Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]

whitedove

Conductor Ozawa cancels concert schedule due to back pain treatment

Wednesday 05th January, 06:59 AM JST



MITO —

Prominent conductor Seiji Ozawa has canceled concerts at the Art Tower Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture on Jan. 29 and 30 as he needs to undergo endoscopic surgery for back pain, the concert organizer said Tuesday.

‘‘I’ve decided to have an operation as instructed by my doctor after concluding it would be highly difficult to continue my musical activities while suffering from back pain,’’ Ozawa, 75, said in a statement prior to the operation in the middle of this month.

Ozawa underwent surgery for esophagus cancer in January last year and made a comeback last summer. He was also due to conduct the Mito Chamber Orchestra, for which he serves as a music adviser, in Tokyo on Jan 31.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Kohaku Boosted by the Kuwata Factor       
January 04, 2011



NHK executives must be feeling very thankful to singer Kuwata Keisuke (54, photo). He is being given much of the credit for the decent TV audience ratings announced for "Kohaku Uta Gassen" on New Year's Eve. The show managed an average rating of 42.5% for the second half, the third year in a row that it has stayed above the 40% mark. In 2009, the main attractions were rare appearances from Susan Boyle (49) and Yazawa Eikichi (61), while this time around it was recent developments in Kuwata's personal life that drew many viewers. The show was his first public appearance in almost six months, during which time he has been in a battle with cancer. His performance of two songs, including his latest release, "Sore Ike Baby!!" drew even higher ratings in some parts of the country, 48.1% in Nagoya and 49.6% in Niigata. NHK also announced that they had a 40% increase in votes from viewers on the song contest.

Other attractions on the show were a live hookup with the Yokohama Stadium, where actor/singer Fukuyama Masaharu (41) had his ponytail ceremonially cut off. He grew his hair for the lead role in last year's NHK taiga drama series "Ryomaden." And there was the 34th appearance by veteran Wada Akiko (60), despite the fact that she suffered neck and back injuries in a car crash during final rehearsals for the show.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

katt

January 10, 2011

Kusanagi translates Korean book series in Japanese
By Chung Ah-young chungay@koreatimes.co.kr


Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, a member of popular Japanese band SMAP, will publish a Korean book series in Japanese next month.

A major sports newspaper there reported that the 36-year-old, better known “Chonan Gang”in Korea due to his fluency in Korean, has completed his first translation of the book series “Yeontangil” (The Briquette Path) written by Lee Chul-hwan.

The Japanese version titled "Tsuki no Machi, Yama no Machi”will be released on Feb. 4.

The original series comprising seven volumes about people living in shanty towns are best-sellers with 3.6 million copies being sold since their first publication in 2000 in Korea.

Kusanagi had been requested to translate the works by the Japanese publisher Wani Books in 2003 and accepted it for its warm-hearted stories despite his hectic schedule.

He selected 29 short stories from the originals and translated them over one year from last spring. “I am very happy to see my work bearing fruit. They are very good stories which are heart-warming and filled with love and happiness. It might be different from the way Japanese feel and think in expression and use of language, but that is one of the reasons I was fascinated by Korea,”he was quoted as saying.

Also, he said that he learned many things from the translation process and wants to continue with works related to Korea.
Before his translation debut, he published a couple of Korean books, which were widely bought by readers.

whitedove

Sci-fi thriller 'Yamato' sails way to hit status
Kyodo News



The silver screen adaptation of the animated TV series "Space Battleship Yamato" has become a hit since its Dec. 1 release, drawing in more than 2 million viewers and ¥2.5 billion.

Most are men in their 30s and 40s who became enamored with the series as youngsters.

The Japanese film, starring actor Takuya Kimura and actress Meisa Kuroki, topped the box office rankings in its first week and remained a top-five film through December, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha.

The first series in the Yamato saga was a huge hit when it aired in 1974 and spawned several sequels, including the new film. It chronicles an uncharted cosmic voyage taken by the 22nd century spaceship, which was modeled on the Imperial Japanese Navy's battleship Yamato from World War II.

Translator Nozomi Omori, a follower of sci-fi trends, said the romantic nature of space travel and the film's focus on the crew members' interactions appeals to adult viewers.

"People from the generations who do not know about the boom in the 1970s showed only a tepid reaction to the film, but the Yamato stories retain a mysterious enchantment," Omori said.

Men around 40 are lavishing praise on the sci-fi extravaganza.

"The action version helped me feel the Yamato story was more real," one said.

Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110103a5.html

whitedove

tick disbands due to vocalist's departure
Tue, January 4, 2011 (7:22am EST)

Rock band tick announced on their official website that they have broken up after 12 years. According to their message, vocalist no-boo left the group at the end of 2010, and as a result they decided to disband.

tick had been inactive since the start of 2010. no-boo was experiencing health problems with his throat, and combined with family circumstances, he determined that he was unable to continue with his music career.

tick formed in 1998 as a duo and achieved their first major label release in 2002. no-boo joined the band in 2003, and keyboardist Donny was added in 2005.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Announcer Minori Masuda marries Downtown writer
Tue, January 4, 2011 (7:52am EST)

Minori Masuda (33), a popular announcer for the Nippon Broadcasting System, got married a few months ago, it has been revealed. On October 10, 2010, she tied the knot with broadcasting writer Mitsuyoshi Takasu (47), who was classmates with the comedy duo Downtown and currently writes for almost all of their shows, including "Downtown DX" and "Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!"

Masuda and Takasu met while working together on a show for Nippon Broadcasting System in October 2006. They dated for about four years before getting married. Takasu reportedly proposed to Masuda in June 2010.

The couple are said to be planning their wedding ceremony for March of this year. Masuda will continue working as an announcer.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Akai Plutonium marries Kurage Rider's Shingo Matsuoka
Tue, January 4, 2011 (6:49pm EST)



Female comedian Akai Plutonium (33) recently announced on her blog that she got married on January 2 to comedian Shingo Matsuoka (40). In her message, she said that only her real name is changing and that she will continue working in entertainment.

Akai Plutonium joined Ohta Production in 2009. Matsuoka belongs to the same agency, along with his comedy duo Kurage Rider.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Fuji TV tops ratings for 7th consecutive year
Tue, January 4, 2011 (6:16pm EST)

Fuji TV is still the king of ratings. Viewership data for 2010 was released on Tuesday, and Fuji TV was number-one in the three key categories for the 7th year in a row.

For 2010, Fuji TV's average ratings were 13.0% for golden time (7pm-10pm), 12.9% for prime time (7pm-11pm), and 8.3% for the whole day (6am-midnight). These numbers are slightly down from 2009, when Fuji TV had ratings of 13.5%, 13.4%, and 8.6% in those three categories.

Overall, Fuji TV has a strong broadcasting lineup, ranging from the morning show "Mezamashi TV" to popular prime time dramas, which in 2010 included Takuya Kimura's "Tsuki no Koibito ~Moon Lovers~" and Kazunari Ninomiya's "Freeter, Ie wo Kau."

Like last year, NTV was #2 in the three key categories.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

SMAP delivers highest performer ratings at 61st Kouhaku Uta Gassen
Tue, January 4, 2011 (7:02pm EST)



The minute-by-minute breakdown of the viewership ratings (in the Kanto region) for the 61st NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen was released to news outlets on Tuesday. (The overall ratings were announced a few days ago.) Based on the data, the ratings peak of the 4-hour show came near the end, reaching 49.7% at 11:41pm as the artists waited on stage for the winning team to be announced. Among the performers, the highest ratings were achieved just before that by SMAP's 2-song medley performance as the show's "ootori" (the final artist), measured at a peak of 48.9%.

This is SMAP's sixth time achieving the highest ratings at Kouhaku Uta Gassen. They previously did it in 2000 (tied with Sachiko Kobayashi and Yuki Koyanagi), 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007.



DREAMS COME TRUE, who performed last for the Red Team and took the stage just before SMAP, had the second highest ratings with 47.2%.

The second half of the show (after 9:30pm) averaged 41.7%, thanks to plenty of highly-rated performances. In fact, the last 15 performances of the show, starting with Yuzo Kayama and ending with SMAP, all rated 40.0% or higher. These included Masaharu Fukuyama (43.4%), Keisuke Kuwata (45.4%), Arashi (43.3%), Sachiko Kobayashi, and Ikimono Gakari.

A few other artists in the second half broke the 40.0% mark. During the first half, which only averaged 35.7%, AKB48 was the only artist to reach that threshold, with ratings of 40.3%.

The complete ratings for all the artists are expected to be publicly released soon.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

'Toilet God' song makes a star of songstress

Thursday 06th January, 03:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

The now infamous “Toilet God” song that Kana Uemura, 28, sang at the 61st annual “Kohaku Uta Gassen” (“Red and White Song Contest) on New Year’s Eve, has become a hit with viewers across Japan. The song, which lasts nearly 10 minutes, is dedicated to Uemura’s late grandmother.

The song describes how Uemura’s grandmother told her that there was a god of beauty living in the toilet and that if she cleaned the toilet carefully, she too would grow up to be beautiful. Provoking laughter in some and tears of sadness in others, the song quickly became a talking point across the country.

Uemura performed the song again this week at the “New Year & Birthday Happy X Happy Party!!” at which she charmed 500 of her fans with four
songs in the run-up to her 28th birthday.

Returning home after her “Kohaku” debut, the songstress told the audience that the first thing she did on New Year’s Day was, naturally, to clean the toilet. “I was walking to my local train station when a mother and child on a bicycle came over and asked me for my autograph. Then a whole bunch of other people plucked up the courage to ask too,” she said. “A journey that usually takes me 10 minutes ended up taking 30. I guess
that’s the power of the Red and White Song Contest.”

Uemura will embark on a live tour of Japan from April.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

25th Japan Gold Disc Award: Arashi earns Artist of the Year
Wed, January 5, 2011 (9:41am EST)



The 25th Japan Gold Disc Awards were presented on Wednesday in Tokyo. As the awards are based on actual sales, boy band Arashi was naturally named Artist of the Year, for the second year in a row. Although they received an unprecedented 10 awards last year, this time they managed to win a total of 6.

Arashi sold approximately 1.46 million albums and 3.46 million singles in 2010. However, idol group AKB48 still had the top selling single of the year.

Domestic music:

Artist of the Year:
Arashi

New Artist of the Year:
SNSD

The Best 5 New Artists:
WEAVER
Kie Kitano
KG
SNSD
miwa

The Best Enka/Kayokyoku Artist:
Fuyumi Sakamoto

Album of the Year:
"Boku no Miteiru Fuukei" - Arashi

The Best 5 Albums:
"Boku no Miteiru Fuukei" - Arashi
"FANTASY" - EXILE
"BEST SELECTION 2010" - TVXQ
"to LOVE" - Kana Nishino
"FUNKY MONKEY BABYS BEST" - FUNKY MONKEY BABYS

Classic Album of the Year:
"My Favorite Chopin" - Nobuyuki Tsujii

Jazz Album of the Year:
"Larry Carlton & Tak Matsumoto LIVE 2010 TAKE YOUR PICK at BLUE NOTE TOKYO" - Larry Carlton & Tak Matsumoto

Instrumental Album of the Year:
"image 10 emotional & relaxing" - Various Artists

Soundtrack Album of the Year:
"Karigurashi no Arrietty" Soundtrack - Cecile Corbel

Animation Album of the Year:
"One Piece Memorial Best" - Various Artists

Traditional Japanese Music Album of the Year:
"46th Columbia Zenkoku Ginei Concours: Kadaigin 'Ume'" - Nippon Columbia Ginei Ongakukai

Concept Album of the Year:
"VOCALIST 4" - Hideaki Tokunaga
"Request" - JUJU

Single of the Year:
"Beginner" - AKB48

The Best 5 Singles:
"Troublemaker" - Arashi
"Monster" - Arashi
"Beginner" - AKB48
"Heavy Rotation" - AKB48
"Ponytail to Chou-chou" - AKB48

Song of the Year by Download:
"Aitakute Aitakute" - Kana Nishino

The Best 5 Songs by Download:
"Motto Tsuyoku" - EXILE
"Ring a Ding Dong" - Kaela Kimura
"Aitakute Aitakute" - Kana Nishino
"if" - Kana Nishino
"Best Friend" - Kana Nishino

The Best Music Videos:
"ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5x10" - Arashi
"EXH SPECIAL EXILE ATSUSHI PREMIUM LIVE SOLO" - EXILE ATSUSHI
"TOHOSHINKI VIDEO CLIP COLLECTION -THE ONE-" - TVXQ

Special Award:
"Toilet no Kamisama" - Kana Uemura
"VOCALIST" series - Hideaki Tokunaga

Foreign music:

Artist of the Year:
Lady Gaga

New Artist of the Year:
KARA

The Best 3 New Artists:
Orianthi
KARA
KE$HA

Album of the Year:
"A Thousand Suns" - Linkin Park

Song of the Year by Download:
"Tick Tock" - KE$HA

The Best Music Videos:
"Ladies & Gentlemen" - The Rolling Stones

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

NTV to end "Zoom In!! SUPER" in March
Wed, January 5, 2011 (6:57pm EST)

NTV's morning show "Zoom In!! SUPER" (weekdays, 5:20am) will be coming to a close at the end of March. The show has been on the air under that name since 2001, when it replaced "Zoom In!! Asa!"

Announcer Shinichi Hatori (39), who currently hosts "Zoom In!! SUPER," is leaving NTV and turning freelance after March, so the network decided to end the show. NTV is currently deciding details about the show's replacement, such as whether it will keep the "Zoom In" name and who the hosts will be. However, it is reported that Hatori's current co-host, announcer Yukari Nishio (33), will not be returning.

"Zoom In!! Super" currently faces heavy competition from Fuji TV's "Mezamashi TV," which finally surpassed "Zoom In!! Super" to become the highest rated show in that time slot for the last two years.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Rockabilly singer Keijiro Yamashita dies at 71
Wed, January 5, 2011 (8:05pm EST)

Rockabilly singer Keijiro Yamashita passed away at a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday, due to cancer of the bile duct. He was 71. Most popular during the 1950s and 1960s, he was referred to as one of the "Rockabilly Sannin Otoko," along with composer Masaaki Hirao (73) and rock singer Mickey Curtis (72).

Yamashita experienced some health problems in late November 2010, and a medical examination determined that he had cancer. Despite being hospitalized and undergoing treatment, he performed a dinner show in the Tochigi prefecture on December 26, thanks to the encouragement he received from his friends. Sitting in a wheelchair on stage, he extended the performance from its originally scheduled 10 minutes to close to 40 minutes. Among the songs he performed during the show was his well-known cover of Paul Anka's "Diana."

Yamashita started out his career in 1958 at the age of 18, appearing in the "Western Carnival" stage show at the Nihon Gekijo in Tokyo. From there, he quickly found fame as one of the "Rockabilly Sannin Otoko."

With the support of Hirao and Curtis, Yamashita was planning to hold a concert together on April 9 of this year. He had stated that he wanted to sing together with them again as the "Rockabilly Sannin Otoko."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Aya Ueto, HIRO already "living under one roof"?
Wed, January 5, 2011 (8:43pm EST)



Back in October, news outlets began reporting that actress Aya Ueto (25) and EXILE member HIRO (41) had started dating. In this week's issue of FRIDAY, it is now being claimed that Ueto has moved into an apartment in the same building as HIRO's, but on a different floor.

FRIDAY reports that Ueto has been frequently in and out of the apartment building where HIRO lives. According to the magazine, she recently became a tenant in that building, though she is still living separately from HIRO.

Sankei Sports followed up with Ueto's agency, Oscar Promotion, which said that the news is not exactly true. The company explained that the apartment is actually leased by Oscar Promotion and is not Ueto's private residence. The agency also said that other talents besides Ueto use the apartment. When asked about Ueto and HIRO's relationship, the company simply restated that it is leaving her private life alone.

However, Sankei Sports also contacted HIRO's management, whose comments suggest that the relationship is progressing. "Both of them are supported by many people, and they have a social responsibility in their position. When conditions are ready for a solid announcement to be made, it will be announced then, so until that time please warmly watch over them."

Based on that quote, it appears that the two could be headed for marriage, and that arrangements are perhaps already being made to prepare for such an announcement.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Charts: Kana Uemura, No Sleeves, and the Kouhaku Effect
Wed, January 5, 2011 (7:40pm EST)



Singer-songwriter Kana Uemura recently made her first appearance on NHK's year-end music show Kouhaku Uta Gassen. Her latest song, "Toilet no Kamisama," has been receiving a lot of attention since then. Due to the so-called "Kouhaku effect," the song not only reached #1 on the download charts, but it sold 11,000 copies this past week to achieve #1 on Oricon's single sales rankings, marking Uemura's first time ever at the top of the charts.

"Toilet no Kamisama" was first released as part of Uemura's mini-album "Watashi no Kakeratachi" in March 2010. The song became popular as a digital download later that year, and she released it as her 10th CD single on November 24. However, the song debuted at #12 and never broke the Top 10 before this past week.

The last time that a single rose to #1 from a spot outside the Top 10 in the preceding week was in 2004, when Kanjani8's "Naniwa Iroha Bushi" started out as a Kansai-only release and then began selling nationwide.

Also thanks to the Kouhaku effect, idol group AKB48 saw their singles climb the rankings to place four of them in the Top 10. "Chance no Junban" and "Heavy Rotation" were already in the Top 10 in the previous week but rose to #2 and #3 (from #3 and #8), while "Beginner" and "Ponytail to Chou-chou" jumped to #5 and #9 (from #11 and #25). This is the first time that a female group has had four singles rank in the weekly Top 10. Including female solo artists, they are only the second to achieve that, tying with Hikaru Utada's record from 1999.

Many other artists' singles benefited from appearances on Kouhaku or other music shows at the end of the year. These included SNSD's "Gee" (#13 to #6), EXILE's "I Wish For You" (#20 to #7), Ikimono Gakari's "Arigatou" (#40 to #15), KARA's "Mister" (#33 to #18), and Fuyumi Sakamoto's "Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru" (#48 to #29).



On the album charts, AKB48 sub-unit No Sleeves (no3b) achieved their first #1 album. The self-titled "no3b," released on January 1, sold 59,000 copies to top the rankings. Like Uemura, this is their first number-one release.

The last sub-unit of a female music group to have a #1 album was Morning Musume's Petitmoni in 2002.

Meanwhile, Ikimono Gakari's best album "Ikimono Bakari ~Members BEST Selection~" officially reached 1 million in actual sales, after nine weeks on store shelves. The album has now sold a total of 1.04 million copies. This is the first million-selling album by a group with female vocals since Russian duo t.A.T.u. in 2003.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

KINETIC SCI-FI FILM GANTZ TO HAVE SPECIAL HOLLYWOOD PREMIERE & LIVE EVENT ON JANUARY 20

January 6, 2011 by J!-ENT



NEW PEOPLE ANNOUNCES A THEATRICAL LIVE EVENT FOR THE PREMIERE OF SCI-FI THRILLER – GANTZ – IN HOLLYWOOD, CA ON JANUARY 20th

Kinetic Sci-Fi Live-Action Film Based On Hit Anime/Manga Series Screens At Mann’s Chinese 6 And Will Include Rare In-Person Cast Interviews

San Francisco, CA, January 6, 2010 – NEW PEOPLE, a dynamic entertainment company bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, presents a very special theatrical event to celebrate the premiere of GANTZ across North America on Thursday, January 20th. Mann’s Chinese 6, located in the Hollywood & Highland Mall in the heart of Hollywood, CA, will host the film’s theatrical premiere in a gala screening beginning at 5:00pm.

Audiences are invited to join Otaku USA Editor-in-Chief Patrick Macias immediately following the screening as he leads an insightful discussion session on GANTZ and conducts in-person interviews with several cast members. More details about this session and the chance for audience members to submit interview questions will be announced next week.

Seating for the Mann’s Chinese 6 screening is limited to 400 seats, so the opportunity to purchase tickets to the event will be awarded through a drawing. Enter sooner for a better chance to win at www.gantzmovies.com <http://www.gantzmovies.com/> . Winners will be notified promptly via email and will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for $15.00 each. All movie attendees will also receive a special GANTZ t-shirt.

GANTZ makes its U.S. premiere in 334 movie theaters in an exclusive one-night-only event presented by NCM Fathom, Dark Horse Comics, and NEW PEOPLE on Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 6:00 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. PT (tape delayed). Tickets (for all locations except Hollywood, CA) are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com <http://www.fathomevents.com/orig ... ess_Release&amp;utm_medium=PR&amp;utm_campaign=GANTZ_Fathom_Event_Page> . For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).

GANTZ (English dubbed) is based on a hit manga series created by Hiroya Oku and tells the story of childhood friends Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, who are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT

whitedove

Universal Studios Japan announces live event for 10th anniversary
Thu, January 6, 2011 (10:11am EST)

Universal Studios Japan is turning 10 years old this March, and to celebrate the occasion, it has announced special events being held from March 3 to April 8. As part of the celebration, a special live event called "UNIVERSAL DREAM LIVE 2011 at UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN" will take place on March 19-21. The event is a collaboration with Universal Music and will feature several of the label's artists performing on a special stage.

According to the website for the event, SDN48 and Korean group BEAST will perform on March 19, and KARA will perform on March 20. On March 21, the event will feature BENI, D?DATE, and Choshinsung.

Tickets will begin selling on January 30.



It was also announced that GReeeeN is releasing a currently untitled single in February, which has been appointed as the theme song for Universal Studios Japan. It will be used in commercials for the amusement park and as background music within the park.

GReeeeN has not had an original release since their 2009 album "Shio, Kosho."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

"Studio Park" announcer Miki Sumiyoshi to leave NHK
Thu, January 6, 2011 (10:34am EST)



NHK announcer Miki Sumiyoshi (37) is leaving the company at the end of March, it has been announced. According to a source close to the situation, she has not yet signed with a new management agency, but she has previously expressed her intention to become a freelance announcer in the future.

Sumiyoshi reportedly began considering leaving NHK a few years ago, after the death of her father. She has also been hoping to go freelance so that she can have more time to visit her mother, who currently lives alone in Canada. In addition, it is believed that she may try to expand her career.

Sumiyoshi joined NHK in 1996 and is currently a regular on shows such as "Studio Park Kara Konnichiwa." In 2007, she served as one of the hosts for the year-end music show Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

EXILE gets their first documentary film
Thu, January 6, 2011 (6:18pm EST)



The popular music group EXILE will appear in their first documentary film, titled "EXILE PRIDE." The movie is set for a limited theatrical run, starting on February 5.

"EXILE PRIDE" takes a behind-the-scenes look at the group, especially its leader HIRO. As HIRO explained, the group hopes that the movie can express their "thoughts" and "beliefs" that they can't express through their works and live performances. The documentary will start with their activities around March 2009, when they merged with J Soul Brothers and became a 14-member group.

The movie is being directed by Koichi Makino, who is also handling composition, cinematography, and editing. To capture everything, Makino even accompanied HIRO on the performer's overseas trips to places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Hawaii.

EXILE had a big year in 2010, including a stadium tour that drew an estimated 1.1 million people and their third consecutive win at the Japan Record Awards. They recently announced five major projects for 2011, not including this movie.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Hiroki Narimiya portrays Yutaka Ozaki in biographical drama
Thu, January 6, 2011 (6:52pm EST)

http://nippop.com/uploads/assets ... 69Yutaka%20Ozaki%20(5).jpg

The life of singer-songwriter Yutaka Ozaki is being dramatized for television for the first time. Hiroki Narimiya (28) will play the role of Ozaki as part of a special drama and documentary project by digital broadcasting station BS Japan.

To commemorate BS Japan's 10th anniversary, the station is producing a mini-drama, tentatively titled "Kaze no Shonen ~ Ozaki Yutaka Eien no Densetsu." The show will be a portrayal of Ozaki's life, using an original screenplay based on a book by Akira Sudo, who was Ozaki's producer.

Ozaki made his debut as a singer in 1983 and became one of Japan's most popular artists, responsible for hits such as "I LOVE YOU," "Sotsugyou," and the posthumous "OH MY LITTLE GIRL." In 1992, the nation was shocked when Ozaki was found dead, at the young age of 26.

The drama will cover Ozaki's life from the age of 16, when he first met Sudo through an artist audition. The show is expected to air on TV Tokyo in late March.

In addition to the drama, BS Japan is producing a documentary program, which will include some footage of Ozaki that has never been released to the public before. That documentary will air on BS Japan on February 12.

Source: www.tokyograph.com