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news: artistes/movie
GO!GO!7188 does "Itazura na Kiss" ending song
Mon, March 10, 2008 (2:21pm EDT)
Rock band GO!GO!7188 is handling the ending song to the animated version of the popular manga series "Itazura na Kiss." The comic, written by the late Kaoru Tada, has previously been adapted as a live-action series in both Japan and Taiwan. The anime starts next month.
The ending song is titled "Kataomoi Fighter." It will be released on May 28, coupled with a live version of "Ashinoke."
On that same day, GO!GO!7188 is also releasing their second cover album, "Tora no Ana 2." Several tracks have been announced, including Spitz's "Spider," Juicy Fruits' "Jenny wa Gokigen Naname," and the "Attack No. 1" theme song.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Filming starts for "Detroit Metal City"
Mon, March 10, 2008 (5:36pm EDT)
On Saturday, filming started for the "Detroit Metal City" movie. Today, Sankei Sports published promotional pictures of star Kenichi Matsuyama as both Soichi Negishi and his alter-ego, Johannes Krauser II.
Some cast details have also been revealed. Ryuji Akiyama of comedy trio Robert will be playing the drummer Camus, while Yoshihiko Hosoda is playing the bassist Jagi. Yasuko Matsuyuki plays the domineering manager of the band's label.
Directed by Toshio Lee and distributed by Toho, the movie is scheduled to open in theaters this summer. The movie is based on the manga of the same name by Kiminori Wakasugi.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: dorama
Shigeaki Kato co-stars in "Hokaben"
Mon, March 10, 2008 (5:58pm EDT)
 
NEWS member Shigeaki Kato has joined the cast of NTV's drama series "Hokaben," set to premiere on April 16. Adapted from a manga by Hiroyuki Nakajima, the show stars Aya Ueto as a novice lawyer.
Kato will play Riichiro Katase, an elite attorney who comes from a family of lawyers. Full of pride, ambition, and intelligence, he happens to work at the same law office as the idealistic rookie Akari (Ueto), whom he has been attracted to for a while.
Ueto and Kato previously appeared together in the sixth season of "3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei," which ran from 2001 to 2002.
   
The cast of "Hokaben" also includes Kazuki Kitamura (as Akari's boss), Ryo, Naho Toda, and Megumi Nakayama.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: dancers
Dance duo Hamutsun Serve to appear in Madonna video
Mon, March 10, 2008 (6:24pm EDT)
Popular "animation dance" duo Hamutsun Serve will appear in the music video for Madonna's new song, "4 Minutes." Musician Ryuichi Sakamoto previously appeared in a Madonna video, but this will be the first time the singer has featured Japanese dancers.
The pop star reportedly searched YouTube for talented dancers around the world, and finally decided to work with Hamutsun Serve. The two dancers, Rikiccho and Dayoshi, were surprised by the offer but instantly agreed.
Filming took place in London. The duo also worked with Justin Timberlake, who appears in the video as well.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Stephanie set for acting debut in adaptation of Yukari Ichijo's "Pride"
Mon, March 10, 2008 (4:14am EDT)
Singer Stephanie will debut as an actress in "Pride," a movie based on Yukari Ichijo's manga series "Pride." The film is being directed by Shusuke Kaneko, whose recent works include the first two "Death Note" films.
"Pride" tells the story of two women aiming to become opera singers. Stephanie stars as Shio Asami, the daughter of a wealthy family who attends a prestigious music university. Hikari Mitsushima plays her eventual rival, Moe Midorikawa. Unlike Shio, Moe's father ran a business that went bankrupt, so her opera dreams have been sidelined while she struggles to pay her own way through school.
Stephanie, 20, made her major label debut in Japan last year and won a New Artist Award at the Japan Record Awards.
 
The cast of "Pride" includes Dai Watanabe and Mitsuhiro Oikawa. The movie is scheduled to open next year.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes/dorama SP
Yoshiki, Akikawa team up for drama theme song
Mon, March 10, 2008 (4:55pm EDT)
 
Rock star Yoshiki and popular tenor Masafumi Akikawa have formed an unlikely combination to create the theme song for a two-part television drama set to air next week.
The drama is NTV's "Tokyo Daikushu," whose cast is led by Maki Horikita and Tatsuya Fujiwara (details previously announced). The drama, which airs on March 17-18, reportedly had a budget of 100 million yen.
The theme song is a currently untitled ballad written and composed by Yoshiki and sung by Akikawa. The two actually never met, as Yoshiki created the song while in Los Angeles. It was brought back to Japan, and Akikawa completed the recording in Tokyo on Monday.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: actor
Actor Karasawa Toshiaki (44) was among yesterday's recipients of awards presented by the government. The awards, from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, are given out every year in recognition of contributions to the arts. Other winners were screenwriter Mitani Kouki (46), rakugo-ka Tatekawa Shinosuke (54), and movie director Suo Masayuki (51). An established star of TV and movies, Karasawa most recently won acclaim for his lead role in Shakespeare's "Coriolanus", directed by Ninagawa Yukio. He described how his wife, actress Yamaguchi Tomoko (43), was so into the play that she flew to London just to watch him on opening night at the Barbican Theatre.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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news: music event
[US] TEXAS EVENTS DRIVE ECLECTIC MIX OF HIGH-OCTANE JAPANESE BAND EXPORTS
Rousing Japanese bands perform during SXSW music fest March 12-16;
Also Headlining Japan Bash, March 13 & Japan Nite, March 14
WHAT
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High-profile bands from Japan, the globes second largest music market, will be on stage during two special Texas events Japan Bash and Japan Nite as Japanese artists visit America via Austins South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW). From volcanic Samurai rock, edgy Japanese girl pop-punk and agile Tokyo bluegrass to evolutional jazzy techno, space guitar rock and action comic-punk, Japan Bash and Japan Nite offer uncommon opportunities to experience the unique persona of Japanese performers.
As Japans trade promotion arm, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) works to promote Japanese music abroad. For more information on the bands and special performances, visit www.jetro.org/sxsw2008.
WHO
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A number of Japanese bands will perform live in downtown Austin during the 22nd annual SXSW Music Festival including:
aonami / Avengers in Sci-Fi / Damage / detroit7 / Dokkebi Q / The Emeralds / ketchup mania / Maki Rinka / Peelander-Z / Petty Booka / The Pillows / Quartz-head 02 / sodopp / toddle
WHEN/WHERE
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JAPAN BASH PARTY, 5-8pm Thursday, March 13, 2008
South Tent, Brush Square Park, 401 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701
Featuring: Peelander-Z, Toddle, Avengers in Sci-fi and ketchup mania
JAPAN NITE, 8pm Friday, March 14, 2008
Elysium, 705 Red River, Austin, TX 78705
Featuring: Detroit 7, Petty Booka, ketchup mania, quartz-head 02, Avengers in Sci-fi, Sodopp
WHY
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Japanese band performances have proven to be some of the most consistently popular, charismatic shows during the week-long SXSW music festival. SXSW is considered by industry insiders to be one of the top three international music festivals, drawing nearly 12,000 music industry professionals from around the globe to Austin.
For information, visit www.jetro.org/sxsw2008.
Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT |
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news: dorama
Noriko Aota to star in daytime drama
Tue, March 11, 2008 (3:34am EDT)
Noriko Aota has her first starring role in a drama series with TBS's daytime program "Mama no Kamisama."
The plot is adapted from a short novel by author Yuzuki Muroi. Aota plays a single mother raising three children, each from one of her three failed marriages.
Talento Michiko Shimizu is also part of the cast. Filming has already started, though the show doesn't air until May 5. The 40-episode series will run in the weekday 1:30pm time slot.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artiste
JAY'ED to make major label debut
Tue, March 11, 2008 (4:00am EDT)
26-year-old singer-songwriter JAY'ED will release his first single on a major label this May.
Born to a Japanese father and a New Zealander mother, he has frequently traveled between the two countries ever since he was young. When he was 17, he decided to pursue a music career after seeing K-Ci & JoJo perform in Osaka. In 2005, he released his first indie-label single, "WHY?," and then put out an album the following year. He has also collaborated with artists such as DOBERMAN INC and I-DeA.
His new single, the female-targeted "Superwoman," is being released on May 21 through TOY'S FACTORY.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: actress
Hirosue Ryoko Divorces
[March 14, 2008]
Actress Hirosue Ryoko (27) yesterday suddenly announced on her website that she and model/designer Okazawa Takahiro (32) are divorced. Following a recent pattern set by such celebs as actress Takeuchi Yuko and talento Chiaki, Hirosue will support herself as a single mother. She has custody of their 3-year-old son and Okazawa will not pay any alimony. Hirosue certainly shouldn't have any financial worries - she's appearing in two movies due for release this year, "Okuribito" and "Goemon"; she stars in the Fuji TV drama series "Yume no Mitsukekata wo Oshietaru" and has another role lined up for later in the year; and she currently has four commercial contracts, including Coca Cola and cosmetic maker Shiseido.
Hirosue's success of the last couple of years mirrors her huge popularity as one of Japan's top young stars in the late 1990s, though motherhood took her out of the scene for a year and a half in between. She got her start in 1994 by winning a contest sponsored by skin care brand Clearasil. She found success quickly, appearing in dozens of dramas and movies and debuting as a pop singer in 1997. She surprised everyone when she entered Waseda University in 1999 but ended up leaving without graduating after four years. At the end of 2003, she surprised everyone again when she announced that she was five months pregnant and engaged to Okazawa. But rumors of a split appeared in 2006 and they were living apart by the end of that year. One main reason for the divorce is said to be that they both have successful careers. Okazawa is an established fashion model and has been the poster boy for Nike. His own fashion brand CLS is one of the top names in the hip "Ura-Harajuku" area of Tokyo popular among young people. In January he opened a shop in Taipei which he designed himself.
source: www.japan-zone.com |
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news: idol
Kokubun completes conquest of major networks
Tue, March 11, 2008 (4:08pm EDT)
As of next month, Taichi Kokubun will have a regular show on all six of Tokyo's major television networks. His newest show, "Taichi x Kentaro: Danshi Gohan," was announced by TV Tokyo on Tuesday.
"Danshi Gohan" is a cooking and talk show, co-hosted by celebrity culinarian Kentaro. It will air on Sunday mornings (11:25am), starting on April 20.
Kokubun already hosts programs on the other major networks: NHK ("Kaitai Shin Show," "Shonen Club Premium"), NTV ("Tetsuwan Dash," "Guruguru Ninety-Nine"), TBS ("R30"), Fuji TV ("Mentore G"), and TV Asahi ("Aura no Izumi").
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: music
"Taiyaki-kun" re-enters the charts
Tue, March 11, 2008 (5:15pm EDT)
Japan's best-selling song was re-released last week, and it appeared on the Oricon sales charts for the first time in close to 9 years.
Masato Shimon's "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" was first released in 1975, then was revived in 1992 on the mini-CD format. The latter saw a resurgence in 1999 and last charted at #74. Overall, the song has sold around 4.55 million copies, and has now been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as Japan's best-selling single.
Last month, Pony Canyon announced that it was re-releasing the song on March 5, this time in the regular CD format. It sold about 4,000 copies in its first week to chart at #32, its first top 50 appearance since 1976.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: singer
Thelma Aoyama song reaches 1 million downloads in record time
Tue, March 11, 2008 (5:26pm EDT)
On January 23, Thelma Aoyama released her chart-topping single "Soba ni Iru ne." The song began chaku-uta full distribution the same day, and it has already reached 1 million downloads, becoming the fastest seller ever.
According to management from her record company, the song topped the daily chaku-uta charts for 42 consecutive days, from the song's release on January 23 until March 4. It took one additional day to push the song over 1 million downloads, easily beating the previous 91-day record held by GReeeeN's "Aiuta." The song also ranked #1 in six different mobile download categories during the month of February.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
"Dragonball" to open in Japan next March
Tue, March 11, 2008 (5:57pm EDT)
Last week, it was announced that the live-action "Dragonball" movie has been delayed. It was originally scheduled to open in theaters worldwide on August 15, but the date has been pushed back to April 3, 2009. However, it was reported today that Japan will end up getting the movie ahead of everyone else, sometime in March 2009.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
"Snakes and Earrings" cast includes Oguri, Fujiwara, and more
Tue, March 11, 2008 (5:16am EDT)
Yukio Ninagawa's "Hebi ni Piasu" (also known as "Snakes and Earrings") finished filming in December, but certain cast details quietly slipped under the radar until recently.
While it was widely announced that Yuriko Yo#aka was starring alongside Kengo Kora and ARATA, the movie's guest cast was not publicized. Media outlets are now reporting that Kamejiro Ichikawa, Shun Oguri, Toshiaki Karasawa, and Tatsuya Fujiwara are among the faces that appear in the film.
"Hebi ni Piasu" is based on Hitomi Kanehara's Akutagawa Prize-winning novel that was published in 2003. The story follows a teenager named Lui (Yo#aka) who starts experimenting with piercings and other body modifications, but it leads her life into a downward spiral. The novel encompasses several mature themes, including alcoholism, sadomasochism, and violence.
Several big names are appearing in minor roles. Kamejiro Ichikawa plays a detective, while Rakkyo Ide plays the manager at Lui's part-time job. Shun Oguri and Tatsuya Fujiwara, who have both previously starred in Ninagawa's stage plays, appear as members of a gang. Other cast members include Toshiaki Karasawa (as a cop), Yu Abiru (as Lui's friend), and Sonim (as Lui's co-worker).
The movie is scheduled to open later this year.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: director
The government announced yesterday that late movie director Ichikawa Kon is to be posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star. Ichikawa passed away of pneumonia on February 13 at the age of 92. He was previously awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon (1982), Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette (1988), and in 1994 was recognized as a person who has made outstanding cultural contributions.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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news: music chart
Charts: SMAP sets record for Top 10s
Wed, March 12, 2008 (4:02pm EDT)
SMAP's latest single, "Sonomama / White Message," took the #1 spot on the charts this week with 115,000 in sales. All 42 of the group's singles have debuted in the top ten, which ties them with Southern All Stars for the record of "most Top 10 singles." At the same time, it puts them one ahead of B'z for the record of "most consecutive Top 10 singles." However, they are now tied with B'z for "most consecutive years with a Top 10 single" (18).
ORANGE RANGE came in at #2 with "Kimi station." Ayaka's newest ranked #7, while TVXQ and GReeeeN charted at #9 and #10, respectively.
"World World World," the newest album from Asian Kung-fu Generation, sold 100,000 copies to pick up #1 on the album charts. Also in the Top 10 were Every Little Thing (#2), Yo Hitoto (#3), AAA (#5), and Hitomi Yaida (#10). The LISMO commercial tie-in compilation, featuring several popular artists, ranked in at #7.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post time 13-3-2008 05:24 PM
