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Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
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D-BOYS become "AMBITIOUS" with new show
Sat, July 3, 2010 (9:45pm EDT)
A special sub-unit of acting group D-BOYS will launch a new television show tonight, titled "D-BOYS BE AMBITIOUS." The show is scheduled for late on Sunday nights (12:35am) on TV Tokyo.
The sub-unit, announced in March, currently consists of Yuichi Nakamura (22), Shunji Igarashi (23), Hirofumi Araki (27), and Koji Seto (22). They are currently auditioning for a fifth member, and the final selection is expected to happen in September.
"D-BOYS BE AMBITIOUS" will be a blend of documentary and variety show, with a theme of making their viewers' dreams come true. In addition, the show will report on the progress of the ongoing audition and its participants, and the unit's official name will finally be revealed. It is also being reported that the first episode will include a surprise announcement about their stage production "LAST GAME" and its theme song "Omoi."
In conjunction with the TV Tokyo broadcast, there will be a regular radio show with the same name on InterFM (Monday nights at 12:32am, starting on July 5) and another related project on the popular virtual world Ameba Pigg.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Ryoko Sakaguchi finally headed for marriage after 12-year relationship
Sat, July 3, 2010 (10:07pm EDT)
Actress Ryoko Sakaguchi (54) is reportedly nearing marriage with professional golfer Tateo Ozaki (56). The news is based on Sakaguchi's comments from a recently-taped episode of Kansai TV's "Kaiketsu Emi Channel" (scheduled to air on July 9).
Sakuguchi and Ozaki began dating around 1998, and their relationship was first discovered by the media in 1999. Although they have considered marriage before, up until now they have not yet gone through with it. However, during Sakaguchi's guest appearance on "Kaiketsu Emi Channel," she said that she feels the right time to marry has come, though she did not go as far as specifying a wedding date.
Sakaguchi has been married once before and currently has two children. Her oldest child, Anri Sakaguchi (19), debuted as an actress in 2008.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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miwa sings for animated film "Colorful"
Sat, July 3, 2010 (10:23pm EDT)
Singer miwa (20) has been chosen to provide her first songs for a movie. She will sing both the image song and the ending theme for Keiichi Hara's animated film "Colorful," scheduled for theatrical release on August 21.
The image song, "Boku ga Boku de Aru Tame ni," is a cover of a song by Yutaka Ozaki from his 1983 album "Junanasai no Chizu" ("SEVENTEEN'S MAP"). The original was used as the theme of the 1997 drama special "Boku ga Boku de Aru Tame ni" that starred the five members of SMAP.
The ending theme, "Aozora," is a cover of the hit 1989 single by THE BLUE HEARTS.
miwa, who is currently a university student, made her major label debut this past March with the single "don't cry anymore." Her second single, "little girl," was released last month.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Maki Horikita receives Miss Lily award
Sun, July 4, 2010 (11:27am EDT)
The Flower Dream 2010 expo is currently taking place at the Tokyo Big Sight. On Sunday, the event presented its 9th annual Miss Lily award, given to the female celebrity who looks best with lilies.
This year's recipient was actress Maki Horikita (21). She revealed that she loves flowers, and she would be happy if someone surprised her with a bouquet on a first date.
Because lilies can represent "pure love," Horikita was asked whether she has recently experienced love, but she shyly answered no. She was also asked about her plans for children, and she declared that currently she hopes to have one around the age of 32.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Jun Komori's romance ends
Sun, July 4, 2010 (12:19pm EDT)
It seems that fashion model Jun Komori (24) is unlucky in love right now. During her appearance on TBS's "Sunday Japon" on July 4, she revealed that she and her boyfriend have officially ended their relationship.
On the same show on April 10, she revealed for the first time that she had a boyfriend. About a month later, she again stated that she was very happy about having a boyfriend, but she also admitted that she was having trouble contacting him. Despite that, a newspaper reported in late June that Komori was potentially getting married by the end of this year. However, Komori said on the June 27 episode of "Sunday Japon" that her boyfriend was still not contacting her. Between then and the latest episode, the two of them officially broke up.
Komori and her boyfriend had been friends for a long time before they started dating. When they finally discussed it, it appears that he wanted to return to being friends, resulting in their breakup.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Beni sings at LA anime convention
Tuesday 06th July, 05:05 AM JST
LOS ANGELES —
Popular J-pop singer Beni performed before an audience of 3,500 over the weekend at America’s largest anime convention, the 2010 Anime Expo, at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.
The singer performed her latest song, “YuraYura,” along with 6 others.
In English, she told audience members, “I spent my elementary school days here in southern California. This is a very special day for me.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Kitagawa, Okada thank fans for 'Matataki' success
Tuesday 06th July, 02:48 AM JST
TOKYO —
Actress Keiko Kitagawa, 23, greeted fans at a showing of her film “Matataki” at Shinjuku’s Wald 9 theater this week as part of a promotion for the theater in thanks for selling the most pre-sale tickets in the country.
As her wish for Tanabata, the actress said she hoped her Tiger zodiac sign would lend her a little help in “finding the kind of true love that’s in the film.” Co-star Masaki Okada, 20, joked that his wish is “for my hair to stay straight. This rainy season humidity is rough.”
After the event, the two took a trip around Shinjuku and Shibuya on a two-story open top bus to promote the film. Kitagawa commented happily that “The sun was really hot, but it was fun.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Public Want NHK to Cancel Sumo Coverage
July 06, 2010
The public have made clear their reaction to the latest sumo scandal that has already ended two careers and several reprimands and demotions. Ozeki (champion) Kotomitsuki (photo) and stablemaster Otake were banned from the sport for life on Sunday for their prominent roles in the scandal, which saw dozens of wrestlers gambling huge sums on baseball via yakuza middlemen. Japan Sumo Association Chairman Musashigawa has been suspended until the end of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, which runs from July 11-25 at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Of the more than 11,000 calls to NHK since the scandal broke in mid-June, 68% have demanded that the network cancel its scheduled live broadcast of the tournament, while only 11% have been in support of it. NHK chairman Fukuchi Shigeo said at his regular press conference that a decision would be made today, based on yesterday's meeting of the JSA.
The two people banned by the JSA bring the total fired in the last couple of years to 11. Previous cases have involved the use of marijuana and the hazing death of a young wrestler. Popular but controversial Yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu was forced into early retirement earlier this year after he assaulted a man outside a Tokyo nightclub.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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X Japan Duo Perform in Paris
In their first ever live performance in Europe, X Japan leader Yoshiki and vocalist Toshi were special guests on Sunday at the "Japan Expo" in Paris. The duo gave the 8,000 fans what they wanted, performing four songs: "Forever Love," "Endless Rain," "Rose of Pain" and "I.V." As the duo left the stage, the audience got to hear their new single "Born to be Free."
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Hanya in Taxi Dinger
Popular young comedy duo Hanya were involved in a minor traffic accident last night, according to the Sankei Sports newspaper. The pair were in a taxi that collided with another taxi in the central Tokyo district of Yotsuya. Only the passenger in the other car suffered slight injuries.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Korean publication looks into why the growth of suicide amongst its entertainers
July 5, 2010 by J!-ENT
In a recent article on Chosun Ilbo, with the death of actor/singer Park Yong-ha, the publication looks into why suicides have increased amongst Korean entertainers.
Here is a brief excerpt from the article:
The roster of recent celebrity suicides in Korea is getting longer and longer, with Lee Eun-ju, U;Nee, Jeong Da-bin, Ahn Jae-hwan, Choi Jin-sil, Choi Jin-young and now Park Yong-ha killing themselves since 2005. The numbers swell if actors or actresses who were either unknown when they took their lives or rose to fame only by committing suicide are included.
Although there are no accurate statistics, Korean celebrities seem more prone to suicide than stars in the U.S., Europe or Japan. They experience the same pressures as their counterparts overseas in terms of the fickleness of fame and irregular lifestyles. So what is it that drives them so often to take their own lives?
Suicide Capital of the World
For one thing, Korea as a whole has the world’s highest suicide rate. For every 100,000 Koreans, 21.5 commit suicide, as against the OECD average of 11.1. Experts say celebrity suicides can provide insight into why Koreans tend to be more prone to taking their own lives.
“Koreans tend to form their sense of identity through how they are perceived by others and may give up and make drastic choices when they’re no longer able to show their best side to others,” said Hwang Sang-min, a psychologist at Yonsei University. “And that tendency is stronger among celebrities, whose livelihood depends on their popularity.”
Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT |
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Horipro audition winner to make singing debut
Mon, July 5, 2010 (1:14pm EDT)
16-year-old Ruriko Kojima, who broke into show business last year by winning the 34th Horipro Talent Scout Caravan audition, is set to make her singing debut. Her song "Minna no Yume" will be used as the theme of the popular animated series "Stitch!" which begins its new season on Tuesday.
When Kojima won the Horipro audition, she stated that her goal was to become a singer, and she is finally having that wish granted. Before this, she has appeared in several television programs and a commercial.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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UVERworld announces first Tokyo Dome concert
Mon, July 5, 2010 (7:37pm EDT)
Rock band UVERworld announced that they will perform their first concert at the Tokyo Dome later this year. Vocalist TAKUYA8 broke the news during the band's concert at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on Sunday, which was the closing show of their tour that started in April.
Last month, UVERworld's website started displaying a mysterious countdown to November 27, and some fans feared that it was hinting at the band's breakup. However, it is now known that November 27 is the date of their Tokyo Dome concert.
UVERworld formed ten years ago and finally made their major label debut in 2005. Since then, their releases have ranked well on the sales charts, and they achieved their first #1 single in 2008 with "Hakanakumo Towa no Kanashi."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Odoru Daisousasen 3" earns close to 1 billion yen in opening weekend
Mon, July 5, 2010 (12:34pm EDT)
The third "Odoru Daisousasen" movie opened this past weekend, and the box office numbers have now been announced. During the two weekend days, the film earned close to 972 million yen on 447 screens across the country, accounting for more than 707,000 viewers.
The movie's distributor, Toho, hopes that the it can reach the elusive 10 billion yen mark, which has so far only been achieved by three live-action Japanese films. Two of them are the previous movies in the "Odoru Daisousasen" franchise - the first film earned 10.1 billion yen and the second one earned 17.4 billion yen, respectively ranking #3 and #1 on Japan's list of highest-grossing live-action films of all time. Although the franchise's popularity has proven itself before, the film still has a long way to go. Last year's "ROOKIES" movie actually had a better opening weekend at 1.2 billion yen on 428 screens, but in the end it only reached a total of 8.55 billion yen.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Male cast of NHK taiga drama "Gou" revealed
Mon, July 5, 2010 (12:57pm EDT)
NHK's promotion of its 2011 taiga drama series "Gou ~Himetachi no Sengoku~" is well under way. On Monday, the network held a press event to reveal an updated roster for the show, in particular unveiling the primary male cast members.
   
The show already stars Juri Ueno as the historical figure Gou (also known as Oeyo), along with Rie Miyazawa and Asami Mizukawa as her sisters Yodo and Hatsu and Honami Suzuki as her mother Oichi-no-kata. Now, it is known that Saburo Tokito will play her father Azai Nagamasa, while Etsushi Toyokawa plays her uncle Oda Nobunaga. Other key historical figures are being played by Goro Kishitani (as Toyotomi Hideyoshi) and Kinya Kitaoji (as Tokugawa Ieyasu).
   http://asiacue.com/images/persons/h/Hagiwara,%20Masato_face.jpeg
Osamu Mukai has been cast as Tokugawa Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun and the husband of Gou. Other cast members include Koji Seto, Shota Sometani, Masato Hagiwara, Yukiya Kitamura, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Toshio Shiba, Takumi Saito, Koji Ishizaka, Yasuo Daichi, and Masachika Ichimura.
"Gou" is scheduled to start in early 2011.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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New drama portrays family on a quest for gold
Wednesday 07th July, 04:00 AM JST
TOKYO —
Actress Yuki Amami, 42, will star in the new Fuji TV series “Gold,” a drama that follows the life of four children whose stern mother pushes them to the limits in hopes that they’ll some day win Olympic gold medals.
Amami plays the mother, Yuri Saotome, wealthy manager of everything from a stadium to beauty salons. This is the first time Amami has teamed up with scriptwriter Shinji Nojima, and she praised the writing for its powerful dialogue that she says really moved her.
Masami Nagasawa, 23, will play Yuri’s secretary, a role that made her comment jokingly, “I had no idea wearing a suit was so exhausting.”
Actor Takashi Sorimachi, 36, will play the children’s swimming coach. “I’ve got two girls, which makes me [as a man] afraid to make decisions for them. I usually just leave it up to their mother.”
“Gold” begins airing Thursday at 10 p.m.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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KyonKyon, Nagase Reunited for Mainichi Kaasan
July 07, 2010
Saibara Rieko's popular manga strip "Mainichi Kaasan" is to be adapted for the big screen, it was announced yesterday. Whoever did the casting pulled off a PR coup because the leading roles of a married couple will be played by actress Koizumi Kyoko (44, photo left) and actor Nagase Masatoshi (43), who divorced in 2004. The manga, which has run in the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper every Sunday since October 2002, is about the daily life of the Kamohara family, based on Saibara's own family. Her husband, journalist and photographer Kamoshida Yutaka, died of cancer in 2007.
Saibara (45) said of Koizumi, popularly known by her nickname KyonKyon, "We are women of the same generation who have been through a lot. I think she'll play me very well." The manga has been published in book form as five volumes, which have sold over 1.5 million copies. It has been running as an anime on TV Tokyo since April 2009.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Airbender Premieres in Tokyo
The 3D Hollywood flick "The Last Airbender" had its Japan premiere in Tokyo yesterday. Director M. Night Shyamalan, British star Dev Patel (20) and other cast members were at the Urban Dock LaLaport Toyosu venue. They were joined for the event by local talento Yamamoto Mona (34) and soccer star Nagatomo Yuto (23), recently returned from the World Cup in South Africa. Patel was clearly excited to be on his first visit to Japan, shouting out to fans, "Tokyo! Saiko!" The movie, critically slammed but a hit at the U.S. box office, opens here on June 17.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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