Japan Reacts

Category: Idols

  • Morning Musume。’26 Set for Buzz Rhythm 02 — 5ch: “No Talk Segment, Ranked Below Tsubaki”

    It’s been announced that Morning Musume。’26 will appear on Nippon TV’s late-night music show “Buzz Rhythm 02” on September 25. As is now customary, the announcement carries its recurring disclaimer: “Miki Nonaka will not be appearing.” Thread posters were happy at the chance to see the new single “Lonely” performed, but once it became clear the appearance would be studio-performance only with no talk segment, comparisons to Tsubaki Factory and Juice=Juice’s past appearances on the show piled up, with many feeling Morning Musume was being treated as a lesser act. Speculation also swirled that the schedule of a guest actress was to blame, and the discussion broadened into the disparity in TV exposure between different Hello! Project groups.

    1AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:09
    9/25 (Fri) 24:59–25:59
    Nippon TV's "Buzz Rhythm 02" *Miki Nonaka will not be appearing.
    Morning Musume。'26 #morningmusume26 #モーニング娘26 #ハロプロ [Hello! Project] #Helloproject
    3AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:10
    Main guest?
    5AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:11
    The only time you can catch "Morning" Whatever-They're-Called is in the middle of the night
    6AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:12
    "Lonely"?
    Yes!!
    7AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:12
    Panda: "Ah, glad it turned out to be Morning Musume." [note: "Panda" appears to be a nickname for a personality/commentator referenced on the thread]
    18AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:15
    Re: #7
    Tsubaki (Factory) was JUST on though
    8AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:12
    Guess they can't dance to "Lonely" either
    9AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:12
    If Cheru isn't appearing then it's just a studio live… makes me nostalgic for when I watched in the audience…
    10AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:13
    So even the flagship group finally gets this treatment
    11AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:13
    I'll be in Mito that day so I can't watch live
    Guess I'll record it and catch it later
    12AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:13
    What about ANGERME?
    13AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:13
    Is Moa-chan appearing?
    23AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:18
    I'll leave late-night shows to Musume and ANGERME
    JJ (Juice=Juice) will keep grinding away in prime time lol
    30AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:25
    Re: #23
    ANGERME can't even get ON a late-night show though
    40AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:33
    Re: #23
    ANGERME doesn't even have late-night appearances, are you making fun of us?
    25AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:18
    Apparently if there's no studio-audience call, it means you're not the main act
    Meanwhile Juice=Juice and Tsubaki Factory WERE the main act
    27AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:19
    Most recent "Buzz Rhythm 02" appearance, by group:
    Morning Musume: 2025 "Akaruku Ii Ko" ["A Bright Good Kid"] → 2026 "Lonely"
    ANGERME: 2024 "Yuuyuu Kankan" ["Carefree and Leisurely"]
    Juice=Juice: 2026 "Moreme" [wordplay on "looking good/photogenic"]
    Tsubaki Factory: 2026 "FireWorks"
    BEYOOOOONDS: 2023 "Tabibito-zan" ["The Traveler's Word Problem"]
    OCHA NORMA: none
    ROSSO: none
    31AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:25
    Hinatazaka46, CANDY TUNE, Tokimeki Sendenbu and others share the same release date after all
    33AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:27
    Just a studio live, huh…
    It'll be over in a flash
    35AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:30
    Wasn't Buzz Rhythm supposed to be launching a whole Hello! Project segment when Tsubaki appeared — the corner where a guest comes on and they talk it all out?
    Guess it ended up a one-off
    38AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:32
    Re: #35
    They only got that slot as a bundled tie-in with Juice=Juice anyway ["バーター" — industry slang for booking a lower-profile act alongside a more popular one as a package deal]
    37AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:32
    Re: #1
    No talk segment lolololol, treated worse than Tsubaki, I'm dying 🤣🤣🤣
    39fusianasanSep 3, 2026 18:33
    [poster name "fusianasan" is an old imageboard in-joke referencing an exposed IP address]
    They made it sound like this would become a recurring series when Tsubaki was on — is this that?
    42AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:34
    Come to think of it, "Lonely" hasn't even been released yet
    55AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:40
    Juice=Juice can land a prime-time music show with just two of their younger members
    Morning Musume can't even get a talk segment on a late-night show, even with the attention boost from Oda's graduation

    How did it come to this
    57AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:42
    I mean, even on Tsubaki's episode, host Matsuoka talked more than the members did
    Big contrast with Juice=Juice, whose members really stood out during the talk segment
    61AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:46
    She's a wildcard, but Tako-chan can definitely talk
    62AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:46
    If Maria were still around, there'd probably have been a talk segment
    64AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:48
    I wonder which celebrity could actually talk about today's Musume with real passion
    65AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:49
    You'd think during release week at least they'd get a late-night slot to perform the song
    66AnonymousSep 3, 2026 18:51
    I only catch this show once a year, so I'm surprised it's still running

    Background and Talking Points

    “Buzz Rhythm 02” is a late-night music variety show on the NTV network, and in recent years various Hello! Project groups [the idol agency umbrella that includes Morning Musume, ANGERME, Juice=Juice, Tsubaki Factory, BEYOOOOONDS, OCHA NORMA, and ROSSO] have appeared on it from time to time. Looking at the appearance history cited in the thread, TV opportunities appear unevenly distributed across groups — with posters noting that ANGERME has never even appeared on a late-night show. Morning Musume。’26’s slot is expected to be a song performance only, with no talk segment, and posters compared it unfavorably to Tsubaki Factory’s earlier appearance, which was treated as the “main” booking complete with an open call for studio audience members — leading some to read this as a step down in status. As for the recurring disclaimer “Miki Nonaka will not be appearing,” it’s a stock phrase attached to these announcements repeatedly, not something unique to this occasion, and the thread offers no confirmed explanation for it — only speculation.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Breaking] Morning Musume。’26 Confirmed for Nippon TV’s “Buzz Rhythm 02” ｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!“

  • Juice=Juice × Harami-chan Team Up for “Moré! Mi Amore” Livestream — Fan Reactions Are All Over the Map

    Juice=Juice’s Danbara Ruru, Inoue Rein, and Arisawa Ichika are teaming up with street pianist Harami-chan — known for her 47-prefecture tour — for a special livestream performance of “Moré! Mi Amore.” Harami-chan herself gushed about the collaboration on social media, calling them “an absolute monster group” and urging fans to spread the word. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, the announcement drew plenty of excited reactions like “I’m too excited to sleep,” but also some cooler takes such as “that trend’s already cooled off” and “no buzz at all,” highlighting a divide in enthusiasm over the collab.

    1AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:40
    Juice=Juice × Harami-chan: Special "Moré! Mi Amore" Livestream Announced
    3AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:42
    https://ogre.natalie.mu/media/news/music/2026/0903/Haramichan_jkt202609_juicejuice.jpg
    4AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:43
    This is the kind of news that's so exciting I'll only be able to sleep… at night (playing on the cliché "too excited to sleep even at night")
    11AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:44
    Harami-chan🍖🎹47-Prefecture Tour! @harami_piano
    Juice=Juice is seriously such a monster group lolololol they're amazing so please spread the word lolololololol

    🎹🎻🎤 "Moré! Mi Amore"
    https://x.com/harami_piano/status/2037120081835286678
    https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/2037118754803638272/img/11hYeYgFs0_XAJuX.jpg
    https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2037118754803638272/vid/avc1/3840×2160/o66xLJ299XuM4O_1.mp4
    31AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:46
    Nice, nice! (Kansai dialect for "that's great")
    36AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:47
    Urami-chan (a pun on "grudge")
    Tsurami-chan (another yakiniku cut, like harami)
    40AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:48
    47AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:49
    Stuff like this is probably more fun done as a one-take performance
    49AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:51
    Unfortunately this trend's already cooled off
    bit late to jump on the bandwagon now
    50AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:52
    Yep, this one's a non-event too
    51AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:53
    Turned on notification alerts for Harami-chan's X and YouTube, done
    65AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:56
    Nice to see this connection come together
    66AnonymousSep 3, 2026 17:56
    【Image】Tomorrow's broadcast "Hamada Kayo Sai ★ Ookami Shounen (TBS)" — promo image of Juice=Juice's Danbara Ruru & Inoue Rein is here! ｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1788425741/

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Harami-chan is a street pianist known nationwide for her 47-prefecture tour, and she’s continued to release collaboration livestreams covering existing songs and teaming up with popular artists. “Moré! Mi Amore” is one of Juice=Juice’s own songs, and idol groups collaborating with pianists isn’t an unusual promotional approach within the Hello! Project scene. While the thread saw plenty of genuine excitement, there were also more tepid reactions like “that’s already cooled off” and “no buzz,” splitting opinion on whether the timing and draw of the collab still had impact. Differences in taste over performance style were also discussed, with the main point of debate less about the collaboration itself and more about “whether this particular pairing still has meaning right now.” Note that posts amounting to personal attacks or irrelevant flame-baiting have been excluded from this piece.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Juice=Juice’s Danbara Ruru, Inoue Rein & Arisawa Ichika × Harami-chan: Special “Moré! Mi Amore” Livestream Announced.”

  • Juice=Juice’s “Pride Bright”: Plenty of Fans Thought “This Is the One That Takes Us to the Top”

    On the Hello! Project board of 5ch, users discussed how many people, at the time, thought Juice=Juice’s July 12, 2023 single “Pride Bright / FUNKY FLUSHIN’” would be the song that took the group to the top. The thread brought up an anecdote that right after debuting the song live at Budokan, Arisawa hurt her neck and has needed a neck brace ever since, as well as claims that the song laid the groundwork for the live-clip strategy later used for “Moreme” (a later single, nicknamed by fans). The discussion ended up highlighting a gap in perspective between fans who experienced it in real time and newer fans who got into the group through more recent songs.

    1AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:39
    Well, back then it totally didn't work out, though.
    2AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:40
    Juice=Juice "Pride Bright" Promotion Edit
    tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrucm-6MqgE

    This is the Promotion Edit for "Pride Bright," from Juice=Juice's new single "Pride Bright / FUNKY FLUSHIN'", released July 12, 2023.

    Lyrics & Composition: Aoi Yamazaki Arrangement: Shunsuke Suzuki
    MV Director: Yoshiyuki Shimada
    3AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:48
    The live-version MV was great, right.
    4AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:50
    Right after debuting it live at Budokan, Arisawa hurt her neck and had to start wearing a neck brace all the time.
    17AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:24
    Re: #4
    I wonder if that old injury is why, during last year's Juice Day shuffle-unit performance, Arisawa was the only one doing a noticeably smaller neck-turning motion.
    5AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:55
    Risachi's smug little grin is great.
    6AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:59
    That was the era when Arisawa and Irie became a "Guntank" (a nickname riffing on the Gundam mobile suit) and Kawashima immediately bailed on it — things really weren't clicking back then.
    7AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:59
    Someone was saying that in a live-comment thread recently too.
    8AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:00
    I'm a new fan who got in through "FUNKY FLUSHIN'."
    9AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:03
    I remember seeing people say that, but it's not really that big a song, is it — not like "Moreme."
    10AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:03
    For someone who got into the group through "Tokyo Blur," this is history I never even knew existed.
    11AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:06
    This kind of mainline Juice=Juice sound is too stylish/chic for that — doesn't really seem like the type to go viral.
    12AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:07
    I'm all about the foot-stomping dance.
    13AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:10
    If "Pride Bright" and "Fiesta! Fiesta!" hadn't laid the groundwork for the idea that "Juice=Juice's live clips do numbers," the whole notion of going all-in on live-clip spam for "Moreme" would never have come up in the first place.
    14AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:10
    I never think "this is our time to rule them all," no matter what they put out.
    15AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:17
    "Pride Bright" (aka "Pura-Bura") was the first thing to show that Juice=Juice's live clips could really take off.
    16AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:21
    Bottom line: as a new fan, I have zero clue about this whole era.
    18AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:27
    I didn't quite think "this is our time to rule them all," but I did feel like "Juice=Juice's moment has arrived." At the same time, I also figured they'd probably throw us another curveball next.
    19AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:27
    The live footage was pretty shocking, honestly.
    20AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:29
    They announced "the new song is decided!" on Hello! Station, but it actually premiered before the live performance on Rei Inoue's radio show — my first thought was "oh, they got handed a good one this time." The songwriter/composer hadn't been announced yet, but once the MV credits finally revealed it was Aoi Yamazaki, it all made sense.
    21AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:36
    It's in the same vein as "Hito Sore" (short for "Hito Sorezore," an earlier Juice=Juice hit), but my take was "it doesn't quite reach Hito Sore's level" — and that impression never changed.
    22AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:38
    I've only listened to this song once. Meanwhile, "Blur" I had on heavy rotation for a while.
    23AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:54
    The fact that it didn't immediately click as "oh, we should be pushing live clips from here on" — very on-brand for UP-FRONT (their talent agency).
    24AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:57
    Ever since Hayashi joined, everything just clicked into place and they became a group that could pull off anything. Before that, they were always a group missing some piece. Even so, the live performances were always good.
    37AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:03
    Hello! Project's whole selling point is live performance, so I've always thought — back then and now — they should just run whatever promo it takes to funnel people toward the live shows.
    53AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:05
    I've been a "Kura Kura" fan since early July. Digging through the back catalog, there wasn't a single song, "Pride Bright" included, that rang a bell for me. Might be because I wasn't really into entertainment/pop culture before, but that also made it the perfect blank slate for getting into it fresh.
    91AnonymousSep 3, 2026 16:02
    Re: #53
    "Hito Sore" was the song that pulled in a ton of female fans outside the usual idol-otaku crowd back then — you'd never even heard it? It got a lot of play on wired/cable radio.
    57AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:11
    USEN was really only pushing "Bitansan," "Hito Sore," and "Pop Music," so if you don't even know those, you probably know even less about the rest.
    58AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:19
    It plays as the opening for "Smile Bonsoir," but it doesn't really fit Risachi's image, so I kind of wish they'd swap it for something else — like "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe ~Koi no Rival Sengen~" or something.
    59AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:53
    Before "Moreme," nobody was even thinking in terms of "will this go viral or not." It was more like, "eh, decent song, I guess."
    60AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:55
    "Blur" is better.
    61AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:57
    I heard "Moreme" first and "Blur" afterward, and I still like "Blur" better too.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The foundation of this thread is Juice=Juice’s July 12, 2023 digital single “Pride Bright / FUNKY FLUSHIN’.” As the anecdote about Arisawa hurting her neck right after debuting the song live at Budokan — and needing a neck brace ever since — suggests, the choreography is said to have been demanding from the start. What split the thread was a single question: did people think, at the time, that this song would take Juice=Juice to the top? Some felt “Juice=Juice’s moment had arrived” (comment 18), while the view that “I never think that, no matter what they release” (comment 14) also remains strong. A second thread of discussion concerns the song’s relationship to “Moreme,” whose live clips are said to have taken off on social media in later years — some argue (comments 13 and 15) that “Pride Bright” laid the groundwork for that. That said, this is ultimately a matter of fan impression, and it’s worth noting nothing in the thread actually confirms it as fact. On top of that, a newer fan who got into the group through more recent songs (comment 53) says they’d never even heard of this song at all, pointing to the kind of generational gap you’d expect from a group with such a long career.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “There were actually quite a few people who thought “this is the song that’ll take Juice=Juice to the top” when Juice=Juice announced “Pride Bright”.”

  • Hello! Project Members Who Joined in the Reiwa Era: Only 4 Have Quit So Far — 5ch: ‘Turnover Rate Is Way Too Low’

    A post on 5ch’s Hello! Project board claimed that “of the members who joined during the Reiwa era, only four have actually quit: Rio Kitagawa, Shiori Yagi, Kanami Ishiguri, and Sumire Tashiro.” In the tenure rankings, Erina Ikuta tops the list at 5,301 days, with several members having stayed active for over five years. The thread split into two camps: some argued the agency has shifted away from its old “graduate them and let them earn as solo acts” policy toward keeping members long-term to earn as a group, while others countered that unpopular members should instead be cut loose when their contracts come up for renewal.

    1AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:25
    By the way, here are the currently active Hello! Project members who joined during the Reiwa era:
    16 Yua Kudo 2004/09/28 2019/06/14
    17 Rea Matsunaga 2005/07/07 2019/06/14
    6AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:31
    Wait, BEYOOOOONDS actually joined during the Heisei era?
    9AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:32
    Re: #6
    Their major debut was in Reiwa, but they'd already joined Hello! Project back in Heisei 30 (2018).
    15AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:36
    Re: #6
    The major debut announcement landed on the very last day of Heisei, so the members themselves technically just barely made it in under Heisei.
    14AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:35
    Just cut the ones with no future already.
    17AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:38
    Re: #14
    They did end up cutting Haga, Yokoyan, and Makino — just way too late.
    22AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:41
    Homare and Mei (fan nickname for Homare Okamura and Airi Yamazaki) will soon pass Haruna Iikubo's tenure, and once they do, that's officially veteran territory, I'd say.

    Tenure as of 2026/09/03:
    5,301 days — Erina Ikuta
    5,102 days — Sakura Oda (2012/09/14–)
    4,818 days — Ayumi Ishida
    4,714 days — Mizuki Fukumura
    4,356 days — Miki Nonaka (2014/09/30–)
    4,329 days — Sayumi Michishige
    4,285 days — Maria Makino
    4,084 days — Akane Haga
    3,918 days — Risa Niigaki
    3,775 days — Reina Tanaka
    3,728 days — Masaki Sato
    3,687 days — Ai Takahashi
    3,280 days — Reina Yokoyama
    2,887 days — Eri Kamei
    2,695 days — Kaori Iida
    2,635 days — Haruna Iikubo
    2,630 days — Homare Okamura / Airi Yamazaki (2019/06/22–) 👈
    25AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:44
    Re: #22
    Is Oda going to overtake Ikuta at this rate?
    29AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:47
    Re: #22
    Those numbers are all off by one day — the math's wrong.
    51AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:02
    Re: #22 is also calculating elapsed days from join date to graduation date (or today), not actual tenure in days — same mistake.
    24AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:43
    The old agency was obsessed with churning through joins and graduations, using Chisato Moritaka as their model case for building talent who could also make it solo. Looks like they've now started steering toward keeping people earning within the group long-term instead, in step with the times.
    When you've already sunk cost and time into one talent, having her graduate and waste that investment is a real opportunity loss for a company.
    As long as the member herself wants to keep working in the group, it's smart to keep her earning — and with the whole "graduation as a business model" approach losing its shine, seeing older idol acts like Kawaii Lab's group actually sell well is bound to make management rethink things.
    27AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:45
    Re: #24
    Big factor was two things colliding at once: Miyamoto's solo push turning into an obvious failure, and Juice=Juice blowing up as a whole group thanks to the "Moreme" craze (a viral photogenic filter/selfie trend). Kojima Hana's addition also opened the door to accepting "reborn" members [idols who left one group to join another], so going forward Hello! Project is going to look nothing like it used to.
    38AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:54
    Re: #24
    Completely agree, but if they're keeping Hello! Project members long-term, I still want them to firmly tap the shoulder of the seriously unpopular ones once they hit the 5-year mark. Don't let them hog a precious spot — give the new girls a shot instead.
    32AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:48
    They officially declared Sayumi Michishige's tenure as "4,329 days" at her graduation, so that's just how it is now.
    33AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:49
    Re: #32
    That was just staff being dumb enough to take a Wikipedia miscalculation at face value.
    48AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:00
    Re: #32
    Sayumi Michishige's actual tenure was 4,330 days, but at her graduation concert they announced 4,329.
    Instead of the actual number of days she was a member from January 19, 2003 to November 26, 2014 (4,330 days), a calculation slip meant they announced the elapsed days between those two dates (4,329 days) instead.
    34AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:50
    If anything this is the worst-case outcome — it's turned into a system where people who shouldn't even be there stick around forever. BEYOOOOONDS, Tsubaki Factory, Hirayama, Goto… it's bad.
    37AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:54
    Re: #34
    The reality is that just as "Mita" (a fan nickname for a cluster of veteran members) is finally about to be wiped out, "Taniko" (another such nickname) is still hanging on.
    39AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:54
    Even so, Morning Musume already cleared out its backed-up dead weight in one go, so that clogged-up feeling has eased a lot. The only "what do we even do about this?" case left is pretty much Saniko, and even that's starting to get thinned out.
    42AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:55
    Re: #39
    Akiyama's leaving, but Tanimoto, Ono, and Onoda — all even older than her — are still hanging around.
    41AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:55
    If Nonaka, Ise, Danbara, Inoue, Tanimoto, Saniko, and the BEYOOOOONDS members all cleared out at once, spots would finally open up.
    70AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:19
    Re: #41
    There are plenty of members the same age as Ise, but nobody brings them up.
    Probably because Yumeriai and Moreiruru (fan nicknames) are around, they still get treated as the young ones.
    43AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:56
    Hello! Project runs on 5-year contracts, so figure everyone stays at least 5 years. Beyond that, fine if they stay as long as they personally want — but I think anyone under a certain popularity line should just be forced to graduate.
    45AnonymousSep 3, 2026 13:57
    Re: #43
    It's contradictory that Zukki got cut as surplus after just 5 years, while Haga stuck around for 11.
    50AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:01
    Re: #43
    There are way too many staff who deserve cutting before any Hello! Project member does, so short of something extreme, no member is actually getting cut.
    56AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:07
    I mean, Hello! Project is a solid agency where you can do steady idol work, right? You get to put out CDs, do live shows. Sure, if you look at the very top there are groups doing better, but in terms of overall idol rankings, aren't they pretty much always somewhere around the top 10?
    67AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:17
    Re: #56
    About the only one you could call top-10 on the idol rankings right now is Juice=Juice.
    As an agency, sure, they're consistently somewhere around the top 10 — it's just that the ones above keep rotating constantly.
    63AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:15
    Skilled members are fine staying long-term whether they're unpopular or veterans — the real problem is when performance quality drops. That said, I want the younger members to keep polishing their own performance without cutting corners too.
    68AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:17
    Re: #63
    Juice is basically the only success story though, and even that owes a lot to Danbara and Inoue's personalities. Morning Musume and Tsubaki Factory are basically hell by comparison.
    71AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:19
    Saniko gets made fun of a lot, but if she and Tanimoto both vanished at once, it'd genuinely be over. Even Akiyama should probably keep going if she can.
    74AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:21
    Re: #71
    If anything, it's fine if it does end.
    76AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:23
    Re: #71
    No, just disband already. However you slice it, BEYOOOOONDS is a group nobody needs either.
    72AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:20
    Re: #70
    Kojima Hana is also the same age as Ise. When she was announced, I remember thinking, "wait, is the 2003-born generation still growing?"
    75AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:23
    Re: #72
    22 or 23 is still plainly young. If we're talking about some run-of-the-mill idol who's all about looks, sure, age would be a fair concern. But Hello! Project demands real skill, so as long as they've got that locked down, I think they can stick around a lot longer.
    73AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:21
    What's with this vibe that Tsubaki Factory "isn't finished yet"?
    81AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:26
    Re: #73
    Because aside from Juice=Juice, they've got the most potential.
    80AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:26
    Re: #75
    As idols they're no good unless they're teens. Once they end up like Momoiro Clover Z or voice actresses [who keep going well into adulthood], it's over — it just becomes pure buddy-buddy fan service, and the creepiness stops being the fun, ironic kind and turns genuinely creepy.
    83AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:27
    Re: #80
    If you want to push a group of teens, there's Rosy right there. The fact that it's the least popular one just tells you it's a garbage agency.
    90AnonymousSep 3, 2026 14:35
    There are idols out there who keep going well past 30, even after marriage, so honestly I think today's Hello! Project fans' values are just outdated at this point.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Hello! Project has members like Sayumi Michishige and Mizuki Fukumura who’ve stuck around for the long haul, but the agency has also followed a model in the past of repeatedly bringing in and graduating members to match demand. The “5-year contract” mentioned in the thread is treated as a rough benchmark, and contract renewal time tends to be the fork in the road for whether a member stays or leaves. In recent years, groups like Juice=Juice — together for a long stretch now — have scored hits, and since the solo-career-focused promotion model hasn’t always panned out, some point to a shift toward valuing polish and completeness over youth. It’s also worth noting for readers that this kind of tenure-day mix-up (actual days as a member vs. elapsed days since joining) has caused real errors before, as it did at Sayumi Michishige’s graduation — so these figures are prone to the occasional slip.

    *This article is an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Isn’t it wild that only four members who joined in the Reiwa era — Rio Kitagawa, Shiori Yagi, Kanami Ishiguri, and Sumire Tashiro — have actually quit? The turnover rate is way too low.”

  • New Hello! Project Group Coming Next Year? Fans Split Between the “3-Year Cycle Theory” and Rosy Chronicle’s Rocky Present

    Since Morning Musume launched Hello! Project in 1997, the agency has rolled out a new group roughly every three years: ANGERME (2009), Juice=Juice (2013), Tsubaki Factory (2015), BEYOOOOONDS (2018), OCHA NORMA (2021), and Rosy Chronicle (2024). Applying that cycle literally would put the next new group’s debut in 2027, but a thread lit up with speculation that a new group centered on Suzuki Kotomi could actually launch next year instead. On the other hand, since 2024’s Rosy Chronicle still hasn’t reached national hall tours or big venues, there’s a persistent cautious camp arguing that shoring up existing groups should come before forming a new one — leaving opinion split on which direction to take.

    1AnonymousSep 3, 2026 10:45
    Make it a rock-oriented group.
    3AnonymousSep 3, 2026 10:48
    If a group that's clearly headed for disbandment like BEYOOOOONDS gets more members added, there won't be a new group unless some other group disbands first.
    6AnonymousSep 3, 2026 10:57
    Hello! Project group formation dates

    Morning Musume 1997
    ANGERME 2009
    Juice=Juice 2013
    Tsubaki Factory 2015
    BEYOOOOONDS 2018
    OCHA NORMA 2021
    Rosy Chronicle 2024
    New group 2027


    New groups form every 3 years,
    so a new group next year is basically confirmed
    8AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:07
    Rosy Chronicle can't even stand on its own two feet yet, so if they toss a trainee unit on top of that, it'll just be the start of endless, never-ending dues-paying.
    13AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:12
    My bet: they disband ANGERME and build a Juice=Juice sister group with Nagano as leader.
    15AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:13
    Re: #1
    If they add any more groups, I'm genuinely going to lose it 😡
    16AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:14
    Honestly, Morning Musume's Vocaloid/EDM direction is the way to go — it'll definitely sell.
    17AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:14
    There's no way Rosy Chronicle exists for business reasons.
    It's basically a holding pen for trainees they have no use for but can't just fire.
    Most of them are juggling it with university anyway, and it'll be gone in three years.
    Younger members like Uemura and Soma could transfer out if they put up results before then.
    21AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:16
    Re: #17
    That was already done with College Cosmos.
    24AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:18
    Re: #17
    Morning Musume and ANGERME barely make money and can't funnel funds back down the chain either — so are those not run for business reasons too?
    18AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:14
    With more and more groups piling up, the Hello! Project concerts are getting more and more painful to sit through.
    19AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:15
    A trainee unit '26' is basically guaranteed to form within this fiscal year.
    But wouldn't it be better to just put Suzuki Kotomi into an existing group instead?
    20AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:16
    Rosy Chronicle is just some byproduct of promoting every single trainee at once.
    22AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:17
    Kobushi Factory → OCHA NORMA
    Country Girls → Rosy Chronicle
    Those two groups only happened because they shifted over existing personnel and management resources.
    If they make a genuinely new group, it'll be the first time working with brand-new resources since BEYOOOOONDS nine years ago,
    so that would be a pretty big gamble for the agency too.
    23AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:17
    Honestly, I bet a lot of the trainees have a mindset of 'if I can't get into Juice=Juice, anywhere else is fine.'
    25AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:18
    But there was a huge gap in time between Country Girls and Rosy Chronicle.
    26AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:19
    'Personnel resources' — you mean like, at most, a manager? lol
    28AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:22
    Since "Grand Master" Yamazaki Aoi skipped out on them, Hoshibe Shu will be handling the songwriting full-throttle now.
    29AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:23
    Re: #24
    Those two groups were the biggest draws, so plenty has already flowed back down over the years.
    Do you really think Rosy Chronicle can pull off a national hall tour and Yokohama Arena?
    33AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:26
    Re: #29
    So you're saying it's not happening right now.
    Then let's just disband Morning Musume and use those resources to pave Rosy Chronicle's road to Budokan.
    30AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:24
    Let's flip it and have Tsunku handle it instead —
    the group he's currently looking after has a really good vibe going.
    37AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:30
    You guys sure love the word 'resources.'
    But Hello! Project fans themselves are running low on both life resources and money resources,
    so the fanbase just keeps shrinking.
    38AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:30
    Give it that vibe from early Juice=Juice, back when Laforet Harajuku was providing the costumes.
    52AnonymousSep 3, 2026 11:42
    If it's a kendama (Japanese cup-and-ball) unit, the odds of landing a Kohaku Uta Gassen [year-end music special] spot go way up

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Aside from Morning Musume, Hello! Project has never officially stated a fixed cycle for forming new groups — the “3-year cycle theory” floated in the thread is simply a fan-made rule of thumb derived by working backward from past debut years. In practice, many of these launches have been “refreshes” that inherited personnel and management resources from existing groups, as with Kobushi Factory → OCHA NORMA and Country Girls → Rosy Chronicle, and no group has been built from entirely new resources since BEYOOOOONDS nine years ago. What split the thread this time was a divide between those who take the cycle theory at face value and expect a new lineup next year, and those who point to Rosy Chronicle’s current struggles to draw crowds at larger venues and argue that developing existing groups should take priority over forming a new one. Neither side is working from any official announcement, and it’s worth keeping in mind that this remains fan speculation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “What direction should the group forming next year, centered on Suzuki Kotomi, take?“

  • Suzu Hirose Cast as Japan’s Top Idol in Netflix’s ‘Fujiyama Boy,’ Starring Wataru Ichinose

    Netflix has announced “Fujiyama Boy,” a human comedy series set to stream in January 2027. Wataru Ichinose stars as Kanta Kakuhata, a young man who’s been a shut-in for eight years with zero romantic experience, in a story about his quest to marry Mami Hamamiya — played by Suzu Hirose — who is “Japan’s top idol.” Following the announcement, discussion on the thread focused less on the show’s premise itself and more on whether an absolute “Japan’s top idol” figure even exists anymore, with many commenters noting there’s no longer anyone with the singular dominance that, say, Seiko Matsuda once had.

    Suzu Hirose to play Japan’s top idol… Wataru Ichinose stars in Netflix’s “Fujiyama Boy,” greenlit for production — she admits, “Why me…?”

    Netflix has announced that its series “Fujiyama Boy,” set for exclusive global release in January 2027, will star Wataru Ichinose in the lead role, with Suzu Hirose as the heroine.

    The series is a human comedy in which Kanta Kakuhata — a shut-in for eight years with zero romantic experience — sets out to fulfill his mother’s wish by trying to marry Mami Hamamiya, Japan’s top idol, played by Hirose.

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

    4AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:37
    Back in the day the top idol was Seiko Matsuda, but who's the top idol now?
    11AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:39
    Re: #4
    There's too much diversity now, so nobody really stands out like that anymore — it's all pretty much a toss-up (lit. "acorns comparing height," i.e. no clear frontrunner).
    13AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:40
    Re: #4
    Until recently maybe Nogizaka46? Hashimoto Kanna? No idea who it'd be now though.
    15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:42
    Re: #4
    It's just not the era for solo idols anymore — both guys and girls go the group route now.
    5AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:38
    Feels like they're leaning into a more anime-style premise. Guess that just shows how few people watch regular dramas anymore.
    7AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:39
    So no Sanctuary sequel then?
    55AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:01
    Re: #7
    Sanctuary and Yu Yu Hakusho are getting sequels — Tokyo Swindlers is getting a prequel.
    https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/399169
    8AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:39
    I can tell "Hashimoka" apart fine, but Minami Hamabe and Suzu Hirose I genuinely can't distinguish — I can't grasp what makes either one distinctive, so I never know which is which. (note: "Hashimoka" appears to be a fan nickname/name blend; exact reference unclear)
    40AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:53
    Re: #8
    For a while I mixed up Suzu Hirose and Tao Tsuchiya, but once Alice Hirose showed up, I finally learned to tell them apart.
    42AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:54
    Re: #8
    For a while I mixed up Suzu Hirose and Tao Tsuchiya, but once Alice Hirose showed up, I finally learned to tell them apart.
    9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:39
    So even though it was just a minor role, he was in Gas Ningen (lit. "Gas Man") too.
    14AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:41
    That's because they don't hold auditions — roles get decided by direct offer.
    17AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:44
    Wouldn't it have been more interesting if Suzu Hirose played herself instead of a fictional idol?
    19AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:44
    First it's "Japan's number one," then it's "world's number one" — make up your mind.
    20AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:45
    What even is a "top idol" in the first place? Japan's whole manufactured-image culture casually tramples on people's rights.
    21AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:45
    Once Hamabe changes her hairstyle I can't recognize her anymore.
    22AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:45
    Re: #4
    There's not a single idol right now who can hold their own solo.
    24AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:46
    Re: #15
    Both guys and girls could actually sell as solo idols, since everyone else is just doing groups.

    Guess there's just nobody left to produce them that way.
    46AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:54
    Re: #24
    More members means more money, right? Through handshake events and that kind of soft-sleaze business model.
    27AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:47
    These days she's the kind of goddess who even looks out for the crew behind the scenes.
    29AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:48
    We're in an era where even beautiful actresses — not top-tier ones, but still — marry their location-shoot bus drivers. Maybe that's part of the inspiration for this?
    30AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:48
    Not really a laughing matter if it happened in the real world — sounds like the kind of guy who'd go on a rampage with a handsaw.
    43AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:54
    Wataru Ichinose can just be the Jiro Sato stand-in, no?
    70AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:10
    Re: #43
    "Whew~ hold it in, hold it in!"
    51AnonymousSep 2, 2026 10:58
    Idols are aging up these days too.
    61AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:04
    Re: #51
    We're in an era where people still dance around in frilly costumes right up to 30… FRUITS ZIPPER even has members who are 28-29.
    58AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:03
    Would've liked to see Nana Mori in this role.
    88AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:26
    Re: #58
    Nah, she couldn't pull off "top idol."
    62AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:04
    Going solo requires overwhelming vocal ability, so those acts get marketed as "artists" or VTubers instead — people like Ado or tuki. They don't even show their faces, so looks aren't a factor at all. Conversely, looks alone won't sell you as a solo act.
    69AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:08
    Who's actually watching this stuff?
    81AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:22
    Re: #69
    Idol culture has spread worldwide, so maybe that's exactly who they're targeting.

    Kenya
    https://x.com/YUKI_CHEKA/status/2091247298592358900
    78AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:20
    If she were a bit younger, they might've actually debuted her as a singer under the "Mami Hamamiya" name — like Asuka Hasui (Miho Kanno) or RUI (Kou Shibasaki). But at this point in her career she'd flat-out refuse an idol debut, so they're probably not doing that.
    79AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:21
    Re: #78
    She's actually quietly put out songs before, for what it's worth.
    82AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:22
    Sounds kind of like a live-action Oshi no Ko. Kind of looking forward to it, honestly.
    87AnonymousSep 2, 2026 11:25
    Re: #82
    Isn't that basically a fictionalized "Date With Drew"?

    Background and Talking Points

    The big draw here is twofold: Wataru Ichinose’s track record of landing back-to-back Netflix hits — Sanctuary, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Tokyo Swindlers — and Suzu Hirose taking a sharp turn from her usual relatable, girl-next-door roles to play the exaggerated character of “Japan’s top idol.” The point that split the thread the most was the observation that nobody could actually name today’s reigning “top idol” — names like Seiko Matsuda and Nogizaka46 came up, but the general consensus was that with so many groups now competing at once, it’s become structurally difficult for any single individual to break out and dominate. Behind this is a shift toward a mass-production idol business model built around handshake events and social media, which makes it harder to manufacture an “absolute center” with the solo vocal power and visual presence needed to carry a career alone. One point worth clarifying: the “Japan’s top idol” title in the show is purely a fictional premise — it doesn’t refer to any real ranking or hierarchy.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Suzu Hirose cast as Japan’s top idol, admits “Why me…?” — Wataru Ichinose stars in Netflix’s “Fujiyama Boy,” greenlit for production.”

  • Sakamoto Aoka: “I Want to Join OCHA NORMA” — 5ch: “No Trainee Ever Says She Doesn’t Want In”

    Reactions spread across 5ch after Hello! Project staff member “Kyururun” said that trainee Sakamoto Aoka wants to join OCHA NORMA. Some argued that when trainees are asked which group they’d like to join, they’re just giving a diplomatic non-answer — but others pointed out past cases where trainees who publicly stated their preference really were placed in that very group, splitting opinion on how much weight to give the comment. The thread also touched on the status of other trainees like Nemoto Tsubaki, and the recurring pattern of the agency making personnel decisions that defy fan predictions.

    1AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:09
    Knew it.
    2AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:11
    They're basically forced to give a diplomatic answer, so questions like this shouldn't even be asked.
    7AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:12
    Moa wanted OCHA too, but she got sent to Morning Musume anyway.
    8AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:13
    Guessing who's angling for a direct scouting pick:
    Sakamoto → OCHA
    Nemoto → Tsubaki Factory
    Any other trainees making a big push for a group?
    9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:15
    Kubota, come on — if an OCHA member asks a trainee where she wants to join, she's going to say OCHA 100% of the time. Figure that out.
    10AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:17
    Realize that no trainee is ever going to say "I don't want to join your group."
    11AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:18
    Leader Tanimoto: "Sakamoto Aoka, you have been chosen as a new member of Tsubaki Factory."
    20AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:23
    Re: #11
    🍅＜Busted!
    12AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:19
    Where does it say Kubota asked the question?
    Doesn't it occur to you that she brought it up herself?
    13AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:19
    Doesn't seem like OCHA would turn down new members.
    14AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:20
    She's gotta win an award first.
    16AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:21
    Re: #14
    That's the Akari Takeuchi Award though

    Oh… (say no more)
    21AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:23
    Re: #14
    Yonemura, Saito, and Nishizaki never won any award either, and some members got promoted without even taking the test — it's just for fun.
    15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:20
    Yamazaki Panda: "I became a trainee but wasn't really sure what to do, so I just decided to pick Oda-san as the person I admire." Oda Sakura: "Don't mess with me."
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1773542057/
    17AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:21
    Actually, are there any real examples of a trainee gushing over a specific group during her trainee days and then actually getting in?
    18AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:21
    Re: #17
    Hashisako, Ishiyama, Goto, Hayashi
    22AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:24
    Please come to Tsubaki Factory — we need you to revive the group's visuals!
    56AnonymousSep 3, 2026 00:18
    Re: #22
    Just take Nemoto off their hands already.
    23AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:24
    If OCHA's going to add members, it needs to happen soon —
    feels like they might disband with the current lineup as is.
    If OCHA breaks up, Mio-chan, come join ANGERME.
    24AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:24
    Kubota: "Aoka-chan, where do you want to join?"
    Sakamoto: "OCHA NORMA, of course."
    25AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:25
    Well, that just killed her chances of joining OCHA.
    This agency never lets anyone into the group they actually want.
    27AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:26
    Re: #25
    Hayashi Nial

    Case closed.
    26AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:25
    "Actually, it's Juice=Juice."
    28AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:26
    I hate it when Juice=Juice fans see a talented trainee and go "yep, she's Juice=Juice for sure" — please stop.
    35AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:32
    I'm on the side that wants her in OCHA, but it does raise the question of which trainee actually fits that "strong woman" concept.
    37AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:33
    If she ends up joining a group other than OCHA, let's just blame Kubota.
    38AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:33
    I don't know much about Otsuki-chan, but wasn't she a huge Beyooooonds fan?
    39AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:34
    It's obvious the agency watches the fan forums (the "wolf" board) and deliberately does the opposite for personnel decisions.
    That's why everyone's playing "manjuu kowai" (saying the opposite of what you actually want, hoping reverse psychology works).
    Let's stop playing armchair talent scout.
    43AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:40
    Re: #39
    Nishiguchi: "It'd be annoying if the creepy otaku guessed right, so let's decide promotions by doing the opposite of what they expect!"
    40AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:37
    King is a Nishida devotee.
    She's technically become Beyooooonds-eligible as of this year,
    but she's all about Tsubaki Factory now, so it's fine.
    44AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:40
    "There's no way I'll get into my desired group" (dead serious) —
    keep repeating that and maybe this crappy agency will reverse-psychology her right in.
    Just keep playing "manjuu kowai."
    45AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:41
    Re: #43
    There's no way Nishiguchi has authority over personnel decisions — that's the Chairman's call.
    46AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:43
    They clearly make personnel decisions with the explicit intent of not letting otaku guess right — remember the deliberately confusing wording when Sugihara got promoted?
    48AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:46
    Re: #47
    Isn't there staff who monitor the forums and report back at meetings?
    Whenever a typo gets pointed out on the forums, it gets fixed right away, doesn't it?
    49AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:47
    The Chairman probably doesn't touch anything except for people with connections or his own favorites — he just gives the final OK.
    51AnonymousSep 2, 2026 23:50
    It's obvious OCHA's concept is having members from all different hometowns.
    Tashiro's Kanagawa slot is open, so Sakamoto becomes a strong candidate for OCHA.
    But the moment you start pushing the "hometown theory," they'll do the opposite and throw in Yoshida from Tokyo or Hattori from Aichi instead.
    Yet if nobody pushes the hometown theory, the "all different hometowns" concept just stays intact on its own.
    (Just like how they kept birthdays from overlapping for over ten years straight — the first time two members shared a birthday was Tanaka and Sakurai.)
    Personnel decisions are a tug-of-war between the forum posters and this garbage agency.
    57AnonymousSep 3, 2026 00:27
    Re: #18
    Goto just came from the ANGERME audition — I don't remember her ever pushing for ANGERME specifically.
    Her role model wasn't an ANGERME member either.
    59AnonymousSep 3, 2026 00:39
    Re: #57
    Goto Hana publicly said in a magazine interview during her trainee days that she wanted to join ANGERME.
    It's just Morning Musume fans and Goto antis claiming she wanted Morning Musume instead.

    Hello! Project trainee Goto Hana: "I want to join ANGERME"
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1672119914/

    Background and Key Points

    OCHA NORMA is a group that has grown by welcoming new members from Hello! Project’s trainee pool, and Sakamoto Aoka is currently active as a trainee. When trainees are asked which group they’d like to join, there’s a tendency to give an inoffensive answer that won’t ruffle feathers — as replies 2 and 9 point out, such statements are hard to take entirely at face value. On the other hand, as reply 18 notes with examples like Hashisako, Ishiyama, Goto, and Hayashi, there are multiple cases of members who publicly stated their desired group before actually joining it, so it can’t simply be dismissed as diplomatic small talk either. The thread also raised the recurring pattern of the agency making personnel decisions that go against fan predictions, reinforcing the view that Sakamoto’s comment doesn’t necessarily guarantee she’ll end up in OCHA NORMA. Note that any comments in the thread naming real staff members in connection with personnel authority are unverified fan speculation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Kyururun: “(Sakamoto Aoka-chan) said she wants to join OCHA NORMA, so…”“.

  • Morning Musume New-Member Intro Video Dogged by Audio-Sync Complaints — 5ch: ‘Guess They Gotta Re-upload This One’

    Morning Musume。’26’s Miki Nonaka has released a self-introduction video called “Oshi-katsu Class” on YouTube, aimed at new fans. The video introduces members from the 11th, 12th, 15th, and 16th generations one by one, aiming to show a side of them beyond their official profiles. But on 5ch’s live-discussion thread, commenters kept pointing out that the audio and video were out of sync. The video’s 37-minute runtime, along with its release timing — the same day as a Hello! Project livestream — also split opinion, with reactions focused more on production quality than on the content itself.

    1AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:00
    【Morning Musume。Channel】
    【Morning Musume。Oshi-katsu Class】Member Intro Edition Part 1 (11th/12th/15th/16th gen members)
    youtu.be/emsxRz_Qo4Y
    2AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:01
    Nah, you gotta start with the 18th gen first.
    3AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:01
    tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emsxRz_Qo4Y

    Morning Musume。'26 — a project pitched by Miki Nonaka herself!
    For everyone who's recently gotten into Morning Musume。, member Miki Nonaka personally breaks down how to be a Morning Musume。fan (oshi-katsu)!
    This time it's the "Member Introduction Edition," going through the Morning Musume。'26 members one by one in detail.
    It's not just official profile info…
    Since she's a member who's always with them, she digs into the personal side that only someone that close would know.
    Part 1 covers the 11th, 12th, 15th, and 16th generation members.

    As shown in the video,
    you can download Nonaka's original profile booklet here:
    https://r.helloproject.com/morningmusume/youtube/Oshikatsu_Profile26.jpg
    Please post on X with the hashtag "#MMProfile"!
    5AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:04
    37 minutes is way too long
    Split it into groups like:
    Nonaka/Oda
    Okamura/Yamazaki
    Sakurai/Inoue/Yugeta

    Yasuda/Sugihara
    Suzuki/Ishikawa
    or something like that
    7AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:05
    Doubt this gets more views than the Kohmi Hirose x Juice=Juice video.
    9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:05
    Re: #7
    Way too obvious.
    10AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:06
    Been thinking this for a while, but shouldn't the leader focus on getting people interested in the first place, rather than making content for people who are already interested?
    11AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:06
    Doesn't really mean anything if not all the members show up, right?
    12AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:06
    I bet this won't get more views than the Kohmi Hirose x Juice=Juice video.
    13AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:07
    Re: #12
    Way too obvious.
    29AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:21
    Re: #12
    Kind of telling that Juice=Juice is the only thing you can brag about.
    14AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:08
    Wouldn't introducing the Juice=Juice members actually get more views?
    16AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:09
    Re: #14
    Way too obvious.
    15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:08
    This right here —
    it feels like watching a corporate presentation, boring.
    Aren't you supposed to be an idol?
    17AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:10
    If you split it up, nobody's gonna watch the later parts.
    18AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:11
    The 'King of ○○' series does a better job of showing their personalities.
    22AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:13
    The audio sync is brutal.
    Guess they gotta re-upload this one lol
    24AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:18
    I liked the person who draws outfits on headless models though.
    26AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:20
    Re: #24
    The one where Makino specifically redrew it as a rabbit?
    27AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:20
    Old folks be like: 'The text is too small, I can't read it!!!'
    30AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:22
    Feels like it'd do better if Juice=Juice members appeared in it.
    31AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:24
    Just have the Juice=Juice channel introduce the Juice=Juice members.
    32AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:26
    Audio sync is terrible.
    You'd normally check that before uploading, right?
    33AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:28
    Miyu-chan's name isn't even in the 'using Oda as an example' part…
    35AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:30
    I'm a new fan because of 'Mori-re-Mi' (a cutesy nickname for Nonaka), and this seems like a boring group.
    36AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:31
    They didn't rewatch it after exporting, huh
    There's no way you wouldn't notice audio sync being this bad.
    37AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:34
    Only Nonaka's own fans are gonna watch this.
    39AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:42
    Nonaka's projects are basically always boring.
    40AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:44
    The girl who appeared on Gavan Infinity
    https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv351306888
    46AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:54
    This kind of thing should really be left to Rairii.
    47AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:54
    Rather than this, releasing live footage would get way more views.
    48AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:56
    Re: #47
    Apparently they can't get permission for that.
    49AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:57
    They should just have each member film their own clips and edit them together.
    52AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:04
    It's long, and why release it the same day as Hallo Station?
    It'd be easier to poach fans from other groups if you're already a Hello! Project fan,
    so upload it tomorrow instead —
    the old folks are asleep watching Hallo Station right now.
    53AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:04
    Feels like it'd be more entertaining if Mesa made it.
    54AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:05
    Re: #53
    Yeah, the 18th gen's Instagram has no sense of style either.
    55AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:06
    Re: #54
    Not Instagram, TikTok.
    56AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:10
    That was fun.
    I like how they draw the panda.
    57AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:11
    The one where Mesa and Hanano did that weird dance was cute though.

    Background and Talking Points

    This video is one entry in the “Oshi-katsu Class” series, a project pitched by Morning Musume。’26’s Miki Nonaka, aimed at introducing new fans to the personalities of the current members. What divided opinion in the thread wasn’t the content of the project itself, but its production quality. Multiple commenters pointed out that the audio and video were out of sync, while the 37-minute runtime drew a mix of “please split it into smaller parts” requests and “if you split it up, no one will watch the later parts” pushback — no clear consensus emerged. Comparisons to a Juice=Juice video (also under the Hello! Project umbrella) came up often, though nothing in the thread actually compares the two videos’ view counts. There were few concrete comments about the video’s actual content, and true to a live-discussion thread posted right after release, the reactions centered mainly on production issues.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “【Morning Musume。Oshi-katsu Class】Member Intro Edition Part 1.”

  • “Happy Birthday-yai-ne, Fu-chan!”: Idolmaster Fans Flood Birthday Thread with Fan Art

    A thread celebrating the birthday of “Fu-chan,” a character from the Idolmaster series, popped up on 5ch’s News VIP board. From the thread title down to every single reply, posters kept up the character’s signature verbal tic “~yai ne,” posting fan art one after another. Talk also touched on practical info — collecting the full set of official “chibi plush” goods runs about 18,000 yen — along with comments on various artists’ drawing styles, all unfolding in the usual celebratory mood of a birthday thread.

    1AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:48
    Happy birthday-yai-ne, Fu-chan!
    3AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:49
    5AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:49
    6AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:49
    7AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:50
    8AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:50
    Totally going for that convention-appeal look! *bonk*
    9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:51
    If Tsumu draws it, it's all about chasing convention appeal.
    13AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:51
    Natural Love → Natural Love (katakana ver.) → Bald-Patch Love — nooooooo!! (a joke about the phrase mutating step by step)
    15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:52
    Flustered! (oro oro)
    25AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:58
    For now, baboo~ (baby talk)
    27AnonymousSep 2, 2026 19:59
    29AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:00
    32AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:02
    Re: #29
    I kind of want to snatch away her blanket and snacks (for her own good).
    30AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:01

    31AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:02
    61AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:17
    Her face, nyan!!!
    67AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:19
    Thought it was a total bishoujo, but it's her!
    73AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:24
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HRNMbRXagAAcw07.jpg
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HRNMc7UbIAA1z1Y.jpg
    75AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:25
    78AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:28
    Nothing but hope for the future!
    79AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:29
    Re: #78
    Why does this artist always draw her a little cross-eyed?
    87AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:37
    Hands.
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HRNTvRKa8AAAbxt.jpg
    97AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:50
    117AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:55
    lol
    120AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:57
    Re: #117
    Wait, is this maybe what got the last chibi plush design picked?
    125AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:59
    That's me!
    134AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:06
    135AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:08
    That's Fuu-tan, isn't it~ (an even cuter nickname for Fu-chan)
    144AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:19
    Re: #135
    Just staring at this Tsumu piece, totally smitten.
    139AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:12
    Want the whole chibi plush set, but it's 18,000 yen, ugh.
    142AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:14
    Re: #139
    Compared to a 60-pull gacha, that's actually cheap.
    143AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:17
    The "go wild!" towel (novelty merch)
    145AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:22
    Mako-rin's adorable
    146AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:28
    Want it!
    149AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:33
    Thanks!
    152AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:40
    Thanks!
    157AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:54
    159AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:54
    Re: #157
    That got a weird noise out of me! *bonk*

    Background and Talking Points

    Calling her “Fu-chan” and tacking “~yai ne” onto the end of every sentence is a familiar pattern for birthday threads on the VIP board — posters mimic the character’s own speech quirks to celebrate her special day. Imas, MiliMas, GreeMas, and MiliShita are all abbreviations for different titles within the same Idolmaster franchise (the mobile version, an older entry, the GREE version, and Million Live! Theater Days, respectively) — a distinction that can be hard to follow for readers unfamiliar with the series. There were no notable disputes in the thread; discussion mostly centered on reactions to the fan art and light banter using fandom jargon like “going for convention appeal” (art styles aimed at impressing at doujin events), along with practical info-sharing, such as the fact that collecting a full set of the official “chibi plush” goods costs 18,000 yen. A few replies brought up the real-life age and birthday of the voice actress behind the character, but since that involves private information that could identify her, we’ve left those details out of this article. Overall, the thread stayed free of hostile or discriminatory remarks, unfolding in a warm, celebratory mood among fans.

    This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News VIP) thread “Happy Birthday-yai-ne, Fu-chan! Idolmaster / Million Live! Theater Days / Imas / MiliMas / GreeMas / MiliShita Thread — Love You For Now.”

  • Kohmi Hirose: ‘Juice=Juice Are Top Idols, Yet Their Greetings Are Impeccable — Amazing’

    Singer-songwriter Kohmi Hirose remarked in a YouTube interview-style video that Hello! Project’s Juice=Juice “do such proper, thorough greetings despite being top idols — it’s amazing,” a comment that sparked discussion on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. The thread saw sarcasm (“greetings are the only thing worth praising”) clash with defenders (“getting the basics right is admirable”), and the talk expanded into comparisons of other groups’ airport behavior.

    1AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:26
    It's rare for a top idol to have greetings this polished
    (said during a YouTube interview video)
    3AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:28
    Mr./Ms. Offshore=Company,
    don't slack off on the internet shilling now (a jab implying paid astroturfers promote the group)
    4AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:29
    Greetings are literally the only thing worth praising lol
    9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:30
    Re: #4
    Greetings are the most important thing in this industry
    Wait… are you a shut-in (hikikomori)?
    29AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:35
    Re: #4
    She praised more than just the greetings though. Hello.
    40AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:38
    Re: #4
    So, does your oshi (favorite idol) have anything praiseworthy at all?
    5AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:29
    That's gonna turn into "wait, was Philosophy no Dance's greeting no good then?" talk, so quit it, Kohmi
    10AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:30
    Re: #5
    Hearing "XX is amazing"
    and jumping to "so YY must NOT be amazing!"
    is just plain illiterate and dumb, so you should stop doing that
    82AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:47
    Re: #5
    Philosophy no Dance isn't even remotely "top" though
    85AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:48
    Re: #5
    If she worked with them, maybe she just assumed they were polite because they're underground idols?
    6AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:29
    Greetings matter a ton
    Whether someone can nail basics like greetings really shows their attitude
    11AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:30
    So the singing and dancing are lackluster, meaning greetings are the only thing left to praise, huh
    15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:31
    Re: #11
    Sorry to break it to you, but she praised their singing and dancing on TV too
    63AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:42
    Re: #11 Re: #20
    Praise them or not, you'll complain either way. Ahh, jealousy really is ugly lol
    14AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:31
    Even veteran manzai masters say greetings matter most
    17AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:32
    Today's thread brought to you by people isolated from society (hikikomori edition)
    18AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:32
    Re: #1
    Where exactly are they "top idols"?
    That's a brutal jab
    20AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:33
    Re: #15
    Hello! Project fans really take social pleasantries at face value, huh lol
    21AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:33
    Not just Juice=Juice — people say all of Hello! Project does proper greetings
    Seems like they really train them well on that front
    22AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:33
    Juice=Juice fans getting excited over something like this
    34AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:36
    Re: #22
    Exactly this
    If it were Morning Musume or Angerme, it'd be so obvious nobody would bother bringing it up
    23AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:33
    Yeah, it really is impressive being able to greet properly like that
    27AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:34
    Makes you wonder what kind of childhood someone had if all they can think of is negativity
    It's a good example to follow
    33AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:36
    The one with the bad airport reputation was Equal Love (=LOVE) — "Kawarabo," right?
    35AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:36
    Didn't Hiromi Go also say something about them being well brought-up?
    36AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:37
    The fact that hit-song-less Hello! Project has lasted this long
    really comes down to not forgetting the basics like that
    38AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:38
    This one's thanks to solid training from the agency
    Not just Juice=Juice — it's true for every group
    81AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:46
    Re: #38
    There are groups that can't even manage a greeting in the morning though
    84AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:47
    Re: #38
    There's also a group whose leader won't even pick up a dropped pen
    87AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:49
    So does this mean that, in Hirose's experience, most top idols actually have bad manners?
    88AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:50
    Re: #87
    That's Equal Love, who she collaborated with before
    89AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:50
    Ikuta-san is a top idol
    91AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:50
    I bet Juice=Juice are well-behaved at Korean airports too
    95AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:51
    Re: #91
    There's already footage up from Hong Kong and Taiwan airports
    93AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:51
    Once you start getting praised for your greetings, that's the beginning of the end (i.e., a sign the group is washed up)
    98AnonymousSep 2, 2026 12:52
    Re: #93
    What kind of theory is that
    Never heard of it

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    This story started when Kohmi Hirose, in a YouTube interview-style video, praised Juice=Juice for how properly they greet people. Hello! Project is said to have long emphasized greeting and manner training for its trainees, and the thread repeatedly echoed that view, as seen in comments 21 and 38 (“the agency’s training is solid”). Opinions split, however, between a sarcastic camp (comments 4, 11, 22) arguing that “if greetings are the compliment, there must be nothing else to praise,” and a defensive camp (comments 6, 9, 29) countering that “nailing the basics is exactly what deserves credit” — a recurring point of friction among Hello! Project fans. Several comments also drew comparisons to other groups’ airport behavior, such as Equal Love (=LOVE) and Philosophy no Dance, but these were all secondhand, eyewitness-level accounts rather than officially verified facts, which readers should keep in mind. The thread’s information doesn’t specify which video or program Hirose’s comment actually came from, and this article only covers what can be confirmed within that scope.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Kohmi Hirose: ‘Juice=Juice Are Top Idols, Yet Their Greetings Are Impeccable — Amazing’.”