Latest from Japan

In the national box office rankings for September 11–13, “Chiikawa the Movie: Secret of the Mermaid Island” held on to the No. 1 spot for a second straight week. Many were surprised it kept the top spot even in a week with no admission bonus items being handed out, while the newly opened “Look Back” didn’t climb as high as expected, prompting comparisons with the original manga and its earlier anime film. The other new release, “The Odyssey,” topped Chiikawa in average ticket price and has been taking the No. 1 spot in country after country overseas — including the U.S. and U.K. — yet still couldn’t beat Chiikawa in Japan, which also became a talking point.

September 14, 2026

The Top 10 national box office rankings for September 11–13 were released by Kogyo Tsushinsha, with “Chiikawa the Movie: Secret of the Mermaid Island” topping the chart for a second consecutive week.

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Source: natalie.mu / Original article here

*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[National Box Office Rankings] ‘Chiikawa the Movie’ Holds No. 1 in Attendance, Four New Releases Including ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Look Back’ Debut.”

During a live appearance on “5-ji ni Muchuu!”, Matsuko Deluxe declared herself firmly “Team Single-Ply” when it comes to toilet paper, explaining, “I don’t buy the expensive stuff — I buy the cheapest one there is.” The remark sparked a 5channel thread where opinions split over which is more economical and easier to wipe with, single-ply or double-ply. Some argued that if you fold it up, there’s no real difference either way; others insisted single-ply makes it easier to control how much you use and cuts down on waste, while still others countered that without double-ply, it just doesn’t feel like you’ve properly wiped. The discussion even branched into claims of a regional divide, with single-ply reportedly selling better in western Japan and double-ply in eastern Japan.

9/14 (Mon) 18:04

Matsuko Deluxe appeared live on TOKYO MX’s “5-ji ni Muchuu!” (weekdays at 5pm) on the 14th as the Monday commentator, and revealed that she’s on Team Single-Ply for toilet paper.

The show got lively over the topic of toilet paper. Matsuko insisted, “Me, I’m single-ply. Definitely single-ply,” before adding, “I don’t buy the expensive stuff either — I buy the cheapest one.”

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

※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Matsuko Says She’s Team Single-Ply Toilet Paper, and Her Reason Is Crystal Clear: “Double-Ply Just Doesn’t Feel Like You’ve Wiped”.”

It was announced on the 14th that “Chiikawa the Movie: The Mermaid Island Secret,” currently a smash hit, will hand out a 52-page “Secret Book” as its 5th admission bonus starting on the 19th, the first day of Silver Week. The booklet reportedly includes story illustrations that original creator Nagano drew while conceiving the “Siren arc,” letting readers see early concept details that had previously only been described in a long-form interview on the official website. On 5ch, reactions were largely upbeat — “I absolutely need this,” “how lavish” — but the thread also buzzed with gripes about the repeated bonus-item marketing, the film’s box-office numbers, and sold-out theater merchandise, so the excitement wasn’t limited to the bonus content alone.

Mon, Sep 14, 4:35 PM

It was announced on the 14th that “Chiikawa the Movie: The Mermaid Island Secret,” currently playing to smash-hit success, will distribute a lavish booklet called the “Secret Book” as its 5th admission bonus starting on the 19th, the first day of Silver Week.

The “Secret Book” bonus is a hefty limited-edition booklet running a full 52 pages. It includes the “story illustrations” that original creator and illustrator Nagano drew back when conceiving the “Siren arc,” offering a rare look at early concept art — material previously only described in a long-form interview on the official website, which revealed details such as “a character called ‘that girl’ was placed where the siren would have been” and “Hitoha and Futaba originally had faces and lines.”

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

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisoku Speed+) thread “‘Chiikawa the Movie’ Drops a Surprise 5th Admission Bonus for Silver Week! Net Erupts Over the ‘Secret Book’: ‘So Lavish’ / ‘I Absolutely Need This’.”

Former TBS announcer Risa Uchi revealed on X that she underwent ICL (implantable contact lens) surgery to correct her nearsightedness. She shared specific figures: her vision improved from 1.2–1.5 with contacts to about 2.0 after surgery, the procedure took 10 minutes, and it cost roughly ¥700,000.

On 5ch, commenters discussed how close the procedure is to cataract surgery, how it differs from LASIK, the classic jab that “ophthalmologists never get it done themselves and just wear glasses,” and whether it can still be adjusted once presbyopia sets in.

Nikkan Sports [September 14, 2026, 8:55 AM]

Former TBS announcer Risa Uchi (34) updated her X account by the 14th, revealing that she had undergone ICL surgery to have a lens implanted in her eye.

On the 12th, she posted a recent photo with the caption, “Had my ICL surgery exactly a week ago, and I’m back at work today… recovery’s going smoothly… and the world looks so clear.” In a follow-up post she added, “Since a lot of people seem interested in ICL, here’s a quick rundown: Vision went from 1.2–1.5 with contacts to about 2.0 after surgery. I’m extremely nearsighted, so ICL was basically my only option. It doesn’t hurt (though you do feel a pressing sensation on your eye). The surgery itself was over in 10 minutes. Cost was about ¥700,000. Can’t wash my face for 3 days, plus I have to use three kinds of eye drops every 2 hours while I’m awake. From day 4 on, baths and makeup are fine (except eye makeup). Eye makeup’s okay after a week. I got rid of my glasses and contacts. For choosing a hospital, I went mainly off recommendations from people I know — the doctor holds an Expert Instructor certification, something only about a dozen doctors in all of Japan have.”

Source: nikkansports.com / Read the original article here

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports Breaking+) thread “Former TBS Female Announcer Reports on Surgery Trending in Showbiz: ‘Done in 10 Minutes,’ ‘Doesn’t Hurt,’ ‘Cost About ¥700,000’.”