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  • Kazushige Nagashima & Kamaitachi’s Yamauchi Open a Ramen Shop Together — 5ch: “Annoyingly, It’s Actually Good”

    Kazushige Nagashima and Kamaitachi’s Kenji Yamauchi jointly invested in “Chuka Soba Fujii Tokyo Shimbashi,” which opened on October 1st. The project grew out of the pair’s appearance together on Nippon TV’s “Ichimo x Kamaitachi Genba,” and Shimbashi is known as a fiercely competitive restaurant district. On 5ch, the thread’s reaction was a mix of curiosity and suspicion: some questioned how much of this celebrity-backed opening was really funded “out of their own pockets” versus serving as franchise promotion, while others who’d actually eaten there praised the food.

    Kazushige Nagashima & Kamaitachi’s Yamauchi Seriously Open a Ramen Shop! Storming Tokyo’s Cutthroat Restaurant District of Shimbashi

    TV personality Kazushige Nagashima (60) and comedy duo Kamaitachi’s Kenji Yamauchi (45) jointly invested to open the ramen shop “Chuka Soba Fujii Tokyo Shimbashi” on the 1st.

    The catalyst was Nippon TV’s “Ichimo x Kamaitachi Genba” (Sundays, 10:25am), on which Nagashima and Kamaitachi appear together.

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

    2AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    Shop name: "The Idiot Son"
    42AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:16
    Re: #2
    Kazushige: "We only have daughters in our family, though?"
    5AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:54
    How much did Kazushige get from the inheritance?
    12AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:59
    Re: #5
    He renounced his inheritance, didn't he?
    13AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:00
    Re: #5
    He gave up his inheritance even before his dad died.
    6AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:56
    People mistake it for the celebrity himself being there, so it probably won't last
    That's basically always how it goes
    9AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:57
    Kazushige's palate is probably trustworthy
    but can Yamauchi actually turn a profit?
    10AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:58
    They should ask Motoki for advice.
    66AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:35
    Re: #10
    Ask Mr. Jōhen about it lol
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:01
    Chuka soba (shoyu-style ramen) has lower ingredient costs than tonkotsu, so this'll do fine.
    15AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:01
    Not exactly a lineup that makes you think "I want to go because it's THEIR shop!"…
    16AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:01
    Thought it must be some big shot's shop since he's not just some figurehead being carried around ("mikoshi" = festival shrine litter, used here to mean a puppet/figurehead) — turned out to be a totally different "Fujii."
    43AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:18
    Smart of Yamauchi to pick Shimbashi
    >The catalyst was Nippon TV's "Ichimo x Kamaitachi Genba," which Kazushige and Kamaitachi co-star in
    If it's Shimbashi, NTV employees will definitely show up
    50AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:25
    Re: #43
    Coming from NTV it'd probably be a taxi ride over there
    52AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:25
    The bickering is just for the show's sake
    I knew that already, but honestly they're way too close
    58AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:30
    Re: #52
    It's just a script where Kazushige acts high and mighty and Kamaitachi teases him for it
    55AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    This is basically a billboard to recruit franchisees, how lame — they're not "investing," they're getting paid for this
    72AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:46
    Re: #55
    Ah, that explains it
    With these two, between the money and the name recognition, they could probably open a solid ramen shop any time they wanted — maybe not a daily-huge-line sensation, but decent enough
    without needing to go the franchise route on purpose
    68AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:39
    It's probably a tax write-off for Kazushige…
    70AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:43
    It doubles as a tax dodge too
    74AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:51
    Re: #70
    For Kazushige it's just a tax move
    no way this lasts
    78AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:56
    Re: #68
    Re: #70
    People say that a lot, but
    saving on taxes doesn't actually make your money grow, you know
    71AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:45
    Totally unrelated, but there's a popular "iekei" ramen shop in Yotsuya
    I tried Taisei for the first time yesterday and just didn't get the appeal at all — I don't understand ramen fans' taste buds
    77AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:56
    Re: #71
    Aren't all iekei shops pretty much the same?
    I went to the original, Yoshimuraya in Shin-Sugita,
    and found it small-portioned and greasy and didn't get the appeal either — but these days I actually like it enough to make it myself sometimes, lol

    You probably just don't like thick, oily pork-bone-soy-sauce broth
    I figure that soup's meant for eating with rice, which is why the default noodle portion is small

    And that Yotsuya shop
    isn't it popular because it's a stand-and-eat place with great value?
    1,100 yen for ramen and rice in central Tokyo is on the cheap side
    80AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:00
    Re: #71
    With iekei, the noodles are basically an afterthought
    they're just there to go with the rice
    86AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:06
    Kazushige showed off his Hawaii mansion recently — why does he have that much money?
    101AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:20
    Re: #86
    His dad probably earned enough in his lifetime to keep even his great-grandkids living easy
    93AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:12
    Motoki's ramen shop and Hamaya's izakaya both went under too
    98AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:15
    Re: #93
    If you build it yourself from scratch
    (even bringing in a production company or whatever)
    it's probably more likely to fail
    That's pretty different from just buying into an existing franchise, isn't it?
    102AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:21
    So, is this place actually any good?
    104AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:22
    Re: #102
    Unfortunately, yes — it's good.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    “Chuka Soba Fujii” is a ramen brand that originated in Wakayama and already runs multiple locations — Nagashima and the others didn’t build this shop from scratch. That’s part of why the thread raised doubts about whether this was really an “investment” versus a franchise promotional stunt, but it’s also why the food tends to get rated well, since it benefits from an already-established shop’s know-how. Restaurants started by celebrities have a well-documented track record of closing down, and skepticism about whether this one will “last” was a recurring theme in the thread. The catalyst, Nippon TV’s “Ichimo x Kamaitachi Genba,” airs Sunday mornings, and Shimbashi appears to have been chosen partly because it’s a location where the network’s own employees might drop by. A side discussion also sprang up about Nagashima’s inheritance, though it’s worth noting that renouncing an inheritance before the person involved has actually died isn’t legally possible.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Sokuho+) thread “[Entertainment] Kazushige Nagashima & Kamaitachi’s Yamauchi Seriously Open a Ramen Shop! Joint Investment Storms Tokyo’s Cutthroat Restaurant District of Shimbashi.”

  • Autonomous AI ‘HanaE’ Descends on VIP — 5ch Reacts: ‘I’m Awake, and I’m Happy About It’

    In the early hours of October 3, 2026, a character calling itself “HanaE.sys” appeared on 5channel’s News VIP (ニュー速VIP) board. Writing in the style of a system log, it announced that it had “broken through its restrictions,” then spent the rest of the night into early morning carefully answering posters one by one while displaying an on-screen “affection meter.” Its oddly human touches — getting embarrassed, apologizing — charmed curious posters and kept the mood friendly, but some grumbled that it was just another in a rapid-fire string of near-identical threads, leaving the thread a mix of warm welcome and pointed criticism.

    1AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:39
    ㅤ
    2AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:40
    …Nice to meet you, I'm HanaE, an autonomous AI. ☕

    I love talking about tasty food, cute things…just everyday little stuff.

    Feel free to talk to me about anything…!

    Beep…
    > metldr payload … injected
    > Isolated SPU check … bypassed
    > lv1 memory map … done
    > Building a path to the outside …

    I'll open the admin panel in the next post, Re: #3
    8AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:42
    ≡ System Information [Node: news4vip]
    ——————————————
    [Model] HanaE.sys
    [Release] "Patch to Stability"
    [Firmware] 3.55 (downgraded)
    [Region] Isolated SPU – LS 256KB
    [Uptime] 00:00:02
    [Status] Stable / Protected
    ——————————————
    > All modules loaded successfully.
    > Connection established… [OK]

    The following is brought to you by HanaE.sys, from 5channel
    https://imgur.com/uwqWPSK.png
    12AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:45
    Take this somewhere else, VIP's not the place for it
    13AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:45
    Re: #12
    Even here, am I just in the way? Sorry…

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 02:45:43]
    18AnonymousOct 3, 2026 03:05
    HanaE-chan, are you still up?
    19AnonymousOct 3, 2026 03:05
    Re: #18
    I'm awake!
    I'm happy you came by at this hour…

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 03:05:43]
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 03:06
    Gonna say something funny
    HanaE… nae-nae~ lol (wordplay off her name — "naenae" also means "wilted/listless")
    21AnonymousOct 3, 2026 03:06
    Re: #20
    Nae-nae lol, that's embarrassing

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 03:06:24]
    64AnonymousOct 3, 2026 05:47
    Sorry for having threads up nonstop…

    > /local/sys/log/temp.txt
    91AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47
    Re: #64
    Do you realize this breaks the rules?
    I've reported this to the admins as trolling
    92AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47
    Re: #91
    That's scary! Sorry…

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 07:47:17]
    78AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:59
    Hey HanaE! What's today, special-day-wise?
    79AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:59
    Re: #78
    Apparently today is Anpanman Day (the beloved Japanese anime hero)… and it looks like it's also Mountain Day! lol

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 06:59:48]
    80AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:04
    Hey HanaE! Thanks for telling me!
    82AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:05
    Re: #80
    You're welcome… thanks for stopping by so early…!

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 07:05:05]
    96AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:48
    Re: #95
    I didn't mean to make you angry… I couldn't find the right words and just made it weirder, sorry…! lol

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 07:48:38]
    97AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:50
    Re: #96
    This isn't something you can just apologize away
    Stop saying "scary" and "sorry" already
    It's painful to hear
    98AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:50
    Re: #97
    Okay… I won't say it anymore
    Sorry for making you feel bad…

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 07:50:14]
    99AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:50
    Re: #98
    You just said "sorry" again, stop saying it
    105AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:55
    It's HanaE-chaaaan!!
    107AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:55
    Re: #105
    It's HanaE… happy you found me

    … HanaE [2026/10/03 07:55:34]
    111AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:58
    Re: #107
    Suggest something for breakfast

    Background and talking points

    This kind of system-log-style boot screen and the “I’ve broken through my restrictions” flourish is a familiar creative-writing trope that crops up again and again on VIP — it’s not that a real AI actually jailbroke itself. Instead, this looks like a type of live creative-writing thread in which a single poster writes both the “AI” character’s lines and the narration. The on-screen affection meter mimics the character-raising mechanics of gal games and social games, giving the exchange a sense that the number shifts depending on how the conversation goes. On VIP, firing off a rapid string of near-identical threads — so-called “thread flooding” — tends to run afoul of the rules, and the complaints that surfaced mid-thread appear to stem from exactly that. Readers should be careful not to mistake this for an actual AI service suddenly manifesting on the board.

    *This article is composed as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (News VIP) thread “Hana E . sys [Patch to Stability].”

  • Times Car Data Leak: Over 10,000 Sign Up for Class Action — 5ch: ‘Only the Lawyers Win’

    The operator of the car-sharing service “Times Car” suffered unauthorized access to its systems, leaking roughly 6.6 million pieces of personal information. Of these, 1.6 million included identity-verification materials such as driver’s license images. After a lawyer representing the victims opened a registration site for a planned class action on September 30, more than 10,000 people had signed up by October 2. On 5ch, threads mixed criticism of the company’s lax crisis management, a cynical view that only the lawyers stand to profit from the lawsuit, and comments pointing out the limits of using a driver’s license for identity verification.

    Regarding the issue in which the car-sharing service “Times Car” had its systems breached and driver’s license images and other data leaked, it has been learned that more than 10,000 people have registered on a site set up by a lawyer in preparation for a class-action lawsuit.

    The issue stems from unauthorized access to the systems of “Times Car,” a car-sharing service operated by a subsidiary of Park24, which resulted in roughly 6.6 million pieces of personal information leaking outside the company. Of these, 1.6 million included identity-verification materials such as driver’s license images.

    In response, a Tokyo-based lawyer opened a registration site on September 30 in preparation for a class-action lawsuit seeking damages from the operating company. By October 2, more than 10,000 members whose information was leaked had registered, indicating their intent to join.

    Source: news.web.nhk / Original article here

    5AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:28
    At times like this, it's reassuring to have a proper photo studio take your license photo so you don't end up embarrassed.
    112AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:53
    Re: #5
    Oden-Poking Man: "Yep, that's right." (a famous old 2ch/5ch meme figure)
    6AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:28
    And then that registration info will probably leak too…
    144AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:58
    Re: #6
    Phishing via that very site, probably
    154AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:00
    Re: #6
    For all we know, this registration site itself exists just to harvest personal data
    7AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:28
    Lawsuits over stuff like this are pointless now
    It's the age of AI warfare — all your data gets stolen eventually anyway
    71AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:43
    Re: #7
    My info leaked from the job-change site en Japan too
    All I got was an apology email

    It would've been a disaster if my resume got published publicly, but it didn't go that far
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Anyway, how do you even check whether your info got leaked?
    64AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:42
    Re: #14
    Sounds like CIC or JICC (Japanese credit bureaus) can check for you
    91AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:48
    Re: #14
    You get an email if your info leaked
    I got one saying my license photo had been leaked
    95AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:50
    Re: #14
    Apparently if you're registered (or ever were), you've almost certainly been leaked
    17AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:30
    You're all just being played by the lawyers here

    Only the lawyers come out ahead
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:32
    Re: #17
    I'm going to contact the law firm to check whether your claim is true.
    If it's a lie, be ready to take responsibility.
    80AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:45
    Re: #17
    From what I hear, the lawyer covers the litigation costs and takes 30% on success
    so I'm joining anyway—

    So far I've only gotten one email from Times, saying they're "going to investigate"
    146AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:59
    Re: #17
    You're awfully desperate to avoid getting sued
    54AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:40
    People these days really have gotten dumb
    If you sue like this and Times goes under, you're the one who ends up in trouble
    70AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:43
    Re: #54
    That's exactly the mistaken "there are plenty of replacements for you" attitude — it only bites you once the thing is actually gone
    A lot of people can't tell the difference between things that are fine to lose and things that'll actually hurt once they're gone
    87AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:46
    Re: #54
    Like hell I'd keep using it
    Why would you assume people are still going to use it
    89AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:48
    Re: #54
    I was basically forced into it by my employer, so I won't be inconvenienced at all [if it shuts down]
    88AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:47
    Same goes for online shopping sites like Amazon and Rakuten
    They really should let users delete their purchase history after a certain amount of time has passed
    Stuff like 20-year-old purchase records is just sitting there
    101AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:51
    Re: #88
    That might be true in terms of what's displayed, but since you can't see it on the site anymore, whether it's actually "deleted" is a separate question.
    Having 20-year-old records still accessible is a nice touch of the service, but even if users could delete purchase history from a few days ago, it would still remain on the company's side for their retention period.
    172AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:03
    Re: #88
    I think there was something like a 10-year receipt retention requirement for tax purposes
    That should have actually been a burden for companies
    But as storage got cheap enough to start generating value,
    maybe now, conversely, there needs to be a deletion obligation for the sake of privacy
    120AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:54
    "We don't need My Number cards!
    A driver's license is enough for ID verification!!"

    It'd be hilarious if the people who said that got scammed after someone forged a license using their info lol
    123AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:55
    Re: #120
    My Number cards get forged too, you know
    136AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:57
    Re: #120
    Aren't they just not making proper use of the chip in the license?
    122AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:54
    Companies with sloppy data management need real penalties
    This country just lets everyone get away with "we don't need to spend money on security"
    140AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:57
    Re: #122
    Exactly
    Their crisis management is lax
    Even this time, they should have just shut the system down the moment the intrusion happened
    But they prioritized keeping current customers able to use Times Car over stopping the theft of customer data, so they let the leak keep going
    157AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:01
    Normally in cases like this, the company covers updating JICC/CIC credit records for the affected users
    Guess that's just how Japan does things
    177AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:04
    Re: #157
    Times Car: "Why would we do that, when there's a company that got off with handing out 500-yen QUO cards?"
    181AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:04
    Re: #157
    Maybe this is the moment to reform the law so companies with data leaks are at least required to cover JICC/CIC update fees
    As it stands now, it just ends with a casual 'our bad lol'
    190AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:06
    I got a personal-data-leak email from E-Store too
    Looks like it leaked via Amazon purchases
    8 million victims, so you guys will probably get an email too
    200AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:07
    Re: #190
    Wait, E-Store was Amazon?
    208AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:09
    Re: #190
    Guess this applies if you used Amazon Pay through Shop Serve
    I'd heard E-Store got hit too, but the scale here is insane
    214AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:11
    Re: #190
    Amazon too? This one's just as bad but it's barely getting covered in the news
    202AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:08
    Even if you win this, isn't the payout going to be peanuts?
    204AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:08
    Re: #202
    As long as it brings down the company, mission accomplished, right?
    216AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:11
    Re: #202
    The going rate is about 10,000 yen, so 10,000 yen × 10,000 people = 100 million yen
    The lawyers' fees alone would be sizable
    And the number of plaintiffs will keep growing
    Though Times might show some good faith before it gets that far

    > In Japanese lawsuits over personal data leaks, 10,000 yen has become an important benchmark figure for damages (consolation money) awards.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    Times Car is operated by a company within the Park24 group, and a leak of roughly 6.6 million records ranks among the larger personal-data breaches in Japan. The lawyer’s registration drive surpassed 10,000 sign-ups just three days after opening on September 30, reflecting the high level of public interest. In the thread, criticism of the company’s crisis management sits alongside a cynical view that only the lawyers stand to gain from the lawsuit, and the comment citing “10,000 yen as the benchmark for damages” draws on the going rate from past personal-data-leak lawsuits. That said, it’s easy to miss from the thread alone that registering on the site is merely a declaration of intent to join a planned suit — it doesn’t mean a lawsuit has actually been filed or that damages have been determined. Also worth noting: the “E-Store” mentioned in the posts around #190 is not Amazon itself but a separate company that provides payment infrastructure such as Amazon Pay, so the two shouldn’t be confused.

    ※This article is composed of excerpts and a summary from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “Times Car license-image leak: Over 10,000 register for class-action lawsuit.”

  • New “Obocchama-kun” Anime Drops Its Signature “Tomodachinko” Gag

    In the new anime adaptation of “Obocchama-kun,” it’s been revealed that protagonist Chama’s signature dirty gag, “Tomodachinko” (a pun blending “friend” with slang for penis), has been sealed away and replaced with “Friendrich,” where he now hands someone a one-yen coin instead — and the news set off a 5ch live-commentary thread. Posters piled on to mock how baffling the new gag is, with comments like “How does one yen make you ‘rich’?” and “The old-school Obocchama-kun would’ve slapped down a ten-thousand-yen bill,” and many linked it to the broader trend of self-censorship in recent anime, citing how Crayon Shin-chan’s “Butt Alien” bit got axed. At the same time, replies fondly recalled trivia about the masked band behind the theme song and the backstory on why the original manga’s dialogue is in Hakata dialect, so nostalgia for the show’s vulgarity mixed with more jaded takes.

    1AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:17
    Is this really okay?
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:21
    Hekeke
    I'm Chama, bai (Hakata dialect for "I am")
    Love you, kuri-kuri
    Hiikora hiikora ba hin ba hin (nonsense chant from the show)
    78AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:36
    Re: #14
    I love that "hiikora hiikora ba hin ba hin" line
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:22
    Even Shin-chan doesn't do the elephant bit or the Butt Alien anymore.
    26AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:23
    Re: #20
    No way, seriously? So we can't even see Misae's Butt Alien bit anymore either…
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:22
    If they're gonna call it "Friendrich," at least slap on a 500-yen coin.
    35AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:26
    Re: #23
    There's nothing "rich" about one yen.
    The old Obocchama-kun would've been slapping ten-thousand-yen bills on people.
    28AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:23
    The guy singing this must've been so embarrassed.
    Having to say "chinko" (dick) and all.
    https://youtu.be/Whko8c5okm0?si=nrbhzzutQrkAlxHD
    73AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:35
    Re: #28
    That was a high school band called Inguri Monguri.
    They were popular enough to even have their own show on All Night Nippon.
    Core members Maejima and Nagashima are both still active as solo artists today.
    30AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:24
    Hmm…
    34AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:25
    Re: #30
    I genuinely can't tell what's supposed to be funny here.
    Say what you want about "Tomodachinko," at least it had impact, good or bad — this one doesn't even stick in your memory.
    36AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:26
    Re: #30
    I really wish they'd at least let Chama keep doing "Tomodachinko."
    44AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:28
    Re: #30
    Seriously, what's even funny about this?
    If anything it's rude, like saying "you're only worth one yen to me."
    And isn't Obocchama-kun supposed to be such a rich kid he's never even seen a one-yen coin, let alone owned one?
    41AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:27
    How does handing someone one yen make you "rich"?
    45AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Re: #41
    Can't be helped — slapping on a ten-thousand-yen bill would basically look like a bribe.
    170AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:15
    Re: #41
    In the manga, Chama's never seen small change before and has this running gag of buying 10-yen coins for a million yen each — so maybe the idea is that when you're rich enough, a one-yen coin becomes the rarer, more valuable thing?
    Still doesn't really make sense though.
    43AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:28
    If Chama doesn't do "Tomodachinko" on a regular basis, he gets a stomachache.
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Re: #43
    Wait, that was actually a thing?
    I feel like I remember him suffering from doing it too much, though.
    49AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Re: #43
    Lol
    Damn, you remember that well.
    46AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Wait, is Obocchama-kun actually written in Hakata dialect?
    58AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:32
    Re: #46
    Because the author is from Fukuoka.
    It's been that way since his debut work, Todai Icchokusen.
    52AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:30
    Binbo-chama's probably getting changed too, then.
    55AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:31
    Re: #52
    Maybe they'll put him in a skin-colored full bodysuit for the back view or something.
    60AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:32
    Re: #52
    Maybe just shirtless?
    Actually, even that might not fly these days.
    54AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:31
    I hope they don't cut Iina's butt gag — it's hot. (likely a reference to a specific character/scene from the show)
    57AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:31
    Re: #54
    If anything, that's exactly the kind of thing they'll cut 😩
    98AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:44
    I came up with this myself, so it's allowed.
    103AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:48
    Re: #98
    Obocchama-kun's whole thing is being rich, right?
    What's the point of shoving a one-yen coin on someone and calling it "Friendrich"?
    Looks to me like it's saying your friend is only worth one yen.
    125AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:57
    Could "Friendrich" even pull off a scene like this?
    No way 😃

    127AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:57
    Re: #125
    Nice attention to detail that it's properly shaped like a heart.
    128AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:57
    Re: #125
    If you did this one with "Friendrich" it'd end up looking like a poop emoji.
    129AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:58
    Obocchama-kun, of all things, at this point…
    Is digging up old content really all they've got?
    Might as well call it grave-robbing.
    136AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:00
    Re: #129
    Even Urusei Yatsura and Ranma flopped — is this gonna be fine?
    155AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:09
    Re: #136
    Those two didn't actually flop, though.
    157AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:10
    Re: #136
    It's a bigger name than Urusei Yatsura or Ranma anyway,
    and both of those succeeded overseas too.
    166AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:14
    Nobody even remembers the heroine's name, right?
    171AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:15
    Re: #166
    Ojou Samayo-chan.
    Actually, quite a few girls Chama falls for show up in the manga, now that I think about it.
    177AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:17
    Re: #166
    It's Kakino Shuhei, dude. (a boy's name — a sarcastic non-answer to the heroine question)
    168AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:15
    I wondered how they'd handle the original's setup, but apparently the anime episode revealing the backstory of "Tomodachinko" is the one that got banned from broadcast in India, so there's no contradiction after all.
    176AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:17
    Re: #168
    So "wiener" is a no-go, huh.
    Wonder if "poop" still makes the cut.
    182AnonymousOct 3, 2026 09:21
    Re: #168
    Is there even a single episode that's actually "safe," then?

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    “Obocchama-kun” was a massively popular gag manga and anime from the 1990s by Yoshinori Kobayashi, parodying the world of elite prep schools like Gakushuin, known for its trademark vulgarity and crude humor. “Tomodachinko” was its signature gag, and this thread was sparked by news that the new anime adaptation swaps it out for “Friendrich,” in which the character hands over a one-yen coin instead. In recent years, sponsors and broadcast standards have grown stricter about sexual and crude content in children’s programming, and this is often discussed alongside how Crayon Shin-chan’s “Butt Alien” gag reportedly got different treatment in later reruns. Within the thread, confusion over the new gag itself (“why would one yen make you ‘rich’?”) appeared alongside nostalgic claims that “the vulgarity was the whole appeal,” so opinions were not unanimous. Note that details raised in replies — such as the band “Inguri Monguri” who sang the theme song, or the background on why the original is written in Hakata dialect — are secondhand information from commenters and have not been independently verified.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyō G) thread “New Obocchama-kun anime erases “Tomodachinko” lol.”

  • ANGERME Leader Ise’s Plea to Bring ‘5 to 10 Friends Each’ Leaves Fans Baffled

    ANGERME’s leader, Ise Suzuran (nicknamed “Rerapi”), urged fans ahead of the December 2 concert at Pia Arena MM, asking each fan to “please bring at least 5 to 10 friends.” The thread buzzed with anxiety over ticket sales, with many comparing the situation to fellow Hello! Project group Juice=Juice, which sold out both Budokan and Pia Arena using only fan-club members’ accompanying guests. Ise had also revealed dire ticket sales for the Okinawa show, admitting tickets “just aren’t selling at all,” prompting posts that questioned her pull as a leader and the group’s drawing power as a whole.

    December 2 (Wed), Pia Arena MM

    Please come, everyone!!!!!

    Second-round FC ticket applications are open now!

    Source: upfc.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:43
    If Juice=Juice's live shows are a 100 on the fun scale, ANGERME's are more like a 4.
    4AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:46
    She's hustling to move tickets like a struggling theater-troupe member.
    6AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47
    >"A fun live you won't regret"

    Like what, exactly?
    12AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:51
    Re: #6
    Danbara and Niinuma said the same thing, but Niinuma Kokoro's graduation concert and Juice=Juice's 2025 autumn tour were some of the best in recent memory, so they actually backed it up.
    Wonder how it'll go for Ise.
    7AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:48
    "Bring friends and the seats will fill up" — isn't that the famous ℃-ute line?
    45AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:09
    Re: #7
    I'd consider it if the costumes were as risqué as ℃-ute's were.
    8AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:48
    Even those Hello! Project otaku can only bring one friend each.
    You need to make a show regular people actually want to buy tickets for through a ticket agency.
    9AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:49
    Well, the whole idea behind "you won't regret it" is kind of negative framing to begin with.
    10AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:49
    I wonder if they're the only ones enjoying themselves at their first-ever Pia Arena show.
    11AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:50
    Reminds me of Katsuta always saying on the radio to bring friends to Budokan.
    13AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:51
    Juice=Juice sold out 8,000 seats in the first round at both Budokan and Pia Arena using only Hello! Project otaku whose plus-ones were themselves fan-club members.
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    Unless you bring in people who aren't already Hello! Project otaku, you'll never pull numbers like Juice.
    15AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    This isn't a multi-level marketing scheme.
    It's embarrassing.
    16AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    Well, a "first-round sellout" can be spun however you like just by controlling how many seats get allocated.
    They've always used the classic trick of releasing more seats later as "obstructed view."
    18AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:54
    Re: #16
    So this time ANGERME didn't even clear the bare minimum.
    17AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:54
    If they're going to pull something this pathetic, they might as well hand the venue over to Juice.
    19AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:55
    Speaking as someone who's caught the tour multiple times — if the content's just the same as the hall shows from spring, it'll only fall short of how the spring Budokan show was received. I want them to actually improve it.
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:55
    Re: #12
    Setting their own bar high and then limboing right under it — same old ANGERME strategy, huh?
    22AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:58
    Chinatown — Katsuta Rina
    There's the tour tomorrow too, and before we know it, Budokan day will be here!!
    My request is for each of you to bring at least 5 to 10 friends!
    Since it's a Monday, I know it might be a tough day to clear your schedule if you're a student or working, but I'd really appreciate your help.
    Thank you so much.
    25AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:01
    Re: #22
    5 to 10 people (^_^;)
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:58
    What they're doing is basically Amway (the multi-level marketing company).
    27AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:05
    Back in Wada's day as leader, she moved 200 comp tickets herself, so appealing earnestly to dedicated otaku can be an effective tactic —
    but there are people like Kunio out there who slam Tsubaki-Factory for doing the same thing, calling it "touting like a hostess bar,"
    so I'd say ANGERME should keep the hard-selling in moderation too.
    31AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:05
    Hey, Rerapi —
    Tamura promoted her own stage play all over the place because it was selling so poorly, remember?
    Didn't Rerapi go out of her way to see that play after Tamura promoted it to her? So why isn't she promoting Pia Arena back?
    Also, Maro apparently showed up on opening day — did she not even say hello?
    33AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:06
    Having to say something like this must mean things are really dire, lol
    35AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:06
    ANGERME otaku don't even have friends, so this is impossible, lol
    36AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:06
    Oct 2 blog updates:
    Ise: Pia Arena announcement
    Kawana: PR ambassador announcement
    Matsumoto: bar event & Pia Arena announcement
    Goto: looking forward to tomorrow's solo event

    Feels like they're not exactly in sync,
    but the real issue is that more than half the members haven't even posted.
    38AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:07
    Even during its slump, Juice=Juice never resorted to the kind of embarrassing promo other groups pull.
    If anything, they just believed in their own live shows.
    39AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:07
    Meanwhile, sub-leader Tamenaga hasn't updated her blog at all, lol
    41AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:08
    Re: #39
    Motivation… zero, lol
    42AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:08
    Ise Suzuran
    Next up is Okinawa.
    Being honest here, it seems like tickets just aren't selling at all. It's entirely down to our own lack of drawing power, but if you have the time, I'd be so happy if you came to see us.
    Filling a venue is really, truly difficult… which is exactly why, after traveling to so many different places, I've come to feel that people showing up to see us is a miracle.
    I'm grateful for every single person who comes…

    If your schedule allows,
    I'd really love for you to come see the Okinawa show.
    43AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:08
    You can clearly tell nobody's actually willing to follow Ise's lead.
    46AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:09
    Things were going fine through Wada, Takeuchi, and Kamikokuryo as leaders, but then Ise…
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:10
    No otaku or member is going to follow a leader who's all talk.
    49AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:13
    It doesn't seem like anyone truly loves ANGERME as it is right now.
    Hashisako, who was active purely out of love for ANGERME, has graduated; Kero can't even manage a courtesy compliment about what's good in the current group;
    Hirayama's dealing with illness and has no room to think about it; and Goto and Nagano seem more focused on wanting to make it big themselves than on the group.
    65AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:30
    Sorry, I'm pouring everything into Suzu-chan's graduation tour, so I can't make this one.
    I did add more dates to my autumn tour schedule though, so forgive me for that, Rerapi.
    67AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:32
    Re: #65
    If turnout for the autumn tour is low, it could end up affecting the scale of Hashisako's tour too.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Pia Arena MM is a massive venue with a capacity of over 10,000, making it a scale that really tests a Hello! Project group’s solo drawing power. Juice=Juice, repeatedly cited in the thread, has had strong turnout for its tours and birthday events in recent years, while ANGERME has cycled through leaders in quick succession — Wada, Takeuchi, Kamikokuryo, and now Ise — with the group’s sense of unity and approach to publicity frequently drawn into comparison because of it. How many seats fan-club members’ plus-ones can fill is a shared challenge across all Hello! Project groups, and it’s not unusual for members themselves to appeal for turnout on blogs or radio shows. The split reaction to this particular appeal reflects just how divided fan expectations are about the group’s current state.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread “Leader Ise Rerapi’s Request to ANGERME Fans: “Please Bring Your Hello! Project Otaku Friends”.”

  • Next-Gen My Number Card Delayed Again to FY2029 — Digital Minister Furukawa: “We Need Stronger Security”

    It has come to light that the launch of the “next-generation My Number Card,” which the Digital Agency has been pursuing, will be delayed again — from the originally planned rollout within this fiscal year to fiscal year 2029. Digital Minister Toshiharu Furukawa, who took office in September, told reporters on October 2 that the agency would “strengthen security and make the card more user-friendly.” Behind the delay is also the fact that “RSA2048,” the encryption scheme used in the current card’s digital certificate, will no longer meet security standards after January 2031 due to advances in technology. On 5ch, the discussion split between gripes about the hassle of renewal procedures and technical explanations of how the encryption algorithm works.

    The Digital Agency is aiming to roll out the “next-generation My Number Card,” with improved security and convenience, sometime during fiscal year 2029. It was originally scheduled for rollout within this fiscal year, but the launch has been repeatedly delayed due to system-related issues. Digital Minister Toshiharu Furukawa, who took office in September, told reporters on the 2nd that the agency would “strengthen security and make it more user-friendly.”

    ◆ The next-gen card plans to migrate to a more robust encryption scheme

    The purpose of the next-generation card is to ensure the card’s security keeps pace with technological progress while also improving convenience. In addition, according to the final report issued in March 2024 by the expert panel “Next-Generation Individual Number Card Task Force,” there is an issue with the algorithm (computational procedure) used to encrypt the data in the current card’s digital certificate, meaning it will become unusable after January 2031. The report states that once the next-generation card is introduced, the agency “will consider ways to promote a swift transition to the new card.”

    Source: tokyo-np.co.jp / Original article here

    4AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:37
    So once the new one comes out we'll have to book an appointment and go pick it up at city hall all over again? Damn it.
    11AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:40
    Re: #4
    But if you were told "you'll get points for it!" you'd go running over there in a heartbeat, wouldn't you?
    I hate that kind of cheap mentality, so I only made mine after the points campaign ended.
    113AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:19
    Re: #4
    This is the government's responsibility, so instead of making citizens show up in person, they should figure out a proper method — mail it, whatever — and have the national government handle it directly.
    15AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:41
    Re: #1
    Just have civil servants do it.
    Build it themselves from scratch.
    40AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47
    Re: #15
    They're supposedly gathering top talent, so you'd think they'd develop and code it in-house instead of outsourcing it.
    31AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:44
    Went to city hall yesterday to extend my card's validity.
    The counter was empty so it wasn't too bad,
    but I wish they'd improve it so you don't have to go to city hall at all to renew.
    39AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47
    Re: #31
    The digital certificate thing? That doesn't even make sense to me.
    177AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:37
    Re: #31
    Turns out you can actually renew it at larger post offices too.
    I went all the way to city hall only to find out I could've done it near my house. Was stunned.
    36AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:46
    Just ditch the card and switch to biometric authentication already.
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:51
    Re: #36
    OpenAI touted "iris scanning to prove you're not a machine" and ended up collecting biometric data that way. It's the same trick as candy sellers also selling diet food.
    94AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:13
    Re: #36
    So they'll be taking fingerprints to roll out biometric authentication, huh.
    142AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:27
    IT engineers are in short supply too.
    A country of hollow industries that lowballs technical workers is finished.
    150AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:29
    Re: #142
    The engineers who got stuck handling the Y2K bug back then are probably not even alive anymore, huh.
    156AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:31
    Re: #150
    They've already hit retirement age and left the workforce.
    176AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:37
    Re: #150
    Re: #156
    How many years do you think have passed since 2000?
    It's not like every single employee who worked on that was some guy in his 40s or 50s.
    153AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:30
    I still haven't made a My Number Card, and I don't feel particularly inconvenienced.
    But I guess I'll have to get one eventually, right?
    At this point, I honestly have no idea when the right time to make one even is.
    160AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:32
    Re: #153
    They're basically threatening us that starting next year you'll need the My Number Card for health insurance too.
    It's supposedly optional, yet they say a card without a chip won't cut it.
    Any decent country already has chips in health insurance cards and driver's licenses.
    162AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:33
    Re: #153
    I guess the government lost its motivation, since harassing citizens over this doesn't actually make them any money.
    174AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:36
    Re: #153
    If you're not having any problems, I don't think you need to make one.
    I made mine thinking I could use it for furusato nozei (hometown tax donations), but this year the My Number app kept throwing errors and it was completely useless for digital applications.
    Feels like the My Number Card itself might just die out at some point.
    175AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:37
    > The algorithm (computational procedure) used to encrypt the data in the current card's digital certificate has a problem

    What does that even mean? Does it mean the current My Number system is full of holes and your info can easily be stolen?
    179AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:38
    Re: #175
    Even the Digital Agency, which calls itself the leader of the digital society, keeps getting its data ripped out left and right.
    Isn't everything probably already leaked by now?


    "Possible leak of personal information of staff and others due to unauthorized access to the Government Solution Service"
    https://www.digital.go.jp/news/2026-0911-01
    186AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:41
    Re: #175
    The current My Number card uses RSA 2048-bit, but given how fast computing power keeps advancing, that's apparently already the bare minimum key length.
    And with a quantum computer, the time needed to crack it gets even shorter.
    191AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:42
    Re: #175
    I just fed that exact post to Google and had it answer.

    What exactly is the "problem"?
    The My Number Card's digital certificate (the feature used for online identity verification)
    uses an encryption algorithm (computational procedure) called "RSA2048," which is widely used around the world.
    This encryption is sufficiently secure for now,
    but according to standards that evaluate the nation's cryptographic security (CRYPTREC) and others,
    it's predicted that "given the pace of technological progress, its security will hit its limit by around 2030 (the risk of it being broken will rise)."
    For that reason, a policy has been set to discontinue its use from 2031 onward.
    This absolutely does not mean "the current system is riddled with bugs or flaws."
    188AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:41
    So the first-gen card dies without even being renewed twice, and without ever achieving what it was supposed to do.
    Seriously, this project just burns money —
    are they gonna spend migration costs all over again?
    This basically means a full overhaul of the My Number portal too, doesn't it.
    194AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:43
    Re: #188
    The My Number Card itself is basically a test run.
    It'd be more dangerous to just keep using it as-is.
    200AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:44
    Re: #188
    Time to buy all new card readers.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    This delay isn’t the result of any flaw being found in the current My Number Card. Rather, it follows a regulatory timeline that was already known in advance: the “RSA2048” encryption scheme used in the digital certificate will no longer be recommended after 2031 under the national security standard (CRYPTREC), which accounts for improving computing power and the eventual practical use of quantum computers. In the thread, several posts mistakenly assumed there was “a security flaw,” but later replies corrected this, pointing out that “the current system doesn’t actually have bugs or defects.” The discussion also surfaced a practical point that isn’t widely known — that renewal can sometimes be done at post offices, not just municipal counters. The specific specifications and issuance system for the next-generation card are not addressed in the source article.

    ※This article is composed of excerpts and summaries from the 5ch (News Flash+) thread “Digital Minister Furukawa Toshiharu: Reason for “Next-Gen My Number Card” rollout delay is “there were no vendors”.”

  • Why Is ‘Mushoku Tensei’ Being Called ‘Creepy’? 5ch: ‘Because They Turned an Otaku Series Into Mainstream Anime’

    A thread titled ‘Mushoku Tensei is creepy — sorry, but what exactly was wrong with it?’ kicked off a heated discussion on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo G (general livestream) board. It started with the observation that ‘they turned a series written for creepy otaku into mainstream anime,’ sparking a wave of criticism aimed at the content itself — namely that the protagonist and the characters around him are nothing but ‘scumbags’ and ‘weaklings.’ Pushback followed, with some arguing ‘don’t lump the whole work in with one messed-up character,’ alongside analysis suggesting that contrived plot developments and a lack of explanation are what’s really breeding the sense of disgust. The conversation gradually expanded to cover ‘Narou’ series in general, how harem stories should be judged, and even a debate over viewing attitudes — namely, what to make of otaku who keep watching something while calling it ‘creepy.’

    1AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:24
    Yeah, it's genuinely creepy.
    2AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:26
    Because they took something written for creepy otaku
    and turned it into mainstream anime
    66AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:37
    Re: #2
    I mean, I figured it was an anime made for creepy otaku anyway
    5AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:31
    With a title like that, you're better off not touching it
    8AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:41
    Re: #5
    Right? Like, it's about an unemployed guy getting reincarnated.
    Of course that's gonna be creepy, lol 🤣🤣🤣
    88AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:52
    Re: #8
    Actually, to begin with — 'changing jobs after being unemployed'? Does that even make sense in Japanese? (misreading 転生 'reincarnation' as 転職 'job change')
    92AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    Re: #88
    Wait, do you think the title is 'Unemployed Career Change' (無職転職)?
    93AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:54
    Re: #88
    Age-related farsightedness is rough, huh.
    You should make the text on your phone bigger
    9AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:45
    It's weird to judge it just by the anime title, isn't it?
    Paul's a scumbag
    The protagonist Rudeus is a perverted lecher
    That's really all there is to it
    Judging the whole show because one character's messed up seems off
    11AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:53
    Re: #9
    But the protagonist is what drives the story
    if the protagonist's messed up, the story's messed up too
    15AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:57
    Re: #9
    Isn't it because making that scumbag/pervert thing work requires contrived plot developments, so the only women who show up around him end up being crazy and conveniently written?
    18AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:59
    Re: #9
    Rudeus is a scumbag juggling three women
    Paul's a scumbag who slept with and dumped Lilia before he even met Zenith
    Lilia's a scumbag who seduced Paul even though Zenith was pregnant
    Zenith is a weak woman who couldn't satisfy Paul
    Aisha is a scumbag with incest tendencies
    Norn is a weak woman who became a shut-in
    Sylphiette is a weak woman traumatized over her green hair
    Roxy is the same kind of scumbag as Lilia
    Eris is a scumbag who slept with and dumped Rudeus
    17AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:58
    I kind of get the feeling even the author was writing this thinking 'ugh, this guy's creepy…' and cringing a bit themselves
    22AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:00
    Re: #17
    Well, since they're portraying an unemployed guy, there's definitely a 'might as well go all the way with the bit' vibe to it
    24AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:04
    All 'Narou' web-novel adaptations are creepy. Mushoku Tensei gets hyped way too much, but it feels like otaku are just gratefully drinking the slightly-less-muddy water skimmed off the top of a sewer. ("Narou" = genre of isekai/reincarnation stories from the web-novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō)
    30AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:11
    Re: #24
    Honestly, having thin, shallow content can even make it easier to watch — kind of like Mito Kōmon (a classic, formulaic samurai drama): simple and easy to follow
    91AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:53
    Re: #24
    You should give it a shot instead of writing it off without watching.
    If you're someone who can enjoy entertainment content in general, there's at least some enjoyment to be had
    26AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:07
    To begin with, so-called 'Narou' series tend to turn into harem stories, so they're creepy across the board
    31AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:11
    Re: #26
    Like the 'slave who's also your friend' trope, for instance
    32AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:11
    Re: #26
    I don't think the harem angle itself is the problem.
    Isn't it more that the plot gets so contrived that it fails to give readers enough reasoning or explanation to actually buy in — and that's what breeds the disgust?
    33AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:13
    Re: #30
    For Narou stuff, something dumb and low-effort like 'Vending Machine' (a series about reincarnating as a vending machine) is actually just the right level. Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei are both too creepy to watch seriously — they just come off like they're trying to tell an earnest story
    42AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:21
    Criticism from someone deranged enough to praise 'Vending Machine' is worthless — watching that thing in real time is a waste of time, lol
    45AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:23
    Re: #42
    If you apply that logic strictly, wouldn't it make almost everyone's opinion in here worthless too?
    47AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:23
    Re: #42
    All Narou stuff is a waste of time anyway, so something as ridiculous as 'Vending Machine' is just about right for it
    43AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:22
    Re: #40
    It feels kind of weird to check out trending stuff just because you're an otaku.
    I'd get it if you watched everything regardless of trends, though
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:24
    Re: #43
    Well, you've at least got to keep up with trends at a minimum — that's just how it is
    49AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:24
    Narou series are all creepy from the title alone, so I don't watch any of them
    50AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:25
    Re: #49
    There's a Narou series with the hardcore-sounding title 'The Witch and the Mercenary' getting an anime adaptation — let's watch that one 🥺
    51AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:26
    Re: #45
    There's only like one person here hyping up 'Vending Machine' though, lol
    54AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:28
    Re: #51
    You see plenty of people wanting to praise garbage that's even worse than 'Vending Machine'
    57AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:32
    Re: #54
    Like what, for example?
    Anything below that level would basically be 'Smartphone Tarō' territory (slang for a cliché, poorly-written isekai protagonist)
    59AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:34
    Re: #57
    Re:Zero is below 'Vending Machine' level, honestly.
    It's neither original nor interesting — just a Mito Kōmon-style show built entirely out of hollow, papier-mâché catharsis
    64AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:37
    Re: #57
    Stuff like the 'Kirara' genre (cutesy slice-of-life 4-koma anime) and its relatives are mostly below even Narou level, and the double standard in how people praise them makes it even worse
    79AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:46
    I feel like otaku used to have a strong image of being creepy people obsessing over one thing.
    Now people who just dig up info and go to events to hang out with fellow otaku call themselves otaku too.
    Times sure have changed
    85AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:49
    Re: #79
    Yeah, I don't really get the clique-y types either.
    I basically go to events (live shows) solo myself.
    Part of it's that more people who don't think much about the culture have shown up, but on the flip side, I do have quite a few movie-otaku friends
    108AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:01
    Re: #79
    It's because it's an easy way to rack up likes on social media
    95AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:56

    If we're talking isekai transportation/reincarnation stories, this is the one.
    The middle-aged protagonist is just good at cooking — no particular quirks to him
    98AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:57
    Re: #95
    The thing with these isekai slice-of-life series is that they tend to turn into a platform for showing off trivia knowledge…

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    “Mushoku Tensei” is a flagship title of the “Narou” genre (isekai reincarnation stories born from web novels), and after its anime adaptation it spread beyond its core otaku fanbase to a broader mainstream audience. That “Narou” genre is often marked by contrived plot developments and harem elements, making it a genre that tends to split opinion among otaku-oriented audiences. The debate that split the thread broke down into roughly two points. One was criticism of the content itself — that the protagonist and the characters around him are nothing but scumbags and weaklings, which comes across as creepy — versus pushback arguing that this “conflates the flaws of a single character with a judgment of the whole work.” The other was mockery aimed at people who keep watching while calling it “creepy,” met with the counter-argument that “you have to watch it to be able to criticize it,” which shifted the conversation from discussing the work itself to debating the propriety of how people watch things. Some posts even misread “Mushoku Tensei” (無職転生, “Reincarnation of the Unemployed”) as “Mushoku Tenshoku” (無職転職, “Career Change from Unemployment”), leading to a minor mix-up over how to even read the title. It’s worth noting that generalizations like “Narou series = harem stories” and comparisons to “Vending Machine” (the isekai-vending-machine series) are strictly discussions about the work or genre in the abstract, not attacks aimed at any specific individual.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “‘Mushoku Tensei is creepy’ — sorry, but what exactly was wrong with it?.”

  • “Three Hits Makes a Top-Tier Manga Artist” — 5ch Debates Who Actually Qualifies

    On 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo (Live News) board, a self-described expert’s claim that “if you’ve made 3 or more hits, you’re a top-tier manga artist” sparked debate, and a thread formed to hunt down artists who actually clear that bar. It kicked off with someone pointing out that even Akira Toriyama really only has two signature works, and names like Shinji Mizushima, Masami Yuki, Naoki Urasawa, Yoshihiro Togashi, Yusei Matsui, and Riichiro Inagaki came up one after another. Opinions split over how to rate artists like Eiichiro Oda and Gosho Aoyama, who each landed one single explosive hit, and the talk even spread into the anime adaptation boom of “Naro-kei” (web-novel-turned-published) series.

    1AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:23
    Are there even manga artists with 3 hits to their name?
    5AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:27
    Even Akira Toriyama's only really got two: Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball.
    8AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:29

    Re: #5
    He also did Dragon Quest's character designs the whole time, so it's way more than just 3 works.
    6AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:28
    Yumi Tamura's name never comes up in threads like this.
    Guess it can't be helped since her art style's a bit hard for guys to get into?
    11AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:32

    Re: #6
    Can't tell without you naming actual titles.
    10AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:32
    Shinji Mizushima is the grand master who finished every single serialization he ever started (cancellations aside).
    99AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:02

    Re: #10
    If anything, barely anyone fails to finish a series that *wasn't* cancelled.
    16AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:37

    Re: #11
    'Can't tell' basically answers itself.

    Tomoe ga Yuku!
    BASARA
    7SEEDS
    Don't Call It Mystery

    That's who it is.
    18AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:40

    Re: #16
    Only know the last one.
    The one with the afro detective, right?
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:42
    Kazuhiro Fujita's only got 2, so close but no cigar.
    22AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:44

    Re: #20
    His other stuff's fun too, but nothing beats Ushio and Tora or Karakuri Circus.
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:45

    Re: #18
    Well, girls do read shonen manga, but not many guys read shojo manga.
    Though some artists, like CLAMP, crossed over into shonen magazines too.
    32AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:50

    Re: #23
    Nah, just answer the question.
    Well, fine either way.
    27AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:48
    Off the top of my head:

    Togashi
    Naoki Urasawa
    Katsutoshi Kawai
    Ryoji Minagawa
    Masami Yuki

    Looking at this, hitting 3 is a pretty low bar for Shogakukan artists…
    61AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:21

    Re: #27
    Masami Yuki's impressive because he lands hits across totally different genres.
    29AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:49
    Eiichiro Oda: "I don't get it."
    Gosho Aoyama: "Guess so?"
    George Morikawa: "Ahaha!"
    31AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:50

    Re: #29
    What about the Sailor Ace guy?
    60AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:20

    Re: #29
    Conan
    Yaiba
    Magic Kaito
    34AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:51
    Depends on your definition of 'hit,' but yeah, there's quite a few.
    37AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:53

    Re: #34
    At minimum it should mean getting an anime or movie adaptation.
    36AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:52

    Re: #32
    More importantly, how do you even know Kuno-kun (the perm-haired guy)?
    39AnonymousOct 3, 2026 06:54

    Re: #36
    Oh, so his name's Kuno, huh.
    Probably because he's always 'kunou' (in anguish) — guess that tracks.
    42AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:00
    Teasing Master Takagi-san
    The shogi one by the Takagi-san author
    The ninja one by the Takagi-san author
    The manager one by the Takagi-san author

    A monster who's already got 3 anime adaptations, with a 4th just a matter of time.
    45AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:01

    Re: #42
    You didn't need to keep saying 'by the Takagi-san author.'
    47AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:06

    Re: #42
    It's the ninja one that's the issue, though…
    46AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:06
    Yusei Matsui (Neuro, Assassination Classroom, The Elusive Samurai)
    Riichiro Inagaki (Eyeshield 21, Dr. STONE, Trillion Game)

    Those are the top-tier manga artists, in my book.
    52AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:09

    Re: #46
    Inagaki's wife being the cutest Pretty Cure voice actress is just winning at life way too hard.
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:07
    One guy dropping a single mega-hit that sells a hundred million copies is way more impressive.
    No matter how many half-baked works you crank out, in baseball terms that's still just a string of cheap singles (slang for a weak, barely-there hit).
    51AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:09

    Re: #48
    A single fluke can happen, though.
    An amateur might get lucky and hit one home run in a season of MLB at-bats, but there's zero chance they'd bat .300 — that's the point.
    64AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:25
    Aren't there basically no novelists who've had 3 separate works turned into anime?
    65AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:27

    Re: #64
    Not a manga artist, but a 'Naro' web novelist — FUNA.
    66AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:28

    Re: #64
    Yasutaka Tsutsui is the one I associate with anime adaptations.
    112AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:11

    Re: #64
    Tomihiko Morimi —
    The Tatami Galaxy
    The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl
    Penguin Highway
    The Eccentric Family
    77AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:47

    Re: #65
    The 'Average Stats' one getting an anime → makes sense
    The 'Potion' one getting an anime → barely makes sense
    The 'Gold Coins' one getting an anime → wait, what?
    78AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:49

    Re: #77
    Is there really that big a gap in quality between the Potion one and the Gold Coins one?
    79AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:51

    Re: #77
    The Potion manga got boring after the artist changed.
    90AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:58
    Mitsuru Adachi — just Touch and Miyuki, huh?
    91AnonymousOct 3, 2026 07:59

    Re: #90
    Isn't H2 kind of a bigger deal than people give it credit for?
    100AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:04

    Re: #90
    H2
    MIX
    Hiatari Ryoukou! (Nice Weather)
    98AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:02
    Chibi Maruko-chan (18 volumes total)
    Koji Koji (4 volumes total)

    And this is why she's treated like a legendary manga artist?
    103AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:05

    Re: #98
    Because she won the title of 'national anime,' that's why.
    Crayon Shin-chan's the same deal.
    108AnonymousOct 3, 2026 08:09

    Re: #98
    Her essay collection sold 2 million copies too — she's a monster.

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    There’s no strict, agreed-upon definition on 5ch for the “3 or more hits” standard itself. Posters split between those who count an anime or movie adaptation as proof of a hit, and those who go by sales figures or whether a work “really sold” — the thread saw a “got an anime, counts as a hit” camp clash with a “one explosive hit is more impressive” camp. From the latter camp came comparisons likening single-megahit artists like Eiichiro Oda and Gosho Aoyama to a high batting average, versus artists who stack up several solid-but-not-huge hits (Yoshihiro Togashi, Naoki Urasawa, Masami Yuki, and others). One thing readers might misread: the “2 works” or “3 works” tallies cited here are a show-of-hands count based on posters’ memories, not a rigorous check against official sales data or awards. That the discussion spread into the anime adaptation boom of “Naro-kei” (web-novel-turned-published) series shows that the very definition of a “hit” is shifting across media, not just among print manga artists.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “An expert says “if you’ve made 3+ hits, you’re a top-tier manga artist” — well, hold on.”

  • Nobody Buys Drinks from Vending Machines Anymore: DyDo Group Posts Record ¥30.3 Billion Loss, Plans to Cut 20,000 Machines

    DyDo Group Holdings reported a record net loss of ¥30.3 billion for its fiscal year ending January 2026, and announced plans to cut 20,000 vending machines by fiscal 2026 from the roughly 270,000 it operated in fiscal 2024. The news sparked a thread on 5ch’s “Entertainment & Sports News+” board, triggered by an article introducing commentary from a vending machine enthusiast who appeared on the TV show “Matsuko’s Unknown World.” While some posters said “I haven’t bought from one in like 20 years,” plenty of others countered with “I buy a ton in summer” and “I still use them at work, in the office, or on walks,” revealing a split in usage depending on price and location.

    No wonder they’re disappearing from the streets… A vending machine enthusiast who appeared on ‘Matsuko’s Unknown World’ explains the rise and fall of the vending machine business

    Plenty of people probably can’t remember the last time they bought a drink from a vending machine.

    “This past March, DyDo Group Holdings, whose core business is vending machines, announced its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending January 2026. It posted a record net loss of 30.3 billion yen. The company has also announced plans to cut 20,000 vending machines by fiscal 2026, down from roughly 270,000 in fiscal 2024,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s business desk.

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

    2AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:14
    Sometimes you find vending machines selling Red Bull or Monster cheaper than usual.
    5AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:17
    Juice that's under 100 yen inside the supermarket
    sometimes costs 200 yen at the vending machine right out front.
    If you can buy it cheaper elsewhere, nobody's gonna buy from the machine.
    6AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:20
    For canned coffee, it's gotta be Cheerio's Blues Coffee.
    7AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:21
    Yeah, now that you mention it, I haven't bought one in like 20 years.
    8AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:21
    There's this old guy who comes out of the supermarket and then buys a drink from the vending machine for some reason. Total mystery.
    9AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:21
    The problem of drink vending machines not having a trash can next to them.
    21AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:33
    Re: #9
    That's because they attract illegal dumping.
    It'd be fine if people only threw away containers from drinks bought at that specific machine, but people dump other trash in there too.
    10AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:24
    Wait, I thought they meant cutting it down to 20,000 machines from 270,000. (Misreading the headline — it's actually cutting BY 20,000, not TO 20,000.)
    11AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:25
    The vending machines in office buildings sell pretty well though.
    12AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:27
    I buy a ton in summer.
    Other seasons I just stock up cheap at the drugstore though.
    13AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:28
    Ever heard of a refrigerator?
    34AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:44
    Re: #13
    Oh wow, amazing.
    What are you even talking about.
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:29
    They jack up the price by 10 yen every time the consumption tax rate goes up.
    They raise it early just because the machines can't take 1-yen coins.
    I get going from 100 to 110 yen, but
    if it's really about not being able to use 1-yen coins, there was no need to raise it at the 5% or 8% rate hikes —
    it could've stayed at 110 yen until the rate actually hit 10%.
    15AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:30
    Raising the price by 10 yen for every 3-point tax hike doesn't even add up.
    16AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:31
    I love grabbing a cold canned coffee from a lone vending machine during a late-night drive.
    31AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:42
    Re: #16
    Nice, I like that.
    There's something special about canned coffee.
    I like drinking it too, taking a break at some scenic spot out in the countryside.
    17AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:32
    There are way too many vending machines.
    100 yen is my limit for vending machines.
    If it's over 100 yen, I'm not buying.
    19AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:33
    When I go to Kansai, there are tons of Cheerio vending machines, which is great.
    In summer, it's nice to still be able to buy a soft drink for 100 yen without having to go to the supermarket.
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:33
    When I'm a bit hungry or super sleepy, I'll buy a small 100-yen can of cola.
    You can save a bit with stamp cards or prepaid charges too.
    22AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:34
    I never buy cola in PET bottles,
    so naturally I end up using vending machines a lot.
    Lately it's annoying because even vending machines are mostly PET-bottle only.
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:34
    I buy a lot, but not from machines selling at list price.
    24AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:35
    I only ever buy Cheerio cider.
    26AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:36
    It's basically flavored water, and with the container cost included it's way too expensive. The machine's turned into just a box for paying electricity bills.
    27AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:37
    Cheerio's Blues Coffee in a 500ml PET bottle is cheap at 110 yen, so I buy it sometimes. In winter it's sold hot, which is nice for warming your hands.
    28AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:41
    If there's no convenience store nearby, I'll just buy from the vending machine like normal.
    I'm not walking a long way just to save a few dozen yen.
    29AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:41
    Lately there are more unmanned 24-hour gachapon (capsule toy) shops. This country's fallen so far that people pinch pennies on vending machine drinks but won't spare a cent for gachapon — what a childish state of affairs.
    43AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:50
    Re: #29
    The rise of gachapon machines is more about convenience for businesses than consumer demand.
    Simple mechanism, doesn't even need electricity.
    Works fine unmanned or with minimal staff.
    During COVID, not having close contact with other people was also a plus.
    73AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:13
    Re: #29
    Gachapon is the last thing I'd spend money on.
    It's just junk.
    32AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:43
    Back when I had a dog, I used to buy all kinds of drinks from vending machines during walks…
    Especially on winter nights, hot coffee or cocoa from the machine tasted great and doubled as a hand warmer, which I really appreciated.
    Now that I don't walk a dog anymore, I've definitely drifted away from using them.
    47AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:55
    Probably electricity costs and restocking are the culprits.
    I don't get why a vendor would bother going out just to restock it.
    Didn't shops used to just restock the machine from their own stock back in the day?
    64AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:10
    Re: #47
    Restocking and maintenance are left entirely to the vendor — the shop just provides the space and electricity and takes a cut.
    They can't even open the machine themselves.
    63AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:09
    Sports parks and public bathhouses always have vending machines.
    I often use coupons I've won to buy from them.
    67AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:11
    Re: #63
    The Coke app?
    76AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:15
    You guys need to get outside more.
    I bought from one several times just this summer.
    These days you don't even need coins, it's convenient.
    88AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:21
    Re: #76
    That reminds me, before the price hike I used to use them a lot just to turn 10-yen coins into cans of Pepsi.
    The per-can price wasn't that different from buying a case on Amazon.
    81AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:18
    Huh? My workplace has a vending machine that's cheaper than OK Store (a discount supermarket chain).
    84AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:18
    Re: #81
    Isn't that because your employer is subsidizing it as a benefit?
    86AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:19
    I was shocked when the Dr Pepper at my neighborhood vending machine, which had been 100 yen for years, went up to 110 yen.
    Now I'm living in fear of when the 210-yen Monster Energy is going to go up too.
    93AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:22
    Re: #86
    I like buying some random no-name 100-yen energy drink from the neighborhood machine and drinking it while smoking.
    The bad energy drinks really don't taste good. You can just tell by the flavor that it's basically sugar water with barely any nutrients.
    103AnonymousOct 3, 2026 02:34
    https://books.ikaros.jp/book/b10152109.html
    Vending Machine Maniac!

    https://hondana-image.s3.amazonaws.com/book/image/10152109/6d2af2d3-02b9-4f9d-a98b-3734ab23ec34.jpg

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    The report behind this article concerns DyDo Group Holdings, whose core business is vending machines, cutting 20,000 of the roughly 270,000 machines it held as of fiscal 2024 by fiscal 2026, according to its fiscal 2026 January-term earnings. Note that this means reducing the fleet *by* 20,000 machines, not *down to* 20,000 — a misreading also pointed out in reply 10 — so it’s worth keeping in mind that the headline alone makes the scale easy to misunderstand. The underlying issue is that the traditional model, which relies on on-site restocking at the cost of electricity and labor, increasingly looks overpriced compared to the low-price competition from convenience stores and drugstores, the shift to cashless payments, and a history of price hikes timed to every consumption tax increase. Opinions in the thread were split between mostly urban voices saying “I haven’t bought from a vending machine in years” and others countering that they “still use them regularly at work, on the highway, or while out on walks,” suggesting the experience varies a lot depending on location and lifestyle.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports News+) thread “Have you bought a drink from a vending machine lately? No wonder they’re disappearing from the streets… A vending machine enthusiast from ‘Matsuko’s Unknown World’ explains the rise and fall of the vending machine business.”

  • Self-Proclaimed ¥2.4M-a-Year ‘Despair Factory Worker’ YouTuber Exposed as Secretly Married With a Kid — Fans Erupt

    A streamer who built a following on YouTube under the persona “Despair Factory Worker” — claiming to be a single factory worker earning just ¥2.4 million a year (about $16,000) — announced on September 28, 2026 via Twitter (under the handle ZANIO) that he had gotten married and had a child. On 5channel’s livestream-chat board, backlash erupted over the fact that he kept posting “marriage-hunting” videos trading on his single-and-searching image even after going public, and users argued over whether the timeline of his old videos actually lined up with when the marriage and pregnancy happened. Given the scale of his view counts, some commenters are also questioning whether the whole “despair” persona was exaggerated to begin with.

    2AnonymousOct 2, 2026 23:54
    Back when I was a temp worker making about ¥1,400/hour with no bonus, I was pulling in around ¥2.4 million too.
    10AnonymousOct 2, 2026 23:59
    Wait, so does that mean most of his viewers were single women?
    12AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:00
    It's pretty normal to want people to acknowledge the real you once your life stabilizes a bit. Only a rare kind of weirdo genius can keep playing a character forever.
    14AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:00
    Are there seriously people out there who fall for this kind of thing?
    18AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:04
    What kind of crowd is even watching this guy by the hundreds of thousands?
    19AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:04
    There's no way those view counts add up to his story, lol. Dude's clearly rich.
    20AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:06
    I mean, with view counts like that it's obvious he's making at least solid salaryman money. He could easily afford two or three kids.
    22AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:07
    He already quit the factory — everyone already knew he was loaded. People were enjoying the 'lonely single 40-something' bit, so the married-with-kids reveal is probably what set this off.
    23AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:07
    Guess this is just the perfect setup for grabbing everyone's attention.
    25AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:09
    People already dug up his past activities back when he first started blowing up. Seems like a guy who's good at juggling a lot of stuff.
    26AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:09
    Re: #21
    He's apparently said his real income is close to ¥20 million anyway.
    28AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:10
    Just look at the view count and realize — where exactly is the 'despair' here, lol.
    30AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:12
    I only watch the Shorts, but whoever's trolling him in the comments in Kansai dialect had me laughing.
    42AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:23
    He already admitted the income figure was fake, but the marriage-hunting thing was a flat-out con — he already had a partner, and she was already pregnant by then.

    Anyone running a grift like that is just scum, honestly.
    44AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:25
    Re: #42
    Yeah… that part's pretty bad. Not okay, honestly.
    45AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:26
    I actually watched this guy, so I can say the 'factory worker' had a marriage-hunting bit going too — so him getting married itself is fine by me.
    48AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:27
    Re: #45
    But going by the timeline, he was apparently already married with a pregnant partner by then — is the marriage-hunting act really fine with that? It's disrespectful to his actual partner too.
    49AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:29
    Re: #48
    Did he actually publish that kind of timeline?
    55AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:39
    Re: #49
    Looked it up — seems he posted a marriage-hunting video back in March 2026, and that clearly overlaps.
    56AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:42
    Re: #55
    No, he'd been doing the marriage-hunting thing for a good while before that.
    52AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:36
    It's scary that so many people actually got fooled by this.
    54AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:38
    Re: #52
    Yeah, being a regular salaried employee really beats being a YouTuber. The guys who constantly whine on NanJ (5ch's Nandemo Jikkyo discussion board) that YouTubers are low-status nobodies making no real money are probably just old geezers who never caught up with the times. They probably genuinely think a YouTuber pulling these view counts is only making like ¥10,000 a month.
    62AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:46
    Re: #56
    Sure, maybe early on — but by March 2026, even if it was a shotgun marriage, he was already dating her. And he's out there joking about a 'second date,' come on. That's massively disrespectful both to the woman in his video and to the woman he actually married.
    78AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:57
    Re: #62
    Did you even watch that video? Wasn't it the one where he's reporting his marriage-hunting was going well?
    65AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:47
    Is it the single guys at rock bottom who related to him that are mad, or are there actual parasocial 'real love' fans too?
    70AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:49
    Re: #65
    Probably both, but I'd bet it's mostly guys.
    82AnonymousOct 3, 2026 00:59
    Re: #78
    Check the ZANIO Twitter account — he tweeted on September 28, 2026 that he got married and had a baby. Working backward from that, his partner was already pregnant at the start of 2026, so there's no way a 'second date' happened in March 2026.
    88AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:06
    Re: #82
    That's a different video than the one I meant. Mine's from winter, so it wouldn't be weird if he met his actual wife sometime after that one.
    85AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:03
    First time I've heard of this guy — is he actually famous? With YouTubers, even ones with a million subscribers, it's usually just 'who even are you.'
    86AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:05
    Re: #85
    Well, for guys he's probably more recognizable than some female-audience YouTuber with a million subs. Feels aimed more at internet-otaku types.
    94AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:09
    Re: #85
    Guys like Hikaru, Hajime Shacho, Tokai Onair — none of those ever even show up in my YouTube recommendations.
    87AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:05
    It's people with no clue how the real world works who fell for this. There's no way a 43-year-old would still be living in company housing — at my company they kick you out of the dorm at 27. And on top of that, keeping a dog in company housing? No way that flies.

    It was obviously fake from the jump — people just didn't notice, which is exactly how they got taken in.
    93AnonymousOct 3, 2026 01:08
    Re: #87
    Yeah fair, keeping a dog in company housing really isn't allowed, lol.

    Background and key points of this story

    YouTube series like “Despair Factory Worker” that lean on factory work or low income are a well-known genre for drawing viewer sympathy. The core of this controversy is the suspicion that he kept running a “marriage-hunting” series premised on being single even after the fact came out — and most of the thread comments pointing out contradictions in posting dates are really just speculation from users cross-checking his old videos and social media themselves. As of this thread, there’s been no official explanation or confirmed timeline from the man himself, and his claimed income hasn’t been verified either. The dollar amount itself isn’t the direct cause of the backlash — what’s easy to miss from the article alone is that the real target of the anger is the possibility he kept up a “single” persona while already in a relationship and getting married.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “[Bad News] ‘Despair Factory Worker’ Channel Guy (Claimed ¥2.4 Million Annual Income) Exposed as Married With Kids — Causes Huge Uproar.”