Japan Reacts

Category: Sports

  • Ramen Critic Slams Suiyoubi no Downtown’s ‘Eat-It-All’ Ramen Marathon — 5ch: ‘Don’t Watch If You Don’t Like It’

    On the September 2 broadcast of ‘Suiyoubi no Downtown’ (TBS), a segment called the “National Route Ramen Marathon” aired, in which cast members ran along the Kanjo-8 ring road and had to finish an entire bowl of ramen at every shop they passed. The broadcast included a scene of a cast member vomiting, and afterward food journalist Rikiya Yamaji published a Yahoo! News article criticizing the segment for a “lack of respect toward the ramen shops” and expressing his displeasure. The segment is a recurring, popular one that has aired several times before, but some observers say the addition of a vomiting scene this time intensified the backlash. Reaction on 5ch is split — some defend the show as “gloriously indifferent to compliance and genuinely funny,” while others debated the critic’s credentials and whether his comments were fair.

    Rikiya Yamaji, Food Journalist

    The segment “National Route Ramen Marathon” from the September 2 broadcast of ‘Suiyoubi no Downtown’ (TBS) has stirred controversy. The show had cast members run from Haneda to Ogikubo along the Kanjo-8 ring road under a big-eating-race rule: every time they passed a ramen shop, they had to finish an entire bowl. The broadcast included scenes of cast members vomiting, among other things.

    Since the episode aired, opinions on social media have been split, but as someone who eats his way through ramen shops daily as a ramen critic, I honestly couldn’t help but feel “discomfort” at what was shown.

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

    4AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:48
    The outrage police are what make the world boring
    27AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:00
    Re: #4
    Is this even funny?
    5AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:48
    Then let's add a rule: lose points for making a pained face
    6AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:48
    Jiro: "Whew, hang in there, hang in there… uuurgh BLEUGH" (Jiro is a comedian on the show)
    7AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:48
    Don't watch it if you don't like it.

    Boom. Argument won.
    93AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:41
    Re: #7
    He probably watched it without knowing what it was and got upset.
    If he'd known it would upset him, he wouldn't have watched.
    8AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:49
    You're overthinking the ramen shops' feelings — if a shop didn't want to be filmed, they could've just said no.
    56AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:18
    Re: #8
    They went into shops that had said no filming too — they just didn't show the inside of the shop.
    9AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:49
    Let's just switch to convenience store hot snacks
    10AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:49
    Things have been off since Matsu-chan (Hitoshi Matsumoto) left. Come back already.
    11AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:49
    Well, having someone walk in clearly not wanting to eat is rough too, lol
    12AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:49
    The writers and director are probably just old-fashioned and can't keep up with the times
    14AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:51
    "Respect for ramen shops," lol
    16AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:52
    Coming from a guy whose entire job is eating and then acting all high-and-mighty judging 'this shop's like this, that shop's like that'?
    17AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:53
    If they only used professional competitive eaters, there'd be less momentum to push back against it
    18AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:54
    The one I feel worst for is whoever lives in that corner house in Uenoge where Minamikawa threw up, lol — their address was basically visible too
    19AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:56
    Re: #1
    It's not even that great of a food to begin with. No decent person eats ramen.
    20AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:56
    Well, they're just running a pre-approved route, and they got filming permission in advance. They probably told the shops about the segment beforehand too.
    23AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:58
    The only show on regular TV that's actually funny precisely because it doesn't care about compliance. Anyone can complain.
    24AnonymousSep 5, 2026 14:58
    I want to hear what this guy has to say about wanko soba (the bottomless-bowl soba tradition)
    36AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:06
    Kind of dumb to say that with Yadan (the comedy duo) right there
    44AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:11
    Re: #36
    It's impressive he still wrote up ramen reviews after eating in that state and posted them after the broadcast
    66AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:25
    They must have known this would get criticized at the planning stage. They're probably chasing controversy on purpose. If they really didn't realize it, somebody needs medical attention.
    69AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:27
    Re: #66
    They've already done this 4 times. It blew up this time because of the puking scene.
    79AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:33
    Re: #69
    Having done it 4 times also means it's a popular segment
    91AnonymousSep 5, 2026 15:40
    Re: #79
    This time was the funniest one yet

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    The “National Route Ramen Marathon” eat-it-all segment on ‘Suiyoubi no Downtown’ isn’t a first — 5ch users pointed out it has aired multiple times before. The sticking point was whether the production had informed the shops in advance about the segment’s content and whether it could air, with some defending the show by assuming prior permission was obtained, while others argued that broadcasting cast members eating in visible distress or vomiting in front of a shop is inherently disrespectful regardless of permission. Opinions on food journalist Rikiya Yamaji’s “ramen critic” title were also split, and the discussion tended to blur together opinions on the segment itself with opinions on the critic who raised the objection — a distinction worth reading carefully. Neither the article nor the thread confirms exactly how much coordination actually took place between the show and the shops beforehand, so that point remains speculation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Suiyoubi no Downtown] Ramen critic’s discomfort over the National Route Ramen Marathon… a punishment-game-like segment shows ‘lack of respect toward ramen shops’.”

  • FC Barcelona to Open Boarding-School Academy in Nara — 5ch: ‘How’s This Different from Those “Study Abroad Right by the Station” Language-School Ads?’

    On September 2, 2026, Nara Prefecture announced that Spain’s storied football club FC Barcelona has expressed intent to open a boarding-style official school — the “Barça Residency Academy” — in the town of Kawanishi, Nara Prefecture. If realized, it would be the club’s first such school in Asia, with an opening targeted for fiscal year 2032. On 5ch, alongside level-headed remarks noting “that’s still six years away,” skepticism about cost-effectiveness stood out — commenters questioned whether scouting talent at ages 16 to 18 makes sense at this stage, and whether similar schools overseas have produced any notable results.

    FC Barcelona to Open Asia’s First Boarding School in Nara… Governor: “Go to Nara to Become a Truly Elite Player”

    Thu, 9/3, 7:23 AM

    Nara Prefecture revealed on the 2nd that Spain’s storied football club FC Barcelona has expressed intent to open a boarding-style official school — the “Barça Residency Academy” — in the town of Kawanishi, Nara Prefecture. The opening is targeted for fiscal year 2032, and if realized, it would be the club’s first in Asia.

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

    2AnonymousSep 4, 2026 12:57
    So they're just 'expressing intent' to open it —
    and it's still six years away.
    5AnonymousSep 4, 2026 12:58
    Are they that hard up for cash?
    Somebody needs to put limits on this business of poaching kids while they're still green (aota-gai — locking down prospects before they've even matured).
    6AnonymousSep 4, 2026 12:59
    Re: #5
    It's probably already about the money.
    Players under 18 are banned from moving abroad anyway.
    10AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:01
    What's Nara Club up to these days, anyway?
    82AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:38
    Re: #10
    Daiko — the forward from Zico's Japan squad — is the manager now.
    16AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:03
    Don't bring that sneaky 'Yaosa'-style football over to Japan.
    17AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:03
    Call it 'Barcenara' (Nara + Barcelona) and it'll actually turn out good players, ya know.
    18AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:03
    A Barça school — the very thing Nara Club's Uchino always dreamed of — opening right in Nara… wonder how Uchino himself feels about that.
    20AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:05
    After seeing what happened with Kubo and Nakai, is there really any point building one here now?
    29AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:08
    Re: #20
    Nakai was never at Barça.
    113AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:49
    Re: #20
    Kubo's one of the rare success stories.
    Even from other clubs' academies, hardly any players get actual minutes in a top league.
    22AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:05
    Isn't 16 to 18 already the age for cutting players, not scouting them?
    24AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:06
    Picking up Barça's leftovers —
    does that actually make J3's Nara Club any stronger?
    26AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:07
    Feels like every kid in Japan already plays soccer.
    31AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:08
    Re: #1
    Apparently Barcelona has a school in the US too, and it hasn't produced a single capable player.
    So there's no point building one here either — they should scrap it.
    32AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:09
    Re: #31
    Are they panicking because fewer kids are playing baseball these days?
    52AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:25
    Is there even demand for this?
    It's not like anyone's actually making it to Barça anyway.
    60AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:30
    Re: #52
    There's demand for a premium soccer prep school.
    Though honestly, the genuinely talented kids this age
    are probably already at a J-League youth academy or a big-name high school program.
    58AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:29
    Even after graduating from this school, maybe 1 in 1000 actually gets to wear the Barça kit on the pitch — and that's being generous lol.
    69AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:33
    Re: #58
    As a mascot escort kid, you mean? Or a flag bearer?
    71AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:33
    Re: #1
    I really think this kind of thing is pointless.
    Only brand-obsessed parents will send their kids there, and zero of them will turn into real players.
    85AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:40
    Re: #71
    It's fine, it's a business.
    Call it an annual 'training camp' and run a Spain tour —
    the customers go home thrilled.
    76AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:35
    Isn't 16 to 18 already too late?
    Sounds less like development and more like hunting for prodigies who can perform right away.
    84AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:40
    Re: #76
    This isn't a development facility meant to feed the first team.
    These are players as resale assets —
    the same playbook City Football Group uses: scoop up players from around the world, loan them to other clubs to build their value, then flip them.
    77AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:36
    Suspicious spending, an unauthorized business transfer… 'Barça Academy Katsushika Campus' ran under bizarre management while receiving special treatment from Katsushika Ward

    https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/400088

    'Rent way too cheap for an FC Barcelona school' — former ward assemblyman sues Katsushika Ward over a ¥2,500-a-month lease, calling it 'a massive loss for the ward'

    https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/414553

    LOL this.
    So THAT'S why Nara — now it makes sense.
    Get out, Barcelona.
    120AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:50
    Re: #77
    Nara's got land to spare, so cheap rent is fine, idiot.
    78AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:36
    This is just going to produce more kids with 'heading brain' (repeated headers linked to brain damage).

    Is Nara full of nothing but idiots?
    100AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:46
    Re: #78
    The tax-guzzling old ball-head geezer's in tears and losing his bowels lol
    86AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:40
    Isn't this just the governor talking again?
    This governor has a track record — he once announced a K-pop festival in Nara, got hit with fierce backlash, and had to walk it back.
    93AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:44
    Re: #86
    He scaled it down and held it anyway —
    invited 1,100 prefectural residents, booked three K-pop acts nobody's heard of, and spent 29 million yen.
    106AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:47
    Re: #86
    Oh, that one —
    the infamous governor who tried to scrap a Heian-era festival and hand over roughly 300 million yen to Korean idols instead.
    He's still around?
    92AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:44
    Didn't Kagawa Shinji used to attend a Barça school that was here in Japan?
    109AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:48
    Re: #92
    That place was basically a den of gay guys.
    102AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:46
    Baseball fanboys (yakibuta, 5ch slang for diehard NPB fans) are losing it over Nara picking soccer, lmao.
    104AnonymousSep 4, 2026 13:47
    Re: #102
    Suspicious spending, an unauthorized business transfer… 'Barça Academy Katsushika Campus' ran under bizarre management while receiving special treatment from Katsushika Ward

    https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/400088

    'Rent way too cheap for an FC Barcelona school' — former ward assemblyman sues Katsushika Ward over a ¥2,500-a-month lease, calling it 'a massive loss for the ward'

    https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/414553

    Banned from Tokyo lol

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    The backdrop here is that FIFA regulations generally restrict international transfers for players under 18. In recent years, it’s become increasingly common for major European clubs to run their own development academies abroad as a way to lock down promising young talent early, and Barcelona is no exception. In the thread, commenters pointed out that scouting talent at the target age of 16 to 18 seems late in the game, and noted that similar schools overseas haven’t produced notable results — skepticism about the plan’s cost-effectiveness stood out. At the same time, some took the view that the chance to receive a storied club’s training methods domestically is itself rare, so opinions were split. It’s also worth noting that, based on this announcement alone, there’s no way to tell whether this school will directly strengthen the local J3 side, Nara Club.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “[Soccer] FC Barcelona to Open Asia’s First Boarding School in Nara… Governor: “Go to Nara to Become a Truly Elite Player”“.

  • Montedio’s New Stadium Only 10% Built — 5ch: “That ‘On Track’ Claim Sounds Sketchy lol”

    J2 club Montedio Yamagata held a press briefing on September 4 about the new stadium under construction in Tendo City, announcing that work is roughly 10% complete and progressing on schedule. The stadium is going up just south of the existing ND Soft Stadium Yamagata, with a design that touts getting fans as close as 8 meters from the players, and it’s aiming to open in 2028. On 5ch, the thread buzzed with skepticism about calling the project “on track” when it’s barely a tenth finished so soon after breaking ground, curiosity about how much of the total budget is actually secured, and discussion of the design skipping one side’s stands for now, with expansion planned for later.

    A press briefing was held on the 4th at the construction site for J2 club Montedio Yamagata’s new stadium. Officials say the work is proceeding smoothly.

    Construction on the new stadium is underway just south of ND Soft Stadium Yamagata in Tendo City.

    Announcer Kosaka: “It’s been about two months since the last press viewing. Construction is proceeding smoothly, with overall progress at roughly 10%.”

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

    3AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:24
    Wait, people actually live in Yamagata…?
    4AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:26
    Re: #3
    It's smaller than just neighboring Sendai city alone, and even smaller than Miyagi Prefecture with Sendai excluded.
    14AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:34
    So the plan is that 15,000 seats will be enough?
    75AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:54
    Re: #14
    One of the goal-end stands isn't built yet — once they add it, the design brings capacity up to 20,000.
    18AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:37
    That U-shaped roof…
    Is snubbing the away fans some kind of trend now?
    44AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:09
    Re: #18
    That's not even the away section, how many times do I have to say it.
    36AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:03
    If they end up short on funds, does the parent company Escon foot the bill in the end?
    42AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:09
    Re: #36
    Do you seriously think they'd break ground without the funding lined up?
    52AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:14
    Re: #36
    Escon's said 5 billion yen is their max, so they won't put in more than that.
    Escon: 5 billion yen
    City + prefecture: 3 billion yen
    If they can't scrape together the remaining 8 billion yen, that's not my problem.
    71AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:44
    Must be nice not having a fairly new National Sports Festival (kokutai) stadium to deal with.
    How many more years is my area stuck cleaning up after our grand kokutai stadium?
    Build dedicated track-and-field stadiums that are actually good for watching track events,
    and stop building these giant do-everything multipurpose arenas.
    85AnonymousSep 4, 2026 23:22
    Re: #71
    Seriously, why does Nagoya even have to use that track-and-field stadium? There's already a dedicated ball-sports stadium in Toyota.

    Background and Talking Points

    The new stadium is being built adjacent to ND Soft Stadium Yamagata in Tendo City, and the only fact confirmed in the source article is the 10% progress figure — the funding breakdown discussed here is speculation based on 5ch posts. The figures claiming Escon is covering 5 billion yen, local government 3 billion yen, with the remaining 8 billion yen still unaccounted for, come from user posts rather than any official announcement and remain unverified. Building one side’s stands first and expanding later to roughly 20,000 capacity is a design approach shared by several recent J.League stadiums, keeping initial costs down while allowing expansion to match demand — commenters cited Hiroshima’s Peace Wing Stadium, reportedly praised by the head of the Japan Sports Agency, as a similar example. Much of the rest of the thread, however, consisted of baseball-versus-soccer fan rivalry and jabs at a particular YouTuber critical of stadium construction, exchanges which fall outside the scope of this article.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Soccer] Montedio’s New Stadium Construction on Track — Immersive Stage Within 8m of Players to Open in 2028.”

  • Is posting homemade Chiikawa figures on social media okay? The line depends on sales and ad revenue

    The smash-hit film ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island’ has left official merchandise in short supply, and homemade figures made by fans are now trending on social media. After Bengo4.com News covered the story, 5ch users traded opinions like “Just posting it should be fine, right?” and “Isn’t it a problem once sales or ad revenue get involved?” Opinions split over where exactly to draw the line — including cases where someone pays another person to make a figure for them, and how to treat cases where likes and view counts translate directly into income.

    Published 9/4 (Fri) 10:40

    Bengo4.com News

    The blockbuster film ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island’ is currently in theaters. It’s so popular that official merchandise frequently sells out, leading some fans to make their own goods for fun.

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

    4AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:21
    Just posting it should be fine, right?
    24AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:28
    Re: #4
    What about if they post it and actually earn ad revenue from it, though?
    80AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:44
    Re: #4
    As long as they're not doing affiliate stuff with it.
    203AnonymousSep 4, 2026 23:06
    Re: #4
    You should study copyright law before replying to this thread.
    19AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:26
    If you just want one for yourself, making it and being satisfied should be enough —
    but no, they're showing off the whole build process because they're starved for validation.
    20AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:27
    Re: #19
    So what if they're showing it off?
    27AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:29
    It's only a problem if they're actually profiting from it — just posting it is totally fine.
    Honestly, idiots who don't even know that shouldn't be posting on social media.
    32AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:30
    Re: #27
    What if they're earning revenue just from posting it on social media, though?
    35AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:31
    Re: #32
    That's a no-go.
    Selling it and earning ad revenue from it amount to the same thing.
    42AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:32
    Re: #32
    Likes and view counts would probably count too.
    Stuff like this is best left as a gray area and never spelled out.
    44AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:32
    Is it okay to pay someone else to make one,
    as long as you're just enjoying it yourself?
    59AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:38
    Re: #44
    Wouldn't the person who got paid to make it be the one in trouble?
    100AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:53
    Re: #44
    Paying someone to assemble a model kit you bought is fine,
    but having someone build something from scratch for you shouldn't be.
    118AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:12
    Re: #44
    Illegal.
    Just sending someone the official artwork and saying "make something like this" is already a copyright violation.
    68AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:40
    I asked ChatGPT ('Chappy') about it.

    Personally, I wouldn't lump all of these together as the same "unauthorized derivative work":
    making one for yourself at home
    ↓
    showing photos of the finished piece
    ↓
    distributing the 3D data
    ↓
    distributing finished copies
    ↓
    selling them
    Because there's a difference between "permission may technically be required by law" and how much actual impact it has on the rights holder.

    Because
    77AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:43
    Re: #68
    ChatGPT ('Chappy') is scary smart.
    Random tangent, but it also just walked me through how to fix a sealed Tsubota Pearl oil lighter, and I'd literally just finished the repair. This was the AI built into Chrome, though…
    97AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:51
    Re: #68
    Garage-kit derivative figures actually often do get proper permission, you know.
    75AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:42
    Characters like this are hard to tell apart from the official design,
    and there's a risk that if the official version comes out later, the fan work gets accused of copying it.
    82AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:45
    Re: #75
    Well, if they wanted to commercialize it, the company would've already locked down the trademarks and such in advance.
    88AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:47
    Re: #75
    With the Gundam cards, the official artist was dumb enough to straight-up copy a fan artist's derivative work lol.
    The fan artist noticed and complained to the official side about being ripped off,
    and Gundam otaku ("Ganota") lost it on the fan artist like "who do you think you are!"

    It's the official artist's fault for screwing up,
    but fan creators accusing the official side of "copying" is seriously not a good look either.
    91AnonymousSep 4, 2026 21:49
    What about the Chinese-made ones that aren't even small or cute?
    https://jprime.ismcdn.jp/mwimgs/7/5/380mw/img_75b9cceda5d93923bec411e227810a29506523.jpg
    124AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:14
    Meanwhile nobody says a word about the doujin stuff at Comiket and the like that's clearly sold without the original creator's permission.
    129AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:17
    Re: #124
    Actually, Comiket staff check everything, and anything too close to the official design gets pulled from sale on the spot for copyright infringement.
    Even so, there have been past arrests over doujinshi too.
    153AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:28
    It's fine as long as it skirts the law on a technicality.
    162AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:33
    Ah, this is gonna be the turning point.
    Is the Chiikawa boom over?

    Yo-kai Watch and Kemono Friends both became massive social phenomena too,
    and when they ended, they ended in an instant.
    165AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:34
    Re: #162
    But the official side hasn't said anything about this…
    166AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:34
    Re: #162
    I think Yo-kai Watch just self-destructed after a bad change in direction.
    171AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:36
    Re: #162
    But with this particular case, the official side isn't treating it as a problem at all —
    it's just low-IQ internet locusts ("net-inago," slang for online pile-on mobs) making noise, isn't it?
    181AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:44
    Is posting this on 5ch itself a crime?
    187AnonymousSep 4, 2026 22:48
    Re: #181
    Only if you're making money off it.

    Background and key points of this debate

    Under Japanese copyright law, turning a character into a 3D figure counts as reproduction/adaptation and in principle requires the rights holder’s permission. Making one privately just for your own enjoyment generally falls within the bounds of private-use reproduction and isn’t much of an issue, but posting it on social media goes beyond “private use,” which is technically considered a gray area. The thread’s central debate was over the difference between simply posting something versus monetizing it through sales, ad revenue, or affiliate marketing — the latter causing greater harm to the rights holder’s interests and being viewed as more clearly problematic. At the same time, doujin markets like Comiket only function the way they do because organizers proactively screen out works that infringe copyright — the fact that something is “tacitly tolerated” is not the same as it being “legal,” a distinction that’s easy to misunderstand. There was also the point that paying someone else to make a figure for you could itself amount to commissioning an unauthorized reproduction of a copyrighted work, making it different from simple private enjoyment.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Newsplus) thread ““If this isn’t allowed, is everything not allowed?” Homemade Chiikawa figures spark debate — is posting on social media NG even without selling? A lawyer’s take“

  • 15-Year-Old Shinmichi Teiken Takes Sumo Recruit Exam at Just 50-Something Kilos — His Idol Is Enho

    Ahead of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament (opening day the 13th, at Ryogoku Kokugikan), the new-recruit physical exam was held on September 4, with four candidates taking part, including 15-year-old Shinmichi Teiken of Takadagawa stable. His slight build — 165cm tall and reportedly in the 50kg range — drew surprised reactions from the stablemasters, and he says his idol is Enho. On 5ch, the thread mixed comments pointing to the ongoing shortage of new recruits and the “shrinking height” trend caused by relaxed physical standards, opinions that his weight will increase with training, safety concerns, and calls to introduce weight classes.

    Nikkan Sports

    [September 4, 2026, 15:10]

    The new-recruit physical exam for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament (opening day the 13th, at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo) was held on the 4th at Ryogoku Kokugikan, with four candidates taking part, including 15-year-old Shinmichi Teiken (Shinmichi Teiken; Takadagawa stable).

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    5AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:25
    That's a great name, like the hero of a shonen manga
    6AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:25
    Staff shortage? Kids losing interest in sumo?
    Or is this just clickbait?
    7AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:25
    Feels like he's gonna force-feed himself to bulk up and end up with wrecked internal organs after he retires
    29AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:35
    Re: #7
    You can only bulk up because your organs are tough to begin with —
    if your guts were already wrecked, overeating would just give you a stomachache instead of muscle lol

    What they actually get after retirement is diabetes
    Some sumo wrestlers even get it while still active
    8AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:26
    165cm, 57kg? Sounds like a middle schooler lmao
    9AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:27
    Guess high school wasn't in the cards for him
    52AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:47
    Re: #9
    He could've finished high school and bulked up to at least 80kg before joining
    Not even sure he could beat Mori Rei
    He's been treated like a guest so far, but once he passes the recruit exam the "tender loving care" (i.e. senior wrestlers' rough hazing) starts for real — wonder if he can take it?
    10AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:27
    Only 4 new recruits this time…
    Guess they'll have to keep relying on foreign wrestlers
    43AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:43
    Re: #10
    There was even a British guy among this year's new recruits
    12AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:28
    Sumo wrestlers tend to die young. If I were his parent, I'd be against this
    13AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:29
    If you don't insist on crashing head-on, I don't think sumo actually requires forcing yourself to bulk up
    18AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:32
    Re: #13
    Sure, if the ring were as big as a baseball field
    88AnonymousSep 4, 2026 19:03
    Re: #13
    Just thinking about it mechanically —
    even in a pushing match, the heavier guy has the advantage
    14AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:29
    Hardly any kids actually want to become sumo wrestlers these days
    15AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:30
    Maybe he's more of a speed type?
    16AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:30
    I'm sure he's the best at sumo in his whole school, right?
    17AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:31
    Mainoumi

    After failing the exam once, he had silicone implanted in his scalp via surgery to temporarily boost his height and pass[3][14].

    Mainoumi:
    "Back in my day there were still a decent number of recruits coming in, so I think around 171cm would've passed — anyone in the 160s would normally have been rejected."

    "These days sumo is so short on people… I bet they're letting guys in even without the 167cm minimum. I think the rule's basically just there for show at this point."
    19AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:32
    This could genuinely get someone killed if it goes wrong — maybe sumo really should adopt weight classes
    20AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:32
    In fact, as a result of the relaxed physical standards, wrestlers have been getting noticeably shorter in recent years. Of the 59 people who took the new-recruit exam in 2021, roughly a third (21) were 172cm or under — the height that used to require the old "second exam" — and at the March tournament, where standards are relaxed for junior-high graduates, 14 of the 33 examinees (nearly half) fell into that category.
    22AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:33
    Getting sent flying for real on impact,
    or crushed under someone's full body weight on a throw…

    I don't wanna watch that (´･ω･`) especially not live
    67AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:54
    Re: #22
    We might actually get to see a scene in pro sumo like those "wrestler vs. a crowd of little kids" gimmick matches, where he just gets scooped up and hoisted into the air
    23AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:33
    The average top-division wrestler is 185cm and over 160kg — in that world, something like 100kg is way too light
    24AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:34
    If sumo scrapped its limit on foreign-born wrestlers, the average might end up topping 200cm and 200kg
    25AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:34
    Foreign names
    should be written
    in katakana (the script Japanese uses for foreign words)
    40AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:42
    Re: #25
    Japanese people
    don't
    break their lines like that
    26AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:35
    He's only 15 — if the stable puts him through training, feeds him chanko, and lets him nap,
    he might still grow a lot more, but there's a limit to that
    since genetics play a big role
    28AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:35
    Sounds like a boxer's build —
    that's basically featherweight
    30AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:36
    Enho was small too, but he made it not just to Juryo, he even climbed all the way to the top Makuuchi division back in the day
    Must be a Gen Z thing
    31AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:36
    Time to bring in weight classes already
    No need to overcomplicate it, just:
    Under 100kg
    100–130kg
    Open weight
    34AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:37
    With the recruit shortage, basically anyone can get in these days
    He's probably not expected to become a real wrestler — more likely brought in as an attendant, for chores, on chanko-cooking duty
    35AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:39
    Even though the height gap is only 2cm, Enho actually had sumo experience before turning pro
    I think this kid would've been better off just going to a normal high school…
    36AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:40
    That's a kid's build. There's no way he can fight in the same ring as a 190cm, 150kg monster…
    37AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:40
    He'll probably reach for the mawashi and grab nothing but an afterimage
    Outmaneuvering everyone with pure speed
    38AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:40
    Sounds like one of the S-Class heroes from One-Punch Man
    39AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:41
    The current sekiwake Fujinokawa is small too, so it's not really an issue
    53AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:47
    It's not the weight, it's the 165cm height that's the real problem
    You can always pack on muscle weight, but you can't do much about height
    57AnonymousSep 4, 2026 18:49
    Re: #53
    Even Mainoumi was around 170cm

    Background and Key Points of the Discussion

    The physical standards for the new-recruit exam were relaxed in 2012, partly in response to a decline in the number of stables, establishing a system where wrestlers under 167cm and 67kg can still join via a “secondary exam.” As shown by Mainoumi’s remarks quoted in the thread and 2021 statistics (over a third of examinees were 172cm or under), small-statured recruits have become fairly common in recent years. Because Enho (around 169cm, 99kg) made it all the way to the top Makuuchi division, there’s precedent for undersized wrestlers being talked up as “technical” specialists despite their physical disadvantage. The thread split between commenters worried about safety (internal-organ strain, collision risk against much larger wrestlers) and those pointing out that weight typically increases significantly through training and the traditional chanko-nabe diet. A common misconception is that a recruit’s weight at exam time reflects his future build — bulking up after joining is a normal part of a wrestler’s development, so judging his prospects from today’s numbers alone would be premature.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[Sumo] “Whoa!” A wrestler in the 50kg range is born… Stablemasters stunned by 15-year-old Shinmichi Teiken, whose idol is Enho.”

  • Liverpool’s Wataru Endo left off Champions League league-phase squad list… benched twice in the Premier League this season but still hasn’t played

    On September 3, UEFA published the squad list for the 2026-27 Champions League league phase, and it turned out that Liverpool’s Wataru Endo, a former Japan national team midfielder, had been left off it. Endo hasn’t had a single appearance in the Premier League this season either, having been named among the substitutes just twice. Reactions on 5channel were split — some questioned why Endo, who has already retired from the national team, didn’t transfer over the summer (“He should’ve just moved clubs”), others compared his playing style to that of Kaishu Sano, while still others offered calmer assessments that factored in his injury and fitness.

    Soccer King

    9/4

    UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) published the squad lists for each club competing in the 2026-27 Champions League (CL) league phase on the 3rd. Liverpool’s former Japan national team midfielder Wataru Endo was left off that list.

    Source: soccer-king.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:23
    This guy sulked his way into retiring from the national team, so who cares anymore
    4AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:23
    His life's starting to go about as smoothly as the 'Employment Ice Age' generation's did (Japan's so-called 'lost generation' of job seekers)
    7AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:27
    Huh? He didn't transfer?
    33AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:44
    Re: #7
    I get why he was clinging to Liverpool up until now — he needed to for World Cup selection — but now that he's declared his international retirement, I figured he'd surely transfer this summer.
    Even a loan would be fine, he should just go somewhere he can actually play.
    46AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:00
    Re: #33
    He's not exactly at an age where he still needs to play to keep developing.
    Once you give up on the national team too, I guess not playing becomes okay with you.
    13AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:30
    He should've transferred instead of clinging to a big-name club
    15AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:32
    Ohtani, Kubo, Mitoma, Endo —
    they've all fallen off, huh

    In the end only Naoya Inoue is still standing
    18AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:33
    He's not even on the national team anymore, so who cares
    19AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:33
    Japanese players can't even get on the pitch at big clubs.
    Hiroki Ito is pretty far down the pecking order at Bayern too —
    he hasn't played in cup games either, so he's probably like the 5th-choice center-back.
    Meanwhile Kim Min-jae is an undisputed starter at Bayern,
    and Lee Kang-in transferred to Atletico and is their ace.
    20AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:34
    Why didn't he transfer… everyone could see this coming
    21AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:34
    He's on the books at mighty Liverpool pulling in hundreds of millions of yen a year —
    no matter what anyone says, unless he really goes off the rails, his life is already a certified success
    22AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:34
    Don't care about a guy who's already retired from the national team
    23AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:37
    Still, it's exasperating that Endo won't even go out on loan.
    He really should've left when Klopp's tenure ended.
    He should've left in the winter two seasons ago, when the managerial change clearly shifted how he was used.
    No matter how good a player is, some managers just won't use them — that happens all the time, it's not Endo's fault.
    Turns out Endo's the type who's satisfied just being at a big club, even without playing.
    24AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:38
    The transfer window's already closed, lol
    28AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:41
    Ogawa got left off the CL qualifying squad and moved to Machida.

    Re: #24
    Destinations like Turkey haven't closed their windows yet.
    It's a standoff — the club wants him out, Endo's refusing to go.
    26AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:39
    Major injury, no idea when he'll be back, no idea how much of his fitness will return —
    no club's signing a player like that.
    If anyone wants Endo, the winter window will do just fine.
    27AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:39
    This is how an athlete who's lost his ambition ends up
    29AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:41
    So Endo's actually in a condition where he could play, then?
    Still probably far from 100%, though
    30AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:42
    People were saying the same thing last year — 'why didn't he transfer' — lol
    40AnonymousSep 4, 2026 10:57
    All he thinks about is winning the ball back, so of course his teammates get irritated.
    If he could carry it forward with a dribble or thread a through ball like Sano does, it'd create chances,
    but instead he just passes to the nearest teammate and that's it.
    Every single time.
    45AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:00
    Re: #40
    Sano's a meathead whose positioning is a mess,
    and he can't control the back line either.
    Endo's better and smarter at that stuff.
    Carrying the ball and passing is a job for the No. 8 next to him anyway.
    As a No. 6, Endo's better than Sano.
    50AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:04
    Re: #45
    Sano's market value — and the actual offers he's gotten — are higher than Endo's, though
    56AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:07
    Re: #50
    Sano ended up with zero offers, lol.
    Sure, just being in the Bundesliga around age 25 inflates that made-up 'market value' number easily,
    but that doesn't mean he'll actually sell for that price, and it has nothing to do with real ability.
    Kamada was briefly the most expensive Japanese player around that same age too,
    but in the end nobody bought him, he kept doing free transfers,
    and now his market value has cratered.
    63AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:12
    Re: #56
    It's fine, Sano's in the Bundesliga, isn't he.
    Mainz isn't weak either.
    He can grind out one more year and then do a cheap free transfer.
    81AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:28
    Re: #56
    Sano didn't get zero offers —
    that's a fact, reported by Kicker, Bild, Sky, and the BBC.
    Market value does correlate with ability.
    Kamada actually holds the highest salary of any Japanese player ever, he's a title collector,
    and he's the only one holding down a real regular starting spot in a Premier League full of high-value heavyweights.
    The Kamada-Wharton midfield pairing is rock solid.
    67AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:13
    Liverpool's got JAL, Kodansha, and Beacle (Baycrew's) as sponsors, so they probably want to keep a Japanese player around — part of me thinks it should be a different player, but another part thinks if he's barely going to play anyway, Endo's fine for that role
    72AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:16
    Re: #67
    The Nippon Foundation is a sponsor too
    69AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:15
    The guy who made the mysterious position of 'closer' a thing
    76AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:18
    Re: #69
    It's not really a position —
    he was playing a role in soccer similar to a closer/relief pitcher in baseball
    71AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:16
    If he came back to the J.League, wouldn't there be a bidding war for him?
    He's not young anymore, so maybe around 300 million yen
    83AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:29
    Re: #71
    Our defensive midfielders are Shibasaki and Misao.
    Bueno hasn't quite clicked the way he did at Shimizu yet, but J.League defensive midfielders are probably around Endo's age anyway.

    Endo could still do plenty in the J.League too
    73AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:16
    Minamino: 'I can't call myself an ex-Liverpool player, because I never left anything behind there.'

    Total opposite mentality from Endo
    84AnonymousSep 4, 2026 11:29
    Re: #73
    Seriously?…
    Minamino was the team's top scorer in both the League Cup and the FA Cup, the key figure behind winning that domestic double.
    He contributed a ton.
    He's way too hard on himself.

    Background and Talking Points

    The Champions League league-phase squad list is a roster each club submits in advance; being left off it doesn’t prevent a player from featuring in domestic league matches or remaining at the club, and there’s also a system for swapping registered players during the winter transfer window. On the thread, some reactions were dismissive — “who cares” — given that Endo has already retired from the national team, while others pointedly questioned why he didn’t transfer over the summer, since although the major leagues’ transfer windows had closed by early September, some leagues, such as Turkey’s, were still open. Opinions on his playing style split between criticism that he lacks the ability to carry the ball forward and views that credit his contribution in a defensive role, and there was also disagreement over how his limited playing time due to injury would affect his standing in the transfer market.

    *This article is compiled as excerpts and a summary of the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News Plus) thread “[Soccer/European CL] Liverpool’s Wataru Endo left off Champions League league-phase squad list… benched twice in the Premier League this season but still hasn’t played.”

  • Kubo Takefusa fluffs open-net chance as Sociedad held to 0-0 draw — 5ch: “Total match-loser”

    On September 3rd, in Matchday 6 of La Liga, Real Sociedad hosted Celta Vigo at home and the match ended scoreless, 0-0. Japan national team midfielder Takefusa Kubo made his first appearance in two matches, playing until the 61st minute — but despite being left with an open net in front of him at one point, he failed to convert, and on 5ch voices rose calling him the “match-loser” (a term for the player blamed for a bad result). In the thread, arguments defending Kubo’s decision-making and ability clashed with harsh criticism, and as the discussion rolled on, comparisons to other athletes like Shohei Ohtani, Kaoru Mitoma, and Shinji Kagawa piled up, with the debate spreading well beyond an assessment of Kubo alone.

    A frustrated Kubo Takefusa fails to finish off an open net… Sociedad draw 0-0 with Celta

    Published Fri, Sept 4, 5:56 AM

    Real Sociedad closed out their Matchday 6 La Liga fixture at home against Celta Vigo at the Reale Arena in a scoreless draw on the 3rd. Japan national team midfielder Takefusa Kubo made his first appearance in two matches, playing until the 61st minute.

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

    4AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:35
    Getting absolutely roasted as the real match-loser lol
    8AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:36
    Honestly never got what's supposed to be so great about this guy in the first place.
    20AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:40
    Re: #8
    Whether he's actually good or not has nothing to do with it — he's a star.
    Once the JFA, Dentsu, and Adidas and that whole crowd decide someone's a star, they're a star.
    And once he's a star, everyone just assumes he must be good.
    14AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:37
    All he had to do was get a touch on it.
    Why'd he try to blast it in instead?
    16AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:38
    Back when he was surrounded by nothing but scrubs, he was on a completely different level, running the show all by himself.
    If he played for Real or Barca he'd be a Ballon d'Or lock, easy.
    19AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:40
    Don't even call him up for the national team anymore.
    He's not at that level.
    21AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:41
    Kubo's win rate as a starter is looking pretty grim these days.
    22AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:42
    Kubo's launching them into orbit again today.
    Feels like a transfer-fee refund request might be coming soon.
    25AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:42
    MLB: even a slump makes headlines.
    European soccer: score a goal, nobody talks about it; slump, and still nobody talks about it.

    It's dead, lol
    26AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:42
    Oyarzabal's a good sport about it. If that had been a Spaniard, they'd be furious.
    29AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:43
    He should've just headed it in…
    But no, he had to force it onto his left foot…

    If the roles were reversed, they'd be dragging Oyarzabal for that clear through to the end of the season, lol
    37AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:45
    Re: #29
    Wasn't that spot calling for a full tiger-dive header? lol
    30AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:43
    Launched into empty space… think he can catch up to Elon Musk?
    32AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:44
    MLB
    Over 200 games broadcast, including on NHK terrestrial TV
    Amazon Prime (¥600/month): up from 50 games last year to 350 this year
    Also comes with anime, movies, dramas, etc.
    Netflix (¥498/month): the WBC
    Also comes with anime, movies, dramas, etc.

    European soccer
    DAZN (¥4,200/month): sports-only channel
    WOWOW (¥2,530/month): soccer package
    U-NEXT (¥2,600/month): soccer package

    lol
    49AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:48
    He's just bad at finishing…
    At least he didn't waste a teammate's assist doing it.
    57AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:55
    Re: #49
    But that came off the rebound from Oyarzabal's incredible shot… so is Take gonna get bullied for missing it?
    59AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:56
    Must be nice — do nothing at all and still get blind soccer fanboys covering for you with 'well, it's just that the level around him is so high, unlike some low-level sport like baseball.'
    Isn't it exactly because soccer fanboys coddle guys like this that none of them ever cut it abroad?
    Even a Korean player has won the Premier League Golden Boot, and yet Japan — bigger economy, bigger population — still loses to them. Pathetic, this dying sport of ball-kicking.
    63AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:56
    Re: #59
    Don't get worked up just because Ohtani's supposedly "washed up," lol
    68AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:58
    Re: #59
    Well, the level of competition is just different from baseball.
    62AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:56
    Can't blame him too much since it was a split-second reaction, but at that height he should've gone for a diving header or trapped it on his chest and forced it in with his body.
    77AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:03
    Re: #62
    Couldn't he have just belly-flopped it in? Feels like Messi did something like that once… though maybe I'm just imagining it.
    67AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:58
    Ohtani. Kubo. Mitoma.

    All crashed at once, huh.
    98AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:09
    Re: #67
    Completely different situation.
    Ohtani and Mitoma are only down because of injuries.
    Ohtani and Mitoma are Japan's best players — Ohtani's arguably the best in the world.
    Kubo, on the other hand, needs no explanation.
    70AnonymousSep 4, 2026 07:59
    He's barely ever had a standout game to begin with — why was this guy ever hyped up like some kind of monster talent, lol
    75AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:02
    Re: #70
    He never actually cut it to begin with, lol
    74AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:01
    Re: #68
    And there it is — the blind believer.
    It's exactly because of yes-men like you defending everything that Japanese soccer's level never rises.
    Just keep saying 'well, the competition's so tough, it's fine if he can't hack it' forever, lol
    85AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:06
    Re: #74
    It's obviously improved, however you look at it.
    96AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:08
    Re: #85
    Huh? Where?
    He's doing worse than back when guys like Kagawa were regular starters at Man United, lol.
    He's stuck at a third-rate club in the Premier League or La Liga and isn't even performing there.
    104AnonymousSep 4, 2026 08:11
    Re: #96
    Mitoma's performing way better than Kagawa ever did.
    And on top of that, the Premier League now is on a completely different level than it was back then.

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Takefusa Kubo has played for Real Sociedad since 2023 and, as a mainstay of the Japan national team, is a player who consistently draws attention — but this missed open-net chance became a flashpoint for debate on 5ch. Beyond technical criticism of the play itself (with users questioning why he didn’t head it or trap it), the thread saw defenders of Kubo clash with those harshly assessing his overall track record. There were also frequent tangents comparing him to other athletes like Shohei Ohtani, Kaoru Mitoma, and Shinji Kagawa, plus arguments over whether soccer or baseball generates more buzz — all of which pushed the discussion well beyond an evaluation of Kubo’s play alone, a nuance that’s easy to miss from the article excerpt on its own.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[Soccer] A frustrated Kubo Takefusa fails to finish off an open net… Sociedad draw 0-0 with Celta.”

  • Shock Lille Signing Ayase Ueda Scores Super-Sub Winner in Debut — Now on 4 Straight Games With a Goal Since Leaving the Netherlands

    Japan international forward Ayase Ueda (28), who made a shock move from the Netherlands to Ligue 1 side Lille, came off the bench against Toulouse on the 3rd and scored the winning goal. It marked his fourth straight game with a goal since joining, and Lille won 1-0. On the thread, discussion centered on teammate Olivier Giroud’s expressionless reaction after the goal, praise for Ueda’s quick results in his new surroundings, and a split of opinions over the overall standard of Ligue 1.

    Nikkan Sports [September 4, 2026, 5:38 AM]

    <French Ligue 1: Toulouse 0-1 Lille> ◇September 3 (September 4 Japan time) ◇Matchday 3 ◇Toulouse

    Japan’s ace forward Ayase Ueda (28), who joined Lille in a shock transfer, scored a goal right in his debut for the new club.

    Source: nikkansports.com / Read the original article here

    3AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:02
    Think he can catch up to Oh Hyeon-gyu? (South Korean forward, a frequent comparison point for Asian strikers abroad)
    7AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:03
    Lol, they cut to Giroud right after Ueda's goal and he had zero expression
    35AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:18
    Re: #7
    He was fidgeting with his nose like crazy — probably a habit he has when he's flustered
    22AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:12
    Giroud's apparently been nice to Ueda since he joined, but it's a bit concerning he didn't look happy after the goal
    25AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:13
    Re: #22
    They were laughing together after the match, so I don't think it's anything to worry about
    32AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:15
    Re: #24
    Giroud really does mess with his nose a lot
    103AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:48
    Re: #32
    Touching your nose is a self-soothing gesture — people do it unconsciously to calm themselves when they're nervous, anxious, under pressure, or lacking confidence. That's probably it.
    33AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:15
    Since he's not great with communication, scoring in his first game to get the ball fed to him more easily is huge.
    Giroud's 40 now too, so playing every game is tough for him — if Ueda can keep delivering off the bench in the rotation, that'd be great.

    Though honestly, Lille's defense is scary lol.
    Getting shot at nonstop like rain and still keeping a clean sheet is basically a miracle lol
    37AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:19
    Re: #33 The keeper got a 10/10 rating
    39AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:20
    So Ueda lost all 6 of his duels, 0/6
    46AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:23
    Re: #39
    Losing hold-up play battles constantly is clearly Ueda's issue.
    He'll probably hit double digits in goals, but even though he's not a hold-up forward, he needs to win a few more of those.
    43AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:21
    Standing next to Ueda, Giroud is just way too big
    56AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:29
    Re: #43
    He's a dwarf compared to Zion
    https://youtu.be/tX3sqmDW0m0
    49AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:25
    Re: #45
    Zion (Suzuki)'s transfer fee was about that much too
    57AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:29
    Re: #49
    Zion's fee was 1 billion yen less
    51AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:26
    Still, it's the weakest of the big five leagues though.
    Given his age, this might be his last shot at stepping up.
    59AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:31
    Re: #51
    Doing well near the top of France would be plenty though.
    Minamino, Ito, and Keito (Doan) all gave top nations a hard time too.
    And the Premier League is more injury-prone anyway.
    63AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:34
    Straight-up farming scrubs.
    Going from the Netherlands to Ligue 1?
    Isn't that lower level than the J-League at this point?
    Even DAZN dropped Ligue 1 and it's basically collapsing.
    Can't believe he actually went there.
    Was that the only offer he had?
    67AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:37
    Re: #63
    A guy who was mediocre in the Netherlands went back to the J-League and scored 2 goals off the bench, you know
    81AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:42
    Anything outside the top two leagues is meaningless
    85AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:43
    Re: #81
    The big five leagues = high value.
    That's common sense worldwide.
    88AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:43
    Re: #81
    People talk about soccer being a 'global' sport, but the world's actually pretty narrow.
    Nothing outside the Premier League and La Liga really gets respect.
    91AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:44
    Re: #81
    La Liga's dropped off a lot these days too.
    It's more like the Premier League and then the other four big leagues.
    86AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:43
    Did Take totally sky an open shot? What happened? Is there video? ("Take" = a nickname for a Japanese player)
    108AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:48
    Re: #86
    I was curious so I looked it up on social media… he actually missed that? …that's where Take's at right now
    117AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:52
    Once Minamino's back, France will have a lineup of guys who seem popular with women — Nakamura and Ueda
    124AnonymousSep 4, 2026 06:53
    Re: #117
    Ueda's wife is just pretty — his own face isn't really that popular-with-women type, is it?

    Background and Talking Points

    Ayase Ueda made a shock transfer this summer from Feyenoord in the Netherlands to Ligue 1 side Lille. At his previous club he kept up his scoring output but had inconsistent playing time, so his goal off the bench in his very first match after the move drew attention as a sign of how quickly he’s settling into his new surroundings. Where opinion in the thread split was over the standing of Ligue 1 itself. With recent years bringing shrinking broadcast deals and a steady outflow of top talent, some argued the league’s status among the big five has slipped, while others countered that performing near the top of France is plenty impressive on its own. It’s also worth noting that the comment about teammate Giroud looking expressionless was one poster’s subjective observation, and other posts in the thread noted the two were seen laughing together after the match. And the stat showing Ueda lost all six of his duels is just from this single matchday — it shouldn’t be taken as a verdict on his season as a whole.

    ※This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Soccer] Shock Lille Signing Ayase Ueda Scores Instant Super-Sub Winner! The Goals Keep Coming — 4 Straight Since Leaving the Netherlands“.

  • Kura Sushi’s Chiikawa Figures Flood Mercari Amid Staff Theft Allegations

    In a collaboration campaign between Kura Sushi and Chiikawa, multiple people have complained on social media that they didn’t get a single figure even after spending over ¥10,000 on food — and now complete five-piece sets of the supposedly rare figures have turned up for sale on Mercari, fueling suspicion that store staff have been pulling them out themselves. On 5channel threads, some pointed to the capsule design itself as the real problem, since a hole in the capsule lets you tell what’s inside from the outside, while others speculated that only someone at the store-manager level — not part-time staff — could realistically pull this off. Many were also stunned that one Mercari seller explained their reason for listing the items as “a relative works at Kura Sushi.”

    9/3 (Thu) 11:55

    Regarding the ongoing collaboration campaign between Kura Sushi and “Chiikawa,” multiple people on social media have said, “I didn’t get a single figure even after spending over ¥10,000.”

    Complete five-piece sets of these “rare” figures have also, for some reason, shown up for resale on flea-market apps, sparking a backlash on social media.

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

    2AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:34
    People suspect the same thing happens with Garigari-kun's "winning stick" promotion (a popsicle brand where a lucky stick gets you a free one)
    17AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:37
    Re: #2
    I haven't won one of those in like 5 years
    Seriously?
    4AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:34
    Kind of like a convenience-store scratch lottery?
    Or like a Pokémon card pack?
    6AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:34
    This reminds me of that Sagawa Express delivery driver who stole a souvenir jacket
    7AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:35
    Might as well skip eating there and just buy it off Mercari
    8AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:35
    Isn't this pointless if we don't also go after Mercari for their part in it?
    25AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:40
    Seriously, cut it out with these garbage campaigns
    Just sell them normally
    Trash company
    50AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:51
    Re: #25
    Even if they sold them normally, people would just buy them all up anyway
    80AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:58
    Re: #25
    Banning it wouldn't bother anyone, would it?
    26AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:40
    Guess they just need to ban Chiikawa outright at this point
    Ban the merch production entirely
    27AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:41
    This is exactly like those rigged prize-pull games at festival stalls
    32AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:43
    This kind of product is basically a black box lol

    You're an idiot for buying something when there's no way to prove what's actually inside
    52AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:52
    Re: #32
    Apparently there's a hole in the capsule that lets you identify which bag has the figure in it
    So any staff member doing the restocking could supposedly pull them out
    33AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:44
    They should switch to an application-based drawing instead of handing these out directly — there's no way part-timers aren't doing this
    47AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:50
    Re: #33
    Yeah, agreed
    Mailing them out would be the best solution
    41AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:48
    Apparently starting the day after tomorrow there's a teacup promo — one random cup for ¥3,000, or the full 4-piece set for ¥12,000
    Maybe that's what set this whole thing off
    59AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:53
    Re: #41
    The "spend ¥3,000, get a clear file folder" promo isn't new — they've run the same thing before with Demon Slayer and Detective Conan collabs
    49AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:51
    People assume it's the part-timers doing this, but it could just as easily be the owner or store manager
    A manager could get away with way more shady stuff behind the scenes than a part-timer ever could
    62AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:53
    Re: #49
    That's true of pretty much everything
    Even with civil servants or police, the people at the bottom are closely watched and have no real power
    It's usually the higher-ups with actual authority who end up causing the trouble
    63AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:54
    Re: #49
    If anything, only someone at the manager level could pull this off.

    With convenience-store lottery tickets, staff can just buy them outright with their own money.
    Kura Sushi's system doesn't work that way.
    54AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:52
    Re: #46
    Nah, it's the rice that's bad
    Nigiriya Tokumai
    Toto-maru
    Uochu
    Sushiro
    Hamazushi
    Kappa Sushi
    Kura Sushi
    something like that, rice-wise
    60AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:53
    Re: #54
    Never even heard of the first one on that list
    55AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:52
    If it's a franchise, the whole contracted company could be complicit
    Franchises sometimes have to resort to stuff like that just to turn a profit
    That's also why convenience-store franchise owners get their collateral seized and get replaced
    67AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:54
    Re: #55
    Kura Sushi only operates company-owned stores, no franchises
    66AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:54
    Even the kappa mascot forced to work underground must be crying about this (´・ω・｀)
    76AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:56
    Re: #66
    Guess he got fired from Kappa Sushi and now works at Kura Sushi lol
    74AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:56
    The guy offloading a ton of these on Mercari
    straight-up, honestly answered "a relative works at Kura Sushi" — I'm dying
    you'd have to be pretty dumb to pull something like this in the first place
    78AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:57
    Re: #74
    Seriously?
    I bet he still doesn't get what he did wrong
    82AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:58
    Re: #74
    If he'd just said "I ate a ton of it," fine, but there's zero upside to lying and saying "my relative works there" instead — wonder what he's gonna do now lol
    83AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:58
    Re: #74
    Can't believe someone's that dumb lol
    Could've just said his family of 10 went twice a day
    75AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:56
    Is this the same thing they were handing out at the movie theater when I went to see the Chiikawa film with zero background knowledge?
    Had no idea collecting those could actually be worth money
    79AnonymousSep 3, 2026 15:58
    Re: #75
    He probably had no choice but to say something, since otherwise it'd look like straight-up fraud.

    There's no other explanation for how he'd have that many complete sets to sell.

    Background and Key Points of This Controversy

    This controversy exposes a structural weakness in probability-based “lottery-style” promotions. If the capsules holding the figures have a hole that lets you identify the bag inside from the outside, then anyone on the store side handling restocking would be able to pull them out. As pointed out in the thread, Kura Sushi runs every store as a directly-operated location rather than through franchises, so unlike convenience-store lottery-ticket theft cases, if such removal really did happen, it could raise questions about the head office’s own management oversight. That said, the Mercari seller’s stated reason — “a relative works at Kura Sushi” — is simply the seller’s own claim, and as of this writing it hasn’t been confirmed whether store staff were actually involved. Kura Sushi has not yet issued any official investigation results or statement, so it’s worth noting this remains in the realm of allegation for now.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Spent ¥10,000 and Still No Chiikawa Figures — Five-Piece Sets Flooding Mercari, Kura Sushi Staff Suspected of Pulling Them Out.”

  • Japan National Team to Face Brazil and Paraguay in Singapore This November — International Tournament Spot Confirmed

    The Japan Football Association announced on September 3 that the Japan national team will take part in the “MIZUHO BLUE CHALLENGE THE KALLANG FOOTBALL SERIES SINGAPORE,” an international tournament being held in Singapore from November 13 to 17. Alongside host nation Singapore, Paraguay and Brazil will also compete, with Japan facing Brazil on the 14th and Paraguay on the 17th. Each match is a straight 90 minutes with no extra time or penalty shootouts, and the tournament doesn’t even crown an overall winner — an unusual format. Over on 5ch’s Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ board, the thread took off with predicted starting lineups, speculation over whether the South American sides will actually send their first-choice squads, and grumbling about the cost of arranging matches like this away from home.

    The Japan Football Association (JFA) announced on September 3 that the Japan national team will participate in the “MIZUHO BLUE CHALLENGE THE KALLANG FOOTBALL SERIES SINGAPORE,” an international soccer tournament to be held at Singapore National Stadium from November 13 to 17.

    Besides Japan, the tournament features the national teams of Singapore, Paraguay, and Brazil. Japan is set to face Brazil on November 14 and Paraguay on the 17th, with both matches held at Singapore National Stadium.

    The pairings for each side’s second match were fixed in advance regardless of how the first match turns out. Every game runs a full 90 minutes with no extra time or penalty shootout — a draw stands as the final result — and no overall tournament ranking will be determined.

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

    2AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:09
    Put him in already, put that guy in!
    35AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:20
    Re: #2
    Cunha: "If you wanna fight me, come to the Premier League 🖐 you second-division shellfish, lol" (an odd jab seemingly mocking Japan's domestic league as bush-league)
    52AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:25
    Re: #35
    Cunha's actually faced Ao Tanaka a ton — in the Premier League, on the national team, even back in the youth ranks — so he respects him. Cunha was on the pitch when Tanaka scored 2 goals and an assist to beat Brazil, too. Same when Tanaka ran riot against Man United.
    111AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:42
    Re: #2
    Re: #35
    Salty shellfish щ(ﾟдﾟщ) c'moooon
    7AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:11
    Re: #1

    Asian Cup — predicted starting lineup
    67AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:30
    Re: #7
    Really feels like a mishmash of mid-table clubs.
    73AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:32
    Re: #7
    Itakura pulled out, didn't he?
    83AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:35
    Re: #7
    No J-League players at all… I guess that's just how it goes, but still, kinda meh.
    10AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:12
    The South American sides probably won't send full-strength squads anyway — they'll ship over some 4th-division scrubs instead.
    116AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:43
    Re: #10
    They're probably amateurs.
    54AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:25
    Why can't they hold this kind of match in Japan? The federation's coffers must be empty.
    59AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:27
    Re: #54
    Against strong teams, away or a neutral country is fine by me — people complain no matter what if it's at home anyway.
    63AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:28
    Re: #54
    Are you empty-headed? They do hold matches in Japan.
    91AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:36
    Re: #54
    Inviting them costs matchmaking fees, lodging, and travel expenses too, you know. For reference, Brazil's matchmaking fee alone runs about 300 million yen.
    55AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:25
    So it's that pattern again — beat a third-string Brazil, get delusional about it, then lose when it actually matters.
    74AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:32
    Re: #55
    So we're supposed to lose next time or what?
    65AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:29
    Re: #49
    Mainz: "No offers have come in. If none arrive by the 27th, he stays."
    ↓
    The 27th passes with zero offers.
    ↓
    August 31: "We're in the relegation zone, offers keep getting rejected, and now it's already the 31st. Let's try offering half the fee for Sano since nobody's bid on him."
    ↓
    No dice.

    In the end, it's proven that whatever value Sano's fanboys kept hyping never actually existed.
    68AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:30
    Re: #65
    Makes no sense. Write it so it's actually understandable, and attach a source too, lol.
    101AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:39
    Even the official English ratings pin Ao Tanaka as the culprit.
    "E" stands for an error leading directly to a goal — and that's the mark attached to Tanaka's name.

    This is the official stat used by the English Football Association — the same system behind Kaoru Mitoma's Best XI picks.
    https://imgur.com/NOrY7EF.jpeg
    109AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:41
    The lowest-rating collector


    115AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:43
    Re: #109
    Kaishu Sano lost every single duel — 0 wins, 6 losses — and got the lowest rating on the pitch for being involved in both goals conceded. Daichi Kamada was also winless in duels, 0-9, second worst on the field.
    https://imgur.com/skToH5q.png
    https://imgur.com/DX4C1pa.jpeg

    Ao Tanaka, meanwhile, made a super block to keep a clean sheet, won his duels, was physically strong, never got dispossessed, and got shots on target — good at both ends of the pitch.

    Tanaka > Sano, Kamada.
    At defensive mid, Tanaka's clearly the better one — other players have said his defense beats Kamada's too.


    Also, during the Kamada/Sano stretch Japan was down 0-2, and once Tanaka came on they didn't concede again. There's footage of him making a super save even at the cost of taking a knock to the groin.

    The clip of Sano's goal conceded is right there too — he got split open by a vertical pass and beaten. Even the guys who were hyping Sano up had nothing left to say after that.
    120AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:44
    Paying big money for a match when the coaching change is already decided — isn't that just dumb? Even in a friendly, are they just gonna play punching-bag counter-attack soccer?
    123AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:46
    Re: #120
    Isn't this one of those invitations where they cover your meals and travel? 🥺
    126AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:47
    Re: #120
    You baseball fanboys ("yakibuta" — soccer fans' derisive nickname for baseball fans) are getting way too heated. Maybe baseball should copy soccer and hold some friendlies of its own?
    139AnonymousSep 3, 2026 12:54
    Re: #120
    They were invited by Singapore, so if anything Japan's getting paid for this, you idiot.

    Background and Key Points

    Invitational tournaments like this one, scheduled outside FIFA’s official international match windows, typically have the host nation covering stadium costs while participating teams’ matchmaking fees and travel expenses are billed separately — the thread noted that inviting Brazil’s national team alone reportedly runs around 300 million yen. It’s also worth keeping in mind that participating countries won’t necessarily field their strongest lineups; some posters suggested the South American sides might send squads missing their key players rather than full-strength rosters. Meanwhile, the unusual format — 90-minute matches with no penalty shootouts and no overall tournament ranking — reflects that this is designed purely as a friendly exhibition rather than a serious competitive event. The thread also traded predicted starting lineups and discussion of Japan’s past results against Brazil, but since the latter half of the thread drifted into unverified claims about a specific player’s transfer situation, that material has been left out here as it couldn’t be confirmed.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “[Soccer] Japan National Team Set to Face Brazil! International Tournament in Singapore This November, Clash with Paraguay Too.”