Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]

whitedove

Alisa Mizuki relives her debut stage in anniversary concert

Tuesday 17th May, 03:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

Singer and actress Alisa Mizuki, 34, performed Sunday in a concert promoting her 20th anniversary album, SpeciAlisa, to be released this month. For the occasion, the singer chose the music hall eggman in Shibuya, where she stood before the public for the first time in 1991 to perform her debut single “Legendary Girl.”

“I’m happy to be back on this stage after 20 years,” said Mizuki, who was 14 at the time of her debut.

“I’ve changed from a girl into a woman and so have my fans,” Mizuki said after observing that several of her fans were accompanied by children.

During the concert, Mizuki sang several of her oldest songs, including the popular “TOO SHY SHY BOY!,” the singer’s 4th single, released in 1992.

“SpeciAlisa” goes on sales on May 25.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Yamada Takayuki levels up for RPG-themed drama
Posted on May 16, 2011 by tokyograph



Yamada Takayuki (27) will soon be on a quest as an RPG hero, playing the lead role in a Dragon Quest-inspired live-action series called “Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro.” The show is an original project by multimedia creator and writer Fukuda Yuichi (“33-pun Tantei”), who is also taking on director duties.

The story is set in an ancient time, when the whole country was covered in thick forests. A mysterious plague breaks out, resulting in countless deaths. A pure young man named Yoshihiko becomes chosen as a hero, and he sets out on a journey in order to save a village. He has two goals – to bring back the legendary plant that can cure the plague, and to rescue his father Teruhiko who left to find the plant but never returned.

Yamada is playing the role of Yoshihiko. The supporting cast includes Kinami Haruka as an unreliable companion that Yoshihiko meets during his journey, Muro Tsuyoshi as a wizard whose skills are limited to weak magic, Takuma Shin as a hot-blooded warrior, and Okamoto Azusa in a currently unknown role.

The series will be broadcast by TV Tokyo in the “Drama 24” time slot (Friday nights at 12:12am), starting on July 8.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Kamakari Kenta to star in “Saint Seiya” musical
Posted on May 16, 2011 by tokyograph



Kurumada Masami’s classic manga series “Saint Seiya” is getting a new stage musical this summer. The protagonist Pegasus Seiya will be played by voice actor and Cocoa Otoko vocalist Kamakari Kenta (27), who has also been in other manga-based musicals such as “Prince of Tennis” and “Air Gear.”

More cast members and details will be revealed soon.

The musical will be performed at Space Zero in Shibuya on July 28-31. The musical will also be streamed live on Nico Nico Douga, though tickets will still be necessary. Both the theater tickets and the live stream tickets will go on sale in June.

Bandai produced a musical version of “Saint Seiya” in 1991, performed by Johnny's idol group SMAP.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Gekidan EXILE, Omasa Aya, Kitahara Rie in “Rokudenashi Blues” live-action series (Updated)
Posted on May 16, 2011 by tokyograph



The classic boxing manga “Rokudenashi Blues” by Morita Masanori is reportedly being adapted as a live-action television series this summer. Originally serialized between 1988 and 1997, the story tells of a high school delinlquent named Maeda Taison who aims to become a world boxing champion.

Complete details are not yet known, but Gekidan EXILE will apparently be involved. Omasa Aya has been chosen as the story’s heroine Chiaki, while AKB48 member Kitahara Rie will play the part of a classmate named Kazumi.

The drama will begin airing in July. More details should be revealed in this week’s issue of Weekly Young Jump.

Sources:
Anime News Network
Manga News

Update: Gekidan EXILE’s Aoyagi Sho (26) will star. Four other members – Ozawa Yuta, Akiyama Shintaro, Harukawa Kyosuke, and Shirahama Aran – will also appear. The series will air on NTV (Wednesdays, 12:59am) starting on July 6.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

no3b mobile drama “Kotodama no Onnatachi” returns for sequel
Posted on May 16, 2011 by tokyograph



AKB48 sub-unit no3b will be in a mobile drama again, starting next month. Titled “Zoku Kotodama no Onnatachi,” the short 4-episode drama is a sequel to their “Kotodama no Onnatachi” series that was released last July.

Like the first series, “Zoku Kotodama no Onnatachi” is being released through au’s LISMO service, targeted at mobile phones, cable televisions, and PCs.

no3b consists of Kojima Haruna, Takahashi Minami, and Minegishi Minami. The three play members of a mysterious group who receive orders from their boss to use their powers to heal the hearts of troubled people.

Episodes will be released on Fridays, starting on June 3.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Domoto Koichi plans 4-month run for “Endless Shock” in 2012, expands to Fukuoka
Posted on May 16, 2011 by tokyograph



On Monday, Toho announced that KinKi Kids member Domoto Koichi (32) will be performing his “Endless SHOCK” musical for four consecutive months next year, between January and April 2012. Because the musical’s run was cut short this year by the Tohoku earthquake, Domoto stated that he wanted to make up for it.

Domoto first performed the musical in 2000 under the name “SHOCK.” The story revolves around an unknown group of actors who get a chance to produce a big Broadway show.

“SHOCK” has always been performed at the Imperial Garden Theater up until now, where it currently holds the record for most performances of a solo-starring show (currently 799 times). However, the 4-month run planned for 2012 will expand to Fukuoka as well. 34 performances are planned at the Hakata-za from January 7 to January 31, before the show moves back to the Imperial Garden Theater for 105 more performances between February 8 and April 30.

This will be the first time that “SHOCK” is performed for four consecutive months. It is also said that the last stage production to have such a long run was Mori Mitsuko’s “Hourouki” in 1999.

Back in July 2010, Johnny's Jimusho announced that performances were being planned for other areas in Japan, though it appears that it will only expand to Fukuoka this time. There were also plans to bring “SHOCK” to the United States someday, but no new information has been released since then.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Erika Sawajiri's divorce drama continues

Wednesday 18th May, 03:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

Japan’s tabloids were abuzz on Tuesday with the realization that actress and model Erika Sawajiri’s “divorce day” came and went
without divorce papers being filed.

Sawajiri, 25, had earlier told the press she made a promise not to file for divorce until May 16 due to a contract she signed while living in
Spain. So fans expected Sawajiri to file for divorce as soon as she could, but sources close to the actress claim that a commercial shoot in Europe for a haircare product manufacturer has been extended, forcing her to cancel her planned return to Japan from May 18 to 20.

Meanwhile, her 46-year-old media creator husband Tsuyoshi Takashiro has filed a complaint with police following what he deemed to be
overly aggressive action from NTV reporters. Takashiro claims that reporters for the show “Joho Live Iyameya” visited the island of Iriomodejima in Okinawa, where he has established a wind farm. He claims reporters visited the turbines in his absence and caused a disturbance on the island.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Actor, TV personality Kiyoshi Kodama dies at 77

Wednesday 18th May, 03:56 AM JST



TOKYO —

Kiyoshi Kodama, an actor as well as host of TV shows, died Monday of stomach cancer at a Tokyo hospital, his office said Tuesday. He was 77.

Kodama, whose real name was Kiyoshi Kitagawa, appeared in a number of movies and TV dramas. He also hosted quiz show ‘‘Panel Quiz Attack 25’’ for 36 years since 1975 until he took leave in late March due to poor health. Known to be a great reader, Kodama hosted a TV book review show and published his own books as well.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Balkan chamber orchestra performs tribute to Japan's quake victims

Wednesday 18th May, 07:11 AM JST

VIENNA —

The Balkan Chamber Orchestra gave a concert on Tuesday before an audience of some 400 under the baton of Japanese conductor Toshio Yanagisawa to pay respect to the people killed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The orchestra, made up of musicians from Kosovo, Serbia and other nations that were part of the former Yugoslavia and had waged vicious wars with one another in the 1990s, performed a requiem by Japanese composer Shigeaki Saegusa, a piece originally written for the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan. ‘‘Since Japan has extended generous aid to areas that constituted the former Yugoslavia after the conflicts there, orchestra members are hoping to offer their gratitude through music,’’ Yanagisawa said after the concert.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Support banner fails to make it to Japan premiere for 'Pirates'

Wednesday 18th May, 04:13 PM JST



TOKYO —

Actress Yumiko Shaku, 32, singer-actress Anna Tsuchiya, 27, and singer Hideki Saijo, 56, participated in the Japan premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz, at Roppongi Hills on Tuesday night. However, a banner expressing support for Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and which was supposed to be delivered to the Japan premiere, failed to reach Tokyo on time due to an airport strike at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

The banner had been traveling with the movie as it made its way around the world to various cities for premieres. Depp and Cruz both wrote messages on the banner to express their condolences and support for affected areas.

Shaku, Tsuchiya and Saijo saved the moment by quickly replacing the banner with a new one and writing their own messages. Shaku wrote “We are all one” in English.

The original banner will arrive in the earthquake-stricken areas in June.  

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” opens in theaters in Japan on Friday.

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Japanese rock band MUCC’s live streaming of Budokan Live available through paid service

May 16, 2011 by J!-ENT



MAVERICK DC GROUP (CEO: Masahiro Oishi) and Ustream Asia Inc. (‘Ustream Asia’ hereafter / CEO: Tomotaka Nakagawa) are supporting a new project of Sync Music Japan, organized to expand Japanese music market to a global scale, to provide paid service for the live streaming of MUCC’s live performance in Nippon Budokan on 5/22 (Sun) to the whole world.

MUCC has been on overseas tours with as many lives as 50 in total in north Americas and 60 lives in total in European countries. MUCC’s live performance for this paid service will be the very last live on the second day of the 2-day lives at Budokan after their Euro Tour and Asia Tour, which will reflect on MUCC’s band history. We expect and hope that many fans around the world will join in to watch this historical live. The live streaming of “MUCC history GIGS 97~11? will offer a chance to all the fans around the world to experience an unusual set list with rare performances, single numbers and of course, the signature numbers for lives.

The access fee for this paid service has been set to 690 yen as a pun from the band name MUCC (pronounced ‘Mukku’ in Japanese which can be described as ‘69’ in numbers, thus has been used as a nickname for MUCC).

The details for the paid service of live steaming are as follows:

¦Title:MUCC history GIGS 97~11
¦Date:5/22/2011(Sun)
¦Venue:Nippon Budokan
¦Time: Start 15:00
15:00 (Tokyo)
10:00 (Moscow)
8:00 (Paris)
7:00 (London)
4:00 (Sao Paulo)
2:00 (New York)
23:00 (Los Angeles)

Access fee :690 yen (tax in)
Purchase for access available from 5/16 (Mon) 12:00 to the end of the live on 5/22 (Sun)

Hashtag: #mucc
Channel URL: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mucc-history-gigs-97-11
Featured Artist: MUCC

Ustream Asia, in close cooperation with Sync Music Japan, will continue to support introducing Japanese artists to the whole world.

Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT

whitedove

More “Arakawa Under the Bridge” cast members revealed
Posted on May 17, 2011 by tokyograph



Additional cast members have been announced for the live-action adaptations of “Arakawa Under the Bridge.” The newly revealed names are Tezuka Toru, Hiranuma Norihisa (Gekidan EXILE), Arisaka Kurume, Tokunaga Eri, Suruga Taro, Sueoka Takuto, and Mashiko Raito.

It was first announced in April that the comedy manga is being turned into a television series and a film, starring Hayashi Kento and Kiritani Mirei. That was followed by the news that Shirota Yu, Katase Nana, and Abe Natsumi have also been given major roles.

The currently known cast is as follows:
Ichinomiya Kou / Riku – Hayashi Kento
Nino – Kiritani Mirei
Sister – Shirota Yu
Maria – Katase Nana
P-ko – Abe Natsumi
Billy – Hiranuma Norihisa
Jacqueline – Arisaka Kurume
Shiro – Tezuka Toru
Stella – Tokunaga Eri
Last Samurai – Suruga Taro
Tetsujin Kyoudai – Sueoka Takuto & Mashiko Raito

As already announced, the television series is scheduled to start in July, while the movie will open in the spring of 2012.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Takimoto Miori, Tamamori Yuta, Fujigaya Taisuke, Yaotome Hikaru star in “You’re Beautiful” remake
Posted on May 17, 2011 by tokyograph



The popular Korean drama series “You're Beautiful” is getting a remake in Japan, titled “Ikemen Desu ne.” The show will star actress Takimoto Miori (19), along with Kis-My-Ft2 members Tamamori Yuta (21) and Fujigaya Taisuke (23) and Hey! Say! JUMP member Yaotome Hikaru (20).

The original Korean version aired in 2009 and starred Park Shin Hye, Jang Keun Suk, Lee Hong Ki, and Jung Yong Hwa. The story revolved around a fictional boy band named A.N.JELL. Park Shin Hye played a nun-in-training who has to pose as her twin brother and take his place in the group, leading to a complicated relationship between the group’s members.

The series has also been huge in Japan, where it has aired multiple times on television and led Tsutaya’s rental charts for Korean dramas last year.

The Japanese remake has been in the works since last spring. Takimoto, who starred in NHK’s morning drama “Teppan” this past year, will fill the shoes of Park Shin Hye. Tamamori will play Jang Keun Suk’s part.

Other cast members include Katase Nana, Imori Miyuki, Yanagisawa Shingo, Takashima Masanobu, and Manda Hisako.

Kis-My-Ft2 originally intended to make their CD debut with Avex this month, but their plans were changed due to the Tohoku earthquake. It appears that they will now make their debut with a song that will be used in “Ikemen Desu ne.”

TBS will broadcast the drama on Fridays at 10:00pm, beginning in July.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Matsuda Shota stars in movie “Hard Romanticker”
Posted on May 17, 2011 by tokyograph



The latest film from director Gu Su-yeon (“Guuzen ni mo Saiaku no Shounen”) will star actor Matsuda Shota (25), it has been revealed. Titled “Hard Romanticker,” the film is based on Gu Su-yeon’s debut novel of the same name, a partially autobiographical account of his experiences as a second-generation Korean in Japan.

Matsuda plays the part of Gu, a high school dropout who works as a part-timer. He gets tangled in trouble through a gangster that he has known since he was a child (Maki Kurodo), leading to the involvement of a police detective (Watabe Atsuro).

For the role, Matsuda came up with the idea to dye his hair blond and slick it back. Filming started on April 29 and is planned to finish at the end of this month. The story is set in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi (where Matsuda’s father and legendary actor Matsuda Yusaku was born) and in Ogura, Fukuoka.

The supporting cast also features Nagayama Kento, Emoto Tokio, Maki Yoko, Watanabe Dai, Endo Yuya (D-BOYS), Ochiai Motoki (NAKED BOYZ), Ishigaki Yuma, Endo Kaname, Ashina Sei, Nakamura Shido, Hakuryu, Kaneko Nobuaki, Kawano Naoki, and Awaji Reiko.

“Hard Romanticker” is scheduled for release in early 2012.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Ichii Sayaka stars in collaborative China-Japan movie
Posted on May 17, 2011 by tokyograph



Former Morning Musume member Ichii Sayaka (27) is starring in a collaborative movie between China and Japan, celebrating 40 years of friendship between the two countries. The movie is being produced under the working title “Ashita ni Kakeru Ai” and is directed by Katsuki Hideyuki (“Kimi ga Odoru, Natsu”).

The story takes place in Aomori, Tokyo, and Beijing. In the movie, Ichii plays a mother and a designer, whose grandmother (played by Yachigusa Kaoru) was a Japanese orphan in China. The story follows the romance between her and a young Chinese man, played by Alex Ru.

Child actress Omori Ayane has also been cast, along with Kato Natsuki, Tsubuyaki Shiro, Takada Kotaro, Osugi Ren, Yamamoto Mirai, and Takashima Masahiro.

“Ashita ni Kakeru Ai” is planned for release in both China and Japan in 2012.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

AKB48 members get Red Cross work experience

Thursday 19th May, 03:00 AM JST



TOKYO —

Five members of popular all-girl group AKB48 were made official messengers of the Japan Red Cross this week at an event called “Get to Know the Red Cross Better.”

The group was represented by Minami Takahashi, 20, Aki Takajo, 19, Minami Minegishi, 18, Mayu Watanabe, 17, and Tomomi Itano, 19, who all appeared on stage wearing Red Cross relief worker uniforms. The girls also attended a class in the disaster prevention room and
learned how to administer a cardiac massage.

The Japan Red Cross is currently running an ad campaign on TV, using the AKB48 song “Whatever I can do.” Itano said: “I really like the line ‘Let’s unite the world as one family’ from that song. I want to try and live by those words.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

whitedove

Sato Koichi, Yamada Takayuki, Omori Nao join Shinohara Ryoko in new “Unfair” movie
Posted on May 18, 2011 by tokyograph



Last December, it was revealed that Shinohara Ryoko will be starring in another movie for the popular drama series “Unfair.” On Wednesday, three more main cast members were revealed: Sato Koichi, Yamada Takayuki, and Omori Nao.

The action/suspense series “Unfair” originally aired in 2006, and a movie version called “Unfair the movie” was released in 2007. In the new film, titled “Unfair the answer,” Shinohara will reprise her role as the detective Yukihira Natsumi, and it has been said before that she will finally get closer to the real mastermind behind the incidents up until now.

Sato will play a police detective in Hokkaido who serves as Yukihira’s superior. Yamada has been cast as an ambitious public prosecutor, while Omori’s character is described as a mysterious man.

It was already announced before that main cast members such as Abe Sadao, Kato Masaya, Terajima Susumu, and Kagawa Teruyuki will be returning.

Filming already wrapped up on April 21, and post-production is expected to finish this summer. The movie’s official website has already launched, though it won’t be in theaters until September 17.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Charts: Kanjani8, BIGBANG
Posted on May 18, 2011 by tokyograph



Last week, Kanjani8 released their new single “My Home,” the second of three singles in consecutive months. It went on to sell a little over 158,000 copies, becoming their fourth #1 single in a row.

Meanwhile, the AKB48 sub-unit French Kiss took the #2 spot with “Kakkowarui I love you!” All three of their singles so far have placed in the top five, and this one set their new personal record for highest first-week sales.

Kanjani8 – My Home – 158,060
French Kiss – Kakkowarui I love you! – 112,546
BUMP OF CHICKEN – Smile – 86,078
aiko – Koi no Super Ball / Home – 72,816
UVERworld – CORE PRIDE – 61,774
Tokyo Jihen – Sora ga Natteiru / Onna no Ko wa Daredemo – 41,100
J Soul Brothers – LOVE SONG – 38,581
Jang Keun-Suk – Let me cry – 15,601
Kikkawa Yu – Kikkake wa YOU! – 15,456
Sphere – Hazy – 13,897



Korean group BIGBANG topped the album charts with their latest, “BIGBANG 2.” With this, they became just the third male artist from Asia (outside of Japan) to achieve a #1 album. The only ones to do so before now were TVXQ in February 2010 and JYJ (after TVXQ’s split) in September 2010.

BIGBANG – BIGBANG 2 – 65,383
Amuro Namie – Checkmate! – 44,168
NAOTO INTI RAYMI – ADVENTURE – 20,805
Various Artists – Songs for Japan – 18,210
Tokunaga Hideaki – VOCALIST & BALLADE BEST – 17,106
Oda Kazumasa – Doumo – 16,892
Piko – 1PIKO – 11,082
JAMOSA – SKY – 8,721
Various Artists – KAMEN RIDER BEST 2000-2011 – 6,733
EXILE – Negai no Tou – 5,607



In DVDs, EXILE member ATSUSHI landed the top spot on the charts with his second solo DVD, selling 84,000 copies. He is just the second male solo artist to reach #1 with his first two DVD releases, following in the footsteps of Domoto Tsuyoshi.

Tegomass ranked #2 on the DVD charts with their new release.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

EXILE’s MATSU gets first starring drama role in mobile series
Posted on May 18, 2011 by tokyograph



EXILE member MATSU (35) has his first starring role in a drama series, though it’s being made for mobile phones instead of television sets. The show is an upcoming project for mobile service BeeTV, titled “3-maime no Bodyguard ~Boku wa Kimi Dake wo Mamorinuku~.”

In the series, MATSU plays Mishima “Nobu” Nobuo, a man who is careless with his money. An unexpected turn of events results in him entering a contract to serve as a bodyguard for a spoiled girl named Natsumi (Fukuda Mayuko), the daughter of a powerful family from the countryside. Although the two clash, they begin to connect as they find themselves on the run.

MATSU will be taking on some action scenes for the show, as well as some dance scenes.

Takenaka Naoto, Kyomoto Masaki, Moto Fuyuki, and Nukumizu Yoichi also appear in the series. Fellow EXILE member AKIRA will make a guest appearance.

BeeTV will release the series as 13 episodes, each about 5 minutes in length. The first episode will be available on June 1.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Arashi announces charity events, new album, nationwide tour
Posted on May 18, 2011 by tokyograph



Arashi has announced that they will hold charity events at Tokyo Dome on June 24-26. The members were originally planning to kick off their nationwide tour with those dates, but after the Tohoku earthquake in March, they initially considered canceling the concerts. Instead, they decided in April to turn the concerts into these charity events.

The events will have a school theme, and the five members of Arashi will be serving as teachers. They will each prepare an educational project that can be enjoyed together with their fans, though the specific contents have not yet been decided. It is reported that they currently do not plan to perform any songs during the events.

A total of five events will be held – one on June 24, and two each on June 25 and 26. They will each last about 90 minutes. Since the fans will be limited to the stands, a seated capacity of 45,000 is available for each show, for a possible total audience of 225,000. Part of the proceeds will be donated to charity.

On July 6, the group will release a new album titled “Beautiful World.” Member Matsumoto Jun stated that they chose the title to reflect their thoughts about how things will turn out since the earthquake. The track list is currently undecided, but it is said that at least one of the new songs has a techno-like element.

In conjunction with the album, they are planning their nationwide tour under the same name, which will take them to 5 different venues for 11 concerts. They will start at Osaka Dome on July 24 and continue their tour until September, then they will resume the tour in January 2012.

The venues include four of the five major domes (excluding Tokyo Dome) and the National Olympic Stadium. This will be their 4th consecutive year performing at the National Olympic Stadium, and Matsumoto declared that they are considering implementing some stage mechanisms that have never been seen before.

Arashi also announced that on June 30, they will release a pocket-sized version of their book “Nippon no Arashi,” which was originally distributed to 40,000 schools last year. The new version will cost 1,050 yen, and all of the revenue will be given to charity.

Source: www.tokyograph.com