Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

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"Aibou" opening beats out "YAMATO"
Sat, May 3, 2008 (4:43am EDT)



The film version of the detective drama "Aibou" opened on 301 screens across Japan on Thursday. According to estimates by distributor Toei, the film has beat the opening day numbers of the 2006 hit "YAMATO," which currently stands as Toei's highest-grossing film at roughly 5.11 billion yen.

"YAMATO" had a wider opening on 315 screens, but as of April 27, the number of advance tickets sold for "Aibou" beat out those for "YAMATO" by more than 15%. However, the fact that "Aibou" opened on a Thursday rather than the typical Saturday release makes a direct comparison less accurate.

Sanspo also reports that opening day attendance was 150% of "YAMATO"'s, generating an estimated gross of 255 million yen. However, official numbers are not yet available, and it remains to be seen whether "Aibou" will be able to continue its excellent start.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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GReeeeN gives away song for Greenery Day
Sat, May 3, 2008 (4:51am EDT)



On Sunday, the popular group GReeeeN will be giving a present to their fans in honor of the Greenery Day (Midori no Hi) holiday in Japan. Their hit song "Aiuta" will be available for free as a 45-second chaku-uta mobile download for the day. So far, the full version of the song has been downloaded as a chaku-uta more than 5 million times.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kimeru bares all for album jacket
Sat, May 3, 2008 (1:01pm EDT)



Singer and former Tenimyu cast member Kimeru is releasing his self-titled third album on June 18. He announced on Thursday that he will appear nude on the album's jacket, as well as in the music video for one of the songs.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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U.S. theater screenings for "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time"
Sat, May 3, 2008 (1:26pm EDT)



Bandai Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures USA are bringing Mamoru Hosoda's critically-acclaimed anime film "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo" ("The Girl Who Leapt Through Time") to U.S. theaters for a limited run.

The movie will screen at The ImaginAsian theaters in Los Angeles and New York from June 13 to 19, then at Landmark Theatres' Varsity Theatre in Seattle from August 29 to September 4. The film will be subbed for Los Angeles and Seattle, while New York will have the dubbed version.

Bandai has previously hinted that the film may get more screenings in the future. The company also has plans to release the movie on DVD.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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X Japan announces Taiwan concert
Sun, May 4, 2008 (12:45pm EDT)



On Sunday, X Japan announced that they will be holding their first Asia concert on August 2. It will take place at the Taipei World Trade Center in Taiwan.

This is the band's third announced overseas concert since their reunion. They already have scheduled shows in Paris on July 5 and in New York on September 13. More international concert dates are expected to be revealed in the future.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kumi Koda safe for commercials again
Sun, May 4, 2008 (12:56pm EDT)



Pop star Kumi Koda has been given her first TV commercial campaign since her "rotten womb" comment earlier this year that led to a brief suspension. Now that her nationwide tour is successfully under way, Procter & Gamble has decided to have her start with marketing their Gillette Venus Breeze razor brand. The decision was made at the start of this month and announced on the Gillette website.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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9nine gets CM tie-in with Aragaki
Sun, May 4, 2008 (5:24pm EDT)



Teen idol group 9nine has their first major CM tie-in with their new song "sky." It is being used in a commercial for Rohto's Lycee eye drops that features popular actress Yui Aragaki. The ad begins airing on Monday.

The song is included on their second album, "second 9," which goes on sale July 9. Another song from the same album titled "Merry-Go-Round" will be used in a commercial for Nexon's MMORPG Mabinogi, and the group's members will also appear in the ad.

9nine formed in 2006 and released their first album in March 2007. Originally a 9-member unit, there are currently only 8 members due to the removal of Rubi Kato (reportedly due to the discovery of her relationship with Hey! Say! JUMP member Yuya Takaki). The group includes fashion model Moe Miura, actress Umika Kawashima, and Sayaka Nishiwaki (the sister of Perfume's A-chan).

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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A pair of weekend weddings
Sun, May 4, 2008 (7:14pm EDT)



Two big celebrity weddings took place this weekend in Tokyo. First, V6's Yoshihiko Inohara and actress [n]Asaka Seto held their ceremony and reception in Tokyo's Shinagawa ward on Saturday. The press was shut out from the event, which was attended by about 100 relatives and friends. Among them were the other members of V6, as well as celebrities such as actor Masatoshi Nakamura and young actress Kie Kitano. Inohara and Seto have been officially married since September 29, 2007.



Then on Sunday, L'Arc~en~Ciel bassist tetsu and actress Ayana Sakai, who married near the end of last year, had their own wedding and reception at the Honey's Garden restaurant in Roppongi. Sakai wore a dress she designed herself for her wedding dress brand. Like Inohara and Seto, the couple made it a private affair, though the media was able to later report that tetsu and Sakai were in tears as they read aloud a letter to their parents. The attendees included actor Yu Shirota and model Rica Imai.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Foreign artists do Toshinobu Kubota tribute album
Sun, May 4, 2008 (9:06pm EDT)



A new tribute album for internationally recognized soul singer Toshinobu Kubota has been announced. Unlike the previous tribute album "SOUL TREE" in 2004, this project will feature only musicians outside of Japan.

"The World Sings KUBOTA" contains 11 songs, all with English lyrics, including the hits "Missing" and "La La La Love Song." Stevie B, Take 6, Peabo Bryson, and Swing Out Sister have been revealed as some of the participating artists.

Kubota has been active in the music scene since the mid-1980s. He made his American debut in 1995, and he based himself in New York after that. He has had a very successful career both abroad and in Japan, working with some of the biggest names in soul music.

"The World Sings KUBOTA" is scheduled to go on sale August 6, though it is only planned for release in Japan.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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The latest trial of rock musician Okamura Yasuyuki (45), who already has two convictions for the use of stimulant drugs, began at the Tokyo District Court yesterday. He was arrested in February for the use of the drugs at his Shinjuku, Tokyo home and is likely to face prison time for a third drug-related offense. Prosecutors are looking for a sentence of two and a half years, while lawyers for the defendant asked for leniency. The court will hand down a verdict on May 8. The singer, whose heyday was in the late 1980s, likes to invite comparisons with Prince and prides himself on his dancing and ability to play multiple instruments.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Televiews - Battery-powered boyfriend leads flood of dramanga



In a recent Televiews column by Wm. Penn for the Daily Yomiuri, Penn wrote, 揌ow many early 21st century folks could turn off their televisions, cell phones or Internet connections? There抯 no denying most of us have become the willing servants of our conveniences.

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UA pregnant with second child
Mon, May 5, 2008 (12:35am EDT)



36-year-old singer UA is expecting her second child, it was learned on Sunday. She announced the news herself during an event at Makuhari Messe, though she did not give any details.

UA was previously married to actor Jun Murakami from 1996 to 2006, and she gave birth to a son in 1997. According to a source close to the singer, her current partner is not in show business.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Oricon: most interesting anime films
Mon, May 5, 2008 (12:36am EDT)



Oricon conducted a survey of 900 people, asking them which anime films they considered the most interesting. Hayao Miyazaki proved to be the most popular director, as his works took 6 of the top 10 spots.

Four of them were in the top 5: "Laputa: Castle in the Sky" (#1), "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" (#2), "My Neighbor Totoro" (#4), and "Spirited Away" (#5). Only the "Detective Conan" film series was as popular, filling in the gap at #3.

The bottom half of the Top 10 were the "Doraemon" movies, "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo," "The Castle of Cagliostro," and "Evangelion: 1.0 You Are."

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Singing cats and idol group collaborate for TV theme song
Mon, May 5, 2008 (12:39am EDT)

The "singing" cat group MUSASHI'S made their debut in March with a digital single released through Stardust Promotion. Apparently, their novelty has not yet worn off, as the cats have now been tapped to help with the theme song to the long-running TBS drama series "Daisuki! Itsutsugo."

MUSASHI's became an internet phenomenon last year with their rendition of "Jingle Bells." Their owner signed them to a contract with Stardust, and they have successfully released two digital singles so far. This time, they are collaborating with Stardust's idol project Power Age for a song called "Daisuki!!" that will be used in the next season of "Daisuki! Itsutsugo." The weekday afternoon drama, starring Yumi Morio and Yasuhiro Arai as the parents of five children, has aired every summer since 1999. The new season starts on July 14.

Power Age, who will provide the main vocals backed by the cats' harmony, consists of 9 high school girls that have been training as a dance and vocal unit. Four of the members were chosen to release the group's first single last month. "Daisuki!!" will be their first song as a complete group.

The CD single goes on sale July 30, though digital distribution will start on July 14.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Koyuki replaces Kikuchi in "Kamui"
Mon, May 5, 2008 (2:35am EDT)

Director Yoichi Sai's adaptation of the Sanpei Shirato manga "The Legend of Kamui" has found a new heroine. Late last year, Rinko Kikuchi was dropped from the cast after she suffered a serious injury during filming. Her character, a female ninja who clashes with the protagonist (played by Kenichi Matsuyama), is now being handled by Koyuki.



The action-packed film is said to be aiming for international release, especially in North America. In addition to Matsuyama, who has become popular around the world thanks to "Death Note," Koyuki was originally offered the part as a respected actress with some international exposure. She appeared in the 2003 film "The Last Samurai" with Tom Cruise, and she has also been cast in the upcoming "Blood: The Last Vampire" movie with Korean star Jun Ji-hyun. However, due to her schedule, Koyuki was unable to take on the role.

Filming started in November with Kikuchi, but after her injury, the project was delayed. At one point, there was even talk of the film being completely stopped. But Koyuki was offered the part again, and she agreed to come on board with some adjustments to the schedule. Koyuki begins filming her scenes this month, which include a sword fight and a horse riding scene.

The completed film is still scheduled for release in 2009.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kiko Ohtsu changes stage name
Tue, May 6, 2008 (12:09am EDT)



Singer Kiko Ohtsu has changed her stage name to COON (pronounced like "cone"). On Wednesday, she is releasing her first single under that name, titled "Hoshi Kirari."

Ohtsu made her major label debut just last year. She decided to change her name due to a suggestion by celebrity feng shui practitioner Dr. Copa, who linked the name with the idea of "bursting into show business like popcorn" ("corn" is pronounced like "cone" in Japanese). Dr. Copa gave her the advice during a radio show on which they appeared together.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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H&MC covers TMR's "Hot Limit"
Tue, May 6, 2008 (12:10am EDT)



HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR will be doing a cover of T.M.Revolution's 1998 hit single "HOT LIMIT." H&MC's version will be released on June 25, and the limited edition DVD will include the song's music video, in which TMR (Takanori Nishikawa) makes a guest appearance.

The seed for the project was planted last year when H&MC performed with Nishikawa's other project, abingdon boys school, during that band's nationwide tour.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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HASYMO does "Tokyo!" ending theme
Tue, May 6, 2008 (12:47am EDT)



Technopop trio HASYMO (formerly Yellow Magic Orchestra) has provided the ending theme song for the movie "Tokyo!," which is slated for release in late summer. The movie is a collaborative triptych bringing together three internationally recognized directors: Korea's Bong Joon-ho and France's Michel Gondry and Leos Carax. It will make its world premiere on May 15 at Cannes.

The song is an instrumental piece titled "Tokyo Town Pages." It will be included on the film's soundtrack, due out on August 6. On the same day, it will also be sold as a double A-side single with "The City of Light," the theme song to TBS's "News 23."

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Miki Mizuno takes revenge in Takanori Tsujimoto action flick
Tue, May 6, 2008 (1:28am EDT)



Actress Miki Mizuno, who has earned a reputation as an action star, has taken on her most demanding role yet. She was cast as the lead in Takanori Tsujimoto's "Hard Revenge, Milly," which follows in the same vein as Quentin Tarantino's violent action film "Kill Bill." Similar to Uma Thurman's character in that movie, Mizuno's Milly is a woman seeking revenge against those who killed her family.

Mizuno previously worked with Tsujimoto in a segment of Mamoru Oshii's omnibus work "Shin Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden." Impressed with her ability, Tsujimoto decided to do a full-fledged action film with her. Mizuno has long been active in the action genre, studying martial arts at a young age and later joining the stunt agency Kurata Action Club. Her filmography includes "Koibito wa Sniper" (2004) and the Hong Kong remake of "Sasori" (scheduled for release later this year).

Filming for "Hard Revenge, Milly" took place at the end of last year. Mizuno did not use any stunt doubles for her scenes, some of which include wire action work. One climactic battle features her against actor Mitsuki Koga.

"Hard Revenge" opens in theaters this August.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Miki Mizuno takes revenge in Takanori Tsujimoto action flick
Tue, May 6, 2008 (1:28am EDT)



Actress Miki Mizuno, who has earned a reputation as an action star, has taken on her most demanding role yet. She was cast as the lead in Takanori Tsujimoto's "Hard Revenge, Milly," which follows in the same vein as Quentin Tarantino's violent action film "Kill Bill." Similar to Uma Thurman's character in that movie, Mizuno's Milly is a woman seeking revenge against those who killed her family.

Mizuno previously worked with Tsujimoto in a segment of Mamoru Oshii's omnibus work "Shin Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden." Impressed with her ability, Tsujimoto decided to do a full-fledged action film with her. Mizuno has long been active in the action genre, studying martial arts at a young age and later joining the stunt agency Kurata Action Club. Her filmography includes "Koibito wa Sniper" (2004) and the Hong Kong remake of "Sasori" (scheduled for release later this year).

Filming for "Hard Revenge, Milly" took place at the end of last year. Mizuno did not use any stunt doubles for her scenes, some of which include wire action work. One climactic battle features her against actor Mitsuki Koga.

"Hard Revenge" opens in theaters this August.

Source: www.tokyograph.com