Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]

whitedove

Aoi Nakamura leads all-boys drama club in "Ike! Danshi Koukou Engekibu"
Sat, January 29, 2011 (11:23pm EST)



Teen actor Aoi Nakamura (19) has landed another starring movie role. This time, he is leading a cast of young men in an adolescent comedy titled "Ike! Danshi Koukou Engekibu." Tsutomu Hanabusa ("Handsome Suit," "Koukou Debut") is directing the film.

Nakamura's acting career picked up steam last year when he appeared in the movies "BECK," "Perfect Blue," "Ooku," and "Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night."

Before this announcement, he already had four movies lined up for this year. Three of them are starring roles: "Sabi Otoko Sabi Onna" is already in theaters, and both "Hoshi no Furu Machi" and "Kimi to Boku" open this spring. He has a supporting role in "My Back Page," scheduled for release in May.



In "Ike! Danshi Koukou Engekibu," Nakamura plays Genki Ogasawara, a student at an all-boys high school. Along with his friend Kaji (Sosuke Ikematsu), he tries to find a school club that will make him popular with girls, but he winds up joining the drama club, which is in danger of being shut down. After he is suddenly appointed as head of the club, he decides to put all of his effort into motivating the members for an upcoming tournament.

Actor Tetsuhiro Ikeda (40) plays the club's advisor, but he also contributed his first movie screenplay for the film. Besides Nakamura and Ikematsu, the other club members are played by Yu Inaba, Keisuke Tomita, Kazuma Kawahara, and Naofumi Kaneko.

Nationwide theatrical release is scheduled for this summer.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Idol group PASSPO announces major label debut, world tour
Sun, January 30, 2011 (8:32am EST)



The 10-member idol unit PASSPO held an event on Sunday to commemorate their upcoming major label debut. The cabin attendant-themed group will release a single called "Shoujo Hikou" on April 6 under the Universal J record label.

In addition to the single, PASSPO announced that they will do a world tour later this year that includes the U.S. and some Asian countries.

Leader Ai Negishi (18) remarked that they hope to one day share the same stage as Korean group Shoujo Jidai, who are also signed with Universal.

The group started in January 2009 and has so far released four singles and one album. Their travel theme extends to their live events, and they have introduced a passport system through which fans can earn "mileage points" for participating in events.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Mana Ashida becomes youngest drama star ever in "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien"
Sun, January 30, 2011 (6:49pm EST)



Child actress Mana Ashida (6) will star in an NTV drama special titled "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien" this March, making her the youngest lead ever in Japanese television drama history. The show will reunite the staff behind last year's series "Mother" that made Ashida famous.

Directed by Nobuo Mizuta and written by Yuji Sakamoto, "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien" revolves around five young children who attend the same kindergarten. One day, they decide on their own to embark on a trip to an unfamiliar place, in order to achieve a specific goal.

The drama's title is taken from a school graduation song that has become common throughout Japan in the last several years. The song will be used in the show's final climactic scene.

The drama will be aired in a 2-hour, 15-minute time slot around the end of March.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Hiroki Hasegawa stars in live-action "Suzuki-sensei"
Mon, January 31, 2011 (11:30am EST)

Kenzi Taketomi's manga "Suzuki-sensei" is being adapted as a live-action drama series on TV Tokyo this spring. The show will star actor Hiroki Hasegawa (33), who recently gained some attention through his role in the drama series "Second Virgin."

Hasegawa plays the titular Suzuki-sensei, a junior high teacher who earnestly deals with his student's problems, no matter how small or big they may be. The original manga started in 2005 in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine, and it just ended in the issue that went on sale on January 6. The final, 11th volume will be published on April 28.

The drama will air on Monday nights at 10:00pm, starting in April.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Miki Mizuno stars in Sion Sono's "Koi no Tsumi"
Mon, January 31, 2011 (12:49pm EST)



It was revealed on Monday that actress Miki Mizuno (36) has been tapped to star in the next film from director Sion Sono ("Cold Fish," "Ai no Mukidashi"). The movie is titled "Koi no Tsumi" and is planned to be released before the end of this year.

"Koi no Tsumi" is inspired by an actual murder case that occurred in the Maruyama neighborhood of Shibuya just before the turn of the century. The story will focus on three women: Mizuno plays a detective, while Makoto Togashi plays an assistant university professor and Megumi Kagurazaka plays a housewife.

Other cast members include Kazuya Kojima (Unjash), Satoshi Nikaido, Tatsuki Kobayashi, Marie Machida, Ryo Iwamatsu, Hisako Okata, and Kanji Tsuda.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Mirei Kiritani stars in double feature "Ranhansha / Snowflake"
Mon, January 31, 2011 (7:39pm EST)



Fashion model Mirei Kiritani (21) had her first lead movie role last year in "Ongakubito." She has now picked up two more, both in a double feature titled "Ranhansha / Snowflake." The films are being directed by Masaaki Taniguchi, who worked on the "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo" live-action movie last year.

"Ranhansha" is based on a poetry collection of the same name, written by young award-winning poet Nao Kojima (24). Kiritani plays Shima, a second-year high school student who becomes the youngest winner ever of a poetry award. Although she is in a rush to grow up, she has never known what true love is like.

"Snowflake" is an adaptation of a mystery novel by Kozue Osaki, set in Hakodate, Hokkaido. Kiritani, cast as a junior college student, encounters a young man resembling her childhood friend who died before they could fulfill their promise to see the thawing snow together. From that meeting, she becomes involved in a mysterious incident.

Kiritani's supporting cast includes Takahiro Miura (25) and Reiko Takashima (46) in "Ranhansha," and Kanji Ishimaru (45), Haru Aoyama (23), and Shunya Shiraishi (20) in "Snowflake."

"Ranhansha / Snowflake" will open this summer on approximately 50 screens nationwide.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Yellow Magic Orchestra, Cibo Matto to perform at Hollywood Bowl
Mon, January 31, 2011 (7:53pm EST)



The Santa Monica-based radio station KCRW has revealed some details about its 2011 World Festival, which it holds every year at the Hollywood Bowl in partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. According to the Hollywood Bowl website, this year's festival includes a "Big in Japan" night on June 26, featuring Yellow Magic Orchestra and Cibo Matto.

Described as a "gathering of the biggest names in Japanese pop music," the event brings Yellow Magic Orchestra together for their first performance in Los Angeles since 1979. The event is also a reunion for Cibo Matto, who formally disbanded in 2001.

The event's description says that additional artists will be announced, and the show will include "traditional kabuki dance and experimental contemporary visuals."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Ayaka Kikuchi, Saaya star in horror film "Merry-san no Denwa"
Tue, February 1, 2011 (8:18am EST)



AKB48 member Ayaka Kikuchi (17) is taking on her first lead movie role, alongside gravure idol Saaya (17). The two will co-star as students in the horror flick "Merry-san no Denwa," inspired by an urban legend.

The story revolves around a karate club that goes to a training camp in the mountains, and one by one the club's members disappear. Kikuchi plays the protagonist who tries to find the reason behind the disappearances, discovering that they are somehow related to an incident that occurred 30 years earlier. Saaya has been cast as Kikuchi's rival.

The plot will incorporate the "Merry-san no Denwa" legend, which tells of eerie phone calls from a doll that was discarded when the young girl that owned it moved away. However, the story will also add in a new twist.

Nao Nagasawa (27) plays a teacher and the club's advisor. The movie was directed and written by Mitsuhiro Mihara, whose works include the "Keitai Deka" television series.

"Merry-san no Denwa" will get a limited release starting on February 12. The official website is now open.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

SKE48 joins AKB48 on video service DMM.com
Tue, February 1, 2011 (9:08am EST)

http://upload.indomp3z.us/pics/2010/1266122441/SKE48%20(team%20S)%20-%20Te%20wo%20tsunaginagara.jpg

SKE48 is following in the footsteps of sister group AKB48, onto the pages of media website DMM.com. Starting on February 5, videos of their stage performances will be available through the site's on-demand service.

DMM.com has had a special "AKB48 LIVE!! ON DEMAND" section since 2009, offering videos of their past stage performances and other bonus clips. SKE48 will get a similar "SKE48 LIVE!! ON DEMAND" section, and their past performances will also gradually be offered on the site.

It is being reported that SKE48's videos will be offered for free from mid-February until March 1, when the section fully launches as a paid service.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Tetsuya Komuro's first solo CD album in 22 years scheduled for March 23
Tue, February 1, 2011 (9:40am EST)



Musician and producer Tetsuya Komuro has announced that his next solo album is scheduled for March 23. Titled "Digitalian is eating breakfast 2," it will be his first CD album released under his own name since "Digitalian is eating breakfast" in 1989.

The album will feature collaborations with Mitsuhiro Hidaka (AAA), Naoya Urata (AAA), Zeebra, and Miu Sakamoto. It will also include the track "THX A LOT" that was used as the theme song of Avex's a-nation tour last year, featuring Ayumi Hamasaki, TRF, hitomi, Every Little Thing, Do As Infinity, Kumi Koda, Ai Otsuka, Ami Suzuki, AAA, GIRL NEXT DOOR, and ICONIQ.

One week after the album's release, on March 30, Komuro's group globe is releasing a 6-disc DVD set tentatively titled "15 YEARS DVD ~on TV & off document~" to commemorate the group's 15th anniversary. The set will come packaged with a special CD that contains several songs, including globe's version of "Self Control" (originally by TM NETWORK) that was never released due to Komuro's arrest for fraud in 2008.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

"GANTZ" earns nearly 600 million yen in opening weekend
Tue, February 1, 2011 (8:42am EST)



The box office results for the weekend of January 29-30 have been announced. The first live-action "GANTZ" movie, starring Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama, opened on 410 screens, drawing an audience of 454,000 moviegoers and grossing more than 590 million yen.

The Hollywood comic book adaptation "RED" opened at #2, earning 220 million yen on 297 screens. The "Byakuyakou" movie, starring Maki Horikita and Kengo Kora, opened at #6.

Adapted from the popular manga of the same name by Hiroya Oku, the "GANTZ" film has received a lot of hype, both in Japan and overseas. The movie already premiered on more than 330 screens across the United States on January 20, with both Ninomiya and Matsuyama attending a special greeting in Hollywood that was relayed to all of the other theaters.

The second "GANTZ" movie, titled "GANTZ: Perfect Answer," is scheduled to open on April 23.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Takashi Sorimachi plays loving father in "Good Life"
Tue, February 1, 2011 (5:46pm EST)



Actor Takashi Sorimachi (37) is starring in his first drama series in three years. This time, he will take on the role of a father in "Good Life ~Arigatou, Papa. Sayonara~," based on a successful South Korean novel. Nana Eikura (22), Haruka Igawa (34), and Tsuyoshi Ihara (47) have also been cast.



The basis for the drama is the novel "Kashikogi" by author Cho Chang-in, which has sold 2 million copies in Korea since its publication in 2000. It has already been adapted as a television drama and a stage play in that country. On February 4, Shogakukan is publishing the book in Japan under the title "Good Life."

Sorimachi plays the part of Daichi Sawamoto, a newspaper reporter who has always prioritized his work over his family. When his wife suddenly leaves him, he finally notices the love he has been receiving from his son. Just as he decides to answer back, it is discovered that his son has leukemia.

Igawa plays Sawamoto's wife, Eikura plays a pediatrics specialist, and Ihara plays a doctor. The part of the son is currently in the final stages of casting.

Kansai TV and Fuji TV are producing the drama. On Fuji TV's network, the show will be aired on Tuesdays at 10:00pm, beginning this April.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Tokyo jazz record shop boasts 100,000 CDs, LPs

TOKYO —

A store in Tokyo’s Ochanomizu area, which claims to be one of the world’s largest jazz record shops, has been attracting music enthusiasts from around the world since its opening in November last year.

‘‘diskunion JazzTokyo’’ boasts some 100,000 new and used CDs and LPs including its stocks in the back. Some 15,000 new CDs, 20,000 used CDs and 20,000 LPs are lined up on the store shelves.

Although an increasing number of music listeners have been shifting to downloading their favorite music from buying disks these days, customers visit the store even on a weekday morning to hunt for items.

‘‘Deep music fans still buy a package as they are not completely satisfied by digital music,’’ said Koki Hanawa, who oversees diskunion record stores in Ochanomizu and Shinjuku.

There are quite a number of long-time diskunion customers, mainly baby boomers, who purchase LPs with a price tag of over 100,000 yen, according to Hanawa. One of the most expensive LP records sold in the store costs more than 350,000 yen.

Meanwhile, the store is not only targeting jazz maniacs but also ordinary music fans, especially young women.

Hanawa said women in their 20s and 30s should feel comfortable visiting the store alone as the store entrance is designed like one for a fashionable clothing store or a restaurant.

Also, the word ‘‘Tokyo’’ instead of ‘‘Ochanomizu’’ is used in the store name to catch the eye of foreign tourists.

Since it is located near the world famous Akihabara electronics and anime district, the number of customers from overseas has been on the rise, according to the store.

For more info, visit http://blog-jazztokyo.diskunion.net/

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Aya Ueto shows off new line of wedding dresses

Thursday 03rd February, 02:38 AM JST



TOKYO —

Actress Aya Ueto, 25, showed off a new line of wedding dresses which she helped design at a mini-fashion show this week. Not only did Ueto lend her name to the line, known as “U Aya Ueto Dresses,” but she also helped to model some of them. Ueto appeared on stage wearing both mermaid white and vivid red wedding dresses.

Ueto commented, “There are lots of dresses here I’d like to wear myself.” When Ueto, who is dating Exile lead singer Hiroyuki Igarashi, 41, was asked if she thought she would have a chance to wear any of the dresses before the end of the year, she declined to comment.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Triendle, other models throw bras for Amo's Girl Project

Thursday 03rd February, 10:50 AM JST



TOKYO —

Half-Japanese, half-Austrian model and TV regular Reina Triendle, 19, was joined by fellow fashion models Layla Aoyama, 23, Natsuki Fukuzumi, 23, and Naomi Arai, 23, at an event this week to launch a new line of underwear from Triumph International Japan.

The new project, known as the Amo’s Girl Project, takes its name from the popular “Amo’s Style” brand. Part of the project is what Triumph calls the “dream inducing bra,” the PR for which was inspired by Japan’s Setsubun Festival. In a tradition named “mamemaki” or “bean throwing” that takes place each year on Feb 3, roasted soy beans are scattered around homes, temple and shrines while the phrase “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Demons out! Good luck in!) is spoken aloud.

Taking their cue from this tradition, Triumph introduced the “bra maki” or “bra throwing” and a twist on the traditional line with the slogan “Good luck in. Dreams in.”

After dutifully calling out the bizarre refrain and scattering bras into the crowd, Triendle commented, “That was original.” When asked if she had any underwear she saved for special occasions she replied, “My pink and yellow undies are pretty exciting.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Korean girl group KARA returns to Japan

Friday 04th February, 09:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

Korean all-girl pop group KARA returned to Japan on Thursday for the first time since the band was rocked by rumors of a split.

Four of the group, which has been a five-member unit since 2008, requested the cancellation of their contract with their management company DSP Entertainment on Jan 19 after months of problems following the hospitalization of CEO Lee Ho-yeon. It was alleged that the management company denied the girls a fair share of the band’s profits. The lawyer representing the four also stated that “the company repeatedly denied any requests and unilaterally forced tasks upon the members.”

In a statement released in January, Kara’s legal representatives Landmark said: “KARA has tried their absolute best in compromising with their company prior to their decision, but their agency used their power in forcing the members to fulfill schedules that they did not want, and continuously added activities on top of a loaded schedule without prior consent or discussion. The psychological damages that the members were forced to endure cannot be explained in words, and their efforts have gone to waste. Their misery is severe, and they can no longer remain under such a company, which is why they decided to declare their withdrawal.”

Upon their arrival at Haneda International Airport, the girls looked pleased to see their fans but some observers noted that the strain was still showing. The girls made comments such as, “We are very sorry for worrying our fans” and “We’ll keep working as hard as we can.” A similar message also appeared on the band’s official homepage, promising that the girls would continue to honor their contracts.

One 20-year-old fan who had been waiting to see the band said, “I had been waiting a really long time. I wanted to believe that all five of them would be back, so I’m really pleased.”

About 60 reporters were on hand to cover the group’s arrival.

The girls are here for a short visit to take part in a TV Tokyo program and will return again in March, at which time they will perform on TV Asahi’s popular Friday night show “Music Station.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

An Auspicious Wedding Day
       
February 03, 2011



The numerical date of February 2nd can be referred to as "fu-fu" in Japanese, which also means a married couple. And as yesterday was an auspicious "taian" day on the traditional Japanese calendar, it was a particularly good day to get married. But still, management for actor Hosokawa Shigeki (39, photo left) and former Shape Up Girl Mise Mamiko (41, photo center) took the media totally by surprise when they announced that the pair had tied the knot yesterday. They registered their marriage at a Tokyo municipal office and Mise announced the news yesterday evening on her blog.

The two are said to have been friends for about 15 years and met when Hosokawa was working mainly as a model. His break as an actor came in 2005 when he landed the starring role as the "Kamen Rider Hibiki" action hero. In addition to his acting, Hosokawa is known for his interest in home appliances, and his new bride is said to share that hobby. Romance blossomed between them about a year ago and Hosokawa proposed last autumn. The Shape Up Girls were a group of four shapely pin-up models who worked the variety show circuit, usually wearing bikinis, in the mid-1990s.

Also getting hitched yesterday was talento Horikoshi Nori (photo right), for whom the occasion was even more auspicious as it was her 29th birthday. She met with reporters at the offices of her Hori Pro management agency and showed them a hand-drawn caricature of her 41-year-old husband, an esthetic dentist. The couple plan to hold a wedding ceremony in the summer. Horikoshi is perhaps best known for her terrible cooking on the show "Ai no Apron" a few years ago.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove

The Return of Kuroyume
       
February 04, 2011



Members of the rock band Kuroyume recorded an NHK radio show yesterday in which they apologized to fans disappointed by their all-too-brief comeback concert last weekend. Vocalist Kiyoharu (42, left) and bassist Hitoki (38, right) spoke about the January 29 "secret live" show in Shinjuku, which was called off before the band had even finished one chorus of their first song. The band's first show since their "last concert" in 2009 attracted a crowd of 5,000 people and the anger of Tokyo metropolitan police. The band had planned to perform seven songs but were pulled off stage after about a minute. "We didn't get to explain to the fans so we want to do that over the radio," said Kiyoharu. The NHK show will be broadcast on February 8 and Kuroyume are scheduled to perform the "XXXX The Fake Star" show at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on February 26.

February 9 marks the 20th anniversary of Kuroyume's debut in 1991, and the band will release "Misery," their first single in 13 years. Other than last year's revival show, the band have been on an extended break since 1999. Kiyoharu did four years (1999-2003) as the vocalist of the band SADS, putting out a handful of albums.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove

Fuku Wa Uchi!
       
February 04, 2011



Celebrities big and small turned out at shrines and other venues across the country to throw beans. The "mamemaki" (bean throwing) ceremony is the central part of the annual Setsubun festival that marks the spring equinox in the traditional Japanese calendar. One of the common traditions is to throw dried soybeans at "oni" or demons to drive out bad fortune ("oni wa soto!") and invite in good luck for the year ahead ("fuku wa uchi!"). Though it isn't a national holiday, big crowds turn out every year to see celebrities perform the mamemaki ceremony.

Among yesterday's events were: actress Ueno Juri (24) and Chiba Prefectural governor Morita Kensaku were at the Narita-san Shinshoji temple, east of Tokyo. Ueno is the star of this year's taiga historical drama series on NHK; enka veteran Kitajima Saburo (74, photo center, profile) and members of the "Kitajima Family" were at the on Takao-san Yakuoin temple in the western suburbs of Tokyo. Kitajima, who is celebrating 50 years in showbiz, also performed his new single; and kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro (64) was at the Misonoza theater in Nagoya, where he will start his final series of appearances from tomorrow. He no doubt wants to put memories of last year behind him, with his health problems and his son, kabuki star Ichikawa Ebizo, caught up in an assault case scandal.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove

Nori Horikoshi ties the knot
Wed, February 2, 2011 (7:36am EST)



Management agency Horipro has announced that talento Nori Horikoshi got married on Wednesday, her 29th birthday. Her husband is a 43-year-old who is opening an esthetic dentistry clinic.

Horikoshi met the man in the autumn of 2009, and they began dating around the start of 2010.

Horikoshi started her career as a gravure idol in 1999 and has also appeared on variety shows such as "Ai no Apron." In recent years she has expanded into acting, both on screen and on stage. Last year, she starred in two stage productions.

Source: www.tokyograph.com