Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

lin_okinawa · Post time 9-4-2008 09:54 PM

thread sambungan utk thread J-ent News n Info...

klik SINI utk pegi ke previous thread (J-ent news)....

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 10:44 AM

tq darling!

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 04:25 PM

"CHANGE" gets scheduled for May start
Tue, April 1, 2008 (10:55pm EDT)

The Fuji TV drama series "CHANGE," starring Takuya Kimura, will be starting later than expected. The show is set to premiere on May 12, making it the first springtime "Getsu 9" series to start in May.

The network explained that the decision was made for strategical reasons.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 04:30 PM

ET-KING, Juleps provide themes for "Yatterman" anime
Wed, April 2, 2008 (12:54am EDT)

Hip-hop unit ET-KING and vocal group JULEPS will be handling the new theme songs for the currently airing "Yatterman" anime series. This is the first time for either group to have an anime tie-in.

ET-KING is doing a cover of Masayuki Yamamoto's "Yatterman no Uta." Yamamoto himself was present at the song's recording. No release date has been set yet.

Meanwhile, JULEPS is doing the ending theme "Kaiki Nisshoku," with lyrics written by Yasushi Akimoto. The single goes on sale May 14.

Both songs will debut on the April 14 episode of "Yatterman."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 04:35 PM

Orange Range does "Code Geass" opening, ending
Wed, April 2, 2008 (1:16am EDT)

ORANGE RANGE will release its new single "O2 ~Oo Tsuu~" on May 28. This will mark the first time ORANGE RANGE member YAMATO takes the lead vocal for a song.

"O2" will be the opening theme to the TBS anime series "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2" that starts on April 6. In addition, the show's ending theme is also done by ORANGE RANGE, titled "Shiawase Neiro." However, it will not be released with the "O2" single.

ORANGE RANGE is starting their "ORANGE RANGE devil pop showcase tour 008" on April 3rd at Niigata LOTS.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 04:40 PM

Waka Inoue to co-star with Takanori Nishikawa in love story
Wed, April 2, 2008 (2:15am EDT)

Talento Waka Inoue and musician Takanori Nishikawa have been given their first lead movie roles together in Makoto Tanaka's love story, "Corazon de Melon."

According to the summary on the movie's website, Inoue plays an OL named Izumi who lives with her boyfriend Hiromi (Nishikawa), who is unable to work due to illness. One day she gets laid off, but unable to tell Hiromi, she starts looking for a new job to no avail. Unaware of her hardship, Hiromi expresses his desire to eat some high-grade melons, and she begins a desperate search to fulfill his wish.

The movie is scheduled to open in theaters in early summer.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 04:47 PM

Two GReeeeN members pass dental exams
Wed, April 2, 2008 (2:33am EDT)

In February, three members of the popular band GReeeeN took the national dental exams. On Tuesday, member navi revealed on his blog that both HIDE and 92 ("Kuni") passed the test, though he himself did not.

The other member of the group, SOH, is still enrolled in university. Together, the four members have chosen to keep their faces hidden from the public until they have all obtained their dentistry license.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 05:28 PM

New girl group gambles on ringtone downloads
Wed, April 2, 2008 (2:54am EDT)

Stardust Promotion's idol unit Power Age is taking the plunge into the music market, and the company has placed the fate of the group directly in the hands of consumers.

Power Age consists of 9 high school girls who have all had some experience in acting or as magazine models. Now, 4 of them have been chosen to release a debut single, titled "Yakusoku," which was made available for free as a chaku-uta (ringtone) starting on Tuesday. According to Stardust, if the song doesn't reach 10,000 downloads, the foursome will immediately disband.

The sub-unit's members are Misaki Ikeda, Maika Miya#a, Erena Abe, and Maaya Hasuda. The other members of Power Age can be seen at the project's website.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 05:48 PM

Lucky fans to be chosen to appear in CM with Arashi
Wed, April 2, 2008 (3:17am EDT)

As a promotional campaign for Arashi's first prime time variety show, "Himitsu no Arashi-chan!," several fans are being selected to appear in a television commercial for the program.

TBS is working with major newspapers to include "tickets" in their issues, and the lucky winners will be chosen from those who mail in a ticket. Those selected will appear in a 15-second ad, in which the members of Arashi pass on a secret to them.

The television program starts on April 10th.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 05:50 PM

Kie Kitano, Kento Hayashi starring in new Narushima film
Wed, April 2, 2008 (11:31pm EDT)

Actress Kie Kitano and actor Kento Hayashi are co-starring in a romance film titled "Love Fight," directed by Izuru Narushima ("Midnight Eagle").

The story is themed around boxing, and centers on the love story between a good-for-nothing guy (Hayashi) and his childhood friend (Kitano), who has become strong at fighting. Actor Takao Osawa is serving as the film's producer, a first for him.

Filming is already underway in Osaka. The movie hits theaters this fall.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 05:58 PM

Fuse, Komura living separately
Thu, April 3, 2008 (1:18am EDT)

Actor Hiroshi Fuse and actress Hiro Komura have been living separately for the past two years, it was learned on Wednesday. Komura revealed the fact during the broadcast of NTV's "Omoikkiri Ii! TV."

Fuse and Komura married in 1992 and have three sons, ranging in age from 10 to 15. They started living apart so that each of them could take care of their parents. Fuse is living in the couple's former home with his mother, who has angina. Meanwhile, Komura is living with the children near her parents' home. Her father has diabetes. Although they are separated, they apparently have not decided to divorce.

The two celebrities used to be managed by the same agency, but Komura switched to a different company at the start of this year.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:00 PM

BON-BON BLANCO's Santos to release first solo single
Thu, April 3, 2008 (1:19am EDT)

Anna Santos, the main vocalist of the all-girl band BON-BON BLANCO, will release her first single as a solo artist on May 28. The song, titled "Lucky Tune," is being used as the ending theme of the "To LOVEru -Trouble-" anime series that premieres on Thursday night (April 3).

Santos, who is quarter-Japanese, will release the song under the name Anna.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:11 PM

Air guitar champ to become a father
Thu, April 3, 2008 (1:20am EDT)

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Comedian Yosuke Ochi of the duo Dainoji announced on his blog on Wednesday that his wife is pregnant with their first child. Her due date is October 15.

Ochi is perhaps best known for winning the Air Guitar World Championship for the last two years.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:13 PM

Sandwichman to make drama debut in "81diver"
Thu, April 3, 2008 (1:21am EDT)

Sandwichman, the comedy duo that won last year's M-1 Grand Prix, will make their television drama debut in Fuji TV's "81diver," which was first announced late last month.

The series focuses on the game of shogi, starring Junpei Mizobata and Riisa Naka. Sandwichman's Mikio Date plays Kakuda, one of Mizobata's opponents who eventually becomes his ally. Date is accompanied by his comedy partner Takeshi Tomizawa, who plays Kakuda's more skilled older brother.

"81diver" premieres on May 3.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:14 PM

X Japan announces concert at Madison Square Garden
Thu, April 3, 2008 (10:25am EDT)

At X Japan's press conference on Thursday, the band officially announced that they will play a concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on September 13. No other details, such as ticket sale information, were revealed.

X Japan already has another concert scheduled in Paris on July 5. According to J-Revolution, Yoshiki mentioned the possibility of performing in other countries, particularly in South America and southeast Asia.

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:16 PM

Oricon: women's spring styles
Fri, April 4, 2008 (1:24am EDT)

Oricon conducted a survey of 450 women, asking them which male celebrity's hairstyle they would want to copy this spring. The top overall choice was Teppei Koike, followed by Tsuyoshi Domoto, Hiroshi Tamaki, and Toma Ikuta (who tied with Koike for the #1 choice by girls under 20). Koichi Domoto and Yusuke Yamamoto tied for 5th.

A related survey asked the women which female celebrity they wanted to imitate in terms of hairstyle and fashion. The top 3 choices were Yuri Ebihara, Masami Nagasawa, and Shoko Nakagawa.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:17 PM

Sowelu poses nude for album jacket
Fri, April 4, 2008 (1:40am EDT)

25-year-old singer Sowelu has posed in the nude for the jacket of her fourth album, "Naked," which goes on sale next Wednesday. The black-and-white image and the title are said to reflect her feelings behind the album, which she described with phrases such as her "unadorned self" and "newborn."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:18 PM

Onitsuka to sing "Last Game" theme
Fri, April 4, 2008 (1:53am EDT)

Chihiro Onitsuka is singing her first movie theme song, to be used in Seijiro Koyama's "Last Game: Saigo no Soukeisen." She was chosen by the film's distributor, Cinequanon.

The song is a ballad titled "Hotaru." It will be released in August, the same month that the film hits theaters. The movie, announced last November, stars Dai Watanabe and tells the story of two rival college baseball teams before their members were sent to fight in WWII.

On the 26th of this month, Onitsuka will perform at Shibuya Orchard Hall, her first solo concert since almost 5 years ago. She is expected to sing "Hotaru" in public for the first time at that show.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:20 PM

Takashi Tsukamoto's first lead drama role
Fri, April 4, 2008 (2:07am EDT)

Actor Takashi Tsukamoto has landed his first starring role in a drama series. He will lead NHK's tentatively titled "Kansahoujin" ("The Auditor"), in which he plays a certified public accountant with a strong sense of justice. His character will also be the single father of a 4-year-old girl. Tsukamoto himself became a father this past September.

Filming begins on Friday, with a total of 6 episodes planned. The show will air in NHK's Saturday 9:00pm time slot, starting on June 21.

It was announced in January that Tsukamoto also has his first starring movie role in Takashi Kubota's "Yesterdays" (details here).

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 10-4-2008 06:22 PM

Toho Cinemas announces "Shun Oguri Film Festival"
Fri, April 4, 2008 (2:30am EDT)

Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills is celebrating the 5th anniversary of its opening with a special event known as the "Shun Oguri Film Festival." On the night of April 11, the theater will feature the popular actor's films on all 9 of its screens, which will be the first time that a major cinema has held such an event.

Only 4 films will be screened: "Kisaragi," "Crows ZERO," "Robocon," and "The Neighbour No. 13" ("Rinjin 13-go"). The event starts at 11:00pm and runs for the whole night, with each screen consecutively playing 2 or 3 of the movies. Oguri will be present as well, greeting fans at each of the 9 screens before the films start playing.

More details are available at the theater's website, which is also selling tickets starting on Friday night at midnight.

Source: www.tokyograph.com