|
|
Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
[Copy link]
|
|
|
Dir En Grey to tour North America
Wed, July 14, 2010 (11:10am EDT)
Rock band Dir en grey has announced another North American tour for this summer. They will co-headline with Finnish symphonic metal band Apocalyptica for 15 shows in the United States and Canada, starting in Toronto on August 23 and ending in Seattle on September 12.
Last week, Dir en grey also announced four performances in the United Kingdom and Russia between August 1 and August 7.
More information about their tour dates can be found on the band's MySpace page.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Melon Kinenbi's Ayumi Shibata starting up solo career
Wed, July 14, 2010 (12:12pm EDT)
Former Melon Kinenbi member Ayumi Shibata (26) has just set her new solo career in motion. It was announced on Wednesday that she has officially left Up-Front Agency and is now being represented by a company called Trick Function.
Shibata has launched an official website and an official blog, while continuing the Twitter account that she has been using since Melon Kinenbi's breakup in May. She revealed that she is planning to be active as a solo artist, though no specific timeline has been announced yet.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Berryz Koubou members take turns starring in play
Wed, July 14, 2010 (1:36pm EDT)
The seven members of Berryz Koubou will star in a stage production titled "San Oku En Shoujo," though they will take turns playing the story's lead character. The play is described as a love story bridging the past and the present, using the infamous "300 million yen robbery" as its motif.
A promotional flyer for the play was displayed during a press event on Wednesday. The flyer resembles a "wanted suspect" notice and includes a photo of a girl's face, which is actually a composite using different facial features from each of the Berryz Koubou members.
"San Oku En Shoujo" will begin with performances at Ikebukuro Sunshine Theatre on September 18 and end with performances at Osaka's Theater BRAVA! in mid-October. The theme song will be "MOON POWER," the B-side from the new Berryz Koubou single "Maji Bomber!!" that went on sale this week. Aside from the Berryz Koubou members, the play's cast also includes Hello! Pro Eggs members Karin Miyamoto (11) and Nanami Tanabe (10).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charts: Arashi, Hey! Say! JUMP
Wed, July 14, 2010 (12:30pm EDT)
This week's music sales charts are out, and as expected, Arashi and Hey! Say! JUMP took the top spots on the single and album rankings, respectively.
Arashi's new single "To be free" sold 426,000 copies to rank #1. Leader Satoshi Ohno also released the solo single "Yukai Tsukai Kaibutsu-kun" at the same time, and that sold 143,000 copies to rank #2. Together, they accomplished the rare feat of a group and a solo artist from the group taking the top two spots at the same time, which last happened nearly 10 years ago. "To be free" also counts as Arashi's 20th consecutive #1 single, making them just the fifth artist to achieve such a streak.
SKE48's latest single ranked #3, ahead of new releases from Kumi Koda, Dreams Come True, and Sukima Switch, in that order. Shota Shimizu also made the top ten at #10.
On the album rankings, Hey! Say! JUMP's long-awaited first album "JUMP NO. 1" led the way with 156,000 in sales. Nana Mizuki was #2 with her "IMPACT EXCITER," selling about 93,000 copies.
TUBE ranked #4, followed by MINMI. moumoon's latest entered the charts at #7, while HAN-KUN was #10.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bad-boy basketball star Dennis Rodman slam dunks into Tokyo
By Fred Varcoe
TOKYO —
Curious that some people don’t actually remember Dennis Rodman. How high-profile can you get? OK, Michael Jordan is at the top of the NBA tree, with a host of others (Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, etc, etc) almost up there with him.
But Rodman – Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teammate for five years – is arguably next on the list. He is probably the most visible, perhaps the most risible – he wrote the book on body decorations and partying – but undoubtedly totally unforgettable. So when he makes an appearance in Japan in August, you can be guaranteed he’ll attract a lot of fans who do remember him and, it goes without saying, a truckload of publicity.
Rodman is coming to Japan to appear in STREET 2ELITE, a street basketball contest at Ariake Colosseum on Aug 19 (there’s also a game in Osaka on Aug 17) that will pit the best of Japan against the pick of the USA. He will be accompanied by another former NBA player, Tracy Murray, a three-point specialist who once scored 50 points for the Washington Wizards against the Golden State Warriors. The Japan team was decided in a championship game on July 3.
For the STREET 2ELITE games, the basketball will be 5-on-5 on a full court with two baskets. Scoring will be as per regular basketball games (2 points, 3 points, 1-point free throws). As with most events of this kind, the action will be accompanied by plenty of music with an MC and DJ, and there will be a halftime show. Rodman and Murray will both be playing for the U.S. team – along with a bunch of other American players – and Rodman will select the MVP from the Japanese side.
A spokesman for organizers Sports Biz says it’s a whole new ball game for Japan. “There have been similar tours of countries in Europe, but as far as I am aware, the mixing of former NBA players and street basketball players is a new format for an event in Japan.” The spokesman says the Japan players are sourced from the many events around the country and that street basketball is becoming popular in Japan, in part because of the dazzling dribbling and dunks, but also because of the music and other activities that are mixed with the sport.
“The entertainment, music and fashion aspects are really important,” the spokesman says. “These events are more than just sports events. The audiences come not only to enjoy the spectacular performances of the athletes, but also to enjoy an atmosphere that is in tune with their lifestyle and which they are more used to. It’s been big in the U.S. for some time, but now it’s growing in Japan. Almost everyone in Japan has played basketball because it’s part of the educational program in elementary school, so we are very familiar with the sport, and the pro basketball league has been growing year by year.”
Like the NFL, NHL and major leagues, the NBA has also played regular-season games in Japan, and the likes of local stars Yuta Tabuse and Kei Igarashi have helped boost the game here. The basketball boom all started, according to the Sports Biz spokesman, with the legendary Chicago Bulls team of the late 1990s, of which Rodman was a member.
“In Japan, Rodman is one of the most famous NBA players of all time,” the spokesman points out, “mainly because he played for the Chicago Bulls during their golden era with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen when they did the three-peat. His book, ‘Bad As I Wanna Be,‘was a big seller in Japan.”
In addition, Rodman is said to have been the model of Hanamichi Sakuragi, the main character in the popular comic “SLAM DUNK.”
That fits Rodman perfectly. While always being a supreme athlete on the court, he was little more than a comic character off-court. He was a five-time NBA champion (twice with the Detroit Pistons, three times with the Bulls) and led the league in rebounds for seven straight years (1992-98).
Rodman’s personal life has been one of extreme individuality (tattoos, piercings, freaky hair styles); along the way, he dated Madonna and married Carmen Electra, so he ain’t stupid. But despite dalliances as an actor, DJ and pro wrestler, he’s still a basketball man at heart, and the more flamboyant style of street basketball should suit him perfectly.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daigo holds impromptu live performance in Shinjuku
Friday 16th July, 03:37 AM JST
TOKYO —
Musician Daigo, 32, and his 3-member band Breakerz staged an impromptu live performance (what Japanese refer to as “guerrilla live”) at Shinjuku’s Station Square venue on Wednesday.
The band took the stage with no prior announcements or advertising for the event, to the surprise of 5,000 fans. They played their new single, “hEaVeN,” released the same day as the performance.
Daigo is the grandson of former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita. When he was asked for a reaction to the political debate over whether to raise the consumption tax, he replied, “It reminds of my days in school, getting bullied. I can’t really say much about it.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comedian/TV host Takashi Okamura to take some rest; no date on return
July 15, 2010 by J!-ENT
Takashi Okamura is one of the most well-known comedians and TV personalities in Japan and for over two decades, he and Ninety-Nine comedy partner Hiroyuki Abe have been a fixture on Japanese television and commercials.
But the time on television seems to have taken its toll and the actor is fatigued. According to news reports, Okamura needs to take some time off for rest and will be away from television until his health is back up to speed.
A statement was sent to the media from Okamura, “To all my fans, my staff and everyone involved, I am very sorry but I need this time to get some rest and I want to concentrate on getting my health back so I can return as quickly as possible”.
Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rock Musician Daisuke Dead at 31
July 16, 2010
Visual-kei rock musician Daisuke was found dead yesterday at his Tokyo home, the Sankei Sports newspaper reported today. He was 31. Police from the Yoyogi station are investigating the cause of death. A source revealed that Daisuke attended a meeting the night before and complained that he was unable to sleep.
In 1999 Daisuke was a founding member and vocalist of the rock band Kagerou, who had a minor hit in 2005 with their catchily-titled 12th single, "Kusatta Umide Oborekaketeru Boku wo Sukutekureta Kimi." The single was used as the theme for the NTV show "Music Fighter" and topped the Oricon indies chart. The band broke up in 2007 and the singer was recently pursuing a solo project with the band Daisuke to Kurono Injatachi (Daisuke and the Black Hermits). Their second single is due for release next week.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ayumi Hamasaki 3-D concert movie opens next month
Thu, July 15, 2010 (9:17am EDT)
Fans of pop star Ayumi Hamasaki (31) will be able to see her in 3-D in movie theaters starting next month. A total of 22 state-of-the-art 3-D cameras were used to film her nationwide tour last year, and the footage has been edited (with some use of CG) to create a new kind of concert experience.
Last year, Hamasaki performed her biggest tour ever, consisting of 35 shows in 12 cities for a total audience of roughly 300,000 fans. Six of the shows, held at three different venues including the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, were filmed for this project. Filming started in July 2009, which actually makes it the first 3-D recording of a Japanese music artist. It is said that there were only eight 3-D cameras in all of Japan at that time, but her staff spent 200 million yen on five new cameras for the project. Over the six concerts, a total of 22 cameras were used.
The idea was likely inspired by the band U2, which created its own 3-D concert movie two years ago. Although Hamasaki was apparently the first Japanese artist to record a concert in 3-D, others such as Shonannokaze, Ikimono Gakari, and Kumi Koda have already worked with 3-D since then.
Hamasaki's 3-D movie will have an advance screening on August 27, then will open up to 65 theaters across the country on August 28. Tickets for the film, which will come with original goods, have already gone on sale at a presale price of 2000 yen.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actor Hiromi Sakimoto to release solo single
Thu, July 15, 2010 (10:02am EDT)
23-year-old actor Hiromi Sakimoto, currently known for his regular appearances on the variety show "Quiz! Hexagon II," will make his debut as a solo singer next month. The news was announced during Wednesday's episode of the show.
Sakimoto's debut song is titled "Sayonara" and is produced by "Quiz! Hexagon II" host Shinsuke Shimada (54). The single will be released on August 11, and he will hold mini-concerts and handshake events in various cities after that.
Last year, Sakimoto participated on the single "Naitemo Ii Desu ka" as part of the Hexagon All Stars unit.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karina stars in romantic comedy
Thu, July 15, 2010 (7:53pm EDT)
Fashion model and actress Karina (26) is starring in a new movie called "Love Come," directed by Yuichiro Hirakawa. Karina has not played the lead role in a film since "Shinkokyuu no Hitsuyou" in 2004.
The movie's title is an abbreviation of the phrase "love comedy" and should not be confused with the manga series "Love Com" (an abbreviation of "Lovely Complex"). Set in the lower parts of Tokyo, "Love Come" has Karina playing the manager of a flower arrangement shop, who has not had a boyfriend in nearly two years. Despite her feminine beauty, she has a masculine personality. She is reunited with an awkward anime screenwriter (Kei Tanaka) 17 years after they last met.
The story is adapted from the novel of the same name by authors Atsushi Matsuhisa and Wataru Tanaka, who together also wrote "Tengoku no Honya." That book was turned into a movie in 2004 with the English title "Heaven's Bookstore."
Filming for "Love Come" started on June 13 and finished earlier this month. The movie will be released in theaters on September 25.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yuya Matsushita gets first starring movie role
Thu, July 15, 2010 (12:15pm EDT)
Singer Yuya Matsushita (20) has been given his first starring role in a movie, titled "Hikari, Sono Saki e." The film is scheduled for release this fall, but it will also get limited digital distribution starting next month.
Matsushita debuted as a singer in November 2008, but he has also become well-known for playing the lead in the "Kuroshitsuji" musical for the past two years.
"Hikari, Sono Saki e" apparently originated from Matsushita's new song "4 Seasons." The film features Matsushita playing himself as he balances his bright career as a musician with his life as a young man who experiences conflict and feelings of loneliness. Kana Kurashina (22) is playing the heroine role, while models Reiko Tokita (26) and Layla Aoyama (22) will make guest appearances. The movie is directed by Shintaro Ehara, who has handled music videos for Matsushita and major artists such as Miliyah Kato and Ken Hirai.
"4 Seasons" is being used as the movie's theme song, and it will be released as the double A-side single "Bird / 4 Seasons" on August 25. The other song, "Bird," is the ending theme for the second "Kuroshitsuji" anime series. Both tunes are already available as chaku-uta downloads.
Although "Hikari, Sono Saki e" will get a theatrical run this fall, it will be made available for free on the "mobile phone music drama" site DOR@MO for a limited time, starting on August 11.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FANTA band attracts 2,000 fans
Saturday 17th July, 06:00 AM JST
TOKYO —
The fictitious rock band FANTA, which is featured in Japanese commercials for Fanta soft drinks, held a real-life comedy event in Odaiba recently.
The band is comprised of a number of minor celebrities , including former sumo wrestler Taro Akebono (who plays the drums for the band).
True to the comedy billing, Akebono appeared with a bandaged left arm, telling the audience, “I dislocated it from practicing too hard.” But then, during a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” he played a tambourine with both hands. Audiences were supposed to assume the bandage was a cover-up for the fact that Akebono can’t really play drums.
A total of 2,000 spectators turned out for the event. Vocalist Nana Tanimura quipped, “‘Satisfaction’ was an ironic title for us to play, because I think everyone was really satisfied in the end.”
The event continues until Aug 31.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aya Ueto, Yoshimoto comedians team up for energy drink ads
Sunday 18th July, 05:00 AM JST
TOKYO —
Actress Aya Ueto, 24, is appearing with Yoshimoto comedians Chihara Junior, 36, Atsushi Tamura, 36, and Junichi Komoto, 35, in a new series of commercials for Oronamin C energy drink.
Ueto, who has been appearing in ads for the energy drink since 2004, plays an office lady. She said that she seldom gets the chance to have a summer holiday, so she needs all the energy she can get.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kumi Koda opens personalized 'channel'
Monday 19th July, 04:35 AM JST
TOKYO —
Celebrating 10 years since her debut, singer Kumi Koda showed her appreciation to fans by opening her own personalized “channel” on a streaming video service for a period of five days from July 7-12.
The site was quickly inundated with over 650,000 viewers.
Viewers were treated to streaming video of Koda’s past live performances, music videos, and brief “live” appearances by Koda herself. ON July 11, Koda mass emailed 3,000 female fans for “girls’ talk.”
Apparently, Koda’s “girls’ talk” has so far inspired three couples to get married. Koda, speaking on the experience of getting in touch with her fans, said, “I really just want to make everyone happy. And my fans have made me happy in return!”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Koji Tamaki, Noriko Aota tie the knot
Fri, July 16, 2010 (12:16pm EDT)
Anzen Chitai vocalist Koji Tamaki (51) and talento Noriko Aota (42) announced on Friday that they have already married. They officially registered their marriage that same day in Hokkaido, where Tamaki is originally from.
Tamaki and Aota's relationship was first made public in May, when they both announced it through their official websites. They have only been dating since around the start of this year. Although they initially stated that they had no intention to marry yet, it was widely expected to happen.
Tamaki has already divorced three times, including one just last year from actress Mari Ishihara (46). Aota has divorced once.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yinling gives birth to first child
Fri, July 16, 2010 (10:09pm EDT)
http://airsoftcanada.com/gallery ... p;g2_serialNumber=1
Talento Yinling (34) has announced that she gave birth to her first child on Friday night, earlier than expected. She revealed that the child is a boy, but she did not specify his name.
Yinling got married in September 2008 to a former employee of Hustle, the pro wrestling promotion that she was once part of.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kie Kitano stars in drama special "Koisuru Nihongo"
Fri, July 16, 2010 (11:39pm EDT)
Actress Kie Kitano (19) is set to star in a drama special on NHK titled "Koisuru Nihongo." It is based on a short story collection by screenwriter Kundo Koyama ("Okuribito").
Kitano was recently seen kissing actor Kazuma Sano (21), but she later apologized and implied that she has broken up with him. Similar to her actual love life, Kitano's character in the drama will deal with a broken heart.
Kitano has been cast as a young woman who happens to enter a strange antique shop. There, she comes across a book on love, whose beautiful words help her recover from her heartbreak. Kimiko Yo (54) plays the shopkeeper.
"Koisuru Nihongo" will air on August 18.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ryoko Yonekura to play Scarlett O'Hara
Fri, July 16, 2010 (11:58pm EDT)
Next year, the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo will celebrate its 100th birthday. The theater has announced its 2011 schedule, which includes a performance of "Gone with the Wind" starring actress Ryoko Yonekura (34) as Scarlett O'Hara. This will be Yonekura's first time performing at the historic venue.
"Gone with the Wind" was most recently performed in Japan as a musical in 2003, starring Mao Daichi (54). Yonekura, however, will be appearing in a non-musical version of the play, which was last done by Daichi in 1987.
Yasufumi Terawaki (48) will play Rhett Butler. Jun Shibuki (41) and Kohki Okada (44) have been cast as Melanie and Ashley, respectively. The play will be performed in June and July of next year.
The Imperial Garden Theater's other productions scheduled for next year include "Les Miserables," "The Three Musketeers," and Koichi Domoto's "SHOCK."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Author
