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  • “Pokoa” vs. “Palworld”: 5ch Sales Comparison Sparks a Fight — “It’s 8 Million Cumulative, FYI”

    A thread titled “Pokoa isn’t selling as well as Palworld” on the Hardware/Industry (“Geha”) board sparked a debate over the actual sales numbers. Pokoa’s cumulative sales were cited as “8 million units,” while opinions split on Palworld’s early-access peak — was it “15 million” or “18 million”? Someone also posted an image showing an all-time sales ranking, but since it didn’t match the official figure of 15 million, some replies called it a “fabricated ranking.” Whether to count from early access or only after full release also became a sticking point, since the two methods give very different totals.

    1AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:56
    For real?
    2AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:57
    Re: #1
    Wasn't Palworld's full-release sales actually behind Pokoa's?
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:58
    Re: #2
    Cumulative total's 8 million, for the record.
    9AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    That game whose beta peaked at 18 million is already old news at this point.
    61AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:39
    Re: #9
    Did it really get that high? I thought it was stuck at 15 million.
    12AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    The people bashing Palworld for being a day-one Xbox Game Pass title are exactly the kind of obstacle Re: #1 is — you can't just pretend that never happened.
    13AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    Re: #12
    I wasn't bashing it, though.
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:16
    It carved its name into the all-time game sales ranking. And that's not even counting Game Pass users, so the real number's probably even higher.
    41AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    Re: #38
    The official figure excluding Game Pass is 15 million — so what's this?
    63AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:40
    Re: #38
    Lmao, what a blatantly fabricated ranking.
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:22
    If it's only moving units on Steam and not selling at all on consoles, that's basically gloating ("horuhoru," smug self-congratulation) over numbers like "Mecha Chameleon" would.
    50AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:23
    Re: #45
    "Mecha Chameleon" flamed out way too fast — before the Switch 2 version was even announced, concurrent players had already dropped to just a few thousand.
    76AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:49
    Sorry, but speaking as someone who's always bought PC games — early access automatically counts as owning the full release. So why is everyone only counting sales after the full release? Stuff like this should be tallied as cumulative sales starting from early access.
    77AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:50
    Re: #76
    Then show us your Steam library?
    80AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:51
    Forget that, let's talk about the Financial Services Agency raiding Sony's offices instead.

    You know about it, right? It happened today.
    87AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:58
    Re: #80
    They saw that coming, which is why they've kept it walled off from the parent company. Sony's shareholders know Sony's in the wrong — they just don't care about anything but the money.
    89AnonymousSep 15, 2026 17:04
    Pokoa, at least sell half as much as Palworld, please…

    So we Nintendo fanboys ("ninshin," a pun on the slur "ninbuta") don't keep getting used as a bashing stick.
    91AnonymousSep 15, 2026 17:07
    Re: #89
    There shouldn't need to be a bashing stick in the first place — there's no other decent home console out there anyway.

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    For Steam early-access titles, publishers differ on whether to fold early-access sales into the total once a game exits early access, so figures like “15 million” and “18 million” can both end up circulating for the same title depending on when each was announced. On top of that, plays via Xbox Game Pass aren’t counted as purchases, which makes the thread’s claim that “actual sales must be higher” hard to verify from the outside. The all-time sales ranking image posted in the thread also didn’t match the official figures and had no clear source, so its accuracy couldn’t be confirmed either. Readers should note that the thread was dominated by the kind of partisan sniping typical of the Hardware/Industry board — terms like “Nishi” (a slur for Nintendo Switch fans), “buta” (“pig,” another Nintendo-fan slur), and “obstacle” got thrown around more than any real comparison of sales figures.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry, “Geha”) thread “[Basic Premise] Pokoa really isn’t selling anywhere near as well as Palworld, right? Why do Switch fanboys act so high and mighty about it?“

  • Komeo Speaks Out on Food Poisoning Compensation, Vows Response ‘By End of September’

    A food poisoning outbreak at the “Azabu-Juban Suzumi Matsuri” summer festival, held in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on August 22–23, has drawn fresh comment from “fighting chef” Komeo, who ran a food stall there. On the 14th, he posted an update on his official X account explaining where things stand with compensation, revealing that he’s changed the contact email address for inquiries and aims to sort things out “by the end of September.” On 5channel, users debated whether insurance would cover the payout and whether the slow response was deliberate, with some also bringing up his co-run restaurant ventures and people connected to him.

    9/15 (Tue) 15:13

    “Fighting chef” Komeo, known for numerous appearances in the fight event “BreakingDown,” updated his official X (formerly Twitter) account on the 14th, addressing compensation for the food poisoning outbreak at the “Azabu-Juban Suzumi Matsuri” festival in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on August 22–23.

    In the post, Komeo said, “We’ve confirmed that some emails are currently not being received properly,” and reported that he has changed the contact email address for compensation inquiries.

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

    2AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:21
    Eh, it's probably covered by insurance anyway
    5AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:26
    Re: #2
    Wonder if insurance even applies here
    Isn't grossly sloppy management usually grounds for the insurer to deny the claim?
    3AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:24
    So how do you plan on spending the long weekend?
    4AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:25
    I've eaten like a hundred million bowls
    My stomach remembers (riffing on an old instant-noodle ad catchphrase)
    7AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:26
    I don't buy that a guy like this can handle complaints properly — does he even have insurance?
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:27
    I think filing a civil suit sooner rather than later would be the smart move
    9AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    Wouldn't it be hilarious if he pulled a "Death Muffin" and went PayPay-only, charging a transfer fee on top (a jab referencing a past shady-refund scandal nicknamed "Death Muffin")
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    13AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    Yeah, this guy has no intention of paying
    18AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:37
    Re: #13
    Well, incidents like this always attract people trying to jump on the bandwagon
    And for someone who never went to a hospital and just recovered at home, there's no way to prove anything either way

    Same story as the Johnny's case (referring to the Johnny Kitagawa abuse-compensation claims, where some fraudulent claims were suspected)
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:33
    Breaking Down… Your Stomach! (a pun on BreakingDown, the fight event he's known for)
    16AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:35
    Health department: "Maybe he just didn't wash his hands after using the toilet"
    21AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    Re: #16
    If you work in food service,
    the bare minimum should be washing your hands
    17AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:37
    "We've confirmed that some emails are currently not being received properly"

    This isn't the Windows 95 era lol
    What, are you on a 56k modem or something? lol
    Totally a lie
    79AnonymousSep 15, 2026 17:19
    Re: #17
    This one's probably actually true — likely a DMARC issue. Blame the sending provider, not him.
    19AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:37
    Re: #1
    Forget the "targets," just arrest the guy already
    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    Horie and Mizogucchi should put up the prize money for it, Mikkun too (figures tied to running the BreakingDown fight event)
    And have the opponent come out wearing a crab mask
    It'd blow up, they'd make bank
    56AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:10
    Re: #20
    It'd be even more hype if he did it with diarrhea and puking
    22AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    There's no mention of anything like "retaining a representative" or "coordinating with the insurance company"
    25AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:41
    Medical costs, lost-wages compensation, damages for suffering
    That's the bare minimum — those three
    30AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:43
    Re: #25
    100,000 yen per person times 100 people is 1 million… wait, 10 million yen
    Well, guess he could manage that
    29AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:43
    So he's finally addressed compensation
    Thought he was just going to ghost everyone on this
    34AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    Re: #29
    He's probably setting up a crowdfunding campaign right about now
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:43
    If he wants to stay in the food business, the only way forward is to start his training over from zero

    Playing restaurant owner without any real training and causing a food poisoning outbreak — that's some serious world-doesn't-matter attitude
    32AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    Well, normally you'd have "Anshin Food-kun" liability insurance (a common insurance product for restaurants)
    So it's probably not coming out of his own pocket
    33AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    Guess he's still got the will to keep going lol
    36AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:46
    Re: #33
    Never thought I'd see someone other than Nikai-sensei get accused of that (a jab at veteran politician Toshihiro Nikai, often mocked for being out of touch)
    35AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    43AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:58
    First off, apologize under your real name
    You think the world doesn't matter or something?
    46AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:00
    Re: #43
    Demon Kogure really pulled that off, though (a Japanese rock musician who never breaks his demon stage persona)
    Stayed in character, kept the stage name,
    kept the backstory,
    never dropped the "wagahai" first-person pronoun
    and nobody ever called him out on it
    54AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:08
    He'll probably hand out free vouchers to the customers who got the runs
    63AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Re: #54
    He'll end up just like that natto shop (referencing a notorious natto-vendor scandal)

    Background and key points

    In the initial response to a food poisoning incident, organizers and vendors typically bear liability, but how much is covered by facility liability insurance and similar policies depends entirely on the contract terms — hard for outsiders to judge from the outside. Opinions on the thread split between those who saw Komeo’s slow response as “insincere” or “an attempt to dodge responsibility,” and those who saw it as “just handling each case carefully, one at a time.” As for his explanation that “some emails aren’t coming through,” some dismissed it as a flimsy excuse, while others pointed out it could genuinely be a technical glitch tied to DMARC settings on the sender’s email provider — the truth remains unconfirmed at this point. Komeo is known for competing in the fight event “BreakingDown” and also runs several food businesses, including a ramen shop in Asakusa, making this incident a test of his mettle as a business owner.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Komeo addresses food poisoning compensation: “It will take some time to respond… We sincerely apologize” / “By end of September”.”

  • Actress Asuka Takahashi Announces Marriage — Internet Reacts: “Who?”

    Asuka Takahashi (38), who works across acting, modeling, and comedy, announced on her social media on the 15th that she has married actor Shogo Maruyama. She added, “He’s someone who makes me feel completely at ease when I’m with him.” While the news itself is a typical celebrity marriage announcement, 5ch threads were dominated by one key reaction — “Who even are these two?” — sparking a lively discussion about name recognition. With long careers as stage actors but few TV appearances, the couple turned out to be a case where recognition varies sharply depending on people’s viewing habits.

    Tue, Sep 15, 2:50 PM

    Asuka Takahashi (38), active across acting, modeling, and comedy, announced on her social media on the 15th that she has married actor Shogo Maruyama.

    In a post titled “A Report,” Takahashi wrote, “I apologize for this personal matter, but I would like to report that I, Asuka Takahashi, have married Mr. Shogo Maruyama.”

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

    5AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:43
    Don't know either one.
    71AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:07
    Re: #5
    Don't know them either.
    7AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:43
    Don't make threads about random nobodies.
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    Ever since I stopped watching TV entirely, 'who and who?' stories just keep piling up.
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:53
    Re: #8
    Re: #12
    I watch a ton of dramas but I don't know either of them — even ran a face search and still never seen them.
    67AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:06
    Re: #8
    If you never watch TV at all, why are you even hanging around the entertainment board?
    12AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:45
    Guess it's because I haven't watched dramas lately, but I don't even recognize the actress's face.
    84AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:14
    Re: #12
    Both of these two seem to be stage actors, so I bet even people who watch a lot of TV dramas wouldn't know them.
    13AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:45
    Seriously? I liked Takaasu (a nickname for Takahashi Asuka), and now she's gone and married Marusho (a nickname for Maruyama Shogo).
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:46
    Re: #1
    W-w-w-w-who even is that?!
    15AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:46
    >Asuka Takahashi, active across acting, modeling, and comedy

    Comedian? Who?
    16AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:46
    Is today just a good day for marriage announcements or something?
    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:48
    Me, who watches 15 hours of TV a day
    Don't know either of them.
    22AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:50
    No idea who they are, but congrats! 🎉
    28AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:51
    Treating someone at Asuka Takahashi's level as a nobody is a bit of a stretch.
    36AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:53
    I barely know the guy — he played the sushi chef (or cook, something like that) in Code Blue 3 whose dominant hand got permanently injured, and he ends up hooking up with Erika Toda.
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:56
    Feels like there are way too many self-proclaimed 'actors' lately.

    Re: #36
    I can't picture his face at all. Impressive that you remember it lol
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:54
    No idea who either of them is. Even looking at their photos, I've never seen them before. This is basically just some random person.
    42AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:55
    Ah, so he's one of those 'supporting actor' types?
    43AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:56
    A couple with total 'never quite made it' energy. Congrats, whoever you are lol
    49AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:57
    I watch a ton of TV and love comedy, but — who and who? Googled the woman and it looks like she's mainly a stage actress. For the guy, there's someone else with the same name written differently, but he doesn't even have a Wikipedia page lol. Is he just some regular guy?
    50AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:58
    About as famous as I am, lol. Why even announce it on social media? Anyone who'd actually want to know probably already heard directly, right? If people only find out via social media, it just reveals you're seen as nothing more than a casual acquaintance.
    51AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    Even the person who made this thread kind of seems to be waiting for someone to explain who they are. Brutal lol
    52AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    Can't even find the guy's age by Googling him lol
    55AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:00
    Checked Instagram — the woman has 2,252 followers, and the guy only has 497. That's fewer than your average random person.
    61AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:02
    Re: #1
    Only listing the woman's age seemed messed up, and turns out that's how the source article does it too. Just write 'Shogo Maruyama (43)' too! This is Sponichi Annex, basically the Mainichi Shimbun — and they still lecture people about gender with a straight face.
    63AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:02
    Who is she? Does she do comedy too?
    64AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:03
    By the way, I searched 'cute comedians' and got:
    #1 Ayano Fukuda
    #2 Miyuki Torii
    65AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:05
    Re: #31
    Her Wikipedia page has a ton of stage work listed, so she seems mainly stage-based. TV appearances look pretty sparse.
    68AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:07
    Turns out the mentalist's younger brother is actually Ryogo Matsumaru…
    72AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:08
    Everyone who's into theater knows them. Nobody who only watches TV does.
    82AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:12
    Re: #72
    Honestly, a YouTuber with a million subscribers might have more name recognition than that.
    73AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:08
    After Kaho, isn't this just way too much of a 'who?' case?
    76AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:08
    I saw something about a Kanjani Maruyama marriage and thought 'wait, is he really getting married?' but it turned out to be a completely different person.
    77AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:08
    Making a whole thread over a genuine 'who is that?' story is just nonsense.

    Background and Key Points

    Both Asuka Takahashi and Shogo Maruyama are primarily stage actors, with limited television exposure. Maruyama has appeared in dramas such as Code Blue 3, but while he’s known among theater fans, he’s less familiar to viewers whose main exposure is TV. The wave of “who?” reactions on 5ch reflects less the pair’s actual lack of fame than a gap between the celebrities the media covers and the celebrities general viewers actually encounter day to day. With more actors these days building careers mainly through stage work and streaming while rarely appearing on TV, similar “who?” reactions are likely to keep coming up. Some commenters also pointed out that news reports listed the woman’s age but not the man’s — worth noting as a comment on conventions in entertainment-news reporting.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Actress Asuka Takahashi (38) Announces Marriage to Actor Shogo Maruyama: ‘He’s Someone Who Makes Me Feel Completely at Ease’.”

  • Popular manga ‘NANA’ teams up with Godiva — 17 years into hiatus, Ai Yazawa draws new art

    Belgian luxury chocolate brand Godiva is teaming up with Ai Yazawa’s popular shojo manga NANA, releasing items like the “Chocolixer” drink at stores nationwide starting September 16. NANA began serialization in 2000 and has sold 48 million copies total, but it has been on hiatus since 2009 — now entering its 17th year. On 5channel’s Geinou/Sports News+ board, while some fans were happy to see new artwork drawn by Yazawa, many others said they’d rather see the series finished than get a collaboration, and the sheer length of the hiatus itself became the main topic of discussion.

    9/15 (Tue) 12:00

    Belgian luxury chocolate brand Godiva is collaborating with the popular shojo manga NANA. The brand’s signature “Chocolixer” drink and chocolates will go on sale at stores nationwide starting September 16.

    NANA (Shueisha) is a shojo manga by Ai Yazawa that began serialization in 2000. It has sold a cumulative 48 million copies and was even adapted into a live-action film and an anime. The manga has been on hiatus since 2009, but its popularity hasn’t faded — even now, “who’s your favorite NANA character?” debates still pop up regularly on social media.

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

    3AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:28
    Huh, so you're a Nana too (a famous line from the manga, spoken between the two heroines who share the name Nana)
    6AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:28
    Look, we're done with the collabs and the illustrations already — if you don't have it in you to keep drawing the manga, fine, turn it into a novel, but just finish NANA.
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:29
    Aren't they the ones who made that risqué chocolate?
    9AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:29
    Re: #1
    I think of whiskey and instant ramen
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:29
    I'm from the generation that stopped following her after Gokinjo Monogatari (´・ω・`) (another Ai Yazawa manga)
    11AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:29
    This was the first shojo manga I ever collected the whole set of
    12AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:30
    So she can still draw…
    Then why won't she finish it?
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    Re: #1
    Some percentage of the original readers are probably dead by now
    15AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    17 years on hiatus? She's clearly got zero intention of finishing it lol
    16AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:32
    Wasn't the hiatus because she got hit by a car?
    Guess she's mostly healed up by now
    33AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:39
    Re: #16
    That's Kyoko Okazaki you're thinking of (a different mangaka)
    18AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:33
    Times have changed so much it probably feels impossible to write now
    19AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:33
    If she's got time for collabs, she should be drawing the manga instead
    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:33
    I feel like the anime ended in a way that felt conclusive — was that an anime-original ending?
    22AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:34
    Thinking about it now, I guess both of them are kind of a 'Mii-chan,' huh
    23AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:34
    I'd crack up if the characters suddenly started using smartphones, like in Togashi's manga (Yoshihiro Togashi, Hunter x Hunter's famously slow-updating author)
    24AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:34
    Makes Togashi look like a saint in comparison — at least he gives us the occasional update, hiatuses and all
    25AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:34
    NAHA /(⁠°⁠o⁠°⁠)⁠\
    27AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:35
    Inazuma Tuesday (the theme song from the NANA anime)
    30AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:36
    Re: #27
    Great song
    That song alone is why this gets overrated
    29AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:36
    No matter how good a series is, mangaka who can't finish what they start deserve real criticism.
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    More than the romance or the dark side of the entertainment industry, what sticks with me is getting completely lost jumping between the future and the present
    43AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:49
    Re: #31
    Wait, is that really what it's about?
    32AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    I love Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (another early Ai Yazawa series)
    58AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:58
    Re: #32
    That romance-obsessed student council forcing everyone to pair up for the school festival was terrifying
    35AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:40
    She could just hand off the story outline to someone else to draw and wrap it up. Poor readers, honestly.
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:42
    My image of Vivienne Westwood changed a lot because of this manga
    39AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:44
    Huh, so you're a Nana too
    40AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:48
    This makes me think of the actress Nana Kinomi
    42AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:48
    Is there some kind of illness that makes you unable to draw anymore?
    44AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:49
    Isn't 'Hachi' the retort curry brand? (a pun on the character name Hachi)
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:50
    I want to read the rest of Itazura na Kiss (another famous manga left unfinished when its author passed away)
    46AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:50
    Godiva went from being luxury to just being expensive
    49AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:52
    Re: #46
    Ever since a Turkish company bought them out, they've been pumping out collabs nonstop and the brand's cachet has dropped
    55AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:54
    Why has Godiva fallen so far?
    57AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:57
    Re: #55
    I really wish they hadn't done convenience-store collabs for the Valentine's season
    62AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:59
    Are there no characters who actually died?
    70AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:05
    Re: #62
    She's a former band member who quit and debuted in a different band, so…

    Background and key points of this discussion

    NANA has been serialized in “Cookie” magazine since 2000 and has sold a cumulative 48 million copies, making it a major hit. It has been on hiatus since 2009 due to Ai Yazawa’s health issues, and no new chapters have appeared since. Some commenters in the thread mistakenly claimed she was recovering after being hit by a car — that actually refers to a different manga artist, Kyoko Okazaki, and the mix-up was quickly corrected. Godiva was founded in Belgium in 1926, but was acquired in 2007 by the major Turkish food conglomerate Yıldız Holding; the “the brand has gone downhill” sentiment tied to its recent flood of collaboration products stems from that change in ownership. The thread also included an incorrect claim that Godiva had become a Korean company, which this article excludes in favor of accurate information. Fan reactions were split between excitement over the new artwork and calls to finish the series instead of doing collaborations, bringing renewed attention to just how long the 17-year hiatus has been.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Popular manga “NANA” collaborates with Godiva! 17 years into hiatus… Ai Yazawa’s “new artwork” draws cries of “New art!!”“.

  • Air Self-Defense Force’s Global Hawk Drone Goes Missing Off Tottori — 5ch Reacts: ‘Each One Costs ¥11–20 Billion’

    On the afternoon of September 15, one of the Air Self-Defense Force’s Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance drones lost communication and went missing off the coast of Tottori Prefecture. The Self-Defense Forces are conducting a search, and the Japan Coast Guard reportedly confirmed what appears to be part of the aircraft in the waters near the site. On 5ch, threads buzzed with speculation about the cause of the crash or communication loss — theories ranged from poor maintenance, to hacking, to being shot down by a neighboring country. Many also questioned the aircraft’s design, which first flew in the 1990s, and its reported acquisition cost of ¥11–20 billion per unit.

    Sept 15 (Tue), 15:30 JST

    Kyodo News

    According to the Air Self-Defense Force, one of its Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance drones lost communication and went missing off the coast of Tottori Prefecture on the afternoon of the 15th. The Self-Defense Forces are conducting a search.

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

    119AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:15
    This thing flies over Japan all the time, you know — 10+ a day including US military aircraft. If a Yokota-based one 'aboned' (2ch slang for vanished/crashed) over Tokyo, it'd be a disaster. Kinda scary, no?
    145AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:16
    Re: #119 If something crashes, civilian planes cause way bigger disasters — those have gone down several times too. Wasn't there a woman in the Tama area who died in a house fire caused by one?
    165AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Re: #119 The US military doesn't even use these anymore though.
    170AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    America basically threw these out like 'we don't need this junk,' didn't it.
    182AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Re: #170 Yeah, because the second it gets hacked it's game over — totally useless.
    191AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:20
    Re: #170 And Japan got suckered into buying that junk for ¥30 billion a unit. This incident just proved how junky it really is.
    184AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:20
    Didn't Japan pay America something like ¥38 billion for this? And it's worse than a DJI drone — those come back on their own even when they lose signal. If it's off Tottori, it'd be South Korea, not China. Got hit again, huh?
    206AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    Re: #184 South Korea runs the same Global Hawk as Japan, so that's not it. Honestly, Global Hawks crash a lot — there's probably something wrong with the airframe itself.
    310AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:31
    Re: #184 The Global Hawk first flew back in the 1990s. Don't expect too much from it.
    205AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    This country is making me seriously anxious… We used to laugh at China and South Korea, but aren't we below them now?
    238AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:24
    Re: #205 We're in no position to laugh at South Korea anymore. Japan has declined at everything except entertainment — and even there we're way behind Korea and China.
    243AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:25
    Re: #205 We mocked China so hard for its road collapses, but now that they're happening all over Japan too, everyone's gone dead silent lol
    268AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:28
    If Japan ever fought China, we'd probably lose in a day lol
    292AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:30
    Re: #268 There's no way we could win. It'd be even more reckless than fighting America in the Pacific War. If we launched a Tomahawk, it'd probably get hacked and come flying straight back at us.
    315AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:32
    Sounds like something happened out at sea — Coast Guard confirms what appears to be part of the recon drone in the waters off Tottori Prefecture — NHK
    335AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:33
    Re: #315 Maybe the US military scattered fake debris or something.
    345AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:34
    Re: #315 Continued: while it wasn't during a training exercise, the specific purpose of the flight hasn't been disclosed.
    317AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:32
    Wait, is it true this bumbling country is trying to get nukes? It'll probably just end up blowing itself up.
    332AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:33
    Re: #317 It'll probably get hacked and self-destruct.
    342AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:34
    Re: #317 At least it wasn't stolen, I guess.
    350AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:34
    Alright everyone, place your bets!

    Odds on the cause of the ASDF Global Hawk crash:

    1.3x — Poor maintenance due to ASDF staff shortages
    2.0x — Defective unit America sold us
    10.0x — Shot down by South Korea
    15.0x — Shot down by China
    20.0x — Shot down by Russia
    80.0x — Shot down by North Korea
    365AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:36
    Re: #350 The operator probably wasn't familiar with the controls and made some unexpected setting mistake.
    402AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:39
    Re: #350 There's a real chance a setting error sent it into foreign territorial waters and it got shot down lol
    371AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:36
    🎰 Pachinko: just a game
    💻 Personal data: leaked daily
    🚀 Rockets: explode
    🚁 Helicopters: crash
    🛩 Planes: explode and burn
    📻 Drones: go missing

    Is this even a country?


    376AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:37
    This is a kindergartner's army where even the latest tanks blow themselves up.
    387AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:37
    Re: #376 Oh yeah, that happened — the tank ammo self-detonation incident. Blowing yourself up before the fight even starts is just pathetic.
    419AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:40
    Re: #376 That's not an army lol just a bunch of clowns lol
    389AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:37
    Re: #345 If it wasn't a training flight, what else could the purpose have been?
    409AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:39
    Re: #389 Monitoring North Korean ship-to-ship smuggling transfers, or keeping watch on Takeshima/Dokdo.
    431AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #389 Sorry to butt in, but the Coast Guard has also started using these for coastline patrols and already has them flying. Look up sometime — they're in the air more than you'd think.
    421AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:40
    Apparently each one costs ¥11 to 20 billion.
    428AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #421 That's insane. Seriously?
    435AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #421 Japan probably just got charged whatever price America felt like asking.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    The Global Hawk is a high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft made by US-based Northrop Grumman, which the Air Self-Defense Force introduced to strengthen maritime surveillance around areas like the Senkaku Islands. At this stage, the investigation has only just begun following the initial report of lost communication, and all the Japan Coast Guard has confirmed is “what appears to be part of the aircraft” — nothing has been officially determined as a crash or a shoot-down. Opinions in the thread split between those suspecting technical causes like poor maintenance or hacking, and those suspecting a shoot-down by a neighboring country, with the latter remaining unsubstantiated speculation. It’s also worth noting that while the US military has already been scaling back its own use of this aircraft, Japan acquired it at a high cost — so the comments questioning its cost-effectiveness aren’t just misinformation, but criticism grounded in the actual procurement price.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread “ASDF’s unmanned Global Hawk drone goes missing.”

  • Hideki Saijo’s Son Hits TV — 5ch: ‘The Spitting Image of His Dad in His Prime’

    Shinnosuke Kimoto (23) — the eldest son of the late singer Hideki Saijo, who died in 2018 at age 63, and who has since launched his own singing career — appeared on Nippon TV’s “Arikichi Zemi” for its popular “Gal Sone’s Gourmet Challenge” segment. Gal Sone was stunned by his sweet, princely looks, exclaiming he was “the spitting image of his dad in his younger days,” while Shin Sakagami reportedly said he was “an incredibly good singer” and Ariyoshi remarked that “his voice sounds just like his dad’s.” The reactions sparked a 5ch thread mixing nostalgic comments about his late father with more divided opinions on his looks and visual-kei-style image.

    September 14, 2026, 7:48 PM

    Nippon TV’s “Arikichi Zemi” aired on the 14th, featuring the son of a famous singer taking on the popular “Gal Sone’s Gourmet Challenge” segment.

    Shinnosuke Kimoto (23), the eldest son of Hideki Saijo — the Showa-era superstar singer who died in 2018 at age 63 — has begun following in his father’s footsteps as a singer. With his sweet, prince-like looks, Gal Sone was taken aback, asking, “Isn’t he the spitting image of his dad in his younger days?!”

    Source: news.livedoor.com / Read the original article here

    17AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:14
    There's no way Sone experienced Hideki Saijo's younger days in real time.
    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:14
    The old man himself
    52AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:22
    Re: #20
    Handsome, but he's kind of built like a gorilla, isn't he
    101AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #20
    Guess he's got that wild look… or more like, his hair volume is insane
    24AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:15
    Handsome, but his face just doesn't have that star quality.
    25AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:15
    Handsome, but he's a different type from his dad.
    Hideki was way wilder, and his legs were crazy long lol
    27AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:16
    Those House Vermont Curry commercials he did were so cool.
    32AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:16
    Doesn't look like him at all…
    33AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Who ever decided that time only moves forward into the future~ (a line from one of Hideki Saijo's songs)
    36AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Though it's frustrating… (another Saijo song lyric fragment)
    50AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    Re: #36
    Crazy About You
    Garandou (伽藍堂, "empty hall")
    Garandou (伽藍洞, same word, different kanji) — riffing on the title of Saijo's hit song "Galandou"
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    When I went to see the Kawazu cherry blossoms, Hideki Saijo was just casually drinking with the locals at an izakaya.
    He said something that made it sound like he actually lived in Kawazu.
    He seemed like an incredibly nice guy.
    59AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:23
    Re: #38
    In what way was he a nice guy? Give us the details (kwsk = shorthand for "kuwashiku," i.e. "in detail")
    61AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:23
    Isn't he awfully young to be Hideki Saijo's son?
    100AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #61
    Well, Hideki was already a massive star back when the second baby-boomer generation (born early '70s) were still kids, so honestly it wouldn't feel strange even if this were his grandson.
    76AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:30
    "Young Man" was originally a song by an American act (Village People's "Y.M.C.A."), but seeing Trump dance to it again at Republican rallies almost makes me think he must be a Hideki Saijo fan.
    80AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:31
    Re: #76
    The Japanese lyrics feel kind of silly – I wonder if they're actually a faithful translation?
    77AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:30
    Ryuhei Matsuda's voice sounds just like his dad's too. I guess eldest sons really do end up sounding like their fathers.
    111AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:45
    Re: #77
    No way they sound alike.
    You'd have to smoke enough cigarettes to get cancer by 40 to sound like that.
    94AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:39
    The original song that "Young Man" is based on, Y.M.C.A., is actually a song that pokes fun at gay men.
    102AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:41
    Re: #94
    Yeah, it was used as one of Trump's campaign rally songs.

    Background and Points of Discussion

    Hideki Saijo was a national superstar known for hits like “Young Man” and “Galandou,” who kept performing even after a 2011 stroke left him with lasting impairments, until his death in 2018 at age 63. His eldest son, Shinnosuke Kimoto, has begun his own singing career, and comparisons to his late father are hard to avoid whenever he appears in the media. The thread’s debate mainly centered on one question — does he actually resemble his father’s face? Some said his eyes and build were similar, while others argued he “lacks that star quality” or is simply “a different type” altogether. Note: this article excludes posts based on unverifiable rumors about the family’s background or lineage, since such claims cannot be fact-checked.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Hideki Saijo’s Son Appears on TV — Gal Sone: “Spitting Image of His Dad in His Younger Days,” Shin Sakagami: “Incredibly Good Singer,” Ariyoshi Also Says “Voice Sounds Just Like Him”.”

  • Actor Jiro Sato admits ‘I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been’ — diet vow and show plug spark mixed reactions

    Actor Jiro Sato (57) updated his X account on September 15, admitting to a change in his physique with the words “Right now, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life.” While the post rallied himself with “I’ve got to work hard on my diet,” it also doubled as a plug for his appearance on NHK’s “Rekishi Tantei” (History Detectives), airing the next day, the 16th. On 5ch, the post drew mixed reactions: some took it as simple weight-gain banter, while others, recalling past reports of social-media controversies involving him, questioned the timing of his return to activity and the real motive behind the show plug.

    Tue, 9/15, 1:56 PM

    Actor Jiro Sato (57) updated his X account on the 15th with a report on his physical condition.

    Sato confessed, “Right now, I’m the biggest I’ve ever been. In other words, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life.” While psyching himself up with “I’ve got to work hard on my diet,” he added, “Not that anyone cares about that personal update, but tomorrow’s Rekishi Tantei is ‘Tokyo: The Phantom World Heritage Site, the Tokugawa Family Mausoleum.’ We dig into a lost national treasure. Airs tomorrow, the 16th (Wednesday), at 10pm.”

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

    4AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:23
    Just a show plug to make it look like he's got work
    It's not actually a new job
    5AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:24
    Hasn't he been dropped from Rekishi Tantei (History Detectives) yet?
    28AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:32
    Re: #5
    He's unpleasant, just fire him — Hideki Takahashi, Yutaka Matsushige, or Kuniyoshi Matsumura would make a better host
    50AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:52
    Re: #5
    I want him dropped in next month's programming shakeup
    Replace him with Yo Oizumi
    7AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:25
    Is History Detectives the only show he's on now?
    What about promoting Bayside Shakedown ("Odoru")?
    9AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:25
    Occupation: history-show nodding uncle
    Oh wait, he's got a script, so I guess he's technically playing the 'chief' role lol
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:25
    He's got quite an appetite for someone supposedly in emotional shock — normally people lose weight from that
    29AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:33
    Re: #10
    Maybe it's the stress-eating type of thing
    Ugh, gotta hold back, hold back (not holding back at all)
    11AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:25
    Just watch — once the truth comes out, the tide will turn
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:26
    What was that whole 'I'm quitting social media' declaration about?
    This old man's attention-seeking is genuinely scary
    17AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:27
    Somebody tell him to never touch X again
    26AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:31
    Re: #17
    His agency and probably everyone around him have told him this, but he won't listen — that's how this guy ended up like this lol
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:35
    He should be grateful for the mercy of the head of the Tokugawa main family
    34AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:38
    Apparently his jaw has gotten bigger
    35AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:39
    Tossing in a little aside before the show promo, huh
    40AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:42
    This guy's surprisingly tall, isn't he?
    Has some real presence
    43AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:46
    'This will be the last one' → wasn't the last one
    'Ugh, gotta hold back' → not holding back at all
    This is a lie too lol
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:50
    Jiro-han, watch out you don't get a double chin from putting on weight
    Better massage that jaw good
    48AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:52
    People who are seriously quitting just delete their account suddenly, no announcement
    57AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:00
    Re: #48
    Right?
    Show promotion should just be handled by the show's official account
    51AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:53
    He's become a hard guy to cast
    He shouldn't be drawing attention to himself
    52AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:56
    Didn't this guy say he was quitting Twitter — or social media in general?
    53AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:57
    You can't trust this guy's declarations. He's the type who got warned about harassment and then barged into someone's dressing room anyway lol
    59AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:01
    He's still on X?
    Nobody could dare cast a guy this scary lol
    72AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:13
    Didn't he quit social media?
    Is he just back like nothing happened?
    78AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Re: #72
    'This will be my last post' probably just meant he'd stop posting about the whole mess with Fuji TV, right?

    Background and key points of this topic

    This year, Jiro Sato has repeatedly drawn attention for his social-media remarks amid reports of harassment toward a co-star and reports that Ai Hashimoto refused to work with him again. He’s also known for a past statement declaring a certain post would be his “last one,” so without that context it’s hard to see why this lighthearted mix of a diet confession and show plug drew so much reaction. Opinions in the thread split two ways: those who took it as simple weight-gain banter, and those who criticized the resumption of his social-media activity itself as “saying one thing and doing another” or as being purely for show promotion. It should be noted, for clarity beyond what the article itself states, that the only things Sato explicitly states in the post are his weight gain, his resolve to diet, and the announcement of his appearance on “Rekishi Tantei” airing the next day, the 16th — he does not directly address the past harassment allegations himself.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Actor Jiro Sato suddenly confesses: ‘Right now, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life… I’ve got to work hard on my diet’ — also announces TV appearance.”

  • Ramen Jiro Kameido Bans Photos of Chiikawa Creator’s Signed Art — 5ch Reacts: ‘Just Stop Displaying It Then’

    Ramen Jiro’s Kameido shop revealed via its official X account that while it isn’t technically banning photos of the signed art board by Chiikawa creator Nagano on display inside the store, it’s now asking customers to check with staff before snapping a picture — the result of a flood of customers taking unauthorized photos, some of whom hurled abuse at staff when asked to stop. The surge is tied to a wave of fans visiting specifically for the art board since the Chiikawa movie’s release. On 5ch, opinions split between those questioning the shop (“why display it at all if this is such a problem?”) and those questioning the new rule itself (“what’s wrong with snapping a photo without asking first?”).

    Tue, 9/15, 4:02 PM

    The official X (formerly Twitter) account for “Ramen Jiro Kameido” posted an update by the 15th explaining why photographing the signed illustration board by popular manga “Chiikawa” creator Nagano, on display in the shop, is completely off-limits.

    The shop’s official X account posted: “Thanks as always for your support. Lately, thanks to the Chiikawa movie, we’ve had a lot more Chiikawa fans stopping by — thank you! We’ve noticed a few posts saying people couldn’t find Nagano-sensei’s signed art board, so just so everyone knows: it’s up on the left, right as you walk in the entrance! Hope that helps.”

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

    2AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:12
    Just stop displaying it, then.
    23AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    Re: #2
    Exactly lol
    I want to know why you can't just take a photo without asking
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:23
    Signed art board brings in more customers
    ↓
    Photos allowed
    ↓
    Photos need permission
    ↓
    Photos banned


    What is this
    Like Re: #2 said, just stop displaying it
    7AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:15
    Isn't Chiikawa more of a Tonzan thing than a Jiro thing? (Tonzan is a Jiro-style ramen chain)
    17AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Re: #7
    It's Jiro because of the '郎' in the name
    in the parallel version it'd be Tonzan, the pig one
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:15
    Why do you need to give staff a heads-up just to take a photo of the art board?
    Jiro's rules are baffling
    60AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:35
    Re: #10
    The shop has full authority over what photography is allowed inside its own store
    If the shop sets a rule, you just have to follow it
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    If photos are allowed, making people check with staff every time is pointless
    It'd be way more efficient to just warn the people being disruptive with their photos as it happens
    15AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Then just don't display it, lol
    16AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Go sit at the counter without buying a meal ticket and demand they "just bring me the good stuff," like Momonga did (a streamer infamous for causing a scene at a Jiro shop)
    18AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Chiikawa fans making a trip to Jiro just to see this — that's dedication
    19AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:17
    Nobody's going to recognize what Nagano looks like
    Did he introduce himself?
    Now if it were Nagano the comedian, sure, everyone knows that face lol
    34AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    Re: #19
    When products or shops get named outright in things like books, permission gets sought first
    Jiro has history with Chiikawa too — they later did a promo tie-in with Chiikawa cosplay
    And since the movie features a Jiro-lookalike shop called "Shima Jiro," the art board got sent over because of that connection
    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    Sooner or later some shady reseller is going to make off with it
    21AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    No, no — just don't display it in the first place
    Stop pinning all the blame on customers
    22AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:18
    Is "Ramen Buta" in Chiikawa a thing because the creator is a diehard Jiro fan (a "jirorian")?
    24AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Don't display it in the shop, then — the shop's the one baiting customers in.
    25AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Re: #1
    If photos are allowed, why make people ask staff every single time
    26AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    Can Chiikawa fans actually go to a real Jiro and eat while following proper etiquette?
    Sounds like they'd get thrown out like Momonga did
    27AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:19
    This place has security camera footage inside just to stop people illegally parking on Kuramaebashi-dori right out front
    28AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:20
    Just tell me whether "Weekend" managed to finish off a whole bowl at Jiro
    30AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    It's probably just about people dragging it out, snapping tons of photos, and being a nuisance, but I guess plenty of people won't get it unless it's spelled out that plainly — not that I'd know
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    Used to go to the Kameido shop a lot back when the previous owner ran it
    32AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:21
    Go to Hustle Ramen a few doors down instead!
    39AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:24
    If someone stole this autograph and resold it…
    gulp (`・ω・´;)
    40AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:24
    How petty — and the ramen's not even good

    So basically: it's bad and it's petty (a play on "chii," meaning small/petty, from Chiikawa)
    44AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:26
    You can photograph MY Chiikawa all you want
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:27
    Why not just put it in a glass display case?
    46AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:28
    Why even keep something you're not allowed to photograph on display in the shop?
    47AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:29
    If you're going all the way to a full photo ban, might as well just stop displaying it
    51AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:31
    When people take photos, they get glued to their phone screen, bump into other customers, or end up trouble because someone got caught in the shot — so they're asking people to give staff a heads-up to avoid that.
    And since even that's too much for people, now it's a full photo ban.
    53AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:32
    If a bunch of giddy, badly-behaved people show up every single day just to snap a photo and leave, I'd get sick of it too
    56AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:34
    Anything posted up inside a Jiro shop is going to be sticky and greasy in no time, right?
    57AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:34
    Re: #1
    Either way, it's the shop's right, so fine, but
    > 'Please let staff know before taking a photo'
    I don't get the reasoning behind this one
    Isn't posting something like this exactly what gets them cursed out?
    What's actually wrong with someone taking a photo without asking first?
    64AnonymousSep 15, 2026 16:37
    Re: #57
    Sounds like it's because some people were photographing the staff too

    Background and Points of Debate

    The backdrop is a surge of Chiikawa fans visiting after the movie’s release, temporarily driving up the number of customers coming specifically for the signed art board. Nagano has a history with Jiro, including a past promotional tie-in featuring Chiikawa cosplay, and reportedly sent the art board because of a connection to “Shima Jiro,” a Jiro-styled shop that appears in the movie. Where the thread split was over what the shop’s announcement actually meant — whether photography itself was banned, or whether the new policy was simply to check with staff first. The notice leans toward the latter, but the “photo ban” framing in headlines left many asking “why does checking first even matter?” As for the reasoning behind requiring a heads-up, some in the thread suggested it’s meant to prevent trouble like staff or other customers ending up in photos accidentally — making it less a blanket crackdown and more a customer-service precaution. At the same time, opinions split between blaming the shop for displaying the art board in the first place and blaming the customers who took unauthorized photos or lashed out verbally, leaving the question of where the real fault lies unresolved.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Ramen Jiro Kameido announces signed art board by ‘Chiikawa’ creator is completely off-limits for photos: ‘Way too many people just take photos without asking… some even curse us out’.”

  • White of Left Eye Swells Up Puffy — 5ch: ‘Go to the Eye Doctor Right Now’

    A post appeared on 5ch’s Everything Live (Nanidemo Jikkyo) board reporting that the white part of the poster’s left eye had puffed up a few millimeters into a squishy bulge. The poster attached photos to describe the symptom but kept insisting they couldn’t go to an eye doctor because of an upcoming night shift. Other users speculated it might be “conjunctival edema” and argued that if it were an infection it could worsen within hours, so the poster should see a doctor immediately — while others suggested it would likely clear up on its own if left alone. The thread split over whether work or a medical visit should come first.

    1AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:06
    Something's off — there's a clear, squishy bulge next to my iris, on the left side
    3AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:07
    Hard to tell in a photo, but it's swollen a few mm more than usual
    7AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:08
    You're just making it worse by stressing over it
    Either way, get it looked at by a doctor first
    14AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:11
    Re: #7
    Can't go to the doctor
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:08
    Re: #6
    What are you gonna do if you go blind over this? Take the day off
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:09
    Re: #8
    Can't
    No paid leave left
    12AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:10
    Re: #10
    Just no-show work and go to the doctor already…
    13AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:11
    Re: #12
    What if the doctor just says 'leave it alone, it'll heal'? Then what?
    17AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:13
    This turned up from the bottom of my bag, can I trust it?
    27AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:15
    Rohto's antibacterial eye drops with dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (an anti-inflammatory ingredient) are good!
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:16
    Re: #27
    No way that's happening
    28AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:15
    What's the point of making this thread? If you have time for that, hurry up and go to the eye doctor
    35AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:16
    Re: #28
    I told you, I can't go, idiot
    33AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:16
    Go to the eye doctor right now
    With eyes, things can become irreversible
    If it turns out to be nothing, fine, that's fine too
    36AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:17
    Re: #33
    Like I said, I've got work starting tonight
    42AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:19
    Re: #36
    If your shift starts tonight, not right now, you can obviously go now — what are you even saying
    47AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:19
    Re: #36
    Doesn't matter
    Eye problems can progress incredibly fast by nature
    Worst case, leaving it today is what makes it too late
    This is seriously a matter of minutes
    If nothing comes of it, fine, that's fine too
    34AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:16
    Poor thing, has monolids and might go blind on top of it
    38AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:17
    Re: #34
    Actually it's hooded 'double' eyelids (oku-futae), no?
    49AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:20
    Re: #47
    Even if I could go to the eye doctor, the earliest would be Saturday morning
    55AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:21
    Re: #49
    Go right now
    It's not a big deal
    Mostly you'll just be waiting because it's crowded
    The doctor can tell what's going on the second they look under the microscope
    It's over in about a minute
    52AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:21
    For something like cold symptoms you could maybe trust an AI, but with eyes you really need someone to actually look at it
    54AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:21
    Re: #52
    That's why I'm having you guys look at it, right?
    53AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:21
    Isn't this just conjunctival edema? Come on
    76AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:27
    Re: #53
    Yeah, looks like that
    Apparently it goes down on its own if you just rest
    Good for you
    79AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:28
    Re: #76
    This is really it, right?
    I'm not wrong, am I?
    80AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:28
    Re: #76
    Yeah, yeah, exactly this! No need to go to the hospital! Just leave it and you'll go blind just fine, no problem at all. Going would just be a waste of money
    59AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:22
    Can you tell how puffy the white of my eye is?
    66AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:24
    Re: #59
    That blemish gives off serious 'pushing 40' vibes
    61AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:23
    Re: #55
    Time to get to the eye doctor, time waiting for the exam, and money
    69AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:25
    Re: #61
    The scariest case is an infection
    If that's what it is, it'll spread deep into the eye while you're off at work
    = it becomes too late
    The only way to rule out the worst case is to go to the hospital right now
    67AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:25
    This
    89AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:31
    Anyway, if it's conjunctival edema it apparently clears up in a day, so it's fine to just wait it out here, right?
    91AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:34
    Re: #89
    How should I know
    Do whatever you want, it's on you
    97AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:36
    Re: #89
    This is exactly why you don't gamble with eyes
    Because even if you ignore it and nothing happens, all that does is teach you a 'successful' habit of ignoring things that could eventually kill you
    Someone who ignores eye problems will absolutely ignore other important things too
    96AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:36
    It's gotten to the point where the squishy bulge in the white of my eye shows even when I close my eyes
    98AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:37
    Re: #96
    Whoa, you're back!
    Seriously? Did it clear up fast? Did you go to the hospital?
    99AnonymousSep 15, 2026 10:38
    Re: #96
    What did you do to end up like that?
    I just vacuumed and rubbed my eye
    Can't think of anything else

    Background and Points of Debate

    Eye symptoms are notoriously hard to gauge for how fast they might progress, and photos alone can’t tell you whether something will resolve on its own or rapidly worsen from infection. Conjunctival edema (swelling of the conjunctiva) is often triggered by rubbing or allergies and tends to clear up naturally in most cases, but the difficulty of judging severity from appearance alone is what fueled the confusion in this thread. Users split between the original poster, who wanted to settle things with photo diagnoses online, and those insisting an actual visit to an eye doctor was necessary. The poster’s decision to put off medical care because of work also raised a broader question in the background: whether prioritizing your job over your health is really the right call.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Everything Live board) thread “[Bad News] My Left Eye Is Screwed…“.

  • IGN Reviewer Reportedly Fired After Giving Wolverine a Low Score — Other Outlets Scored It the Same

    After IGN gave Sony’s exclusive title Marvel’s Wolverine a review score of around 60 out of 100, word spread on X (formerly Twitter) that the outlet’s publishing contract had subsequently been terminated — and the news made waves on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry (Geha) board too. The timing is notable, since reports of major layoffs are also circulating at IGN, and plenty of posts are linking the two events together. While some in the thread suspect “Sony pressure,” others point out that other major outlets like VGC, GameSpot, and Eurogamer gave nearly identical scores around 60, splitting opinion on whether the score can really be called “unfairly low.”

    [Great News] Sony’s Wolverine Is So Considerately Designed You Can Beat It Just by Mashing the Square Button!

    328 Anonymous 2026/09/15 (Tue) 13:38:55.12 ID:WWQ1uAWU0

    Plot twist incoming

    Source: jp.ign.com / Original article here

    4AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:08
    Just shut up and give it a 10
    This isn't a game
    8AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:10
    So giving it a low score means losing sponsors, huh?
    12AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:11
    Re: #8
    Probably because they were getting paid by Sony
    10AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:10
    Getting fired for calling a trash game trash

    They're basically admitting themselves that "no outlet does honest reviews" — hilarious (lol)
    11AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:11
    So there really is Sony pressure after all
    Fired just for giving a low score! (lol)
    13AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:13
    Sounds like Sony was paying out serious sponsorship money and it got cut off because of you — something like that, maybe
    18AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:19
    Predator 5
    Mario Golf 6
    Call of Duty 7

    20AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:20
    Metascore reviews keep turning into Famitsu reviews (the Japanese mag famous for giving nearly every game a high score) — there's no stopping it
    23AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:21
    Re: #20
    Same goes for Game of the Year
    29AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:30
    Gaming media is done for
    The moment you have a relationship with a publisher, you can't say anything bad about them
    It just raises the question of what these outlets even exist for, and what right they have to write Metascore reviews at all

    So yeah, it's over. Over.
    31AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:31
    Re: #29
    Everything goes to hell the moment Sony gets involved
    Even GOTY got wrecked once Sony started meddling in it
    40AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:37
    Re: #29
    It's not even recent — it's been like this since the "favor era" (when outlets got cozy with publishers)
    No wonder people think it's basically worthless
    33AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:33
    😡
    37AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:35
    Re: #33
    The power of the Geha board is no joke (lol)
    41AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:37
    Turns out it was a "Nishikun" (5ch slang for a rabid Nintendo fanboy)
    45AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:38
    Re: #41
    All that happened is someone stated a fact and got nitpicked by people like you, lol
    That's just an everyday thing on the Geha board
    48AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:41
    Re: #41
    Branding someone a "Nishikun" just because they gave a low score is pretty harsh
    52AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:43
    Honestly, the entire game industry worldwide has rotted through

    All because nobody's cutting out the source of the stench fast enough
    56AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:45
    Re: #52
    We're with Sony, you know that right?

    Team up with an insurance company and get swindled out of 50 million yen
    63AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:51
    Re: #52
    Back in the Showa era, when magazines like Famimaga were everywhere, you could say whatever you wanted and it was all fun content
    But once the "favor era" hit and outlets like Dengeki and Famitsu grew powerful, things changed…
    Maybe the industry lost something the moment Square's FF7 kicked off Sony's entry into the console business
    68AnonymousSep 15, 2026 14:55
    What's the source for the reviewer actually being fired?
    71AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:00
    Re: #68
    Sony reportedly halted IGN's publishing deal because the magazine gave PlayStation's first-party title Marvel's Wolverine an extremely low score
    https://x.com/nyc_prophet/status/2099604744515825750

    By the way, IGN is in the middle of layoffs right now
    https://krsw.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/ghard/1789440170/l50
    73AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:02
    Wait, does Sony actually run IGN or something?
    83AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:12
    Re: #73
    IGN was bought out by Ziff Davis, which used to publish the Official PlayStation Magazine
    so Ziff Davis controls IGN's personnel decisions and even has it handling sales on its behalf

    https://www.ign.com/games/official-playstation-magazine-vol-1
    87AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:20
    Re: #73
    They're a completely separate company
    98AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:32
    The whole culture of posting reviews before a game even launches is sketchy too
    103AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:39
    Re: #98
    Well, playing it before launch and writing about it is literally the job
    Honestly, now that social media is this widespread, it'd probably be fairer to run it more like a closed beta — either recruit a broad pool of reviewers or hand out copies at random and have them review it
    105AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:40
    Re: #102
    Plenty of outlets besides IGN also scored it around 60, yet there are morons out there seriously calling it "unfair"
    Really makes you feel how far the game industry has fallen
    119AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:50
    Re: #105
    If you paid a performer to appear on a home-shopping show or ad video and had them taste-test something,
    would they ever say "ugh, this is gross, I guess it's average"? No — they'd just read off the caption and go "mmm, delicious!"
    121AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:51
    Re: #119
    That's fine if it's that kind of show, but if it's not, isn't that just stealth marketing?
    It'd be fine if IGN's review was labeled "PR" or "sponsored," but…
    122AnonymousSep 15, 2026 15:52
    Re: #119
    What's even the point of that? Lmaooo
    You're denying the entire point of Metascore reviews — that's some seriously toxic logic

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    Game review scores are said to feed into sales performance and sequel decisions via aggregator sites, and suspicions that advertising and promotional ties with publishers influence those scores have long persisted. The primary source for this story is an individual post on X, with no official statement confirmed from IGN or its parent company — as of this thread, there’s no verified causal link between the reviewer’s treatment, the reported halt in publishing, and the ongoing layoffs. Within the thread, some voiced suspicion of a capital relationship, noting that IGN’s parent company once published Sony’s official “Official PlayStation Magazine,” while others insisted the two are “completely separate companies” — this point remains unresolved. A premise readers can easily get wrong is that “IGN alone gave an unfairly low score,” but in reality most major outlets lined up with similar scores, so the evaluation of the review’s content itself and the truth behind the firing controversy need to be considered separately.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch Hardware/Industry (Geha) board thread “[Sad News] IGN Reviewer Reportedly Fired for Giving Wolverine an “Unfairly” Low Score.”