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news: idol
Shokotan to perform at AX 2008
Wed, March 26, 2008 (10:41pm EDT)
Popular otaku idol Shoko Nakagawa has been announced as a musical guest of honor at this year's Anime Expo, which takes place on July 3-6 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. She has sung several anime theme songs, including music for "Gurren Lagann" and "Hakaba Kitaro."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: singer
Popular mobile music site singer gets major label deal
Wed, March 26, 2008 (11:58pm EDT)
Singer/songwriter cloe, a popular musician on mobile site Mobage Town, has an album in the works that will be released in June. She is the first artist to go from a mobile site to a major label record deal.
cloe studied vocal music at Tokyo's Musashino Academia Musicae and started her career in August 2006. She began contributing her music to Mobage Town in April 2007. By December, she ranked #1 in 3 different categories: best overall song (out of about 12,500 songs), best creator (out of about 3,100 people), and best new song. She also attracted roughly 8,700 registered fans, the highest on the site.
Her 7-track debut album, titled "Boys be ambitious," features a mix of genres such as classical and jazz, though it is rooted in pop. It goes on sale June 25.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: actress
Kie Kitano chosen for fire prevention campaign
Thu, March 27, 2008 (1:07am EDT)
The General Insurance Association of Japan (Sonpo) has revealed its 2008 poster model for its long-standing Fire Prevention Poster campaign. Out of more than 59,000 applications, young actress Kie Kitano, who turned 17 earlier this month, was chosen for the role.
Past poster models include Seiko Matsuda, Noriko Sakai, Aya Ueto, and Erika Toda (last year).
Source: www.tokyograph.com
[ Last edited by whitedove at 31-3-2008 06:04 PM ] |
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news: movie
Shoko Nakagawa cast in new "Kitaro" movie
Thu, March 27, 2008 (1:21am EDT)
 
The cast for the "Gegege no Kitaro" movie sequel keeps on growing, and the latest publicized addition is talento Shoko Nakagawa, who is a big self-professed fan of the franchise. Nakagawa will play the beautiful and intelligent ghost Fuguruma Youbi, who aids Kitaro (Eiji Wentz) in his adventure.
Nakagawa was previously connected to the "Kitaro" franchise when she sang "snow tears" as the ending theme of the "Hakaba Kitaro" anime series and served as a voice actress on the show.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
"Dragonball" sequel to start filming next year?
Thu, March 27, 2008 (2:09am EDT)
Cinema Today reports that the second live-action "Dragonball" film may start shooting at the end of the first quarter of 2009. Previous news reports indicated that "Dragonball" has been planned as a trilogy, and now it seems that the next two films will be shot in Durango, Mexico, just like the first one. In fact, some of the sets were left in place even after filming finished.
The first installment of the trilogy is scheduled for release on April 3, 2009, though Japan will reportedly get it first in March.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Wrestler Inoki gets first starring movie role
Thu, March 27, 2008 (10:03am EDT)
Former pro wrestler Antonio Inoki will star in his first movie. The film is titled "Acacia no Hana ga Sakidasu Koro," written and directed by author/musician/director Hitonari Tsuji.
Inoki plays a former wrestler, like himself. His character is long past his glory days, now living alone and separated from his family. He meets an elementary school student named Takuro (Ryoga Hayashi), who is being bullied and won't open up to anyone. However, their encounter brings them together and they form a bond.
Tsuji and Inoki apparently met by chance last fall at a Tokyo hotel, where Tsuji was working on the concept for his film. The director, who had long been a fan of Inoki and wrestling in general, immediately decided to give Inoki the starring role. While the wrestler has previous acting experience, this is his first time playing the lead in a movie.
The two are aiming to bring "Acacia" to the film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, and Venice next year. Filming is scheduled to take place entirely in Hakodate, starting in late June, with a target release date of next spring. Other cast members include Eri Ishida as Inoki's estranged wife and Kazuki Kitamura as Takuro's father.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Tokiwa to play heroine in next "Tsuribaka Nisshi" movie
Thu, March 27, 2008 (10:04am EDT)
The long-running "Tsuribaka Nisshi" film series (also known by the name "Diary of a Fishing Fool") will get its 19th installment this October. Rentaro Mikuni and Toshiyuki Nishida are still starring as Su-san and Hama-chan, with Yuzo Asahara again directing. This time, however, Takako Tokiwa will play the female lead.
 
Tokiwa plays a temp worker sent to Hama-chan and Su-san's company. She becomes romantically involved with a co-worker (Taro Yamamoto) and eventually gets married.
Filming starts on April 12 and will run until mid-May.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: dorama SP
Yonekura returns to "wicked woman" image in "Koori no Hana"
Thu, March 27, 2008 (10:06am EDT)
This year, TV Asahi will broadcast a drama special titled "Koori no Hana." The story is based on a mystery novel of the same name that was self-published last year as the debut of 62-year-old author Setsuko Amano.
 
Actress Ryoko Yonekura will star, returning to the "wicked woman" image she acquired through her roles in dramas such as "Kurokawa no Techo" and "Warui Yatsura." In "Koori no Hana," she plays a pianist who receives an inheritance from her uncle, and she begins living happily with her husband, a surgeon (Masato Sakai). But one day, she receives a phone call from a woman claiming to be her husband's pregnant mistress, and she is soon driven to murder.
No specific broadcast date has been announced yet.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: dorama
"81diver" drama series announced starring Mizobata, Naka
Thu, March 27, 2008 (12:58am EDT)
Fuji TV has revealed the next drama series for its Saturday night time slot, to air after the completion of "Lost Time Life." The drama will be based on a popular manga called "81diver" by Yokusaru Shibata.
 
The story deals with a talented young shogi player named Kentaro Sugata (played by Junpei Mizobata) who earns his money by playing against amateurs in wagered games. One day, he is defeated a mysterious young woman (Riisa Naka) who also works part-time as a maid in Akihabara. Under her guidance, he begins walking the path to becoming a shogi pro.
The series will air on Saturdays at 11:00pm, starting on May 3.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes
[JAPAN] Time Magazine抯 article on AP Bank (Mr. Children抯 Sakurai Kazutoshi and producer Kobayashi Takeshi)
 
According to the article, |
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news: idols
Idoling!!! doubles in size
Fri, March 28, 2008 (12:08am EDT)
Fuji TV's idol project group Idoling!!! is doubling in size, it was learned on Thursday.
Nine new members are being added to the unit, including 19-year-old Maia Kobayashi. They will first appear on the "Idoling!!!" television show on April 7.
It was also announced that the 18-member group will be the image characters for Fuji TV's "Odaiba Gakuen 2008" event, which runs from April 26 to May 6.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: concert
Clash Against Commercialism concert canceled
Fri, March 28, 2008 (12:25am EDT)
The previously announced Clash Against Commercialism J-rock concert in New York has been canceled. Organizer FREE-WILL revealed on Wednesday that due to "a delay in securing visas for members of the featured Japanese bands, combined with scheduling conflicts," the show has been halted.
Originally set for April 6, the concert had a lineup of 12012, ANTI FEMINISM, RENTRER EN SOI, the studs, and boogieman. It has not yet been rescheduled, and tickets are being refunded.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes
Sharam Q to celebrate 20th anniversary at Budokan
Fri, March 28, 2008 (1:23am EDT)
This December marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of rock band Sharam Q. To celebrate the milestone, they will hold a special concert at Nippon Budokan on December 6.
The show is scheduled to last a total of five hours. It will include guest appearances from many other people, including bands they debuted at the same time as, and singers and comedians they have become friends with. It is also predicted that vocalist Tsunku will invite Morning Musume (whom he produces) and Hiroshi Itsuki (who is now also part of Up-Front Agency). The complete list of guests will be announced in the future.
Sharam Q has not performed at the Budokan since 10 years ago, before they went on hiatus from 2000 to 2006.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: celebrity
Hideki Matsui gets married
Fri, March 28, 2008 (1:39am EDT)
The big talk of the day in Japan was the happy announcement by Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui that he got married on Wednesday. According to The Associated Press, Matsui also won a bet against teammates Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu about who would get married first.
Although Jeter and Abreu can still technically win if they get married soon enough, they both conceded defeat. Apparently, both of them had made the bet without knowing that Matsui had been planning his marriage since six months ago.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: music
EXILE's best album ships a million on release day
Fri, March 28, 2008 (2:38am EDT)
In December, EXILE's album "EXILE LOVE" shipped over a million copies within its first few days and ended its first week with 670,000 in sales. Now, their "EXILE CATCHY BEST" is set to surpass that, as it shipped roughly 1.05 million copies by its first day, the 26th. According to Oricon's daily rankings, the album's sales have exceeded 100,000 copies on both of its first two days.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: actress
Yoon Son Ha prepares for parenthood
Fri, March 28, 2008 (10:24am EDT)
Korean talento Yoon Son Ha is pregnant with her first child. Her company announced the news via fax on Friday.
Last September, she married a Korean businessman and took up residence in Seoul. She is scheduled to give birth around the end of this September, and she is expected to be on maternity leave after that until January of next year.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes
Nakanomori Band halts live shows, vocalist needs surgery
Fri, March 28, 2008 (10:26am EDT)
Nakanomori Band updated its blog on Thursday, announcing that they will be taking a break from live performances. Vocalist AYAKO, 22, will be undergoing throat surgery next month, and she is expected to need half a year to fully recover.
AYAKO began having difficulties with her voice last year, and it became an obstacle in her work. The source of the problem is said to be a benign cyst on her vocal chords.
Nakanomori Band's last live show will be on March 29 in Saitama. After that, the band's three other members will continue the group's other activities in magazines and radio.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Two Katos starring in Kawasaki's "Guilala"
Fri, March 28, 2008 (2:23am EDT)
SciFi Japan reported in January that director Minoru Kawasaki is reviving the monster Guilala (from the 1967 kaiju film "The X From Outer Space") with a new film titled "Guilala no Gyakushu: Toyako Summit Kiki Ippatsu." More details have now been revealed, including the two leads: model/actress Natsuki Kato and actor/singer Kazuki Kato.
 
The story involves a Chinese spacecraft crashing in the outskirts of Sapporo, followed by the appearance of Guilala. Natsuki Kato plays a reporter for a sports newspaper sent to get the scoop, accompanied by Kazuki Kato as a cameraman. Together, they become the key to saving the world.
Also appearing in the film is comedy group The Newspaper, whose roles are said to include "Sanzo Ibe" and "Junzaburo Oizumi," parodies of the two previous prime ministers.
Shooting starts at the end of this month. The film was originally planned to open this fall, but it has been moved up to July 5 to coincide with the actual G8 summit taking place in Toyako, Hokkaido, on July 7-9.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: talento
Speed marriage for Morisanchu's Murakami
Fri, March 28, 2008 (10:22am EDT)
28-year-old Tomoko Murakami, a member of the comedy trio Morisanchu, got married last weekend, it was learned on Friday. She later announced the news personally on a live broadcast of "Waratte Iitomo," then held a press conference on the same day.
Her husband is a 30-year-old employee of an apparel-related company whose face is said to resemble singer Masayoshi Yamazaki. They barely met on March 2 at a friend's birthday party, and they went on their first date two days later. One week later the man proposed, and they registered their marriage on the 23rd. They have not yet made plans for a ceremony.
In 2006, Murakami starred in the Fuji TV series "Busu no Hitomi ni Koi#eru," playing an "ugly" actress that finds love with a comedy writer (played by Goro Inagaki). That drama was based on a book by Osamu Suzuki, which was partly inspired by Suzuki's marriage to another Morisanchu member, Miyuki Oshima.
Oshima, who was also at the press conference, admitted that she was initially concerned that it might be marriage fraud, but she gave her blessing after meeting the man.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post time 29-3-2008 01:21 PM
