Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]

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Nihon Yusen Taisho winners announced
Mon, November 1, 2010 (1:07pm EDT)

The winners of the 43rd Nihon Yusen Taisho (for music on cable broadcasting) were announced on Monday, with the exception of the Grand Prize, which will be revealed during the presentation ceremony on November 18. TBS will broadcast the ceremony live, with announcer Hitoshi Kusano serving as the main host for the fourth year in a row.

Eight artists received the award for excellence in music, and the Grand Prize will be chosen from one of these artists:

Kana Uemura
Miyako Otsuki
JUJU
Kana Nishino
Kiyoshi Hikawa
Hilcrhyme
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
Kaori Mizumori
There were two new artist awards:
Love
Raymond Matsuya

The rest of the awards are as follows:

Long Request Award: "Matsushima Kikou" by Kaori Mizumori
Special Award: "Toilet no Kamisama" by Kana Uemura
Yusen Inquiry Award: "Akinada no Kaze" by Raymond Matsuya
Cable Broadcasters Association Award: Kumiko Sakurai, twenty4-7

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Masanobu Katsumura separated from wife but not divorced
Mon, November 1, 2010 (9:22pm EDT)



This week's Shukan Josei reveals that actor Masanobu Katsumura (47) has been living separately from his wife and his daughter since this past spring. Katsumura, who has been married for almost 18 years, reportedly acknowledged the fact that he and his wife are living apart, but he emphasized that it is not a divorce and that they still have a good relationship as a couple.

Katsumura's agency was reached for comment, and it confirmed that the actor and his wife have been living separately for half a year. However, the agency said that it does not know any details beyond that.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Masaharu Fukuyama narrates NHK nature documentary
Mon, November 1, 2010 (9:01pm EDT)



Due to the popularity of the taiga drama "Ryomaden," NHK has chosen Masaharu Fukuyama (41) to be the presenter of a new nature documentary series titled "Hot Spot: Saigo no Rakuen." Fukuyama will narrate and play the part of a "traveler" as he introduces rare and endangered species from around the world.

Data and footage were collected in six regions over the course of three years, using state-of-the-art technology. The large-scale project seems to take some inspiration from the BBC's internationally broadcast "Planet Earth" series, which NHK also helped to produce.

The series will be aired next year as six episodes, one for each of the areas visited. A separate "prologue" episode will air on January 10, followed by the first actual episode on January 30, which focuses on Madagascar. An episode on Brazil will follow on February 6, then the pace will be slowed to once a month for the remaining four episodes: New Zealand, Australia, Africa, and Japan. Fukuyama will narrate every episode, but he will also appear on-screen as a "traveler" in the prologue and episodes 1, 2, and 6.

In a semi-related announcement, NHK also revealed that a "Ryomaden Special" will be broadcast on the afternoon of November 23, just a few days before the drama's finale on November 28. The special will be a live broadcast from NHK Studio Park, showing Fukuyama talking about the filming for the series and gathering comments from his co-stars.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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AKB48 sets records with "Beginner"
Mon, November 1, 2010 (7:47pm EDT)



Oricon has just announced the official weekly sales numbers for AKB48's latest single "Beginner." In its first week, the single sold approximately 827,000 copies, becoming their fifth consecutive number-one.

That total sets a new record for first-week single sales by a female group, surpassing SPEED's "ALL MY TRUE LOVE," which sold 601,000 copies in 1998. Among all female artists (group and solo), "Beginner" ranks #3 in first-week single sales, behind Hikaru Utada's "Addicted To You" (1.068 million) in 1999 and Namie Amuro's "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (828,000) in 1997. However, that makes them #1 so far in the 21st century, outselling Utada's "Can You Keep A Secret?" (784,000) in 2001.

"Beginner" is also AKB48's third consecutive single to sell more than half a million copies in the first week. This also sets a record for female artists, as Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki held the previous record with streaks of two consecutive singles.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Ozawa becomes 1st Japanese honorary member of Vienna Philharmonic

Wednesday 03rd November, 03:16 AM JST



TOKYO —

Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa was given honorary membership of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday, the first Japanese to receive such an honor.

Ozawa was given a certificate from Clemens Hellsberg, chairman of the orchestra which is currently on tour in Japan, at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall.

‘‘I really learned many, many things from you during these eight years,’’ an emotional 75-year-old Ozawa said.

Ozawa was musical director of the Vienna State Opera, where the orchestra is based, from 2002 to June this year, and has also conducted the orchestra many times since 1966.

After the award ceremony, Ozawa told reporters it was the most important award he had received because it was given to him by his friends.

The orchestra has granted honorary membership to 50 people, including the other eminent conductors such as Wilhelm Furtwangler, Leonard Bernstein and Lorin Maazel.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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AKB48 team up with 7-Eleven on Macaron Christmas Tree Cake

Wednesday 03rd November, 04:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

Yuko Oshima, 22, and seven of her AKB48 pals took part in a launch event for a 7-Eleven Christmas cake this week. The Macaron Tree Cake, supposedly devised by AK48 themselves, marks the start of a festive collaboration between the convenience store operator and the idol group.

“You can decorate it yourself, so no two cakes in the world will be the same,” said Oshima. “But there are a limited number available, so make sure you order yours now.”

When asked about her Christmas plans, she replied, “I’ve already decided. I’m spending it at the AKB48 Christmas party. We’ll all dress up like Santa and reindeer and stuff.”

Talk then turned to whether or not AKB48 would be taking part in this year’s “Kohaku Uta Gassen,” NHK’s annual music show on New Year’s Eve. Oshima replied, “We’d love to be invited. It’d be a dream gig for us and a great way to
round off the year.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Haruna Kawaguchi named Nikkei Trendy's "Face of the Year"
Tue, November 2, 2010 (10:30am EDT)



The magazine Nikkei Trendy unveiled its 2010 list for its annual "Hit Products Top 30" rankings, which highlight the year's most popular consumer goods and trends. As always, it also named its celebrity "Face of the Year," and this time it was teen model Haruna Kawaguchi (15).

Kawaguchi has been modeling since 2007, but she did not gain widespread recognition until last year, when she was selected as the image girl for real estate company Mitsui Rehouse. Since then, she has appeared in several LISMO commercials, among others. She made her television drama debut in last year's "Tokyo DOGS" and has had a steady stream of roles ever since.

As for the "Hit Products Top 30" list, the #1 product was Taberu Rayu, a thicker, sauce-like version of rayu (a type of chili oil) that has spread to all kinds of foods, from burgers to potato chips. #2 on the list were 3D movies, and #3 were smartphones.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Britney Hamada taking break from show business to focus on manga
Tue, November 2, 2010 (12:01pm EDT)



Talento Britney Hamada has announced that she will take a temporary break from show business to focus on her career as a manga artist. As of October 31, she resigned from her management agency, which has closed her official website and blog. She will continue using her Twitter account, and she plans to open a new website and blog on November 3.

Hamada entered show business a couple years ago. She built an image on variety shows as a gal ("gyaru") and as a "homeless manga artist," since she had no permanent address and slept in overnight manga cafes and karaoke boxes, though she later moved into an actual apartment.

Before her start as a talento, she attended manga training school, where one of her works won an award and was noticed by a publisher. She took up the pen name of Britney Hamada and made her debut as a published artist in 2006. Her best known manga so far is "Pagyaru!" which was serialized in Big Comic Spirits.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Best Leathernist: Katsunori Takahashi, Maomi Yuuki
Tue, November 2, 2010 (12:16pm EDT)



The Best Leathernist 2010 awards were presented on Tuesday in Tokyo. This year's winners were actor Katsunori Takahashi (45) and talento Maomi Yuuki (30).

The award is sponsored by the Japan Leather and Leather Goods Industries Association and has been given out since 2001 to help promote the leather industry. Takahashi was a natural choice for the award, as he served as the 2010 "leather friendship ambassador." He is also well known for starring in the drama series "Tokumei Kakarichou Tadano Hitoshi," where his character wore a trademark leather coat.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yoko Minamino breaks up with boyfriend of 4 years
Tue, November 2, 2010 (12:37pm EDT)



Actress and singer Yoko Minamino (43) has broken up with her boyfriend, commercial planner and creative director Michihiko Yanai (46). The two reportedly ended their relationship early this summer.

Minamino, also known to fans as "Nanno," started dating Yanai in 2006, and it was believed that the relationship would eventually lead to marriage. It appears that they took a turn for the worse around the start of this year, stemming from a difference in views on their relationship. While Minamino wanted to spend as much time together as possible, Yanai was frequently traveling around the country for his work, and their physical distance led them to gradually grow apart emotionally as well. After much discussion about their future, they decided to separate around early summer.

Minamino has also been busy with her own work. She celebrated the 25th anniversary of her singing debut this year, though she has not had an original release since a few years ago. She has mainly been focused on acting, and she also released her first essay book in June. Next week, she will release a DVD box set called "NANNO ANNIVERSARY 25th," but it will only be sold online.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Charts: AKB48, K-On!!
Wed, November 3, 2010 (12:37am EDT)



As reported earlier this week, AKB48 set some records with their latest single "Beginner," selling almost 827,000 copies in its first week to take the #1 spot on the charts. This blew away the rest of the competition, as #2 was Porno Graffitti's new single with close to 39,000 copies. DREAMS COME TRUE (#4), Lia (#6), GRANRODEO (#7), and Shunsuke Kiyokiba (#10) also made the top ten with new releases.



On the album charts, the "K-On!!" anime character album "Houkago Tea Time II" stood out on top with over 127,000 copies sold. Last year, the fictional band's mini-album became the first anime character album to top the charts, and this time their first full album has nearly doubled it in first-week sales.

Most of the other top ten albums this week were new: Spitz (#2), Mika Nakashima (#3), Def Tech (#4), Ne-Yo (#5), Chatmonchy (#6), Kazuyoshi Saito (#7), and Masayoshi Yamazaki (#10).

Korean group BIG BANG sold 15,000 copies to rank #1 on the music DVD charts, and #2 on the overall DVD charts.

Meanwhile, Nana Mizuki also sold 15,000 copies to achieve #1 on the music Blu-ray charts. She is now the first artist to have three consecutive number-ones on that chart, and her sales give her the current record for a music Blu-ray Disc by a female artist, surpassing Namie Amuro's record of 14,000 set last year.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Sowelu exposes "true self" with new album
Tue, November 2, 2010 (10:49pm EDT)



On December 1, Sowelu (27) will release her first album since joining Avex's rhythm zone label last year. Titled "Love & I ~Renai Henreki~," the album is a collaboration with nine male artists, including CHEMISTRY's Yoshikuni Dochin (31).

Sowelu said that she wanted to show a side of her true self that she couldn't show before, and the result is a big change from her previously pure image. The jacket for the album features a nude Sowelu with a cigarette in her mouth and one hand covering her breast. A 15-minute music video has also been unveiled, beginning with a passionate kiss scene and progressing on to love scenes, which are said to comprise about 6 to 7 minutes of the video.

Sowelu is a big fan of the female author LiLy ("Tokyo Dream"), so she asked the writer to handle the lyrics for the album's songs. Sowelu then performed the songs with nine male artists, including Yoshikuni Dochin, RYO-Z of RIP SLYME, VERBAL of m-flo, and Daichi Miura.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Singer Nanase Aikawa launches Rockstar Steady project
Tue, November 2, 2010 (10:21pm EDT)



15 years after her debut, singer Nanase Aikawa (35) is taking on a new persona by the name of Rockstar Steady ("steady" as in "steady girlfriend"). The project is an all-girl rock band aimed at becoming popular with woman, and it is already gaining popularity within the lesbian community.

After a performance at a major gay event in September of last year, Aikawa became very popular among the lesbian community. Then this past September, she performed at a lesbian-only in Shinjuku's Ni-chome district, and the venue was filled to more than twice its capacity. According to the event's organizer, Aikawa is currently the female artist that women would most want to sleep with.

Aikawa, said to be a big fan of the lesbian-themed American drama series "The L Word," was inspired to try expressing lesbianism through her music, resulting in her Rockstar Steady project. The music video for the band's debut song "Fine Fine Day," whose lyrics are completely in English, features Aikawa as a leather-clad rocker and includes scenes of her kissing a woman. "Fine Fine Day" will be released as a single on December 8.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yukie Nakama, KAT-TUN's Kamenashi face off over clear skin

Thursday 04th November, 06:38 AM JST



TOKYO —

Actress Yukie Nakama, 31, and Kazuya Kamenashi, 24, a member of Johnny’s boy band KAT-TUN launched Panasonic’s “Beautiful Christmas” campaign this week.

Although now the faces of Panasonic beauty products, the pair previously acted together as teacher and troubled high school student back in “Gokusen” in 2005. Nakama said of her young costar, “When we first met, he was pretty wet behind the ears, but in the blink of an eye he has grown up. Teacher’s very proud of him.”

Getting down to the business at hand, Kamenashi then described his skincare routine, saying, “I often use
the steamer. I used it twice last night to give myself clear skin.”

Nakama admired his silky complexion and told the gathered press, “I suspect he’s more into beauty products than I am.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Canadian Actor Tried on Drug Charge       
November 03, 2010



A Canadian actor who had a minor part in this year's ongoing NHK taiga drama series has been arrested and tried on drug charges, it was revealed today. The actor, named as Troy Alexander Caspi (37) appeared in the October 31 episode of "Ryomaden," a dramatization of the life of legendary samurai Sakamoto Ryoma, starring Fukuyama Masaharu. According to the Sankei Sports newspaper, Kanagawa police arrested him at his apartment in Kamakura on September 10 for possession of marijuana.

In the drama, the Canadian played the part of a British seaman who is killed by a samurai in Nagasaki. NHK say the episode was filmed in August and they only learned of the arrest and trial when a viewer contacted them after watching last Sunday's episode. For this Saturday's repeat broadcast, the actor's name will be removed from the credits.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Perfume schedules first overseas performance at Mnet Asian Music Awards
Wed, November 3, 2010 (4:20pm EDT)



Electropop trio Perfume successfully completed their first Tokyo Dome concert on Wednesday in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000 fans. On the same day, it was revealed that the group has scheduled its first overseas performance at the 2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards, which is being held on November 28.

The awards show, which coves Korean pop music, is being held at the Cotai Arena in Macau this year. In Japan, the show will be broadcast live by the cable channel MUSIC ON! TV.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Nao Minamisawa stars in musical "Pink Spider," featuring songs by Hide
Wed, November 3, 2010 (5:08pm EDT)



Actress Nao Minamisawa (20) will perform in her first stage musical next year. Titled "Pink Spider," the rock-flavored production will only feature music by X JAPAN's late guitarist hide.

The musical is named after hide's single of the same name, originally released in 1998. While hide was alive, he had said that he wanted to work on a musical, and those feelings have finally been brought to fruition. In this original story, Minamisawa plays a high school student named Meru who matures as she deals with the differences between her ideal world and reality.

Minamisawa has participated in a local chorus club since 1st grade up until April of this year (singing as a mezzo-soprano), though it never involved rock music. Minamisawa reportedly turned down the role once, but the production team insisted that they needed her due to her acting ability. However, the part of Meru has been double-cast, so she will be sharing it with singer Hitomi Takahashi (21).



The other main role, a record shop employee, has been double-cast between Shinji Takeda (37) and Gota Watabe (24). LUNA SEA bassist J (40) will also make a guest appearance.



Aprroximately 20 of hide's songs will be used in the musical, including the titular "Pink Spider" and "ROCKET DIVE." Minamisawa will sing and dance to 5 or 6 of those songs, and she has already begun voice and muscle training for the part.

"Pink Spider" will be performed at The Globe Tokyo between March 8 and March 27.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yusuke Iseya dating model Yu Hirukawa?
Wed, November 3, 2010 (8:51pm EDT)



Actor Yusuke Iseya (34) and fashion model Yu Hirukawa (24) are currently dating, says the latest issue of Josei Seven. The magazine snapped a photo of the two together at the end of last month.

On October 29, Iseya held a reception party at a Tokyo shop for his Rebirth Project, an environmental initiative to promote sustainable living. According to Josei Seven, he was seen holding hands with Hirukawa after the party, and they left together in the same car.

Iseya and Hirukawa's management agencies both declined to comment on their personal lives.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yu Darvish, Saeko headed for divorce?
Wed, November 3, 2010 (5:57pm EDT)



This week's issue of Josei Seven reports that Nippon Ham Fighters' ace pitcher Yu Darvish (24) and actress Saeko (23) are on the verge of getting divorced. Sankei Sports has apparently confirmed this with a person close to the couple, though the reason for the breakup is disputed.

The couple married in November 2007 after it was learned that Saeko was pregnant. She gave birth to their first son in March 2008, and in order to raise the child, she has been traveling frequently between Sapporo, where the Fighters are based, and the couple's home in Miyazaki, which is close to Saeko's family.

Meanwhile, Josei Seven alleges that Darvish has been paying visits to Susukino, a red-light district in Sapporo. Saeko eventually learned about his infidelity, apparently before she gave birth to their second son in February of this year. When she approached him about the matter in September, he reportedly told her, "If you don't like it, let's break up."

Both Darvish and Saeko are currently signed to Avex's management office. When reached for comment, the company said that it has not heard anything from the couple regarding divorce.

However, Sankei Sports states that it spoke with someone who knows the couple well. That person denied Josei Seven's rumors about Darvish's infidelity, but confirmed that the couple is headed for divorce. According to the person, the reason for the breakup is simply that the two spend a lot of time apart, and that has strained their relationship beyond repair. The person also mentioned that lawyers for both sides have already begun correspondence in preparation for divorce negotiations.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Arashi, Nao Matsushita to host 61st Kohaku Uta Gassen
Wed, November 3, 2010 (3:19pm EDT)



On Wednesday, NHK announced the hosts of the 61st Kohaku Uta Gassen. The popular group Arashi will be in charge of the White Team, while actress and pianist Nao Matsushita (25) will be in charge of the Red Team. This is the first time for either of them to serve as a Kohaku host.

Arashi did their first performance at Kohaku just last year. Now, they have become the first group ever to host the show. The announcement was even more special as it was made on November 3, the 11th anniversary of Arashi's CD debut. The group will be complemented by Matsushita, who skyrocketed in popularity this year thanks to NHK's morning drama series "Gegege no Nyoubou."

This year's Kohaku will start 15 minutes later than last year, at 7:30pm on December 31, though it will end at the usual time of 11:45pm.

Source: www.tokyograph.com