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Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
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Final “Takumi-kun” movie opens this summer
Posted on April 26, 2011 by tokyograph
The popular “Takumi-kun” BL movie series announced its fifth film at the end of last month. Titled “Ano, Hareta Aozora,” it will be the finale of the story between the main characters Takumi and Gii, played by Hamao Kyosuke and Watanabe Daisuke, respectively.
The “Takumi-kun” movies are based on the light novel series by Goto Shinobu, which has sold more than 4 million copies total. The first film “Soshite Harukaze ni Sasayaite” was released in 2007 with Yanagishita Tomo and Kato Keisuke as the leads, but since the second film “Nijiiro no Garasu” in 2009, Hamao and Watanabe have played the roles of Takumi and Gii.
Other returning cast members are Takiguchi Yukihiro, Baba Ryoma, and Naito Taiki, while Takasaki Shota is making his first appearance in the series. Director Yokoi Takeshi is once again behind the camera.
Theatrical release is scheduled for this summer.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yukina Kinoshita announces end of blog
Thursday 28th April, 05:12 AM JST
TOKYO —
TV personality Yukina Kinoshita, 23, announced on April 25 that she is to close her popular blog. Kinoshita had been blogging about everyday life since Jan 21 this year on a web page titled “Cinderella Story.”
It is believed that Kinoshita plans to continue to update a weblog that is accessible only to paying fan club members. In a blog post titled “To Everyone,” Kinoshita announced the end of her public blog and uploaded two pictures of herself alongside her comedian husband Toshifumi Fujimoto, 40, half of comedy duo Fujiwara, to whom she was married in February of this year.
In response to fan comments asking her to continue, she replied, “I always planned to blog for a limited period and I have written with that in mind, so I will be quitting.” When another commenter accused her of failing to satisfy her fans, she replied, “I’m sorry and I’m very grateful to my fans.”
She left her readers with the message, “Being nice is the most important thing. Take care not to hurt anyone, even if you think you are not doing so.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Mizutani Yutaka gets solo starring role in “Itoshi no Zashiki Warashi”
Posted on April 27, 2011 by tokyograph
Actor Mizutani Yutaka (58) will take on his first solo starring movie role in nearly three decades. He has been cast in “Itoshi no Zashiki Warashi,” directed by the same Izumi Seiji who handles Mizutani’s popular television series “Aibou.” However, his character in this movie is very different from the detective he plays on that show.
Mizutani co-starred in the recent “Aibou” movies, but his last lead role by himself on the big screen was in the 1983 movie “Nogare no Machi.”
“Itoshi no Zashiki Warashi” is based on a novel of the same name by Ogiwara Hiroshi which was nominated for the Naoki Prize in 2008. Mizutani plays a man named Takahashi who works as an assistant chief for a major foodstuff maker, but he gets transferred to a rural branch and has to move his family to a 200-year-old house in the countryside of Iwate. With no real place to fit in either at work or at home, things are falling apart in the Takahashi household – consisting of a dissatisfied wife, a daughter who secretly worries about friendship problems, an inquisitive but overprotected son, and a mother suspected to be suffering from dementia. However, an encounter with a “zashiki-warashi” (a type of yokai, or spirit) leads them towards regaining the family bonds they once had.
The movie will be shot between June and July, but it is not scheduled for release until Golden Week in early May of next year.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Charts: Kanjani8, Oda Kazumasa, Hamasaki Ayumi
Posted on April 27, 2011 by tokyograph
Kanjani8’s 16th single, “T.W.L / Yellow Pansy Street,” topped the rankings this week with almost 201,000 copies sold. This is now their 11th number-one single, and their 3rd in a row.
Kanjani8 – T.W.L / Yellow Pansy Street – 200,816
F.T Island – SATISFACTION – 34,163
SCANDAL – Haruka – 21,974
B'z – Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo – 19,235
SUPER?GiRLS – Ganbatte Seishun – 13,552
KARA – Jet Coaster Love – 12,349
Mizuki Nana – SCARLET KNIGHT – 10,691
Hikawa Kiyoshi – Ano Ko to Nogiku to Watashibune – 9,392
Mizuki Nana – POP MASTER – 8,921
Maximum the Hormone – Greatest the Hits 2011-2011 – 7,802
Meanwhile, Oda Kazumasa captured two new records with his new album “Doumo,” which became his 5th consecutive number-one. Counting his time with the band Off Course, Oda has topped the charts with a career of 41 years and 1 month under his belt, surpassing Michael Jackson’s 40 years at the time of “This Is It” in 2009. He is now also the oldest artist to have a #1 (in either singles or albums) at 63 years and 7 months, beating Akimoto Junko’s 61 years and 7 months, also set in 2009.
Another impressive achievement came from Hamasaki Ayumi, who simultaneously released 4 remix albums, a box set for the albums, and 2 music DVDs last week. Those remix albums all made the top 10 for the week, becoming the first ever artist to place four new albums in the top 10. Previously, TM NETWORK, L'Arc~en~Ciel, and Yazawa Eikichi were tied for the record at three apiece.
Oda Kazumasa – Doumo – 81,088
T.M.Revolution – CLOUD NINE – 48,301
Various Artists – Songs For Japan – 19,279
Hamasaki Ayumi – ayu-mi-x 7 presents ayu-ro mix 4 – 14,585
Hamasaki Ayumi – ayu-mi-x 7 -version Acoustic Orchestra- – 14,360
Hamasaki Ayumi – ayu-mi-x 7 presents ayu trance 4 – 14,262
Hamasaki Ayumi – ayu-mi-x 7 -version HOUSE- – 14,234
Takahashi Yu – Realtime Singer Songwriter – 13,349
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light – 13,085
Dream Morning Musume – DoriMusu 1 – 10,151
Hamasaki’s two DVDs also ranked #1 and #2 on the music DVD charts, followed by Hikaru Utada’s “WILD LIFE” concert DVD. In the domestic film DVD charts, AKB48’s documentary movie ranked #1.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Tokuyama Hidenori weighs in for boxing manga adaptation “Thanatos”
Posted on April 27, 2011 by tokyograph
Actor Tokuyama Hidenori (29) is stepping into the ring for a movie adaptation of the boxing manga “Thanatos: Mushikera no Kobushi.” The manga, which ran in Shogakukan’s Weekly Young Sunday from 2007 until the magazine’s end in 2008, has been collected into 8 volumes that have had over 600,000 copies printed.
The manga was illustrated by Ochiai Yusuke with a story drafted by former WBA middleweight champion Takehara Shinji. It tells of a young man named Riku who ekes out a living as support in a gang’s fights. One day, he meets his match in the form of a gifted young boxer, leading Riku to also pursue a life in boxing and eventually overcome his painful past.
The press was present at the filming of the climactic fight scene in the ring. Tokuyama showed off his boxing skills, which he partially developed during his high school years. Takehara also attended, presenting a perfect photo op for the two of them.
Riku’s rival is being played by Sato Yuki (“Kamen Rider Kabuto”). Other cast members include Taira Airi, Masu Takeshi, Umezawa Tomio, and Shibukawa Kiyohiko. Former boxers Guts Ishimatsu, Wajima Koichi, Leopard Tamakuma, and others will make guest appearances.
Jojo Hideo is directing the movie, which is planned for release this fall.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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27th “SASUKE” to invade U.S. prime time
Posted on April 27, 2011 by tokyograph
U.S. television network NBC is planning to broadcast the popular TBS sports variety program “SASUKE” in a prime time slot this fall. This is said to be the first time that one of the four major U.S. broadcast television networks will air a live-action show from Japan.
“SASUKE” started in 1997 and has become known for pitting contestants against an extremely challenging obstacle course. The show has been broadcast in some form in 153 countries worldwide.
The cable channel G4 brought it to the United States under the name “Ninja Warrior,” and the remake called “American Ninja Warrior” is one of the channel’s highest rated shows. NBC, in an apparent partnership with G4, will broadcast the 27th “SASUKE” competition as the climax of the third season of “American Ninja Warrior,” which is scheduled to start this August. NBC has not yet announced a date for its broadcast.
It has also been announced that G4 and TBS are collaborating for a disaster relief project that will raise funds to be donated to the Red Cross. From April 29 to May 1, they plan to broadcast “Ninja Warrior Japan Relief,” a 50-hour-plus marathon that will be encouraging donations and running a charity auction.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Battles debuts new disc at Tokyo’s first big post-quake festival
By Dan Grunebaum
TOKYO —
The trip to Tokyo to play SonarSound was momentous in more ways than one for leftfield New York rock group Battles. “It was our first time on stage as a trio, so it was kind of an uncomfortable leap to begin with getting ready for these shows, and then throw a nuclear disaster on top…” explains guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams in a post-show interview.
Founded in New York as a quartet in 2002, the band had recently suffered the defection of member Tyondai Braxton midway through the recording of their second album. “This was our debut as a three-piece, which connects back to our debut in Japan in 2004,” Williams continues. “Japan is symbolic for us because in some ways we actually started here. We didn’t have a record out yet when somebody offered us the chance to tour Japan. That was our first tour, and when we started to find ourselves musically.”
The risk of possibly subjecting themselves to nuclear fallout was preceded by the trauma of losing Braxton, who left the band last summer during the sessions for the album that eventually became “Gloss Drop.”
“He was having a hard time finding the inspiration for making the music on this record,” Williams says, adding to the band’s official statement that Braxton’s solo career was clashing with Battles’ plans to tour the new album. Many of the tracks were almost done, and prominently featured Braxton’s vocals. The remaining trio of Williams, fellow guitarist/programmer Dave Konopka and drummer John Stanier had to make a quick decision as to what to do.
“The idea of bringing on someone new occurred to us when Ty left midway through the recording,” Williams admits. “We were stuck and thought of getting somebody else, but you can’t rush that process and we were on deadline. So it became just a lot easier to finish it ourselves.”
Instead, Battles stripped Braxton’s contributions from the tracks, and brought in guest vocalists. Among others, synth-pop pioneer Gary Numan lends his high-tension vocals to the industrial grade “My Machines” and Japan’s own noise-rock icon, Boredoms frontman Yamantaka Eye expostulates, shouts and babbles on the dubby “Sundome.”
Without Braxton’s more avant-garde leanings, “Gloss Drop” is a more accessible, in some ways plainer and less stridently progressive outing than their 2007 debut “Mirrored.” “I’m a self-taught musician, and the ethos I learned in high-school via punk rock was the idea that if you could play two chords you could make a good song,” Williams says.
“It’s something that I still hold onto, even though at this point I can barely keep my complicated musical apparatus together,” he goes on. “It’s just that it kept growing. You can take those two chords and improvise and build very elaborate structures and multilayered songs. As long as I can still do it in my own crazy way, and have a license to do that, then I should do it, and hopefully it’s an expression of true beauty and genuineness.”
The thousands-strong crowd at Sonar hadn’t heard “Gloss Drop,” which will be the subject of much indie-rock chin stroking when it comes out this week.
But the songs were hypnotizing and fans were simply grateful that Battles had visited so soon after the quake. They loved it, and the feeling was mutual. “A week before we came we sort of decided we weren’t going to come,” Williams recalls. “But the promoter was like, ‘You’ve got to do this for the Japanese people—they need a show, and all these people are canceling concerts.’ So we were like, ‘Well, alright.’”
“I’m glad we did it,” he concludes. “It seems like the entertainment community is shutting down and hurting, and maybe the fact that this festival got to go on will open the gates a bit, and I hope promoters start to do events again. People need something. You can’t just sit at home and watch the news all day.”
Fuji Rock Festival ‘11
Coldplay, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Battles and many others. July 29-31, 9 a.m., 16,800 yen (one-day pass)/39,800 yen (three-day pass). Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata. Tel: Smash 03-3444-6751. www.smash-uk.com/frf11
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Ai Tominaga not talking about remarriage yet
Friday 29th April, 05:30 AM JST
TOKYO —
Model Ai Tominaga, 28, attended an opening event for fashion store Shel’tter in Shibuya this year. Journalists were more interested in the man she was seen dating in January of this year. “It’s going well,” said Tominaga, who has been divorced since 2009.
On the subject of remarriage, she said: “We haven’t spoken about that yet.” Tominaga, who has one child by her ex-husband, said she would “perhaps like to have two more kids.”
Tominaga was joined at the fashion event by singer Thelma Aoyama and model Hitomi Nishina.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Ballerina thanks Russians for support to Japan's quake victims
Saturday 30th April, 04:04 AM JST
MOSCOW —
A charity concert to support the victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit northeastern Japan last month was held Friday at a national theater in Moscow.
Yukari Saito, a prima ballerina with Tokyo Ballet who also performs in Russia, thanked the Russian people for their support to the quake victims, receiving rapturous applause.
Speaking in Russian, Saito said mutual understanding, not the disaster, is connecting the two nations. She then read a message from Fumiko Hayashi, mayor of her native Yokohama, that said Japan is facing an unprecedented difficulty but will surely rise again with their support.
The concert, organized by the Russian Culture Ministry and others, featured performances by the theater’s singers and actors as well as by Russian violinists. Proceeds from the event will be sent to Japan to aid the disaster victims.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Yoshiki's piano sells for Y11 million
Saturday 30th April, 05:25 AM JST
TOKYO —
The bidding on the piano formerly owned by Yoshiki, leader of the popular rock band X Japan, has closed at 11,001,000 yen.
Yoshiki decided to auction his iconic custom-made Kawai grand piano to raise money for victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan on March 11. With the help of Amazon, the auction was available to bidders around the world in a selection of languages.
The piano went under the hammer on April 17 with a starting price of one yen. Bidding was briefly suspended on April 19 after a prankster bid 6 billion yen. The bid was removed and the auction recommenced on April 25 at 5:00 p.m. The winning bidder’s payment will be donated to earthquake relief in affected areas.
In a similar auction on April 10, studs belonging to Yokohama FC soccer star Kazuyoshi Miura, 44, were sold for 7,778,777 yen.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Koide Keisuke, Mizukawa Asami rumored to be dating
Posted on April 28, 2011 by tokyograph
The latest issue of Josei Seven, which went on sale Thursday, reports that actor Koide Keisuke (27) and actress Mizukawa Asami (27) are dating. The two have been friends since appearing together in the 2006 drama series “Nodame Cantabile,” but it seems that it later turned romantic.
According to the magazine, the pair have been spotted on several dates since early February, such as at the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, a spa, and a cafe bar. Mizukawa was also at a party for Koide the night before his birthday. In mid-April, the magazine snapped photos of Mizukawa as she was leaving Koide’s apartment building at night.
However, both of their agencies responded to inquiries by stating that they are just friends. Mizukawa’s agency said that there were several other friends present during their reported “date.”
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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aiko dating SAKEROCK’s Hoshino Gen?
Posted on April 28, 2011 by tokyograph
 
While the rumored relationship between Koide Keisuke and Mizukawa Asami was the biggest news in this week’s issue of Josei Seven, the magazine also uncovered another apparent couple: singer aiko (35) and SAKEROCK guitarist Hoshino Gen (30). According to the tabloid, the two are said to already be partly living together.
It appears that aiko and Hoshino met about four years ago, when aiko went to an event that one of her friends was participating in. SAKEROCK was also there, so she was introduced to Hoshino backstage, and they immediately hit it off. Their relationship continued to grow as they frequently went to each other’s live performances.
The two live near each other, especially after aiko just moved to a new apartment this month. Hoshino has frequently been seen entering and leaving her place, leading Josei Seven to label them as “half living together.” When reached for comment, aiko’s management office simply said that it is leaving the singer private matters alone.
Hoshino, who also works as an actor, appeared in last year’s drama series “Gegege no Nyoubou” as the brother of Matsushita Nao’s character.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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X Japan adds South America to world tour
Posted on April 28, 2011 by tokyograph
A couple weeks ago, X Japan leader Yoshiki revealed the first few dates of the band’s coming world tour, scheduled to start this June. Those shows were limited to Europe, but Yoshiki recently announced several more dates through his Twitter account, almost all in South America.
The world tour currently consists of four shows in Europe and five in South America. Dates and venues are as follows:
* June 28 – London, England – Shepherds Bush Empire
* July 1 – Paris, France – Zenith
* July 2 – Utrecht, The Netherlands – Tivoli
* July 4 – Berlin, Germany – Columbianhalle
* September 9 – Santiago, Chile – Teatro Caupolican
* September 11 – Sao Paulo, Brazil
* September 14 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – El Teatro
* September 16 – Lima, Peru – Scencia
* September 18 – Mexico City, Mexico – Circo Volador
More shows are expected to be announced in the future.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Shirota Yu, Katase Nana, Abe Natsumi added to “Arakawa Under the Bridge”
Posted on April 28, 2011 by tokyograph
Several more cast members have been revealed for the live-action “Arakawa Under the Bridge” project. Co-stars Hayashi Kento and Kiritani Mirei are being joined by Shirota Yu, Katase Nana, and Abe Natsumi, playing the parts of Sister, Maria, and P-ko, respectively.
As previously announced, the comedy manga “Arakawa Under the Bridge” by Nakamura Hikaru is being turned into a live-action film and a television drama, featuring the same cast. Hayashi plays the young man known as Riku, while Kiritani plays the strange girl Nino who saves his life and causes him to live with her in her makeshift home under a bridge in Tokyo’s Arakawa district.
The other characters in the story include Sister (Shirota), a man who dresses like a nun but always carries a gun; Maria (Katase), a beautiful but sadistic woman; and P-ko (Abe), a dangerously clumsy girl.
The drama series will be broadcast first by MBS and TBS in a late-night time slot this summer. Sony Pictures Entertainment will release the film in theaters in spring 2012.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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20th Century Fox also working on movie about Hayabusa, starring Takeuchi Yuko
Posted on April 28, 2011 by tokyograph
Both Shochiku and Toei are already working on separate films about Hayabusa, the unmanned space probe that returned to Earth last year, but now the U.S.-based studio 20th Century Fox has also announced that it is producing a Hayabusa movie. The studio has tapped director Tsutsumi Yukihiko and lead actress Takeuchi Yuko for the project, which will be released later this year.
Sports Hochi reports that Fox plans to release the movie internationally, including in the United States.
Simply titled “Hayabusa,” the movie depicts the challenges faced by the JAXA staff over the seven years of the Hayabusa space flight. Takeuchi plays a JAXA researcher carrying additional responsibilities as part of the publicity department and camera crew, while Nishida Toshiyuki plays the boss who recruited her.
Filming is already in progress and will finish in late May. Theatrical release in Japan is scheduled for October 1, 2011, and an official website has already launched.
Shochiku and Toei’s films about Hayabusa are slated for release in 2012.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Baby announcements: Matsushima Nahomi, Diamond Yukai, Tomizawa Takeshi
Posted on April 29, 2011 by tokyograph
A few celebrity baby reports made the news today. The biggest announcement was that Othello member Matsushima Nahomi (39) is now expecting her first child. According to her agency, she is barely in her fifth week of pregnancy.
Both Matsushima and her comedy partner Nakajima Tomoko (39) were absent from a live broadcast of their show “Shittoko” on April 23rd, due to poor health. Nakajima announced on the 25th that she was taking a short break, but Matsushima was told by her doctor that she needs to rest at least until late May, so she will be on break until her condition becomes more stable.
Normally, Matsushima’s pregnancy would not have been announced until closer to her stable period, but due to the impact on her work, the news was revealed today.
Matsushima has been married since June 2008 to Hisada Toshihiro, the vocalist of rock band Marsas Sound Machine.
In a separate announcement, rock singer Diamond Yukai (49) revealed that his wife is expecting to give birth to twins this November. According to a source close to the couple, they learned about the pregnancy at the end of March, just a couple weeks after the Tohoku earthquake.
Yukai, who was once married to actress Miura Rieko (37), got remarried in February 2009. His first child, a daughter, was born in February 2010.
Meanwhile, comedian Tomizawa Takeshi (36) of the duo Sandwichman announced that his wife gave birth to their first son on April 27th. He has been married since April 2009.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Eco idol group AeLL holds debut event
Posted on April 29, 2011 by tokyograph
Idol group AeLL. held their debut event on Friday at the Tower Records store in Shinjuku. Their first single, “Ecology Monkeys / Chu! Chu! Hareru yeah,” went on sale that day, and all 600 of the store’s copies sold out thanks to the crowd of fans in attendance.
AeLL. is a 4-member unit formed in January by management office Shining Will, consisting of gravure idols Shinozaki Ai (19), Nishi Erika (22), Takana Kumi (17), and Shijo Haruna (17). The group takes their name from the slogan “Activity eco Life with Love,” as their activities (other than live performances) are related to ecological and health issues. They have already run a couple marathons, and their upcoming schedule includes picking up trash around Mt. Fuji.
Nishi, the group’s leader, commented that they plan to continue on a different path from other idols, but they are aiming to someday appear on shows like “Music Station” and even Kouhaku Uta Gassen.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Anne chosen as Tokyo Metro poster girl
Sunday 01st May, 05:39 AM JST
TOKYO —
Fashion model Anne was chosen as the face of the new Tokyo Metro “Tokyo Wonderground” ad campaign recently. A new poster features the model dressed in a business suit waiting for a train.
“I’ve used the metro from kindergarten until now, so I’m very excited about this part,” Anne commented.
A TV commercial set to air soon will also feature the model taking the metro out for a night dancing on the town.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Entertainment magazine Pia to cease publication in July
Monday 02nd May, 05:29 AM JST
TOKYO —
The metropolitan version of Pia will cease to exist in late July, its publisher said recently, putting an end to the entertainment information magazine that thrived and led Japan’s youth culture in the 1970s and 1980s.
The magazine, launched in 1972, ‘‘has served out its mission as a paper medium,’’ Pia Corp said. The Chubu (central Japan) version and Kansai (Osaka area) version discontinued printing in June and October 2010, respectively.
The company will continue its ticket sales business and will also continue providing information on movies, concerts and other cultural and entertainment activities on the Internet.
In its heyday in the late 1980s, Pia, originally a weekly magazine, sold 530,000 copies as its content, in coordination with the company’s ticket sales, proved popular.
But the advent of the Internet dealt a blow to the magazine, which became a fortnightly magazine in November 2008. Most entertainment information is now provided for free on the Net and the number of its issues sold has tumbled to 60,000.
The last issue of the Pia metropolitan version will be put on sale on July 21.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Fukuoka-based HKT48 begins taking applications
Posted on May 1, 2011 by tokyograph
It was announced during AKB48’s handshake event on Sunday that there will be another new addition to the family. Producer Akimoto Yasushi has started accepting applications for HKT48, which will be based in Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu.
AKB48, which was born in Akihabara, Tokyo, has already spawned two other regional groups: SKE48 in Sakae, Nagoya, and NMB48 in Namba, Osaka. Akimoto has actually been targeting the Hakata ward of Fukuoka since 2008 – when the “adult” SDN48 group was launched, he stated that the next group would likely be HKT48, followed by groups in Osaka and Sapporo. However, NMB48 ended up launching first, in October of last year.
Naturally, HKT48 will continue the tradition of being “idols that you can meet.” They will have their theater established in the Hawks Town Mall of Fukuoka’s Chuo ward, rather than in the neighboring Hakata ward.
Applications are open for girls between the ages of 11 and 22 who can sign an exclusive contract with HKT48. The pool will be narrowed down first by an application screening, then interviews, then judging on the candidates’ dancing and singing abilities. More information about the first audition is available on the HKT48 website.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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