Category: Entertainment

  • Streamer Washes His Hair in a Puddle During Torrential Rain, Ends Up with a Fever and Blood in His Urine — Urinalysis Finds ‘Numerous Bacteria’

    Zokkun, a 52-year-old streamer active mainly on Kick, reported on X on September 10 that he’d fallen ill. During a stream conducted amid heavy rain from a linear precipitation band, he used the rain as a makeshift shower and, at the end, stuck his head into a puddle on the street. He was later hit with a 38°C fever and blood in his urine, and a hospital urinalysis reportedly detected “numerous bacteria.” On the 5ch Geinou/Sports News+ thread, reactions came from all angles — opinions split on whether the infection route was through the mouth and nose or something else, alongside debate over whether health insurance should cover it, and comparisons to another streamer who pulled a similarly reckless stunt in the same downpour.

    Zokkun, a streamer active mainly on Kick, reported on X on September 10 that he’d fallen ill. He said doctors told him it was likely caused by exposure to contaminated water during a stream held amid heavy rain from a linear precipitation band, and he also shared images of his test results.

    He used the heavy rain as a makeshift shower — and finished by putting his head in a street puddle

    Zokkun is a 52-year-old streamer belonging to “Kickers,” a streamer group led by Yokoyama Midori. After starting out on Niconico Live and Twitcasting, he now mainly streams on Kick, doing chat streams while wandering around outdoors or driving.

    Source: yutura.net / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:16
    What the heck is Kick, anyway?
    63AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:26
    Re: #2
    Where streamers banned from YouTube end up
    7AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:17
    Can't believe there are people who actually watch this kind of stream lol
    8AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:18
    https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2097878466100338688/vid/avc1/1920×1080/UFf-L8BDtyap0gi8.mp4

    Streamer Zokkun (52) shampoos his hair in a puddle during a stream in heavy rain. Afterward: a 38°C fever, difficulty urinating, and blood in his urine sent him to the hospital. Numerous bacteria were detected — if it doesn't clear up, he's due for kidney tests
    101AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:31
    Re: #8
    Ew, gross lol
    If your kidneys go, that's rough
    10AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:18
    Washing your hair straight in the rain is one thing, but a puddle? That's just asking for trouble
    13AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:19
    Ah, a nuisance-type weirdo streamer working on Kick
    These days, Kick streamers give off the vibe old-school Niconico streamers used to have
    14AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:19
    Is it 'burumaa'? I always thought it was 'buruma'… (both refer to the gym-shorts style 'bloomers')
    15AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:19
    Why's a 51-year-old out here pulling stunts a middle schooler would think twice about
    39AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:22
    Was this from swallowing it, from it backing up through the tip of his… you know, or both?
    118AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:33
    Re: #39
    A wounded scalp🤕
    42AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:23
    Zokkun
    56AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:25
    This should be excluded from insurance coverage
    86AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:28
    Re: #56
    Exactly this
    If you deliberately do something that gets you sick, you should have to cover 100% of the cost yourself
    It goes against the spirit of 'mutual aid' (the principle behind Japan's health insurance system)
    64AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:26
    Pyelonephritis or something?
    129AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:34
    Re: #64
    Sharp pain in my lower back, chills so bad my teeth were chattering, and a raging fever — thought I was gonna die
    71AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:27
    Can this really happen even if he didn't actually drink any of it?
    80AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:28
    Re: #71
    Even in zombie movies you don't need to get bitten — infection through the eyes is a thing too
    92AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:29
    Re: #71
    I think it's infection through the mucous membranes of the eyes or nose
    Since stomach acid works like a filter, drinking it might honestly have been the safer bet
    75AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:27
    Some people collect rainwater for household use — is rain actually dangerous?
    Does that mean if you skip the umbrella on a rainy day you might get sick or even go bald?
    87AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:29
    Re: #75
    It was probably that puddle he stuck his head in at the end that did it
    97AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:30
    Isn't he being way too fragile about this?
    Flooding happens constantly across Asia — if this were all it took, everyone there would be dead
    Places like India deal with dirty water on the daily
    139AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:35
    Re: #97
    Everyone does die from it
    The people around today are just the survivors
    146AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:37
    Re: #97
    People actually do die from it
    It just doesn't make the news over in Japan
    What gets reported overseas is only the flood death toll — nobody hears about the deaths that follow afterward
    111AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:32
    I figured everyone's walking through dirty floodwater up to their feet anyway… but I guess getting it on your head is a whole different level of dangerous
    Nobody's getting that water on their upper body, huh
    126AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:34
    Re: #111
    Even just your feet can be bad news if there's a cut or wound there.
    A healthy young person's probably fine, but if you're worn out and your immune system's weak, it'll get you.
    138AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:35
    Re: #111
    An open wound can fester or turn into tetanus
    Schools never teach you that stuff
    Honestly makes all that studying for college entrance exams feel pointless
    143AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:36
    Re: #111
    Bacteria from the gutter water probably got into his nose or mouth, or he touched things with dirty hands

    Even a small cut on the foot seems risky
    And if the dirty water reaches your groin, it feels like contaminants could get into your body that way too
    116AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:33
    Is Kick some kind of group name?
    A category?
    131AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:34
    Re: #116
    Isn't it a video streaming site?
    Like YouTube
    127AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:34
    Bacteria ends up in your urine just from washing your hair?
    I'd think it wouldn't get in that easily unless the urethra itself was exposed to the dirty water — what exactly did he do?
    147AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:37
    Re: #127
    Maybe it's not through the urethra — it got in through the mouth or nose and spread through his whole body
    Could the toxins have hit his kidneys?
    151AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:37
    Re: #127
    Bacteria got in through his eyes, nose, or mouth, multiplied inside his body, and is now attacking his kidneys
    137AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:35
    Water pooled on the ground is no good
    Rainwater straight from the sky would've been fine
    160AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:39
    Re: #137
    Rain is actually really dirty when it first starts falling.
    Dust, grime, and fine airborne particles stick to the raindrops on the way down.
    You can really tell after a passing shower clears up — cars end up filthy.
    Once it's been pouring steadily for a while though, I think it's fine.
    140AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:36
    Getting covered like this is probably exactly what he wanted
    He might even consider it a win (´・ω・`)
    152AnonymousSep 11, 2026 10:37
    Re: #140
    If he dies trying to make a living off streaming, doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    During heavy rain from a linear precipitation band, sewers overflow, making it easy for bacteria from wastewater to mix into puddles on the road. However, urinary tract infections involving blood in the urine and fever typically occur when bacteria enter through the urethra, so it’s medically unclear how exposing just his head to dirty water led to these symptoms. The thread raised several theories — infection through the mucous membranes of the mouth or nose, infection via the eyes or a wound — but all of it remains speculation. Some also argued that insurance should cover 100% of the cost, but unless the act is officially ruled intentional self-harm, standard insured care generally still applies — worth noting that this isn’t a claim with real legal grounding. Zokkun belongs to “Kickers,” a group that keeps producing content too risky for stricter platforms like YouTube; understanding that Kick is their home base helps explain how this dangerous stream came about in the first place.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Streamer Washes His Hair in a Puddle During Torrential Rain, Ends Up with a Fever and Blood in His Urine — Urinalysis Finds ‘Numerous Bacteria’.”

  • “Mrs. GREEN APPLE Is Creepy,” Says Post Attributed to Music Critic — Fans Split, Existence Unconfirmed

    A post claiming to be from a “music critic” who called Mrs. GREEN APPLE “creepy” became a hot topic on 5ch. But no one could find the poster’s account or the original post, and searching the critic’s name turned up no matching person, so suspicion that it was an “AI-generated image” surfaced early in the thread. With the truth never pinned down, the conversation drifted away from the critic’s remark itself and into a taste debate over how to judge Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s songs and the vocalist’s singing ability.

    What are we even supposed to do with this

    Source: imgur.com / Original post here

    2AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:15
    If it sells, it's good.
    If it doesn't sell, it's not.
    Simple as that.
    90AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:54
    Re: #2
    Eh, that's not quite right either
    7AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:23
    I think it's creepy too, but that's not exactly the word choice of a critic
    18AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:30
    Re: #7
    "Creepy" isn't a critique, though
    23AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:32
    Can't find the account or the post anywhere
    155AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:46
    Re: #23
    Ah, so that's what's going on
    192AnonymousSep 11, 2026 03:09
    Re: #23
    There's zero trace of it ever going viral,
    so it's definitely an AI-generated image
    37AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:43
    Searched "music critic Ryosuke Takahashi" and nothing comes up
    157AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:47
    Re: #37
    So it was an AI image after all
    What a waste of time
    51AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:02
    The songs aren't creepy though
    His personality is unbelievably creepy, though
    56AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:04
    Re: #51
    Sorry, not trying to troll or play contrarian here, but I honestly think the songs are super creepy too
    63AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:14
    His singing ability is the strongest of any active artist, though
    Can't speak for the songs
    64AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:15
    Re: #63
    Nah, if anything his singing ability is on the weaker side
    It's the kind amateurs can all imitate easily
    65AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:15
    Haven't listened to music released after Onyanko Club (a famous 1980s idol group), save for a few exceptions
    Please, Yuyu, show yourself (nickname of one of the group's members)
    67AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:17
    Re: #65
    Yuyu has an Instagram, right?
    100AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:09
    That kind of sound like Mrs. GREEN APPLE just doesn't land with guys
    102AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:13
    Re: #100
    People who like it, like it
    That's just a difference in taste, nothing to say there

    What's not okay is idiots who dress up their personal likes/dislikes as objective good/bad
    This "critic" (lol) is exactly that
    106AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:18
    Re: #100
    Kind of depends on the person, honestly
    101AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:10
    Back in school I said "don't all Mrs. GREEN APPLE songs sound the same?" and after that I stopped getting invited to seminar drinking parties
    When I asked why, I got "the girls vetoed it because of that comment. Sorry, man."
    That's basically a religion at this point…
    104AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:14
    Re: #101
    You don't get the "people who like it, like it" thing

    I know full well the rock I love is seen as an old-fashioned hobby these days
    so I don't go pushing it on anyone

    My parents were classical-music zealots who rejected rock entirely, and yeah, that was rough
    107AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:19
    Re: #101
    Honestly, both sides are a little at fault there
    114AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:24
    What even is a "creepy" song?
    Makes no sense to me
    123AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:27
    Re: #114
    Yeah, fair point
    119AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:26
    Discovering Onyanko Club in high school was pure happiness
    Nothing will ever hit me that hard again
    These days it's just weird, nonsensical songs coming out anyway, not that I even listen anymore
    128AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:28
    Re: #119
    I can't wrap my head around Onyanko Club
    131AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:29
    Re: #128
    For me it's basically Onyanko Club vs. everything else
    Onyanko Club is genuinely on a different level
    138AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:32
    Re: #131
    Guess everyone's got their own thing

    For me personally, "Obus" was the shocker

    That's when I finally got what "so uncool it's cool" means
    139AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:32
    Re: #131
    Mannaka Mokkori Wednesday (a nonsensical meme-ish phrase, roughly "Bulging Middle Wednesday")
    137AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:31
    You guys aren't getting it
    The real irony here is that a "music critic" couldn't come up with anything beyond "creepy" without ever touching on the actual musicality

    In other words, there was nothing musically worth evaluating in the first place
    142AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:33
    Re: #137
    Sounds like they just lacked the ability to evaluate anything
    Just some idiot calling themselves a critic.
    143AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:33
    Re: #137
    We don't even know if this "critic" is a credible person in the first place, so hard to say
    151AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:42
    Honestly, a chunk of this thread's own conversation might be AI too
    153AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:45
    Re: #151
    🤖YOU.HAVE.SEEN.THROUGH.ME.WELL (written in katakana to sound like a robot talking)
    193AnonymousSep 11, 2026 03:12
    Re: #151
    Good catch

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Mrs. GREEN APPLE is a major band with a large, loyal fanbase, but it’s also a group whose vocalist’s high register and androgynous look have repeatedly sparked love-it-or-hate-it debates on social media. The “music critic” post that kicked off this thread couldn’t be traced to any account or original post no matter how thread members searched, and with “not even a trace of it going viral,” posters questioned whether the critic existed at all. There’s a familiar pattern online of posts inventing a fake expert title to make inflammatory comments, which then spread via aggregator sites — and once again, an AI-generated image was suspected here. What’s easy for readers to miss is that the core premise — “a critic trashed Mrs. GREEN APPLE” — was never actually confirmed, even at the 5ch stage; by the second half of the thread, the debate had moved past whether the remark was real and split off into its own separate argument over the songs themselves and opinions on the vocalist’s distinctive style.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Sad News] Music Critic: “Mrs. GREEN APPLE Is Creepy” ← Massive Backlash.”

  • Comedian Nishikawa Norio Claims Masuzoe Rakes In ¥1.2 Million an Hour — Co-Host Skeptical of the High Fee

    Veteran manzai comedian Nishikawa Norio (75) revealed on an ABC Radio program aired on the 10th that, according to what he heard from a promoter, former Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe “gets paid 1.2 million yen for a single hour” in speaking fees. Masuda, who was interviewing him, questioned the claim’s accuracy, saying “Isn’t that just a rumor?” — but Norio stood by it, insisting, “I heard it from a promoter.” On 5ch, opinion split over whether the figure was a TV appearance fee or a lecture fee, and the discussion also spread to why cultural pundits like Miyazaki Tetsuya, once TV regulars, are rarely seen on television these days.

    Nishikawa Norio Names Names on High-Paid Pundits — Co-Star Skeptical: “I Heard It From a Promoter”

    Veteran manzai duo Nishikawa Norio and Kamigata Yoshio’s Nishikawa Norio (75) appeared on ABC Radio’s “Masuda Okada Masuda no Radio Hunter” (Thursdays at noon) on the 10th. The conversation turned to the pay of past cultural pundits, and he revealed who topped the list.

    On pundit pay, Norio revealed, “There’s (former Tokyo Governor) Yoichi Masuzoe, right? This is for real. He was pulling in 1.2 million yen an hour.” Masuda reacted with “Huh?!” and questioned its credibility, saying, “Isn’t that just a rumor?” Norio insisted, “It’s true, it’s true. I heard it from a promoter.”

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

    2AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:36
    Guess I'll watch Peace-kun, the world's most famous capybara from Omiya Zoo, on YouTube and crack open a beer
    4AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:39
    Hashige, don't work with old media even if they pay you (nickname for former Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto)
    5AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:41
    The 'pundit slot' rate is a flat 30,000 yen
    It's a completely different pay structure from what actual talent get
    They only use the people who won't settle for 30,000 yen

    To begin with, the media side has this above-it-all attitude of 'we're the ones letting you appear,'
    and assumes performers should be grateful enough to say 'please let me appear for free,'
    and come groveling to them

    That's just the custom — it's common sense in the industry
    18AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:48
    Re: #5
    So only the people who won't accept it end up appearing anyway — guess that makes it ¥1.7 million, huh
    52AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:11
    Re: #5
    These days there's hardly any real 'pundits' left
    Ex-politicians, athletes, scholars — they're all
    signed with talent agencies now and get paid properly
    Hayashi Osamu even ranks in the top 10 on talent earnings rankings
    71AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:39
    Re: #5
    What you're talking about is the TV fee. What Nishikawa Norio is talking about is the lecture fee
    7AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:43
    Yeah, you really don't see Miyazaki Tetsuya on TV anymore
    He shows up occasionally as a kind of host on Bunshun's YouTube channel though
    87AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:12
    Re: #7
    Saw him for the first time in a while on the memorial special for Miwa-san
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HP7C0lGacAADjm_.jpg
    92AnonymousSep 11, 2026 02:20
    Re: #87
    Now that you mention it, yeah, don't see him
    He faded from view right along with people like Ogiwara and Katsuma, who you used to see a lot during the DPJ government era
    9AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:43
    Masuzoe used to appear on Soko Made Itte Iinkai (a political panel debate show), didn't he
    12AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:46
    Bon! Ain't that right, Bon!? (echoing an old TV catchphrase)
    13AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:46
    Now that I think about it, don't see Miyazaki Tetsuya anymore
    Did he screw something up?
    21AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:50
    Re: #13
    He kept criticizing the Ministry of Finance, so the media didn't want him around anymore
    66AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:31
    Re: #13
    At one point people called him the heir apparent to Tahara Soichiro, and he even hosted Asa made Nama Terebi (a late-night political debate show), but he wasn't great at moderating
    Maybe it's coming back to bite him that he helped bring the DPJ to power
    20AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:50
    How much money does Gogosuma even cost to run
    35AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:57
    Re: #20
    The timing of Miyazaki disappearing and Kaneko-san starting as a commentator doesn't really overlap that much
    22AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:52
    I wonder how much the scholar-commentators on the various BS channels get paid. Koizumi, Tono, and Hyodo show up a ton for Ukraine coverage. For US topics, Meikai University's Kotani appears a lot too
    25AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:52
    I mean, it's fine if he gets that much
    At Yoichi Masuzoe's level, lecture fees of over a million yen are pretty much a given
    32AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:55
    Re: #25
    Now that you put it that way, yeah, that's true
    Lecture fees, that's just a normal single booking rate
    Not Masuzoe specifically — just an ordinary lecture fee
    33AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:56
    There's a debate show with Takemura Ken'ichi, Ishihara Shintaro, Sakaiya Taichi, and Watanabe Shoichi up on YouTube, go watch it
    It's from the 80s but it nails what Japan is like today spot on
    Norio was probably still watching Obake no Q-Taro back then lol
    34AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:57
    Miyazaki Tetsuya has really disappeared from TV
    A while back I thought 'haven't seen him lately' and looked it up — turns out he'd left shows like Seigi no Mikata and Soko Made Itte Iinkai
    36AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:57
    Even Horiemon charges at least 2 million yen minimum
    He's openly joked about it himself, like 'you think I'd work for a few tens of thousands? lol'
    37AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:58
    This is a lecture fee, right?
    Not TV
    42AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:05
    Re: #37
    Probably
    And even if it were TV, Tokyo rates and Kansai rates are different anyway
    38AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:01
    The ups and downs of money — he really loves money huh lol
    Kind of like Bando Eiji
    40AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:03
    I bought a book this guy wrote, something like 'How to Save Your First Million Yen Fast'
    When I read it, it was just page after page about how to pinch pennies
    On the last page it said 'If you're the type who falls for a book title like this, you'll never save money' — I nearly fell over
    45AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:06
    Re: #40
    Read it too lol threw it out right away lol
    76AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:52
    Is Tetsu-chan not on that TV Tokyo Kanjani show anymore?
    Or the Kantele news program?
    I barely watch TV these days so I have no idea
    79AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:58
    Re: #76
    He was definitely still on the TV Tokyo one a few months ago
    No idea about the Kansai show
    77AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:53
    Norio used to bluntly call out even Takeshi
    Stuff like 'Whether it's Takeshi or Chinsuke,
    they both ditched their partners and went solo —
    what heartless guys.' I think this was right after Hyokinzoku ended
    80AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:59
    Re: #77
    But Norio himself had half-abandoned his own partner too
    though maybe because he sensed he'd be useless in Tokyo once Hyokinzoku ended, he kept manzai as an escape route

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    TV commentator fees are generally said to be low, and the claim in the thread that “the pundit-slot rate is a flat 30,000 yen” is a figure that often gets cited as the going rate. Lecture fees for politicians and celebrities, on the other hand, are a completely different matter — for someone at the level of a former governor, fees of over a million yen per appearance are said to be far from unusual within the industry. The reason opinion in the thread split over whether Nishikawa Norio was talking about a TV appearance fee or a lecture fee comes down to this difference between the two separate pay structures. It’s also worth noting that Norio’s own claim is only secondhand — something he says he “heard from a promoter” — and the figure hasn’t actually been confirmed by either him or Masuzoe’s camp. The conversation also branched into why pundits who used to be TV regulars, like Miyazaki Tetsuya, have largely disappeared from television — but the proposed reasons (such as the theory that criticizing the Ministry of Finance was the cause) remain speculation, not established fact.

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Nishikawa Norio Names Names on High-Paid Pundits — Co-Star Skeptical: “I Heard It From a Promoter”.”

  • Kamaitachi’s Yamauchi Kenji confesses his Mos Burger love: “I probably eat more than anyone else in Japan” — 5ch reacts: “Don’t believe him”

    It was reported that Kenji Yamauchi of the comedy duo Kamaitachi appeared in the “Mos Burger Comedians” segment of TV Asahi’s “Aメトーーク! 2-Hour Special,” aired September 6, where he boldly declared, “I really love it — I’m probably eating more Mos Burger than anyone else in Japan right now.” On the 5ch Entertainment/Sports News+ board, this remark sparked a sprawling discussion covering changes in Mos Burger’s taste, comparisons with rival chains, and skepticism toward Yamauchi’s “number one in Japan” claim.

    Kenji Yamauchi reveals the restaurant chain he’s “really into” — boldly claims “I eat there more than anyone in Japan”

    Kenji Yamauchi (45), of the comedy duo Kamaitachi, appeared on TV Asahi’s “Aメトーーク! 2-Hour Special” (airing 10:00 PM) on the 6th. There was a segment where he passionately talked about his favorite restaurant chain.

    That day’s theme was “Mos Burger Comedians.” Yamauchi declared, “I really love it — I think I’m probably eating more of it than anyone else in Japan right now.”

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

    4AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:27
    Not that tasty for the price, honestly
    8AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:30
    Re: #4
    Yeah, true.
    I think so too
    7AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:29
    Lately there are burger joints popping up that look like Lotteria knockoffs — this industry's getting kind of chaotic
    20AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:36
    Re: #7
    You mean Zetteria? (the Lotteria-lookalike chain)
    27AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:38
    Re: #7
    That place used to literally be a Lotteria, baldy
    9AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:30
    Never once thought Mos's patty was actually good
    10AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:31
    The old Tobikiri Cheese burger used to be great
    The current one's no good
    11AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:32
    Stopped going once the chicken started coming from China
    12AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:32
    Do something about the meat sauce spilling everywhere!
    13AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:32
    I've only ever eaten Mos, and only the teriyaki burger, since day one
    14AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:33
    First off, if what you actually want is a hamburger,
    McDonald's isn't even in the running lol
    That's in the same category as yakisoba bread or those other prepared breads on a supermarket shelf
    So it really comes down to a choice between Mos and Burger King
    And from there it's just personal taste
    Burger King doesn't have things like teriyaki burgers or shrimp burgers
    If you want a meaty, beefy burger, go Burger King
    If you want a burger that's good for reasons besides the meat, or a more carefully made burger, go Mos
    41AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:50
    Re: #14
    Hmm
    https://www.burgerking.co.jp/images/event/app/detail/2026/08/06/a7f498eb-e436-4ba2-bb36-fc75ab2e0e85.jpg
    44AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:53
    Re: #41
    Only until tomorrow
    https://www.burgerking.co.jp/images/event/app/detail/2026/09/03/dbbf9804-3007-46ef-9609-22885583bce4.jpg
    15AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:34
    Flexing his wealth, huh?
    71AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:18
    Re: #38
    After being discharged from major neck surgery, Matsuko went to Burger King for the first time in a while and said, "I had the Cheese Ugly Burger (675 kcal on its own), and it was good, but once a month is probably enough"

    Re: #15
    Yamauchi's a high-end brand fanatic who collects luxury vintage clothing, expensive watches, and rare premium sneakers, so that tracks
    16AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:34
    I started going to Mos after McDonald's raised its prices
    21AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:36
    Re: #16
    Did the prices end up about the same?
    Has Mos gone up too?
    18AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:35
    It's mostly Burger King for me these days

    Zetteria — done with that one
    McDonald's — I only buy the fries
    Mos — no girlfriend right now, so no reason to go
    Dom Dom — turns out they rebuilt one in Osu, Nagoya! But the menu's tiny and kind of sad
    19AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:35
    Must be nice being rich enough to stay a fan. I can't afford to eat it that often anymore lol
    22AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:36
    Was shocked that almost every combo set is over 1000 yen now
    Does it get cheaper if you use coupons or something?
    23AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:36
    Re: #1
    He's decently good-looking, but he causes controversy sometimes and it's a bit of a letdown
    33AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:42
    I liked the Loin Katsu Burger and used to go sometimes, but stopped once the quality dropped
    62AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:13
    Re: #33
    Seriously, same
    It was insanely good when it first launched
    That was about 20 years ago — apparently back then they breaded the meat in-store and fried it fresh from the fridge
    Now it's totally frozen product, and even the meat smells a bit off
    34AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:44
    How many is he even eating a month?
    If he's really number one in Japan, he'd have to be putting away like 100 a month
    38AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:46
    Re: #34
    Don't believe him
    If he were really number one in Japan, he'd have to be bigger than Matsuko — something doesn't add up
    49AnonymousSep 11, 2026 00:56
    Re: #44
    Oh, they're doing that?
    Didn't know, since I never go on weekdays
    53AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:07
    Re: #49
    Come shake my hand at the Aomono-Yokocho location!
    https://www.burgerking.co.jp/images/event/app/list/2026/06/18/e8a42c14-95de-43a5-8109-7280284db335.jpg
    54AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:08
    It's slow enough to come out that you'd almost lose your temper
    61AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:12
    Re: #54
    It's a drive-thru, but my local Mos still tells you to pull into a parking spot and wait
    59AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:11
    I'm team Mos hot dog
    66AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:15
    Re: #59
    You could come over to this side too, you know, boy?
    https://www.mos.jp/img/menu/110001/110001_4.jpg
    https://www.burgerking.co.jp/images/event/app/detail/2026/07/03/afa10968-3d1b-46d0-bc68-0e77c36c8deb.jpg
    63AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:13
    Latest Mos Burger menu board
    76AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:20
    The brutal irony: just two days after gushing endlessly about his love for Mos on this show, Seki from Time Machine 3-Go went on YouTube, said "Mos hadn't started their seasonal menu yet," and happily did a taste-comparison of every burger chain's tsukimi (moon-viewing) burger — except Mos's
    81AnonymousSep 11, 2026 01:26
    Re: #76
    That's about as shady as when Yoshimoto comedians all suddenly started gushing about their love for Gyoza no Ohsho right in the middle of Osaka Ohsho's collab with Yoshimoto (two separate, rival gyoza chains with confusingly similar names)
    Aメトーーク is probably just a paid Mos promo anyway

    Background and talking points

    Mos Burger operates a high proportion of directly-run stores and cooks each order fresh after it’s placed, which means service takes longer than at other major chains, while its prices also tend to run a bit higher. The “the taste has changed” sentiment that several posters raised in the thread is a perennial online talking point that tends to resurface whenever ingredient sourcing or menus are revised — this time it centered on nostalgic comments about the Loin Katsu Burger and other signature items. Price and menu comparisons with rival chains like Burger King and the Lotteria family are also a recurring topic, reflecting how, amid ongoing industry consolidation, each chain’s positioning tends to draw discussion. It’s also worth noting that the “I eat the most in Japan” claim has no backing beyond Yamauchi’s own words, and the thread’s skeptical reactions are a reminder to separate reporting from primary sources rather than taking it at face value.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou Supo Sokuhou+) thread “[Entertainment] Kamaitachi’s Yamauchi reveals the restaurant chain he’s “really into” — boldly claims “I eat there more than anyone in Japan”.”

  • Non to Reunite With Ai Hashimoto After 13 Years — 5ch: “Glad the Vibe Seems Good”

    It was announced on September 10 that actress Non (33) will be joined by special guest Ai Hashimoto (30) at the Kuji, Iwate Prefecture stop of her anniversary tour this October. The two previously played Aki and Yui in NHK’s 2013 morning drama “Amachan,” and will perform a song from the show together for the first time in 13 years. The 5ch Entertainment/Sports News+ thread was full of congratulatory comments, though some posts veered off into the backstory behind the reunion and past reports involving the pair.

    Non to sing with Ai Hashimoto for the first time in 13 years — reunited from “Amachan” — Non extends offer for October’s Iwate/Kuji concert: “Grateful that Ai-chan agreed”

    It was announced on the 10th that Ai Hashimoto (30) will appear as a special guest at the Kuji stop of actress Non’s (33) anniversary concert tour, “Non Jiyu (10) Tour 2026.”

    At the concert in Kuji, Iwate — the setting of NHK’s 2013 morning drama “Amachan” — the two will sing together for the first time in 13 years.

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

    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:13
    Guess it's fine if it's two women, huh
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:13
    Re: #4
    Nah, we're not really in that kind of era anymore, so who knows
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:13
    A senior who's been blacklisted from showbiz for years bonding with a junior who's about to get blacklisted too
    140AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:49
    Re: #5
    But the agency involved in that has weakened and just got shot down this time, so I think it's the sexual-harassment/power-harassment old guy who's gonna be the one to disappear
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:13
    Haaaah (massive sigh) gotta hold it in, hold it in
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:15
    Re: #6
    Pretty sure it's THIS side that's been holding back!
    93AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:35
    Re: #6
    lol
    Bet he's genuinely bitter about it
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:14
    The "don't want to be touched by anyone who's not hot" syndrome
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:15
    If she actually made the offer after all that controversy, that's pretty bold
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:16
    Wonder what happens if Non brings it up out of nowhere
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:17
    Women's magazines wrote them up as fierce rival classmates, but
    glad the vibe between them seems good
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:19
    Best underbite since the Iwana (a char-like fish known for its hooked jaw)
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:23
    Re: #25
    That underbite screams Takitarou, as always lol (Takitarou = the famous salmon mascot with the huge jutting jaw)
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:20
    Two high-maintenance women together
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:26
    Here
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:32
    Re: #58
    Can't believe something like that actually sold lol
    Amachan's popularity is still a mystery to me lol
    95AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:36
    If she does the "Shiosai no Memories!" pose (the catchphrase from the show's fictional idol song), I'll definitely tear up with joy
    99AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:37
    Re: #95
    If Babaa (the grandma character) turned out to be the surprise guest,
    I might ascend to heaven on the spot
    103AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:38
    Let's get Jiro-san out here as a surprise!
    130AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:45
    Re: #103
    Would be great if they brought on Ai Hashimoto and Jiro Sato as guests on "Happy Kanako's Killer Life," playing the client and the target.
    106AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:38
    ■Kumamoto native Ai Hashimoto donates relief funds and supplies to hometown
    "It's truly a small effort, but…" — Yosuke Kubozuka and others also send encouragement
    8/28 (Fri) 21:09

    The official Instagram for the "Kumamoto Recovery Film Festival," to be held October 9–11 in Kumamoto Prefecture, was updated on the 28th to reveal that actress Ai Hashimoto (30), a Kumamoto native, had sent relief supplies and donations.
    Actors Tadanobu Asano (52) and Yosuke Kubozuka (47), among others, also sent messages of encouragement.

    Hashimoto, worried about the severe heat hitting the prefecture, said:
    "I know it's truly a small gesture, but based on information from people who know the situation on the ground,
    I sent as many supplies as I could — drinks and food, sanitary items like menstrual products and diapers,
    clothing and heatstroke-prevention gear, inflatable mattresses, and more."

    "I also donated relief funds to each of the affected cities.
    It's truly a small effort, but I hope it can help even a little in bringing back
    everyone's daily life and peace of mind."
    https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/img/202608280001576-w1300_1.jpg

    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0993780ed536df28c33a30f6f035ba198a6595b3
    114AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:40
    Actress Non (33)
    117AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:41
    Re: #114
    Looks like some kind of yokai that pops out in a dirt-floor entryway
    137AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:47
    Can't help but wonder if she's doing stuff like this because her work dried up
    148AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:50
    Re: #137
    Ai Hashimoto's also appeared in Non-led films like "Hold Me Back" and "A Hotel Worthy of Me," so I figure they've stayed on good terms after all

    Background and Talking Points

    “Amachan” was NHK’s first-half morning drama (asadora) for 2013, and it became a hit thanks to the banter between Non’s character Aki and Ai Hashimoto’s character Yui, along with the show’s fictional idol group “GMT47.” With Hashimoto invited to perform at a concert in Kuji, Iwate Prefecture — the real-life model for the show’s fictional town of Kitasanriku — the two are now reuniting to sing together 13 years after the broadcast. Comments on the thread were largely welcoming of the announcement, though the discussion occasionally drifted into unverified rumors about the co-stars and those involved, political labeling, and remarks bordering on appearance-based insults. This article does not include such unverified claims or posts amounting to personal attacks.

    *This article was compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Actress Non to Sing With Ai Hashimoto for First Time in 13 Years! Reunited From “Amachan” — Non Offers Iwate Concert Slot, “Grateful Ai-chan Agreed”.”

  • King of Cont 2026: Ten Finalists Set — Nanamagari Return After a Decade, Dow 90000 Field a Record Eight-Person Lineup

    The ten finalist acts for TBS’s “King of Cont 2026” (airing October 17) were announced at a press conference on September 4. Nanamagari made the final for the first time in 10 years, while Dow 90000 will compete with a lineup of eight — the largest in the competition’s history. On 5ch’s Geinou Sports Express+ board, posters traded takes on Dow 90000, with some arguing they’re “more of a theater troupe than a sketch act” and others chalking their inclusion up to buzz value, alongside assessments of finals regulars like Nippon no Shacho and Kaeru-tei and comparisons with the Double Impact champions, as predictions and personal favorites flew back and forth over the finalist lineup.

    The finalist press conference for “Kyujin Box presents King of Cont 2026” (TBS, airing October 17) was held in Tokyo on September 4.

    It was announced that ten acts in total will advance to the finals: Yahhoi (Nagai / Izumi), Aishou wa Iiyone (Evi Land / Yadayamukun), Jeradon (Attack Nishimoto / Kamichii), Dow 90000 (Sho Hasumi / Shota Sonoda / Ryoya Iihara / Yuta Uehara / Tamaki Michigami / Momoyoko Nakajima / Ayaka Kutsuna / Reina Yoshihara), Yadan (Long Size Ito / Honma Kid / Toru Nakajima), The Mummy (Yohei Hayashida / Takashi Sakai), Nanamagari (Naoto Morishita / Yuta Hase), Ganso Ichigo-chan (Yuji Uemura / Hyper Perochan), Kaeru-tei (Shuhei Nakano / Iwakura), and Nippon no Shacho (Classic Tsuji / Ketsu).

    ◆ Kaeru-tei’s Iwakura, on making the final for the first time in three years: “I just exploded [with emotion]”

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

    2AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:25
    I know Hasumi gets a lot of hate, but I think he's putting in the work.
    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:26
    Nanamagari isn't even funny, yet somehow they're always in the final. Mystery act.
    8AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:29
    Re: #3
    Nanamagari's material just isn't TV-friendly lol
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:40
    Re: #3
    It's specifically King of Cont that's been 10 years for them
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:26
    They should bring back King of Comedy too while they're at it (a separate, now-defunct comedy contest)
    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:27
    First time in a major award-race final for Dow, I think?
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:29
    Haven't seen much of Dow's material, but Hasumi's funny
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:31
    Dow's more of a theater troupe than a sketch act, honestly
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:32
    Re: #11
    How are they different?
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:37
    Re: #11
    Hurry up and explain how they're different then
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:33
    Re: #8
    People who eat this stuff up on shows like "Enta no Kamisama" (a mainstream comedy variety show) definitely won't get it at all
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:40
    Re: #19
    I don't even like Enta no Kamisama, but I still hate Nanamagari.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:33
    Hyper Perochan's basically filling the "Ranjatai's Kunizaki" slot (the wildcard chaos-agent role)
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:35
    Kaeru-tei's about the only one that looks worth watching
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:35
    Dow, Choshinjuku, Jovijoba —
    anyone who calls this bunch funny has bottom-tier comedy taste
    24AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:36
    Re: #23
    "Comedy taste score" lol
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:40
    Re: #23
    I could kind of get it if it was just Dow 90000 and Jovijoba,
    but throwing Choshinjuku in there too makes it feel like "oh, it's just the big-group category" lol
    They're way too different in style
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:37
    Can't help but see it as: Nippon no Shacho isn't satisfied with just winning Double Impact,
    and still wants results in a heavier-weight award race
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    Re: #26
    Double Impact's got no leg to stand on then, huh
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:48
    Re: #28
    Magical Love Liars are in King of Cont too though
    61AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:53
    Re: #28
    Still, Double Impact is the comedy contest that makes the most sense to me —
    not because the same acts do both,
    but because the genuinely funny ones actually win it
    Takion were undeniably funny too
    and Kaeru-tei lost because they were undeniably not funny
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:37
    Don't need Dow —
    just have Nakajima-san and Hasumi do manzai
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    I've only seen them individually on Zao (a comedy battle show), so Dow's the one I'm interested in
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:40
    Re: #29
    They're in the ABC finals too though (the ABC Grand Prix, another comedy contest)
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    Dow 9000's probably the favorite. And if Nakano goes off and doesn't lose to Iwakura, then Kaeru-tei.

    Nanamagari can't win unless they break out of the parallel-world bit, and I'm getting tired of Mummy's panicking-Sakai routine too.

    Though I do want to keep rooting for Yadan, who never seem to break through.
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:40
    Guess Magical Love Liars didn't make it, even though they went with a radio-recording bit
    Who knew that among the big-group acts, Dow-90-thousand would get ahead of Plan 9
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:44
    If Dow's allowed in, then any theater troupe could get in
    Can you even call that a sketch act?
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:49
    Re: #42
    There are plenty of acts out there who just haven't gotten results, same as Dow 90000
    Loveletters' Tamariguchi is a former theater actor too
    What makes Dow 90000 good at this is probably the whole "this feels different from anything before" image-building that comes with how they're marketed
    57AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:50
    Re: #42
    There's no clear line there
    Tons of comedians came up through theater troupes
    55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:50
    Wait, Dow? Seriously? I thought they were like the poster child for "not funny"
    64AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:55
    Re: #55
    Don't worry
    They're still just as unfunny as ever
    This is clearly the buzz-value slot
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:52
    Re: #51
    It's been a while since Magical Love Liars won M-1,
    so I feel like the real reason is just "kinda want to feel that award-race atmosphere again," you know?
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:55
    Re: #59
    They've kept popping up here and there even after winning though
    65AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:56
    Re: #61
    Double Impact does feel like the kind of thing where the not-that-funny guy wins though
    Safe, I guess…
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:04
    Re: #65
    It ends up looking like a "jack of all trades" competition
    84AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:05
    Re: #65
    It's like a restaurant that serves both Japanese soba and Chinese food — neither one's any good. That, lol

    Background and key points of this discussion

    King of Cont is a long-running TBS sketch comedy competition dating back to 2008, ranked alongside the M-1 Grand Prix as one of the major comedy award races in Japan. The thread’s disagreement centered mainly on how to categorize Dow 90000: some argued that their eight-person lineup and heavily narrative-driven style makes them “more of a theater troupe than a sketch act,” while others held that their inclusion reflects buzz value and marketing savvy rather than competition results. Meanwhile, opinions on Nanamagari split between “not TV-friendly” critiques and fans defending them precisely because they don’t want the act to break out. One point worth flagging: the “funny/not funny” verdicts in the thread are just individual 5ch posters’ opinions — they don’t represent judging results or broader public opinion. The final airs October 17, and the actual rankings will be decided by the performances on the day.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou Sports Express+) thread “[Entertainment] “King of Cont” Ten Finalists Announced: Nanamagari Back After 10 Years, Dow 90000 Field Largest-Ever Lineup.”

  • Kazlaser Trashes Highly-Rated Soba Shop: “Mushy… Better Off Not Eating It”

    Kazlaser (42), one half of the comedy duo Maple Chogokin, shared on his YouTube channel an episode about visiting a soba shop with glowing online reviews. The soba that came out was only about toothpick-length, cut into ragged bits and piled into a heap, with a texture so mushy he couldn’t even make out the aroma — in the end he had to scoop it up with a spoon. Following this scathing review, 5ch users debated the reliability of online reviews and which chain restaurants actually serve decent soba.

    9/10 (Thu) 19:45

    Kazlaser (42), of the comedy duo Maple Chogokin, appeared in an episode of the YouTube channel “Kazlaser and Shoinji’s Chill Room [Official],” updated by the 10th, where he described being let down at a restaurant that had rave online reviews.

    Kazlaser said he visited a soba shop with high ratings online. The place had the look of a long-established, storied restaurant, and he’d gone in with high hopes — but, he said with a wry laugh, “Every single piece of soba that came out was only about as long as a toothpick. It was cut into ragged little bits, piled up in a heap. It was so mushy I couldn’t even tell what it smelled like, and since I couldn’t pick it up, I ended up just scooping it with a spoon.”

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

    6AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    I've had this happen too — ate at a ramen place with huge lines and rave reviews, and the flavor was shockingly bland.
    I figured they must've forgotten to add the seasoning and planned to go back and check… but the place went under before I could.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    Unrelated, but tell us the name of a soba shop you've been to recently.
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    Wonder which shop it was.
    Any of you have a guess?
    10AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    I think he should just stick to talking about the Self-Defense Forces.
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Is this popular with inbound foreign tourists?
    I hear they can't slurp noodles, so maybe that's why the soba's cut short.
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Given how it looked, maybe he got served the version made for foreigners who don't slurp their noodles?
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    If it's toothpick-length, that means:
    the flour is old
    it's been sitting a while since it was made
    the water mixing (a key step in working the dough) was botched
    it was overboiled
    it got rinsed too roughly

    Basically every sin a soba shop could possibly commit, all in one bowl.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    A place using machines beats a badly hand-made indie shop any day.
    After that it all comes down to the owner's eye for ingredients and the dipping sauce.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:28
    He's clearly been on edge ever since he married actress Fumi Nikaido, lol.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    Re: #17
    Probably not getting to eat as much meat as he wants.
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:34
    Re: #17
    He complains about something every single day.
    Maybe he's just frustrated.
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:28
    Celebrities' talk-show stories are always complaints about restaurants or taxis.
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    Basically, be suspicious of anything rated 4.5 or higher.
    3.5–4.2 is the safe zone.
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:09
    Re: #19
    Not a restaurant, but check out this motorcycle shop — it's sitting at 4.9, which is nuts.
    Apparently you get a discount for leaving a good review.
    The comments are blatant about it too, it's bad.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:32
    Fuji Soba, Yudetaro, and Hakone Soba (popular standing-soba chains) are all reliable.
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:37
    Read the comments from people who left 1-star reviews and you'll get a pretty good sense of what the place is really like. Ignore the 5-stars — those can be bought. Some places even hire people through gig-work apps just to leave 5-star reviews.
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:40
    Does genuinely good soba even exist? I went to one of those trendy soba shops in Matsumoto, and honestly couldn't tell the difference from boiling dried ni-hachi soba (80% buckwheat, 20% wheat noodles) at home. If anything, the dried stuff was better. If you actually know a good soba shop, let me know.
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    Re: #29
    The stand-and-eat counter "Kasai" in front of Nakano Station.
    The owner has a bad reputation for customer service, but the food's good.
    Lots of repeat customers.
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:42
    Just reading this makes it sound like they did it on purpose — what a terrible shop.
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:43
    Maybe they just didn't like Kazu?
    Well, even if they didn't like him, a shop that tanks its own quality out of spite has no pride and is trash. (^_^;)
    Though places like Gyoza no Ohsho (a chain) really can vary wildly depending on which cook is on duty.
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:45
    Not sure if he's stressed out or what, but lately it's been nothing but complaints and nitpicking from him.
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:45
    Has Kazu's personality changed? He never used to be the type to say stuff like this.
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    But hey, his wife Fumi Nikaido must have fallen for him including this side of him, right?
    39AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    Isn't Kazu supposed to be able to judge quality? The guy's nicknamed "Hyakushiki" (walking encyclopedia) for his trivia knowledge, after all.
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    He used to have such a positive-talk image — what happened to Kazu?
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    A lot of city shops with long lines really aren't all that great.
    The udon place in Umeda I went to today charged ¥1,450, but I'm sure Marugame Seimen or Sukesan Udon (popular udon chains) taste better.
    79AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    Re: #42
    Udon's such a simple food, it can't be that different no matter where you eat it.
    44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:47
    This guy only ever complains or badmouths stuff.
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:48
    Any line in Tokyo — if there's a low-tier college ("F-rank" university) nearby, you'll get a line of college girls no matter what the place is.
    47AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:48
    I like Donbei tempura soba (the instant cup noodles) better than what actual shops serve.
    https://video.fc2.com/ja/content/20220228U77Wdv4z
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:48
    The ownership probably changed hands, started prioritizing profit, and stopped putting effort into making the soba properly.
    And then started using fake reviewers (sakura) to boost the ratings.
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:50
    Former Takeo mayor Keisuke Hiwatashi — the guy behind that Starbucks-in-a-library project — his café is rated 4.9 lol
    53AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:53
    Other countries don't have a noodle-slurping culture, so even instant cup noodles overseas come cut into short pieces, right?
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:53
    Toothpick-length noodles — at that point it's basically sobagaki (buckwheat dumplings, not even shaped like noodles).
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:04
    Chain restaurant soba that's surprisingly good:

    Tendon Tenya
    Nakau
    Komoro Soba
    76AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:05
    Re: #72
    What about Ogisoseifun?
    Their operations are a mess
    Not tasty
    The only good part was the free sobayu (the soba-boiling water you drink at the end).
    77AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    As someone from western Japan, I've never really gotten this whole "soba aroma" thing.
    I assume it means something like the smell of soba tea, but if so I'd just drink soba tea instead — and you season sobayu with the dipping sauce before drinking it anyway, right?
    I don't get it, I'll just have zaru udon.
    85AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:10
    Re: #77
    The noodles themselves don't need to smell like anything.
    What matters is the texture and the flavor of the dipping sauce.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Online reviews typically run on a 5-star system, but in recent years there have been reports of businesses nudging ratings upward — offering discounts for good reviews, or having part-time staff post favorable ones — which has made many consumers wary of shops rated 4.5 stars or higher. The “soba cut to toothpick length” described in the thread points to specific failures in the cooking process itself — stale flour, poor dough-mixing technique, improper boiling — and is hard to write off as mere personal taste. On the other hand, the theory floated in the thread that the noodles were cut short to suit inbound tourists who supposedly can’t slurp noodles is pure speculation from commenters, with no confirmation from the shop itself. This article also leaves out baseless comments tying the story to Kazlaser’s married life, and is instead framed around the broader discussion of online restaurant review reliability.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Kazlaser Visits Highly-Rated Soba Shop… Ends Up Trashing It: “Mushy… Seriously Unbelievable. Better Off Not Eating It.”“

  • Matsuya Onoe Becomes the New Kosuke Kindaichi — 5ch Reacts: ‘Go Rewatch the Ishizaka Version 1000 Times’

    A Japan premiere was held on September 10 for the new film adaptation of Seishi Yokomizo’s masterpiece ‘The Village of Eight Gravestones’ (in theaters September 18), where it was reported that Matsuya Onoe, who plays detective Kosuke Kindaichi, said, “I made a point of not watching how past acclaimed actors portrayed Kindaichi.” Kindaichi has previously been played by a string of veteran actors including Chiezo Kataoka, Kiyoshi Atsumi, Koji Ishizaka, and Ikko Furuya, and on 5ch this remark sparked a wide range of comments, from comparisons with past Kindaichis to unease over the story being set in the present-day Reiwa era — a setting not found in the original novel.

    9/10 (Thu) 20:26

    A Japan premiere was held on September 10 — just eight days before its September 18 release — for the new film adaptation of ‘The Village of Eight Gravestones,’ based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Seishi Yokomizo, a titan of Japanese mystery fiction. In attendance were Matsuya Onoe, Tomoya Oku, Mayu Hotta, Riko Nagase, and director Takashi Shimizu.

    (omitted)

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

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Re: #1
    Isn't the guy on the right the Nippon-Ham Fighters manager?
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Thinking about it, isn't Kindaichi a role pretty much anyone could play?
    84AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:54
    Re: #4
    You've gotta really commit to the 'Shimattaa!' ('Oh no!') moments.
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Remakes like this are never any good — they should've just stuck to a period piece.
    67AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:26
    Re: #7
    The original Kindaichi was Chiezo Kataoka — and the remake versions with Koji Ishizaka and Ikko Furuya were great too.
    13AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    The Kindaichi that Yokomizo himself reportedly thought was closest to his image was the Kiyoshi Atsumi version.
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:21
    Kiyoshi Atsumi barely did anything with the role lol
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:28
    Re: #14
    Oh really? lol
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Watched the trailer — Takito would've fit the Kindaichi image better.
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    He's playing a detective in another drama, so maybe they wanted to avoid overlap — but honestly I kind of wish they'd cast Takito as Kindaichi this time instead.
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    When are they finally going to make it an adventure story centered on Tatsuya and Satoko? Kindaichi's really just a side character in 'The Village of Eight Gravestones.'
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:28
    Re: #17
    The NHK version satisfied me on that front. Don't think they can top it.
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Maybe it's the hairstyle, but he looks like Oniyasha from 'The Kindaichi Case Files' (an unrelated manga/anime about Kindaichi's grandson).
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Make him the short, unimpressive-looking Kindaichi like in the original novel.
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Re: #1
    >Matsuya Onoe

    Not a fan of this guy (just my personal take)
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Takito as Yamazaki looks promising though.
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    If they made it an adventure story, they'd have to properly depict the caves, and that costs money.
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Re: #22
    Japan doesn't really have any huge caves anyway.
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:26
    Wasn't there a Kindaichi without the dandruff? Tora-san, maybe?
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    Personally, my image of Kindaichi is Ikko Furuya.
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    As a kid I lived for a while in my father's hometown, Yatsuka Village in Maniwa District, Okayama Prefecture. So 'The Village of Eight Gravestones' has a bit of special meaning to me.
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    Lol, what a shallow thing to say. Go rewatch the Ishizaka version a thousand times.
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    Honestly his face looks more like Sukekiyo (a famously bizarre-looking character from the story).
    81AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:49
    Re: #31
    That'd actually be a perfect fit lol
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    "Made a point of not watching them" — that's basically an actor admitting he's never bothered to watch the acknowledged classics, the masterpieces. Is there a painter out there who's never seen a Van Gogh or a Picasso?
    34AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:31
    Setting it in the Reiwa era is a joke, right?
    37AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:33
    Re: #34
    I think that's better than clumsily setting it in the Showa era.
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:46
    Re: #37
    Going by the original novel, Tatsuya is 27. If the story is set in 2026 and his age carries over to the new film, that means Yozo's 32-person massacre would have happened around the year 2000. Even for a remote mountain village, that's just not believable.
    54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:52
    Re: #37
    It's probably just a budget thing. Changing the era obviously creates contradictions — at that point, just make it an original story instead.
    42AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:36
    Honestly, as a mystery, 'Gokumon Island' is a cut above the rest — the other stories aren't quite on that level.
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:39
    He shouldn't fall into the trap Yuji Oda did, basically ripping off Poirot — but he should study the other great actors before putting his own spin on it.
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:41
    Re: #46
    Mansai Nomura's Japanese take on 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' was surprisingly good, honestly.
    77AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:44
    I've been binge-reading Seishi Yokomizo for the past few months, but since Kindaichi = Furuya is so ingrained in my head, I can't help picturing him no matter what.
    86AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:56
    Re: #77
    I guess everyone's image depends on what generation they were born into. These days you can watch the old stuff online, but back then, unless there was a rerun, only people who caught it live even knew it existed. For what it's worth, I watched the Furuya version live too, so that's my image of him (also, the immediate postwar Showa scenery in the novel didn't feel like a set back then — it was still basically the real thing).

    Background and Points of Debate on This Topic

    ‘The Village of Eight Gravestones’ is one of Seishi Yokomizo’s signature works, and the role of detective Kosuke Kindaichi has been passed down through a succession of celebrated actors over the decades — Chiezo Kataoka (1951), Kiyoshi Atsumi (1977 TV drama), Ken Hagiwara in the theatrical film released the same year as Atsumi’s version, the later Koji Ishizaka version (1977, directed by Kon Ichikawa), and Ikko Furuya, who played the role for years in the TV series. This time Matsuya Onoe takes on the role in a new interpretation set in the present-day Reiwa era, and the thread saw wide-ranging discussion — from whether it was appropriate for him to say he “made a point of not watching” earlier portrayals, to whether he looks the part, to nostalgic attachment to the Ishizaka and Furuya generations. There were also pointed observations about the setting itself: some noted that combining the original novel’s age for Tatsuya (27) with a Reiwa-era setting would place Yozo’s 32-person massacre around the year 2000 — meaning the debate wasn’t just about personal taste but extended to questions of internal consistency. Note that comments mocking the actor’s physical appearance or body type have been excluded from this article.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread ‘A New Kosuke Kindaichi Is Born! Matsuya Onoe on ‘The Village of Eight Gravestones’: “I Made a Point of Not Watching How Past Acclaimed Actors Portrayed Kindaichi”‘.

  • Kappa Sushi Issues Statement: ‘We Strictly Refuse’ Purchases Made to Resell Collab Merch

    On September 10, Kappa Sushi’s official website issued a statement regarding the original merchandise distributed through its collaboration campaigns, saying “we strictly refuse purchases made for the purpose of reselling.” The move reportedly comes in response to worries that the items would appear on flea-market apps and auction sites before distribution even begins. On the forum, posters lined up to argue that the chain should overhaul its own inventory management and employee training before lecturing customers, with many bringing up the past uproar over Kura Sushi’s “Chiikawa” merchandise, and skepticism about how effective the statement would actually be was widespread.

    Thu, Sep 10, 8:12 PM

    The official website of major conveyor-belt sushi chain “Kappa Sushi” was updated on the 10th with a statement titled “Notice and Request Regarding Our Collaboration Campaign.”

    The official site stated, “We run a variety of collaboration campaigns, some of which include distributing original merchandise. While many customers look forward to receiving these items, we have also received concerned feedback regarding listings and resales appearing before distribution begins.” It continued, “Because there is a risk of items purporting to be campaign merchandise being listed on flea-market apps, auction sites, and the like before the distribution start date, we would like to inform you of the following points in advance so that you can enjoy the campaign with peace of mind.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:11
    Didn't even get the Yo-kai Watch bonus item 😡
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    Give resellers a pointless electric shock
    5AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:12
    In America this kind of malicious behavior gets you 10 years, actual time served
    24AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Re: #5
    Japan too — theft and embezzlement can get up to 10 years
    48AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:38
    Re: #5
    Meanwhile in Japan it's like a few years with a suspended sentence
    7AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:13
    This is a move Kura Sushi could never pull off
    There's no Kappa Sushi near me so guess I'll go to Sushiro instead
    9AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:14
    There's something you should be doing before you go lecturing customers
    12AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:16
    Just quit doing collabs already
    Customers aren't coming because the sushi tastes terrible
    14AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:16
    Anyone who resells stuff or pilfers it to sell on Mercari gets sentenced to forced labor in the basement
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:17
    Resale buyers are great news for them if anything, lol
    They should be watching their own staff and part-timers instead
    16AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:18
    Is a statement like that really going to stop resellers?
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    That's exactly why even the Kura Sushi Chiikawa goods only resold for around 3000 yen worth of sushi money
    Before lecturing customers about reselling, stop your own employees from smuggling stock out first
    18AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Maybe the problem is having the actual merchandise sitting in the stores at all
    They should ship it straight from HQ or a partner factory instead
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:19
    Since they asked me to "refrain," I'll keep it modest (playing on the polite phrasing of the request)
    20AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    Nobody asked, but the other day
    they handed me a mini notebook with some creepy character art on it
    Went straight in the trash

    Kappa Sushi's lack of taste never ceases to amaze me
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:20
    Drop the collabs and compete on taste and price
    As it stands, your sushi is just the throwaway chips that come bundled with baseball trading cards (a snack where the cards are the real draw, not the chips)
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:21
    Can't this kind of resale just be blocked outright on flea-market/auction sites via copyright or trademark law?
    Treat acquiring or transferring the items outside the campaign itself as infringement
    Though whether the rights holder would actually go as far as suing is a separate question
    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:27
    Re: #22
    Copyright covers the right to make copies, so it doesn't extend to what you do with the original item afterward

    When resold as a used good, trademark rights are considered exhausted — though putting the brand name on a remade or upcycled version of it can still be legally blocked
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Honestly, resale that doesn't involve staff isn't that big a deal
    Reselling itself isn't the evil here — you're just blaming resellers to cover up the fact that your employee training is the real problem
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Pretty Cure, huh~
    Are they going after the resellers with this one?
    26AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:23
    Kappa, not Kura, this time
    Kappa hasn't had a staff-theft incident, so it's not like you can't buy one, right?
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    Any employee caught cheating gets sentenced to forced labor, same as the kappa in the basement
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:24
    If it's staff pocketing and smuggling stuff out, reselling isn't even the real issue
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:25
    If you're going to suspect anyone, start with your own people (staff, part-timers), not the customers
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:28
    If the staff down there are kappa, five cucumbers would take them out instantly (kappa folklore says they love cucumbers)
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:29
    If they really wanted to crack down, I guess they'd have to ban listing the product name (trademark law might stop that) and the photos, and block searches for it on flea-market sites
    Though that doesn't sound realistic
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:30
    Past conveyor-belt sushi controversies:

    Kura Sushi — Chiikawa merch embezzlement
    Hama Sushi — Detergent dumped everywhere
    Sushiro — Sushi-licking incident
    Kappa Sushi — Kappa forced into basement labor

    Which one's the worst?
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:33
    Re: #35
    Aren't Hama Sushi and Sushiro the victims in those cases though?
    36AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:31
    You can't lure people in with merch and then turn around and say that
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:33
    Reselling isn't even illegal to begin with, though
    68AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:06
    Oh, so it's a Pretty Cure collab. With reselling already a hot topic because of Kura Sushi, this could get messy.
    72AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:10
    Re: #68
    Unlike Chiikawa, isn't Pretty Cure only popular with kids?
    70AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:07
    Just putting out a feel-good statement to show "we're not like our competitors." Still no actual concrete prevention measures, though.
    74AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:14
    Re: #70
    – You can pick your own design
    – It's a voucher-exchange system, so if you're not interested, just don't redeem the voucher
    That kills the "I'm just selling stuff I didn't want" excuse
    75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:15
    Wish Mercari would suspend the account instead of just pulling the listing
    84AnonymousSep 10, 2026 22:33
    Re: #75
    Do you even understand how the system works right now?
    Getting an instant permanent ban over one offense would be brutal

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Conveyor-belt sushi chains have been through this before: Kura Sushi’s “Chiikawa” collab merchandise was listed on flea-market apps before distribution even began, raising suspicion that store employees were smuggling items out. Kappa Sushi’s statement this time appears aimed at heading off a similar situation, but it amounts to no more than a “request” and carries no legal force over buyers. Actually stopping listings on flea-market sites would require case-by-case action, such as asserting trademark infringement, and blanket enforcement by the platform operators is difficult in practice. On the forum, many argued that before warning customers about reselling, the chain should shore up its own inventory management and measures against employee misconduct — with skepticism focused less on whether reselling itself is right or wrong than on how effective the actual countermeasures are.

    ※This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “Kappa Sushi Issues Statement Over Collab Campaign: ‘We Strictly Refuse’ Purchases Made for Resale of Original Merchandise.”

  • =LOVE and Juice=Juice Both Drop Live Blu-ray/DVDs on October 14 — 5ch: “Yeah, Juice Doesn’t Stand a Chance”

    Hello! Project groups =LOVE and Juice=Juice are both releasing live video products (Blu-ray/DVD) on the same day, October 14, 2026. =LOVE’s release captures the finale of their 8th-anniversary tour (the Yokohama Stadium show), with bonus photo cards bundled across several editions, including a complete-production limited edition. On 5ch, the shared release date sparked an ongoing comparison of the two groups’ previous sales figures (=LOVE: 23,548 copies, Juice=Juice: 8,585 copies), whether individual two-shot photo sessions were offered as a bonus, and metrics like Spotify monthly listeners. Opinions split on whether a straight sales-count comparison is even fair.

    =LOVE 8th Anniversary Tour “=LOVE 8th ANNIVERSARY PREMIUM TOUR” FINAL in Yokohama Stadium — video release announced!

    Release date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026

    ■Complete Production Limited Edition [2-disc Blu-ray]

    Source: sp.equal-love.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:52
    Does =LOVE (nicknamed "Ikorabu") even throw in lottery tickets or anything?
    31AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:10
    Re: #3
    They're doing something like an autograph session too
    4AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:53
    Whoever wins gets Kōhaku, whoever loses gets stuck with a Hello! Project Con instead (Kōhaku = NHK's prestigious New Year's Eve music special)
    52AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:42
    Re: #4
    I'm not saying they need lottery-style sales tactics, but Juice should really do a disc bonus event too — this isn't exactly cheap merch
    11AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:18
    Apparently =LOVE moved 23,548 copies last time.
    It's been a year and they're only bigger now, so maybe around 30k this round?
    Juice will be lucky to crack 15k
    38AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:25
    Re: #11
    15k is a stretch.
    They'll probably just barely scrape into five digits, and =LOVE crushes them as expected
    15AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:21
    Can neither of these even be streamed right now?
    17AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:24
    Re: #15
    Juice's archive stream already ended back in June.
    No idea about =LOVE
    19AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:32
    =LOVE
    TYPE-A Complete Production Limited Edition — random 2 of 20 bonus photo cards included
    ■TYPE-B First-Press Limited Edition [Blu-ray] — random 1 of 10 bonus photo cards included
    ■TYPE-C First-Press Limited Edition [DVD] — random 1 of 10 bonus photo cards included

    yeah Juice doesn't stand a chance
    22AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:38
    Re: #19
    Yeah, this one's unwinnable
    23AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:39
    Re: #19
    lol so the other company pads out their disc sales too.
    Good on Juice=Juice for staying honest about it. I'm fine with them losing
    27AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:51
    Re: #19
    All you can do is laugh at this point lol
    21AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:35
    What is =LOVE's "individual two-shot photo session"?
    It's an event held as a purchase bonus for the live video release (DVD/Blu-ray)
    where you actually get a two-shot photo taken with a member.
    Members show up wearing outfits from things like "the live tour" or "an MV,"
    so you get up close with a member in gorgeous stage outfits you don't normally see that close.
    Photo rules: one session ticket gets you 2 shots taken at once. You hand your own smartphone to staff, who take the photo.
    You pick from a few staff-designated poses.
    How to join: during the lottery-purchase window on forTUNE music, you apply for a "product with two-shot session entry rights," and if you win the lottery you can purchase it
    28AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:59
    Re: #21
    Didn't realize =LOVE was still doing individual events even for the Blu-ray release.
    They're selling fine already, they could just drop it
    29AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:05
    Re: #21
    So there's fan-contact built into the Blu-ray too.
    No wonder there's no beating them
    25AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:48


    30AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:09
    Juice=Juice should just do the same thing
    32AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:15
    Re: #30
    They don't have time for that
    33AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:15
    Even with fan-contact thrown in, there was never going to be a real contest — Juice's EP sales are only around 50,000, while =LOVE moves 500,000
    35AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:18
    Re: #33
    Juice's EP individual-session tickets sold out in the first round, so the demand is clearly there — it's just being capped.
    If they took individual-session orders all the way up to 500k, they'd probably get there
    40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:29
    We're talking about an idol group that headlines National Stadium and Tokyo Dome — bonuses, events, none of that matters, it was never a fair fight to begin with
    41AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:30
    Re: #40
    They only hit 23k even with every bonus piled on, so without the perks and events it'd actually be a fair fight
    43AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:32
    Re: #40
    Even if only half the people who packed the Dome show bought the disc, that'd still be an easy win over the likes of Juice=Juice
    45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:36
    Latest BD/DVD sales comparison

    Juice=Juice: 8,585 copies
    =LOVE: 23,548 copies
    46AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:37
    Re: #45
    Come on, quit rubbing it in lol
    50AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #45
    Like I said, they're not even in the same league to begin with
    51AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:41
    Re: #45
    Wait, they run fan-contact events and only get that much?
    I thought "multi-buying" culture (fans buying stacks of copies for event tickets) was supposed to be =LOVE's whole thing
    49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:40
    Right now on Amazon, Juice's "UP TO 11" is #1 in the female idol Blu-ray category.
    Meanwhile in the stage/entertainment category, "Queen of" [=LOVE's release] is #1.
    Apparently "Queen of" is still selling over 100 copies a month
    59AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:47
    Re: #49
    Ha, we posted almost the same thing. QoH really is a long-seller.
    I'd love to know the cumulative total
    58AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:46
    It's impressive =LOVE's members don't burn out.
    They're supposedly selling great, yet it's an endless grind of fan-contact work, right?
    Is that really why they became idols?
    68AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:50
    Re: #58
    Guess that one landed with the =LOVE fanboys lol.
    Might as well head back to the =LOVE board — oh wait, does it even have one?
    99AnonymousSep 10, 2026 21:22
    Re: #58
    They don't do handshake events though.
    Just chat sessions and two-shot photo sessions.
    Not having physical contact makes a big mental difference
    62AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:48
    It's impressive Juice=Juice's members don't burn out either.
    They're supposedly selling great, yet every metric except YouTube keeps tanking, right?
    Is that really why they became idols?
    67AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:50
    Re: #62
    Easy now — =LOVE's basically a lock for Kōhaku, aren't they? No need to get so worked up
    69AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:51
    Major Japanese female idol groups
    Spotify monthly listeners

    1,393,952 =LOVE
    1,137,790 AKB48
    1,081,531 CUTIE STREET
    982,543 FRUIT ZIPPER
    720,601 Nogizaka46
    694,954 CANDY TUNE
    588,274 NiziU
    552,816 Momoiro Clover Z
    531,382 iLiFE!
    450,738 ME:I
    436,088 Phantom Theta
    417,655 Morning Musume。
    398,652 Chotokimeki♡Sendenbu
    333,514 ≠ME
    293,816 Juice=Juice
    71AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    Re: #69
    What about BEYOOOOONDS?
    73AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:53
    Re: #69
    ≠ME (nicknamed "Noimī") is Juice's real rival
    75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 20:54
    Re: #69
    There used to be an urban legend that low Spotify numbers meant you couldn't get on TV, but Juice=Juice's been on TV nonstop lately so I've stopped caring about that

    Background and key points of debate

    =LOVE and Juice=Juice both belong to the Hello! Project family, but they take different approaches to selling their video releases. =LOVE offers a two-shot photo session with members as a purchase bonus, which thread posters pointed to as one reason boosting disc sales. Juice=Juice, by contrast, has no such individual meet-and-greet bonus, and their previous release sold 8,585 copies — far behind =LOVE’s 23,548. The debate centered on whether it’s fair to read this sales gap simply as a “popularity gap,” given that one side’s numbers include bonus-driven demand. Posters also brought in metrics beyond disc sales, like Spotify monthly listeners, fueling a broader argument over which figures should actually be used to judge the two groups. Since sales formats and bonus content depend on each group’s own business strategy, a simple copies-sold comparison alone can be misleading.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “[October 14] Did you know =LOVE and Juice=Juice’s live DVD/Blu-ray are dropping the same day?“