|
|
Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]
[Copy link]
|
|
|
news: celebrities
Prosecutors sought an eight-year prison sentence for disgraced actor Haga Kenji (46) at the Osaka District Court yesterday. In the ongoing trial that began in February, Haga is accused of attempted blackmail and fraud of over |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: idols
Hip hop/dance trio w-inds. were among the performers at a rare concert held at the prime minister's official residence. The show was held in honor of visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao, who attended with Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, and to promote friendship between the youth of both countries. Other performers included Chinese singer Jane Zhang (23), local duo Kiroro and dancer/talento Papaya Suzuki. w-inds. performed at two official events in China last year, as well as playing shows in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: actress
More coy is actress Maya Miki (44). The former top Takarazuka star said at the launch of her new book yesterday that she is romantically involved with someone. She refused to reveal any more but said they had no plans to marry within the year.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
dorama article
TELEVIEWS / Viewers can look forward to 'Change.' Can voters say the same?
Wm. Penn / Daily Yomiuri Columnist
Get ready. Change (Fuji, 9 p.m.) is coming Monday. It has taken a while, but Takuya Kimura is finally on his way to save the day for Japan.
The quest for a quality political drama seems to have caused some production delays that pushed the series debut back three weeks. There have been media reports of grumbling at the network and worries that the late start will affect the timing of the summer series set for the Monday, 9 p.m. slot.
Can't quite see what the problem is myself. Until the private networks create more dramas that really excite viewers, staggering the start of each new season may be one of their best strategies for keeping the public interested in TV.
Most of this April's offerings have already bored or alienated viewers, so it is nice to have something new to look forward to in May.
Fuji has not yet revealed how many weeks Change will run, but if it should preempt a few of the between-season, special marathon, 180-minute, triple talento, super-duper, silly noise extravaganzas, will anyone really miss them? So bring on the Change already.
With the Japanese public's frustration with the political problems that have piled up over the past year and the excitement of the U.S. presidential race as a backdrop, the drama's Web site (www.fujitv.co.jp/change) is promising a political story that will provide the public with hope and dreams. That's an awful lot to expect from a mere TV series. But from the preseason publicity to the choice of Madonna's "Miles Away" as the theme song, the network does seems to be going all out on this one. As part of the advance PR for the series, Change tissue boxes went on sale on May 2 at a nationwide supermarket chain. By May 4, the supplies at my local store were all sold out. Can Change campaign buttons be far behind?
As for the story itself, Kimura plays Keita Asakura, 35, a primary school teacher from rural Nagano Prefecture whose recently deceased father had been a dietman from Kyushu. An all-around nice guy, Keita has no interest in politics and agrees to run only to get everyone off his back once and for all. But with the help of some sharp political operatives, he will be swept into the Diet and toward the prime ministership.
It's a rather implausible scenario, but in a world where Diet seats are passed down from generation to generation like the family china, not entirely impossible either.
Once elected, he's bounced about and manipulated by the elders of the Seiyuto (Political Friends Party) as he tries to use his power to change things for the better.
The all-star cast should help make the story both watchable and believable. The talented Eri Fukatsu plays his personal political secretary while Hiroshi Abe is the election strategist with a winning track record who knows how to get Asakura elected.
Rosa Kato is cast as a loyal young supporter who warbles his message of change to voters from his campaign sound truck.
Reportedly, filming of at least one of the outdoor campaign scenes had to be cancelled after Kimura attracted too big a crowd.
Once ensconced in the political world, he will be dealing with the party leadership. Akira Terao and Atsuo Nakamura play the party's general council chairman and secretary general, respectively. Nakamura should lend some added authenticity to the drama since the actor, best known for his role in the samurai tale Kogarashi Monjiro, actually served in the House of Councillors from 1998 to 2004.
Rounding out the big-name cast is Shiro Ito as the reigning prime minister, who holds the unflattering distinction of being the least popular prime minister ever. If Change is even half as good as it looks in the preseason publicity, the network will have a real winner on their hands. Do check it out.
The list of entertainers who have entered the political world is long and grows longer every year, but the number of continuing series that have attempted to portray the political world close-up is rather short. In fact, I can think of only two others. The first was Mona Lisa-tachi no Boken, an ode to the growing number of women in politics that aired on TBS back in the summer of 1987. Shinobu Otake starred as a grassroots candidate who vies for a city assembly seat. Then in the autumn of 2001, Koichi Iwaki starred in NTV's Let's Go Nagata-cho, playing a prime minister who very much resembled Junichiro Koizumi. Both of those series were considered rather groundbreaking for their time but were not particularly probing or penetrating.
How deeply Change will delve into the realities of the political world remains to be seen. But if TV ratings king Kimura succeeds yet again with this one, there will probably be some in the political world ready to urge him to follow so many of his entertainment world predecessors and actually run for office in the next election. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: dorama
Satoshi Ohno's first starring drama role
Fri, May 9, 2008 (12:00am EDT)
 
Arashi leader Satoshi Ohno has finally been given a regular role in a drama series. He will co-star with rising actor Toma Ikuta in the TBS series "Maou," premiering this July.
"Maou" is a remake of the 2007 Korean suspense drama "The Devil" ("Mawang"). In this version, Ohno plays a lawyer seeking revenge against the killer of his relatives. For the role, he has cut his hair and dyed it black. Meanwhile, Ikuta has been cast as a detective investigating a mysterious series of murders.
Filming is scheduled to start at the end of this month. The show will air on Fridays at 10:00pm.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: dorama
"Homeless Chugakusei" also gets a drama adaptation
Fri, May 9, 2008 (12:11am EDT)
"Homeless Chugakusei," the best-selling autobiography of comedian Hiroshi Tamura, is getting turned into a drama series this summer. This is the second adaptation announced for the book. Shooting for a film version starring Teppei Koike started in March, but the movie will hit theaters on October 25, after the television drama ends its run.
The TV version will star a 13-year-old named Tatsuya Kuroki, selected from an audition of more than 100 child actors. Kuroki is part of Gekidan Tohai, though he has no prior experience with a lead role.
Filming starts in the middle of this month. The series begins in July.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: actress
Miki Sakai engaged
Fri, May 9, 2008 (12:37am EDT)
30-year-old actress Miki Sakai is getting married later this year, it was learned on Thursday. Her fiance is a 34-year-old doctor at a university-affiliated hospital in Tokyo.
The couple met in New York four years ago, and they started seriously dating around last summer. According to Sakai's agency, they exchanged engagement gifts in January. Their wedding ceremony is scheduled for this fall.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: singer
Mika Nakashima ties up with mobile phone novel
Fri, May 9, 2008 (12:54am EDT)
Mika Nakashima is collaborating with mineral water brand Aqua Therapy Minaqua and mobile phone site Mahou no iRando to provide an image song for a mobile novel. The love story is titled "PURE with me..." and is written by popular author Aino. It is currently being serialized on a special Mahou no iRando subsite temporarily created for the novel.
The song's lyrics will be revealed on May 14, followed by streaming distribution of the tune starting on June 18. It will be available for a limited time on both the Minaqua site (PC) and the "PURE YOU" site (mobile).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: artiste
Miyavi adds London to world tour
Fri, May 9, 2008 (1:13am EDT)
Miyavi has scheduled a concert in London on June 25 at the Astoria 2 nightclub. This is the latest addition to Miyavi's highly-anticipated world tour, and is the last Europe show to be announced. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 9.
Several dates of the tour have already been sold out. Miyavi recently announced shows in Chile and Paris, along with second shows in Finland and San Francisco.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: actor
Yoshiko Mita's son to marry
Fri, May 9, 2008 (10:26am EDT)
Actor Ryu Morimiya, 33, is getting married soon. A source close to him says that his fiancee is a 30-year-old former talento whom he met three years ago. A private ceremony has been planned for this July.
Morimiya is the eldest son of actress Yoshiko Mita.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: artistes
Dragon Ash does soccer theme song
Fri, May 9, 2008 (10:27am EDT)
TBS is covering the UEFA Euro 2008 soccer championship, being held in Austria and Switzerland from June 7 to June 29. Dragon Ash has been chosen to do the theme song for the broadcast, which will be released as a single on June 18. Its title is "Velvet Touch."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: artistes
L'Arc's new "Legacy"
Sat, May 10, 2008 (11:21am EDT)
Rock band L'Arc~en~Ciel has another tie-in with Subaru Legacy. Like last year's "MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM," their new song "NEXUS 4" will appear in a commercial for the automobile. No release date has been announced for the single yet.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: celebrities
Mika Nakashima, Masatoshi Nagase split
Sat, May 10, 2008 (1:37am EDT)
 
Sports Nippon reports that singer Mika Nakashima, 25, and actor Masatoshi Nagase, 41, have broken off their relationship, despite rumors last year that they were soon headed for marriage. Like many other celebrity couples, it seems that their busy careers have caused them to drift apart.
The two met when they played siblings in the drama series "Shiritsu Tantei Hama Mike" in 2002. At the time, Nagase was married to actress Kyoko Koizumi, but he divorced in 2004. Shortly after that, he and Nakashima started dating.
Rumors surfaced in early 2007 that marriage was near, fueled by speculation from members of Nakashima's family. However, it appears that they gradually began seeing each other less frequently, and they finally broke up earlier this spring.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: movie
Anne to star in French film "Fashion Week"
Sat, May 10, 2008 (11:59am EDT)
22-year-old model Anne (the daughter of Ken Watanabe) is now venturing into film with her first starring role. However, her debut will be overseas, with a French film tentatively titled "Fashion Week." The picture is being directed by Claude Junior Zidi, the son of noted director and screenwriter Claude Zidi. It is his first feature-length film.
The movie is a love story appropriately set during fashion week in Paris. Anne plays the model Aoi, who meets a young French man aiming to be a movie writer, played by actor Jocelyn Quivrin.
Anne won the part in an audition held in Tokyo in January, attended by five of the film's staff, including both the senior and junior Zidis. She is said to have been chosen unanimously.
Filming starts this summer, timed to coincide with the fashion events in Paris. To prepare for the part, Anne is currently studying French, and she will begin living in an apartment in France a few weeks before shooting. The movie is expected to open in spring 2009.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: movie
Anne to star in French film "Fashion Week"
Sat, May 10, 2008 (11:59am EDT)
22-year-old model Anne (the daughter of Ken Watanabe) is now venturing into film with her first starring role. However, her debut will be overseas, with a French film tentatively titled "Fashion Week." The picture is being directed by Claude Junior Zidi, the son of noted director and screenwriter Claude Zidi. It is his first feature-length film.
The movie is a love story appropriately set during fashion week in Paris. Anne plays the model Aoi, who meets a young French man aiming to be a movie writer, played by actor Jocelyn Quivrin.
Anne won the part in an audition held in Tokyo in January, attended by five of the film's staff, including both the senior and junior Zidis. She is said to have been chosen unanimously.
Filming starts this summer, timed to coincide with the fashion events in Paris. To prepare for the part, Anne is currently studying French, and she will begin living in an apartment in France a few weeks before shooting. The movie is expected to open in spring 2009.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: artiste
[JAPAN] 80s rocker busted for cannabis
10th May , 2008 by KNDY in Japanese Entertainment News
Mainichi Daily News reported, 揫b]Yo$hitaka Matsuura, singer from 80s band 揇are ga Kaba yanen Rokkunroru Sho |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: artiste
Ging Nang Boyz guitarist to marry
Sun, May 11, 2008 (5:33am EDT)
Punk band Ging Nang Boyz announced on their official website that guitarist Chin Nakamura is getting hitched next week, on May 15. According to the statement, he made the decision to marry after his girlfriend discovered that she is pregnant. She is due to give birth this fall.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: actress
Actress Shinohara gives birth
Sun, May 11, 2008 (5:09pm EDT)
Actress Ryoko Shinohara became a mother on Saturday, giving birth to a baby boy. Her agency sent out a fax to the media on Sunday to announce the good news.
Shinohara and actor Masachika Ichimura have been married since December 2005, and her pregnancy was made known last November.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
news: idol
KAT-TUN's Nakamaru begins studies at Waseda
Sun, May 11, 2008 (5:56pm EDT)
This spring, KAT-TUN member Yuichi Nakamaru (24) entered Waseda University as a correspondence student in the Department of Human Behavior and Environment Sciences. He attended an entrance ceremony at Waseda's Toyama campus on April 1.
Nakamaru started thinking of attending university in 2005. He had developed an interest in environmental studies, and he decided to take an exam in December 2006. About a year later, he was selected for admission after going through the interview process and entrance examination.
Nakamaru said he is serious about graduating, even if "it takes him 8 years."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Post time 13-5-2008 05:58 PM
