Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]

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Japanese director resurrects Soviet puppet animation 'Cheburashka'

Monday 27th December, 04:21 AM JST

TOKYO —

Japanese movie director and script writer Makoto Nakamura has brought back to the screen a Russian stop-motion animated series which gained international popularity during the Soviet era.

‘‘Cheburashka,’’ the titular character, is a furry creature with similarities to a bear and a monkey, originating in a Russian book for children and later appearing in a series of films featuring animated puppets.

The four original films gained popularity in the former Soviet Union before capturing a following abroad.

‘‘The pressure was always there because many people in Russia have repeatedly seen ‘Cheburashka,’ and they will be hard to please,’’ the 40-year-old Saitama Prefecture native said.

After numerous discussions with Russian advisors, Nakamura tried to retain the heart-warming mood of the original piece while utilizing modern technology and production tools.

The actual shooting was conducted at a South Korean studio which has created high-quality puppet animations.

The shooting process for stop-motion puppet animation is very time-consuming, as each frame of the film is shot separately, with the puppets moved in between. The crew was able to capture only 4 to 5 seconds worth of footage per day.

After completion of the project, which was launched six years ago, the film had a positive reception at a premiere screening in Russia.

‘‘Stories capable of touching the hearts of people will cross boundaries of nationality, ethnicity or religion. I started to think that way while making this movie, ‘’ Nakamura said.

The film began screening at theaters in Japan last week.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Waraimeshi comic duo wins coveted M-1 title

Monday 27th December, 10:15 AM JST



TOKYO —

Comic duo Waraimeshi (Laughing Rice) became the last winners of the M-1 championship Sunday evening, the most coveted title for up-and-coming stand-up duos in Japan. Koji Nishida and Tetsuo, both 36, clinched the title in the 10th and final edition of the high-profile annual event for comic double acts who have been performing for 10 years or less.

‘‘As there was the M-1 championship, we were motivated to work hard. We wanted to win at any cost,’’ Koji Nishida said, referring to the pair’s delight at topping the record field of 4,835 competitors after being losing finalists for nine years in a row. Shinsuke Shimada, a mogul of the Japanese entertainment industry and the organizer of the competition, said that the popular event had ‘‘turned out many star comedians.’’

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Yamaji Toru and His Women       
December 27, 2010



Yesterday APF Tsushin president Yamaji Toru (49) spoke publicly for the first time about his convoluted relationships with talentos Omomo Miyoko (45) and Asagi Kuniko (46). He acknowledged that he and Asagi were married shortly after his 2006 divorce from Omomo, and that they had been having an affair for a couple of years before that. He and Asagi divorced about a month ago, and the whole tangle of their various relationships became public when Omomo posted about it on her Twitter account last week.

Asagi and Yamaji began working together on TV more than a decade ago. Asagi was married to musician Matsumoto Akihiko (47), with whom she has a 16-year-old daughter, from 1994 to 2006, while Yamaji and Omomo were married between 2003 and 2006 (Yamaji also has a child from a previous marriage). So their relationship was an extra-marital affair for both parties. From her public statements, Omom clearly still holds a grudge against Asagi and the various parties will probably need some time to come to any kind of mutual understanding, let alone be able to appear together on TV.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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AYUMI HAMASAKI’s “Countdown Live” simultaneous streaming on USTREAM TV

December 26, 2010 by J!-ENT



Attention!!! Attention!!!

AYUMI HAMASAKI’s countdown live concert will be available on USTREAM TV (almost simultaneous to the actual concert) from 3:00 am on January 1, 2011 (Japan time).

It is for \3,150 Japanese yen to stream – it is for worldwide viewing!!

CONCERT TITLE:

ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2010-2011 A ~ do it again ~

WORLDWIDE STREAMING TIME:
Open 2:30am January 1 Start 3:00am January 1 (Japan time)

TICKET PRICE:
\3,150 Japanese yen (incl tax) (up to the first 2 songs for free)

TICKETS:
available from 6:00 pm December 27, 2010 thru 4:00 am on January 1, 2011

CONTENTS:
entire concert except for encores.

URL

http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu/cdl2010-2011/

Source: http://www.nt2099.com/J-ENT

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Maho Nagase, Rakuto Tochihara star in live-action "Nana to Kaoru"
Fri, December 24, 2010 (9:47am EST)

In October, it was revealed that Ryuta Amazume's bondage-themed manga series "Nana to Kaoru" was being turned into a live-action film. The movie's leads have now been announced.



This will be the first movie role for gravure idol Maho Nagase (19). She has been paired up with actor Rakuto Tochihara (21), who has been in shows such as "Kamen Rider Hibiki" and "Ryomaden."

The story revolves around two neighbors and schoolmates, Nana (Nagase) and Kaoru (Tochihara). Nana is the popular and glamorous vice-president of the student council, while Kaoru is an awkward social outcast. However, an incident together leads them to discover their own S&M tendencies, forever changing the nature of their relationship.

A promotional still has been released. The movie is directed by Atsushi Shimizu ("Nerawareta Gakuen," "Yume Juya") and is scheduled to premiere on March 12, 2011.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Pop Chocolat bassist leaves due to pregnancy
Fri, December 24, 2010 (10:08am EST)



The all-female band pop chocolat announced this week that bassist michiko is currently pregnant, and as a result she has decided to leave the group. She wrote in her blog that she learned of her pregnancy on November 25, the day after the band organized a live event in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo.

michiko explained her decision to quit the band, saying that she could not guarantee she would be able to return after the child is born. She noted that there are plenty of women who continue playing in a band while raising a child, but given her own personality, she felt that she would likely cause trouble for the band.

michiko's last performance with pop chocolat will be on January 6 at an event in Shinjuku. The band plans to continue their schedule after that with a support bassist.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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BEGIN announces tribute and cover albums, plus more
Fri, December 24, 2010 (10:40am EST)

Pop group BEGIN celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut this year, and they have now announced the simultaneous release of two special albums to celebrate that milestone. Titled "BEGIN 20th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL TRIBUTE ALBUM" and "BEGIN 20th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL COVER ALBUM," the albums are scheduled to go on sale on March 2, 2011.

The members of BEGIN are originally from Okinawa, so the "SPECIAL TRIBUTE ALBUM" will have an all-Okinawa theme. The artists known to be participating are MONGOL800, Cocco, Kariyushi 58, MAX, ISSA (DA PUMP), Chiharu Tamashiro (Kiroro), D-51, Yanawaraba, Isamu Shimoji, 2side1BRAIN, Ponytail Ribbons, and BOURBONZ. The album's jacket will feature actress Manami Higa, who also hails from Okinawa.

The "SPECIAL COVER ALBUM," on the other hand, will not be limited to Okinawan artists. The album includes Yoshimi Tendo, Hiromi Iwasaki with Chikuzen Sato, Sayuri Ishikawa, Ayakaji, Sansanar, Kaori Nakata, Rimi Natsukawa, Aya Ueto, Takeshi Tsuruno, Keiko Toda, SISTER KAYA, and Tokiko Kato. Another Okinawan actress, Tomi Taira, will appear on the jacket.

In addition to the two albums, Tokiko Kato and Kaori Nakata will each release a cover single of BEGIN's "Perma Ya Yunta," both going on sale on February 2. Then on February 16, BEGIN will release a special-edition collection called "BEGIN Single Daizenshu."

BEGIN has also announced a concert at Nippon Budokan on March 5 with a few guest artists.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Maya Mori celebrates first child on Christmas
Sat, December 25, 2010 (11:44am EST)



Model Maya Mori (25) has just become a mother. She gave birth to her first daughter on Saturday, December 25, then announced the happy news through her blog on the same day.

Mori officially got married to a man working in the apparel industry on November 11, but she had already revealed in September that she was engaged. She plans to take things easy for now, though she previously stated that she will continue working as a model.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Masatoshi Nakamura, Reiko Takashima pair up for "C-46" drama
Sat, December 25, 2010 (12:09pm EST)



Just a few days ago, it was revealed that the CHAGE and ASKA song "C-46" was indirectly being turned into a television drama special. Details of the drama have now been revealed: Masatoshi Nakamura (59) and Reiko Takashima (46) will play the starring roles.

The drama is tentatively titled "Tasogare Ryuseigun: C-46 Seiun." This is the same title as the manga by Kenshi Hirokane that the show is based on, which itself was inspired by "C-46."

Nakamura plays Kenta, a salaryman in his fifties who was once the vocalist of a popular band during his college days. Takashima, on the other hand, plays the charismatic Hitomi, an editor for a women's magazine who has devoted her life to her work. While Kenta is unfortunately laid off from his job, Hitomi has her own problems at work, including an interoffice affair. The two happen to meet again, leading them to remember the romance that they had more than 30 years earlier.

Kansai TV and Fuji TV are scheduled to broadcast the drama during the afternoon of February 20, 2011.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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GO! FES 2011 announces Perfume, Sukima Switch, Chatmonchy, and more
Sat, December 25, 2010 (12:46pm EST)

Music festival GO! FES 2011 has announced its schedule and the first batch of confirmed artists. The festival will take place on March 19-20 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, with tickets being sold for 4,900 yen per day, and 9,500 yen for both days.

The first GO! FES was launched this past March, featuring many hit artists. With the currently revealed lineup, the 2011 festival is bringing back several of the artists, including electropop trio Perfume.

The March 19 lineup includes:

KREVA
SHAKALABBITS
JUJU
Perfume
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
The March 20 lineup includes:
Elephant Kashimashi
Kazuyoshi Saito
Sukima Switch
Chatmonchy
Kazuya Yoshii

General ticket sales have not been scheduled yet, but advance lottery tickets are now on sale through e-plus. More information about the event is available on the official website.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Percussionist Izumi Matsui leaves bonobos
Sat, December 25, 2010 (1:09pm EST)



Rock/reggae band bonobos performed at a live event on December 25 organized by DOPING PANDA, and they announced that percussionist Izumi Matsui has left the group. Matsui was not at the event; the other three members of the band performed along with two support members.

Matsui will continue his musical career separately from the band, though his specific plans were not revealed.

bonobos formed in 2001 and released their debut single in 2003.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Punk band Midori to dissolve
Sat, December 25, 2010 (1:36pm EST)

Mariko Goto, the vocalist of punk band Midori, has just announced on Ustream that the band is breaking up. Their final concert together, titled "Sayonara, Goto-san," will be their December 30 show at Liquid Room Ebisu in Tokyo.

Goto tearfully explained the breakup, saying that a hierarchy had formed among the band's members. Because she feels that a band should share a common fate and be like a family, she decided that it could not continue in its current state. She said she considered keeping the band going, but that it would only delay the inevitable result.

Goto formed Midori in Osaka in 2003. They released their first indie-label album in 2005, and they went major in 2007.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Idol Ren Nanami announces marriage, pregnancy, retirement
Sat, December 25, 2010 (9:37pm EST)



Gravure idol Ren Nanami (20), formerly known as Ren Sasaki, held a release event for her latest DVD in Akihabara on Saturday. There, she made the unexpected announcement that she is retiring from the entertainment industry at the end of this year, as she has just gotten married and is expecting her first child.

Nanami registered her marriage on December 24. She is currently in her fifth month of pregnancy.

Nanami joined the entertainment industry a few years ago under the name Ren Sasaki. She previously played for the futsal team FANTASISTA, but she joined Miss Magazine's team last year. This past June, she received the Miss Magazine Futsal Award for the 2009 season.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Second child for Nozomi Tsuji, Taiyo Sugiura
Sun, December 26, 2010 (3:48am EST)



Nozomi Tsuji (23) and Taiyo Sugiura (29) celebrated their second child on Sunday, December 26. Tsuji gave birth to the baby boy, weighing 2,730 grams, at 1:32pm in the afternoon, after approximately 12 hours in labor.

Coincidentally, the boy's birthday is one month apart from his sister Noa, who was born on November 26, 2007.

Tsuji and Sugiura have been married since June 2007.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Plastic Tree vocalist diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome
Sat, December 25, 2010 (7:51am EST)



Visual-kei rock band Plastic Tree announced on Saturday that vocalist Ryutaro Arimura has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare and incurable disorder that affects the nervous system and causes paralysis.

Arimura experienced a high fever on December 21, and he complained of weakness in his body the following day. After being examined by a doctor, it was learned that he suffers from Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Under his doctor's orders, the band has decided to cancel two concerts scheduled for December 28-29 at Tokyo's JCB Hall, despite Arimura's strong desire to perform.

Plastic Tree made their major label debut in 1997. They just released their 30th single "Mirai Iro" on December 15, and it entered the weekly sales charts at #10.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kouhaku Uta Gassen performance order: SMAP chosen as Ootori
Sun, December 26, 2010 (3:15am EST)



On Sunday, NHK announced the planned performance order for the upcoming Kouhaku Uta Gassen. It is now confirmed that SMAP and DREAMS COME TRUE will be the "tori" (final performance) for the White Team and Red Team, respectively, with SMAP serving as the "ootori" (the last performance of the whole contest).

SMAP previously had the "ootori" role in 2003 and 2005. For DREAMS COME TRUE, this will be their second year in a row as the "tori" for the Red Team, which has not happened since Akiko Wada in 1998-1999. This is also the first time since 1978 that two pop artists have been "tori"; usually at least one of the artists is an enka singer.

It was recently announced that SMAP member Masahiro Nakai is going to be the host of this year's "CDTV Special! Toshikoshi Premier Live," which starts at 11:45m on TBS. Because Kouhaku Uta Gassen ends at 11:45pm, Nakai will have to rush from the NHK studio in Shibuya to the TBS studio in Akasaka. Since he will not be able to make it in time by the start of the "CDTV Special," the show will start out with Nakai on a live video feed.

The first performance of Kouhaku (the "top batter") will be done by Ayumi Hamasaki, for the third year in a row.

The performance order, as announced:

Ayumi Hamasaki - Virgin Road
EXILE - I Wish For You
AKB48 - Kouhaku 2010 AKB48 Kamikyoku SP
NYC - Yoku Asobi Yoku Manabe 100% NYC
Angela Aki - Kagayaku Hito
AAA - Aitai Riyuu
Mitsuko Nakamura - Kawachi Otoko Bushi
flumpool - Kimi ni Todoke
Ayaka Hirahara - Voyagers
Yusuke - Hito
Natsuko Godai - Hitori Zake
Takashi Hosokawa - Naniwabushi da yo Jinsei wa
Porno Graffitti - Kimi wa 100%
Kana Nishino - Best Friend
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS - Ato Hitotsu
Miyuki Kawanaka - Nirinkusa
HY - Toki wo Koe
Kumiko - INORI
Kaori Mizumori - Matsushima Kikou
Hideaki Tokunaga - Toki no Nagare ni Mi wo Makase
Nana Mizuki - PHANTOM MINDS
L'Arc~en~Ciel - BLESS
Yoshimi Tendo - Jinsei Michizure
Shinichi Mori - Erimo Misaki
Hiromi Go - GO!GO!Year Kouhaku Special Medley
aiko - Mukai Awase
Perfume - Nee
TOKIO - advance
Kumi Koda - KODA KUMI 2010 Special Medley
Hiroshi Itsuki - Oshiroi Hana
Akiko Wada - AKKOii! Kouhaku 2010 Special
Yuzo Kayama - Wakadaisho 50 Nen Special Medley
Masaharu Fukuyama - Michishirube
Sachiko Kobayashi - Kaachan no Hitorigoto
Kobukuro - Ryusei
Kana Uemura - Toilet no Kamisama
Arashi - 2010 Kouhaku Original Medley
Ikimono Gakari - Arigatou
Sayuri Ishikawa - Amagi Goe
Saburo Kitajima - Fusetsu Nagare Tabi
Fuyumi Sakamoto - Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru
Kiyoshi Hikawa - Nijiiro no Bayon
DREAMS COME TRUE - Ikite Yuku no Desu feat. The Kouhaku Special Brass Band
SMAP - This is love '10 SP Medley

The order of the special segments have not yet been announced.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kabuki plays well-received by Americans on West Coast

LOS ANGELES —

Performing to audiences composed of both committed kabuki fans and the merely curious, the Zenshinza Theatre Company, one of Japan’s oldest troupes, broke new ground with a recent series of shows on the U.S. West Coast.

Taking the stage at the Aratani Theater in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, the company made its North American debut in the fall of 2010, just before celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2011.

Over a three-week stretch in November, the group introduced audiences in Los Angeles and San Francisco to two kabuki classics and a new historical play, which they also performed in Hawaii.

The performances were a unique opportunity for people on the West Coast to appreciate Japanese dramatic art and history live. And both kabuki neophytes and aficionados alike appeared to have enjoyed and understood distinctive features of the traditional shows.

In the first kabuki play, Chatsubo (tea chest), an actor staggered on stage and nearly off again. He swayed and swaggered, and by the time he said, ‘‘I’m so drunk I can hardly tell where I’m going.’’ The audience hardly needed to glance at the English subtitles above the stage.

‘‘In kabuki, what is most important is painstakingly trained physical expression. You could even call it an art of the body,’’ says Keishi Arashi. He is one of Zenshinza’s head actors and has been performing kabuki for more than 50 years.

The skin on his face is fine, the muscles firm. His eyes seem piercingly attentive. What he says about kabuki could also be said of ballet, he admits, ‘‘but the thing that makes it different from dance is that it makes an art form out of expressing aspects of daily life.’‘

‘‘I really liked it so much better than on film, the live movement was so much more entertaining,’’ said Clara Tschudi Campbell, whose only previous experience of kabuki had been on video for a course on Asian theater and dance.

Wayne Itoga, a kabuki fan with a carefully cultivated collection of Shochiku DVDs, agreed. ‘‘It is spectacular live. You can’t take your eyes off of it. And it was wonderful to be able to sit so close to the stage.’‘

‘‘I could see every detail, down to the wrinkles in his face. I would never be able to get a seat like this in Tokyo.’‘

In the program Narukami, Arashi played the role of a Buddhist priest who captures the rain gods to spite the emperor as he was refused dedication of a temple. A princess is sent to seduce him. The priest, Narukami, falls in love with her, loses his ascetic powers and finally vows revenge.

In the final scene, his slicked-back hair turns to a black shock like a Cossack hat and his white robes flaming red. He periodically strikes an angular pose and shoots a riveting look at the crowd. These poses, called mie, are an integral part of kabuki.

‘‘If there was a camera you could actually zoom in, but on stage you can’t, so we raise the intensity of expression and it has a similar effect,’’ Arashi said.

The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, which organized the event, paired ‘‘a dramatic work with a lighter, comedic piece so American audiences could experience two different aspects of this classic theater,’’ says Robert Hori, one of the center’s directors.

Brian Getnick, a member of the audience and director of an LA performance troupe, came to appreciate the stylized facial expressions and body movements, though they seemed a little gratuitous at first.

‘‘I wasn’t used to all the shuffling and running in place, so I thought ‘just get on stage!’‘’ he laughs.

Physical expression is integral to kabuki, but only one aspect of the art. ‘‘There is also the strength it requires to take the reality of the drama and manifest it in your own feelings,’’ says Arashi.

Kabuki shares this quality with western stage plays, which Zenshinza also has a long history of performing.

The 70-year-old Arashi explains the company’s roots. ‘‘The founders of the company were all kabuki actors. But the kabuki of that day, as wonderful a job as it was for them, was very strict as a system.’‘

‘‘On one hand, this is how the traditions were passed down. But on the other hand, no matter how talented you were, if you weren’t born into a well-off family, you could never play a leading role.’‘

Noting that the class system in the Edo era (1603-1868) had long been reflected in the kabuki world, Arashi said, ‘‘The founders of our company wanted to change that.’‘

So in 1931, Kawarasaki Chojuro and Nakamura Kan’emon broke from their companies and started their own: Zenshinza—literally meaning the progressive theater.

‘‘They were greatly influenced by dramas from Europe and they wanted to make new dramas for a new society in Japan. Performing kabuki along with new dramas was one of their basic principles,’’ says Arashi.

For its three U.S. appearances, the company also performed Honen and Shinran, a history play about the lives of the founders of Jodo, the largest Buddhist sect in Japan. Groups from several Buddhist temples, including one 600 kilometers away, came to see the play.

Matt Young, a local college student, also attended the play. Though he found it difficult to keep up with the action and subtitles at the same time, ‘‘it was interesting to see how the same human drama plays out in different cultures.’‘

Kimono-clad Carol Hyland, attending the show with other members of the LA Kimono Club, welcomed the performance. ‘‘I really hope to see more traditional Japanese theater in the U.S., and I want to encourage Americans to learn more about Japanese culture.’‘

This is what the company had hoped for, said Arashi. ‘‘The audience was watching with such genuineness and openness. The atmosphere was great. It was wonderful.’’

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Erika Sawajiri, husband Tsuyoshi Takashiro spotted together in Barcelona

Tuesday 28th December, 01:30 AM JST



Actress Erika Sawajiri, 24, and husband Tsuyoshi Takashiro, 46, are living together again in Barcelona, Spain, according to tabloid Nikkan Sports. Sources close to the couple said that when Sawajiri announced her intention to divorce her director husband in April of this year, the couple had been living apart, but by the latter half of October, they had got back together again. Around that time, Sawajiri dropped out of public view and had rumored to be recuperating from an unspecified illness.

It is believed that Sawajiri is currently adjusting to life in Spain and attempting to continue her career there. According to sources close to the couple, Sawajiri has no current plans to return to Japan for the New Year holiday period.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Journalist Yamaji blames himself for gossip over two ex-wives

Tuesday 28th December, 06:42 AM JST



TOKYO —

Journalist Toru Yamaji, president of Tokyo-based video news provider APF News Inc, blames himself for gossip about his relations with his former wives Miyoko Omomo and Kuniko Asagi, both TV personalities.

‘‘I feel very sorry about it,’’ Yamaji, 49, told a press conference Sunday in Tokyo, acknowledging that his explanations to the two women had been insufficient, so that they had each given their own press conference to present their own accounts.

Yamaji said his relationship with Asagi, 48, began several years ago when he was still married to Omomo, 45. He later married Asagi but subsequently they also divorced.

About 100 reporters attended the press conference after gossip about Yamaji began to escalate following Omomo’s revelation on Twitter about a week ago that she was shocked to discover Yamaji had had an extramarital relationship with Asagi.

Yamaji has reported from many conflict areas and was temporarily detained in Myanmar in November on suspicion of illegal entry after he arrived in the country to cover Myanmar’s general elections.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Punkbooboo's Jun Kurose ties the knot
Mon, December 27, 2010 (9:21am EST)



Comedian Jun Kurose (35), one half of the popular duo Punkbooboo, announced on Monday that he is now married. His wife is a pet trimmer in her 30s, who is said to have looked like Jackie Chan when she was a child.

Kurose revealed he was in a relationship this past February, and they had already been dating for two years at that time.

Punkbooboo made the final round of the M-1 Grand Prix on Sunday, but they were unable to defend their title from 2009.

Source: www.tokyograph.com