skew heavily toward adolescence and young adulthood — a phenomenon called the “reminiscence bump.”

    Source: nazology.kusuguru.co.jp / Read the original article here

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:38
    I barely listened to music as a teenager.
    All the various Western music I listened to in my 20s, I still listen to now.
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:48
    There are people like Re: #2 and Re: #3 in this thread, so yeah, the median really is 17.
    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:43
    Isn't 17 too late?
    There's memorable music from kindergarten and elementary school too.
    Feels like this is just pandering to some Western preconception.
    4AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:48
    If I hadn't heard Bob Dylan's
    'The Times They Are a-Changin'' at 17,
    I wouldn't be the guy who moved to Tokyo and started a business today.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:50
    Music I heard around 17 all felt kind of lame to me.

    I got more into music, and started actually following it, after turning 20.
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:54
    '17' — Saori Minami (note: her 1971 debut single, literally titled '17 Years Old')
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:55
    Did they actually run proper statistics on this data?
    AI-industry papers lately are so sloppy with data it's basically reading like Monthly Mu (note: a Japanese occult/paranormal magazine).
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 21:56
    Maharaja Night (note: Maharaja was a legendary Japanese disco chain in the '80s-'90s)
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:01
    People sometimes answer pretentiously, trying to sound more grown-up than they are.
    Without accurate age verification from streaming data, I can't trust this.
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:03
    Some people would say the music they heard around age 5 was the best,
    and there are probably people who only got into music after turning 60.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:04
    Maybe it's also because the singer (or group) behind a song you loved has passed away, so you can never hear anything new from them again.

    Maurice White, why did you have to go…
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:08
    They surveyed about 2,000 people worldwide and 17 came out as the most common answer
    — that's what the article says, so individual exceptions don't really mean much.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:11
    Meaningless data.
    For what it's worth, personally I'm in heavy rotation pretty evenly across every age range, from childhood to now.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:15
    'The deepest meaning in your life'… what's that even supposed to mean?
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:21
    Around 17 I only chose to listen to modern/contemporary composers like Stravinsky, Bartók, Schoenberg.
    Now that I'm older, I prefer the Barry Gray soundtracks for Stingray and Thunderbirds that I listened to when I was even younger.
    I wonder if I get even older, will it end up being nursery rhymes?
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:25
    17 seems a bit late to me.
    I think your sensibility is already formed by that point.
    I'd guess it's more like around 14.
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:26
    This thread is full of pushback because of Nazology's headline.
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:28
    I don't rank music as better or worse just because it's tied to high school memories.
    The question was supposed to be about turning points in life, so the whole premise is all over the place.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:08
    In the American show Criminal Minds, one of the profilers said the age you're most influenced by music is 14.
    When I was 14:
    YMO's 'BGM' (album)
    Best Hit USA started airing
    Ryuichi Sakamoto's Sound Street started airing
    (and Beat Takeshi's All Night Nippon)
    Pretty much checks out.
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:11
    Periods like adolescence, when you're growing rapidly, are when all kinds of things get imprinted on the brain too.
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:21
    I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but it was Yumin (nickname for singer Yumi Matsutoya) for me.
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:22
    Tatsuro (Yamashita) for me.
    A bit of Carol too,
    and stuff like Kazemachi Roman (the Happy End album).
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:25
    Look at the original article — it's just a bell-shaped distribution from age 0 to 65, with the mode at 17 for men and 19 for women.
    My favorite songs are the ones from when I was 14 to 27.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:44
    The moment they only surveyed people 16 and up, it's a rigged question.
    Fake data that excluded kids from the start.
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:04
    I still listen to the anime theme songs and soundtracks I listened to in middle and high school.
    27AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:05
    Pseudoscience that ignores middle schoolers' opinions from the get-go.
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:05
    Look at the distribution chart of what age the songs were released at…

    so what happens with a song from 199 years ago?
    29AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:07
    A bogus theory that ignores classical music and oldies from before you were even born.
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:40
    The music I heard at 17 was from the Evangelion movie, though…
    31AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:52
    So does that mean it's Yasuyuki Okamura?
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:54
    There was a Spotify report saying people stop listening to new music once they're past 35.
    That lines up with neuroscience research too.
    33AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:59
    I don't think it's totally off-base, but basing the analysis on memory alone seems a bit shaky, doesn't it?
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:02
    This might actually apply to me.
    Back in high school, one of Tunnels' TV shows had a segment called 'Soul Tunnels'
    where regular participants danced along to '70s disco and soul.
    It was packed with Black music and dance music, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
    After turning 20 I started buying all kinds of Western CDs at Tower Records, but it was almost entirely Black music and dance music
    — I listened to jazz, funk, hip-hop, house, techno, Latin, and so on.
    I feel like I was pretty heavily influenced by it.

    But thinking about it now, maybe I was influenced by songs I heard even earlier, as a kid.
    Back in elementary school they were rerunning Journey to the West, and I loved Godiego's 'Monkey Magic.'
    That song has a real funk vibe to it.
    Maybe it's because I got doused in funk by Monkey Magic that 'Soul Tunnels' hit me so hard.
    35AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:02
    Sinitta's 'G.T.O.' got me lol
    37AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:13
    I listened to all kinds of stuff,
    so there's no one thing that really stands out.
    38AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:17
    Back then I only listened to John McLaughlin.
    Other than that, Ralph Towner, Egberto Gismonti, Bill Frisell, Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen, stuff like that…
    39AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:29
    So, what year are we talking about, anyway?

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The reminiscence bump has long been recognized in psychology as the phenomenon where, when people look back on their lives in old age, memories from their late teens through early twenties are recalled disproportionately often — a pattern confirmed repeatedly in research on music and autobiographical memory. The survey cited in the thread covered roughly 2,000 people worldwide, and according to post 13, the median age came out to 17. However, the survey appears to have only included respondents aged 16 and up, meaning it was designed in a way that couldn’t capture anyone citing songs from early childhood in the first place — a real weakness that several posters in the thread pointed out. It’s also worth noting that this kind of survey relies on self-reported, memory-based data, and the very nature of the reminiscence bump — which makes people prone to romanticizing their youth when answering — may itself be reinforcing the results.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Science News+) thread “[Nazology] ‘Music heard at 17’ carries the deepest meaning in life.”

  • Asuka Fukuda (41) Now Works at a Lounge, Sparks Reaction — 5ch: ‘Even 1.5 Years [in Morning Musume] Bought Her 28 Years of Work’

    Asuka Fukuda, who joined “Morning Musume.” as its youngest member, appeared on Fuji TV’s special “Heisei’s Greatest Moments, Back to Back! Before & After of Those Stars” and revealed how she looks now at age 41. On the show, she reportedly spoke about her marriage, her journey as a single mother, and the reasons she left the group after only about a year and a half. On 5ch, reactions were split — over the surprise of her short tenure, the fact that she continued her entertainment career without ever experiencing the group’s peak (including the “LOVE Machine” era), and the truth behind the bullying rumors that circulated at the time.

    Asuka Fukuda, now 41, works at a lounge handling “hall rental management and public relations” — she also candidly reveals why she left Morning Musume after a year and a half

    Asuka Fukuda, who won popularity as the (then) youngest member of “Morning Musume.”, appeared on Fuji TV’s special “Heisei’s Greatest Moments, Back to Back! Before & After of Those Stars” (airing at 7 PM) on the 22nd, revealing her current appearance at age 41.

    Hosted by Shinobu Sakagami, the show looks back at iconic moments that colored the Showa and Heisei entertainment world across three segments — dramas, hit songs, and talked-about figures — while catching up on the “after” of stars who continue to shine in their respective fields today.

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

    6AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:55
    Re: #1
    Whatever happened to the rumor that the older members were bullying her?
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:04
    Re: #6
    Now that you mention it, she never bad-mouths any of the members.
    She's not seriously trying to make a comeback in showbiz either, just dabbling — so it's not like spilling the dirt would hurt her.
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:55
    I know who Asuka Fukuda is, but I have no idea who this lady in the photo is.
    8AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:55
    Gives off major 'drifted through life with no agency of her own' vibes.
    10AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:57
    Re: #1
    She looks like someone…
    can't place who though.
    49AnonymousSep 23, 2026 03:14
    Re: #10
    Feels like there's one of her in every neighborhood.
    Just a bit uglier.
    13AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:08
    If she's this eager for the spotlight, she probably shouldn't have retired so early.
    75AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:30
    Re: #13
    Reading comprehension, man.
    It says right there she just said she wanted a bit of a break, and the people around her turned it into 'let's have you retire to focus on school' and pushed her out.
    14AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:11
    41, huh.
    The idols getting fawned over in today's groups will end up looking like this auntie once they hit that age too.
    That goes for that one Nogizaka girl too.
    15AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:11
    Feels like it was around when Gomaki (Goto Maki) joined that they started calling the group 'the nation's idols.'
    This one's graduation was way too early.
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:12
    There were rumors she was being bullied, though.
    17AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:12
    If she'd stuck around through Morning Musume's peak she could've been pulling in something like 30 million yen a year for a while — Fukuda and Ichii really missed out lol
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:26
    Re: #17
    Ichii could've become a Diet member too through a runner-up promotion,
    but she quit on that very day — such a waste.
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:17
    She's changed so much I can't even recall what she looked like back then.
    21AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:18
    Watching the group blow up right after she wrote it off and left can't have felt great.
    22AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:19
    Surprised me.
    Didn't realize you could still work as a lounge hostess at 41.
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:22
    Takaaki Ishibashi once called her 'the lady at the bowling alley front desk.'
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:32
    Even with just a year and a half in the group,
    being able to live off the 'former Morning Musume' name for 28 years is impressive.
    Guess quitting was the right call.
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:34
    Her family seems well-off, so leaving was probably fine — staying in showbiz too long rarely ends well anyway.
    31AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:38
    Re: #30
    If her family were actually rich, she wouldn't have done a nude shoot.
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:39
    I remember Morning Musume starting to feel more like a proper idol group
    right around when she left.
    39AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:48
    Re: #32
    Feels like the idol vibe got stronger once Kago and Tsuji joined.
    35AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:41
    People used to say groups like Morning Musume would go on forever since members keep rotating out, but that didn't really pan out.
    Is AKB48 even still around?
    Makes you wonder what all those people buying CDs to vote in the general elections were thinking.
    Total suckers, honestly.
    78AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:33
    Re: #35
    It's exactly because of that that both Morning Musume and AKB are still going.
    40AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:50
    The one who suddenly went nude for some reason.
    43AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:57
    Re: #40
    She probably just wanted the money.
    42AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:55
    If she'd stayed through 'LOVE Machine' she probably would've made a fortune.
    44AnonymousSep 23, 2026 03:00
    The one who periodically gets interviewed about her Morning Musume days.
    67AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:04
    Still milking the 'graduation' story, huh?
    80AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:34
    Re: #67
    Whiteberry's vocalist: 'I'll be recycling other people's songs for the rest of my life.'
    73AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:28
    They're calling it a 'lounge,' but isn't that just a fancy way of saying 'club' where the music's turned down?
    Or is the business classification actually different under the entertainment business law (fueiho)?
    76AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:33
    Re: #73
    Why don't you look it up yourself, virgin boy?
    81AnonymousSep 23, 2026 04:35

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Asuka Fukuda joined “Morning Musume.” in 1997 as its youngest member at formation, and left the group in 1999 after roughly a year and a half — before the “LOVE Machine” era that later drove the group’s peak in sales and popularity. At the time, her departure was explained as being “to focus on her studies,” but according to Fukuda herself, she had only said she wanted “a bit of a break,” and it was those around her who turned that into a formal graduation. This is reflected in the thread itself: comment #13 misread this as her “wanting an early retirement herself,” and comment #75 corrects it by pointing out the “poor reading comprehension.” This is the core of the remark the article is based on, and skipping over it flips her actual intent and the outcome that followed. The thread’s central divide is between those who view her decision to leave the group as “a waste,” and those who see her current situation — having found entertainment-industry work for 28 years since — as proof that “leaving was the right call.” The old rumors about her relationships with other members at the time (the bullying theory), which she does not address herself, were also a point of discussion. Comments amounting to personal attacks on her looks or abilities have been excluded.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Asuka Fukuda, now 41, works at a lounge. Marriage, single motherhood, and ups and downs… She also candidly reveals why she left ‘Morning Musume’ after a year and a half.”

  • M!LK’s New Single Written & Composed by Aoi Yamazaki, Arranged by Tomohiro Sumigama — Same Lineup as Juice=Juice

    It’s been revealed that Aoi Yamazaki (lyrics/composition) and Tomohiro Sumigama (arrangement) — the duo behind Hello! Project group Juice=Juice’s hit “Moré! Mi Amore” — have also been brought on for the new single by M!LK, an idol group under a different talent agency. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, fans reacted to the rarity of a popular songwriting duo being used across agency lines, with the discussion spreading to cover differences in release pace and worries about Hello! Project losing its songwriters.

    1AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:36
    A second 'Moré Mi'
    3AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:44
    Better to stay on good terms with Stardust Promotion
    4AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:46
    Key change straight out of REDLINE, lol
    They really paid off that foreshadowing
    6AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:49
    Which one's the new song?
    There's so many I can't keep track
    7AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:50
    It's fine if this pushes toward 'the song and performance have to be good,'
    but if it gets too formulaic it kills the vibe lol
    Choreography's probably by Sako Makita anyway, right? Not that I'd know
    9AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:53
    It's a buzzkill when another agency does a total copy-paste of the formula
    12AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:55
    Dunno if it's true but they should've skipped this
    If they write a song for red-hot M!LK and it doesn't blow up, they're gonna get slammed hard
    13AnonymousSep 23, 2026 01:56
    I mean they're releasing stuff nonstop so one or two songs isn't a big deal
    Actually M!LK's been a bit shaky since that dating scoop broke — are they okay?
    16AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:02
    Well, it'll probably sell
    https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2102424095564668928/vid/avc1/1920×1080/UC4GjC7n9EKwJOfC.mp4
    24AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:10
    Re: #16
    Nice, that's exactly what an anime theme song should sound like
    18AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:04
    It's already blowing up like crazy
    19AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:05
    Guess Hello! Project won't get to have them write anymore
    20AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:06
    It's going viral under the angle of 'the amazing person who writes for the famous Juice=Juice'
    23AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:09
    One's a Jump anime tie-in, the other's some picture-book-style ('kamishibai'-looking) saint story
    Even though they're both anime tie-ups with the same Aoi on lyrics
    25AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:12
    I can already picture a future where Stardust poaches both Ameko Kodama and Aoi Yamazaki
    26AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:12
    Milkies (M!LK's fandom) are starting to notice Juice=Juice, this is gonna turn into something huge
    27AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:12
    I can totally picture this song showing up on TikTok
    28AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:13
    Let's have whoever made 'Metsu' (?) write Juice's next song instead
    30AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:17
    Re: #28
    Can't happen the other way around, no budget for it
    29AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:13
    It's all built around a script where they perform together at Kohaku
    31AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:18
    I hear songwriters are lining up wanting to write for Juice=Juice though
    32AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:19
    Why does Juice get stuck with an anime worse than Ocha's or Rosy's?
    33AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:19
    RUSH EYE, who made Juice's anime song, has also provided songs for M!LK
    34AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:19
    Hoping Juice gets a new song written and composed by Aoi Yamazaki too
    37AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:21
    Moving to Sony Music Entertainment RED in 2026.

    Seriously? Guess they won't be writing for Hello! Project anymore
    38AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:21
    Hello! Project's bleeding talent like the Hiroshima Carp (a team notorious for losing its stars to free agency)
    40AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:22
    Oh, so it's the 'Moré Mi' crew huh

    That's how it is, huh

    (´∀｀*)ｳﾌﾌ
    41AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:22
    There's a ton of other options out there like Tsunku♂ & Hirasho
    42AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:24
    Didn't M!LK also use Ameko Kodama recently?
    Is there a Hello! Project otaku on their staff or something?
    44AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:24
    Re: #42
    They probably figured out
    how sweet it is to do 'Hello! Project' with someone else's resources
    45AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:24
    So this kind of thing happens too huh
    Same pattern as how Dance Man blew up
    48AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:30
    They got hired because 'Moré Mi' went viral, right
    49AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:31
    Good for Aoi-chan, she's really made it big
    50AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:32
    M!LK keeps their momentum going by dropping new songs back-to-back whenever they go viral, but doesn't it feel like Juice is held back by the single-release format and has weaker release momentum?
    51AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:32
    Was 'Dantotsu de Aishite' (By Far, I Love You) being a crap song just because they phoned it in?
    52AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:33
    Juice=Juice "Moré! Mi Amore" — Lyrics/Composition: Aoi Yamazaki, Arrangement: Tomohiro Sumigama
    M!LK "That's! Chojo" (Supernatural) — Lyrics/Composition: Aoi Yamazaki, Arrangement: Tomohiro Sumigama
    ⬆ Yep, guaranteed banger, guaranteed to blow up 😊
    53AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:33
    It's a strategy where two in-demand acts, Juice and M!LK, team up for a synergy effect
    Has nothing to do with the rest of Hello! Project
    54AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:33
    The gap between a Jump anime and a kamishibai-tier anime is rough
    61AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:39
    Angerme's 'Celebration' is actually a pretty good song though
    69AnonymousSep 23, 2026 02:46
    Re: #61
    Yeah the song itself is good, the song is

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The duo of Aoi Yamazaki and Tomohiro Sumigama has a track record of producing a hit with Hello! Project’s Juice=Juice single “Moré! Mi Amore” (called “Moré Mi” in the thread). With the same duo now handling M!LK’s new single, thread posters reacted to the rarity of a popular songwriting team being used across agencies. Opinions split on whether to view this positively or as a sign of songwriters drifting away from Hello! Project, with some voicing concern that if the song for red-hot M!LK doesn’t become a hit, the duo will face heavy backlash. Some replies noted that Yamazaki is moving to Sony Music Entertainment RED in 2026, which may be part of the reason behind this cross-agency pairing. That said, whether this ties into a planned joint appearance at Kohaku, or what the future relationship between the two groups will be, remains speculation within the thread rather than anything officially confirmed.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “M!LK’s New Single Written/Composed by Aoi Yamazaki, Arranged by Tomohiro Sumigama.”

  • All-New ‘Resident Evil’ Scores the Franchise’s Best-Ever US Opening, Tops $100 Million Worldwide

    Capcom’s hit game franchise gets a full reboot on the big screen: the all-new “Resident Evil” opened across US theaters on September 18 and pulled in roughly $60 million (about ¥9.4 billion) over its opening three days, setting the highest opening ever for the live-action film series across all 8 entries dating back to the first film in 2002. It got off to a hot start even before that, with preview-night earnings of about $8.8 million — also a series record. On 5ch, reactions were split between bewilderment at how boldly the film departs from the source material (the mansion, the puzzle-solving — almost none of it appears to be here), comparisons to the old Milla Jovovich-led series, and hope that “they’re seriously trying to make a horror movie this time.”

    September 22, 2026

    “Resident Evil” (opening in Japan nationwide on October 9), a complete reboot of Capcom’s smash-hit game franchise, opened in US theaters on September 18 and earned roughly $60 million (about ¥9.4 billion) over its first three days, debuting at No. 1 on the US weekend box office chart. That makes it the biggest opening in the history of the live-action film series — all 8 entries going back to the first film in 2002. These three days alone outgrossed the total domestic US lifetime gross of 6 of the series’ previous 7 films. (Figures per Box Office Mojo and The Numbers; converted at ¥157 to $1.)

    Directed by Zach Cregger, who helmed the horror hit “Weapons” (2025), the film had already been generating buzz as a centerpiece of the 2026 horror movie season. Thursday night previews on September 17 alone brought in about $8.8 million (roughly ¥1.38 billion), a series record for preview-night earnings. Opening day, Friday September 18, then pulled in about $26.3 million (roughly ¥4.13 billion) including those previews.

    Source: cinematoday.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:18
    Feels like they changed a bit too much from the source material.
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:19
    Did they completely lose the rights or something? lol
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:23
    Re: #8
    Huh?
    Columbia = Sony.

    Isn't this just Capcom and Sony teaming up in Japan?
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:25
    Guess that's the studio Sony picked up a while back. This company's strong in movies too.
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:25
    So is the Milla Jovovich Resident Evil series just not canon anymore?
    30AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:37
    Re: #14
    I think it's fine to just write that one off as a dark chapter — I personally stopped watching once Alice started using superpowers.
    15AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:27
    That series turned into basically The Matrix, nothing like the source material.
    The mansion doesn't even show up in it.
    31AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:37
    Re: #15
    At that point, is there even a reason to keep borrowing the name?
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:51
    Re: #15
    Do you really want to watch puzzle-solving scenes that badly?
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:31
    Even Rotten Tomatoes — turns out critic scores overseas aren't exactly reliable either.
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:41
    Re: #19
    I mean, criticism in any field is really just one person's personal taste.
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:31
    Is there gonna be some random J-pop track playing over the ending?
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:32
    Re: #20
    That's the game you're thinking of.

    The legendary one where they shot the cutscene footage on the banks of the Tama River lol
    77AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:52
    Re: #20
    Like that bit in First Mission where someone sings in Japanese lol
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:32
    So are the Jovovich movies just being erased from continuity?
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:33
    Has the Resident Evil game series actually wrapped up at this point?
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:34
    Re: #23
    Not yet — the newest one, Requiem, just came out, and next year Code: Veronica turns 30.
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:33
    Once you've got the name and the setting, you can churn out as many of these as you want.
    Stick too close to the source material and people just end up fixating on the parts that don't match.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:34
    Re: #22
    Apparently the guy playing Wesker turned out to be the nicest one on set.
    Meanwhile the actress playing Jill supposedly had a rough time — panicking over all the bugs swarming the riverbank at night.
    29AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:36
    Re: #25
    Back then, "a live-action tie-in for a video game!?" felt like such a wild gimmick.

    Of course, looking back now… yeah, it looks pretty cheap lol
    26AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:34
    Capcom really lands a massive hit like clockwork, huh.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:35
    Available now at your local Yume Group (a Japanese discount TV-shopping retailer, often the butt of "cheap and tacky" jokes)
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:38
    Re: #28
    That commercial came at it from a completely unexpected angle lol
    35AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    The trailer doesn't scream "Resident Evil" exactly, but you can tell they're seriously trying to make something scary.
    Has to be better than the old series, which basically turned into a photoshoot for the director's beloved wife (Jovovich).
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:41
    Watched the new trailer, looked pretty good.
    Though it's a little concerning that critics loved it but scores dropped once it opened to the general public.
    Also sounds like there's a comedic streak running through it despite being a horror movie
    — kind of an Evil Dead II vibe?
    66AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:19
    Re: #37
    American movies love a good corpse-comedy bit — comedy woven into horror is just business as usual over there.
    76AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:51
    Re: #37
    Apparently there was a lot more comedy mixed in at the test screenings, but it didn't go over well, so they cut most of it.
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:41
    Tyrant: takes rocket launcher hits, weak but relentless.

    Nemesis: dodges rocket launchers, strong and even more relentless.
    40AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:46
    The director's already got a proven track record in horror, so it's basically guaranteed to be good.
    Whether it actually feels like Resident Evil is a separate question, though
    — doesn't look like game characters like Leon are even showing up.
    41AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:47
    Rotten Tomatoes doesn't have the greatest reputation.
    Wasn't there that thing with Interstellar? Rotten Tomatoes had it around 70%, but once it opened to the public, everyone rated it way higher than the Tomatometer suggested.
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:50
    Honestly the Jovovich one-woman-army style feels more like what Resident Evil is now.
    Is this one going for a horror route like RE7?
    44AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:51
    Apparently what's good about this new Resident Evil is that the lead isn't some superhero with supernatural powers
    — just an ordinary, unremarkable person.
    52AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:00
    Capcom's already got Pragmata lined up as a hit ahead of Onimusha…

    What happened, Square Enix…
    56AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:03
    Re: #52
    Guess there's no choice but to split the company after all.
    78AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:56
    If the zombies aren't ferociously vicious and fast like in 28 Days Later, the scare factor gets cut in half.
    Those wimpy Walking Dead zombies could be wiped out easily if anyone actually tried.
    80AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:58
    Re: #78
    They were running in the very first trailer lol. There's a shot from the second-floor window of an empty house
    — the guy just hit a woman with his car and goes inside to borrow a phone.

    Thought to myself, you don't see a scene like that very often lol

    Background and Key Points on This Story

    This new film is a complete reboot made by a different creative team from the live-action series that’s run since 2002, directed by Zach Cregger, known for films like “Weapons.” The earlier live-action series starred Milla Jovovich across 6 films, and counting 2021’s “Welcome to Raccoon City,” that’s 7 films total — making this new one the 8th entry overall. The “best in franchise history” being discussed here refers specifically to the opening weekend’s three-day box office haul, not to lifetime gross surpassing earlier films — an easy point to misread. In the thread, opinions split between confusion at how little of the source game survives (the mansion, the puzzle-solving, the characters) and hope built by trailers suggesting the filmmakers are “seriously trying to make something scary.” There was also talk about a gap between critic scores and general test-screening reactions, but that’s based on posters’ personal impressions — official figures for that weren’t included in the original source article.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “All-New ‘Resident Evil’ Scores the Franchise’s Best-Ever US Opening, Tops $100 Million Worldwide.”

  • Otoha’s police-uniform look sparks reaction — 5ch: “She looked classy, seems like she’s got a great personality”

    TV personality Otoha appearing in a police officer’s uniform at the launch ceremony for the “Autumn National Traffic Safety Campaign,” held at the Nagano Prefectural Government building, became a hot topic on 5ch. Otoha is taking part in the campaign as its “Traffic Safety Campaign Promotion Ambassador,” and her Instagram post has been getting a warm response. Alongside comments on the uniform look itself, the thread filled up with posts fondly recalling her marriage to former husband and comedian Takashi Fujii, with users reminiscing about how the two got together and praising her character.

    Tue, 9/22, 5:20 PM

    TV personality Otoha updated her Instagram by the 22nd. When she showed off her look in a police officer’s uniform, fans showered her with praise.

    On the 19th, Otoha attended the launch ceremony for the “Autumn National Traffic Safety Campaign” held at the Nagano Prefectural Government building. As “Traffic Safety Campaign Promotion Ambassador,” she called for safe driving while dressed in a police officer’s uniform.

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

    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:34
    This is probably what Hashikan (Kanna Hashimoto) will look like once she's older
    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:35
    Policewomen just have that skirt image, don't they
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:37
    I liked Otoha, but I also liked the guy she ended up with, Takashi Fujii, so even back then I thought they made a great couple
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:46
    Re: #12
    Same here
    I congratulated the two of them from the bottom of my heart
    45AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:23
    Re: #12
    Same, but figured if it's Takashi Fujii, I'll let it slide
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:40
    Forget who it was, but some actress once said she was shocked at how pure-hearted and kind Otoha was — almost too good for a celebrity
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Wasn't it Tsutomu Sekine who played matchmaker between Otoha and Takashi Fujii
    18AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:42
    Really glad she never fell into AV (adult videos)
    19AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:43
    There was a mook (magazine-style photobook) with a bundled bag sold at convenience stores that had a photo of her with her kid — they looked happy
    21AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:44
    Her face hasn't sagged with age
    57AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:47
    Re: #21
    Maybe it's because she's got a tanuki face (round, raccoon dog-like features)
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:45
    Don't wear the cap pushed back like that
    tuck your bangs in, show some spirit!
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 17:46
    She's great
    you can just tell she's got a good personality
    one of the rare healing-type celebrities
    Haruka Fukuhara might be next in that lineage
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:00
    Back in elementary school there were Otoha and Kaori Manabe DVDs displayed behind the register at the 7-Eleven, way out of reach for a kid like me, so I kept buying Tirol chocolates over and over just for an excuse to look at them
    37AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:11
    Back in the day there was ASCII art of her
    drawn in that Sazae-san family character-design style
    39AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:15
    This witch-face type really shows its age hard once they get older
    41AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:19
    She hasn't changed much
    probably because her face hasn't sagged that much
    though I think it has a little
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:20
    Pretty classy for a gravure idol, seemed like she had a good personality
    55AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:44
    Re: #42
    Landing her must have given Takashi Fujii a huge ego boost
    60AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:49
    When Fujii first proposed, Otoha was going through a rough patch with family issues, so she told him she might not be thinking straight and asked him to wait a year. He waited, and a year later she told him she'd fallen even more in love with him, and they tied the knot
    Way too enviable
    64AnonymousSep 22, 2026 18:51
    Re: #60
    That's some next-level scheming…

    Background and Talking Points

    Otoha debuted as a gravure idol in the late 1990s, married comedian Takashi Fujii in 2003, and divorced him in 2008. The “Traffic Safety Campaign Promotion Ambassador” role Nagano Prefecture gave her is a standard local-government move — enlisting celebrities for publicity — and having them wear a police uniform is a common touch for this kind of campaign. Alongside favorable comments about the uniform look itself, the thread was dominated by posts nostalgically recalling how the former couple got together, though an unverified rumor also circulated claiming her contract had been “premised on an AV (adult video) debut,” which another poster flatly denied as “completely false.” Since no source was given for this rumor about her personal history, it shouldn’t be taken as established fact.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Otoha (45) draws reaction for smiling police-uniform photos — “So freaking cute”.”

  • Japan’s World Heritage ‘Biggest Letdown’ Ranking: No. 1 Spot Goes to a TV Drama Filming Location

    An article by Shukan Josei PRIME titled “Japan’s World Heritage Sites: The Honest Disappointment Ranking” was published on September 21 and sparked discussion on 5channel’s News Express+ board. Alongside comments like “the guides aren’t good enough” and “there’s no real excitement or emotional impact,” the article notes that Asuka-Fujiwara, the ancient capital region registered as a World Heritage Site just in July 2026, ranked near the top of the list. In the thread, users cited specific sites by name — the Asuka-Fujiwara Palace ruins, the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun burial mound clusters, and the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution — sparking a split debate: some argued that “appeal as a tourist destination” and “historical value” are two separate things that shouldn’t be conflated, while others criticized the growing number of World Heritage listings as excessive.

    [“Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Honest Disappointment” Ranking] Amid cries of “no excitement or emotional impact,” the No. 1 spot goes to a popular drama’s filming location (Shukan Josei PRIME) – Yahoo! News –

    [“Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Honest Disappointment” Ranking] “Guides aren’t good enough,” “no excitement or emotional impact” — amid a wave of disappointment, the No. 1 spot goes to a popular drama’s filming location | Shukan Josei PRIME

    Published Mon, 9/21, 11:00 AM

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

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:39
    Go ask Ryohei Suzuki first
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:47
    Japan's stealth marketing ("stema") is so bad that even foreign tourists leave disappointed, lol
    46AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:49
    Re: #1
    With 12 votes, coming in at No. 5 is Asuka-Fujiwara, the ancient capital region registered just this past July. Why on earth?!

    "I get Asuka, but if you don't know the history, the Fujiwara Palace ruins are just an empty field." (Male, 64, Nara Prefecture)

    "There's no building there now, just some pillars — not much fun to look at." (Male, 53, Nara Prefecture)


    Lol, even the locals are saying this
    47AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:49
    Re: #42
    Well, "washoku" (Japanese cuisine) is probably the one World Heritage listing foreign tourists actually agree with, lol
    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:40
    I wonder if articles like this actually affect tourism.
    If so, the governor of Gunma probably isn't thrilled.
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:41
    Re: #3
    The mayor of Maebashi has more to worry about, image-wise
    20AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:44
    Re: #3
    If a place doesn't face criticism like this head-on, it won't just lose tourists — it'll end up depopulated.
    258AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:33
    Re: #3
    Tough love is necessary —
    it's what gets people thinking, "okay, let's make it better."
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:45
    Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace is the best!
    45AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:48
    Re: #23
    Izu's got a lot going for it, all kinds of stuff.

    Izu gets a lot of classy Western tourists, which is nice 🍵🗻✨

    Foreign tourists are taking notice… Izu's hidden gems — "hot springs" and "paradise"… surprising discoveries even Japanese people don't know about [J's Tracking] [Super J Channel] (September 19, 2026)

    Izu, in Shizuoka Prefecture, draws roughly 40 million visitors a year and is now catching the attention of foreign tourists. What they're after: hidden spots, secret hot springs, and popular photo locations. There's even a "paradise" reachable only by boat?
    https://youtu.be/xsTUjpXigjo?si=54fwpLEZlHxpUuz-
    51AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:49
    Re: #45
    Izu's real highlight is the southeast side —
    places like Yumigahama Beach are stunningly beautiful
    63AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:52
    Re: #45
    Seriously, white-worship in this day and age, lol
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:45
    "Gunma" is basically just hot springs for old folks, right?
    43AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:48
    Re: #24
    Honestly I think this is more of a heritage site
    82AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:56
    Re: #43
    That's not even there anymore
    243AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:30
    Re: #43
    This is exactly the kind of thing that should be preserved somewhere.
    They apparently tried to preserve a ship that washed ashore, but honestly this would resonate with future generations far more than that.
    66AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:52
    Kyoto really is on another level —
    it's overflowing with traces of the Nara, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, Sengoku, Edo, Meiji, and Showa eras all at once
    69AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:53
    Re: #66
    Poor Taisho era, left out lol
    84AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:56
    Re: #66
    Well, it's been Japan's capital since ancient times —
    Kyoto's just in a league of its own
    88AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:57
    Compared to World Heritage sites in Europe or the Middle East, Japan's just look kind of shabby, cheap, and flimsy. I guess it can't be helped, since a lot of the buildings are wooden and worn down, even if there's plenty of history behind them. Lots of foreign tourists come to Kyoto to see the temples, but they have no idea the monks are just as greedy for money (and sex) as Trump — I think they're all fools for not knowing that.
    91AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:58
    Re: #88
    Go check out the National Museum of Western Art instead then
    104AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:01
    Re: #88
    It's a country with frequent earthquakes —
    of course it ends up this way.
    Can't you figure that much out?
    94AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:58
    The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Tumulus Clusters —
    hard to appreciate unless you see them from above
    103AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:00
    Re: #94
    It's really just a pond with some woods on the other side.
    All I remember is getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.
    From an airplane it's genuinely impressive though.
    132AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:06
    Re: #94
    There's a hot air balloon for that!
    https://osaka-sakai-balloon.com
    108AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:02
    Still better than Osaka's kofun clusters —
    why on earth did those make the list…
    113AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:03
    Re: #108
    That's actually amazing though —
    not sure what it's like up close, though
    116AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:03
    Re: #108
    It's incredibly fascinating though —
    it's literally the starting point of Japanese history
    177AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:15
    Re: #108
    If you don't understand the historical value of the kofun, you'd be better off staying quiet
    112AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:02
    Re: #1
    That "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining" listing from the Abe era just drags down the prestige of World Heritage status, lol

    https://online.bunka.go.jp/img/special_content/world/h0F_photo-main.jpg
    128AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:05
    Re: #112
    It's not the Japanese government that decides World Heritage criteria and selections, you know
    187AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:16
    Registering World Heritage sites left and right is kind of ridiculous. They're probably just thinking 'this'll bring in tourists'
    198AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:18
    Re: #187
    That "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution" thing from Re: #112 spans 8 prefectures and 11 cities nationwide, with 23 separate component sites all counted as one World Heritage listing, lol
    136AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:07
    Personally, I think Tobita Shinchi (Osaka's famous red-light district) should be registered as a World Heritage site
    139AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:07
    Re: #136
    Former red-light district sites are actually pretty common
    145AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:08
    Re: #136
    Susaki Paradise (a former red-light district in Kochi) could probably work too
    209AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:20
    Re: #136
    Osaka should drop the whole casino thing too — there are casinos everywhere in the world already.
    They should do gambling dens for chohan and tehonbiki instead — games you can only find in Japan
    137AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:07
    Apparently this is a World Heritage site…
    160AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:12
    The ultimate route I came up with:

    Narita → Disneyland → Asakusa & Shibuya Crossing → Shinkansen (view Mt. Fuji) → sightseeing in Kyoto → Osaka USJ → Kansai Airport
    172AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:14
    Re: #160
    Kabukicho and Tobita Shinchi are missing
    181AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:15
    Re: #160
    For tourism aimed at foreigners, you can't leave out Akihabara —
    Kyoto and Akihabara are the surefire go-to spots
    188AnonymousSep 23, 2026 00:16
    Re: #160
    That's pretty much the golden route —
    if the trip's longer, there are options to go as far as Himeji, or even Hiroshima, Kyushu, or Shikoku

    Background and Points of Debate

    The Shukan Josei PRIME ranking is based on a user survey and, separate from UNESCO’s own evaluation criteria, is designed to measure “satisfaction as a tourist.” The thread highlighted Asuka-Fujiwara, the ancient capital region registered as a World Heritage Site only in July 2026 — since none of its original buildings survive and only the archaeological remains are left, even local residents noted that its appeal is hard to grasp without prior knowledge. The debate in the thread split largely into two camps. One side argued that “appeal as a tourist destination” and “academic and historical value” are different measures, and that a satisfaction survey alone shouldn’t be used to judge a heritage site’s worth. The other side criticized the recent surge in World Heritage listings, suggesting they’re being registered excessively for the sake of attracting tourists. It was also pointed out in the thread — a point that’s commonly misunderstood — that the final decision on World Heritage registration rests with UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, not the Japanese government.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (News Express+) thread “[“Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Honest Disappointment” Ranking] Amid cries of ‘no excitement or emotional impact,’ the No. 1 spot goes to a drama filming location (Shukan Josei).”

  • Kou Itakura Speaks Out on Marriage to Actress Haruna Kawaguchi for First Time: “I Gained the Most Important Thing” — 5ch: “Might As Well Retire From Soccer”

    On September 22, Japan national team defender Kou Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach) spoke publicly for the first time about his marriage to actress Haruna Kawaguchi. The couple announced their marriage on August 2, and Kawaguchi is pregnant with their first child. Itakura also announced on the 20th that he was returning to his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach from Ajax in the Netherlands, signing a four-year contract, and has started in four league matches so far this season. On 5ch threads, alongside messages of congratulations, many posts linked the team’s poor results since his return and his reduced playing time in recent years to the changes in his personal life, sparking a mix of reactions.

    9/22 (Tue) 18:58

    Japan national team defender Kou Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach) took part in a training session in Chiba Prefecture on September 22 and spoke for the first time about his marriage to actress Haruna Kawaguchi.

    Itakura announced the marriage via social media on August 2, and Kawaguchi is expecting their first child. On the 20th, it was also announced that he would return to his former club, Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach, from Eredivisie club Ajax. He signed a four-year deal and has started in four league matches this season.

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

    8AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:22
    Huh?! What happened to that fighter boyfriend she used to brag about?
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:22
    Never mind that, get fired up for soccer already
    You're clearly a liability out there on defense
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:23
    Fine, but why's he in such a brutal slump on the pitch…
    Even Sofascore has him rated all red
    16AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:24
    The whole "pretty face gets old in three days" thing is a total lie
    Jealous
    22AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:27
    Wait, is Itakura even the captain type? (・へ・)
    23AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:29
    I wanted her to marry Mitoma instead
    but Mitoma's already married, damn it
    24AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:29
    If his number one priority now is his wife, might as well retire from soccer
    27AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:32
    His club's a mess on a losing streak — he should skip the national team and go train with his club instead. Keep this up and there won't be a spot for him when he goes back.
    28AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:32
    Nagatomo probably got the same kind of envy back in his day
    31AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:34
    Both Itakura and Mitoma have back problems, right?
    That kind of injury is basically a consumable — it never really heals, you just manage around it
    Mitoma's special enough that you'd still want him as a wildcard option though
    Itakura's more iffy, there are plenty of other options out there
    32AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:34
    No way he can focus on soccer now
    She doesn't exactly seem like the quietly-support-from-the-shadows type either
    33AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:35
    Haruna Kawaguchi is ridiculously gorgeous,
    but weirdly I'm not even jealous
    34AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:36
    The thing is, his actual job is in shambles right now
    defense is collapsing and he's getting scapegoated for it
    42AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:41
    Wish she'd married Zion instead
    44AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:43
    Re: #42
    I'd rather she had kids with some freak athlete like Serena Williams
    53AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:57
    In another article he says he understands what the club is telling him
    Which means Borussia Mönchengladbach is the one asking him not to play in the Asian Cup
    That's the real problem here
    This is exactly the kind of thing German clubs pull

    So let me say it
    This isn't just Itakura's problem
    Japan is being looked down on here

    And I felt the same way during the World Cup too
    It's not just us amateurs —
    even the so-called experts aren't doing their job
    Not a single specialist outlet has touched on this
    That's messed up
    Pressuring a player into turning down the national team

    If it's Itakura's own personal decision, fine,
    but this kind of thing shouldn't be allowed, it's not okay
    Why am I the only one saying this?
    62AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:08
    Re: #53
    From Borussia's side it was probably "we'll sign you if you don't leave a hole in the squad for the Asian Cup"
    and for Itakura, who's been stuck in a rut for years, it was probably a lifeline thrown by his old club
    55AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:59
    Is Kawaguchi going to move to Germany? Give birth there or something?
    58AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:03
    Re: #55
    Probably not
    She likely still has confirmed jobs lined up, and canceling them would mean a massive penalty fee
    Since this was a shotgun marriage announced out of nowhere, she was probably expected to keep working, and with her image taking a hit right now, it's questionable whether her agency Ken-On would even cover the cancellation fees
    61AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:07
    He said, "Having something that's probably a higher priority to me than soccer — I think that's a really major turning point for me personally."

    A player who says something like that has no more room to grow
    Just go be the first Japanese player to cash in with a move to Saudi Arabia
    and please stop bothering with the national team
    70AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:14
    Re: #61
    Honestly, even back when he was a young defender his bangs hung in his eyes, I always wanted to shave his head for him
    Every defender should be forced into the Junnosuke Suzuki buzzcut lol (a judoka known for his shaved head)
    75AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:26
    They're conceding an insane number of goals at Borussia
    How did it come to this?
    84AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:38
    Re: #75
    His herniated disc got worse and he's on conservative treatment, but his condition's been bad for over a year now and his body just isn't moving
    That's why his form was bad last season, and it's bad again this season
    82AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:38
    Ohtani, who married a basketball player, is truly a class act
    85AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:41
    Re: #84
    Why would they pay a 700 million yen transfer fee for a guy like that and start him?
    87AnonymousSep 22, 2026 23:46
    Re: #85
    Even top European league clubs have recruitment staff, but there's no shortage of incompetent ones among them
    that's just how it goes

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    Kou Itakura had been with Dutch powerhouse Ajax since 2023, but returned to his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach (Bundesliga) on a four-year contract as of August 20, 2026. His marriage to Haruna Kawaguchi was announced on August 2, and this marks the first time he has addressed it in his own words, in comments made after training. Opinion on the thread split over whether it’s fair to link his personal happiness to his professional slump. Some posts point to his performance since the transfer and poor physical condition from a herniated disc, while others argue that tying this directly to his marriage and pregnancy is a stretch with little basis. It’s also worth noting that the claim in some posts that “the club is reluctant to release him for the Asian Cup” is speculation, not something Itakura himself has said, and remains unconfirmed. The mix of congratulations and harsh criticism reflects the fact that his public role as a national team defender and his personal life are both being discussed at the same time.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Kou Itakura Speaks for First Time About Marriage to Actress Haruna Kawaguchi: “I Gained the Most Important Thing” — Also Reveals Pregnancy, but “Still Doesn’t Feel Real”“.

  • Ijuin Hikaru: Crayon Shin-chan Episode Written by Dau90000’s Sho Hasumi Was “So Boring It Knocked Me Off My Feet”

    On the radio show “JUNK Ijuin Hikaru Shinya no Bakajikara,” Hikaru Ijuin gave his blunt verdict on the September 19 episode of “Crayon Shin-chan” written by Sho Hasumi of the comedy troupe Dau90000, calling it “so boring it knocked me off my feet.” Ijuin reportedly said this while worrying about how younger viewers would react, remarking that “the world won’t forgive a 58-year-old who doesn’t get Dau90000’s sense of humor.” On 5ch, his comment sparked a divide in opinion, with some calling the episode boring and others saying it made them want to check it out, as discussion swirled around both Hasumi himself and the episode’s quality.

    9/22 (Tue) 21:22

    On the 21st, talent Hikaru Ijuin brought up “Crayon Shin-chan,” written by Sho Hasumi of the comedy troupe “Dau90000,” on “JUNK Ijuin Hikaru Shinya no Bakajikara.”

    Early in the show, he tentatively broached the subject, saying, “It takes courage, but I want to honestly say what I, as a middle-aged guy, thought…” He then bluntly declared of the September 19 episode of Crayon Shin-chan, “I watched it, and it was so boring it knocked me off my feet.” He went on: “It takes courage, because the other side is treated as being in the right. The world won’t forgive a 58-year-old who doesn’t get Dau90000’s sense of humor. I’m the old fogey here, so this takes real courage. I want someone on my side — someone, especially someone young, to say, ‘Good for you, Ijuin. I was too scared to say it myself.’”

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

    2AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:15
    You're better off watching an Osaka night-skyline video channel on YouTube than watching Peace-kun (the viral screeching peacock from Omiya Park) — way more entertaining.
    3AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:16
    Re: #1
    Comedy fans and baseball fans really do have a lot of weirdos among them.
    5AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:16
    Haven't watched it, but if it's written by someone who isn't popular, of course it's not gonna be funny.
    72AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:30
    Re: #5
    He won the top theater award this year.
    6AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:17
    Wait, is Crayon Shin-chan even still on?
    7AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:17
    I hope Hasumi and Tontsukatan (comedy trio) keep grinding.
    9AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:18
    There's always an occasional boring episode, right?
    10AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:19
    Who's Dau90000?
    53AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:26
    Re: #10
    A comedy troupe that's popular mainly with young people.
    69AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:29
    Re: #10
    An amateur comedy circle.
    11AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:19
    The absurdity of the bubble generation that embraced this guy.
    12AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:19
    He's basically made himself the star, hasn't he? It's like 'look at my sense of humor, look!' But the people watching aren't Hasumi fans
    they want to watch Crayon Shin-chan. I think Hasumi has comedic talent, but on this one his self-delusion is off the charts lol
    13AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:19
    Dau9000… Hasumi? Can't picture his face, who's that?
    14AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:19
    Does Ijuin actually watch Crayon Shin-chan every week?
    17AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:20
    Re: #14
    He's watched every episode since it first aired.
    25AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:21
    Atashinchi was the funny one
    Crayon Shin-chan is crude and boring.
    34AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:23
    Re: #25
    Crayon Shin-chan stopped being funny once it stopped being crude.
    170AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:53
    Re: #25
    Did Hasumi write for Atashinchi too?
    38AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:23
    Crayon Shin-chan really was funniest in the early '90s
    Like the episode where Misae accidentally gets on the highway — that one was the best.
    63AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:28
    Re: #38
    I recommend the official YouTube channel streaming old Crayon Shin-chan episodes.

    I don't want to sound like a nostalgia junkie, but once you've experienced Crayon Shin-chan and Chibi Maruko-chan in their prime in the '90s, what's airing now feels way too thin.
    44AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:24
    Was it really shot in a single cut?
    Is a Shin-chan episode one 30-minute segment or two?

    If it's really one cut, might this be the longest single cut in the history of commercial anime?
    92AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:34
    Re: #44
    If it hasn't changed, it's three segments.
    59AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:28
    Wait, isn't the original creator still drawing new material?
    I've been duped.
    70AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:29
    Re: #59
    You know the creator passed away, right? lol
    73AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:30
    Haven't watched it and I'm not a fan of Hasumi, but a dialogue-driven episode centered on Misae and Hiroshi does make me a little curious.
    84AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:32
    The live-thread reaction was pretty unfavorable too.
    Re: #73
    You can watch it on Tver or ABEMA.
    96AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:35
    It's because they announce who wrote the script ahead of time. That raises expectations and draws out people who watch just to nitpick. They should reveal the writer only after everyone's already formed their opinions.
    101AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:36
    Re: #96
    That's not happening — revealing the writer beforehand is the whole gimmick of the show.
    99AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:36
    Well, of course it's not funny — Dau90000's material isn't funny to begin with.
    111AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:40
    Re: #99
    Meanwhile their comedian buddies are all like, 'They're King of Conte finalists!!'
    100AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:36
    Anyway, go ask around about what people actually think of Bakajikara these days.
    124AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:42
    Re: #100
    Even when people say it's gotten less funny than it used to be, in Ijuin's head the logic is: 'My show has the best listener ratings among comedian radio shows, so I get to say whatever I want.'
    145AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:48
    Saying the episode itself was boring, fine. But if you're asking 'who even is Dau90000,' honestly just see yourself out.
    162AnonymousSep 22, 2026 22:50
    Re: #145
    If anything, Hasumi himself talks about that stuff constantly
    like 'comedy isn't popular anymore' or 'theater isn't popular anymore.'

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Sho Hasumi of Dau90000 reached the semifinals of the 2023 King of Conte competition, and the theater troupe he founded has also won drama awards, putting him in a position where opinions about him tend to be sharply divided among the younger generation. Because “Crayon Shin-chan” runs a format that announces the guest writer’s name ahead of broadcast, expectations swing before the episode even airs, creating a structure where post-viewing reactions easily shift from “was the episode good” to “is the writer personally any good.” In this thread too, sparked by Ijuin’s comments, opinions about the content itself got tangled up with assessments of Hasumi’s comedic sense and his theater award history. There were also plenty of nostalgic comparisons to 1990s-era Crayon Shin-chan — a recurring theme on 5ch that isn’t limited to this one episode but keeps coming up as a yardstick for judging the show as a whole.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisokuho+) thread “Ijuin Hikaru on the Crayon Shin-chan episode written by Dau90000’s Sho Hasumi: “So boring it knocked me off my feet”.”