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  • Spain Moves to Ban Evictions — Foreign Commenters Worry It Could Fuel ‘Squatting’

    Protests erupted in Spain after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her home, prompting the Spanish government to announce a ban on evictions. The backdrop: Spanish housing prices and rents have been climbing at a pace of nearly 10% a year, far outpacing wage growth. Following the news, discussion on overseas forums focused less on whether the eviction ban itself was a good idea and more on what’s driving the price surge — with criticism aimed at the lack of taxes on vacant homes and the system that turns real estate into a speculative asset. At the same time, many worried the ban could worsen Spain’s already troublesome squatting (“okupas”) problem, splitting commenters between supporters and the concerned.

    Spain announces eviction ban following protests over 87-year-old woman’s removal from her apartment

    Source: bbc.co.uk / Original article here

    3Anonymous2026-10-01 06:56
    It's just wrong that owning property purely to rent it out has become some kind of 'badge of success.' All it creates is a divided society — tenants scraping by paycheck to paycheck, and landlords constantly fretting over whether their investment will pay off.
    6Anonymous2026-10-01 07:34
    Sure, it shouldn't be that way, but from what this article says, no better alternative solution is actually being offered.
    5Anonymous2026-10-01 09:55
    There was a guy in my neighborhood who used to blast music from 4 to 7 in the morning. After months of complaints, he finally got evicted. If evictions were banned, he probably would've just gotten 'taken care of' some other way.
    7Anonymous2026-10-01 08:18
    Spain's overall population probably isn't growing, but people are moving into popular areas where it's easier to find work or study.
    17Anonymous2026-10-01 08:52
    The rich are the beginning and the end of this problem.
    21Anonymous2026-10-01 06:46
    Housing prices and rent both climbing almost 10% a year is just insane… can someone explain why? The article just says there's a housing shortage, but what's actually causing it? Spain's population isn't even growing.
    27Anonymous2026-10-01 07:09
    Greed. That's it.
    Cost of living is rising faster than wages. We're edging toward that late-stage-capitalism scenario people joke about — 'you'll own nothing and be happy.'
    8Anonymous2026-10-01 11:22
    I think it's really great that so many people stood up for one person. Well done 🙌
    20Anonymous2026-10-01 13:42
    Yeah, that's the kind of thing that happens when a society's roots aren't completely rotten. At least I want to believe that's the reason — though that might just be wishful thinking.
    10Anonymous2026-10-01 08:13
    Just tax vacant units, with the tax increasing exponentially the longer they're left empty.
    12Anonymous2026-10-01 06:26
    'How do we prevent the obvious abuse this would cause?'…
    Oh no, just imagine it.
    Every house actually becomes a place where someone lives, and people stop handing their money over to rich folks who leave multiple homes empty for all but a few days a year.
    Truly a 'terrible' outcome.
    13Anonymous2026-10-01 07:30
    Without any guarantee of a return on investment, nobody will invest in building housing anymore, and there'll end up being fewer livable homes, or worse-quality ones.
    29Anonymous2026-10-01 07:03
    If evictions are banned, why would you need to worry about that? No evictions means you can't get kicked out of your own home… 🤷‍♀️
    15Anonymous2026-10-01 05:53
    I wish this would happen in the US too.
    18Anonymous2026-10-01 15:10
    Wasn't Spain already dealing with a problem of people squatting in other people's homes and refusing to leave?
    39Anonymous2026-10-01 18:23
    Until someone shows actual numbers, I'm guessing that problem is just being overblown.
    23Anonymous2026-10-01 09:42
    A Spanish friend of mine told me this has been going on for a while already.
    Apparently if a foreigner buys a house or apartment to use as a vacation home, and someone breaks in and squats there while they're away, they can't be kicked out.
    Can any Spaniards confirm if this is actually true?
    26Anonymous2026-10-01 13:13
    That's true, but it's an extremely rare case that only gets attention because it sounds so outrageous. Most cases are simply people who, for whatever reason, became unable to pay rent. There are some who exploit the eviction ban and deliberately refuse to pay, but we don't know the proportion — I'd guess that's a minority too.
    31Anonymous2026-10-01 12:48
    I don't know about Spain, but in France this is 100% true. It's actually even worse — if someone squats in your one and only home and you don't file a police report within 48 hours of the break-in, the squatter gets to stay.
    It's absolutely insane.
    24Anonymous2026-10-01 09:32
    Turning housing — something that's supposed to be a basic necessity — into a speculative asset, then profiting even further off the rental market from a housing shortage they themselves caused? That's just karma.
    28Anonymous2026-10-01 07:13
    Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. This law will surely go through rounds of amendments down the line too.
    30Anonymous2026-10-01 07:27
    If there's a plan to prevent supply from collapsing, that amendment should be put forward at the same time.
    32Anonymous2026-10-01 07:02
    Come visit the Czech Republic — Prague especially.
    33Anonymous2026-10-01 06:47
    Somebody please think of the poor 'little guy' landlords too. All they did was buy a property first so nobody else could, and now they just sit back doing nothing while skimming money off other people's labor.
    35Anonymous2026-10-01 18:22
    Oh yeah, totally. Their 'investment' just drains money from poor people's paychecks while crushing their chance to ever own a home. Super fair.
    36Anonymous2026-10-01 16:08
    The idea that 'not everyone wants to own' is fine in theory, but even students would want their own place if they could afford it. Same goes for other groups — ideally, if it weren't so expensive, you'd buy, maintain it, and sell it for roughly the same price when you move.
    38Anonymous2026-10-01 15:05
    Whoa…
    But isn't it illegal in the first place to not have the proper paperwork? At least for tax purposes.
    I get that court cases take time, but I'm curious how this actually works legally.
    Does the same thing happen with cars too?
    40Anonymous2026-10-01 18:55
    I saw this covered on TV. Apparently there are now specialized companies that remove squatters for you. If that's become an actual business, it must be a pretty big problem for people in Spain.

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Spain is one of the Southern European countries where housing prices and rents have risen especially sharply, and the nearly 10%-a-year pace mentioned in the thread far outstrips wage growth. The thread repeatedly brought up the issue of “squatting” (okupas), but that’s actually a separate legal matter from this eviction ban — in Spain and France, if you don’t report a break-in within 48 hours, it becomes difficult to remove the squatter, a legal treatment distinct from ordinary rental contracts. The eviction ban itself applies only to tenants who’ve become unable to pay rent, not to squatters — though commenters didn’t always draw a clear line between the two as the discussion unfolded. Points about the merits of holding housing as an investment asset and taxing vacant homes were also raised, but the discussion never got into concrete policy design, and it ended with opinions still divided.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from a 5ch (Lemmy c/europe) thread: “Spain announces ban on evictions after protests over 87-year-old woman’s removal from flat“.

  • Soapland Bribery Scandal: Ex-Todai Professor Demanded Brothel Treats — Then Paid Out of Pocket for a ‘2-Hour, ¥80,000’ Encore

    A former University of Tokyo professor received entertainment at a soapland (a Japanese bathhouse-style brothel) in exchange for granting favors related to cosmetics business dealings, Daily Shincho reported on October 1. According to testimony from the businessman who bribed him, the professor procured erectile dysfunction medication from a pharmacy beforehand, insisted on showering before each session and on being the “first customer of the day” (kuchiake), and even held a post-session “kansōsen” — literally a shogi/go term for reviewing moves after a match, borrowed here mockingly — to discuss his impressions afterward. It also emerged that he paid out of pocket for an extra 2-hour, ¥80,000 session. On 5ch, the thread filled up with disbelief and mockery at the professor’s personal “creepiness,” questions about why the cosmetics industry would entertain a university professor in the first place, and tangents about the realities of Japan’s sex industry.

    Briber Spills the Beans: Ex-Todai Professor’s “Nauseatingly Detailed Post-Session Debrief” and Obsession With Pre-Session Showers in Soapland Bribery Case — Even Paid Out of Pocket for a “2-Hour, ¥80,000” Encore

    Thu, Oct 1, 11:21 AM JST

    Daily Shincho

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

    3AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:30
    "I took the ED meds beforehand, came fully prepared."

    That's just sad…
    153AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:47
    Re: #3
    And get this — both of them did it, lol
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:31
    Well yeah, obviously you're not gonna buy ED meds at your own workplace.

    >>"Yoshizaki said, 'Buying it at Todai would look suspicious, so I stopped by a clinic in Ueno instead.'"
    50AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:46
    Re: #6
    Why even buy it — just borrow something another lab on campus is testing and call it an experiment
    210AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:31
    Re: #6
    Good thing you can just grab that stuff at the local pharmacy these days
    8AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:31
    Getting hooked on sex workers at that age is just gross
    113AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:22
    Re: #8
    Once you discover the sex industry past 40, you get hooked.
    I took a divorced friend to a soapland to cheer him up, and now he's hooked — goes every week.
    Apparently he's dropping ¥500,000–600,000 a month on it.
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:32
    This is the level we're dealing with at Todai.

    Pretty low level.
    11AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:33
    Re: #9
    Keio's probably worse though
    10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:32
    You shower before going to take a bath?
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:35
    Re: #10
    Probably angling for instant oral service (slang: 'sokushaku')
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:35
    What's the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association even getting out of wining and dining a Todai professor?
    66AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:58
    Re: #15
    An academic seal of approval for joint cosmetics research
    166AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:56
    Re: #15
    So they can slap "Recommended by Professor Shinichi Sato of the University of Tokyo" on the packaging (you know, with that smiling, arms-crossed pose). And while they're at it, get his blessing on copy like "99.9% of women's skin becomes maximally radiant," or whatever.
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:35
    Ah, so that's why they picked a female university president
    159AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:50
    Re: #16
    If it were a man, he'd just end up getting wined and dined at a soapland again
    176AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:02
    Re: #16
    Sounds like it was decided before the vote even happened
    190AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:17
    Re: #16
    Exactly.
    Also to climb higher in the world university rankings.
    By the way, as for the "student diversity" metric they get scored on —
    no worries there, 30% of the grad students are already Chinese.
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:36
    If you're gonna go to a soapland, you've gotta be the first customer of the day! The professor really knows what's up
    35AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:41
    Re: #20
    What's 'kuchiake'?
    49AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:45
    Re: #35
    It means the very first customer a sex worker sees that day.
    56AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:49
    Re: #35
    "I'm still a virgin today" (the line sex workers jokingly use with their first customer of the day)
    28AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:40
    Pretty graphic stuff. But yeah, this is probably just what the rotten elite are really like.
    186AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:12
    Re: #28
    He's exactly like those corrupt bigwigs you see in manga, lol
    40AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:43
    Imagine having a husband or father exposed for something this embarrassing… you'd want to cut ties immediately…
    46AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:44
    Re: #40
    He's probably already been cut off, lol
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:44
    I mean, who cares, honestly — if he's spending his own money
    45AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:44
    Graduated from Todai's med school, climbed all the way to the top,
    and ends up dying as 'the old man who begged for brothel favors' — wonder what that feels like
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:45
    Guess this is what happens when a guy who never fooled around in his youth finally cuts loose
    90AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:12
    Re: #47
    Guys with a strong sex drive have been doing this since they were young
    96AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:16
    Yeah, the bubble-era generation really are idiots (slang for Japanese born in the late '60s/early '70s who came of age during the late-1980s economic bubble)
    110AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:20
    Re: #96
    That's me last month, lmao🤣
    137AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:34
    I'm 32 and still a virgin
    …maybe I should try going to a sex worker…
    147AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:43
    Re: #137
    Order and method don't matter.
    Learning how to 'conquer' women is what makes a man grow up
    158AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:50
    Re: #137
    Don't do it, man.
    You'll just end up with some unattractive woman who's loose and smells bad down there,
    and you might catch some weird disease.

    Background and Points of Discussion

    This report is based on testimony from the businessman who paid the bribes, and it’s worth noting that neither the University of Tokyo nor the professor himself has confirmed or denied the allegations at this stage. As for why the industry entertains researchers in the first place, cosmetics companies want an academic “seal of approval” to boost consumer appeal, and that motivation tends to run stronger for products — like cosmetics — that are hard to back up with hard scientific evidence. While the thread was mostly about mocking the professor personally, it also touched on a tension between the “no problem if he’s spending his own money” self-responsibility argument and the question of how to judge the ethics of a researcher holding a public position. Note that “kansōsen” is a term from shogi and go, referring to reviewing one’s moves after a match — here it’s used mockingly to describe recapping the brothel experience. Readers should keep in mind this is based on one-sided testimony at the reporting stage.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “[Soapland Bribery] What the Former Todai Professor Said About the ‘Nauseatingly Detailed Post-Session Debrief’ and Obsession With Pre-Session Showers — Even Paid Out of Pocket for a ‘2-Hour, ¥80,000’ Encore.”

  • FRUITS ZIPPER’s Runa Nakagawa Falls Ill Amid Spreading Backlash — 5ch: “There Was Never Any Bad Blood”

    Runa Nakagawa of idol group FRUITS ZIPPER sat out part of a tour concert on September 25, then missed NHK’s “Nodo Jiman” broadcast on the 27th, citing poor health. It started when a video showing an apparent gap in reactions between members spread on social media, fueling speculation that the group wasn’t getting along. On 5ch, opinions split between those saying idols should keep their feelings off their faces as professionals, and those arguing the real problem was baseless pile-on criticism. Many posts also pushed back on the “bad blood” theory, citing exchanges from radio shows and live performances.

    “Regarding Runa Nakagawa: due to poor health, she will not be appearing in tomorrow’s scheduled broadcast of ‘NHK Nodo Jiman.’”

    This was the September 26 announcement from the official social media account of the seven-member idol group FRUITS ZIPPER, informing fans that member Runa Nakagawa would be sitting out the September 27 broadcast of “NHK Nodo Jiman.”

    Nakagawa had also limited her participation in the September 25 concert tour performance due to poor health.

    Source: asagei.com / Original article here

    3AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:15
    She gets along fine with Matsumoto, so isn't that good enough?
    It's not like every single member of a group has to be best friends with each other anyway.
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:26
    Re: #3
    Fine if they don't get along, but this is a job — act friendly on camera, you're not kids.

    That's just a lack of professionalism.
    44AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:41
    Re: #3
    Whether they get along or not doesn't matter — what's being criticized is the stupidity of letting it show.
    It's like saying it's fine to have a boyfriend as long as you don't get caught.
    The point is: if you're a pro, keep it hidden.
    14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:22
    She's in her late 20s/30s, so there's probably a lot going on, but if a bit of online backlash is enough to knock her out, that's a seriously fragile mentality ("tofu mentality," as the saying goes).
    Maybe there's also a backdrop where fans these days don't like it if members aren't shown being close.
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:25
    Re: #14
    For idols and YouTubers alike, keeping up a "we're all best friends" image is part of the job.
    Whatever the reality, you have to put out videos performing being close and perfectly in sync.
    Musicians or bands that skip that kind of camaraderie act don't need the "best friends" routine.
    But for an idol group, being close and having "worked hard together" is part of the product too, so acting it out is expected.
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:24
    Can you really tell if they're on bad terms from just that one split-second clip?
    I watched it and have no idea what's supposed to be the red flag.
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:28
    Re: #18
    This time, it's the most dedicated fans who can tell what's going on, and that's exactly why it blew up even more.
    Normally this kind of controversy gets defended by the fanbase, but even that group is going "yeah, I knew it."
    29AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:30
    There was a similar story on "Imouto wa Shitteiru" (a TV variety show) too.
    If the member who got frozen out had just denied it on social media, her reputation would've actually gone up.
    33AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:34
    Re: #29
    For that to work, the one doing the freezing-out would also have to come out and play along with the "we're friends" act — otherwise it's pointless.
    The fact that they can't do that is exactly why it's such a mess.
    95AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:13
    Re: #29
    The one being frozen out has no obligation to go that far.
    34AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:35
    This video is rough too.
    Pink talks → everyone claps.
    Red (Amane Tsukiashi) talks → only Pink reacts.
    https://x.com/hamusoku/status/2103427855413858413
    https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2103365994169450496/vid/avc1/1180×660/GW8ICCPdApDhXrsk.mp4
    47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:42
    Re: #34
    Isn't there more after that?
    Looks to me like it's just going exactly according to script.
    54AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:44
    Re: #34
    TV talents get booked precisely because they stay "on" even when it's not their moment — keeping their expression and reactions ready.
    Slacking off when it's not your turn isn't unique to these girls; you see it all the time in other idols' interview segments too.

    If anything, it's FRUITS ZIPPER's over-the-top, staged "we're best friends" celebration routine that's the unusual thing here — which is exactly why the one member not doing it stood out.
    144AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:45
    Re: #34
    This one's pretty clear-cut.
    61AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:51
    Every time bullying or bad-blood rumors come up in a girl idol group like this, it's a mystery why Nogizaka46 never seems to have this kind of woman-on-woman trouble.
    66AnonymousOct 1, 2026 17:54
    Re: #61
    The Nanase Nishino and Manatsu Akimoto thing is famous, isn't it?
    Early on, Nishino was one-sidedly cold toward her, but they later made up and became close.
    77AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:04
    Re: #61
    With that many members, there's probably always someone you click with, or management handles it well.
    Though Kubo seemed a bit shaky at the start of the 3rd generation…
    90AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:12
    That certain "Something Clover" group was like this too, wasn't it.
    98AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:14
    Re: #90
    Green (the member in green) really had it rough.
    I switch the channel whenever the other members come on TV.
    106AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:17
    Re: #90
    There's footage of Haruka Fukuhara being treated like this back in her modeling days too.
    This kind of thing happens fairly often in all-female groups.
    Honestly, it even happens in groups of older women.
    96AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:14
    They've been at this for quite a while now — does a group really start falling apart at this point? If there's no leader, the adults in charge should be managing them properly.
    105AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:17
    Re: #96
    How exactly are you supposed to keep a bunch of late-20s/30-somethings in line? If most of the members were teenagers, maybe, but…
    113AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:23
    Re: #96
    They're adults themselves to begin with. What are you even talking about.
    147AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
    Tabloids are always behind the times — look what happened at yesterday's live.
    https://x.com/ramenlunapippi/status/2105284363365797983

    Amaneki said, "I didn't have a hair accessory that matched this hairstyle, so I called Runa and borrowed one! I'll do my best for Runa's share too, so please cheer us on!" — and she was wearing Runapi's ribbon, I sobbed so hard…
    Manafi even changed the song lyrics to "Runa Runa Runaa!🎶," and during the encore Osuzu danced while holding Runapi's plushie — I love them so much, this is the best 😿💜
    150AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:49
    Re: #147
    Trying to settle everything with just this is a stretch.
    Management really fumbled this one.
    152AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:50
    Re: #147
    This instant, manufactured tearjerker moment (what posters call "kandou porn," or overly engineered emotional content) is hard to take.
    215AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:45
    Re: #147
    If anything, this is just their everyday normal.
    The only ones who don't get it are the haters and the bandwagon fans.
    163AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:57
    From the September 7 ANNX (All Night Nippon X) broadcast:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBknoCHE8Rs&t=1412s
    Tsukiashi: "This morning Runa, me, Yui, and Manafi all cheerfully sang COSMOS together.
    Like, before we knew it, the four of us had even split up the parts and were singing in harmony."
    172AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:02
    Re: #163
    It's funny how this completely debunks the bad-blood rumors every single time.
    Behind the scenes they're totally on good terms.
    Everyone listens to ANNX, you know.
    We're not falling for it lol
    175AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:06
    Re: #163
    For the record, this was before the "First Take" video even came out.
    At this point the whole "bad blood" rumor is basically impossible to argue lol
    182AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:11
    Re: #163
    What a shining example of a fan trying desperately hard (lol)
    203AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:32
    Even with blatant damage control hired, you're totally ignoring the weird stuff from that day's live, and the fact that there are members going along with Purple's (the member in purple) behavior — something's missing here.
    207AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:36
    Re: #203
    She's unwell.
    It's been going on since before this whole thing.
    Fans already know that.
    211AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:42
    Re: #203
    This thread kind of looks like it's full of haters posting under fake personas.
    210AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:41
    This isn't even blowing up anymore — this article's late.

    Yahoo Trend Search, last 24 hours:
    fruitszipper: 90% positive, 10% negative
    Furubbā (fan nickname for the group): 86% positive, 14% negative
    Runa Nakagawa: 77% positive, 23% negative
    Runapi: 67% positive, 33% negative
    Amane Tsukiashi: 86% positive, 14% negative
    Amaneki: 78% positive, 22% negative
    213AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:43
    Re: #210
    Seems like someone worked pretty hard behind the scenes on this lol
    217AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:50
    Re: #210
    No matter how hard some faction pushes this far-fetched "bad blood" narrative, you can't keep a lid on the truth.
    Everyone ends up seeing the truth: there was never any bad blood at all.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    FRUITS ZIPPER is a seven-member idol group that launched in 2022 as a TikTok-born project, and Runa Nakagawa is one of its members. The group’s official social media only cited “poor health” for her absence from “NHK Nodo Jiman,” and neither Nakagawa nor her management has explicitly confirmed any link to the online backlash. It’s worth noting that the “member being ignored” clip circulating online was only a few seconds long and lacked context, yet many posts jumped to conclusions about the members’ attitudes anyway. On the thread, opinions split with no common ground: some argued that performing a “we’re close friends” image is simply part of the idol business and its commercial value, while others felt personal feelings shouldn’t have to be managed or acted out at all. At the same time, many posts cited radio and live-show remarks to push back on the “bad blood” theory, so opinions varied depending on which source people trusted.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Idols] The “Member-Ignoring Video” and Spreading Backlash Damage That Led FRUITS ZIPPER’s Runa Nakagawa to Cancel a TV Appearance“.

  • Nijo Castle to Charge Non-Residents Double — 5ch Reacts: “It Used to Be ¥500, Now You Want ¥2,000?”

    The city of Kyoto has settled on a plan to introduce “dual pricing” at the UNESCO World Heritage site Nijo Castle as early as fiscal year 2027. Residents would get a discount while non-residents would pay more, with the price gap expected to reach double — a move aimed at funding the repair and preservation of cultural assets, given that the vast majority of visitors come from outside the city. On 5ch, opinions split between those who see it as fair (“residents already pay city taxes, so this makes sense”) and skeptics who call it “a backdoor price hike” or point out that “Himeji Castle once shelved a similar plan that would have split pricing by nationality” — debate centered on where to draw the line and how other castles have handled this before.

    Oct 1 (Thu), 10:21 JST

    Kyodo News

    The city of Kyoto, which manages the UNESCO World Heritage site Nijo Castle (Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City), has settled on a plan to introduce “dual pricing” for admission — charging residents and non-residents different rates — as early as fiscal year 2027, city officials revealed on the 1st. Residents would see a discount while non-residents would face a price hike, with the gap set to reach double. Since the vast majority of visitors come from outside the city, the plan aims to use the added revenue to help fund the repair and preservation of cultural assets.

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

    4AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:12
    Nijo Castle goes dual-price — now that's double the extreme, AHH~! (a nod to a classic 5ch meme shout)
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:14
    If only residents get the discount, then quit handing the place national subsidies too.
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:22
    Re: #6
    Well, residents do pay city taxes after all.
    Kyoto residents: ¥1,300
    Japanese nationals: ¥2,000
    Everyone else: ¥4,000 — sounds about right.
    49AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:34
    Re: #23
    Actually, Kyoto's on the low end for per-capita city tax among big cities.
    It's ¥20,000-30,000 below the average for other cities with a million-plus population.
    Part of that's because there are relatively more students, and corporate city tax revenue is low.
    57AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:37
    Re: #23
    Wait, is Nijo Castle's upkeep actually funded by city tax?
    If so, I'd rather they stop that, lower the resident tax, and just charge everyone ¥2,000 instead.
    7AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:14
    It used to be ¥500 and now they want ¥2,000?
    Not going.
    9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:14
    Residents weren't going to go anyway.
    14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:17
    As a matter of personal policy and pride,
    I wouldn't want to run a business this shamelessly —
    at least, that's how I'd feel in their shoes.
    26AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:22
    Re: #14
    City-run facilities charging residents and non-residents different prices isn't even unusual.
    62AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:38
    Re: #26
    Wait, is Nijo Castle even city-run?
    104AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:21
    Re: #26
    Elsewhere in the world, they distinguish between citizens and foreigners, you know.
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:19
    Anyone outside Rakuchu (Kyoto's traditional city center) pays double.
    37AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:26
    Re: #15
    Is Nijo Castle itself even inside Rakuchu, or is it Rakugai (outside the old center)?
    138AnonymousOct 1, 2026 22:17
    Re: #15
    So Fushimi and Yamashina are just out of luck, then?
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:21
    Lol, we're basically turning into a developing country at this point.
    51AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:34
    "Just charge the foreigners more" — what a beggar's mentality, lol.
    This country's really gotten poor.
    55AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:37
    Re: #51
    Japanese people who aren't Kyoto residents get charged double too, you know.
    75AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:49
    >The discount for residents is also meant to encourage them to visit.

    Exactly why it'd be smarter to just raise the price across the board and then add a resident discount on top, instead of doing it this way and stirring up backlash.
    81AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:55
    Re: #75
    For Kyoto residents, Nijo Castle is basically the poster child for "please just burn down already."
    87AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:05
    Make it triple-tiered!
    Don't forget about Kyoto Prefecture residents!
    90AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:07
    Re: #87
    You mean Mie Prefecture? (pun: "sanju"/mie-sounding wordplay — 三重 means both "triple" and the name of Mie Prefecture)
    105AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:23
    They'll split pricing by resident vs. non-resident, but absolutely refuse to split it by Japanese vs. foreigner — that's bizarre.
    If anything, that kind of "consideration" is the weird part.
    111AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:27
    Re: #105
    Heard Himeji Castle originally tried dual pricing split by Japanese vs. foreigner, but got buried in garbage complaints.
    So they switched it to resident vs. non-resident instead.
    Shutting out Japanese people too — I mean, come on, that's just dumb.
    113AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:30
    Do residents even go there in the first place?
    114AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:32
    Re: #113
    It's basically just a price hike in disguise.
    130AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:51
    Re: #113
    The big three tourist spots locals never visit:

    Arashiyama
    Rurikoin Temple
    Nijo Castle
    116AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:32
    Just pass a nationwide law: foreigners pay ten times what Japanese pay, period.
    Admission fees, mountain trail fees, Shinkansen tickets — all of it, ten times.
    Go that far and I'll actually believe the "inbound tourism is profitable" line.
    142AnonymousOct 1, 2026 22:30
    Re: #116
    If anything, foreign tourists don't even pay an entry tax (the exit tax is only ¥3,000), get tax-free exemptions on everything, and can buy unlimited-ride Shinkansen passes.
    149AnonymousOct 1, 2026 22:45
    Didn't they already charge different rates depending on whether you could access the nightingale floor corridor? (the famous squeaky-floor passage, "uguisu-bari")
    151AnonymousOct 1, 2026 22:49
    Re: #149
    A friend of mine actually has a nightingale floor at home.
    First time I walked on it, I just thought it was a rickety old hallway.
    162AnonymousOct 1, 2026 23:13
    Himeji Castle, Osaka Castle, and now Nijo Castle too — Kansai's castles are straight-up money-grubbers. ("zeni-geba," slang for someone obsessed with cash)
    164AnonymousOct 1, 2026 23:16
    Re: #162
    Since it's city-run, isn't it better to cover operating costs from admission revenue on a user-pays basis, rather than from taxes?
    170AnonymousOct 1, 2026 23:31
    Once they start charging non-residents more, fake IDs are gonna start circulating.
    181AnonymousOct 1, 2026 23:56
    Re: #170
    Is there really anyone who wants to visit Nijo Castle badly enough to go that far?
    180AnonymousOct 1, 2026 23:54
    Well, there's the justification that residents already pay city taxes.
    192AnonymousOct 2, 2026 00:53
    Re: #180
    The only time it looked rough was during COVID — otherwise Nijo Castle seems like it could basically run on admission fees alone.

    Background and key points of this debate

    Nijo Castle’s admission fee has been raised incrementally in recent years amid rising prices and climbing preservation and repair costs, and the current “dual pricing” proposal is an extension of that trend. The key point is that the price gap is drawn along “resident vs. non-resident” lines rather than nationality. Himeji City had previously considered a plan to raise fees only for foreign tourists, but shelved it after facing criticism — and Nijo Castle’s proposal appears to have been designed with that precedent in mind. The debate on the thread essentially boiled down to whether this distinction counts as “reasonable user-pays fairness” or “xenophobia in a more palatable disguise.” One point readers may easily miss is that “non-residents” also includes Japanese citizens living in other cities — a fact that drew pushback on the thread itself, with posters asking whether Japanese people were being shut out too. Meanwhile, whether Nijo Castle’s operating costs are actually covered mostly by admission revenue rather than taxes was never confirmed on the thread — it remains speculation.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “[Kyoto] Nijo Castle to Introduce Dual Pricing — Resident/Non-Resident Price Gap to Double.”

  • New AI Tech “QSSR” Arrives on PS5 — 5ch Debates Whether the Image Quality Boost Is Even Real

    On October 2, Sony announced “Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR),” an AI upscaling technology for the PS5. Until now, PSSR was exclusive to the PS5 Pro, but QSSR brings AI-powered image enhancement to the standard PS5 as well. Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei were the first titles to support it, via patches released the same day. On 5ch’s hardware board, opinions split between those who said the official comparison video showed “almost no difference” and those who praised the sharper edge definition, with the discussion also touching on comparisons to the Switch 2’s DLSS support and the technical details of how the processing actually works.

    1AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:19
    AI upscaling technology "Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR)" comes to PS5®!
    Upscales game visuals into sharper, more stable images. Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei support it starting today, Friday, October 2, via a new patch.
    Learn more⇒ play.st/3TtlNoF
    2AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:20
    So what happened to the old PSSR? (´・ω・`)
    4AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:21
    Re: #2
    Nothing happened to it
    You just use both
    It's not like those low-spec consoles
    9AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:25
    Re: #2
    It's in the blog post — this is a feature for the base PS5. The PS5 Pro just uses PSSR instead
    12AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:26
    Re: #2
    PSSR was Pro-only because of the processing power gap
    QSSR is the AI upscaler that makes that same kind of upscaling possible on a regular PS5 too
    3AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:21
    Guess we've widened the gap with the Switch 2 again
    5AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:21
    PS5 is just too OP lmaoooooooooooo
    6AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:22
    The Nintendo fanboys ("Nishi-kun," 5ch slang for Nintendo diehards) who were so hyped about DLSS 😭
    8AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:24
    Switch 2, whose DLSS only works on "Himitsu-ten" (lit. "Secret Exhibition")
    PS5, whose QSSR supports Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei
    10AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:25
    Wait, hold on — there's a one-off poster (likely a sockpuppet account) showing up at this hour, I can't even for real
    11AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:25
    That "magic" upscale doesn't look like it makes much difference
    Both Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei are flops, and here they go chanting the same dumb incantation again
    14AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:28
    Re: #11
    Not something the guy who was over the moon about DLSS should be saying
    13AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:27
    So then why are they forcing out "disaster genius" Cerny? (a pun — written with the kanji for "disaster" instead of "genius")
    17AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:31
    Whatever happened to that talk about Xbox being able to use FSR4?
    53AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:03
    Re: #17
    In theory, sure, but the specs aren't there to make it actually usable
    18AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:32
    Does this change the actual gameplay? (´・ω・｀)
    31AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:39
    It's just a byproduct of "Amethyst"
    At a glance it actually looks pretty different
    41AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:50
    Re: #31
    Why are you lying like that?
    It looks exactly the same, there's no way you can tell the difference
    What, you got 20/10 vision or something?
    35AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:46
    Re: #1
    Sounds like GTA6 might support it too
    38AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:48
    Re: #35
    Lol, dreaming big when it doesn't even support PSSR
    43AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:53
    https://blog.ja.playstation.com/2026/10/02/20261002-ps5-qssr-o/

    Sony's got an official comparison video up, go check it out
    it's literally, completely identical

    Felt like I was doing one of those Saizeriya spot-the-difference placemats (a family restaurant chain famous for puzzles with absurdly subtle differences)
    50AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:59
    Re: #43
    I mean, I can tell it's a bit sharper, but honestly I'd take better framerate over image quality any day…
    51AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:00
    Re: #43
    Is this the kind of difference that feels like a PS4-to-PS5 leap to the true believers?

    Games have moving footage, so a difference this small?
    You'd never even notice
    58AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    Re: #43
    Same thing happened with PSSR — the differences were so hard to spot people were zooming in like crazy trying to find them lol
    Hope it doesn't bug out and start making it rain indoors or something lol
    Wonder if the base PS5 will also slash its internal resolution hard like the Pro does — hope Monster Hunter and FF are gonna be okay
    55AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:04
    You know why they had the media announce this pointless feature with such a smug face??

    It's because Xbox just added this genuinely groundbreaking feature where owning the disc also gets you a digital license

    so they threw out this lame announcement to bury that news before it could spread
    59AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    Re: #55
    Probably only works on two games because they rushed the implementation lol
    60AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    It'll just end with "well, it's Radeon anyway, right?"
    67AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:10
    Re: #60
    I mean, judging "it's just Radeon" based on some limited, bottlenecked RDNA1-ish chip is way off base though
    78AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:22
    Enough with the "no difference" talk
    of course the pigs (derogatory 5ch term for Nintendo fans) who always play at potato-quality resolution wouldn't notice
    82AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:25
    Re: #78
    Deep down, I know you're thinking

    "wait, this doesn't look any different, does it?"

    Shouldn't you be mad at Sony instead, for making you feel this pathetic?

    They're trying to con you with a meaningless feature like this, you know?
    89AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:30
    (For reference)
    Examples using the "magical" DLSS (lol) on that low-spec pig hardware (derogatory term for Nintendo consoles):



    102AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:51
    Are your eyes seriously broken?
    Or are you just playing dumb because you're too salty to admit it? lol
    103AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:53
    Re: #102
    You're just forcing yourself to feel like you get it, aren't you?
    Are you being serious right now?

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    PSSR is an AI upscaler that debuted in fall 2024, exclusive to the PS5 Pro, using machine-learning-based inference to produce sharper output than traditional checkerboard rendering. QSSR is positioned as an adaptation of that same processing to run on the standard PS5, and as of this announcement, support is limited to the two titles that received the day-one patch. The thread split on a single point — whether the difference is actually visible in comparison images — a criticism that has come up repeatedly with AI upscaling announcements, since static screenshot comparisons often struggle to convey the real-world effect. It’s also worth noting that terms like “Nishi” and “buta” (pig) are standard rival nicknames for Nintendo fans used on 5ch’s hardware/industry (“geha”) board, part of the board’s usual back-and-forth rather than attacks on any specific individual.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry, “geha”) thread “[Bad News for Nintendo Fans] AI Upscaling “Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR)” Arrives on PS5.”

  • New Anime ‘Shin Oishinbo’ Drops PV — 5ch Says the Art Doesn’t Match the Manga

    A thread reporting the PV release for the anime “Shin Oishinbo” popped up on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry (Geha) board. The focus wasn’t on how the anime itself turned out, but squarely on how closely the character designs matched the original manga. Posters flooded in with image comparisons arguing that Yamaoka Shiro and Kurita Yuuko’s faces look different from the source material — if anything, closer to the manga’s later-era art style — and the discussion spread into comparisons with the old anime adaptation and the current trend of reviving other long-running manga.

    1AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:52
    ↓
    2AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:53
    Looks like they had AI draw this or something
    34AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:42
    Re: #1 Re: #2
    Take your affiliate-blog repost threads to the chat board, the anime board, or a manga board thread — go ahead.
    3AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:55
    He's turned into just some random guy who thinks he's Yamaoka Shiro
    70AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:18
    Re: #3
    So like a knockoff Akagi? (the off-model-art meme named after the mahjong manga Akagi)
    4AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:55
    If they're doing this anyway, they should've gotten Inoue Kazuhiko to voice Kaibara
    6AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:59
    If the faces looked exactly the same there'd be no point doing a remake
    7AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:59
    The simplified linework might be an attempt to match the original,
    but something's still off
    10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:03
    If anything it's gotten closer to the original's dopey-looking face
    11AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:04
    If they match the art to the later Oishinbo era when the original started phoning it in, they cut costs AND it reads as 'respecting the source material' — easy mode for them
    12AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:05
    This face is the 'gone soft after getting married' art style.
    Not the early stubbly Yamaoka Shiro holding a horse-racing paper
    13AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:05
    Did they model it after Ramen Hakkenden?
    18AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:14
    Re: #13
    If Oishinbo could learn to respect MSG, it might actually earn some respect back.
    Yeah, not happening though
    14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:07
    Looks like the gap between the manga's early-series face and its late-series face
    16AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:12
    Well, if this continues from the old anime, that probably means it's set after the marriage
    19AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:15
    Re: #16
    Who wants to watch that?
    Obviously it should open with the monkfish-fishing episode (a famous early Oishinbo arc)
    17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:14
    Basing the remake's look on the manga instead of the old anime —
    same move as the Doraemon redesign
    20AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:16
    Even the old anime's faces were totally different from the manga to begin with.
    The eyebrows are weirdly thick too
    22AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:17
    No wrinkles on that dress shirt — fresh out of the package?
    23AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:26
    Is Yamaoka's sweetfish about to get trashed again?
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:28
    Looks like a Shiro who doesn't bet on horses, doesn't drink, and doesn't nap
    25AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:28
    Funny how the voice felt totally natural, but it's the visuals that felt off lol
    26AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:29
    Yuuko ended up looking like some random middle-aged lady from the manga
    27AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:34
    If anything, isn't this a bit closer to the original?
    31AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:39
    Re: #27
    The eyebrows are different.
    The shading inside the eyes isn't in the original either.

    And the hair flip looks half-assed
    28AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:34
    Here's what the original actually looks like

    50AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:37
    Re: #28
    Kurita Yuuko just isn't cute at all in the original manga
    42AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:47
    That rough, worn-down edge is gone.
    This is already the face of a guy who's been tamed by Kurita-san
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:45
    Can we stop pointlessly reviving stuff like Oishinbo and Obocchama-kun already
    57AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:51
    Re: #53
    Obocchama-kun has real demand in India — the funding's actually coming from there
    58AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:51

    It's genuinely a ridiculous manga
    59AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:58
    Re: #58
    It's not 'like' ridiculous, it IS ridiculous lol
    The TV version was actually more sensible in that regard
    64AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:02
    Re: #58
    I've looked at this page so many times
    and I still don't get it at all lol
    78AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:34
    Re: #58
    This gets mocked a lot, but even the final boss of 'Ramen Saiyuki' — the 'Millennial's Mom,' famous from the Ramen Hage series — ends up concluding that ramen started out as a substitute food, a fake
    62AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:01
    Wrong board, but the affiliate-blog thread's getting traction on Geha anyway
    66AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:06
    Re: #62

    "Remake Anime 'Shin Oishinbo' PV Released, This Looks Bad" [668970678]
    https://greta.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/poverty/1790847357/
    76AnonymousOct 1, 2026 21:33
    Re: #50
    No way, the manga's Kurita-san is the cutest version there is


    84AnonymousOct 1, 2026 22:14
    There's always a good reason anime art ends up different from the manga.
    Has there ever been an anime that succeeded by sticking close to the manga's art?
    93AnonymousOct 2, 2026 00:11
    Re: #84
    That's because the manga isn't popular anymore anyway

    Background and key points

    “Oishinbo” is a cooking manga written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki that has run since 1983, and it was previously adapted into a TV anime. What sparked discussion this time wasn’t the quality of the new PV itself, but specifically which era of the manga’s art the characters’ faces most resembled. In long-running manga, the art style often shifts over the years, so which period gets used as the reference point changes how the anime comes across. Commenters in the thread pointed out that even the previous anime adaptation had faces that differed from the manga, and the discussion extended to the broader, fairly common trend of anime rarely replicating a manga’s art style exactly. Meanwhile, claims that the animation work was outsourced overseas were not backed by any evidence and remain pure speculation.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry [Geha]) thread “Shin Oishinbo… They Went and Messed It Up.”

  • Carp Cut Ties with Kozono and Teammates — His Attitude Right After Sparks Outrage, Giants and SoftBank Floated as Possible New Teams

    On October 1, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp announced it would not renew contracts for next season with four players — Kaito Kozono, Masaya Yano, Shunsuke Tamura, and Seita Maekawa — who had been suspected of involvement in a scandal involving the designated drug etomidate (known as “zombie tobacco”). Kozono’s attitude during media interviews right after the release drew criticism online as “defiant,” and on the forum thread, teams like the Yomiuri Giants and SoftBank Hawks were floated as possible next destinations. At the same time, some called the move “a betrayal of the Carp,” while others brought up past cases involving Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Hotaka Yamakawa, debating whether signing him would be appropriate and how “tolerant” different teams are.

    《He seems totally unapologetic》 Hiroshima’s Kaito Kozono draws controversy over his demeanor right after his contract was terminated… two “tolerant” teams floated as possible next destinations

    The verdict has finally come down. On October 1, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan’s pro baseball league announced it would not sign four players — Kaito Kozono, Masaya Yano, Shunsuke Tamura, and Seita Maekawa — to contracts for next season, after they were suspected of involvement in a scandal surrounding the designated drug etomidate, known as “zombie tobacco.”

    His “attitude” during the media interview sparks controversy

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

    3AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:38
    >The names Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Yomiuri Giants are coming up

    Figured as much lol
    4AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:39
    Either team beats staying with the Carp, honestly.
    5AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:41
    No way it's the Hawks
    If their infield situation were desperate enough to sign a guy like this, they wouldn't have let Mimori go two years ago.
    6AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:42
    Here, have a Carp star! (´・ω・｀) (riffing on the Carp fight-song line "bring back the Carp's star")
    7AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:42
    In an age when everyone talks about compliance, this old showbiz-style culture is still hanging around?

    Whatever happened to sportsmanship and being a gentleman?
    Then again, I never thought baseball — a sport where guys casually throw punches in brawls — had any of that to begin with.
    9AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:48
    If some team actually signs Kozono or Yano after this, that's way too disloyal to Hiroshima.
    It'd be a lucky transfer for them, and the Carp locker room would end up filled with zombie-tobacco smoke.
    10AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:49
    Giants, probably.
    I mean, their manager once paid a yakuza guy 100 million yen.
    11AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:49
    During a Giants game, a Hiroshima fan climbed the backstop netting at Hiroshima Stadium and hung a banner — and for some reason he was wearing yellow.
    12AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:49
    If he wants to join the Hawks, it'd be on a developmental (ikusei) contract.
    If he's willing to start from the bottom and grind it out, they'd probably take him.
    18AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:55
    No team's touching this guy.
    It'd tank their corporate image.
    36AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    Re: #18
    Yomiuri, Rakuten, SoftBank — none of them would even blink over signing Kozono.
    20AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:57
    Looks like getting released might actually turn out to be a huge stroke of luck for Kozono lol
    21AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:57
    The Giants, who let Kiyohara take part in alumni events, might actually go there.
    23AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:59
    It's not so much "tolerant"
    as a team that puts winning above everything else.
    If it strengthens the roster,
    they'll bend the compliance rules a bit.
    24AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:59
    The Giants are full of guys like that anyway, so it wouldn't make a difference.
    25AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:59
    Other teams have probably already reached out to him.
    29AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:03
    No team's going to move for a while. There's still a chance he gets referred to prosecutors.
    30AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:04
    Actually, the team really desperate at shortstop isn't the Giants.
    It's the Tigers lol
    35AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    Re: #30
    I'd laugh if the Tigers signed him and gave him uniform number 6.
    31AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:04
    They kept using him right up until they demoted him as punishment for lazy play, and now they're quick to toss him aside.
    33AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:04
    Kadowaki isn't developing either, and Sakamoto's about done too.
    34AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:04
    Kozono's defense at short is disqualifying-level bad and he's no good at third either, so Rakuten would be fine too.
    Moving him to the outfield and letting him focus would probably help his batting improve.
    37AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:07
    Everyone's treating this like it's over, but Yamakawa did something awful and he's still playing pro ball like normal.
    Don't get so worked up about it. (reference to Hotaka Yamakawa's past scandal)
    39AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:14
    Re: #1
    Huh, wait?
    He himself says he has nothing to do with the zombie tobacco or any antisocial groups, so why's he being let go?

    Why doesn't he sue the Carp?
    40AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:15
    Kozono's probably got his own side of the story, no?
    It's not fair to call him attitude-bad one-sidedly without even hearing him out.
    42AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:16
    Re: #40
    Sure, you can say whatever you want — but do you actually have something to say?
    41AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:15
    Re: #36
    Rakuten cares about its image, so they probably won't sign him.
    Yomiuri and SoftBank's corporate images are already shot, so they probably won't care.
    65AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:54
    Re: #41
    They've had one headache after another with guys like Anraku, Tanaka, Shimauchi, and Tatsumi…
    and they recently cut a promising young prospect without hesitation, so Rakuten's pretty much out of the question.
    44AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:18
    In the actual video, his "yeah, that's right" came out as a drawn-out, slouchy "yeahhh, that's riiight" — his attitude was really bad.
    45AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:22
    Kozono as Sakamoto's successor is way too on-the-nose for the Giants. I guess it'd technically solve their long-standing problem, but it'd be like taking on another Takahito Nomura.

    Background and key points of this discussion

    “Zombie tobacco” refers to e-cigarettes laced with the designated drug etomidate, so named because smoking it temporarily stiffens the body and induces a near-unconscious state. The substance is normally used as an anesthetic, and in recent years its abuse has spread among young people, becoming a social problem. In this case, four Hiroshima Carp players were suspected of involvement, and the team drew a line under the matter by declining to renew their contracts for next season — a “contract termination.” Unlike an NPB-wide ban or a suspension, contract termination doesn’t prevent other teams from signing the players as free agents under league rules, which is why names like the Giants and SoftBank — teams that tend to prioritize financial muscle and headline value — came up in the thread. What tends to get overlooked, though, is that the case could still be referred to prosecutors, meaning teams may not necessarily move quickly. Commenters also pointed to past cases involving Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Hotaka Yamakawa, noting there’s precedent for players quietly returning to the game after scandals blow over, making the lack of consistency in how pro baseball handles drug-related and other scandals a key point of debate.

    *This article is composed of excerpts and a summary from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Baseball] 《He seems totally unapologetic》 Hiroshima’s Kaito Kozono draws controversy over his demeanor right after his contract was terminated… two tolerant teams floated as possible next destinations.”

  • Judo Women’s 70kg: Chinese Competitor Disqualified After Biting Rin Maeda [Asian Games]

    At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on the 1st, China’s Tang Jing was disqualified for biting the sleeve of Rin Maeda’s judogi during a ne-waza (groundwork) exchange in the women’s 70kg quarterfinal. A clear bite mark was left near Maeda’s left wrist, visible in footage broadcast by U-NEXT. On 5ch, posters repeatedly brought up Mike Tyson’s infamous ear-biting incident and footballer Luis Suárez’s biting history, while others debated judo’s rules and the dynamics of groundwork.

    Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games

    At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on the 1st, the women’s judo 70kg quarterfinal was held, and Rin Maeda defeated Tang Jing (China). Her opponent appears to have bitten Maeda’s judogi, leaving a clear bite mark near her left wrist. Tang Jing, disqualified for the foul, looked unconvinced by the call.

    After Maeda took the fight to the ground, Tang Jing appears to have bitten the left sleeve of the judogi in an attempt to fend off the attack. The referee called a stop, and Maeda held up her left hand to the officials to point out the bite. The U-NEXT broadcast also showed the clear bite mark left near her left wrist.

    Source: news.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:18
    Is this Tyson vs. Holyfield or something?
    13AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:21
    Nobody bites in any other combat sport.
    Start doing that and you're basically an animal.
    78AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:36
    Re: #13
    There's a guy called 'Biter Suárez,' you know.
    22AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:24
    How do you even make this face

    73AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:33
    Re: #22
    She's got that total 'whyyy?' face lol
    122AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:45
    Re: #22 I'm more bothered by the fingerprints
    What's going on there
    24AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:24
    If biting were allowed, groundwork would be a whole different game
    People would just bite their way out of armbars and triangle chokes
    65AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:31
    Re: #24
    Though like with Suárez,
    the one doing the biting
    can mess up their own teeth too
    30AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:26
    Going home with a DQ like this, she might get pelted with eggs
    60AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:30
    Mind if I just chomp down on you~? (old Japanese comedy catchphrase)
    139AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:48
    Re: #60
    THAT'S ALL!!!

    I guess Pika-san (the comedian behind that catchphrase) really must have passed away by now…
    99AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:40
    Even through the judogi it leaves a mark that clear?
    Her jaw strength is insane
    140AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:48
    Re: #99
    Jaw strength is actually stronger than grip strength, but it's also a weak point —
    the jaw is the only bone in the human body that's just 'hanging' rather than fixed on both ends
    115AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:43
    Even a bite can't pin down 'Slippery' Akiyama (nickname for MMA fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama, known for evasive, slick grappling)
    117AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:44
    Re: #115
    He really does slip right out
    119AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:44
    It's 5 times worse than I expected lol
    222AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:07
    She's probably got poison loaded in her teeth lol
    233AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:10
    Re: #222
    A master of the 'Poison Fang Fist' style, huh lol
    229AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:09
    Well-fed and clothed, yet still no manners (a twist on the old saying that comfort brings courtesy)
    250AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:12
    Re: #229
    'When fed and clothed, one learns propriety' is literally a Chinese proverb…

    Background and Key Points

    Biting has long been designated a strictly prohibited act in judo, resulting in immediate disqualification (with the opponent awarded the win) regardless of the technical score at the time — it’s handled separately from accumulated shido (minor penalties) and isn’t some special rule invented for this match. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are being held in Japan in fall 2026, and this bout took place during that tournament. In the thread, many posters drew comparisons to Mike Tyson’s ear-biting incident and footballer Luis Suárez’s biting history, drawing reactions from both combat-sports and football fans alike. No official explanation for what led to the bite has been given so far, so further details are still awaited. Note that some unfounded comments about nationality also appeared in the thread; those have been excluded from this article.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[Asian Games/Judo] Chinese Athlete Shockingly Disqualified — Bites Rin Maeda, Leaves Clear Tooth Marks… Women’s 70kg Class.”

  • Carp’s Kaito Kozono Apologizes After Being Released, Denies Drug Use — 5ch: ‘Let Him Serve Time in the Independent Leagues’

    On October 1, the Hiroshima Carp notified Kaito Kozono and three other players that their contracts would not be renewed for next season. Kozono updated his Instagram the same day, apologizing to team officials and fans for “careless conduct in his private life,” while denying the illegal drug use allegations themselves, stating “There is no truth whatsoever to any illegal activity.”

    On 5ch, opinions were divided — some found it odd that he denied the allegations yet still accepted being released, while others debated his chances of a comeback via an independent league or a pickup by another team. Some pointed out that there’s said to be an unspoken agreement among all 12 NPB teams not to sign a player under suspicion.

    Published 10/1 (Thu) 16:33 — Sports Hochi

    On the 1st, the Hiroshima Carp notified four players — infielder Kaito Kozono, infielder Masaya Yano, infielder Seita Maekawa, and outfielder Shunsuke Tamura — that their contracts would not be renewed for next season. Kozono updated his Instagram that day, apologizing to team officials, coaching staff, teammates, and fans. He denied the allegations, saying, “There is no truth whatsoever to any illegal activity.”

    Kozono opened his post with, “To all the fans who always give me such warm support, and to everyone involved,” and continued: “As announced by the team today, I, Kaito Kozono, have received notice from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp that my contract will not be renewed. First, for the careless conduct in my private life this season and the reports that followed, I offer my deepest, most sincere apology to everyone at the club, the manager, the coaches, my teammates, and above all, the fans who kept cheering for me so passionately, for the tremendous trouble and worry I’ve caused.”

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

    10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:50
    Well, if he eats prison food for about two years in an independent league, some team will probably pick him up.
    28AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:57
    Re: #10
    'Prison food,' come on…
    At least call it 'cold rice' for him (meaning benched/sidelined, a lighter term).
    201AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:13
    Re: #10
    Manny Ramirez: "Udon and bonito are both delicious!"
    11AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:50
    Wait, he was an athlete…?
    131AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:36
    Re: #11
    Shocked to hear a hardcore baseball otaku ("yakibuta," 5ch slang mocking obsessive NPB fans) use a word like "athlete."
    15AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:52
    Well, since it's still a gray area, the Hawks or the Giants will probably make a move on him.
    75AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:14
    Re: #15
    If that's the case, I can root for him with my head held high.
    193AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:09
    Re: #15
    I'd take Yano, don't need Kozono.
    21AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:54
    It was probably ghostwritten, but was it written after the press conference?
    26AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:56
    Re: #21
    That "extremely difficult" line feels half-baked.
    32AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:58
    Why didn't he say even a fragment of that
    — clumsy words would've been fine —
    at the press conference?
    44AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:03
    Re: #32
    If he could show that kind of sincerity, maybe the team wouldn't have said they'd lost trust in him — even with just a photo as "evidence" — and maybe he wouldn't have been released at all. Then again, it might also have had to do with keeping things even with the other three players.
    51AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:06
    I wonder what happens now?
    Even the majors could be in play.
    121AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:31
    Re: #51
    For an infielder, you need to hit like Okamoto or Murakami or no MLB team will touch you.

    Case in point: Kikuchi went through posting or free agency and got zero offers.
    127AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:34
    Re: #51
    His defense and OPS don't leave much room for growth, so the majors are a stretch.
    Batting titles don't even register over there.
    53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:06
    Baseball players get paid huge salaries in exchange for producing results and contributing to the team,
    so using drugs that tank your athletic performance is a betrayal of the team paying you — basically fraud.
    71AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:12
    Re: #53
    So drugs that boost performance are fine because they're "for the team"?
    58AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:07
    But
    the Hiroshima Carp
    have always been like this anyway
    https://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/20210314/11/prains/eb/5e/j/o1536194814910052370.jpg
    77AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:15
    Re: #58
    This guy outranks even the dealer's boss.
    99AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:22
    Re: #58
    All the old-school baseball players were like this lol
    104AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:23
    Re: #58
    That photo of him coming down the airplane stairs looks like a scene straight out of a Tarantino movie.
    70AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:11
    If he's really not involved, wouldn't it be better to hire a lawyer and fight this all the way?
    76AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:14
    Re: #70
    Apparently the uniform player contract states he has to be a model figure for the sport, so that's not really an option.
    74AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:13
    If there'd been a real chance for him to play for another team, they'd have sent him out in a trade.
    It ended up like this because of the unspoken agreement among all 12 teams not to sign him.

    So I can say for certain there's no domestic team in his future.
    79AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:15
    Re: #74
    Probably negotiating with the Hawks or the Giants behind the scenes.
    113AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:25
    "Pro baseball is a world where everyone's dumber than the dumbest person you've ever met in your life"



    Baseball ("yakyuu") really is nothing but idiots lol
    149AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:46
    "Eh, some team will pick me up eventually"
    — that's the vibe he's giving off, pretty optimistic about it.
    153AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:48
    Re: #149
    Yeah, that's how it looked from the press conference.
    160AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:50
    Re: #149
    If nobody signs him, he can just sue FLASH (the tabloid that broke the story) lol
    I mean, he claims he never used anything lol
    180AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:00
    With nobody at the top taking responsibility and the manager staying on,
    this just looks like cutting off the lizard's tail — pinning it all on a scapegoat.
    181AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:01
    Re: #180
    The manager was supposed to step down, but they couldn't find anyone else willing to take the job, so he's staying on.
    Right now, nobody wants to manage the Carp.
    184AnonymousOct 1, 2026 20:02
    Re: #180
    If the manager could quit, he'd have quit already…

    Background and Key Points of Debate

    The NPB uniform player contract explicitly requires players to maintain “a character that serves as a model for the sport,” and the thread’s comment that “fighting this with a lawyer would be difficult under the contract” appears to reference this clause. There’s also said to be an unspoken agreement among all 12 NPB teams not to openly sign a player under drug suspicion, and many in the thread felt it would be genuinely difficult for Kozono to find a new team within Japan. Opinion was split on how to judge Kozono’s response — denying any illegal activity while still accepting his release — with some arguing “if you’re going to deny it, you should fight it to the end,” and others countering that “suspicion alone is enough to destroy a team’s trust.” It should be noted that, as of now, there have been no reports of criminal charges or indictment, and Kozono himself has consistently denied any involvement in illegal activity.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[🧟] Carp’s Kaito Kozono, released by the team, apologizes — denies illegal drug use but “severely lacked self-awareness as a professional athlete”.”

  • Ishiguro Ken warns jidaigeki could ‘die out’ — 5ch: ‘Period dramas are already finished’

    Actor Ishiguro Ken has reportedly voiced concern that period dramas (jidaigeki) “might die out,” naming a period drama as a genre he’d still like to appear in. On the thread, many voiced sentiments like “No more Mito Komon, no more Abarenbo Shogun, no more Zenigata Heiji — period dramas are already finished,” while others pointed out that samurai and ninja motifs remain hugely popular worldwide through manga, anime, and games like Demon Slayer, Ghost of Tsushima, and Kingdom. Opinions split over the causes of the decline, including production costs, set budgets, young actors’ acting skills, and an aging viewership.

    Ishiguro Ken voices concern over period dramas: “Might they die out?” — Says a period drama is still a genre he wants to appear in

    Actor Ishiguro Ken attended the “3rd Coming-of-Age Ceremony: HAPPY SENIOR FESTA 2026” event in Tokyo on the 1st.

    The event, tied to October 1st being “International Day of Older Persons,” celebrates new challenges taken on by people who’ve reached their 60th birthday (kanreki).

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

    2AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:22
    >Actor Ishiguro Ken

    Wait, actor? He's a TV personality, isn't he?
    What's this guy's signature role anyway?
    5AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:23
    Re: #2
    'Look Back and There He Is' (Furikaereba Yatsu ga Iru, 1993 drama)
    22AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:37
    Re: #2
    'Look Back and There He Is' (Furikaereba Yatsu ga Iru, 1993 drama)
    74AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:18
    Re: #2
    'Ao ga Chiru' (Blue Scatters)

    That's plenty, isn't it
    3AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:22
    Just put it on a streaming service with subtitles and release it worldwide
    It'd blow up huge overseas
    Could especially hook a ton of older viewers abroad
    No idea why nobody's doing it
    4AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:22
    Funny you say that — they actually made a serious period drama movie and it flopped
    6AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:24
    'Together with Oda' (a parody title)
    Or how about a sequel to 'Look Back and There He Is'?
    16AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:31
    Re: #6
    'Turns out he was alive all along,' huh? This isn't VIVANT, lol (the hit 2023 drama known for its twists)
    7AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:24
    It's a drama/stage production — doesn't need to rely on TV
    9AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:26
    If he were a bit younger, I'd want him playing Une Genzaburo in 'Oyado Kawasemi'
    10AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:27
    Re: #1
    Watching recent jidaigeki on BS, don't the overacting, no-name theater-troupe actors feel kind of unnatural?
    Then again, taiga dramas cast with TV personalities are terrible too
    11AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:27
    They're making a TV drama version of 'Samurai Time Slipper,' right?
    Guess they didn't call him up for it
    12AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:27
    Then again, isn't it mostly old people who even want to watch period dramas anymore?
    13AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:29
    Samurai and ninjas are dominating the world through anime and games

    Demon Slayer
    Onimusha
    Ghost of Tsushima
    Naruto
    Nioh
    Assassin's Creed
    15AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:31
    If there's no demand, dying out can't be helped
    17AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:33
    Period dramas on BS commercial channels are rough
    I think NHK's still trying its best though

    Period dramas are basically a kind of fantasy genre
    It'd be sad to see the whole genre just vanish
    18AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:34
    Japan's production/direction is done for
    Just look at 'Shogun' (the FX/Hulu series)
    19AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:35
    It's already dying out
    No more Mito Komon, no more Abarenbo Shogun, no more Zenigata Heiji, no more Tōyama no Kinsan, no more Momotaro Samurai

    Period dramas are finished
    21AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:36
    NHK still makes plenty of period dramas outside the taiga drama slot though
    23AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:38
    Good-triumphs-over-evil stories just don't suit today's era
    32AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:41
    Re: #23
    Is that really true?
    Feels like there are more self-righteous 'justice' types than ever, so it seems like it'd actually work
    24AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:39
    Period dramas actually get made pretty often as films, including plenty of serious, proper ones — and they're good
    It's landing an actual hit that's tough though
    These days the closest might be that comedy, 'Samurai Time Slipper'?
    25AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:39
    'Chōshichirō's Edo Diary' was great

    Period dramas are finished
    These days the picture's so crisp it looks like a modern drama anyway
    27AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:40
    Re: #25
    >These days the picture's so crisp it looks like a modern drama anyway
    Yeah, that's definitely part of it
    79AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:25
    Re: #25
    When I'm flipping channels and catch Kato Go and Takewaki Muga talking it out in 'Ooka Echizen,' I can't help but stop and watch
    There just aren't actors with that kind of depth anymore
    I'm in my 40s, but I watched a lot of those evening reruns keeping my grandparents company
    They say water flows downhill, but excellence is a lot harder to pass down
    26AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:40
    I had the NHK taiga drama on, and pretty much every warlord was just doing this skit where they spit while screeching and crying like a monkey
    Can't believe people actually watch that
    28AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:40
    It's probably done for
    Not enough people, time, or money
    Even if someone young takes it up, they can't make a living off it
    46AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:51
    Also, for some reason every drama these days is a medical drama, which makes no sense
    Guess it's fine as long as they're good though…
    55AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:55
    Re: #46
    Mystery shows like Detective Conan, 'Woman of the Forensics Lab,' or the Aibou series — amazed people don't get tired of them
    Guess nothing's changed since the Agatha Christie era, when the classic mystery formula got locked in
    53AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:55
    Manga, anime, and games keep churning out period pieces, so
    there's clearly latent demand for stories solved with swordfights
    The question is how to adapt that for modern (young) audiences
    56AnonymousOct 2, 2026 01:58
    Re: #53
    Oh, you're right!
    Not just Demon Slayer and Rurouni Kenshin — even Kingdom is basically a Chinese period drama
    65AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:06
    Japanese period dramas got saddled with the image of being something only old people watch, and that was the mistake.
    They should cast younger actors as leads and make lighter, breezier dramas instead.
    Like China or Korea do.
    Something like 'Nobunaga's Chef' would be fine.
    69AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:13
    Re: #65
    Something like 'Ikusagami' would be good
    87AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:30
    Re: #65
    Baby boomers are so flashy/youthful-minded they've convinced themselves they're not old enough to be watching period dramas, and as a result the culture's dying out

    But come on, Aibou, 'Woman of the Forensics Lab,' and Doctor X are basically the modern-day Abarenbo Shogun and Ooka Echizen anyway
    71AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:15
    If sets and costumes cost too much, why not just set the period drama in the present day
    Like, descendants of the 'Hissatsu' assassins taking out biker gangs with modern tools of the trade
    77AnonymousOct 2, 2026 02:20
    Re: #71
    Haha, 'Hangman' — now that's a blast from the past

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    Period dramas (jidaigeki) have long been flagship programming for NHK and Japan’s commercial networks, but in recent years long-running series like Mito Komon and Abarenbo Shogun have ended one after another, and even the productions continuing on BS satellite channels have been scaled back. Behind the thread’s complaints of “overacting” and “shallow performances” is the fact that art-department costs for sets, armor, and kimono remain high, even as the pool of actors skilled in swordplay and period mannerisms has thinned out. At the same time, as Demon Slayer, Ghost of Tsushima, and Kingdom show, demand for works built around samurai and warlord motifs remains alive and well both in Japan and abroad — suggesting the real problem may not be “period drama as a subject” but rather that “television period drama as a production format” has become locked into a high-cost, older-skewing model. The thread also drew a contrast with Chinese and Korean period dramas, which tend to favor younger leads and lighter, breezier productions.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Entertainment] Actor Ishiguro Ken voices concern over period dramas: “Might they die out?” — Says a period drama is still a genre he wants to appear in.”