Category: News

  • Hello! Project’s “20,000 Yen Special Set” Sparks Buzz — Turns Out It’s Just Unsold Calendars

    “J.P Room,” operated by Wani Books, has announced it will sell a “Special Set” bundling goods from Morning Musume’s Kaede Fukumura and others for 20,000 yen (tax included). The set includes one J.P Room calendar plus artist merchandise, with an oversized, not-for-sale panel and one photo card thrown in as bonus items. On 5ch’s Hello! Project board, posters pointed out that the set’s contents look like a grab bag of leftover unsold goods such as calendars, prompting a string of comments calling it “inventory clearance,” while others defended it as “a limited promotion for fans who just want the panel,” leaving opinions split.

    <Limited quantities! Comes with Special Set bonus items!!>

    Buy the artist set below — which includes one J.P Room calendar — and get an oversized panel & one photo card as a free gift!

    【Kaede Fukumura “Special Set” with bonus items — Price (tax included): 20,000 yen】

    Source: wani.co.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:06
    Maria's Budokan [merch] was awful too
    Wani [Books] is garbage
    4AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:07
    The year's almost over and they're still making us buy this year's calendar
    5AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:07
    This year's calendar is way too much of a leftover…
    6AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:08
    Guess this shows Fukumura actually sold her calendar out properly
    Impressive
    32AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:20
    Re: #6
    Ishida had leftover on-location Cheki photos (instant snapshot photos) and ended up adding an extra event — guess she didn't sell as well as expected
    8AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:08
    Which member would you date?
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1791371284/
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:09
    They just see otaku as cash cows
    11AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:09
    You still want to see more photobooks, right?
    Then you've got no choice but to buy
    13AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:10
    It's J.P — well, Wani Books, really
    They pull this at graduation concerts too
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:13
    Even if you add up all of Chii-chan's stuff, it only comes to about 14,000 yen, so there's no sense of a deal at all
    So the oversized panel and photo card are supposed to make up the difference?
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:16
    Re: #18
    It's not meant to be a bargain
    It's sold so only the handful of people who want the panel end up buying it
    20AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:14
    Re: #1
    Photobook aside, an old calendar? Is this trash disposal or what, lol
    21AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:14
    Nobody needs a calendar starting from April 2026
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:15
    Re: #2
    Yeah, they were pushing something of Maria's too
    Forgot what it was though
    41AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:26
    Re: #22

    43AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:27
    Re: #41

    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:16
    A life-size panel?
    27AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:17
    Re: #24
    The kind of panel they set up at calendar handout events
    26AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:17
    Basically it's a limited promo for people who want the panel that's normally not for sale
    Though tacking on the unsold calendar is pretty harsh
    30AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:20
    If you think of it as the price for a one-of-a-kind panel
    Well, it's about normal as a collector price
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:21
    Re: #1
    Wrong image attached
    https://www.wani.co.jp/images/Event/Event_xZbjmpE5uDKh73JywvuNMWZ0A4Q3BAjz_3.png
    https://www.wani.co.jp/images/Event/Event_xZbjmpE5uDKh73JywvuNMWZ0A4Q3BAjz_4.png
    45AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:28
    Re: #34
    Can't read the text — what's even the point of this image
    36AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:22
    They often do this bundle-with-bonus sales style at graduation concerts
    Same thing here
    37AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:23
    Well, I guess it can't be helped — only fans devoted to a specific member would know about this
    40AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:24
    This photo of Ishida is great!
    I want it, but is there competition?
    42AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:26
    Re: #40
    Probably the most competitive one
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:27
    Re: #40
    Up against "Nekodera's girl" and "Chouchin" (apparent fan nicknames)
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:28
    Re: #42
    Seriously? Ishida's that popular?
    Guess lining up around midnight on the day should be plenty though
    49AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:29
    Re: #45
    I get the general idea, but does that mean you can't actually read Japanese?
    Study some Japanese before browsing Ookami (nickname for the Hello! Project board)
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:30
    So Ishida's fans are pulling an all-nighter → then the stage show → then session 2, all for this?
    52AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:32
    Chii-chan's is by far the best deal
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:34
    So they finally figured out, this late, how to get rid of the mountain of leftover 2026 calendars
    57AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:35
    Re: #55
    They could clear the stock easily if they just did a handshake event (sesshoku, a fan meet-and-greet)
    58AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:35
    What time do the early birds usually start lining up?
    64AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:48
    Re: #58
    For a graduation concert, people are probably lining up from the middle of the night

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    “J.P Room,” run by Wani Books, handles Hello! Project calendars and meet-and-greet events, and turning a not-for-sale panel into a bonus item for a limited sale is a tactic that’s been used before at things like graduation concerts. Opinions in the thread split between those who saw this as “clearing out unsold calendar stock” and those who saw it as “a limited sales tactic aimed at collectors after the not-for-sale panel,” with both views drawing a fair amount of support. One point that’s easy to get wrong: simply adding up the list prices of the individual items in the set comes to only around 14,000 yen, and posters pointed out that the gap between that and the 20,000 yen price reflects the value of the not-for-sale panel and photo card. In other words, this isn’t simply “marked-up merchandise” — it also reflects pricing aimed at fans chasing limited-edition items.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “[Sad News] J.P Room Bundles Its Leftovers and Sells Them to Otaku for 20,000 Yen as Inventory Clearance lol“.

  • Tensura’s Rimuru Called ‘More Disturbing Than Rudeus’ — Fans Debate Isekai Protagonist Archetypes

    A thread on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo G board blew up over Rimuru, the protagonist of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It kicked off with a comment calling him more unsettling than Rudeus from Mushoku Tensei, and from there the discussion expanded to the show’s massacre scenes, the propriety of its “revival festival” depiction, and comparisons with protagonists from other isekai works like Overlord, The Rising of the Shield Hero, and KonoSuba. Replies split between posters defending Rimuru’s actions as self-defense and critics asking whether a protagonist who slaughters enemies while gloating should really be the hero.

    4AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:33
    Is he really that disturbing though?
    He's not out here committing sex crimes or anything.
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:36
    Re: #4
    What they've got in common is they're both virgins.
    9AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:35
    Classic Tensura move —
    a savage villain shows up again and again just so the hero gets to commit atrocities and feel good about it.
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:39
    Re: #9
    Also add that the enemy boss is always weak.
    15AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:37
    A sex criminal is way worse though.
    What's scary is the author actually thought that stuff would make good entertainment.
    17AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:38
    Re: #15
    I guess even the author realized that wasn't okay — in the light novel timeline he doesn't secretly film anyone, he just gets kicked out for being too creepy.
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:41
    Between One-Punch Man and Rimuru, which one's the bigger story-wrecker?
    Feels like with both of them, things get boring later on just because that character exists.
    32AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:42
    Re: #28
    Rimuru's not that bad, honestly —
    there are plenty of guys stronger than him.
    31AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:42
    Re: #26
    Not much different, since he uses soldiers who had nothing to do with it to revive his subordinates.
    40AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:43
    Re: #31
    Wasn't that because they were attacked and killed first?
    60AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:47
    Re: #40
    If you're going to excuse Rimuru doing that, it's inconsistent not to also excuse the massacre in Buchigire Reijō (another isekai series, literally "The Enraged Young Lady").
    36AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:42
    The other side being evil and it being okay for you to slaughter them while gloating are two completely different issues.
    Even more so when it's the main character.
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:44
    Re: #36
    That's just self-defense. They're the ones who went after civilians first — and not just with Shion.
    43AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:44
    Manga protagonists are plot-armored by definition —
    is it even fun reading something without that convenience?
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:45
    Re: #43
    Exactly.
    People just want something to hate on.
    47AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:44
    Overlord's protagonist is also absurdly overpowered, but the story mostly follows ordinary people, so it's bearable until Ainz actually shows up.
    Tensura I just couldn't do.
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:45
    Re: #47
    Overlord's worse though —
    I felt way more bad for the characters getting crushed in that one.
    69AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:49
    Tensura sells so well it's baffling, and it's especially huge with female fans —

    what is it that's pulling them in like that?
    81AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:51
    Re: #69
    Obviously Benimaru and Souei.
    87AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:52
    Even in the anime, Tensura was just sitting in meetings the whole time while Mushoku Tensei and Re:Zero were blowing up — cut it some slack 😭
    89AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:53
    Re: #87
    'Blowing up' (among a niche of isekai-hating diehards, anyway).
    94AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:55
    Re: #77
    The massacre phase itself is fine, honestly — if they were going to run the place as an evil nation.
    It's the putting-on-a-righteous-face act afterward that's really hard to take.
    102AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:58
    Re: #94
    Don't trash-talk Kingdom.
    103AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:58
    I've only watched season one of Tensura, Re:Zero, Mushoku Tensei, and Shield Hero so I'm not totally sure, but are these shows actually good enough to keep going that long?
    110AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:01
    Re: #103
    The scary thing about these shows is they pay off the title within a few episodes and then just coast on momentum after that.
    104AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:58
    The least off-putting one is The Eminence in Shadow —
    I like that the protagonist's selfishness never wavers.
    113AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:01
    Re: #104
    Nah, it's Kazuma from KonoSuba, thanks to the comedy filter.
    121AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:03
    Re: #113
    His cocky, cheesy try-hard-otaku vibe is rough — genuinely off-putting.
    126AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:04
    Re: #113
    The vibe feels dated — rough to watch now.
    107AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:00
    Thanks to Pekora (the VTuber), isekai/narou titles across the board are getting roasted lol.
    117AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:02
    Re: #107
    Funny how Overlord isn't getting dragged.
    141AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:11
    Re: #107
    Turns out VTubers actually have a more normal sense of judgment than narou novels do.
    Narou just never got exposed to public scrutiny and went way too far unchecked.
    109AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:00
    Both Tensura and Overlord have protagonists who slaughter without hesitation to the point you wonder where their humanity went.
    Does turning into a monster warp your values too?
    116AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:01
    Re: #109
    It's delinquent-manga logic —
    humanity only gets extended to your own crew.
    132AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:06
    The massacre itself in season 2 can sort of be excused with 'DD-ron' logic (fan slang for 'different circumstances call for different standards').
    What I genuinely can't wrap my head around is the revival festival afterward.
    140AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:09
    Re: #132
    Yeah, they really should've left out the subordinate-revival part.
    143AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:12
    Re: #132
    (Sure, he massacred humans, but) his buddies got revived, so happy ending, I guess.

    Background and key points of this debate

    Tensura is a hugely popular isekai anime in which protagonist Rimuru, reincarnated as a slime, crushes enemies with overwhelming power — a defining feature of the show. The term “DD-ron” used in the thread is isekai-fandom-specific slang for justifying brutal treatment of anyone outside one’s own circle, and it isn’t widely known outside that community. The thread branched into comparisons with protagonists from Mushoku Tensei (Rudeus), Overlord, KonoSuba, and The Rising of the Shield Hero, with opinions divided on how far strength and on-screen violence can be justified. Underlying the debate is a broader tendency for isekai’s stock tropes to come under renewed scrutiny; rather than judging individual series on their own merits, the real axis of debate is whether a story structure built around a protagonist who enjoys inflicting violence is acceptable at all.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Sad News] Tensura’s Rimuru Gets Branded a Protagonist Even More Disturbing and Scary Than Rudeus lmaooo.”

  • Kudo Yua’s Giant Backpack Becomes a Hot Topic — 5ch: ‘That Thing’s Huge’

    A photo of Hello! Project idol Kudo Yua carrying an oversized North Face backpack was posted to the 5ch “Hello! Project” board and quickly became a talking point. These large-capacity backpacks have long been popular among fans, and posters in the thread pointed out that other members, including Kawana Rin, carry similarly sized packs. Some praised the bag’s storage capacity for travel and fan trips to see the group, while others pushed back with comments like “it’d feel suffocating if someone wore that on a packed train” and “that brand is already out of style,” leaving opinions on the fashion side split.

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:29
    Huge
    2AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:30
    A 'homo randoseru'!! (forum slang for the oversized North Face backpack, since it looks like a school satchel/randoseru)
    4AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:31
    Esper Ito's hiding in there (a tarento known for bizarre stunts like squeezing into boxes and bags)
    5AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:32
    This reminds me of that guy from the Budokan show
    6AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:34
    Kawana Rin's backpack is huge too
    7AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:34
    That backpack again
    8AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:34
    Post Yagi Shiori's hideously uncool backpack too
    17AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:40
    The bag's one thing, but isn't that shirt she's got on underneath the one they handed out at the CDTV taping? lol
    19AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:43
    Curious what Nikon model camera-girl Reirei is shooting with
    20AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:43
    Handy for hauling octopus around
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:46
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4ulLMSVoAArhn4.jpg
    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:47
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:47
    I rock a knockoff 'homo randoseru' myself, but
    it holds a ton of stuff so it's actually really practical
    26AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:48
    Would hate to be the one standing next to someone wearing this on a packed train lol
    27AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:49
    Oh, that's Yasaka Shrine
    sightseeing with a bag that massive strapped to her back
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:51
    When I travel I just go with one North Face backpack with the small one-point logo
    30AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:51
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:54
    Isn't the airline limit 45 liters?
    it's not even that big, should clear even the stricter LCC carry-on rules
    38AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:58
    North Face's logo is tacky, but it still beats dragging a rolling suitcase around
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:06
    Speaking of 'homo randoseru,' this is the classic reference shot
    https://livedoor.blogimg.jp/wxvm/imgs/b/c/bc85f4be.jpg
    45AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:08
    Same as gals and yankees — once you max out a specific look, everyone ends up looking identical
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:10
    Standard reminder: it only looks huge because an idol's the one wearing it
    47AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:11
    You could probably even fit a box of wafer cookies in there
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:14
    https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20240428/22/juicejuice-official/d4/eb/j/o1080143915431740744.jpg
    66AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:50
    Reply to Re: #51:
    when these two wear it, it actually looks stylish
    52AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:17
    There was a girl who used to do her fan stuff with one of these at a half-basement livehouse
    set it on the floor and it doubles as personal space
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:20
    Her fashion sense is seriously off, kind of want to fix it for her
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:22
    No joke, I'm genuinely curious what's actually inside that thing
    56AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:23
    North Face itself is already past its prime as a brand
    58AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:26
    Reply to Re: #54:
    unless you're an old geezer like you, it's still totally wearable
    59AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:26
    Can we please stop with the octopus nonsense and just act normal
    61AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:38
    Uemura-san, Danbara-san, Inoue-san, and Ria all gave me a backpack!!!!!

    I'd actually requested it (*´꒳`*)

    Thank you so much㉓🧡🍫🦋

    And the backpack is roomy, and the shape is so cute!

    It even has the member colors of all four people who gave it to me!!!

    This is basically a miracle!

    We were all so surprised😆

    I love backpacks so this made my day (o´艸`)

    Yaaay, it's me, Yua!~ (*´`*)
    62AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:38
    A girl with idol-level looks can wear literally anything and make it work
    63AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:42
    Everything just looks good on them
    and honestly it might even get reappraised as a stylish item because of that
    65AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:49
    Sometimes you see small-town middle schoolers wearing these
    68AnonymousOct 7, 2026 22:59
    Kind of want to tell her a no-name bag would look better than something that was trendy years ago
    70AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:03
    Well, it's become a classic at this point
    there are tonal versions where the logo blends into the body, and mini-logo versions too, so whether you want it to stand out is just personal taste
    71AnonymousOct 7, 2026 23:03
    Guess I'll go buy a North Face backpack now

    Background and talking points

    The large-capacity backpack that sparked discussion in the thread traces back to models originally designed for mountaineering and outdoor use, which later became a staple for fans carrying heavy loads to events and tour stops. The comment about “45 liters for flights” refers to the cabin-baggage size limits enforced by low-cost carriers, reflecting the practical needs of fans who want both capacity and portability. Another post cited the member’s own blog, where she reportedly mentioned that the backpack was a gift she’d specifically requested from fellow members — suggesting the item in question may have come from an exchange with fellow members rather than being her own individual pick. Much of the thread’s disagreement comes down to the point that “the same item looks different depending on who’s wearing it,” which makes it easy to conflate opinions about the brand itself with opinions about the individual wearing it.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread「Kudo Yua-chan’s North Face backpack is huge!!」.

  • Kaede Kaga Kicks Off Second Dance Study Trip in LA

    Former Morning Musume.’15 member Kaede Kaga has started her second dance study trip to Los Angeles, sparking discussion on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. Her first stint was a one-year study abroad, and this marks a return trip following that one. The thread buzzed with stories about her mentor relationships with fellow ’15-generation member Rio Kitagawa (now a TV Tokyo announcer), whom Kaga reportedly coached, as well as current Morning Musume. leader Homare Okamura and ace Ai Yamazaki. Speculation that she might be aiming to become a choreographer or stage director fueled excitement, while opinions were split over the purpose of the trip and what she’ll do next.

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:06
    I absolutely cannot wait to see what the future holds for Lady Kaede Kaga!!!!!
    5AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:11
    The other girls who did the one-year LA study trip with her are back in Japan and thriving again,
    but Kaedi went back for round two.
    Maybe she's chasing some seriously high-level goal.
    8AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:12
    Back in her idol days, especially near the end,
    she talked a lot about wanting to be a choreographer, a general director, or a stage manager,
    so maybe she's seriously going for that now.
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:14
    Is she turning into Alex from the movie Flashdance?
    15AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:17
    But seriously, though?
    Her '15-generation classmate Marai-chi
    and her star pupil Rio-chan, also from '15,
    are both doing so well out in the world
    that it's gotta be inspiring Kaedi to chase her own dream for real too.
    16AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:17
    Kinda like a kid who's scared of becoming a working adult and goes to college just to buy themselves more time (a "moratorium").
    17AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:17
    Since she left for the US at this time of year, does that mean Moulin Rouge is off the table now?
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:18
    Re: #17
    Moulin Rouge is in summer — there's still half a year.
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:18
    Next year's Morning Musume. 30th anniversary — I'd love for Kaedi to come back leading a whole squad of Americans for that one.
    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:18
    Only Michishige fans ever start these threads, yet "otaku" in general get blamed for it.
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:18
    Is this person trying to become like Sayashi (Riho Sayashi)?
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:19
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HNd1XUyWEAA8bXU.jpg
    29AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:20
    This kind of Asian look is super popular overseas, you know.
    32AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:22
    Re: #29
    Exactly.
    Honestly, even to Japanese eyes, Kaedi is drop-dead gorgeous.
    30AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:20
    Oh right, Kaga completely retired from showbiz, didn't she…
    35AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:23
    Re: #30
    Kaga's fans must be gutted… so bittersweet.
    47AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:31
    These days,
    Rio Kitagawa is TV Tokyo's star ace announcer.

    Morning Musume.'s current leader Homare Okamura. Its absolute ace Ai Yamazaki.

    Kaede Kaga mentored and raised all three of them from early on.

    That's an insane labor record (lit. "Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare" — a joking way of saying her training regimen was so intense it's basically a workplace case).
    49AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:32
    Re: #47
    Except the person herself is apparently unemployed.
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:34
    Re: #49
    Surely even Kaedi belongs to something, right?
    52AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:35
    I figured she'd quietly left showbiz and gone back to being a regular person, but she's not giving up, huh.
    There's a dime a dozen of dancers out there — it's not gonna work.
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:37
    Re: #52
    Haters really don't know anything.
    She retired as a talent, sure,
    but she'd talked endlessly about her behind-the-scenes dreams.
    57AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:38
    Re: #52
    Here's her most recent post so far:

    @
    Once again, to everyone who's been cheering me on —
    following the final curtain call of the musical the day before yesterday,
    I'm ending my activities.
    Thank you so much for everything up until now!
    I got to spend such happy times.
    Over these two years I came to feel
    there's still more I can do, so I won't let up on the effort.
    I hope we can meet again somewhere!!
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:35
    With how expensive everything is in America right now, just the cost of living there sounds rough — I wonder if Kaedi's got the money for it?
    59AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:39
    Re: #57
    That last line is the same thing she always said back in her Musume days —
    she'll definitely come back, just not as a talent.
    62AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:42
    Re: #59
    Coming back as a talent would be fine too, honestly.
    71AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:51
    Coming back as a talent seems like it'd let her shine more.
    78AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:55
    Re: #71
    Realistically speaking, it'd be a waste not to use her past career,
    so I think there's a real chance she comes back in front of the camera.
    75AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:53
    That video where Kaedi fully produced her beloved protégés from the '15 generation —
    original choreography, costumes, everything —
    that one blew up like crazy.
    I've watched it a trillion times myself.
    Watching it again now, yeah, it's still amazing.
    76AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:55
    Re: #75
    Forgot to attach the video, oops
    https://youtu.be/oNu2WhDP2-M?si=rLE_bFxVsYoHUN6i
    80AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:55
    Re: #76
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaah all three of them are so cute I could die
    82AnonymousOct 7, 2026 21:56
    Re: #76
    Whoa… this was exactly 10 years ago…

    Background and Talking Points

    Kaede Kaga graduated from Morning Musume.’ in 2023 and has since focused mainly on stage work, announcing — as quoted in the thread — that she was ending her activities following the “final curtain call of the musical.” What split opinion in the thread was whether this new LA trip is simply personal self-improvement, or serious training toward the choreographer/stage-director “behind-the-scenes” path she’d talked about openly during her idol days. Supporters pointed to her track record of fully producing a kouhai’s performance, while skeptics doubted a comeback as a dancer was realistic. Discussion of the ’15 generation also tied her to a classmate who became a TV Tokyo announcer and to the group’s current leadership, showing just how differently members of the same generation can be perceived. Her current affiliation or future plans were not confirmed in the thread.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Lady Kaede Kaga ❤ Starts Her Second LA 🇺🇸 Dance Training Trip ❤.”

  • What Time Is “8:10 Before”? 5ch Can’t Agree — and Asks: “Why Won’t You Just Say 7:50?”

    On 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” (general live-chat) board, a debate broke out over what the Japanese phrase “8-ji juppun mae” (lit. “8:10 before”) actually means. One camp reads it as shortly before 8:10 (around 8:05), while the other reads it as further back than that — i.e., ten minutes before 8:00 (around 7:50). The discussion expanded into whether the split comes down to generational differences in interpretation. Some argued the ambiguous phrasing itself is the problem, while others said it would be simpler to just say “7:50” outright.

    5AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:28
    Japanese is the problem for having so many ways to say the same thing.
    Just say "7:50" or "ten minutes to 8" like a normal person.
    7AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:29
    You can tell from the tone of voice.
    Writing out a confusing phrase like that in text is just crazy ("gai," 5ch slang for "nuts").
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:29
    Well, you wouldn't bother specifying "10 minutes" anyway.
    It'd just be "come before 8," right?
    11AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    But if someone says "please come before 8:30," nobody's showing up at 7:30 — so isn't there really just one natural reading?
    12AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    A sane person avoids phrasing that can be taken two ways as much as possible.
    Just saying "7:50" or "8:09" straight up is the smart move.
    101AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:14
    Re: #12
    This exactly.
    The correct answer is that the Japanese in the question itself is weird.
    13AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    We already settled this: if an instruction can be read multiple ways, the one giving the instruction is incompetent.
    14AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    Bet the second you say "8:15 before," the number of people totally lost spikes.
    15AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    Why won't you just say 7:50?
    16AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:30
    If you're ever unsure, just show up at 7:50 — that way nothing goes wrong either way.
    17AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:31
    Why is there such a generational gap in how people read this?
    Are schools even teaching it differently now?
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:32
    I don't think that's the point being made — isn't this more about pointing out a generational difference in nuance?
    19AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:33
    I'm 36 but I'm apparently on the younger side here — "8:10 before" isn't even a concept I have.
    20AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:33
    Kind of like the classic "Your father isn't dead, is he?" trick question (a famous example of built-in ambiguity in Japanese phrasing).
    21AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:33
    This can seriously be read either way, no joke.
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:34
    Gen Z really is dumb as hell after all, huh.
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:34
    Is there ever even an occasion to say "before 8:10" specifically?
    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:34
    People talk out loud less these days, so they're losing the ability to catch meaning from intonation.
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:34
    They just don't have the "let's get there early" mindset to begin with. To them, cutting it right down to the wire is the default.
    38AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:39
    If someone says "before 8," you'd picture around 7:59, right?
    So wouldn't "before 8:10" logically mean around 8:09?
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:40
    Re: #38
    It's "before 8 (the nice round number)" —
    so obviously it means "10 minutes before 8 (the nice round number)."
    48AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:42
    So how would the 7:50 camp phrase "gather before 8:10," then?

    Not trying to be snarky, genuinely asking.
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:44
    Re: #48
    "Gather by 8:10."
    59AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:48
    Re: #48
    What's "before 8:10" even supposed to mean.
    66AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:50
    Wait, now I'm not sure either.
    If someone says "8:30 before," I'd assume they mean around 8:25.
    74AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:54
    Re: #66
    That's because it's a clean round number —
    the ":30" actually gets counted.
    86AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:04
    "Before 8" I get, but I've never seen anyone call 7:50 "before 8:10."
    94AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:07
    Re: #86
    Likewise, I've never seen anyone say "before the time 8:10" either.
    91AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:07
    What even starts at 8:10 anyway?
    Who sets a meeting time like that?
    98AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:12
    Re: #91
    I mean, train schedules probably have times like that.
    99AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:13
    Is this some kind of riddle?
    Is it "8:10 — before that"?
    Or "8 o'clock, 10 minutes before"?
    103AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:17
    Re: #99
    Nah, unless you've lost your mind, it means before 8.
    100AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:14
    Re: #98
    In that case you'd just say "meet at 8," wouldn't you.
    102AnonymousOct 7, 2026 20:15
    Re: #100
    There's stuff like a train "departing at :17," though.

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    The phrase “X o’clock, Y minutes before” is grammatically ambiguous in Japanese: it can be read as pointing to just before the reference point “X o’clock” itself, or as pointing to just before the specific time “X:Y.” The clash in the thread stemmed not only from this structural ambiguity but also from a gap between people who have traditionally judged meaning from intonation and context, and those receiving it as plain text. The claim that “whoever gives an instruction that can be read multiple ways is at fault” and the counterargument that “intonation usually makes it clear” both have their own logic, and the thread never reached a consensus. What’s easy to miss here is that this isn’t simply a generational contest of right versus wrong — it’s a case where an expression that has always relied on the listener’s interpretation only became visible as a problem now that people communicate out loud less often.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Image] Japanese people can no longer figure out “8:10 before” wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to Kenso Soai for Discovery of “Asymmetric Autocatalysis”

    On October 7, 2026, reports that Kenso Soai, Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University of Science, had been named a winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry set off a thread on 5ch’s “Hello! Project” board. The prize recognized his 1995 discovery of the “asymmetric autocatalytic reaction” (the Soai reaction), shared jointly with France’s Henri Kagan. The thread also noted his background — born in Hiroshima Prefecture and holder of a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Tokyo. Posters traded comments about the unusual reading of his surname and the practical uses of the research, with the discussion branching out into speculation about future Japanese Nobel laureates and research trends in other countries.

    5AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:56
    /ケ^ヽ
      〈_ヾ`( {
       \ヾ \   -十- ノコ ____ //
         '.,   ヽ.  ‾⏉‾  ノ       ・・
          '.,   ヽ.              、- '''` ミソ,.
           ' , ヽ   ' ,,_         /,. 、"''ヾ、,,  ミ
            \    ゝ ヽ,       {〉'  ミ、} __ ヾ,  |
              {彡'´   ノ \._    / /・_。`ミ、`〃 /
               \._,. '.    `⌒~{ '(,^ヾ)ノ   〉<彡
                ヽ、      |__ヽ、__二彡∠ '´
                 ト、       / / ⌒V|
                 | ',      /´       ヽ.
    9AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:57
    Kenso Soai (硤合憲三, Soai Kensō, born May 3, 1950) is a Japanese organic chemist. He holds a Doctor of Science degree (University of Tokyo, 1979). He served as a professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry, Division I of the Faculty of Science at Tokyo University of Science[1], and is now Professor Emeritus there[2]. He is the discoverer of the asymmetric autocatalytic reaction (the Soai reaction). He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2012[2] and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays, in 2023[2]. In 2026 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly with Henri Kagan "for the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis."

    He is from Fuchū-chō, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture.
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:01
    Re: #9
    Wait, it's not "Kenzo"?!
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:57
    As you all know, this is Professor Soai — the Soai of the Soai reaction
    70AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:28
    Re: #10
    Never heard of it, lol
    13AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:58
    Amazing! Japan's science game is strong!
    And hey, Haruki Murakami — you still don't need to win the Literature Prize this year either!
    14AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:58
    Soai surname lookup

    Soai (硤合)
    [Reading] Soai
    [Romaji] Soai
    [National rank] 54,254th
    [Number nationwide] approx. 30 people
    17AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:59
    Don't really follow it, but congrats

    The Soai reaction
    (Soai hannō, "Soai reaction") is an organic chemistry reaction that uses "asymmetric autocatalysis" — in which the product itself acts as an asymmetric catalyst — to amplify an extremely slight chiral bias up to nearly 100% optical purity. It was first discovered, worldwide, in 1995 by Professor Emeritus Kenso Soai of Tokyo University of Science.
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 18:59
    Research field
    Organic chemistry (asymmetric synthesis, asymmetric autocatalysis, the origin of chirality, asymmetric catalysis, self-replication, organic synthesis)
    The addition of organozinc compounds to aldehydes can be activated by suitable catalysts, and many asymmetric versions of this reaction are known. Among them, he discovered that the addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde is catalyzed by the product itself — a secondary alcohol — making it an autocatalytic reaction, and that the process produces an extremely large amplification of chirality in the process[4][5].

    What's this actually good for, I wonder
    50AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:09
    Re: #18
    Something like being able to mass-produce optical isomer molecules industrially without needing live enzymes? Not totally sure, though
    20AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:00
    Haruki, just give it up already, lol
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:00
    He's from Hiroshima and into science — maybe he can sort out the Carp's zombie-cigarette problem too (the original post itself is garbled/hard to parse)
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:01
    What even is the Literature Prize anyway
    Alfred Nobel was a scientist
    30AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:03
    Re: #25
    It's a prize created from Nobel's will
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:03
    The Physics Prize went to Ice Cube (likely a joking nod to the rapper/actor, not an actual laureate)
    29AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:03
    That's dynamite, huh~ ahh, a few scenes (reads like a riff on song lyrics, playing on Nobel's invention of dynamite)
    31AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:03
    Scholars who win Nobel Prizes have basically always studied abroad in the West, so naturally they're fluent in English
    33AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:04
    Isn't this a first for Tokyo University of Science?
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:05
    Unusual surname, and I can't even read it, but
    congratulations
    35AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:05
    Saw 'born in 1979' and thought we finally had a Nobel laureate younger than me — turns out 1979 was just the year he got his doctorate
    37AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:05
    "Japanese people can't win Nobel Prizes anymore, it's China's era now" —
    people have been saying that for years running now
    40AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:07
    China throws money at building all sorts of things, but it's all about speed — none of it leads to real-world application
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:08
    Could this be the first Nobel Prize ever for someone with the surname Soai?
    45AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:08
    It's a 1995 discovery winning the Nobel now, so
    there's still plenty more Japanese laureates to come!
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:08
    Satoshi Ōmura, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, also holds a Doctor of Science from Tokyo University of Science
    — though he's got a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Tokyo too
    48AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:08
    This one's also a 30-year-old result, so
    it'll probably be a while yet before Chinese researchers start winning
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:10
    Soai surname lookup

    Soai (硤合)
    [Reading] Soai
    [Romaji] Soai
    [National rank] 54,254th
    [Number nationwide] approx. 30 people
    52AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:10
    Born in Hiroshima, University of Tokyo grad, and a professor at Tokyo University of Science, huh
    56AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:12
    Re: #52
    What is that, like "a Chinese food fair at Tokyo German Village, which is actually in Chiba"? (joking about the mismatched name)
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:11
    If AI research wins a Nobel, would it be the Physics Prize?
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:11
    Re: #53
    Could be the Economics Prize too
    63AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:20
    Re: #53
    AI researchers have already won the Fields Medal (note: that's math's top prize, not a Nobel)
    57AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:12
    Is there maybe a "turns out Danbara knew him" angle here?
    Seem to recall some Hello! Project member being related to a Nobel laureate once
    64AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:22
    Re: #57
    Don't jinx it, that's bad luck
    58AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:14
    Still back when the embers of the bubble economy were glowing
    right around the start of the end
    76AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:33
    But I feel like the "yutori" (relaxed) education generation won't produce any Nobel laureates
    79AnonymousOct 7, 2026 19:43
    Re: #76
    Isn't yutori education a system built to produce a ton of fools and a handful of geniuses? If anything, shouldn't that mean MORE Nobel laureates?

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    Nobel Prizes in Chemistry often take decades to arrive after the original discovery, and the Soai reaction is no exception — nearly 30 years passed between its 1995 discovery and this year’s award. This reflects the time lag typical of natural-science Nobel Prizes, where research must go through years of further verification and real-world application before earning international recognition. Responding to one poster’s question of “so what’s this actually good for,” others in the thread suggested it could enable industrial-scale mass production of chiral (optical isomer) molecules without relying on living enzymes — a classic case of basic research eventually feeding into industrial application. One post claimed this was “a first for Tokyo University of Science,” but it’s worth noting that Satoshi Ōmura, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015, also earned his Doctor of Science there — so the university has in fact produced laureates before. The thread’s discussion ranged widely, touching on the significance of the research and assessments of China’s research trends, but all of it remained speculation and personal opinion rather than established fact.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “[Breaking] A Japanese Winner for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry!!“.

  • Local Paper Pits Yamamoto the Hero Against a Slumping Ohtani

    A thread on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo board blew up after reports that a local U.S. newspaper has been framing the Dodgers’ two Japanese stars in starkly different lights — calling Yamamoto Yoshinobu a “hero” while branding Shohei Ohtani a “slump.” The piece highlights Yamamoto’s jaw-dropping 34-0 record in major league starts when his team scores three or more runs, while pointing to Ohtani’s cold stretch: zero home runs and just two RBIs in over 100 plate appearances. Opinions in the thread split three ways — praise for Yamamoto’s dominance, fans still holding out hope for Ohtani, and some pushing back that Ohtani’s “big mouth” image is really just an exaggerated interpreter’s translation rather than his own words.

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:18
    They should put up a statue of Yamamoto in LA already — Ohtani's a washed-up nobody who hasn't done squat, one commenter rages
    4AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:20
    Forget that, just put DePaula at DH already
    Don't need a decorative DH who can't do anything
    57AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:52
    Re: #4
    You only just learned who DePaula is and you're already saying that?
    8AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:21
    He'll come through in the World Series, surely…
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:26
    Re: #8 By then DePaula will probably have taken his starting spot for good
    Well, assuming they even make the World Series
    11AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:22
    Yamamoto is an absolute monster
    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:26
    Re: #11
    The legend was seriously chanting it over and over
    Wonder when the new catchphrase drops
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:24
    Put their NPB and MLB careers on the same scale and it's
    Yamamoto >>>>> Murakami >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ohtani
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:26
    Re: #18
    Murakami beats Ohtani?
    32AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:28
    Re: #18
    Murakami completely cratered in the second half though
    19AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:24
    Wait, hold on, why's he getting trashed this hard?
    He's got 30 homers and 8 wins this season
    If you rip into him this badly now,
    it'll only get worse from next year on
    and you'll have run out of insults to throw at him
    69AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:57
    Re: #19
    In the second half he went 0 wins with a .700-something OPS as a bat-only guy, so yeah the image is bad
    26AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:26
    The local report trending right now says: whenever his team scores 3+ runs,
    Yamamoto is 34-0 in his MLB career
    30AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:27
    Re: #26
    Another legend in the making?
    33AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:30
    43AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:40
    Re: #33
    What's that stat?
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:30
    More to the point, zero home runs in over 100 plate appearances is just abnormal — and wasn't it 2 RBIs in 82 at-bats?
    That's basically unheard of for a DH
    36AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:31
    Re: #34
    And this is with him only focused on hitting, not even playing defense
    If I were a fan I couldn't forgive that
    38AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:33
    Re: #34
    If he's this out of form, can't they just bench him?
    39AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:35
    Yamamoto's amazing, sure,
    but I can't get behind his big-mouth attitude
    wish he'd be more humble
    42AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:40
    Re: #39
    In Japanese he's plenty humble actually
    It's the interpreter — not a trained professional — embellishing the translation, so stuff he never actually said ends up printed on T-shirts and in videos making him look like a big mouth
    77AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:00
    Re: #39
    Lol he got turned into a big mouth without even saying anything
    91AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12
    Re: #42
    No way, Re: #39 was obviously a joke…
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:41
    For what it's worth, he's hit 30 home runs and picked up 8 wins this year
    61AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:53
    Re: #44
    Because what fans want from "Ohtani-san" (a nod to how Americans pronounce his name) is 40 homers AND a Cy Young in the same year
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:42
    Guess everyone's forgotten about the 2024 postseason — Yamamoto gave up 3 runs to the Padres right out of the gate, and it was Ohtani's game-tying three-run homer that saved him from being the scapegoat.
    Right when Yamamoto's 3 runs allowed had everyone thinking 'same old Dodgers, weak in the postseason,' Ohtani stepped up to show this year was different
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:47
    Re: #46 Oh yeah, that did happen
    49AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:47
    Even someone like me who knows nothing about baseball
    can tell at a glance this is a bad slump
    https://www.sponichi.co.jp/baseball/news/2026/10/07/jpeg/20261007s10001007092000p_view.webp
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:48
    Re: #49
    Yeah, his eyes aren't even tracking the ball anymore
    50AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:47
    Could Ohtani actually pull this off — like quit around year five saying he doesn't need the money anymore?
    80AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:05
    Re: #50
    Sure he could
    Soccer's Hidetoshi Nakata retired for exactly that reason
    63AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:54
    Looks like Ohtani's greatest achievement really is going to end up being 'brought Yamamoro to the Dodgers' (a fan nickname for Yamamoto)…
    67AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:55
    Re: #63
    All thanks to him saying 'hey, there's a guy better than me' and bringing him along
    68AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:56
    I want them to play Kiké every single game
    73AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:59
    Re: #68
    The man's Mr. October
    74AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:59
    Just like in life, you can't be in top form every single year — surely a season like this can happen?
    78AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:02
    Re: #74 Never heard of a DH who doesn't even play defense and still can't put up home runs or RBIs
    79AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:05
    8 postseason wins in 3 years — the guy's an absolute beast in short series
    88AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:09
    Re: #79
    Back in his NPB days it was actually the opposite reputation
    Truly incredible
    89AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:11
    Most people's perception is still stuck at 'Ohtani is amazing,' so that image will hold for at least one more year
    93AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12
    Re: #89
    Freedom of the press being what it is, they'll probably try to keep the hype alive at least through the LA Olympics

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    The core of this story is a striking contrast in numbers: Yamamoto Yoshinobu’s pitching line of 34 wins, 0 losses in starts where his team scored at least three runs, versus Shohei Ohtani’s cold streak of zero home runs and just two RBIs in over 100 plate appearances. It’s easy to overlook that Yamamoto’s gaudy record only covers games where his offense backed him up — it isn’t a measure of his own ERA. As for Ohtani’s “big mouth” reputation, commenters in the thread point out that this likely stems not from his own words but from an interpreter’s embellished translation going viral, meaning the public image may not match what he actually said. On the other hand, Ohtani has a track record of bailing Yamamoto out during the 2024 postseason, and many in the thread argue it’s too soon to lock in a verdict based on this slump alone. The fact that reputations can swing so wildly over a short stretch of games is part of what makes postseason baseball so unforgiving.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo board) thread “[Breaking] Local Paper Reports Yamamoto as Hero, Ohtani as Has-Been.”

  • Decided to Get AGA Treatment via Online Clinic — 5ch Users Weigh In on Drug Side Effects and Costs

    On 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board, a poster who announced plans to start online treatment for AGA (male pattern baldness) the next day received a wave of advice from fellow thread members drawing on their own experience. The poster said they’d “gotten about as bald as Tsurube” (Shofukutei Tsurube, a famously bald Japanese comedian/TV host) but had decided to make one last stand with treatment. The discussion expanded into how to pick a treatment approach — covering minoxidil’s side effects and impact on liver function, the differences between finasteride and dutasteride, comparisons with hair transplants, and how to safely handle topical medication in households with pets. Opinions also diverged on effectiveness: early treatment tends to work better, but the receding “M-shaped” hairline is said to be much tougher to treat.

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:57
    Getting my online consultation tomorrow.
    2AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:58
    Are you in the pre-bald league already? 🥺
    6AnonymousOct 7, 2026 16:59
    Re: #2
    I'm already about as bald as Tsurube.
    Thought I'd put up one last fight.
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12
    Re: #6
    LOL
    If you're as bald as Tsurube it's hopeless, just give up.
    By the way, how old are you?
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:01
    Re: #1
    All it does is create a record that you had a consultation — they don't actually examine the state of your hair.
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:07
    Re: #10
    Sounds like it didn't work out for big bro…
    12AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:02
    Isn't a hair transplant plus AGA treatment on a whole different level?
    21AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:10
    Re: #12
    Isn't a transplant actually worse value since you need maintenance for life?
    26AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12
    Don't use the topical stuff if you've got a cat — it can kill them.
    31AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:13
    Re: #26
    I don't have a cat myself, but there's one at my parents' place, so I'll have to be careful.
    27AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12
    Apparently if you start AGA treatment right when you start balding, there's a decent shot at reversing it.
    33AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:14
    Re: #27
    Feels like it's already been about 4 years since I started going bald.
    28AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:12

    Do I still have hair follicles left?
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:15
    Re: #28
    Short hairs keep falling out bit by bit, so I'm hoping that means the follicles are still alive.
    39AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:17
    I'm also considering it since the hair at my temples has gotten way too thin.
    Could a topical treatment save it?
    67AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:35
    Re: #39
    There's 24-hour online consultation available.
    It's probably just a few thousand yen anyway, so why not give it a shot?
    I think it was called something like "DMM AGA."
    41AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:17
    Is it true AGA treatment doesn't work on a receded hairline?
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:22
    Re: #41
    Don't say such awful things, man.
    43AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:19
    You should get a blood test to make sure your liver's okay.
    Apparently the oral meds are bad news if your liver's weak.
    47AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:22
    Re: #43
    I've got fatty liver and I'm actually being treated for that too.
    My numbers have improved a lot — is that still a problem?
    50AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:26
    Some guys just won't regrow hair no matter how much fina/mina (finasteride/minoxidil) they use, so shaving your head and accepting it is also an option.
    Just don't become one of those bald guys pathetically trying to hide it.
    59AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:31
    Re: #50
    True, I won't end up as the kind of bald guy whose last few strands flap in the wind.
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:29
    Topical minoxidil plus 7HP (a high-strength minoxidil hair-growth product) has actually gotten me pretty solid regrowth.
    61AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:31
    Re: #53
    How long did that take?
    54AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:29
    AGA treatment sounds like such a big deal, but at the end of the day it's just taking pills or rubbing something on.
    62AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:32
    Re: #54
    Yeah, true.
    On top of that, I feel like cleaning up your diet and exercising can make a real difference too.
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:30
    If baldness runs in your family, it's pretty normal to start on finasteride in your early twenties.
    63AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:32
    Re: #55
    I wasn't organized enough to start prevention that early.
    58AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:30
    Why doesn't dutasteride get talked about much?
    Isn't it basically finasteride's upgraded big brother?
    65AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:34
    Re: #58
    I feel like the side effects can be pretty rough when they hit.
    Though apparently the effectiveness is outstanding.
    66AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:35
    Well, no matter how much you apply, it's pointless once the follicles are completely gone.
    Give up on the M-shaped hairline.
    69AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:36
    Re: #66
    I see.
    At least if my sideburns and beard get thicker I could pull off being a "good-looking bald guy," so I'll try applying it there.
    68AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:36
    My advice: get married and have kids before you start taking the medication.
    71AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:37
    Re: #68
    Mine's due to make its grand debut right after New Year's.
    89AnonymousOct 7, 2026 17:56








    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    AGA (male pattern baldness) treatment generally combines oral medications like finasteride and dutasteride with topical minoxidil, and keeping the effect requires continuing to take and apply them long-term. In recent years, more clinics have started offering online consultations that let patients get a same-day prescription, but since oral medications can burden liver function, a blood test beforehand is recommended. The cost — several thousand yen a month, ongoing — can also add up to a real burden. The old legend that comes up in the thread, that “castration prevents baldness,” has spread as something of an urban myth and isn’t an established modern treatment, which is easy to misunderstand. Also, the point raised that topical minoxidil can poison cats on contact, so pet-owning households need to be careful, is something that’s genuinely said in real medical settings too.

    ※This article is an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (“Nandemo Jikkyo G”) thread “I’ve decided to get AGA treatment.”

  • Turned his life around going from NEET to building maintenance, 5ch user opens up about certifications and salary

    A thread appeared on 5ch’s “Nova Speed VIP” board started by a poster who says they turned their life around by going from being a NEET to working as a “biruman” (building maintenance technician). The poster reveals that at 34 they became a full-time employee for the first time, and are using certifications like the electrician’s license as a stepping stone toward the Building Maintenance Manager qualification (“biru-kan”) and the Class 3 Electrical Chief Engineer license (“Denken”). Their current annual salary is said to be in the 3.5-million-yen range, with savings of around 6 million yen. The thread saw an extended exchange, with experienced posters weighing in on how to obtain these certifications, how common they are in the industry, and the reality behind the job’s reputation as “easy work.”

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:19
    Seriously recommend this for NEETs
    Pay's low but the work is easy
    13AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:24
    How much have you managed to save up?
    20AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:25
    Re: #13
    Just plain savings, maybe around 6 million yen
    22AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:25
    Re: #20
    What about the not-so-plain kind?
    19AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:24
    I see. So the electrician's license was the hardest one, huh?
    23AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:26
    Re: #19
    Nah, haven't gotten that one yet — I just sat the exam for biru-kan (Building Maintenance Manager) this time.
    Of the ones I've actually passed, Fire Prevention Equipment Class 1 "Ko-4" was the toughest.
    And Ko-4 requires you to already hold the electrician's license just to be eligible to take it.
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:26
    Apparently companies are struggling to find anyone who holds biru-kan.
    A building-maintenance buddy of mine sometimes asks me to refer someone who has it, but how would I know anyone?
    35AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:29
    Re: #25
    Yeah, biru-kan holders really are rare.
    In this industry the holder rate is roughly:
    Biru-kan — about 1 in 7 or 8
    Denken — about 1 in 10
    31AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:28
    Living with your parents? Or a company dorm?
    39AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:31
    Re: #31
    Nope, I'm married and live with my wife
    42AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:32
    Re: #39
    Impressive you still managed to save that much then
    45AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:34
    Re: #42
    Well, I already had a fair amount saved up beforehand
    48AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:35
    Re: #45
    Ah, that explains it.
    Were you doing part-time or day-labor gigs here and there?
    32AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:29
    Re: #17
    That's impressive — job hunting at 34 and landing a full-time position.
    Did you have any work history?
    40AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:32
    Re: #32
    Yep.
    First full-time job ever, at 34
    33AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:29
    Feels like Denken would be manageable if there were a decent explainer video series, but it's probably a years-long study plan.
    Ugh 🤮
    41AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:32
    Re: #33
    Though I heard Denken's gotten noticeably easier lately
    34AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:29
    Saying it's "easy" has to be a lie.
    You're stuck there for long hours and probably can't even touch your phone anyway.
    All depends on the "site gacha" (luck of the draw on which site you're assigned to).
    44AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:33
    Re: #34
    Nah, I'm literally at work right now.
    Well, site gacha is a real thing, but
    I'm on about my 4th site now and there hasn't been a single one where messing with your phone wasn't allowed.
    43AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:33
    Didn't know day-shift-only building maintenance jobs even existed… 😯
    Guess I should switch jobs after all 🫤
    47AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:34
    Re: #43
    There are plenty if you actually look for them
    46AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:34
    I know a guy who went from building maintenance to security work in his 40s, so I can't really say either way
    50AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:35
    Re: #46
    Why would anyone go from building maintenance to security, I wonder.
    Building maintenance has gotta have shorter hours and better pay, no question
    51AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:36
    Re: #1
    Probably only works if you're a smart NEET like OP…
    54AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:38
    Re: #51
    Uh, I'm just a high school grad though?
    56AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:39
    Ah, I see.
    So this is one of those threads where someone with a talent for effort asks someone without that talent, "why don't you just try harder?"
    62AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:41
    Re: #56
    No, that's not it.
    This thread's just recommending building maintenance because even a NEET can get into it and it's easy
    58AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:39
    If I'm kind to some old man with no family left, will he turn out to own the building and just hand it over to me as a gift?
    65AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:44
    Re: #58
    Might actually happen
    61AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:41
    If you could actually put in effort, you wouldn't have ended up a NEET in the first place
    69AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:44
    Re: #61
    Yeah no, I really was a total garbage NEET.
    About the only thing I did was the occasional Uber Eats delivery
    70AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:47
    Re: #66
    Right now it's 3.5 million yen.
    But I'm planning to get biru-kan and switch jobs
    79AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:50
    Re: #70
    Pretty ambitious.
    Sounds like you're aiming to become a site supervisor
    74AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:49
    (´・ω・`) Should I start with the Hazardous Materials Handler Class 4 ("Otsu-4") license?
    80AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:51
    Re: #74
    Wouldn't the electrician's license come first?
    Without that you probably can't even become a building maintenance worker in the first place
    89AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:55
    I did overnight-shift building maintenance for close to 10 years.
    On weekend days when I was the only one on duty, I'd basically sleep all day at work from morning to night, so I used that time to study instead lol.
    Thanks to that I got the Class 3 Electrical Chief Engineer license in 2 years.
    On weekdays too, I'd study at my desk from 5pm, when the day-shift guy went home, until I went to sleep.
    I honestly think there's no easier job anywhere in the world.
    Now I've switched to caregiving work and I'm busy as hell.
    92AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:56
    Re: #89
    If it's such an easy flex, why not just keep doing it instead of quitting, I wonder
    95AnonymousOct 7, 2026 12:59
    Re: #89
    Why'd you quit?
    I did caregiving for 2 months myself, but it was such hell I ghosted and bailed on it
    102AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:04
    Do you call women in this job "building-women"?
    106AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:08
    Re: #102
    There are some here and there
    107AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:08
    Re: #102
    Maybe it just becomes "building-person" instead
    111AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:10
    Can you get into building maintenance with no experience as long as you have the Class 2 Electrician's license? Btw I'm 30
    115AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:12
    Re: #111
    Totally doable.
    Also if you have the time, might be worth grabbing something easy like a fire prevention equipment license too
    116AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:13
    Re: #111
    The electrician's license alone gets you in.
    Honestly, for the actual day-to-day work, that might be the only one you really need

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Building maintenance technicians (“biruman”) mainly handle inspections and patrols of electrical, HVAC, and fire-safety equipment, and it’s a field where pay and job duties hinge heavily on which certifications you hold — things like the electrician’s license, hazardous materials handler license, the Building Maintenance Manager qualification (“biru-kan,” formally the Building Environmental Sanitation Management Technician), fire prevention equipment specialist licenses, and Denken (Electrical Chief Engineer). The thread’s original poster describes stacking up certifications starting from the electrician’s license, noting that while the job is easy to enter even without qualifications or experience, few people hold biru-kan or Denken, which makes those credentials valuable. What split opinion in the thread was how trustworthy the “easy job” label really is, with some pointing out that how much free time you actually get during a shift depends heavily on the luck of which site you’re assigned to (“site gacha”). The poster also shared specific figures like annual salary and savings, but readers should keep in mind this is one individual’s personal account and doesn’t guarantee industry-wide averages or conditions.

    *This article is composed as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Nova Speed VIP) thread “Turned my life around going from NEET to building maintenance.”

  • Iguchi Japan Unveils Roster — 5ch Reacts: “Is This a Farm Team?”

    The national team roster under manager Tadahito Iguchi was announced, and reactions poured in on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board. With relatively obscure names like Taguchi as batting coach and Kurano as pitching coach, comments like “Is this a farm team?” started popping up, and questions flew about why Tatsumi was picked for the over-age slot instead of Watarai or Shuto. Alongside complaints about how many low-profile players made the cut, posters also got into the weeds debating the projected starting lineup — turning the thread into a broader challenge of the national team’s whole selection policy.

    1AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:37
    ID:OVgp8AgC
    <Staff>
    Manager: Tadahito Iguchi
    8AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:44
    Who the hell is Shindo?
    Is he really a better pick than Ishii?
    9AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:44
    Batting coach: Taguchi lmaooooooooooo
    Pitching coach: Kurano lmaooooooooooo
    Battery coach: Murata lmaooooooooooo
    Outfield coach: Kawada lmaooooooooooo

    Is this a farm team?
    10AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:45
    The outfield crew lolololol
    11AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:46
    This "not-really-the-real-squad, basically a youth team" thing
    Stop copying soccer's playbook.
    14AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:46
    Those two Chunichi Dragons guys ("Chuni-Dora") have been grinding nonstop with the WBC too — let them rest already…
    33AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:59
    Re: #14
    They're not in the postseason, so it's fine.
    15AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:47
    Nakajima's not coming?
    I wanted to sing his cheer song…
    18AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:49
    I'd rather Kanamaru and Takahashi just do a normal training camp
    Also, Yoshida really needs some rest.
    21AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:50
    Re: #19
    That's Saraba Seishun no Hikari (a comedy duo)
    And the manager's Westland (another comedy duo)
    24AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:51
    Don't put guys who are currently active coaches on this
    They've got enough on their plates.
    25AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:51
    Weren't Kanamaru and Hiroto supposedly not even at Samurai Japan level?
    27AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:53
    With this lineup, the stadium's gonna be empty, no joke.
    29AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:55
    The roster's so weak it's sad
    Japan's future looks bleak.
    31AnonymousOct 7, 2026 13:57
    Do we even need the over-age slot?
    With this lineup, couldn't they just use a young guy at the same position instead?
    41AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:03
    Last time's squad looked way stronger
    50AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:09
    Re: #41
    Two of those guys ended up getting released.
    52AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:09
    Guess the Giants' Urata and some other infielders got cut.
    53AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:12
    Re: #52
    He's injured, so it's a no-go.
    55AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:13
    They used the over-age slot on Tatsumi, of all people?
    57AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:14
    Re: #55
    Shuto probably turned them down.
    59AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:15
    Re: #57
    Then they could've just gone with Isobata
    He's not exactly in a position to say no.
    103AnonymousOct 7, 2026 15:09
    Re: #57
    Teams still alive in the Climax Series or Japan Series aren't going to hand over their vets and regulars
    For a national team game at this time of year, just pull guys from the garbage B-Class teams.
    64AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:24
    Why's Hanshin ("Chin-san") getting snubbed?
    68AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:29
    Re: #64
    Does Hanshin even have a decent young guy who's 24 or under and still in his first three pro years?
    Kudo's about the only one, but the team would probably say no anyway.
    76AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:34
    1B: Masaki
    2B: Shoji
    3B: Sasaki
    SS: Yamagata
    RF: Watarai
    CF: Nishikawa
    LF: Watanabe
    DH: Yamaguchi
    Something like that?
    79AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:40
    Re: #76
    Yamagata batting cleanup? What's that about?
    80AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:40
    Well, never mind Maekawa
    There don't seem to be many lefty batters, so I think they could've added someone like Takatera
    Though honestly, getting worked hard at fall camp is probably good for him
    More importantly, who's playing third — "Hata-chan" or "Sei-yan" (fan nicknames for two candidates)?
    And if Watarai's out there in the field, isn't the bigger question whether Yamaguchi or Masaki should be in the outfield?
    85AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:44
    Re: #80
    Watarai's UZR in left field is the best in the Central League.
    83AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:42
    Re: #79
    It's just listed by position.
    84AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:44
    Re: #83
    If it's in position order, left and right are backwards, dude.
    86AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:45
    Re: #84
    Don't sweat small stuff like that.
    87AnonymousOct 7, 2026 14:45
    Re: #84
    You lose this one
    Normally you'd just figure it's still position order even with left and right flipped.
    99AnonymousOct 7, 2026 15:06
    I'm a decent baseball fan and the only guys I barely recognize are Tatsumi and Watarai
    Seriously, who even are these guys.
    112AnonymousOct 7, 2026 15:12
    Re: #99
    You don't even know Masaki, lol — and it's not that Tatsumi (辰巳), it's a different-kanji Tatsumi (辰見). Are you a soccer fan instead, lol?
    106AnonymousOct 7, 2026 15:10
    The only one I recognize is Takahashi Hiroto.
    108AnonymousOct 7, 2026 15:11
    Re: #106
    That's basically "not interested in baseball" territory.

    Background and Key Points

    The “OA slot” is short for “over-age slot,” a system best known from soccer’s Olympic squads that lets age-restricted national teams add a limited number of older players as an exception. In recent years it’s also been adopted by baseball national teams built mainly around young players. What split the thread was whether this slot even needed to be used at all, and whether Tatsumi was a reasonable pick for it — some speculated that Shuto or Isobata had turned the spot down, but none of that goes beyond unsubstantiated guesswork. The barrage of “lol”s aimed at the batting and pitching coaches’ names wasn’t a comment on their ability — it was just poking fun at how similar their names sounded — and it’s easy to misread that as genuine criticism of their coaching.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “Iguchi Japan Announces Roster lolololololololol.”