|
|
Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
[Copy link]
|
|
|
Takahiro Fujimoto scores first lead movie role
Wed, June 16, 2010 (11:40am EDT)
Actor and former Olympic swimmer Takahiro Fujimoto (39) is taking on his first starring movie role in "Playin' for Money," co-directed by Jiro Enomoto and Kevin Glover. The movie is planned to get a U.S. release this fall, though a Japanese release has not yet been decided.
"Playin' for Money" tells the story of a small-time basketball team in Kagoshima. Fujimoto plays the team's enthusiastic head coach, who rallies his players to aim for the championship in a Tokyo tournament.
Fujimoto's own athletic experience may help him in the role. He competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, but he retired in 1996 and moved into acting. He has mainly been active in theater, but he also appeared on screen in the movie "YAMATO" and the drama series "Saka no Ue no Kumo."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yusuke Yamamoto, Junpei Mizobata share the stage
Wed, June 16, 2010 (7:45pm EDT)
Yusuke Yamamoto (22) and Junpei Mizobata (21) will both star in a play together, tentatively titled "Pride."
"Pride" will be mainly a two-man show. The story follows a kamikaze pilot from World War II who "time slips" into the present day, where he becomes friends with a part-timer. The play is said to depict the good fortune that modern youths don't even notice that they have.
Both characters have completely different lines and ways of talking, but Yamamoto and Mizobata will be experimenting by alternating the roles with each show. The play is being organized and produced by Ever Green Entertainment, the talent agency that manages both actors.
The play will be performed on a tight schedule, with eight shows planned within a four-day span (July 26-29). Venues will be in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. In addition to "Pride," each performance will include a second, short 30-minute play that Yamamoto and Mizobata will appear in, along with other cast members such as Rei Okamoto (18) and Yuki Sato (26).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS vocalist ties the knot
Wed, June 16, 2010 (8:04am EDT)
Monkichi (31), a vocalist for the hip-hop/pop group FUNKY MONKEY BABYS, announced on his blog on Wednesday that he got married earlier this year. He and his wife, who is not in show business, registered their marriage on January 23.
Monkichi revealed that the relationship had started out long ago as a one-sided love, but he finally won her over. The woman is said to be a childhood friend.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New-look Jero starts national tour
Friday 18th June, 05:26 AM JST
TOKYO —
African-American enka singer Jero, 28, kicked off a nationwide tour at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo this week. Foregoing his usual baseball cap, the singer donned a Panama hat and pink suit, crooning his new tune, “Usonaki.”
He smiled when talking about his new outfit, saying “I like it so much I’d really like to dress like this all the time.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ailing Ozawa cancels Berlin orchestra performances through next year
Friday 18th June, 10:15 AM JST
TOKYO —
Conductor Seiji Ozawa, who is undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer, will call off all concerts of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra that he planned to direct through next year, his agent said Thursday.
The agent said there will be no change to a plan for the 74-year-old conductor to make a comeback at a Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto concert in September, but he will have to refrain from making long-haul overseas trips due to his health. Ozawa announced in January that he had been diagnosed with an early stage of esophageal cancer.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Internationally Acclaimed J-Rock Band X Japan Members Yoshiki & Sugizo to appear and perform at Otakon 2010
June 17, 2010 by J!-ENT
Baltimore, MD (June 17, 2010) – YOSHIKI and SUGIZO, of the legendary visual kei rock band X
JAPAN, will make a special appearance and give a brief performance at Otakon 2010’s Masquerade –
just one (1) week prior to the band’s appearance at Lollapalooza in Chicago. YOSHIKI previously
appeared at Otakon in 2006, but this will be SUGIZO’s first visit to the convention.
Full details on the appearance will be posted to the convention website in coming weeks at
www.otakon.com.
YOSHIKI
The heart of X Japan is Yoshiki – songwriter, drummer, and classically-trained pianist who also plays
guitar, bass and trumpet. His double-record classical album, Eternal Melody (1993) was co-produced and
arranged by the legendary George Martin, recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and
remains one of Japan’s most successful classical releases. For Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved, the
1994 KISS tribute album, Yoshiki arranged and produced “Black Diamond” as a piano concerto,
prompting Rolling Stone magazine to comment in its CD review, “the ingenuity award must go to
Yoshiki…” Yoshiki has produced some of Japan’s most influential bands, including Dir \en grey and Glay.
At the request of the Japanese government in 1999, Yoshiki composed a piano concerto and performed it
with a 77-piece orchestra to commemorate the Emperor of Japan’s 10th anniversary on the throne. In
2005, he was named the Music Director for the 2005 World Expo, composed the event’s theme song, and
conducted the orchestra at the opening ceremonies. Yoshiki also wrote the X Japan song “I.V.” for the
2007 international blockbuster film, “Saw IV,” which played over the film’s closing credits.
SUGIZO
Originally the guitarist of another pioneering visual kei band, Luna Sea, began performing with XJAPAN
in 2008 for the X-JAPAN’s Tokyo Dome reunion concerts and was made a formal member of XJAPAN
last year during the Hong Kong stop of the band’s world tour.
Otakon’s Masquerade
Is the convention’s largest single event: a costume and skit contest featuring dozens of competitors, and
drawing as many as 8,000 attendees. It will be held on Saturday, July 30 in the 1st Mariner Arena. Two
prior Otakon guests have performed in the Arena — L’Arc~en~Ciel in 2004 and JAM Project in 2008 –
but the Arena has a long history of drawing top acts such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix,
Elton John, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and U2.
Otakon 2010 will be held July 30 – August 1 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
X JAPAN
Calling X Japan the most successful rock band in Japan is not a statement made lightly. X Japan has sold
more than 30-million albums, singles and videos, headlined and sold out Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome
18 times – so far – and has started playing to tens of thousands of fans outside of Japan. Going back to the
1980s, the band’s look and sound sparked a global interest in Japanese entertainment, especially with the
Japanese cultural rock phenomenon, “Visual-Kei,” a movement X Japan pioneered that went on to
become a catalyst for today’s worldwide Anime craze.
X Japan was formed in 1982 (calling themselves X) by Yoshiki and Toshi while still high school
students. Over the next 13 years, the band released five studio albums – Vanishing Vision (1988), Blue
Blood (1989) Jealousy (1991), Art of Life (1993) and Dahlia (1996), as well as six live albums, 10
compilation albums, and 15 video albums. X Japan was one of the first Japanese bands to achieve
mainstream success while on an independent label – Yoshiki’s own Extasy Records. The band was so
popular, SEGA produced an X Japan video game. In the fall of 1997, the band’s lead singer, Toshi,
decided to leave X Japan, which lead to the dissolution of the band. Four months later, Hide, X Japan’s
original lead guitarist, was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. At his funeral, more than 50,000 fans
came to mourn his passing, and in May, 2010, even more fans stood in line at a memorial service to pay
their respects and mark the 12th anniversary of his tragic death. In early 2007, Yoshiki and Toshi started
working together again, and later that year, X Japan officially reformed. During 2008-9, the band
launched its reunion tour, being bigger than ever, and sold out everywhere it played. In January, 2010, X
Japan filmed a music video on the rooftop of Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, with a throng of some 8,000
U.S. fans taking part in the shoot on Hollywood Blvd.
The members of X Japan – Yoshiki, Toshi (vocals), Pata (guitarist), Heath (bass), and Sugizo (guitar) -
have been spending time in Yoshiki’s Los Angeles recording studio working on what will be the band’s
U.S. debut, and its first album sung in English. “We decided to record English lyrics for four or five of
our most popular, previously released songs,” Yoshiki explained, “and then write an additional four or
five brand new songs, also sung in English. We have worked very hard on this album, and are very
excited to present our music to the American rock fans.”
Immediately following their August Lollapalooza set, X Japan will fly back to Tokyo where they will
play their biggest concert ever – headlining two nights at the Nissan Stadium, performing to nearly
150,000 fans.
Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anime Expo 2010 Announces Musical Group, RSP, as Official Guests of Honor
June 17, 2010 by J!-ENT
Los Angeles, CA – June 17, 2010 – Anime Expo® is pleased to announce today that Japanese musical group, RSP, will be official Guests of Honor at its July convention. Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga convention, is scheduled for July 1 – 4, 2010, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. RSP comes to Anime Expo to celebrate their involvement with the popular anime, BLEACH.
Musical group RSP is scheduled to perform live in Nokia Plaza L.A. Live on July 1 at 1:00 p.m. RSP, or Real Street Performance, is a Japanese pop group made of members Ai and Saki. The group has released several fan-favorite singles, including A Street Story and the female version of Lifetime Respect. RSP also recorded two ending songs for BLEACH – Kansha and Tabidatsu Kimi e.
RSP joins Anime Expo’s 2010 guest line-up along with singer BENI; voice actresses Yui Horie and Eri Kitamura; Internet sensation Danny Choo; musical artists Megumi Nakajima and May’n; manga artist Rei Hiroe; musical artist MELL; supergroup AKB48; voice actor Katsuyuki Konishi; Eden of the East trio Kenji Kamiyama, Satoru Nakamura and Tomohiko Ishii; voice actor Kyle Hebert; animation director Toshihiro Kawamoto; seiyuu Yuu Asakawa; J-rock band Sophia; and anime director Shinichi “Nabeshin” Watanabe.
To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2010 news, follow us on Twitter <http://twitter.com/animeexpo> , become a fan on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/animeexpo> and check us out on YouTube <http://www.youtube.com/spjaanimeexpo> .
Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New idol group SKL39 promotes family restaurant
Thu, June 17, 2010 (9:51am EDT)
Next month, the Skylark restaurant company is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and to mark the event, it is launching a new idol group called SKL39. The 39 in the unit's name refers to the number of members, and it can also be read as "san-kyu" ("thank you").
The SKL39 members range in age from 18 to 25, chosen through an audition. Some of the members are already signed to management agencies.
The group will start out promoting two new menu items for the family restaurant Gusto - spicy pilaf with Indian curry chicken, and hamburger with Indian curry chicken. Because of that, their first song is "Tokonatsu?Supachiki." It was released on Thursday and is already available as a free download on the special SKL39 website.
In addition to the website, all of the group's members have launched a Twitter account to reach out to fans. However, the group will be disbanded unless they receive 4,000 messages on their website by July 14, Skylark's anniversary date. If they achieve that milestone, they will make their official debut at an anniversary event next month.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SHAKALABBITS concerts canceled due to tonsillitis
Thu, June 17, 2010 (10:04am EDT)
On Thursday, rock band SHAKALABBITS was scheduled to perform in Nagano as part of their current tour, but the band announced the day before that the show has been canceled. The band's bassist, KING, is currently suffering from high fever due to acute tonsillitis.
The band followed up with another message that they have also canceled a show in Hiroshima on the 19th and another in Takamatsu on the 20th. KING is expected to recover before their concert in Aomori on the 24th, though more information will be made available in the next few days.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Puffy to perform in Hong Kong, Taiwan
Thu, June 17, 2010 (10:26am EDT)
A few days ago, Puffy announced that they have scheduled two overseas shows, one in Hong Kong on September 23 and one in Taiwan on September 25. The concerts were added to the duo's upcoming tour, which starts on June 24.
Thanks to their animated series "Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi," Puffy's international fan base has grown greatly. They have already performed multiple times in the United States, as well as in Europe. However, they have not had a concert in Taiwan since 1998, nor in Hong Kong since 1999.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saki Aibu to attend movie screening in Los Angeles
Thu, June 17, 2010 (6:52pm EDT)
Actress Saki Aibu (24) will reportedly be in Los Angeles next month to attend a special screening of the movie "Koisuru Napolitan," which stars her along with Takashi Tsukamoto (27) and EXILE's Daisuke Maki (34).
The movie will be shown at the Nokia Theater on July 1, and Aibu will show up to present the film. The screening is said to be part of Anime Expo 2010, but the convention has not yet made an official announcement about it.
"Koisuru Napolitan" is scheduled to open in Japanese theaters on September 11.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fujifabric's first drama theme
Thu, June 17, 2010 (11:31am EDT)
The band Fujifabric has a new song titled "Yoake no BEAT," their first to be used as the theme song for a television drama. It will appear in TV Tokyo's upcoming "Moteki," an adaptation of Mitsuro Kubo's manga of the same name that stars actor Mirai Moriyama (25).
"Yoake no BEAT" is being included on the band's next album, titled "MUSIC." After the sudden death of vocalist/guitarist Masahiko Shimura last December, the other three members of the band (plus Tokyo Jihen's Toshiki Hata as support drummer) completed the album using the lyrics, songs, and recordings that Shimura left behind.
Fujifabric has not put out a release since their album "CHRONICLE" in May 2009. Although "MUSIC" goes on sale on July 28, fans will be able to get "Yoake no BEAT" as a chaku-uta on June 18 only (a 24-hour window).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenji Ozawa married since last year
Thu, June 17, 2010 (7:37pm EDT)
Singer-songwriter Kenji Ozawa (42) got married at the end of last year, it has been learned. According to this week's issue of FRIDAY, Ozawa's wife is an American photographer named Elizabeth Cole, said to be around the age of 36.
Ozawa has been based in the United States since 1998, though he recently reopened his Japan activities with a tour that started in May. He met the woman while in the U.S., but they are currently both in Japan. FRIDAY spotted the two shopping at a department store earlier this month, and the next day the couple were seen holding hands on a date in public, before returning to Ozawa's apartment.
A source involved with Ozawa's tour was unable to confirm the news of his marriage.
Ozawa was once a member of the duo Flipper's Guitar, along with Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius). Ozawa is also known for being the nephew of famous conductor Seiji Ozawa (74).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
World Cup sets up Superfly to be a chart-topper
Saturday 19th June, 03:44 AM JST
TOKYO —
Rock band Superfly has jumped up the charts thanks to their NHK 2010 World Cup theme song, “Tamashii Revolution.” The day after the June 14 Japan-Cameroon match, the single hit number two on the Reko Choku daily chart of mobile ringtone downloads.
Although the single is currently only available as a ringtone, due to overwhelming requests from fans, the record company released a full version of the song for download on Friday. “Tamashii Revolution” looks like it’s set to be a big hit, said record company officials.
The song was created as the theme to NHK’s World Cup broadcasts, and debuted on May 30 during the international friendly match between Japan and England.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yamada to star as luckless woman in TV Asahi drama
Sunday 20th June, 05:00 AM JST
TOKYO —
Yu Yamada will play a continuing role in a new TV Asahi series set to begin July 9. In the drama, titled “Eri on the Edge – A Story about Money,” Yamada, 25, will play the lead role of Eriko, a down-on-her-luck, penniless woman.
The drama is apparently based on manga artist Rieko Saibara’s children’s book, “The All-important Story of Money.” Saibara’s other works have also been filmed in the past, including the 2009 film, “Ike-chan and Me.” The story of the original manga, and presumably the upcoming drama, describes how main character Eriko overcomes hardship to find success.
Born into a poor household in Kochi Prefecture, Eriko is eventually accepted at an art college in Tokyo. However, troubled with debt, Eriko’s father (Takanori Jinnai) attempts to end the family’s suffering by crashing the family car with everyone inside. Surviving the crash with her mother, Eriko sees her luck take a further turn for the worse when a debt collector takes the family’s possessions. On the brink of giving up her dreams of college, Eriko is finally able to journey to Tokyo when her mother gives her a million yen.
The impoverished Eriko is a departure from Yamada’s normally stylish image. “I had detailed talks with the director about how I should portray this desperate kind of character,” Yamada said. “I drew on my face with a pen and tore my T-shirts, trying to get the perfect image. It was fun coming up with my own ideas for the character’s look.”
“This is my first time in a continuing drama series, so I really want to do the best I can,” she added.
Saibara said: “I wrote the original manga for my own daughter, and for any women planning on marriage. For me, happiness wasn’t in marriage or a family, but in my own independence. I hope that with this drama, I can pass that message on to even more women.”
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asashoryu to kick off showbiz career, doing PR for 'Predators' film
Monday 21st June, 06:14 AM JST
TOKYO —
Former Yokozuna Asashoryu will soon kick off a career in show business, with his first “role” to be a PR spokesman in Japan for the American-made action film “Predators,” which opens on July 10.
Asashoryu was compelled to bow out of the sumo world in February after his involvement in several incidents. Speaking of his fresh start, Asashoryu said: “I want to become the yokozuna of a new arena.”
Asashoryu’s manager stated, “If the chance arises, I’d like to see him try his hand at variety shows and other ‘talent’ jobs.”
A follow-up to 1987’s original “Predator” film, the 2010 update tells the story of a group of humanity’s strongest warriors locked in a cutthroat battle with the titular predator aliens.
Producers responsible for the advertising campaign said they offered the job to Asashoryu because they thought he was a “perfect depiction of the strongest warrior.”
The “Guess the Predator” ad campaign, launched on June 4, featured a thermal image of Asashoryu, emulating the high-tech night-vision of the film’s protagonists. Fans then guessed at who the image depicted.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Singer, Wrestler Announce Autumn Wedding
June 21, 2010
Enka singer Mizuki Mai (36) announced on her blog yesterday that she and hugely popular wrestler Kobashi Kenta (43) are to be married in the autumn. The couple are said to have been dating for about 10 years, during which time both their careers have undergone some major upheavals. Mizuki debuted as an aidoru singer in 1992 using her given name of Hosoe Mayuko. She had moderate success and released half a dozen singles, before taking on a new name and image as an enka singer in 2004.
At that time Kobashi was one of the top figures in the professional wrestling scene. But in June 2006 he was diagnosed with kidney cancer and underwent surgery. He was at the Nippon Budokan six months later to announce that he would return to the ring within a year. He was true to his word, but in September 2008 he dislocated both elbows and was sidelined for another six months. And in January of this year he pulled out of a tour following yet more trouble with injuries. Kobashi is vice-president of the Pro-Wrestling NOAH troupe, a position he took on shortly after the sport was devastated by the death of his boss, Misawa Mitsuharu, in the middle of a bout.
Mizuki and Kobashi are expected to speak with the media today about their plans for a wedding ceremony and reception in Tokyo on October 2.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ex-Wink Star Retires After Scandal
Former aidoru star Suzuki Sachiko (41) has announced her retirement from showbiz after a scandal blew up over the weekend. Last Thursday's issue of the magazine "Shukan Bunshun" reported that she had admitted to having a 4-year affair with married stage actor Tsuda Eisuke (39). Tsuda denied the affair in his blog on Friday, insisting that Suzuki was his sempai at their management agency and nothing more. As one half of the duo Wink, Suzuki was a major star from the late 1980s to the mid-90s.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mori Shinichi Tags with Komuro Tetsuya
Enka star Mori Shinichi (62) announced on Sunday that his new single will be produced by none other than J-pop guru Komuro Tetsuya (51). Both are major stars who have had a difficult couple of years. Not long after a messy divorce from his wife of 19 years, Mori got caught up in a scandal surrounding the use of unapproved lyrics in his signature song "Ofukuro-san," which led to a very public dispute with the songwriter. Meanwhile Komuro is trying to rebuild his career and his life following his 2008 arrest and trial for the fraudulent sale of the copyrights to hundreds of his songs. In their first collaboration, Komuro has produced "Nemurenai Love Song," a single released to commemorate Mori's 45th year in showbiz.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KAT-TUN's Akanishi Performs in LA
Akanishi Jin, a member of the Johnny's Jimusho aidoru group KAT-TUN, became the agency's first artist to perform solo in the US with a couple of shows in Los Angeles over the weekend. During the "You & Jin USA" shows it was announced that there will be more dates in the autumn in cities including New York and Las Vegas.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Author
